You’re finally here! Sarah exclaimed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. There’s so much to tell you, so much to show you. The ride from the airport was a blur of rapid conversations and nervous laughter.
Sarah talked non-stop about the baby preparations, about how wonderful her husband was, about how life in Dubai had exceeded every expectation. Emily listened, a mix of joy for her cousin and an unspoken anticipation swirling inside her. And then, with a mischievous smile, Sarah let slip the news that Emily had both feared and longed to hear.
Abbas has been asking about you, you know. I think he’d love to know you’re here. Emily’s heart skipped a beat, and suddenly the car’s air conditioning felt inadequate against the heat rising inside her.
The next few days were a whirlwind of emotions and experiences. Emily threw herself into life in Dubai with an abandon that surprised even her. Emily joined Sarah in picking out decorations for the baby’s nursery, sampling exotic dishes in lavish restaurants, and marvelling at the seamless blend of tradition and modernity that characterised every corner of the city.
Then, as if fate had been waiting for just the right moment, Abbas appeared. It was during a small family dinner at Sarah’s house, a gathering to celebrate the upcoming birth. When Emily saw him walk in, it felt as though the world itself had paused.
Abbas looked even more handsome than she remembered, his warm smile lighting up the room. Their eyes met across the table, and in that instant, Emily knew she was lost. Conversation between them flowed effortlessly, as if the months of separation had never existed.
They talked about art, music, their dreams and their fears. With every word, every gesture, Emily felt something within her stir, something that had lain dormant for so long. That night, lying awake in Sarah’s guest room, Emily made a decision.
With trembling hands, she took out the phone she had secretly bought before the trip. A new number, a new identity, a chance to explore this growing feeling without the weight of her life in America. The days became a delicate dance of secret messages and stolen moments.
Abbas showed her parts of Dubai that tourists rarely saw, hidden cafes in narrow alleys, avant-garde art galleries nestled in modern buildings, sunsets over the desert that looked like brushstrokes of fire across the sky. With each shared moment, Emily felt something powerful and terrifying grow inside her. This was more than attraction, more than the fleeting infatuation of youth.
It was a deep connection, a mutual understanding that transcended words. Yet guilt gnawed at her. Every night before bed, she would glance at the picture of Mike on her other phone, the one that kept her tethered to the life she had left behind in America.
Five years of history couldn’t be erased so easily. How could she be feeling all this for Abbas when she was still committed to Mike? Sarah, always perceptive, noticed the change in her cousin. One afternoon, as they sipped tea on a balcony overlooking the Persian Gulf, she gently broached the subject.
You seem different, Emily. Happier, more alive. It’s because of him, isn’t it? Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes as all the confusion, fear, and excitement she had been bottling up came spilling out.
Between sobs, she told Sarah everything. The encounters with Abbas, the feelings she was developing, and her fear of hurting Mike. Sarah listened quietly, her eyes filled with compassion.
When Emily finished, her cousin took her hands and spoke with quiet resolve. Sometimes love comes when you least expect it, in ways you never imagined. But when it’s real, when it makes you feel more like yourself, you can’t ignore it.
You deserve to be happy, Emily. And if that happiness is with Abbas, then you have to be brave enough to follow it. Those words echoed in Emily’s mind like a call to action.
That night, after another magical evening with Abbas at a restaurant overlooking the famous Dubai fountains, she made the hardest decision of her life. She called Mike. The conversation was painful, filled with awkward silences and broken words.
Mike’s emotions swung wildly from disbelief to anger and finally to pleading. How can you do this to me? he shouted. Five years together and you’re throwing it all away for a stranger, Emily tried to explain.
To make him understand that it wasn’t just about Abbas, about how she felt about herself, about the life she wanted to live. But Mike wasn’t listening. His last words before hanging up were a thinly veiled threat.
This isn’t over, Emily. I’m not going to lose you like this. The relief Emily had expected to feel after ending the relationship didn’t come.
Instead, she was left with a strange mix of guilt, fear and a haunting sense of freedom. That night, as the city glowed under the desert moon, she cried for the end of one chapter in her life and the uncertain beginning of another. The days that followed were an emotional whirlwind.
When Abbas learned of the breakup, he was understanding and patient, giving Emily the space she needed to process her feelings. Sarah and her husband became her pillars of support, offering comfort and advice. Slowly, Emily allowed herself to fully embrace her time with Abbas.
There were no more secrets, no more guilt. Emily could walk hand in hand with Abbas through the glittering streets of Dubai, share kisses under the desert’s endless sky, and dream of their future without the weight of her past. During one of these blissful moments, as they wandered through a garden blooming with roses, Abbas paused beneath an arch of flowers…
