Nuha leaned back in the driver's seat of her Lexus RX 500h+ F SPORT Performance, the soft hum of the engine idling beneath her. The afternoon sun reflected off the polished hood, and the scent of the leather seats and new car polish made her grin. She had parked slightly off the main path, waiting patiently for Nawal to finish chatting with Kaysan so they could leave.
Her scarf was slightly loose after the outing, and she adjusted it, sighing with contentment. "Finally, some quiet," she muttered to herself.
Just as she stretched her fingers over the steering wheel, her phone buzzed.
Nuha picked it up, expecting a casual message from Nawal. Instead, her eyes widened. The screen read: the client from yesterday's lunch meeting.
Her heart skipped.
She opened the message:
"Miss Nuha, your professionalism, elegance, and intelligence during yesterday's meeting were truly impressive. We would be honored if you would consider joining our company. Please let us know if we can discuss this further."
Nuha blinked. She leaned back against the seat, one hand still on the wheel. "Wait… what? They… they actually want me?"
Her fingers hovered over the phone, trembling slightly. "I… I can't believe this. Yesterday's lunch… it was just… business… but now…" She let out a soft laugh, half incredulous, half excited.
Her thumb hovered, then she pressed down gently, almost afraid to commit. "Nuha… breathe. Focus… professional, not… heart racing like a teenager."
She glanced toward the passenger side, where her bag sat. "You've got to be joking… they're serious. They actually want me?"
Another message came through, almost instantly:
"We understand this may be sudden, Miss Nuha. We just wanted you to know how highly we regard your abilities. There's no rush to decide."
Nuha exhaled, letting out a short laugh. "No rush… yet here I am, in my car, my heart racing, practically bouncing off the seats!" She pressed her hands to her face, laughing softly. "Why do I always overthink everything?"
She tilted her head, her eyes catching the sunlight glinting across the dashboard. "Professional Nuha… focus. Think before you… freak out."
Her phone buzzed again. This time, it really was Nawal.
"Salam alaykum! You still parked there, superstar? Or are you hiding from the world?" Nawal's voice was teasing, playful, almost sparkling through the speaker.
Nuha smiled faintly. "Walaykum salam… I'm… waiting. Nawal… you're taking forever with Kaysan!"
Nawal laughed. "He's stubborn! But he's listening… mostly. What's up with you? You sound… distracted."
Nuha's fingers hovered over the screen. "Well… there's this message I just got…" She trailed off, unsure how to explain.
"Message?" Nawal said, voice instantly alert. "Spill it!"
"I… it's from that client… from yesterday's lunch. They… they want me to join their company," Nuha admitted, her voice soft, caught between shock and disbelief.
There was a brief pause on the line. Then Nawal squealed. "WHAT? Nuha! Are you serious? You're being recognized! For *you*! Not just your work… but everything! Elegance, intelligence… charm…"
Nuha covered her mouth with her hand, laughing softly and hiding her blush. "Charm… really?"
"Yes! You were dazzling! I'm surprised anyone even noticed you—oh wait… they did," Nawal teased.
Nuha shook her head, smiling and pressing a hand to the steering wheel. "I… I don't know what to do. It's exciting… but confusing. I mean—Rayyan… my work… everything…"
"You're thinking too much," Nawal said firmly. "Listen, you've been acknowledged. That's huge. Don't overcomplicate it."
Nuha laughed again, softly this time, her nerves easing slightly. "I… I know. But I can't help it. I feel… nervous."
"Good nervous!" Nawal said triumphantly. "Means your heart knows this is important. Now… take a deep breath, superhero. You deserve to feel this."
Nuha exhaled slowly, letting herself relax. "Okay… okay. I'm trying. I just… I can't believe this is happening while I'm stuck in the car waiting for you two."
Nawal laughed. "At least you have the perfect ride to contemplate life-changing opportunities. That Lexus deserves an existential conversation!"
Nuha chuckled, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."
"And you love me for it," Nawal teased.
Nuha pressed her forehead against the steering wheel and laughed aloud this time, louder, more freely than she had in days. "Maybe… maybe I do."
"You're smiling!" Nawal exclaimed. "I knew it. You can't hide it. That face belongs to someone who's just been noticed and appreciated. Embrace it!"
Nuha lifted her head and smiled, her fingers still lightly brushing the leather steering wheel. "I… I think I will."
"Good. Now, as soon as Kaysan is done… we take this baby for a spin. Celebrate properly. Afternoon drive, lights, music… you deserve it," Nawal said, her voice sparkling with excitement.
