Hala's POV
I had the most intimate encounter with Hussein at office. His touch was so gentle yet sensual leaving me vulnerable and in want. I had always been a kind of sexually repressed person but he had the ability to induce new feelings and emotions in me and the newest one being kiss. I was anticipating our first kiss but he was gone to Aqaba for two days.
I had my headphones on, a romantic bollywood song was playing. As the singer sang in her melodious voice, tum pe hum tu mare ja rhe hai (I'm falling hard for you). I felt strong pair of arms around me, caging me, holding me protectively, mitne ki zid tu kiye ja rhe hai (I can happily ruin myself for you) I closed my eyes and a handsome face appreared. It was the most beautiful face I have ever seen or I had never found any face more beautiful than that. The face I fell hard for and falling harder with each passing day.
Next day
This room had been mine since wedding and for the first I spent a night alone here without Hussein. I felt sort of empty and dark and watching the vampire diaries didn't help a lot. With a sigh, I got ready for my first engagement.
I went downstairs, had my breakfast and met with Mummy aka Queen Rania for the world. My first engagement was with her. We sat together and had some chit chat where she told me about the protocols and we shared our routines and some home planning ideas with eachother.
Deep down I had been missing Hussein. I wanted him to be here and wish me luck for my first public encounter. I sat in the car with mummy and my husband finally called me. I smilingly picked up his phone.
"Hey!". I said with a huge smile dancing on my lips.
"Hii, How are you?". He asked me in his deep husky voice. Ugh Hala! Stop being so bothered by his voice.
"I am good, How are you?" I said controlling my inner overly romantic self who had just surfaced after being hidden for 26 years.
"I am fine. I called to wish you luck for your first public engagement. Don't be nervous. Just be your amazing self and you will nail it". He said showing his confidence in me.
"Well do you seriously think that I can nail it?" I asked just to boost my confidence a bit more.
"Yeah! I've full confidence in your abilities. You will be great today". He said with ultimate confidence sending my poor self on cloud nine.
"Thank you! And you will be back by night right?" I asked him
"No actually, I am sorry Hala but I won't be back for a week". He said and I was dumbfounded. What he meant to say that he won't be back for a week. He had gone for 2 days and they were almost complete. I felt its some kind of a betryal to me. I did not know what to say. He was gone for damn 48 hours and now 4 more days. Did he know how many hours 6 days have?
"Hala!" He said my name for me to say something but I didn't know what to say.
"Ohh okk. So I'll catch up with you later". I cut the call and took deep breaths to calm myself but it was already horrifying me thinking about him being away for more days.
My whole mood was ruined by him. How could he leave me alone for a week? Didn’t he know that I was habitual of his presence now. Mummy put a hand on my thigh and smiled at me.
“Are you ok sweetheart?” Mummy asked me and I tried to smile but it was in vain. Was I not important for him?
“You are extremely important for him always remember that but work is also important. right?” Mummy told me as if she had read my mind.
We reached Madaba where we met with women who were related with the business of clothes. The clothes were beautiful and we discussed how work was done and what problems they faced. The agony I felt that my husband gave me was slowly vanishing and I loved chatting with the ladies. My mind was quickly working on the business idea that could boost their business.
“You all are so apt in the stitching and embroidery. How about instead of making just the traditional attires we start making clothes for every country with the traditional ones too. We can send these clothes to our ambassadors and their wives can work with other Jordanian women residing there to sell and then we can also coordinate with the international brands? I know its raw but we can work on it?” The manager liked the idea and we scheduled the meeting in my office.
This was fun working with people but it was also depressing knowing the conditions they live in. but we can work together and make each other’s lives easy.
Mummy left as we also had solo engagements. My next engagement was at an IT company. It was one of the leading companies of the Jordan. It made games and software for the computers. I was excited for this meeting as the previous one went too well.
I was in my euphoria when the CEO of the company introduced with a person with whom they were planning a merger. It was none other than Osama Kardar my freaking ex bipolar psychotic fiancé. He had such a bad smirk on his face that I wished to pull it off from his face with 2 or 3 slaps as a gift.
I took a sharp breath to calm myself. We discussed the meeting and I was waiting for it to end soon. Finally the meeting ended and I took my leave.
"Hello Your Highness!" Osama said bowing down his head we were going out of the building.
"Hii!" There were still people around us and I didn't want to create a scene so I calmly replied.
