Chapter 8

Samir stood on the balcony of his Parisian apartment. He leaned against the railing, cradling his guitar and strumming an introspective tune that reflected the churning thoughts within him. The music brought him back to his childhood in Morocco, where he had first learned to play, and the complicated relationship with his father, Rashid Benali.

Their estrangement went back years, rooted in Rashid's strict adherence to cultural traditions and expectations. Samir had always been different – drawn to art, music, and a desire to explore the world beyond the confines of his homeland. As much as Samir loved and respected his father, he couldn't deny the suffocating weight of the life that had been planned for him. It was this unyielding pressure, like a vice around his heart, that had ultimately driven him away.

Samir's decision to leave Morocco and pursue his dreams in France had been met with disappointment from Rashid. The two had barely spoken since then, their conversations terse and i