Khadija POV
As we sauntered through the sprawling SM seaside, I noticed that I was still clutching the bouquet of flowers that Ahmed had thoughtfully bought for me. The bustling mall was alive with activity, and a plethora of shops and stores beckoned us to come in. As we passed by a store selling an impressive selection of slippers,"Can we check some footwears my lady?" Ahmed asked if we could take a look. I nodded in agreement, and we made our way inside.
The store was ALDO, a well-known brand synonymous with fashion and quality. We were greeted by neatly arranged shelves displaying a wide variety of trendy footwear. Ahmed held my hand as we walked, he looked over at me with a smile and said, "Please choose something for yourself, my lady."
I turned to look at the beautiful items on display, each one a work of art in its own right. The intricate designs and stylish embellishments caught my attention, drawing me in with their beauty and detail. I could feel my eyes scanning each item, taking in every stitch and every curve.
As I examined the shoes, I found myself drawn to their exquisite craftsmanship. The stitching was precise and flawless, and the embellishments were elegant. Each footwear was a masterful creation, the result of countless hours of careful design and skilled labor.Ahmed approached me with a confident stride, his new Aldo Lararien sandals clicking softly on the polished floor. I took a moment to admire the sleek lines and elegant curves of his shoes before he asked me where mine were. Despite my admiration for the shoes, I couldn't bring myself to select any of them. I simply didn't feel comfortable with someone else buying me such expensive items.
"If you won't grab anything, I will!" he said, eager to buy me something.
"But Ahmed, it's too expensive," I replied, watching him browse the women's footwear section.
"Price doesn't matter, my lady," he said with a charming smile. "As long as you have something new to wear, that's all that matters to me."
He's said those words again! I wonder if they're true, if the feelings he's hinting at are genuine. It seems too good to be true.
A pair of leather shoes that perfectly highlighted my feet were carefully selected by Ahmed. He even knelt down to assist me with trying them on, which was a kind and chivalrous gesture that left me feeling flattered. Despite the sales staff at ALDO watching us like hawks and possibly assuming that we were a couple.
As I stand there, I can't help but feel a sense of excitement as he slides the soft leather shoes onto my feet. The shoes fit perfectly, and I bite my lower lip in appreciation of the moment. He looks up, his face beaming with a smile, and says, "There, it fits perfectly, my lady!"
I watch as he walks confidently over to the cashier to pay for our purchases. As he hands over his card, I can't help but notice the intricate design of the slippers he had chosen for himself - they were worth a whopping three thousand five hundred pesos! My eyes widen in surprise as I remember that the shoes he picked out for me cost three thousand pesos.
As I was about to voice my objection, Ahmed cut me off. "Just accept this, my lady!" he said, noticing my stunned reaction before I could even speak.
I reluctantly agreed, taking the paper bag from him. "Thank you, Ahmed!" I said.
He gave me a sly wink, and then offered to carry the bag for me as we walked. I handed it over, secretly tucking the bouquet he gaved me earlier inside.
Ahmed and I were wandering around town when we suddenly found ourselves with no particular place to go. Ahmed looked tired from all the walking, and I could sense that he was looking for a place to rest.
"Let's stay at Starbucks? Are you okay with that?" he asked me.
"Sure, Ahmed!" I replied, smiling as I took hold of his biceps. They were so hard that I could feel the muscles bulging beneath his skin.
When we reached Starbucks, Ahmed ordered a red velvet cake for me, and a pure matcha frappe for both of us. As we sipped our drinks, I figured it was the perfect time to ask some questions.
Savoring the delicious slice of cake that Ahmed had ordered, I was interrupted when he called out, "Excuse me, my lady?" I turned my attention towards him.
I responded with a casual "Mmmm?" as I continued to relish the sweetness of the cake that I had just eaten.
And then he said it, out of the blue, "I want you to be my girlfriend!" His sudden confession caught me off guard, and my eyes widened with shock and surprise. I couldn't believe what I had just heard.
.
.
.
.
"Excuse me, my lady?" he called out softly, his eyes fixed on me as I stood frozen in place, completely taken aback by his words.