"I hope everything is going great and you are very much enjoying the marital bliss". There was so much scoff in his voice.
"Yes alhumdullilah". I replied keeping a smile on my face because that's the reality, I was happy with my marital life.
"How about we had a lunch together?" Osama said and I was about to say no when Osama called the manager.
"Her Highness is having lunch with us". He told the manager.
"That would be an honour". The manager said and I faked a smile but I wished to beat him to blues. Idiot, psychotic.
I had lunch with them and went home but these 2 hours with Osama made me realize that how messed up my life would be if I had married to him. Thank God! I took a timely decision and married to Hussein who was not here. Ugh 4 days without him. Noooo!!
4 days later
Hussein's POV
I was at the airport and I wanted to be at home as soon as possible. If I had wings, I would have flown to home. I went to Aqaba to see the progress on the project but the sudden disorder made me stay there for 4 more days. It hurt me to be away from her but thats life, difficult and not bed of roses but I missed her so much. She was afflicting my habits like a parasite.
At home
I went inside the room and here she was sitting on sofa, my heart was beating so loudly that I can hear it in my ears. Calm down you traitor, I scolded my heart but it was adament.
"Heyyy! I'm home". I said loudly to grab her attention and she looked up from her phone. The way her eyes shine when she saw me, my heart jumped out of my chest.
She got up from sofa and came towards me and hugged me. She tightens her hold around me. Wallah she will be my death.
"Welcome home" She said after a while breaking the hug. Oh I missed her warmth.
"Thanks". I said standing close to her. I looked at her. She was wearing some shade of yellow, I was hell sure she had some weird name for this yellow.
"You are looking beautiful in yellow". Her eyes narrowed. Wrong color name! Got it wife.
"Its mustard". She told me.
"A sort of yellow. Isn't it?" She looked at me & I was biting my lips to contol the smile but she noticed and laughed heartily.
I looked at her face and my eyes stuck on her lips. I felt my breath hitched in my throat and I know I have to kiss her now for my own sanity. I took a step towards her and she didn't move. Maybe she was also waiting for this like me.
"I missed you". I told her while snuggling in her neck. Her lavender is the most exotic lavender I've ever smelt.
"I missed you too". She said sending me on cloud nine. I looked up at her lips.
"Can I?" I asked brushing my thumb on her chin near her lower lip. She smiled, closed her eyes & nodded faintly wanting me to jump like a five year old who got his favourite toy.
I sneaked my arms on her waist, pulled her closer to myself and crashed my lips onto hers and felt her smiling. I hadn't moved my lips as I wanted to feel the softness that made me restless for her.
Hala's POV
Hussein finally kissed me after what felt like an eternity. He was in Aqaba and I missed him was just an understatement. I have became habitual of him and sometimes habits are more lethal than anything else. When I saw him, I hugged him because I was dying to and when he wrapped his arms around me, oh is this what people called happiness which I felt while being in his arms. And then he kissed me, I could not help but smile.
Hussein slowly started moving his lips on mine. I was not reciprocating it. I just want to feel the magic of his lips. The tingling and butterflies in my stomach were clouding my senses. He sneaked his arms around my waist and pulled me towards him, connecting our bodies together.
I moved my hand in his head and felt his silky, soft hair. My fingers had a mind of their own and they pulled his hair from the roots and he groaned. The heavy, throaty groan felt so nice to ears.
He captured my face with his both hands and started running his thumbs on my cheek. He ran his tongue on my upper lip and then on my lower lip coaxing me to open my mouth. As I did slightly, he pushed his tongue into my mouth. He tasted like roasted coffee beans. He moved his tongue exploring my mouth while I was feeling his muscles from his shirt. I ran my fingers along his spine and felt him shiver. He bit my lower lip and stopped moving his lips.
He pecked my lips for the last time and moved his head a bit away from me. His eyes were still closed and running his thumbs on my cheeks.
He suddenly opened up those honey brown orbs in which I always lost myself. He smiled and kissed my forehead keeping his lips there for few moments and went inside the dressing room.
I stood there holding my heart trying to control my emotions and my smile. His kiss showed no mercy but his forehead kiss affected me in ways which the other could never.
A month later
Ramdan started last week and today we went to a charity Iftar dinner. It was our first Iftar event together and I want it to be the best memory of my life. We were talking to different people who belong to different fields of life but definitely working for the betterment of Our Jordan.
