Husband For Hire

12. Slightly Remorseful

That earned me a ear deafening door slam in return, which caught me by surprise, making me glance over my shoulder only to encounter a closed bathroom door. Ashar was blatantly pissed off. Not that it mattered to me.

Purposely, he emerged into an unnecessary fist fight at the party.

The more I endeavored to remain under the radar, the more Ashar shoved us into the spotlight.

* *

"What do you mean?!"

"Aara, would you just--"

"I'm not changing schools! Nothing on earth can make me change my school during my last year of high school!" Aara almost screamed. I was eating breakfast, preparing to leave for work when I heard the verbal fight in the living room. Ashar finally broke the news the girls were shifting to new schools.

Rosie didn't object, but the nerd did. The ungrateful brat had the audacity to turn down the school.

The school that they couldn't ever afford.

I left my food and stepped into the living room. With wide eyes, Rosie sat watching her older siblings fighting, which was as unusual as a Lochness monster sighting, since these three loved each other to death.

"It's for your own good," Ashar said.

"No!" Aara snapped.

"Can you guys take your family drama somewhere else?" I asked irritated. "Actually, since your sister has no respect for your decision to send her to some prestigious school, why don't you drop it?" The suggestion was directed at Ashar. Aara glowered at me as if I had said something wrong. "Let her suffer through public education with people her own level? Why send her to an advanced place where she won't be able to keep up?"

Ashar gave a surprised glance at my words.

He probably thought I was trying to help him out, when in reality, I was voicing my true thoughts.

"I'm not stupid!" Aara said sharply.

"Then, stop being an obnoxious, ungrateful crybaby and listen to your brother!" I shot back.

Leaving Ashar to handle his siblings, I went back to finish my breakfast. The raised voices finally lowered in the living room and by the time, I was on my way out, there was complete silence. The siblings sat on the couch in a manner that could easily fool people into thinking something just died.

Oh wait, Aara's attitude died.

Ashar met my eyes and mouthed, thank you.

I didn't know what it was for, so I shrugged and walked out.

During the car ride to the set, I gave a little thought to my astringent attitude yesterday night and realized I was slightly heartless.

Very, very slightly.

But how else was I supposed to treat him after he dented our reputations and then went to his almost girlfriend to complain about me? Cecily would be his girlfriend if he wasn't married to me.