The next morning, Omar left early for work, giving Sara a ride to her client meeting, the main reason for her stay. With both gone, Aisha found herself alone in the quiet of the house. She settled into the living room, scrolling through photos on Sara's camera from the amusement park the night before.

The pictures were stunning. Every shot was framed beautifully, and the ones of her and Omar looked almost like they were straight out of a dream. Aisha couldn't help but smile at how happy and in love they appeared to be in the photos. But the smile faded as reality seeped in. The images painted a picture of a blissful marriage, yet she knew the truth was far from it. While the initial photos captured a hint of awkwardness, the later ones were warm and affectionate, as though they were genuinely a loving couple.

Seeing Sara and Omar laugh together so effortlessly last night had her wondering,would Omar ever look at her that way? Would he ever speak to her with that kind of warmth and admiration?

Determined to stay positive, Aisha pushed the thoughts aside, focusing instead on the small victories of the previous night. They had shared the Ferris wheel ride,later Omar had shared his candy floss.It was a memory worth savoring.

As noon approached, Aisha decided to prepare lunch, recalling that Sara would likely return in an hour or two. Cooking seemed like a good distraction, and Aisha felt a twinge of guilt over her earlier jealousy toward Sara, even though it wasn't Sara's fault. She prepared a meal of paneer butter masala with jeera rice, aloo gobi, and rotis. After cooking, she quickly freshened up for her afternoon prayer.

Just as she finished reading from the Quran, the doorbell rang. Aisha opened the door to find Sara, who had just returned, and after a quick greeting, she invited her in and offered her some water. But then, the doorbell rang again.

This time, it was Ismail Uncle, their loyal driver. He stood respectfully, eyes lowered out of courtesy. Ever since she moved to London, Ismail Uncle had been her regular driver, someone trusted by both Omar and her.

"Uncle, wait a moment. I'll bring the tiffin," Aisha said, assuming he was there to pick up Omar's lunch. But Ismail shook his head. "Beta, sahab has sent the car for servicing today and mentioned I could take a day off if you didn’t need me. He didn’t mention anything about the tiffin. Otherwise, I would have delayed the servicing."

Aisha’s face fell, realizing that Omar had likely forgotten to ask him to pick up lunch. She quickly reassured Ismail, telling him to enjoy his day off and that she'd find another way to send the tiffin.

After he left, Aisha returned to the living room, rubbing her temples. The realization dawned on her that she had no way to send Omar’s lunch now. Sara, noticing her worry, sat beside her with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Why not just tell him to get something from outside today?" she suggested.

But Aisha shook her head. "I’ve already cooked everything, and knowing him, he’d likely skip eating altogether."

Sara’s eyes lit up as she leaned in. "Then there's only one thing left to do—we’ll take it to him ourselves!" she declared, barely containing her excitement. Aisha hesitated, admitting that she had never been to his office before, but Sara was undeterred. "Then what better time to make your debut? Let’s surprise him!" Without giving Aisha a chance to protest, Sara nudged her toward her room, insisting she get ready in ten minutes.

Aisha conceded, choosing a simple blue and beige abaya with a matching hijab, while Sara donned a light purple blouse with a navy skirt, her hair cascading down her back. They packed the food, and soon enough, they were on their way to Omar’s office in a cab.

Arriving at the office building, Aisha marveled at the imposing structure, its glass façade reflecting the sky, and the name "Infinitive" gleaming proudly. She felt a surge of pride in her husband’s accomplishment. But as they entered, they were halted by a receptionist who seemed skeptical of their presence.

“Who are you here to see?” the receptionist asked, eyeing them curiously. Sara didn’t miss a beat. "This is Aisha Omar Siddiqui, The company's owner - Omar Siddiqui's wife, and I’m his friend." She leveled her gaze, her voice firm. The receptionist, taken aback by the revelation, stammered an apology. Aisha reassured her gently, understanding the confusion, before guiding Sara to the elevator.

On the top floor, Omar’s assistant, Zaid, looked up, visibly surprised. He greeted them respectfully and escorted them to Omar’s office. Aisha felt a thrill as she read "Omar Siddiqui, CEO" on the doorplate. Inside, Omar looked up from his paperwork, his expression shifting from surprise to a warm smile as he saw his wife and Sara.

“Hello, Mr. Busy Man,” Sara teased. “We’re here on a lunch delivery mission.” She winked at Aisha, who gave her a playful pinch.

"Well, this is a surprise," he said, a hint of genuine astonishment in his tone,gesturing for them to sit. "Please, make yourselves comfortable."

“Nope, I’m heading out to see Faraaz. Aisha will handle the delivery from here,” Sara announced cheerfully, giving Aisha no chance to protest before she left the room.

Left alone, Aisha felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. Omar walked over, offering to help with the tiffin. “Give me five minutes to wrap this up,you can settle down on the couch,” he said, gesturing toward his desk.

Aisha nodded,she stood in awe as she took in Omar's office, the sleek design and sophisticated décor reflecting his success. A mix of pride washed over her, realizing how far he had come.

