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“When it became clear that my mom had lied to me my whole life.” That had hurt so much. “She always told me that even though he could not have me in his life because he already had a wife and children, he cared enough to send a small stipend to help with my care and education.”
“And this was a lie?”
“Yes. Oh, he was married, but he didn’t even know I existed.”
“That must have been quite a blow.” Sayed laid his hand over hers, offering comfort she needed badly. “To learn your beloved mother had been dishonest with you, but also to be made aware that whatever concern you’d thought he had for you had no substance.”
“You can’t care about someone you don’t even know exists.”
“And then when he learned, he reacted badly.”
“That’s one way to put it.”
Liyah wanted to lean into Sayed, but stopped herself from such a blatantly needy action. “The best I can figure out, the money Mom saved from not paying rent was what she pretended came from him.”
It had been an elaborate but necessary ruse as Hena had insisted on teaching Liyah about finances from a young age. Her own parents had not been forthcoming with Hena and she’d made some bad monetary decisions in her ignora
nce.
She’d been determined her own daughter would not be put in the same situation.
Hena teaching Liyah about finances resulted in her daughter being very aware of their own. The pretense of support payments had worked to conceal both of the big secrets her mother kept from Liyah.
“Not paying rent?” Sayed asked.
“Another thing she hid from me. Her father owned our apartment and allowed us to live there rent-free as long as Mom promised not to bring me to Zeena Sahra.”
“What?” Sayed’s expression registered astonishment. “Why would he make such a stipulation?”
“So I wouldn’t shame them with my existence.”
“Because your mother chose to raise you,” he guessed.
Apparently, he understood his own culture better than Liyah did. She’d never understand that kind of thinking. “Yes.”
“Was that the reason you had no immediate plans to travel to Zeena Sahra?”
“Not on your life. Once I’d fulfilled my mom’s last wish, I had every intention of visiting her homeland.”
“You are very strong-minded.”
“Another facet of my character for you to get to know,” she said, facetiously repeating his words of the morning back to him.
He nodded quite seriously, though. “Yes, it is, and one I believe I like.”
“Considering how bossy you are, that is difficult to believe.”
He shrugged. “Nevertheless, it is the truth.”
“You’re surrounded by yes-men,” she guessed, not sure she believed it.
“You’ve met Yusuf,” Sayed said with meaning.
She felt another smile and gratitude for it. “He doesn’t seem overawed by you, that’s for sure.”
“I assure you, he is not.”
“That makes two of us,” she said cheekily.
