LOGINAsia reached the company building moving so quickly that it was almost a blind rush, as though everything inside her was pushing her forward without allowing her to think. She didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop. She threw the door open and got out, while Salma hurried after her, worry written all over her face. Asia entered the building looking nothing like herself—her hair disheveled, her eyes red, her breathing ragged from the intensity of her emotions. But the chaos inside her was far worse than anything her appearance could reveal. Every step through the hallway felt heavier than the one before it, and every glance from the employees around her only made the fire burning in her chest grow hotter. "Mrs. Asia..." The secretary looked up the moment she saw her, but before she could finish her sentence, Asia cut her off in a sharp, strained voice: "I want to see Mazen. Now." The secretary hesitated, trying to remain composed. "Mr. Mazen is in an important
"Where is Asia?" Salma rushed into the apartment the moment Asia’s mother opened the door for her. Her breathing was ragged with worry as her eyes swept frantically across the place, searching for her. Asia’s mother looked up at her, and a tightness immediately gripped Salma’s chest. The woman looked as though she had been crying for hours. Her eyelids were swollen, her eyes red, and her face was painfully pale, worrying Salma even more. She spoke in a trembling voice: "In her room..." Then she swallowed a painful lump in her throat and added: "She hasn’t stopped crying since this morning... Please, go in to her. I don’t know what to do with her." Salma didn’t wait another second. She hurried toward the room, and as soon as she drew closer, she heard continuous movement coming from inside. She pushed the door open. And froze for a moment. Asia was pacing back and forth across the room, leaving Salma utterly bewildered. From one end of the room to the other. Then back agai
Until he suddenly said: "By the way... Reem has almost finished setting up half of the baby's room." Asia slowly turned toward him. She hadn't expected him to mention her. But he continued as though he were talking about something completely ordinary. "Or at least, that's what I gathered from her. Almost every day, she sends me pictures of new things and asks what I think." He looked ahead again, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I don't know why she even asks me. I can't tell the difference between a baby crib and a wardrobe." Asia didn't answer. She simply felt something tighten inside her chest. After a moment, he added: "She's become obsessed with doctors too." Asia furrowed her brows without looking at him. "Doctors?" "Yes. Two days ago, she was asking one of her friends about the best pediatrician, and yesterday she was looking up breastfeeding specialists." He let out a quiet laugh. "I think she's studying the subject as if she's preparing for some life-or-deat
She found him waiting for her downstairs, exactly thirty minutes later, just as he had promised. She descended the stairs in slow, measured steps, her blue dress swaying softly around her slender figure. Fitted at the top, it revealed the gentle curve of her pregnancy beneath the delicate fabric. Every now and then, her hand instinctively settled over her belly, as though reassuring herself of the little one growing inside her. The soft click of her sky-blue heels echoed lightly against the polished floor, making him turn toward her at once. The moment his eyes fell on her, he quickly stepped out of the car. A broad smile lit up his features, while a few strands of his lightly graying hair fell across his forehead, giving him a distinctive kind of charm. For the first time, she realized Salma hadn't been exaggerating when she'd talked about how handsome he was. The years were evident in his hair, but they had taken nothing away from him. If anything, they had given him an appealin
. Asia's mother's face softened into a warm smile, her eyes trembling with something that looked suspiciously like tears. Even Salma, who was usually incapable of stopping her jokes, felt a childish excitement as she moved closer to them. "Really?! He kicked? Right now?" Asia laughed and nodded. Salma leaned forward slightly, as though she were trying to hear the baby through Asia's stomach. "Listen, little one... I'm your favorite aunt, so don't let anyone fool you." Laughter rose through the room once again. But Mazen... He remained standing where he was. He didn't laugh. He didn't speak. His eyes were fixed on Asia's hand resting over her stomach. He felt something strange tighten inside his chest. Something he had never experienced before. A few months ago, the entire situation had seemed like nothing more than a problem he needed to deal with. Then it became a responsibility. Then it became a baby whose heartbeat he heard through a cold screen. But now... That
The small living room was more alive than usual, to the point that the space seemed too narrow to contain all the joy spilling between its walls. None of them had been able to hide their excitement since Asia and Mazen returned from the clinic and told them that they finally knew the sex of the baby. Mrs. Fatma was the first to turn the news into a full-blown celebration. She had arrived a little while ago carrying bags filled with cakes and sweets, as though her grandson had already been born instead of still being months away. She moved between the seats with a wide smile, her eyes shining with pure, untainted happiness. Asia's mother was quieter, but no less happy. She stood in the kitchen arranging the plates and carefully setting out the sweets, turning toward her daughter every few minutes with a long, tender look, as though she still couldn't believe that her little girl would become a mother in just a few months. Salma, on the other hand, moved around the room like a tiny







