“Trust me?" I held my breath for her answer. She had every reason not to trust me. I'd been her kidnapper, her captor, yet I'd rather have died than hurt a single hair on her head.”

“To have her here in bed with me, breathing on me, her hair in my mouth—I count that something of a miracle.”

“I'd rather lose her from my life, but know she was alive and well than lose her altogether to death.”

“I held her close for only a short time, but after she was gone, I'd see her smile on the face of a perfect stranger and I knew she would be there with me all the rest of my days.”

“If she wanted my money, I'd give her every cent. If she wanted another man, I'd make her forget him”

“Mariam always held her breath as she watched him go. She held her breath and, in her head, counted seconds. She pretended that for each second that she didn't breathe God would grant her another day with Jalil.”

“she held her breath, and in her head, counted seconds. She pretended that for each second she didn’t breathe, God would grant her another day”

“If she had hurt me, I could have forgiven her without even having to think about it; but I couldn't forgive her for being hurt.”

“Her trust makes me faithful, her belief makes me good.”

“She loved her mother and depended on her mother, and yet every single word her mother said annoyed her.”