“Leila? Leila . . . are you okay?” I could hear Asad’s voice calling out to me, but I needed to get as far away as possible. I moved past the crowd, pushing against a sea of bodies, refusing to look back. I kept moving, straight through the double doors and down the long carpeted corridor until I found myself outside in the hotel gardens.

Dizzy and breathless, I sat down, trying to regain my composure on the steps of the marble fountain. I shut my eyes, listening to the rushing flow of water—synchronizing my breath with the steady rise and fall of sounds. From across the gardens, I could hear footsteps walking in my direction.

Closer. And closer.

He must’ve followed me. My heart sank. I knew I owed Asad an explanation, but it wasn’t a conversation I was ready for. With my eyes still shut, I braced myself.

“Hey,” said a voice from the other side of the fountain.

I opened my eyes as he made his way around. Within seconds, I was staring into a set of familiar brown eyes.

It was Hisham.

“Hey,” I said softly. He kneeled down until his face was directly across from mine and grazed his fingers across my forehead, straightening out my tikka as the diamonds sparkled reflectively in his eyes.

“Something tells me you might be breaking some hearts tonight.” He grinned. “Or maybe you already have?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and said nothing.

Hisham cleared his throat uncomfortably. “I might be crazy here, but why do I get the feeling that you’ve been avoiding me all night?” I looked at him, the confusion in his eyes mirroring the same confusion I felt inside. “Leila, what’s wrong?”

“You’re engaged,” I said bluntly, standing up. He looked at me with his mouth open, trying to articulate a response.

“Leila, I was going to tell you . . .” he began, his voice taking on a flat tone.

“Really? Because there were at least a dozen opportunities to tell me yesterday, but you never did.”

Hisham jammed his hands into his pockets and looked down. “I’m sorry, Leila. You’re right. I should’ve said something.”

“So why didn’t you? Why did you make me believe that you . . .” My voice trailed off.

“That I what?” He looked up, taking a small step toward me.

“That you liked me,” I whispered.

“I do like you, Leila.” He shrugged. “I think you’re amazing. But I shouldn’t have allowed myself to get caught up like that . . . I should’ve told you.”

I looked into his face, searching for answers. Those same eyes that once felt so warm and promising suddenly looked distant and unfamiliar.

“So that’s it? You’re still going to go through with it?” I asked, trying to steady the tremble in my voice.

“It’s not like that, Leila. It’s . . . it’s hard to explain.”

“Try.”

“This is just how it is here. Not everything is like it is in the movies.” Hisham sighed. “People don’t end up with whoever they want, Leila. There are obligations. There are compromises to be made.”