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Previous Summary:
Zayd and Layla wandered through the city, discovering a gap in the market—wealthy women frustrated by having to visit multiple shops for their luxury needs. They decided to create a single, elegant store for perfumes, silks, bags, and fine accessories. The plan was drawn, but execution had yet to begin.
📍 Scene: Zayd's Office – Late Morning
The next day, sunlight poured through the carved lattice windows of Zayd's city office. The desk was a battlefield of parchment—sketches of perfume bottles, embroidered handbags, and shelving designs all competing for space.
Layla stood by the window, sipping tea, while Zayd was bent over the plans, scribbling figures.
LAYLA (smiling):
"You're supposed to be relaxing now that your cousins run the shop. And yet here you are, counting numbers like a tax collector."
ZAYD (without looking up):
"Relaxing is for men without ambition. Besides—look at this. If we source silks from Basra and perfumes from Damascus, our profit margins double."
Before Layla could reply, Qadir burst in, holding a half-eaten meat pie.
QADIR:
"Zayd! There's a nobleman outside. Big hat, fancier mustache. Says he has 'a proposal for the future of commerce in Damascus.' And—" (takes another bite) "—he has a gold-trimmed carriage."
Zayd raised an eyebrow. "Did he say his name?"
Qadir chewed, shrugged. "Too busy admiring his mustache. It's like a… a falcon's wings."
📍 Scene Change: Carriage Shop Courtyard
A tall man in flowing white robes stood beside an ornate carriage. His ringed fingers sparkled in the sunlight, and his turban bore a deep sapphire crest.
NOBLEMAN (bowing slightly):
"Zayd ibn Suleiman, the craftsman who has the whole market whispering."
ZAYD:
"That depends on what they're whispering."
NOBLEMAN (smiling faintly):
"Good things. For now. My name is Emir Jalal al-Rashid. I've heard of your new… venture. A place where women of wealth may shop without wandering the whole city."
Layla's eyes narrowed slightly. "Word travels fast."
JALAL:
"In business, speed is survival. I am here with an offer—not for your carriages, but for this 'luxury emporium' you're planning."
Zayd crossed his arms. "And what would you want in return?"
Jalal's smile widened. "Partnership. I provide prime location—right in the heart of the noble district—plus my personal endorsement. In exchange, I receive… forty percent of the profit."
Layla almost choked. "Forty percent? That's robbery."
Jalal shrugged. "It's influence. And influence cannot be bought—only shared."
📍 Scene: Tea House – Later That Day
Zayd, Layla, and Qadir sat at a corner table. Nimr, the falcon, was perched nearby, occasionally eyeing Qadir's snacks.
QADIR:
"I don't like him. Too shiny. Men with shiny clothes always have sharp knives."
LAYLA:
"He wants too much for too little. But a location in the noble district would give us a massive advantage."
ZAYD (calmly):
"True. But men like Jalal rarely invest without strings. The question is—how many strings are we willing to let him pull?"
They sat in silence for a moment, the sound of the bazaar outside drifting in with the scent of roasting chestnuts.
Zayd finally smiled—a slow, knowing smile.
ZAYD:
"Let him think we're considering. In the meantime, we'll look for our own location. If we find better, we'll cut the string before it's tied."
Qadir grinned. "Ah… playing the fox again."
Zayd raised his teacup. "Always."
Closing Narration:
The luxury shop was still only an idea, but already it drew the interest of the powerful. And in a city like Damascus, power was as dangerous as it was tempting. For now, Zayd would let the nobleman wait… while he built something worth envying.
End of Chapter 47