Alina Farid was the kind of woman who believed in building a life with roots deep enough to weather any storm. Her days began with the soft hum of dawn and ended with the quiet embrace of night. Between the two, she wove herself into the fabric of her family's life with unwavering devotion. To an outsider, her life appeared to be perfect—a successful career, a beautiful home, and, most importantly, a love story that had captured hearts for years.
Aariz Shams had been Alina's anchor for as long as she could remember. Their love wasn't the kind that burned brightly and faded with time—it was steady, a warmth that filled every corner of their shared life. He was the pulse to her calm, the rhythm that kept them moving forward together. A driven and ambitious man, Aariz had climbed the corporate ladder with remarkable speed, yet he always found time to bring flowers home on random Tuesdays, to cook dinner on weekends, to call her just to hear her voice.
They were each other's greatest supporters. If Alina worked late into the night to finish a project, Aariz would stay up too, even if just to keep her company. If Aariz had a bad day at the office, Alina would be waiting at home, ready to listen to his frustrations and calm his anxieties. Their partnership felt effortless, built on years of shared dreams and unspoken understanding.
---
On most mornings, Alina's day began with the soft chime of her alarm. Today was no different. She stretched under the linen sheets, turning over to find Aariz already awake, his back propped against the headboard, reading the news on his tablet. His brow furrowed slightly as he scrolled, absorbed in some headline about market fluctuations.
"Good morning," she murmured, her voice soft with sleep.
Aariz looked down at her, his lips curving into a smile as he set the tablet aside. "Good morning, love," he replied, leaning down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I didn't want to wake you. You seemed so peaceful."
Alina smiled and nestled closer, enjoying the warmth of his presence. This was their routine—simple, intimate, filled with small gestures of affection that said more than words ever could. For Alina, these quiet moments in the early morning were a reminder of the life they had built together, a life where love was not a question but a certainty.
Aariz's workday would soon begin, and their shared moments would be replaced by the hustle and demands of the outside world. But for now, they were cocooned in their own little bubble of serenity, a space where nothing and no one could touch them.
"I was thinking," Aariz said, running his fingers through her hair, "We should take a trip. Just the two of us. It's been too long since we had some time away from everything."
Alina's heart warmed at the idea. "Where would you like to go?" she asked, already imagining quiet beaches or perhaps a remote cabin where they could escape the noise of their busy lives.
"Anywhere, really," he replied. "As long as you're with me."
---
Later that Day
The rest of the day unfolded as it always did, like a perfectly orchestrated dance. Alina worked from her home office, managing a successful interior design business that had grown beyond her wildest dreams. Her clients trusted her implicitly, not just for her taste and creativity, but for the care and attention she put into every project. She often worked late, her mind buzzing with ideas, but today, her thoughts kept drifting back to Aariz. To the idea of a trip, a getaway that would let them reconnect, away from the endless meetings and deadlines.
Aariz, on the other hand, was already neck-deep in his work. As a senior executive at a prestigious investment firm, his days were a whirlwind of meetings, calls, and negotiations. His position demanded constant attention, but even in the chaos, he never lost sight of what mattered most to him—Alina. Every now and then, amidst the noise of conference calls and stock reports, he'd glance at his phone, finding comfort in the messages they exchanged throughout the day.
They lived their lives in parallel—busy, ambitious, but always making space for each other. Their evenings were sacred, no matter how demanding the world outside became.
---
That Evening
Dinner at the Shams household was a ritual, a time to unwind from the day's pressures and reconnect. Alina had just set the table when Aariz walked in, looking a little more worn than usual. His shoulders slumped under the weight of whatever burden the day had brought, but his eyes lit up when he saw her.
"Long day?" she asked, tilting her head in concern.
"Long week," he corrected, loosening his tie. But the moment he stepped into the warm glow of their home, the tension in his body seemed to ease. "I missed you today," he added, pulling her into his arms.
Alina smiled against his chest. "I'm right here now."
As they sat down to dinner, their conversation flowed easily, as it always did. They talked about their days, about the future, about small, inconsequential things that nonetheless felt important because they were shared. It was in these moments that Alina often found herself marveling at how lucky she was to have found a love so steady, so reliable.
"I was thinking," Aariz began, his fork pausing midway to his mouth. "About that trip. How about next month? We can take a week off, just the two of us. No work, no responsibilities."
Alina's smile widened. "I think that sounds perfect."
---
The Calm Before the Storm
The weeks passed in a blur of routine and shared moments. Alina's life with Aariz felt like a beautifully choreographed dance, each step perfectly in sync. They were happy, content, and deeply in love.
But happiness, like the stillness of a calm sea, can sometimes mask the undercurrents that stir beneath the surface.
A Month Later
Their life continued in its steady rhythm, and as planned, Alina and Aariz took a much-needed vacation. They had chosen the quiet serenity of the mountains over beaches and bustling cities. For a full week, they were cocooned in the stillness of nature, wrapped in each other's company. No phones, no work, just the two of them.
