Chapter38:

_Leah's POV_ The next morning, I woke to the gentle sound of birds chirping outside the mansion’s tall windows. I blinked slowly, my eyes adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the heavy curtains. Beside me, Tariq was already awake, his gaze fixed on me with a warm, contented smile. He kissed my forehead softly. “Good morning, sweetheart,” he murmured. I gave him a small smile in return, though my mind was still clouded with doubts from the night before. I had agreed to marry him, but part of me still felt unsettled. The nagging feeling that something wasn’t right refused to leave me. We dressed in silence, and soon Tariq led me down to the dining hall for breakfast. The room was grand, with a long wooden table that could easily seat over a dozen people. I noticed that the table was already set with a variety of dishes, all looking far more extravagant than what I was used to. As we sat, Tariq began eating with enthusiasm, filling his plate with food and savoring every b