Eternal Temptation

❥ 34| love at first sight

"No," he said in a tone that left no room for any doubt. "You're my wife. That's what I'll introduce you as. And if they're offended, then too bad."

For some reason, that made me want to laugh. This man, who worried and fretted about everything that involved his family and his country, didn't have any concern to spare towards others.

"Yeah. Too bad," I agreed.

His eyes narrowed. "If your agreement was genuine, then it didn't sound like it."

"No, of course it was genuine, Zayaan," I insisted. "I was just wondering why you weren't popular when your personality is so enticing."

"Instead of mocking me, why don't you just ask whatever it is that you want to?"

"Fine. I just don't understand why you weren't popular back in the day." I gestured towards him. "I mean, you're you. Why did you just keep to a few people in your circle?"

"Back in the day?" He frowned. "I'm four years older than you, Faithe."

"Seriously? Stop stalling."

"I probably just wasn't that well-liked." He shrugged, giving in. "You can't force popularity."

"Ha. You not being well-liked? So why were you invited to this Adrian's wedding if you're just a mere acquaintance?"

He turned his full attention to the road ahead, not disturbed in the least by my probing gaze. "I didn't talk much. Socialise much. I didn't go out to all the pubs and bars and places. I wasn't an extrovert like Rafiq, and people just didn't approach me much."

That was true. When Zayaan wasn't out doing something for his family's business, he was a homebody just like me. My reason was social anxiety and just being pure lazy; his reason was that he didn't like to interact with anyone except his own circle of humans.

"I have a theory."

"Yeah?" He came to a stop at a red light. "What is it?"

"Remember what I said about you keeping your face all cold and disapproving? You most likely did that back in the day too, keeping up a wall that made you seem unapproachable."

"I don't think—"

"No. I'm right. Because there's no other reason people wouldn't want to approach someone who looks like you." I suddenly had a thought. "Did you have any girlfriends?"

He frowned again. "No."

"But did girls try and talk to you at the start of university before you scared everyone away?"

Zayaan seemed to think about it and then nonchalantly raised a shoulder. "I don't know. Maybe."

That was a yes. I harrumphed, annoyed at his vague responses and vowed to stay silent until we reached the venue. Which then made my mind decide to wander off to things that exuded positive energy, unlike my husband, and said positive thing was also known as my new obsession. Moon.

We'd been back in London for a week now, and we'd gone to the pet shelter a couple of days after to finish all the paperwork and be able to take our beautiful cat home. I wasn't expecting an overnight or instant bond between us, but I also wasn't expecting for her to be very closed off and reserved. She rarely left her seat on the sofa, especially with her hind leg being weaker than the others, preferring to watch as we roamed around the house, still adapting to her new environment.