Chapter40:

_Leah's POV_ Later that afternoon, Tariq returned from his meeting with a relaxed smile on his face. I was sitting in the living room, my mind still swirling with the uneasy thoughts from my earlier conversation with Susan. When Tariq walked in, I looked up at him, trying to push the doubt from my expression. “Hey,” Tariq greeted me, his dark eyes softening as they landed on me. He moved toward me, kneeling down beside the couch. “I was thinking… why don’t we go out tonight? Just the two of us. It’s been a while since we’ve done something fun together.” I hesitated. The thought of going out sounded nice, but part of me didn’t feel up to it. “I don’t know, Tariq. I’m kind of tired,” I replied softly, my fingers twisting in my lap. Tariq frowned, concern flashing across his face. “Leah, I think this will be good for you,” he said, his voice gentle. “You’ve been so tense lately. We can go out, have a nice dinner, and just relax for a little while. No worries, no pack business. Just us.” I