An American girl married an Arab millionaire and he died in an accident the next day. The investigation results shocked everyone. In the opulent city of Dubai, where skyscrapers rise like monuments to human ambition and the desert whispers ancient secrets, Emily stepped off the plane, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nerves.
The scorching heat enveloped her like a heavy cloak, so different from the mild climate of her native Montana, America. She had crossed oceans and continents to attend the wedding of her cousin Sarah, an event that promised to be as extravagant as the city itself. The young woman with the striking green eyes that gave her name and hair as dark as the desert night felt slightly out of place in this world of luxury and excess.
Yet the anticipation of seeing her beloved cousin marry a wealthy Arab man overshadowed any discomfort she felt. The hotel where Emily was staying resembled a modern palace, with fountains that danced to the rhythm of invisible music and chandeliers that sparkled like cascades of frozen diamonds. She got ready for the ceremony with trembling hands, her thoughts drifting back to Mike, her boyfriend of five years who had remained in America, wrapped in his usual indifference toward her dreams and desires.
The wedding was a spectacle beyond imagination. Under a tent, woven with threads of gold and silver, Sarah shone like a celestial vision, her white gown adorned with pearls and diamonds that caught the light of the setting sun. The groom, an elegant man with a kind smile, looked at Sarah as if she were the only star in the vast desert sky.
During the reception, with the air perfumed by exotic spices and desert flowers, Emily saw him for the first time. Abbas, the groom’s cousin, moved through the crowd with the grace of a desert lion. His dark eyes, deep as oil wells, met hers, and for a moment the world seemed to stop.
Sarah, glowing with happiness, approached Emily and, with a knowing smile, introduced her to Abbas. This is my husband’s cousin, she said, her smile hiding more than it revealed. Abbas, meet my favorite cousin, Emily.
Their words flowed like water in an oasis, fresh and invigorating. Abbas spoke English with an exotic accent that Emily found captivating. They shared laughter, stories about their different cultures, and before they knew it, hours had passed.
The bustling reception faded into the background as their connection deepened. As the night wore on, Emily found herself thinking less and less about Mike, and more about the enigmatic man sitting across from her. Abbas was everything Mike was not—attentive, eager to learn about her, and respectful of her opinions.
Each word, every gesture felt like an invitation into a new and exciting world. Sarah, ever the sharp observer, slipped over to Emily when Abbas stepped away for a moment. Do you see what you’ve been missing all these years? she whispered urgently.
That man is worth a hundred, Mike. Don’t waste your life with someone who doesn’t value you. Her cousin’s words rang in Emily’s mind like warning bells.
For the first time in years, she allowed herself to imagine a different life—a life where her dreams weren’t dismissed as childish fantasies, where love wasn’t a burden but a source of joy and growth. The week in Dubai passed like a fever dream. Emily found herself torn between the guilt of the feelings Abbas stirred within her and the thrill of discovering a new world.
Each day brought new wonders—rides through the desert beneath star-filled skies, dinners in restaurants that seemed pulled from the pages of A Thousand and One Nights, and conversations that stretched into the early morning hours. Abbas showed her a side of Arab life that went beyond the stereotypes, beyond the preconceived notions. He spoke to her of poetry, philosophy, and the scientific contributions his people had made to the world.
Through his eyes, Emily saw a respect and admiration she had never experienced with Mike. Every moment with Abbas was like a glimpse into a life she hadn’t known she could have—a life filled with adventure, wonder, and the possibility of love that grew rather than stifled. Yet even in those moments of joy the weight of her long relationship with Mike lingered like a shadow.
Abbas spoke to her of poetry, of philosophy, of the scientific advancements his people had brought to the world. In his eyes, Emily saw a respect and admiration she had never felt with Mike. The day of her departure came too soon.
At the airport, surrounded by the hum of travelers from every corner of the globe, Emily said her goodbyes to Sarah and Abbas, her heart heavy with the weight of leaving. Don’t forget what you experienced here, Sarah whispered as they embraced. You deserve happiness, cousin.
Don’t settle for less. Abbas, holding Emily’s hands gently in his own, looked at her with eyes that spoke more than words ever could. Above all, he said softly, remember, there’s always an oasis waiting to be found.
I hope you discover yours, Emily. His words echoed in her mind long after she boarded the plane that would take her back to America. As the gleaming city of gold and glass shrank beneath the airplane’s wings, she felt as though a piece of her had been left behind, buried in the sands of the desert, waiting to be unearthed.
Returning to America felt like waking from a dream, only to fall into a monotonous, grey reality. Emily found herself trudging through the familiar streets of her city, every corner and building, reminding her of the life she had only briefly left behind. The once comforting smells of tacos and the lively bustle of the markets now seemed like faint echoes, barely able to stir her after the vibrancy of Dubai…
