𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞

Chapter 3

Zaidan's POV

I'm so exhausted right now, and I gotta go meet the girl I'm gonna tie the knot with in just two weeks.

I just can't wrap my head around this whole arranged marriage thing. I mean, seriously? Who decides whom we're gonna spend our lives with? Oh, I know who's the mastermind behind all this drama—my so-called uncle, Uncle Mohsin. Man, I'm so ticked off at him right now, I could explode any minute. Why can't they just let me live my own life?

First, Aunt Momina bombarded me with a ton of pictures of girls whose parents were interested in marrying them off to me. But come on, I don't even know these girls, so I rejected every single one. Then, out of the blue, she drops the bombshell—asking me if I wanna marry some cousin I never even knew existed. Obviously, I turned that down too.

And then, like a hurricane, Uncle Mohsin comes along and starts pressuring me to marry his friend's daughter.

Well, it wasn't really a choice, more like a forced agreement. And now, I'm regretting it because my heart has someone else in mind.

I just hope the girl I'm gonna end up with isn't all obsessed with makeup and fancy, expensive dresses because I ain't about to drain my hard-earned cash on that stuff. Who knows, maybe I'll end up walking down the divorce lane and going back to my old life.

I'm already near their house, not to mention I'm running late because of that darn girl who bumped into me.

I was waiting for Uncle and Aunt to come out of the shop they went into to buy some fruits or gifts for the family we're visiting. Honestly, I couldn't care less about it.

So, where was I? Ah, yes! I was waiting for them to come out when I spotted this girl engrossed in her phone, walking who-knows-where. And then bam! She crashes into me, causing her phone to slip from her grasp.

She quickly stooped down to retrieve her phone and muttered under her breath, "Who on earth decided to erect a wall right in the middle of the road?" I furrowed my brows and glanced at myself before retorting, "Excuse me, miss, but perhaps you should look before you speak, for I am certainly not a wall." How can someone just blurt out whatever's on their mind? People can be so peculiar.

She hastily retrieved her phone and locked eyes with me. The rest of the story, well, that's a tale for another time. Let's just say she really got on my nerves and wasted my precious time for no good reason.

In the midst of our conversation, I noticed Uncle motioning for me to join him in the shop to choose something. For some unknown reason, I shouted at the girl who was heading towards her friend, "We're not finished!" and disappeared into the shop. Why did I say that? Because, foolishly enough, I thought she was that girl.

Now I stand before the door of the girl I'm about to marry, awaiting its opening.

After a few moments, a young man in his early twenties greets us with a warm smile, graciously welcoming us inside. He takes the fruits and juices from Uncle's hands, and I can't help but wonder why they always feel compelled to bring something whenever they visit someone.

The young man guides us to the cozy living room, offering us a seat as he goes to fetch water, respecting Aunt and Uncle's preference for a simple refreshment.

As I take in my surroundings, I notice the intimate charm of their small living room, adorned with delicate flowers scattered throughout. A captivating sunset painting hangs on the wall behind the sofa where we sit, casting a warm glow upon the room. A petite coffee table stands before us, inviting moments of connection. Despite the absence of windows, the room is bathed in natural light, creating an enchanting ambiance.