The old man’s eyes moved from one child to another.
“Malik did not give me a home because he expected a reward. He gave me a home because I was his father.”
Youssef looked down.
Nadia began to cry quietly.
Hamza, however, remained defiant.
“So you are punishing us for being busy with our own lives?”
“No,” Suleiman replied. “I am no longer willing to reward people for pretending that their absence was love.”
The words landed heavily.
Then he added something none of them expected.
“I am not disowning you. I am not asking you to kneel before me. I am asking you to understand that being my child does not give you ownership of my life.”
Hamza’s mouth opened, but he could find no answer.
Idris gathered the documents.
“The legal arrangements will proceed according to your father’s instructions. Any questions about them can be addressed through my office.”
