Malika

28 Agreement

She ignores his query. "I assume it's true then."

"I never said it was," he corrects, calmly but firmly. "But everyone assumes, like you did."

"And you never bother coming clear?"

The corners of his mouth quirk up. "You seem to care. I wonder why."

"For no reason you can think of."

"Enlighten me then."

She purses her lips. Only if she could tell him of Daryush's interest in the woman people associate with him, but it will do no good. Not because Sulaiman seemingly doesn't seem to be invested in the lady or the unofficial betrothal, but because she needs Daryush on her side. And if Daryush is to be one of the men to assume Sulaiman is betrothed to his beloved, then she would rather use it to her advantage than blow up the cover.

"The lady might be sitting in hopes of your name," she says. "Your vizier's daughter, isn't it?"

"I never made any promises to her," he replies.

"You didn't accept, but nether did you decline her."

Sulaiman chuckles, sounding both pleased and entertained, all the while his eyes roaming in her own.

"Say, you never told me about your marriage when I approached you. Does it make you at fault?"

"My circumstances were different than yours," she retorts defensively, glaring at him. "I did decline your proposal. I didn't give you any hope."

"You didn't give me the true reason."

"I wasn't obliged to."

"Yes. But had you told me, it probably wouldn't have gone that far."

He leans against the wall, the sun rays skimming his side profile and melting into his brown orb, turning it to gold. But the blue orb remains dark, as if kissed by midnight. In the moment, he looks more like a man she had stumbled upon in the bazar-- known to her yet unknown, so inexplicable and faraway despite within her reach. So casual yet incomprehensible. But this time, he's not Hadi-- he's Sulaiman to her.

"It never went far for me." Noura puts her arms around herself. "You're still where I met you."

"I know." He smiles ruefully. "It was only I who walked the way towards you. You never took a step from your end of the way."

He doesn't look pitiful to her. She doesn't sympathize with him, neither does he seem to demand it from her. Rather, he's ironic and regretful. And she doesn't know how to respond.

"That was never my desire."

"I know," he repeats. "Can I ask you a question now, if you'll be honest with me?"

"Ask away," she permits.

"You didn't love Adam back then, did you?"

"It doesn't concern you. I love him greatly now," she declares without hesitation.

"But if it wasn't for your marriage to him, would you still deny me when you didn't love him?"

"Probably."

"Why?"

She feels herself growing agitated. He's digging out a past she has long buried. And she has no heart to see its corpse.

"I should leave."

She tries to move away but he steps into her way, blocking her path. She glowers at him but he remains passive against her expression.

"If he isn't anymore--"

"Don't you dare, Sulaiman," Noura grits, the threads of her composure breaking apart.