We were talking with a couple who happens to be involved in one of CPF's initiative when that CEO guy from the IT company came with my ex fiance with whom my husband's relations were constrained since college time.
"Asalam O Alaikum Samo Al Ameer!". The CEO guy said.
"Layth! Wa alaikum Asalam. How are you?" Hussein said quite excitedly, he also took his name which mean they knew eachother before. Hussein's expressions hardened a bit seeing Osama behind him. He greeted him as well.
"Meet my wife, Hala". He introduced me with Layth.
"We had already met Sidi. She visited our company a few weeks ago. We three even had lunch together as you know she is a great friend of Osama". I frowned at his last sentence. Why he said that? Because certainly I didn't mention anything about our relation during the meeting or lunch. It was purely a business meeting.
Hussein's smile faded away and he quickly ended the conversation with him. I thought he didn't like me having dinner with Osama but it was purely a business thing. I reassured myself that he was not that much conservative and went on to meet other people. I hoped that Hussein would come to meet me but he kept himself busy with other through out the event that I started feeling bad the earlier encounter.
The event finally ended what felt like ages. We sat in the car and Hussein quickly drove off. He was dead serious and driving rashly so I mustered up courage to talk to him.
"Hussein!" I called him. "HUSSEIN?" I called him a bit louder this time. "Hussein?" I nudged him and he pushed my hand aside.
"I want to drive right now. So will please stop talking". He didn't shout at me but his eyes were so red and his voice was so cold that it sent chills down my spine. I sat on my seat quietly for the rest of journey.
I stopped at the hallway trying to process about everything that just happened.
"Why does he think that I still meet my ex or has relation with him? Does he not believe me? Is our relation so weak, our love so shallow? Is there any love between us?" Thousand of questions were clouding my mind and I didn't have the nerves to ask one.
"Hussein". I called him again and he remained mum hurting my self esteem and love.
"You can't keep mum and be delusional without knowing my side of story". I shouted.
"What's your side of story? Huh Hala? Tell me?" He asked me with anger visible in his eyes. These were not the eyes which made my heart beat faster.
"I just met him once because of meeting. It was held up by the office. I didn't even know that he worked there". I said trying to control the shakiness of my voice.
"And you told the guy you are meeting for the first time that his partner is your very good friend". Hussein asked me.
"I didn't tell him that and you have to believe me". I said in a requesting tone that I even hate my voice. I never talked to anyone in that tone before. But he went from there, not taking into account my pleading. How could he do that to me? To his wife? I felt shattered. The honeymoon phase of our life ended. The euphoria that was making me fly in the air, sent me on ground in one go. I felt hot tears brimming in my eyes. I closed my eyes with full force to stop the tears but they didn't listen to me just like him who was the reason of these tears.
I went to another room instead of going to the room which we both share and cried my heart out till Sahoor.
Hussein's POV
I came in our room and freshen up in the hope to feel better but I felt worse. A part of my soul was trying to convince me that I over reacted and there was no reason to hurt Hala. But I hate that bastard Osama because of which my reputation in the college damaged so much. He was a manipulative idiot and I didn't want him any near my wife but she met him and never told me when we both share our office routines. Why she kept that meeting secret from me angered me more. I was waiting for her to come and sleep but she went to another room infuriated me to another level.
I kept awake till sahoor. I went to the dinning hall to have my meal. I waited for a few minutes for Hala to come but she did not even come outside, so I asked the maid to call her but she denied simply. I wanted to go to her but my ego wasn't allowing me. I started to eat but couldn't even take a bit so I had the fast empty stomach just like her.
At office
I called Layth and asked him about the growth of his company and also the meeting he held with Hala. He was a class fellow of mine in King's academy so I decided to ask him that who told him about Hala's frienship with that business partner of his.
"Ohh that. Well after lunch, Osama told me that his and Ameera's father are friends since childhood and they had a great friendship". He told me and felt a sigh of relief but I still had to beware Hala of him. He ruined every precious thing I had and I didn't want to lose Hala.
"Is everything alright Hussein?" Layth asked me concerned.
"Yeah absolutely fine. I'll call you later sometime". I ended the call and started to think of the ways how to seek Hala's forgiveness and tell her everything. I was lost in my thoughts when Ehtasham entered my office. I looked him who was glaring at me. I lifted my eyebrow to ask the reason behind his anger when he approached me with Damon's like speed and punched the table. His eyes were red. "Was my bestfriend a vampire?" My hunger overtook my abilities to think straight.