My heart racing, I managed to gather my wits and respond, "Yes! I mean, yes, I definitely want to be your girlfriend!" A surge of excitement and happiness flowed through me, leaving me feeling breathless.
"Really?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening with surprise as he took my hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss on the back of it. Though I was a little taken aback by the gesture, I couldn't help but feel touched and flattered.
As he stood up, he moved to sit next to me, wrapping his arms around me in a warm and comforting embrace. I relaxed into his embrace, feeling safe and secure in his arms. It was a moment I knew I would never forget.
We decided to capture the moment and took a photo together, which I then posted on my Instagram and Facebook stories. After that, we hailed a taxi and headed towards Triple Towers where my aunt and Ahmed were still checked in. Our plan was to head straight up to the rooftop and engage in a light-hearted conversation.
As we settled in, there was a brief moment of silence between us. Ahmed decided to break the ice by asking if I had any question "Feel free to ask anything my lady!" He said with a little soft deep chuckles.
The fact that we were the only ones on the rooftop made the atmosphere quite pleasant. We were able to take our time and engage in a fulfilling conversation.
Ahmed and I were sitting together, admiring the beautiful view in front of us when suddenly, i turned to him and said, "I just want to know your names on all of your social media accounts! That's all Ahmed." my voice was laced with fear and emotion, making me wonder what could be bothering him so much.
I could see the apprehension in his eyes as i waited for his response. "I named my social media account as Stanley Ahmed Sheik Al Mactoum!" he finally answered, his gaze still fixed on the ground.
I couldn't help but feel a little confused by his behavior. "Why are you sad?" I asked, giving him my full attention. "Don't you want me to know about it?"
"It's not that I don't want you to know," he replied, letting out a deep breath. "It's just that you'll only know half of me. There's so much more to me than just my social media accounts." His words left me wondering what else there was to Ahmed that I didn't know.
As I stood there, the only thing that came to my mind was, "I don't understand!" I was confused and unsure of what was happening around me.
That's when he spoke up and said, "You can try checking it now, my lady!" as he handed me his phone. His behavior made me feel uneasy, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something significant that I was about to discover.
I noticed Ahmed was still looking at the ground and was unable to meet my gaze when he gave me his phone. I took a deep breath and asked him, "Would you let me know?" hoping to get some answers from him.
As I held the phone in my hand, I couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency to find out what was going on. My mind was racing with questions, and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.
He spoke with excitement in his voice and said, "Yes, of course, you're my girlfriend now!" I felt a sense of joy and belonging as he handed me the authority.
As I opened his Instagram account, I noticed the featured photos section and decided to browse through them. The first few pictures were of different coffee shops, which looked cozy and inviting. The next set of photos were of his family, which featured an old man and two old ladies. To my surprise, they appeared in a total of 22 photos, which spoke volumes about the strong bond they shared. The pictures were of high-quality and seemed to have been taken by a professional photographer.
As I scrolled down, I noticed a few pictures of cars, which looked sleek and stylish. The last set of photos were of a group of friends, who seemed to be having a great time together.
As I was scrolling through his social media feeds, I noticed that his name had been tagged in several posts. One post caught my attention, which showed Ahmed with a group of kids in a school with the tagline 'PRINCE STAN WITH THE KIDS'. The post seemed to suggest that Ahmed is involved in some kind of charitable work or community outreach program.
I also came across another post that was titled 'My son Prince Stan at court' and showed a photo of him sitting in a chair with microphones in every seat. The post was not clear about the context of the photo, leaving me confused about what exactly was happening.
All of this is quite confusing to me and I am not sure what to make of it. In a puzzled tone, I asked, "What do you mean by this posts?"
Ahmed in front of me spoke in a calm and collected tone, "My lady, I am a prince in my country, however, I must clarify that I am not of the royal family." He paused for a moment, looking at me intently. "I come from a family that is wealthier than most, and as a result, we have been given the title of prince."
His words left me in shock. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was not everyday that I met someone who held such a title. I couldn't help but wonder what kind of life he must have led and what kind of responsibilities came with his position.