He realized this and began to feel nervous. “Cousin Sofia Lanka, I promise you, there was no business going on between me and that friend. Zara Ozly misunderstood.”

“Oh,” Sofia Lanka said bluntly. “Then go explain it to her. She’s dating you, after all.”

Reflecting on Zara Ozly's dinner arrangements for that evening, Sofia Lanka burst out laughing. It would be quite entertaining to see Pete Toby's reaction if he were aware of the young man that Zara Ozly would be seeing tonight.

“I have already ended my relationship with that friend. Zara Ozly said that if I don’t see her for a month, then she will forgive me,” Pete...