Antoine “Wani” Ouradi
Nick’s wealthy closeted lover, whose luxury can buy camouflage but not safety.
Pleasure, Nick, family wealth, and public heterosexual respectability at the same time.
The book
Who they are in the book
Spoiler-freeWani is a wealthy Lebanese Oxford acquaintance who becomes Nick’s secret lover.
He maintains a public engagement to a woman and hides the relationship behind business and cultural projects.
His money gives Nick extraordinary luxury without giving either man an open life.
How the book draws them
- BeautifulNick experiences him as an aesthetic ideal.
- Extremely wealthyMoney creates travel, gifts, drugs, and private space.
- ClosetedA public engagement protects family respectability.
- Inventive camouflageOgee and the film project justify time with Nick.
- Emotionally guardedLuxury often substitutes for direct commitment.
- Mortally vulnerableAIDS makes wealth’s limits undeniable.
Wani is gravely ill with AIDS.
He offers Nick property for financial security and warns him about the scandal approaching Gerald.
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