Chapter Forty-Seven – Reunion with the Twins
She looked away again, jaw tightening. Outside, the road stretched endlessly ahead. She wondered when her life had become something that required armed escorts and political apologies.
"You know what hurts the most?" she asked after a moment.
Zahid waited.
"Finding out in front of everyone," she said. "Like I was the last person who deserved to know."
"That was never my intention."
"But it happened," she replied. "And intentions don't change how it feels."
The car slowed slightly as it took a turn. Angel adjusted in her seat, pulling her arms tighter around herself.
"I don't know how to process this," she admitted quietly. "One minute I'm missing my kids. Next minute I'm standing in front of soldiers like I'm some kind of hostage exchange."
Zahid's hands tightened again. "I swear to you, no one will ever point a gun at you again."
She looked at him sharply. "You can't promise that."
"I can," he said. "And I will."
