43 ??So now Hoor knew it too??

LEIA

I sighed. "I'd rather not talk about it."

She groused impatiently. "Come on, you have to tell me now."

"Fine," I said and then narrated the whole story to her.

She fell back in her chair. "I really don't like this Ammar guy. What a douche."

I looked down at my hands resting in my lap. "Don't say that,"

She gave me an incredulous stare. "Are you kidding me? He has done so much that's wrong and you're defending him?"

"I don't know what it is with you and Zayn. I am not defending him. It just feels wrong to talk about him like this. I may not like him but that doesn't give me the right to backbite because like it or not, he is still my husband."

She half rolled her eyes. "You are totally defending him. He isn't worth giving respect to. He is not a good person and certainly doesn't deserve someone like you. If you were to ask me, I'd say he even went as far as—" She pressed her lips together. "Never mind."

"What?" I shook her leg. "Tell me what you were going to say."

She stared at me for a long moment before saying, "I think he got you pregnant on purpose."

I was shocked into silence. Surely what she was saying was untrue.

Ammar wouldn't . . . he wouldn't . . . Would he?

I unremittingly shook my head.

"Look, he knew you would ask for a divorce sooner or later. What better way to make someone as innocent as you to stay with him forever than to get you pregnant. Come on, think about it."

I didn't like what she was saying one bit. Mostly because I already knew she was right. I always thought it was an accidental pregnancy but with Ammar, nothing was an accident. He had laid out a carefully-made plan and did things according to it.

I let out a long sigh, resting my head on the desk. "I don't know what to do, Hoor. I want to leave him but my parents don't think it's a good idea. Plus, whenever I talk to him about separation, he doesn't take me seriously."

"You said Zayn was going to help you before you found out about your pregnancy."

"Yeah,"

"So tell him about what happened. He'll take you to Anas's father and you can let him know that your husband wouldn't let you go. The rest they'll handle."

I thought about what she was saying. I could get separated. If I talked to that lawyer and told him my situation, Ammar wouldn't be able to hold me against my will.

"I think . . ." I wet my lips. "I think Zayn is very angry with me. I don't know how to talk to him about all this again."

"He might be a little angry but I see the love he has for you. Heck, anyone who looked at him in the past few months would be able to see how miserable he was. It was because of you. He would help you no matter what, Leia. I think you know that very well."

I did. I knew it. But convincing my parents wasn't easy either. They weren't ready to be on their own again. What would they do if Ammar wasn't paying for them? How would Labeeb study? Who would pay for my Dad's medical bills?"

There was too much at stake.

I couldn't ask Zayn for help yet.