Summary

In Chapter 1, “It Began as Lust,” Oliver Harding sets out to record the truth of what happened between him and his colleague Ruhaba Khan. He admits that their relationship began with lust (1). However, what he wants to revisit is “the matter of the boy,” her nephew Adil Alam (1).

Because Oliver feels grieved by what he has lost, it pains him to recount the events of the recent weeks (2). He is unsure if recording the tale is too risky. He is also unsure if he should reveal the contents of the letter Adil gave him to review. The letter was to Adil’s love Camille in France.

Oliver’s lust for Ruhaba surprised him because she was Muslim. Whenever she came into his office, he fantasized about her. When she came to see him about leaving the Building and Space Committee one day, he...