“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.

“I don’t care about your past,” she said finally, her voice steady and determined. “I care about who you are now, and who we are together.”