Chapter 2 RAY 2

This evening, Rayyen drove his black Range Rover at a moderate speed towards a house in one of the elite complexes in the central part of the city.

Upon arrival, Rayyen neatly parked his car in the house's courtyard and casually strolled towards the door before mustering the courage to knock.

"Good evening..." He greeted politely to the woman who opened the door. "Is Riana here?"

The woman nodded. "Good evening. Hi, Rayyen. Yes, I'm Riana," she replied.

Rayyen immediately chuckled. His facial expression suggested that he didn't believe the woman in front of him. "Ck, Alana," he clicked his tongue. "Stop kidding!"

The woman in front of him held back a smile. "Who's kidding? I really am Riana," she tried to convince him.

"If you were Riana, every time I meet you, I usually hug you."

"Hug?" the woman repeated. "Are you serious?"

"Liar!" Another voice interjected. Both of them turned to the source of the voice. "The truth is, it's not hugging but pinching like this..." The woman who had just arrived approached and playfully pinched Rayyen's waist until he groaned in pain.

"Oh my God..." he said. "That hurts, Riana!"

Riana looked at him with a cynical gaze. "Don't complain. It's your fault for coming and causing a commotion."

Rayyen laughed at Riana's protest. "I must be joking, Na. Besides, even if you were identical twins, I know exactly how to distinguish between you and Alana. So there's no chance of getting mixed up."

"Oh, really?" Alana expressed doubt. "How do you distinguish us, then?" she asked curiously.

"Just a small example," Rayyen said. "Riana has a birthmark on the tip of her nose, while Alana doesn't. Also, their eyebrows may look similar at a glance, but Riana's are much thinner than Alana's. Don't you two notice those differences?"

Alana smiled in amazement. She didn't expect Rayyen to pay attention to such a small detail. It was true that at a glance, Riana and Alana's physical appearances didn't have any noticeable differences. If someone didn't know them well, it would be difficult to distinguish.

"That's crazy. You pay so much attention," Alana mumbled.

Rayyen nodded. "That's what lawyers do. They have to investigate even the smallest details."

Riana and Alana nodded in agreement.

"Hey, am I not allowed to come in? Have I been standing in front of the door all this time? According to the old saying, I might miss my chance at love," Rayyen protested. Since he arrived, the twin women hadn't invited him inside yet.

"Sorry..." Alana said. "Come in, Big Brother. Inside, Ashraf and Marwa are already here."

Rayyen glanced at Riana and nodded, following the two women inside to join the other family members.

It had been a long time since they all gathered, so Marwa took the initiative to arrange a dinner party at their parents' house. Riana had intentionally invited Rayyen to make the event even more lively. Everyone knew that he was excellent at lightening the mood with his playful act.

"Good evening, Mommy Karin." Rayyen greeted politely as he shook hands and reverently kissed Mrs. Karin's hand.

The address of "Mommy" deliberately used by Rayyen for Mrs. Karin certainly surprised everyone present, including Marwa and Ashraf.

"Mommy... Mommy... since when did you become my mom?" Marwa joked with a curious tone.

Rayyen chuckled softly. "Relax. This is just practice, Marwa. Soon, I will be your brother-in-law."

Marwa immediately snorted, prepared to counter Rayyen's remarks. Debating with Rayyen was something she was accustomed to. "Hmph, very confident, aren't you? Are you sure Riana will accept you?"

Rayyen reflexively glanced at Riana, who was sitting next to her mother. "I'm sure. I pray every midnight for God to soften Riana's heart for me."

Everyone smiled at Rayyen's response, which seemed like a joke. However, Riana remained silent. His words had touched her heart.

"Alright..." Ashraf, who had been busy carrying baby Ciarra, spoke up. "It's getting late. Let's have dinner together."

They all moved to the dining area, took their seats, and enjoyed the dinner.

"While eating, Rayyen," Karin offered when they were all seated at the dining table. "Riana prepared all the dishes."

Rayyen nodded politely. "Yes, Mom. I'll try each one."

Riana quickly helped serve the dishes one by one. Meanwhile, Marwa intentionally observed their interactions and found them endearing enough to comment, "Rayyen is taking advantage of being served by Riana."

He immediately laughed. "Just consider this as Riana's internship as a wife. So, when we're married, it won't be a surprise."

Riana glanced at him. "As if I'm going to agree to marry you just like that."

Rayyen immediately retorted, "Confidence is important, Riana. Besides, Allah prefers His followers to always have positive thoughts about their fate and destiny." He then looked at Mrs. Karin, who was feeding her. "Mom, if I propose to Riana, do you think she'll accept?"

Riana widened her eyes. She hadn't told her mother anything about Rayyen proposing to her.

"Well, if Riana wants to, why not?" Karin answered diplomatically. She wasn't the type of parent who imposed specific conditions on her children's prospective spouses.

"So, that means you approve?" Rayyen confirmed.

Karin nodded. "The most important thing is that Riana's prospective husband is of the same faith, responsible, and, of course, respects women. Just like Ashraf, for example."

Rayyen nodded with a smile. "Thanks God, that means you've given the green light, right?" He glanced at Riana, who was sitting next to her mother. "That means, I just need to wait for Riana's answer."

The large Al-Qadrie family continued their dinner ritual together, discussing everything from jokes to serious matters. Without realizing it, the night grew late. It was time for Rayyen to take his leave.

"I'm going home, Ash. If I'm a little late, Mom tends to get worried and calls non-stop."

Ashraf laughed. "Alright, take care on the way."

After saying goodbye to Mrs. Karin, Marwa, and Alana, it was Rayyen's turn to say farewell to Riana.

"I'm heading home now. I'll let you know when I arrive."

Riana nodded softly, but before she could respond, Rayyen spoke again.

"But if I message you, please reply. Don't ignore me like usual. And don't forget, this Sunday, I want to invite you to have dinner with my extended family. I hope you'll accept the invitation."

Riana nodded shyly, giving a signal that she accepted Rayyen's invitation. "Yes, I'll make sure to come."

"Alright then, see you later."