Beau Monde ✅

Chapter 33

Nailah Zayed.

Maroudi, Nigeria.

"Faiza, are you okay?"

I blinked, shifting my gaze to Ayaan. My lips stretched into a small smile subconsciously. If there are reasons why I've always loved being in Ayaan's presnce, then one of it is I didn't have to pretend to be someone else.

I never have to pretend to be anyone.

In his presence, I am not Nailah Zayed—the woman with the picture-perfect life. Rather, I'm Faiza Kabir, the true me. The woman who has lost way too much, that she barely has any left.

I'd be honest, if not for him, I'm afraid I would've forgotten who I truly am in this journey that's still yet to come to an end. It felt good to have him remind me each and every time of who I truly am—even if it was simply by calling out my true name.

It felt good. It's been way too long since I've heard it anyway. I needed that reminder now more than ever.

"I'm good." I voiced out softly, not having the energy to do anything otherwise. The past few weeks have drained me, and I want to do nothing more at the moment than for all this to come to an end...so I could finally have some peace of mind.

So we could all have a peace of mind.

The look he gave me showed that he doesn't believe me one bit. I could never lie to him no matter what. He always seems to see right through me; especially since I don't pretend when I'm around him.

What for? He's the only one in the world who truly knows me. He's the only one who's been there for me all this while even though our relationship started off for the wrong reasons...we had come so far.

"Just a bit more." He comforted, his tone low. "It'll so be over."

I didn't say a thing, I simply nodded instead. I didn't know what to say to be honest. As much as I wanted to complain and vent out, I couldn't bring myself to do that. Reason is, no matter how much he seemed calm regarding the whole thing...I know he's going through a tough time as well.

That was the reason I went to check on him the other day—the day Imran finally cracked that is. Since Imran and I had gotten married...regardless of knowing that we were simply married by name, Ayaan had always tried to respect that fact.

Of course, there has been nothing more than a casual relationship as friends, and partners in whatever you'd like to call this. However, he had kept his distance still.

We haven't met in person since that happened...and we only spoke over the phone to talk the plan out—of course, I have a phone Imran doesn't know of for this. Still, our conversations never exceed that of the plans.

Believe me when I say this, that's increased my respect for him. Contrary to the negative image of a man he portrayed himself to be since he came into the picture, he's nothing like that. Quite the opposite actually.

The sound of him releasing a small breath caught my attention—and then he shifted his gaze to the building we're parked outside of. "We should go in now, I'm certain they're already tired of waiting." His lips stretched into a small smile when he said that—obviously the mention of his family always brings out that part of him.

"Okay..." Pushing the passenger door open, I stepped out of the car just in time he did the same; locking the car behind us.

He then came over to my side, and with a simply gesture towards the building, he guided me into his parents house. I'd been there earlier at the press conference he had, though I was standing behind the crowd of reporters so barely anyone had noticed me there.