Dad looked furious, but Reena didn’t care.

Engaged …

“Enough!” Dad slammed his fist on the table, making Ashraf and Mum jump backward. “I can’t have a man with Nadim’s reputation working for me, which means I will lose Shiroz’s investment in the Diamond project. Nadim betrayed my trust, and I will not have him anywhere near my company, or my family.”

“We are very disappointed in you, Reena,” Mum added. “Why would you take up with the boy behind our back? Why so many secrets? Don’t you care about this family?”

What the hell did they want her to say? That she hadn’t asked him about his past and instead listened to apparently incomplete gossip? That she hadn’t been willing to be honest with him, so she let him keep secrets from her?

That she wasn’t surprised that the first time she thought a relationship was real, it turned out to be a giant illusion.

Reena was disgusted with herself. He actually gave her a fake ring, and he never pretended it was anything more. Only she did. This was all on her.

Bile rose from the bottom of her throat. She dug this pit herself, and she wished she could bury herself in it.

“That’s it,” Saira snapped. “I’m not listening to one more word of this. Do you even hear yourself, Mum? Reena not caring about the family? Can’t you see what she’s going through?” Saira put her arm back on Reena’s shoulder and clutched tightly. “Do you two remember what happened when I found Joran with that woman? You were going on about what people would say and ordering me not to tell anyone, and you”—she pointed at Dad—“were going on about how this wouldn’t have happened if I’d gone with a good Muslim boy. Reena was the only person in this whole screwed-up family who realized I was in pain. For once in your life, have some goddamn compassion.” Saira pulled Reena up by the arm and picked up her purse. “I will not stand around and watch this … C’mon, Reena. Ashraf, get us out of here.”

Shaking, Reena gave Ashraf the keys to her car once they were outside, well aware that she was in no state to drive. She opened her backseat, sat down, and buckled the seat belt.

Saira sat in the front passenger seat, talking quietly to Ashraf, who gently stroked her arm. “Sorry,” Saira said, turning to look at Reena. “I kinda lost it. I’m not sure that helped at all, but I couldn’t deal with them anymore. How’re you doing?”

How was she doing? She put her hands over her face, rubbing it to reassemble all the pieces that scattered when Dad said Nadim was engaged.

“I’m fine. Not like I’ve never been dumped.” She closed her eyes, willing away the deep throb that had settled between her brows.

“Jesus Christ, Reena, I don’t think I’ll ever understand you. The asshole was engaged the whole time! Don’t say you’re fine! Be upset! Feel this stuff!”