The door closed softly behind the three women, their laughter echoing down the corridor like wind chimes. Lori's arm was looped through Meriem's, Iva on her other side, their voices overlapping in animated conversation.
Caleb watched them go, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"It seems those three will be thick as thieves," he observed, turning back to Attia. "Before it was just Lori and Iva, but it appears they've dragged Meriem into their fold."
Attia's lips curved into a genuine smile—a rare, unguarded expression that softened the hard lines of his face.
"So many years lost," he said quietly. "No contact. No friends. No relatives. Trapped. Locked away." He shook his head slowly. "I'm actually surprised at how fast she bounced back. Her inner strength is remarkable.
