Arif's POV
"You did great." Seb said as we walked out of his conference room.
We got another contract from another company. It was a good idea to bring the same old design back into trend. To know what our older generations were like. I was stressed whether people would like the idea or not, but it went well.
"Whose idea was it?" Sebastian cooed beside me.
Apparently it was my idea but I was wondering what would happen if people said I copied someone else's design. But when I talked to Kenziah about it, she said that before anyone can say that you copied, you have to tell them that you were inspired by them.
And those two things are different, copying and being inspired. She was right, although I wasn't going to design them exactly like the old designs. They will be inspired by old famous and popular fashion. This was good advice.
But I should not have told this to him. When I told him that Kenziah had convinced me to go along with the idea, this punk wouldn't stop his nonsense. To him it was her idea.
"Kenziah" I said and a satisfied smile spread across his lips as we entered the elevator.
"You're leaving already?" I asked, looking at my watch. It was too early to leave.
"No." He pressed the ground floor, "But I am not mannerless like you to not seeing off my friend at the door." He reminded me how I leave him alone in my office.
"Manners my ass, just say you want to see that receptionist yours."
I know he's all hot for his own receptionist, but the girl isn't interested.
"Hot Receptionist." He improved.
"You didn't refuse?"
"She's my type." he said dreamily.
"So there was that PA of yours, and that bartender at that club, and that waitress."
"I am touched you know me so briefly. But she's an exception."
"Whatever you say." We exited the elevator and he walked toward reception while I walked out of the building.
****
"Congratulations." Jayden gave me yellow roses when I walked in my office and I smiled.
She must have sent them. I hadn't even told her about the contract yet and she was already ready to congratulate me.
Very considerate of her.
"I bought them" Jayden broke my thoughts.
Is he lying again? I thought
"I hope you're not lying" I said, placing them in the vase.
Well last time he lied because he thought I would throw away that flowers or think bad or say bad things about Kenziah.
He thinks very badly of me.
This is because you were the one who told him to throw away the food she sent. My conscious reminded me.
Yes, yes. My mistake.
"I am not." He said, "She called you when you were in the meeting but when you did not receive, she called me and told me that she had night shift today and would not come back till morning."
She called?
Hey, I didn't even check my phone in the car. I took out my phone and saw that he had four missed calls.
And a text message.
'I have an emergency today, I won't be back until late. have your dinner. And yes, congratulations. Jayden will be handing you flowers today.'
She always keeps her messages simple and short.
"You left out the part where she asked you to hand me these flowers." I smiled at my phone.
"Did I?" He raised his eyebrows and I glared at him. Of course this cowardly bastard had a slow, cheeky smile on his face.
I said, "Get out," and he walked away laughing.
***
When I reached home I saw that her car was parked there. Well, the mysterious Audi I kept wondering about for another day was hers.
She's back already? She said she'll be late.
I parked my car and went inside the mansion. But instead of the regularly mouth-watering smell of her cooking, I got nothing. There was no smell of fried chicken, nor steak and potatoes or anything.
"I am home" I waited for her 'Welcome home' reply but no, she did not respond.
Doubtfully I went inside and a maid came to take my bag and in place of Kenziah another maid brought water.
"Kenziah?" I asked while sitting on the sofa before drinking water.
I become used to that now, greeting her when I come back from office and her offering me water. Her cooking for me and send my lunch to the office.
Sometimes she would send me flowers and I would...
Wait I didn't do anything.
Damn it, I never did anything for her in the last three months. But then again I didn't owe her anything. I didn't ask her to do all this for me.
I made it clear that we will live as friends. Only friend.
But don't friends do anything for each other? My subconscious asked.
They do.
"Upstairs ." One of the maid interrupted my train of thoughts and replied, I think Maya.
I placed the empty glass on the tray held in her hand and went upstairs. I wanted to ask why she wasn't cooking anything, but I didn't.
Let's talk to her directly.
The girl looked stressed about her patient named Ana. She was thinking as if the said girl was her close friend or family.
I mean the affection is nice but she was her patient. It was supposed to be just a case for her but no. She cares about her patients and any other person too much.
And I knew my suspicions were correct when I saw her staring at nothing near the stairs. I was sure this doctor was thinking about Ana.
I stopped behind her.
"You're thinking too much again, Doctor." I stated the fact to which she flinched back. Starleted.
I scared her.
Before she could fall, I caught hold of her waist and pulled her towards me.
"Relax, it's just me" I assured her. While looking down at her, my eyes fell on her mole.
She was wearing a V neck maxi from which her mole was visible. I wish I could suck it just once, it wouldn't hurt, right? I wonder what it would be like to kiss her mole with an open mouth and then bite their until she moans my name--
My erotic thoughts about this baby-faced doctor, who happened to be my wife, whom I was holding, were interrupted when someone coughed in the background.
