Part Three: The Maze of Secret Love
As the relationship deepened, Mustafa's pure brotherly feelings turned into something deeper and more complex. He loved Rose dearly, not only as a soul sister, but as a woman. This love grew in secret, feeding on every late letter and every shared joke, while Mustafa saw in it the source of his happiness and his first reference. Love in the Shadows and Hidden Exaltation Rose became the center around which his world revolved. Mustafa went from simply appreciating her presence to relying on her almost completely to make decisions and solve emotional and intellectual problems. He was doing his best to raise her status and make her happy; He shares his small accomplishments with her, makes the best time of his day for her, and listens to her with absolute concentration, believing that everything she says is the absolute truth. He found his own pleasure in seeing her happiness, even if that happiness came from another source. The most painful point was his realization that Rose already had a lover. Sometimes she spoke about him spontaneously, and Mustafa listened with a heavy heart. His love for Rose was a heavy secret pressing on his chest. He could never dare to reveal his true feelings, for fear of losing everything, for fear of destroying that pure and unique relationship that he had built with difficulty. He would rather remain in the shadow of deep brotherhood and friendship than risk recognition and lose her forever. Mercy... A New Shade of Pink In the midst of this silent emotional struggle, an unexpected development occurred. Rose introduced Mustafa to her older sister, Rahma (21), who sometimes joined them in discussions in the group. Rose always described Rahma as wiser and calmer. Mustafa's conversations with Rahma began to gradually increase in frequency. Rahma was different from Rose; She is more balanced, practical, but does not like bad jokes, and has an amazing sense of listening. She soon became close to him as well. He was talking to her about the pressures of life, his dreams for the future, and even some of his confusion in dealing with emotional matters (not mentioning Rose, of course). Because he did not want her to know about it, Mustafa found a kind of refuge and tranquility in Rahma. She was like a second big sister, but this time without the emotional burden of secret love. This new closeness to Rahma did not diminish his love for Rose, but rather added a new layer of complexity, as Mustafa became attached. Emotionally, there are two different versions of "sister" in the life of one person, his soul. His heart was torn by the hidden love for Rose, and the relief and peace he found in Mercy. He considered her his older sister. See you in the next part four