Fractures and Foundation

Episode 12: Fractures and Foundations

Zara’s POV

The next morning, I woke to a rare sight: sunlight streaming through the curtains. For once, the oppressive atmosphere of the house seemed lighter. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

After throwing on a casual blouse and jeans, I headed downstairs, expecting the usual routine of stifling family conversations. Instead, I found Lina in the kitchen, perched on the counter with a cup of coffee in hand.

She glanced up when she saw me, her face softening slightly. “Morning.”

“Morning,” I replied, grabbing a mug.

She slid off the counter, her bare feet making soft sounds against the tile as she moved to the fridge. Without a word, she pulled out the creamer and set it in front of me.

It was such a small gesture—barely noticeable—but it caught me off guard.

“Thanks,” I said, pouring some into my coffee.

“No problem,” she said, taking a sip of her drink. “You seemed like you needed it.”

I smirked. “And what exactly gave you that idea?”

“You had that grumpy ‘don’t talk to me before coffee’ face,” she teased, leaning against the counter.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide the faint smile tugging at my lips.

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Lina’s POV

After breakfast, Zara and I decided to tackle the ever-growing stack of “wedding planning” tasks. It was mostly an excuse for our families to drag us into endless meetings about colors, menus, and guest lists, but today we were actually going to the venue to finalize some details.

The car ride was surprisingly… nice. Zara had her laptop open, typing furiously, while I scrolled through my phone. Occasionally, she’d glance over and ask my opinion on something—a seating arrangement, a flower choice—and I’d give her a sarcastic answer just to see her roll her eyes.

At one point, her hand brushed mine as she adjusted her laptop, and I felt a strange warmth spread through me. It was such a brief, insignificant touch, but it lingered.

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Zara’s POV

The venue was breathtaking—a sprawling estate with manicured gardens, marble floors, and an air of opulence that screamed “Elahi.” As we walked through the grand hall, discussing lighting and table placements with the coordinator, I couldn’t help stealing glances at Lina.

She was taking it all in, her eyes wide with curiosity. For someone who claimed to hate this arrangement, she looked strangely at ease here.

At one point, she reached out to touch the edge of a lace tablecloth, her fingers tracing the delicate patterns.

“This is nice,” she murmured, almost to herself.

I didn’t say anything, but I found myself watching her more closely, noticing the way her hair caught the sunlight, the faint smile on her lips as she admired the details.

When she turned and caught me staring, I quickly looked away, pretending to check my phone.

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Lina’s POV

After hours of planning, we finally finished for the day. As we walked back to the car, Zara fell into step beside me, her usual composed expression replaced by something… softer.

“Thanks for not making today a total nightmare,” she said, her voice light but sincere.

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that your way of saying I was helpful?”

“Don’t push it,” she said, smirking.

We reached the car, and as she opened the door for me—a rare chivalrous moment—I couldn’t resist teasing her.

“Wow, holding doors now? Careful, Zara, I might start thinking you like me.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t deny it.

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Later That Evening

Back at the mansion, we ended up in the living room, going over the day’s notes. It was supposed to be work, but somehow, it turned into a movie marathon. Zara claimed she hated romantic comedies, but she didn’t protest when I picked one.

By the time the credits rolled, we were both lounging on opposite ends of the couch, the tension between us replaced by something lighter, almost… comfortable.

“Not bad,” she said, stretching.

“Admit it,” I said, grinning. “You liked it.”

She smirked. “I’ve seen worse.”

It was such a small, mundane moment, but it felt like a shift—like the beginning of something neither of us fully understood yet.

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