Yusha sighed, a deep, weary sound that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand unspoken stories. He took a moment, choosing his words carefully. “I was not always the man you know now,” he admitted softly. “There are things in my past I am not proud of. But I have tried to leave that life behind.”

Zainab’s heart wavered between disbelief and compassion. She had felt his genuine kindness, his gentle spirit, and yet the doubts gnawed at her resolve. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispered.

“I wanted you to know me for who I am now, not who I once was,” Yusha replied, his voice tinged with regret. “I was afraid… afraid that the truth would change how you saw me.”

Zainab contemplated his words, her fingers tracing the worn fabric of the mat beneath them. She realized that Yusha, like her, had been thrust into circumstances beyond his control, forced to navigate a world that often seemed unforgiving and cruel. Yet, despite his past, he had chosen to show her kindness, to share his world with her.