She settled on the couch which was placed in one corner watching him as he worked. She admired his focus, the way he moved with confidence. For a moment, she found herself lost in thought, marveling at how handsome he looked, then laughed softly to herself, blushing.

After a few minutes, he joined her on the couch. Aisha served him lunch, and as he took the first bite, she saw the pleasure in his expression. The moment felt almost surreal,just the two of them, sharing a quiet lunch together in his office.

Omar noticed Aisha fidgeting with the edge of her abaya, her gaze lowered and thoughtful.

"Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, tilting his head in mild confusion.

Aisha looked up, surprised by his question. “I’ll eat once I get back home. Sara’s waiting, too. We’ll leave after you’re done,” she replied softly, not expecting his invitation.

Omar paused, set his plate on the table, and pulled out his phone, which had just pinged with a message. As he read it, a chuckle escaped him.

“What’s so funny?” Aisha asked, curious.

“It’s Sara. She and Faraaz went out for lunch,” he replied, sharing only a part of the message. In reality, Sara’s message had read: “Faraaz and I are grabbing lunch. Enjoy some time with your wife while we’re gone. 😉”

Omar looked up at Aisha. “Seems like Sara won’t be back anytime soon. Why don’t you have lunch here now?” he suggested again.

“But I… I only packed lunch for you,” Aisha tried to decline politely.

“It’s fine,” Omar insisted. “You always pack extra, just in case Faraaz joins me, right?” As soon as he said it, he bit his tongue, realizing he’d unintentionally revealed something he’d noticed but never mentioned.

Aisha’s eyes widened slightly, surprised. “How did you know that?” she asked, her curiosity piqued. She’d always made sure to pack a bit more in case Faraaz joined, and somehow the tiffin would mostly come back empty, but she’d never mentioned this to Omar.

Omar shrugged, trying to play it off casually. “I don’t know. Just… figured it out,” he said with a nonchalant wave. “Now, eat up,” he insisted.

Aisha looked around the office. “But we only have one plate.”

Omar glanced at the single plate on the table. “That’s fine. We can share.” The words slipped out before he could stop himself, and he inwardly cursed. What’s wrong with me today?

Aisha smiled, a little taken aback by his willingness to share. She handed him the plate, and he gently nudged it so it sat between them, close enough for them to both reach. As they ate in comfortable silence, Omar couldn’t shake the thought that this must have been Sara’s doing, getting Aisha to his office today.

Between bites, he finally asked, “So, why did you bring the lunch yourself?”

Aisha looked up, amused at his curiosity. “Ismail Uncle told me the car was in for servicing, and he was taking the day off. When I mentioned it to Sara, she suggested we bring your lunch ourselves.”

Omar nodded. “You could have called me. I’d have sent my car to pick you up.”

Aisha smiled sheepishly. “Honestly, it just didn’t cross my mind.”

“Well, remember it next time,” Omar said, surprising her with his gentle tone. She couldn’t help but marvel at this shift in him. Was this really the same man who once asked her to keep her distance? She chose not to dwell on it, savoring the warmth in his tone instead.

After finishing lunch, Omar resumed his work while Aisha browsed through his bookshelf, admiring the collection. A knock on the door brought them both back to the moment. Sara entered, with Faraaz following closely behind.

“Hello, lovebirds! Hope you two enjoyed your little lunch date,” Sara teased, laughing as Omar and Aisha glared at her playfully.

Faraaz cleared his throat, getting down to business. “Omar, did you tell them about tonight’s plan?” he asked.

Omar shook his head, and Faraaz shot him a glare. “What plan?” Sara asked eagerly, leaning forward.

Faraaz grinned and explained. “Oscar Group is throwing a party tonight to celebrate our successful project completion. We finished a week ahead of schedule, so they wanted to thank us.”

Both Aisha and Sara congratulated the men, who accepted with nods and appreciative smiles.

“Now, since you’re here,” Faraaz continued, “we’d love for you to join us at the party tonight.”

Sara beamed, clapping her hands together. “I’m in!” she declared, earning a round of laughter from both men.

Meanwhile, Aisha remained silent, listening with a faint smile. She knew Omar rarely invited her to such events, and she didn’t want to get her hopes up. But as the minutes ticked by and Omar didn't ask her to join him. a pang of disappointment settled in her chest, one she tried to mask with a smile.

It was already 4 p.m., so they all decided to head home, take a break, and then get ready for the evening.

----------------------------------------------------

Note: Assalamualaikum & Hello! ❤

1. Questions for Readers:

A. There's another party coming... Do you guyz think Omar will Invite Aisha this time? 🤨

B. Are you liking Cupid Sara? 🧐

The spoiler reel for the next chapter is coming on Instagram tomorrow!!
Make sure to go follow and watch it. (siya_m_writes)

2. To All Readers: Please share this story, vote, and leave comments on each chapter. Your feedback means a lot!

3. Reminder for Muslims: Remember to keep praying consistently. If you haven't prayed today, take some time to do so. Jazakallah Khair! (Thank you so much) ❤