"Woah, Mr. Vampire. Are you alright?" I asked me and punched me hard on my stomach.
"Idiot! What's your problem dude".
"What's your problem idiot?" He counter questioned me. "Can't you keep your insecurities to yourself and how dare you hurt my sister huh. You thought she is alone in this country, no one is there to hold you accountable." He said and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me". He shouted.
"Okk". I said while rolling my eyes again and he came forward to punch me again when I lifted my hands in surrender.
"Okk I know I was wrong but I promise I was thinking of making everything right but can't think of any way". I told in the hope that he may help me.
"That's your problem. Think of anything. I want my sister to be smiling again". He said acting like a furious brother-in-law ready to kill anyone for his sister.
Third Person's POV
She went to office but having fast empty stomach was taking a toll on her so she left the office earlier to take some rest. She needed sleep, she needed food and both were not available to her. She was patiently waiting for the Iftar time but the whole scenario with Hussein was making her cry again and again. She did not know how many gallons of tears she had shed from yesterday and now she did not have the energy to cry so she sat on bed and start using her mobile phone to distract her vulnerable self.
At iftar table, she looked devastated, dry lips and swollen red eyes. This was not Hala, which Hussein knew. He felt so guilty that its getting difficult for him to even chew his food. Hala was drinking her third glass of water with some tears. She did not want to cry in front of him but its getting a real hard task for her.
"Eat something!". She was about to drink her 4th glass when Hussein stopped her. She looked towards him, in his eyes and he diverted his eyes immediatetly, Hala sarcastically smiled, "loser" and went inside her room.
They both were walking in different rooms, restlessly. Hussein cannot bear this any further. He ordered the maid to bring food to Hala's room but she dismissed her. Hussein then went to her room without knocking, he heard her hiccup. He closed his eyes, the guilt flushed through his body.
He took small steps towards her and put a hand on her head. She suddenly stopped, her crying, her trembling everything stopped. She moved her head slightly to see Hussein was sitting besides her. She sat up, when Hussein brought his hand towards her face to clean her tears but she simply turned her face and cleaned it.
"What are you doing here?". Hala asked
"I'm sorry". Hussein said
"What for?". Hala asked
"For being a jerk!". Hussein said
"I am sorry, I did not mean to hurt you." Hussein said
"But you did". Hala cut him off and said in tears.
"You did hurt me a lot Hussein, please go." Hala said
"Hala listen....". Hussein started to talk again
"No, leave! Go." Hala said pointing towards the door, Hussein slowly got up and went to their room but this room was nothing but a horror place for him without his angel. He went to the tv lounge and start channel surfing when the time for Sahur started. He knew she will again dismiss the maid so he ordered the maid to their bring food in Hala's room.
"Get up angel". He said pushing aside the hair from her face. The strains of tears on her cheeks made him guilty all over again. She felt his lips on her eyes, she opened her eyes immediately and moved away. She did not want to talk to him, she ignored his presence and started making a rough bun of her hair.
"Its Sahur time". Hussein said after clearing his throat. She did not bother to answer and went to washroom. He sat there waiting for her but she immediately went outside the room and he followed her. They both did their Sahur in complete silence and after that Hala silently went to her room.
They both went to office alone in their own respective cars. Hala gasped loudly when she entered her office, there was a huge bouquet of red rose on her table with a letter. A simple line was written on it, "I am so sorry, H❤", she remembered the time how he proposed her in Rome. She wanted to throw that bouquet away but she simply can't.
Later, she had a meeting so she was going to conference room when Hussein suddenly came and bumped into her. She felt his hands in her hair, she angrily looked towards him and he winked, "pervert".
She entered the room and the presentation was started when she felt a mischievious smile on everyone's face. She looked towards herself but could not find anything but then suddenly she saw something in her hair through the glass door. She put a hand in her hair and pulled a red rose from it. She inhaled a sharp breath and controlled herself while everyone looked downwards to hide their smiles.
Hala came out of the conference room only to see this man talking in hall with some employ. She totally ignored him and passed around him when she heard her mobile message beep, she opened the text from hussein.
