**The Other Woman**

Naaz had never expected to fall in love again. After being sexually harassed by her private tuition teacher when she was 12, she had lost her trust in men. She had been in a toxic relationship with Saif, who had cheated on her, abused her, and made her feel worthless. She had been betrayed by Faiz, who had pretended to be her friend and lover, but had only played with her feelings. She had tried to kill herself, but had survived. She had become depressed, anxious, and sick. She had closed her heart to any possibility of romance. She focused on her studies, her family, and her faith. She was content with her life, or so she thought.

But then he came into her life. He was Ali, a boy she had known in school when she was 7. He was a classmate, a stranger, a memory. He had left the school after two years, and she had never seen him again. Until one day, when she was 18, she met him online by chance. He recognized her, he greeted her, he asked her how she was. He was kind, smart, handsome, and charming. He was everything she had ever wanted in a man.

They started to chat regularly, to share their stories, to support each other. They both had gone through a lot of pain and trauma in their pasts, and they understood each other. They became friends, best friends, soulmates. They made each other laugh, they listened to each other's problems, they supported each other's dreams. They made each other feel alive again.

She didn't realize when she started to develop feelings for him. It was gradual, subtle, almost imperceptible. She enjoyed his company, his attention, his compliments. He made her feel special, he made her feel beautiful, he made her feel loved.

She tried to deny it, to ignore it, to rationalize it. She told herself that he was just a friend, that she was just lonely, that she was just confused. She told herself that he was too good for her, that he deserved better than her, that he was not interested in her.

But she couldn't lie to herself forever. One day, she realized that she was in love with him. And she didn't know what to do.

She wanted to tell him how she felt, to confess her feelings, to ask him if he felt the same way. But she was afraid of rejection, of ridicule, of ruining their friendship. She was afraid of losing him.

She decided to keep her feelings to herself, to hide them behind a mask of friendship. She hoped that he would notice her, that he would make the first move, that he would say the words she longed to hear.

But he never did.

Because he was in love with someone else.

She found out one day when he told her about his crush on Sirin. Sirin was his good friend from college, who he had met a few months ago. Sirin was smart, funny, beautiful, and kind. Sirin was perfect for him.

He told Naaz that he had fallen for Sirin hard and fast, that he couldn't stop thinking about her, that he wanted to be with her. He told Naaz that he needed her advice on how to win Sirin's heart.

He didn't know that Naaz loved him.

He didn't know that Naaz's heart broke into pieces.

He didn't know that Naaz cried herself to sleep every night.

He didn't know that Naaz wished she was Sirin.

She felt a surge of pain in her chest, a lump in her throat, a tear in her eye. She felt betrayed, hurt,

angry. She felt like a fool.

She realized that she was the other woman. The one who loved him from afar,

the one who waited for him in vain,

the one who got nothing in return.

She realized that she had wasted

her time,

her energy,

her emotions

on someone who didn't love her back.

She realized that she had to let him go.

She told him that she was happy for him,

that she supported his decision,

that she wished him all the best.

She lied.

The story I wrote is not ended yet , and it depends on what God decides. Maybe Naaz and Ali will meet again someday, and realize that they are meant for each other. Maybe Sirin will fall for Ali, and they will live happily ever after. Maybe Naaz will find someone else who will love her the way she deserves. It's all about fate .....🌸🥀

Bye bye .........👋👋👋