Nuha shook her head, laughing, her nerves giving way to warmth. "Alright… I'll go along with that. But don't let Kaysan make it awkward."
"Impossible," Nawal said, laughing. "But it'll be fun. Trust me."
Nuha leaned back in the seat, glancing out at the city streets bathed in late-afternoon light. Her mind raced with possibilities, but her heart… her heart was light, fluttering with excitement she hadn't allowed herself in weeks.
The office was quiet, the soft hum of computers and air conditioning filling the space. Rayyan sat behind his sleek desk, reviewing reports, when a familiar voice cut through the quiet.
"Salam alaykum, Rayyan," his step-sister Liyana said breezily as she strolled into his office
Rayyan didn't look up immediately. "Walaykum salam," he replied, his tone polite but clipped.
"You always ignore the greeting," she teased lightly, approaching his desk. "I hope you didn't forget me already."
"I didn't forget," he replied coolly, keeping his eyes on the report in front of him.
"Oh, come on," she said with a laugh, leaning casually against his desk. "I heard about your… generous little surprise for one of your employees. A car, no less. The latest Lexus edition? Really, Rayyan, who are you trying to impress?"
Rayyan raised an eyebrow. "It's a reward for hard work," he said simply, trying to dismiss the topic.
"Hard work, huh?" she said, eyes glinting with mischief. "Interesting choice. So, who's the lucky lady?"
Rayyan's jaw tightened slightly. "I prefer not to discuss my employees," he said firmly, glancing up with that professional edge that often made people hesitate.
"Oh, I won't discuss it… publicly," she said with a sly smile, pulling her laptop out of her bag. "But let's just say, curiosity has its merits."
Before he could stop her, she moved to his system, swiping past security with ease. Rayyan's fingers twitched on the desk. "I said—don't," he warned, but she waved him off, already typing furiously.
"Aha," she said, leaning back with a satisfied grin. "Nuha Salam. Wow. Beautiful… elegant… and smart, by the looks of it."
Rayyan leaned back, trying to mask the flicker of concern crossing his mind. "Step-sister, you know better than to dig into private files," he said, his voice low but firm.
"Oh, please," she said lightly, eyes sparkling as she scrolled. "I'm not being nosy… strictly professional curiosity. And oh, look at this...her profile. Impressive. Good education… strong track record. I see why you value Nuha."
Rayyan's fingers clenched slightly on the armrest of his chair. He wasn't about to admit it, not even to himself. "Careful," he said, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Relax," she said with a wink. "I haven't even gotten to the good part yet."
Rayyan's eyes narrowed slightly as she clicked into her email, opening a message flagged with urgency.
"Oh… what's this?" she said, voice teasing, leaning closer. "A mail from the client? The same company topping your charts? And now… they want Nuha Salam? Impressive. Very impressive."
Rayyan's pulse quickened. "Liyana …" he said quietly, his tone sharper than usual. "I told you to stop.."
She waved him off, her grin widening. "Relax, Rayyan. I'm just stating the facts. Seems like Nuha Salam got noticed… and she hasn't even told you she saw this yet. Fascinating, isn't it?"
Rayyan's mind raced. "She saw the message? And she chose not to tell me?" He leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "If Nuha Salam received it… and ignored it… then she's still loyal. Still on our side," he muttered to himself, the thought both comforting and slightly tense.
His step-sister tilted her head, reading his expression like a book. "Hmm… loyalty, huh? I've never seen you care so much for an employee. This is… interesting. Very interesting," she said softly, almost teasing, yet with a note of admiration.
Rayyan didn't respond. He simply stared at the screen, internal calculations running: Nuha Salam had talent, charm, and now, potential opportunities elsewhere. But if she had stayed… if she had chosen to remain… it was a sign.
She chuckled softly, closing her laptop. "Well, I'll leave you to your contemplations. Don't let me interrupt your… worrying about Nuha Salam too much," she said with a wink.
Rayyan gave a curt nod, eyes still fixed on the screen. "Liyana," he said lightly, "next time… stay out of my system."
"Of course, Rayyan," she said, turning to leave, her voice light and teasing. "But honestly… Nuha Salam. You have… interesting tastes."
He exhaled slowly as the office door clicked shut behind her. Alone now, he leaned back in his chair, letting out a low sigh. His gaze drifted to the files on his desk, then back to the blank monitor.
"Nuha Salam… she's talented… loyal… careful… and intelligent," he whispered to himself, almost unconsciously. "Good. She's still on my side."
Rayyan ran a hand through his hair again, a rare flicker of emotion passing across his usually composed face. He didn't admit it aloud but he cared. More than he would ever openly allow.