She’d climbed to the top of her field, delivered a searing piece of political brilliance, and earned the highest recognition in her industry.And she’d looked…
Radiant.
That red gown.The way it had hugged her curves.The way the stage lights kissed her hair and made her skin glow.
She was everything.
And he’d let her walk away.
He could still hear her voice layered beneath Olivia’s as the documentary played—Azlyn’s words, Azlyn’s research, Azlyn’s intellect driving the message.Olivia had been the mouthpiece, but the fire behind it had been Azlyn all along.Everyone in the industry knew it.
Hell,heknew it.
And the smile she’d given the world from that stage?
It hadn’t reached her eyes.
Why?
Why hadn’t she looked happy?
She’d won.She’dwon, damn it.She was the best.She had everything.
Except him.
“Nahla is sad and you’re walking around like a bear with a thorn in its paw!”Saif barked, dragging him out of the memory.
Zayn blinked, refocusing.His heart was pounding.Azlyn had lookedstunning…but empty.
Just like he felt.Shaking off the memories, he focused on his baby sister.“What’s happened in her life?Why is she upset?”
“We don’t know,” Ramzi added, stepping closer.He jabbed a finger at Zayn’s chest.“But she’s not talking.And you’re going to fix her.”
“Fix her?”Zayn echoed, his voice low.
For the second time, he had to drag his mind away fromAzlyn.
He clenched his jaw.
This wasn’t about Azlyn.
Couldn’t be about Azlyn.
Not anymore.
“Yoursister, idiot!”Saif barked, jabbing a finger into Zayn’s shoulder hard enough to make his suit shift.“She’s not okay—and you’re off in la-la land, thinking about…whatever.She needs you.Go fix her!”
Zayn grunted, brushing Saif’s hand away.“I’ll talk to her.”
But the second he stepped forward, Ramzi blocked his path, arms crossed and brows furrowed like a man gearing up to deliver a death sentence.“Good.And fix her,” he snapped, the tone pure military-grade command.
Zayn paused, narrowing his eyes.“She’s not a broken dishwasher, Ramzi.”
“No,” Ramzi growled.“She’s worse.She’s crying.”
That made all three of them flinch—like he'd just saidbleeding from the eyes.
Zayn sighed and muttered, “I’m going, I’m going.”