Which brought me back to reality. I suddenly composed my posture. Putting her back on her feet, I quickly went to my room.
*****
I changed my regular and walked to my study. I don't want to eat today.
She would be right there and I couldn't help but feel guilty for both her and Snow.
I can't dream about Kenziah. It was nothing but lust. And blinded by lust, I will betray Snow and be unfair to Kenziah.
I answered another email in frustration when I heard a knock on the door.
She is here.
"Arif are you there?" She asked and I clenched my jaw
It's all her fault, if it wasn't for her I wouldn't feel guilty. Anger boiled inside me and my response came harsher than I had imagined.
"Leave me alone Kenziah."
"Umm...dinner?" She hesitated.
"I am not hungry." I lied, I was but now my hunger was gone.
"But you--" That's enough. She won't listen, right?
I got up and opened the door of my study and pulled her inside and pinned her to the door.
"Can't you understand that when I say I don't want to eat then I don't want to eat?" I growled.
She loved to push my buttons every now and then.
I don't know why I get angry around her.
"What's got your panties on twist?" She asked, forcing me to clench my jaw.
"Hey--"she started but I placed both her hands above her head when she tried to touch my hand.
"What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me?" I said angrily, "What's the matter with you, doctor? Don't you understand that I don't want to eat?"
Well, it's just that? my subconscious asked.
No, she's making me feel a lot of things and it's fucking irritating.
"Okay. I do, but you can say that without man handling me, right?"
When did I manhandled her?
"Am I man handling you?" I asked while pushing her towards the wall and yet again my eyes fell on her mole.
"Yo..you aren't?" She began to stammer as a thousand different and more erotic thoughts came to my mind.
"I am not." Before I loose control, I stepped back and turned my back to her.
I have to stay away from her. She really messes with my head.
I felt her presence behind me and I turned towards her causing her to step back.
Did I scare her again?
Ha who cares.
"You still here?" I asked hoping she would pursue me for dinner like every other time.
"I was just leaving" she said before walking out of my study.
What the h---
She didn't try to change my mind. Why?
Ha.
I wasn't dying to eat dinner with her anyway.
*****
When my stomach was growling with hunger, I went towards the kitchen.
I could have controlled my hunger for a long time before this doctor came into my life but this doctor girl spoiled me. I can't tolerate hunger for more than 4 hours now.
This doctor is definitely bad news.
When I opened the fridge there was a plate already served. She must have waited for me.
Then she should have asked me for dinner twice.
Did she got tired of me? A question arose.
No no that was not possible. I refused.
I took the plate and closed the fridge door and saw that there was a sticky note stuck on it. How did I not notice this when I opened the fridge?
'This is an emergency, food is in the fridge, I'll be late, good night.' Read the note.
Huh, she should have just told me so I could have dropped her like last time.
As I walked towards my room with the plate, I felt disappointed.
I wonder how long it will take you.
****
Narration
He dialed her number one more time before it also went to voicemail. A disappointed 'sigh' escaped her lips as he chewed the pasta.
Jayden looked at Arif worriedly before dialing Kenziah's number himself. But it also went to voicemail.
"Do you think maybe she's ignoring me?" Arif asked Jayden and Jayden's hand stopped midway.
"Why do you think so?" Jayden asked back.
"She didn't force me to eat dinner with her last night, she didn't send me any messages and she didn't even send me lunch today." He whined like a little baby and Jayden smiled.
"She didn't? But I think she asked Maya to cook food for you and deliver it here."
"That's what I'm saying, it's the first time she's done this" he took another bite of pasta before continuing, "If she's busy she always texts me and tells me she couldn't cook today but this time- -" He was cut off as his phone rang.
He looked at his phone as the call was from an unknown number.
"Hey--" The person on the other end cut him off with his high-pitched voice.
'Arif this is me Sebastian, I am in the civil hospital branch one, you have to come here as soon as possible.' He is confused as to why his best friend is calling him from an unknown number asking him to come to his wife's workplace.
But he did not raise his questions. He hung up the phone before getting up and taking his coat and walked out of the restaurant.
****
"Take that doctor out, I will sue her." When Arif walked towards the reception, a man was heard screaming in the corridor of the Civil Hospital.
When he was trying to free himself from their grip, some guards were stopping him. Confusion was evident on Arif's face as he walked past the wall when a guard arrived.
"This way, Mr. Hemsworth," she said, leading Arif to the elevator.
"What was going on thier?" he asked the guard, as the guard pressed on to the third floor and faced him.
"He is the father of the patient who couldn't get the surgery, he was not here when the surgery happened and the patient's mother signed the papers. Now he is saying that Ken did this surgery without the consent of the family and he will sue her." The guard explained
Arif's eyebrows furrowed when he addressed Kenzia as Ken.
"Ken?" He raised her eyebrows, knowing that by Ken he meant Kenziah.