"Do you want to go outside and get some fresh air with me? Because you just took my breath away." She couldn't help but smile on this message, she moved her head in dismissal and went to her office. The rest of the day pass by and they went to home alone again.
She was sitting on sofa in tv lounge when Hussein came there and sat on the same sofa maintaining a distance. But he was coming closer every passing moment, when Hala was about to get up, he suddenly put his head on her lap and smiled looking towards her batting his long eyelashes, he moved to left side to show her his dimple, he knew she adore that dimple but she was not going to fall for these tactics. She closed her eyes but the urge to place a finger on his dimple arose. Idiot. She opened her eyes and he blew a kiss to her. Ye akhri waqt mein roza makro karwaye ga mera (My fast will be wasted at the last moment because of this man) she thought in her heart and tried to move his head but it did not budge. She glared him and he made a face like a baby.
Hala's POV
Iftar time was close so I went to the dinning hall but the table was not set at all. I called the head maid but there was no one, so I went to the kitchen only to see Hussein tossing a dish. I came back to my room. Sometime later, Hussein came in my room to call me for Iftar. I quietly went to the dinning hall, the table was beautifully set with the candles.
"I am sorry". I can listen his voice close to me. I can feel his breath on my neck, I held the chair tightly.
"I know, I hurt you, I've realized my mistake, and I promise I won't ever do it again. Please talk, shout at me, fight with me. I reacted like a jerk because there was a reason. I don't trust that man". Hussein said.
"And you don't trust me as well?". I asked.
"No, its not like that. I trust you more than anything but you never told me that you met him, infuriated me". Hussein said.
"That's an absurd reason. You should have come to me, ask me why I did that. I don't know what happen in your past and I don't even have any intention to know. But you hurt me. When you love someone, you ought to trust them. You don't do either Hussein". I said
"No no no, its not like that. I love you more than anything else and this fear of losing you made me go insane. And I won't say that what I did is justifiable. No its not. Its punishable. Punish me however you like but atleast give me a chance. All I ask for is one chance and we will close that chapter for once and all. Just forgive me for once. If you think that I don't believe you. That's nothing but lie. I swear to my life that not for once I thought about you cheating on me or anything. Its my insecurities, my fears that clouded my judgement". Hussein said holding my hands.
I closed my eyes and remembered all those sweet moments with him, he is always the one who gave her the best and beautiful moments of her life. Can't I forgive him once? Everyone makes mistakes. No one is saint in this world. I can forgive him if he was turly sorry.
I opened up my teary eyes and looked straight into his eyes, there was guilt in his eyes. I didn't say anything but pulled my hands out of his. There was shock, pain, hurt, fear and the emotions in his eyes which only I can understand. I just moved closer to him, set the collar of his shirt and placed my head on his shoulder. He so slowly placed his arms around me.
"I am honoured". I heard him. We both stayed there for sometime when I heard Adhan. We did our Iftar together peacefully after 2 days but to us it felt like a long span.
He made my favourite beef steak with black pepper sauce and cherry and almond crumble cake. Both tastes heaven, I smiled looking towards him.
Third Person's POV
Hussein went to pray Isha, he was expecting Hala in their room but she was nowhere to be seen, he panicked not seeing her in room, he was about to step outside the room when he saw a shadow in balcony. Hala was standing there holding a reeling, cool breeze was blowing and her hair were moving around with air. He went to her without making any noise, and held her from behind placing his head on her shoulder.
"What are you doing here?". Hussein asked.
"Nothing!". Hala asnwered moving her head towards him
"I am...". Hussein was about to repeat his words again when Hala cut him off with a kiss, "you don't have to repeat these words", she said in between the kisses, and Hussein was shocked because it was first time in all these two months when she made the first move. She stopped and moved back when she saw him with eyes wide opened. She laughed looking at him. He picked her up on her shoulders.
"Hussssssssseeein put me down". She said laughing
"Its time for the return of the favour madam". He said while placing her on bed.
They were sleeping peacefully while hala keeping her head on his shoulder when they heard the voice of alarm clock. She tightened her hold around hussein while he extended his arm forward to turn it off.
"Wake up angel". He said while rubbing his fingers in her head. She moved her head upward and looked towards him smilingly.
"I missed your morning husky voice." Hala told him and he smiled as usual she placed her finger on his dimple. He hold her hand and kissed her fingertips.
"I missed you too." He said kissing her forehead.