Zareen had started to come to, blinking in confusion, then looking up at him with sheer panic in her eyes. He nodded at her softly, and she steadied herself.

“I was,” he said. “Until last month. The engagement with Saira was arranged when I was overseas. I told my parents I’d go along with it, but only until I got back. I didn’t want to ruin their pride. But I already knew I was going to propose to Zareen.”

Now the room really lost it.

My mother gasped like she’d been slapped. Jeemah stormed forward, pulling at her ridiculous satin dress like it was suffocating her. “You can’t be serious. She’s not even pretty. She didn’t even go to college.”