Intrepid Hearts

28: Confidential Disclosure

"You are Maryam and Ibrahim's daughter, Zainab."

Fear gripped Zira's throat, adrenaline crashed through her. Despite being in a huge state of panic, her face remained expressionless, void of any emotions whatsoever.

Never let them perceive your fear from afar.

Those were her mother's words and she took it with honor. She was so afraid at that moment because she has already envisioned her revenge scheme falling apart.

"I don't know who those are." She would have to try harder to crack the shell. Zira didn't plan on letting anything out, not even if the woman before her knew what she was talking about. She must've recognized her but how?

Then again, she was the same woman in that picture. Zayn's mother might've known her parents a lot, perhaps that was why she was able to recognize her. But that too, how?

"Don't lie to me. I know these chocolate brown eyes anywhere! These right here were inherited from Maryam." She wasn't willing to back down because she knew her eyes weren't deceiving her.

"Who is Maryam? And why do you keep mentioning her?" Zira asked, feigning obliviousness despite her heart doing a somersault. Her eyes were pinned on the woman fiercely, Zira hoped she wasn't glaring because it has become a habit that she could sometimes not control.

The woman gazed at her, digesting every physical feature of hers. The skin, the slim straight perfect nose, her heart shaped lips, two sided dimple that was slightly visible despite the fact that she wasn't smiling. The stubbornness and stoic nature she had just portrayed confirmed her thoughts.

What better representation of Maryam could there possibly be?

The woman sighed, pacing back and forth before stopping in front of her. "Look, my name is Nabila. I'm Zayn's and Amani's mother—"

"—I already know that."

"Your mother was my friend. She was my closest friend. In fact all of us were friends. Mahmud, Medina, Yusrah, Hailey, Arman, Ibrahim, Maryam, Farid and I..." that just confirmed her suspicions on that particular picture. So they were all friends? Then what exactly happened to them?

"I still don't understand what you're saying."

She chose to remain silent after that because she wasn't sure if she could trust her. Arman had never mentioned anything about Nabila, so she couldn't speak unless she knows she's a good person.

On seeing her silence, Nabila let out a chuckle, "You are just like your Maryam. Extremely distrustful."

Still no response.

"I don't know how I'll prove to you that you can actually trust me but I promise you, I mean no harm. How could I? Your parents were one of the best people I had in my life. I love them too much to cause harm to their offspring. Please.." Nabila ran a hand through her hair, frustration gripping her.

"You can speak to me, all the rooms in this house are soundproof. I could show you pictures but I know that won't be enough." She was right, it wouldn't. Zira observed the woman and felt a slight feeling in her heart. Can she really trust her?

What can I do to prove myself to her?

Just then, an idea dropped in. "Okay. Lesson number one: To cherish what you have in life because most things don't last forever.'

Lesson number two: You'll be scared to do things, but do them anyways. Courage isn't the same as not feeling fear.

Lesson number three: Don't allow the voice of your fears to be louder than the voice in your head.