"Ah... I mean Dr. Walker." As the elevator stopped, the guard immediately said
"Dr. Hemsworth." Arif corrected him before exiting the lift.
He didn't know why he did it but he did it. Perhaps he didn't like the way the guard addressed her.
'Ken' he repeated in his mind.
Kenziah was much better.
"Open the door Ken, it's me." Kayle's voice broke his train of thoughts and Arif quickened his pace towards his voice. Sebastian was also there looking very worried.
"Ken please." Kayle banged his fist on the door.
"What is happening?" Arif muttered as he stood beside Sebastian.
And Sebastian looked at him, but before he could say anything, Ksenia's wavering voice came from the closed door
'H..he's go..going ..t..to ..s..sue me' and Arif got worried.
"What is happening?" His voice was louder than before, causing Kayle to turn towards him.
"Can't you see your wife is in the middle of a panic attack?" He taunted Arif
While he looks confused. Panic attack? Does she have panic attacks?
"Kenzia?" Arif knocked on the door, "Open the door." He said softly.
"No..no..h..he..s..s..sue..e" she stammered pitifully.
"He won't do any crap Ken. Just come out you have to show him it's not your fault." Kayle growled at the closed and Arif closed his eyes in frustration.
"What are you doing?" He faced Kyle.
"What I need to do. She needs to come forward and tell that bastard it's not her fault." Kayle held Arif's collar and gritted his teeth. Which made Sebastian worry about them.
"Are you nuts?" Arif pushed him back a little, "Do you think she can talk to him in this condition?"
"What do you mean in this situation?" He pushed Arif back with all his strength, anger was clearly visible on his face.
Even after Arif and Kenzia's marriage, Kayle could not fully accept Arif. He still had the problem that he was chosen by his mother.
"She is not weak," Kayle said, looking angrily at Arif.
"I know but she's in no condition to face anyone right now."
"And why is that?"
"Are you really that stupid or is today a special occasion?" Arif again went near the closed door
"We have to calm her down first." He turned to one of the nurses present there and said, "Get me the key." The nurse nodded
"She's not weak." Kayle gritted his teeth at frustrated Arif
"Your sister is having a panic attack here and you're here fighting her husband just to prove that she's not weak, even though I never said she was weak in the first place." His frustration was visible in his voice.
"She needs to learn how to control her panic attacks. Now is the chance."
"What do you do when someone is drowning? Huh. Option one save them and teach them to swim later. Option two teach them to swim right there?"
Arif asked Kyle as he continued to stare at him. There was truth in his words.
"Option one for sure, right? So that's exactly that's what we need to do. Calm her down first. You can happily teach her how to control panic attacks later."
The nurse came to him with the key and he turned the key and opened the door. When he opened the door Kenziah was in the far corner of her cabin.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, she looked up and when she saw him there, her eyes widened in confusion as more tears fell from her eyes.
She pushed himself more into the corner and shook her head in no. Arif understood that she needed some time before facing everyone. So he closed the door behind him. Only for Kayle to bang the door again.
"Stop making a scene Kayle, she needs some time." He said from inside the room which made Kayleigh fall silent.
As Arif closed the door in Kayle's face, he turned on his heel and walked towards the elevator followed by Sebastin. He reconsidered Arif's words.
He was right, Kenziah can't face Ana's father right now atleast. He needed to do this. When the lift door closed, he punched the button on the ground floor.
As soon as the ground floor door opened, Kayle went straight to where Ana's father was making a scene. Ready to show him that his sister had done nothing wrong. His wife signed the papers and Kenziah did what she needed to do in an emergency.
***
Arif went to her and sat in front of her. As soon as he did this, she curled into the wall even more, shivering.
He placed his hand on her knee and she became calm.
He observed her. She was wearing the same PJs from last night, her hair was a disheveled, tears were running down her cheeks and she looked mess .
Don't know why but his stomach twisted with uneasiness.
He had always seen her laughing and smiling and today he felt sad to see her breaking down.
"Kenziah he won't do anything." He tried to calm her down. She shook her head and started shivering again.
"H..he will..s.su..." She couldn't complete as he said
"He wouldn't do it, and I wouldn't let him do it if he tried." His words make her look at him.
No one had said this to her before.
They had always said he wouldn't do anything.
But he said that he will not let him do anything meaning even if he tries, Arif will stay with her. To protect her.
"You will not?" She asked
And as soon as he nodded, she launched herself on him. Hugging him tightly. He lost his balance and fell backwards. He held her and fell down with her on top of him.
He hugged her back and she relaxed in his embrace. He stroked her hair slowly and whispered encouraging words to her.
Unknown that her brother was looking at them trough the window and for the first time in after Kenziah's marriage he had a smile on his face seeing them together.
****
"Well next chapter after 40 reads"
&
It was Alisha's bday yesterday you can still wish her.
.Alisha, Love.