Chapter 4 Traces That Cannot Be Hidden

• The sun rose over a brand new day, yet Rania’s heart still felt heavy beneath the weight of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. The bright morning light seemed unable to pierce the haze clouding her mind. She could not simply stay home and let grief consume her. Her responsibilities remained unchanged. She was still a senior college student, soon to graduate, and her attendance at school could not be set aside so easily. Dressed neatly, with the collar of her blouse pulled slightly higher to cover her neck, Rania stepped out of her home, striving to steady her still-shattered heart.
• Her steps felt heavy all the way there, yet she forced herself to walk tall. Every sight she passed seemed to stir painful fragments of memory. Upon reaching the campus grounds she walked every day, Rania saw her best friend Lia already waiting at the gate, looking both anxious and impatient. Lia paced back and forth, glancing repeatedly at her watch, clearly unsettled since early morning. The moment she spotted Rania approaching, Lia’s eyes went wide and she hurried forward to meet her.
• “Where on earth were you last night?” Lia asked quickly, breathless as though she herself had been running all morning. “I looked everywhere for you. Your phone was dead, and no one had any idea where you’d gone. I was this close to reporting it to campus security.”
• Rania offered a faint smile, striving to mask the fresh unease rising in her chest. She bowed her head slightly, avoiding her friend’s sharp gaze, which seemed capable of reading every thought in her head.
• “I just… left a little early,” Rania replied quietly. “The atmosphere there became unbearable. I decided to head home sooner.”
• Lia studied her closely, not entirely convinced yet choosing not to accuse her outright. She knew perfectly well how deeply Rania had loved Arkan, and how deeply her heart must have been wounded the day before. She asked in a gentle, concerned tone, wanting above all to be certain Rania was all right, even though her heart must surely be breaking.
• “It was because of Arkan and that engagement, wasn’t it?” Lia guessed softly, her voice softening as she rested a hand on Rania’s shoulder. “I understand. Seeing him standing there beside another woman must have felt like a knife twisting in your chest over and over. I am so sorry I could not be there with you, to stand by your side and protect you last night.”
• Rania shook her head slowly, fighting back the tears threatening to spill once more. She drew a long breath, striving to calm the uneven racing of her heart. But as she bowed her head slightly, the soft breeze brushed against her collar and pulled it just a little lower. Her pale neck lay exposed, revealing scattered patches of vivid red discoloration across her skin. Lia’s gaze locked instantly upon those marks. Her expression shifted. Her mouth fell open in shock, her face drained of color before giving way to a look of stunned disbelief mixed with quiet wonder. She stared intently at the marks, then lifted her eyes back to Rania, who was awkwardly trying to cover them once more.
• “Wait…” Lia stammered, her hand reaching out slowly then freezing in midair, as though she could scarcely trust her own eyes. “What… what is that on your neck?”
• Rania’s face burned instantly bright red. She hurriedly straightened her collar, pulling it high enough to cover part of her chin. She refused to meet her friend’s gaze, her cheeks burning hot beneath the flood of overwhelming embarrassment. Lia would not wait for an answer. She stepped closer once more, gently taking Rania’s hand, and a broad smile slowly spread across her face. It was not a smile of pity or sorrow. It was a smile brimming with unbridled curiosity.
• “Oh my poor, lonely friend,” Lia teased, her eyes sparkling with delight. “So you disappeared last night because you were grieving? Or were you instead busy doing something far more enjoyable than weeping over that ungrateful man?”
• Rania looked up in shock, her eyes wide as she stared at Lia, who was visibly struggling to hold back laughter. Her face burned even deeper red as she tried to defend herself, yet found she had no words to say.
• “I have no idea what you mean…” Rania attempted to steer the conversation away, yet her voice sounded weak and utterly unconvincing.
• “No idea?” Lia leaned closer, whispering softly yet with deliberate emphasis. “Those red marks on your neck are shouting far louder than your words, Rania. Who is he? Who is the lucky man who managed to make you forget all your sorrows in a single night?”
• Rania fell silent. She had no idea how to answer. How could she possibly explain that the man in question was the father of the very woman who had just become engaged to her own former fiancé? That she had given away her innocence to a man whose name she had not even learned until everything was already over?
• “Tell me,” Lia pressed on relentlessly, her eyes glowing with genuine, joyful excitement. “Who is he? Is he handsome? Wealthy? Kind? And most importantly… is he infinitely better than that coward Arkan?”
• Rania drew a long breath and let it out slowly. She looked at her dearest friend, who seemed so genuinely happy for her, so eager to see her smile again. Beneath all her lighthearted questions, Lia was truly trying to lift her spirits, to turn her attention away from the heartbreak of Arkan’s betrayal. She wanted Rania to understand that there were new things in life far more precious and worth looking forward to, rather than continuing to grieve over a man who did not deserve her love.
• “I cannot speak of it just yet,” Rania answered finally, her voice calm yet sincere. “The time is not right. But… please do not worry. I am truly all right.”
• Lia studied her for a moment, wondering whether her friend was keeping something back or simply not yet ready to speak. But seeing that Rania’s eyes no longer held the shattered despair of the night before, Lia finally nodded slowly. She smiled warmly and squeezed Rania’s hand gently, a silent promise of unwavering support.
• “Very well. You may keep it as your secret for now,” Lia said softly, then broke into another wide smile. “But remember this. If that man was able to make you forget Arkan so quickly, then he must be someone truly extraordinary. Do not let him go, Rania. And never, ever go back to the man who cast you aside as though you meant nothing at all.”
• Lia’s words felt deeply comforting, as though lending Rania a strength she had never possessed before. Rania offered a faint smile, feeling warmth spread through her chest. But just as the two of them turned to walk toward the classroom building, a sleek black car pulled slowly to a stop directly before the campus gate. The window rolled down gently, and from behind glass still partially veiled in shadow, a pair of sharp, dark eyes looked straight directly at her. That gaze was so deep, so utterly commanding, it felt as though he were calling her name without speaking a single word. Rania’s breath caught in her throat. There, waiting for her behind that car window, stood the very last person she ever expected to see.