Chapter 149

Roshanay let it all go. Not because it was easy, but because holding on felt heavier than forgiving, a burden that weighed on her heart more than any anger or resentment ever could. She had learned that some weights are only carried by the one who chooses not to set them down. Alizeh had asked forgiveness from her multiple times, her voice breaking with a mixture of guilt and fear. A little too desperately, it seemed, as if the act of forgiving her would somehow decide Alizeh’s fate, a responsibility Roshanay felt she could not ignore. She had listened, absorbed the sincerity in Alizeh’s words, and after long moments of thought, had chosen to release the past and accept her apology, quietly convincing herself that forgiveness could be an act of strength rather than weakness.

“Now, we need to mix together, yogurt, egg yolks, saffron water, salt and butter,” Roshanay dictated, her voice steady and calm as she stood beside the counter, keeping a close and watchful eye on the bowl