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“Sadiq I can’t apologize enough for all of this I had thought we could coeable, but now I seehere to meet you”

“You are mistaken,” Sadiq said, his tone cal here has been quite the blessing”

That took Elora by surprise, and she stepped back, glancing at her husband, whose eyes darted up to hers before quickly shooting back down to the floor Sometimes it was hard to relobal co husband—most especially when she was mad

“I… I’m not sure what you mean,” Elora said

She atching the their positions in relation to one another, trying to find any kind of hint that all ht not be lost She was about to be very disappointed

Sadiq grinned, and his war Steph’s family needed

“The truth is, Mrs O’Hanlon, I didn’t want an arranged e about that I have feelings for another woman, as it happens, and now I have the chance to be with her”

“But you agreed You went through an arduous vetting process for us to match you Why would you do that if you were in love with another woman?”

“Why do you think Steph went through with it, even though she was afraid? I take it you, too, entered into an arranged e Why did you do it?”

Steph stepped forward then, finding her voice “Because we love our fahtly “And ould do anything to make them happy”

Elora placed her fists on her hips, though her posture had softened a bit “If you loved your faht now Your parents must be devastated! Do they even know that you didn’t want this?”

“They knew fro, butmy own decisions—in spite ofthe about, once I marry the woman I am destined to be with”

“And that woman isn’t me, Mom,” Steph chimed in