Chapter 23

Tariq stood in the center of the room, his gaze fixed on Layla. The weight of the Ghazi family's expectation hung heavy in the air, but he remained unmoved, looking only at his wife. "Layla, do you want to go back?" Layla looked at the floor, her fingers twisting together. She thought of her father's slumped shoulders and her mother's constant complaints about their status. She gave a light, hesitant nod. "Yes..." Tariq turned his attention to Yousef Ghazi and the gathered relatives. His expression was mild, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Layla will return under one condition. Kneel and beg her to." The room fell into a suffocating silence. Yousef's jaw tightened, while Rana and Lina stared at Tariq as if he had spoken in a foreign tongue. Omar's face transformed, a thick vein pulsing in his forehead as his skin turned a deep, angry shade of crimson. "Tariq Al-Farsi!" Omar stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "You have no authority in this family. Layla didn't even say anything. Who the hell are you to make these demands?" Tariq didn't flinch at the outburst. He maintained a calm, steady posture that made his words feel like granite. "If you won't kneel, have Khalid Ghazi come personally. Otherwise, she won't be returning." Layla's eyes widened. She reached out, her hand trembling slightly as she pulled on Tariq's sleeve. "Tariq... stop," she whispered gently. "I don't want to make things awkward. They're still family." Tariq looked down at her, his gaze softening but his resolve remaining firm. "Layla, you're too soft-hearted. Since they're at your mercy, they'd grant all your requests." "R-really?" Layla looked at the panicked expressions on her uncles' faces. "Of course," Tariq said, his voice confident. "Think about it. With Najm Group terminating the partnership, it's their loss. They need you. Just tell them what you want." Layla took a breath, the realization of her leverage settling in. She thought of Rami Ghazi, her father, who held no shares and no power, constantly belittled by the rest of the clan. She looked up, her posture straightening as she pointed directly at Omar. "I'll come home if grandfather transfers ten percent of Daim Group's shares to my dad," Layla said, her voice gaining a firmness that surprised even herself. "If he disagrees, I guess I won't be going home. Also, he has to kneel." "What?" Omar's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Are you insane?" Before he could continue his tirade, Yousef Ghazi swung his hand, the sound of the smack echoing through the clinic. Omar stumbled back, clutching his reddened cheek. "Kneel and apologize to Layla!" Yousef hissed. "Dad, are you crazy?" Omar shouted, his voice cracking with humiliation. "You want me to kneel before her? In front of everyone?" Yousef stepped close, grabbing Omar by the shoulder and pulling him down. "Kneel," he whispered harshly under his breath, his eyes darting toward the exit. "Do you want Rami Ghazi to get the shares? If we don't settle this now, we lose everything." The fight drained out of Omar. He collapsed to his knees, his forehead nearly touching the floor. He looked miserable, stripped of the arrogance that usually defined him. "Layla, I'm sorry," Omar muttered to the ground. "It's all my fault. I shouldn't have treated you that way. I promise I will never say a bad word about you ever again. Please come home. Grandfather will be turning eighty in a few days. We should reunite as a family!" Tariq stepped in front of Layla, cutting off the view of the pathetic display. "No. Layla has said that she will only go home if you agree to the share transfer. Otherwise, she won't be going anywhere." He looked over at his friend. "Karim, shut the doors. We're closed today." Karim moved silently to the entrance, ushering the stunned Ghazi family out and sliding the heavy bolts into place. Once the clinic was quiet, Layla's confidence wavered. She looked at Tariq, her brow furrowed. "Tariq Al-Farsi, do you think grandfather will make the transfer? Ten percent is a lot of the Daim Group." "As long as you don't return now, he will," Tariq assured her. "You can't give in this time. He has no other choice if he wants to save the contract with Sami Haddad." A small smile finally broke across Layla's face. The tension left her shoulders. "With the shares, mom will finally stop looking down on dad, and he will have a better standing in the family. Thank you, Tariq Al-Farsi." Tariq reached out, his hands gently cradling her face as he looked into her eyes. "Why are you thanking me? This has nothing to do with me. You should be thanking Sami." ════════════════════════════════════════