2025-10-07 06:28:50
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Chapter 163 Family Dinner
The phone rang on Thursday evening, just as Khamees was closing up the shop. He glanced at the screen, his mother's name and felt the familiar knot tighten in his chest. They had spoken since the argument, but the conversations were short, careful, like walking on ground that might crumble."Hello?""Khamees, habibi. Your uncle is coming to visit tomorrow. Your father's youngest brother. He's been traveling and wants to see everyone."Khamees's shoulders relaxed, just slightly. Uncle Jamal. His favorite. The one who had always encouraged him, who had sent messages of support when the shop opened, who had never once made him feel like a disappointment."I'll be there," Khamees said."Good. Come early. Your father wants to talk to you before dinner."The knot tightened again. "Talk about what?""I don't know. Just come."She hung up. Khamees stood in the empty shop, the mannequins watching him with their blank faces, and wondered what his father could possibly want now.---The next day
Chapter 162 Proud Parents
The afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the park. The festival had settled into a comfortable rhythm—vendors chatting with customers, children running between booths, the hum of happy voices filling the air. Zaid was helping the potter pack up his remaining bowls when he saw her.His mother was walking through the entrance, a canvas bag over her shoulder, her eyes wide as she took in the scene. She had been working at the hospital all morning and had texted him that she would come "if she could." Apparently, she could.Zaid excused himself and walked towards her, weaving through the crowd. "Mama. You made it.""Of course I made it. I wouldn't miss this." She looked around, her face soft with wonder. "Zaid, this is... incredible. Look at all these people.""All here for the vendors. For the small businesses. For the stories.""You built this.""We built this. Khamees, Bassam, Imran. Everyone."She pulled him into a hug, holding him tight. "I'm so proud of you.
Chapter 161 First Day
The morning of the festival arrived clear and bright, the sun rising over the park like a blessing. Zaid stood at the entrance, a clipboard in his hands, his heart pounding in his chest. Around him, volunteers scurried between booths, vendors arranged their displays, and the smell of fresh bread and coffee drifted from the food court.Khamees appeared beside him, two cups of tea in his hands. "You look like you're going to be sick.""I feel like I'm going to be sick.""Good. That means you care."Zaid took the tea, the warmth seeping through the paper cup. "What if no one comes?""Then we drink all the tea and eat all the food and have a very nice private festival.""You're not helping.""I'm not trying to help. I'm trying to keep you from spiraling."The first visitors arrived at 9 AM—a family with young children, the mother holding a phone, the father carrying a backpack. They stopped at the entrance, looking around with wide eyes."Is this the festival?" the mother asked. "The one
Chapter 160 The Festival
The idea came to Zaid in the middle of the night, as the best ideas often did.He had been lying awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Mr. Taymoor. Not with anger, he was tired of anger—but with something else. Something like understanding. Mr. Taymoor wasn't the problem. He was a symptom. A product of a system that rewarded attention over substance, spectacle over truth.And Zaid was done with that system.He sat up, reached for his phone, and called Khamees.It was 2 AM."What?" Khamees's voice was thick with sleep."I have an idea.""You have an idea at 2 AM?""The best ideas come at 2 AM."Khamees groaned. "This better be good.""It's better than good. It's important."---An hour later, they were sitting in Khamees's apartment, a pot of coffee between them, Zaid's notebook open on the table. Bassam had arrived too, summoned by a series of increasingly urgent texts. Imran was there because he never slept."Okay," Khamees said, rubbing his eyes. "Explain."Zaid took a breat
Chapter 159 We're Ok
The morning after the video posted, Zaid arrived at the shop before Khamees. He let himself in with the spare key, flipped on the lights, and stood in the quiet space, waiting. The shelves were full, the display mannequins dressed in the latest designs, the counter neat and ready for customers.But would the customers come?He didn't have to wait long to find out.The first person arrived at 9:15—a young woman in a university jacket, her phone in her hand, her eyes scanning the store. She picked up a hoodie, examined it, and brought it to the counter."Are you Zaid?" she asked."I am.""I saw the video. The one you made. I wanted to see for myself.""And?"She held up the hoodie. "It's soft. Really soft. Not scratchy at all."Zaid smiled. "That's because it's not scratchy."She bought the hoodie and left, and Zaid felt something loosen in his chest.---Khamees arrived at 10, carrying two cups of coffee and a bag of pastries. He stopped in the doorway, staring at the small but steady
Chapter 158 It Works
The invitation arrived in Zaid's inbox on a Tuesday morning, sleek and polished, the kind of digital design that cost more than most people's monthly rent.You are cordially invited to an exclusive evening with Mr. Taymoor Al-Farsi, the region's most influential lifestyle creator. Experience luxury, networking, and the art of influence.Zaid read it twice. Then he deleted it.Khamees, sitting across from him in the shop's back room, looked up from his inventory spreadsheet. "What was that?""An invitation. To some party.""From who?""Mr. Taymoor. The influencer."Khamees's eyebrows shot up. "The Mr. Taymoor? With the private jet and the sunglasses and the—""The very famous, very fake, very annoying Mr. Taymoor. Yes.""And you deleted it?""I deleted it."Khamees stared at him. "Zaid, that's like... that's a huge opportunity. He has millions of followers. If you network with him—""I don't want to network with him." Zaid set down his phone. "I've seen his videos. They're all product
You may also like
EasySync System: Amazing Wealth
Baby Bunny27.2K viewsThe Clan Head System.
Great51.0K viewsLEVEL UP
LIGht Pen40.3K viewsMastering the fates with Role-play system
De_law1720.6K viewsAwakening The Shadow; The Apex Era
Hanzo 137 viewsUrban Divine Doctor System
Ahyman54 viewsUseless?! Ha! I Get $10,000,000 For Face-Slapping!
Sweet savage1.4K viewsRequiem of The Godfather: Price of a Memory
VelloraWinter 340 views