Alina marveled at how easy it was to fall deeper in love with him during these moments of quiet. Aariz, too, seemed lighter, his usual corporate intensity softened by the mountain air. They spent their days exploring trails, their evenings by the fireplace, where they laughed, reminisced, and spoke of dreams that had been buried under the weight of their busy lives.
"Do you ever think," Alina asked one night, as they lay under a blanket of stars, "that we lose pieces of ourselves when we get too caught up in everything else?"
Aariz's hand tightened around hers. "Maybe we do. But I also think we find ourselves in these moments—together."
She smiled at his words, leaning into him. He was right. Their love had always been a haven, a place where she could rediscover herself even when the world seemed overwhelming. They were partners in every sense, and nothing felt more certain than the fact that they would grow old together, side by side.
---
Back to Reality
When they returned to the city, life resumed its usual pace. Alina threw herself into her business, her mind alive with new design ideas inspired by their time in the mountains. Aariz returned to his firm with renewed energy, eager to tackle the challenges that awaited him.
For a while, everything was perfect. Their relationship seemed to be stronger than ever, the bond between them unshakable. They spent weekends with Alina's family, where her parents adored Aariz like their own son, and her younger brother, Zain, looked up to him as a role model. Alina's best friend, Maya, often teased them for being "that perfect couple"—the one everyone envied.
And then, like a shadow creeping in unnoticed, things began to change.
---
The Third Person
It started subtly, as most things do. A shift in the atmosphere between them, small enough to go unnoticed at first. Aariz began coming home later than usual, his phone glued to his hand even during dinner. The easy conversations they once had started to feel strained, their silences growing longer. Alina, ever patient, brushed it off as work pressure. After all, Aariz had always been ambitious, and his career was demanding.
But then came the name. A name Alina had never heard before.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Aariz had said one evening, tossing his keys on the kitchen counter. "Had a meeting with Layla, my new colleague. She's been helping out with a few projects."
Alina barely registered the name at first, distracted by her own workload. But in the following weeks, Layla's name began to pop up more often than seemed natural. She was always mentioned casually, always in passing, but there was a frequency to it that made Alina pause.
---
A Growing Distance
Aariz seemed distracted more often. His phone buzzed constantly with work-related messages, most of which he claimed were from Layla. Late-night meetings became a regular occurrence, and though Alina tried to understand, the distance between them was palpable.
One night, after another evening spent alone in their once warm home, Alina's unease grew too loud to ignore. She approached Aariz, who was sitting on the couch, flipping through his work emails.
"Aariz," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "Is everything okay with us?"
He looked up, surprised. "Of course, it is. Why wouldn't it be?"
"I don't know," Alina replied, searching his face for any sign of the man she knew so well. "You've been… different lately. Distant."
Aariz sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's just work, Alina. I've been swamped with this new project, and Layla's been helping out a lot. It's nothing more than that."
There it was again—her name. Alina tried to believe him, but something in her gut told her otherwise. Still, she nodded, forcing a smile. She wanted to trust him, to believe that this was just a temporary phase. After all, they had always been able to talk through their problems, to fix things together.
But this time, it felt different. As if the foundation they had built their lives on was starting to crack.
---
Alina's Inner World
In the weeks that followed, Alina tried to push away her doubts. She immersed herself in her work, trying to distract herself from the growing distance between her and Aariz. But no matter how busy she kept herself, the questions lingered in the back of her mind.
Her family noticed the change in her demeanor. At dinner with her parents one weekend, her mother asked, "Is everything alright, beta? You seem quieter than usual."
Alina forced a smile. "I'm fine, just busy with work."
But her mother wasn't convinced. "You know you can always talk to us, right? If something's bothering you."
Alina nodded, but the truth was, she wasn't ready to talk about it. Not yet. Not until she understood what was happening herself.
Her best friend, Maya, was more direct. "Are you and Aariz okay? You've been acting strange lately."
Alina hesitated before answering. "I don't know. I feel like he's pulling away, but he says it's just work."
Maya frowned. "Do you think there's something else going on?"
"I don't know," Alina repeated, the weight of the uncertainty pressing down on her. "I want to trust him, but…"
Maya reached out and squeezed her hand. "Just talk to him, Alina. Don't let things fester. You guys are too strong to let something like this come between you."
---
The First Breaking Point
That night, Alina decided to confront Aariz again. She waited for him to come home, her mind racing with everything she wanted to say. But when the door finally opened, it wasn't Aariz who walked in. It was someone she barely recognized.
He looked exhausted, his tie loosened, his face drawn with stress. But there was something else in his expression—a distance that hadn't been there before.
"Aariz," she began cautiously, standing from the couch. "We need to talk."
He sighed heavily, setting his briefcase down. "Alina, can we do this later? I've had a long day."
"No, we can't keep putting this off," she replied, her voice firmer than she felt. "Something is wrong between us, and I need to know what it is."
Aariz ran a hand over his face, his eyes heavy with a mixture of frustration and fatigue. "It's not what you think."
"Then what is it?" she pressed, her heart pounding in her chest. "Why do I feel like I'm losing you?"
For a long moment, Aariz was silent. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost defeated. "I don't know, Alina. I don't know what's happening to us."