Momentarily, I couldn't get oxygen into my lungs, wild-eyed I stared back at him.
I was sure that I hadn't heard him right.
"Can you erase that shocked expression from your face and try smiling for the paparazzi," Aahil added as a mortified pink erupted over my cheekbones.
"But then if you don't smile and the more miserable and out of place you appear the less surprised everyone will be when this act comes to an end."
As he held me in the direction of the exit, I was in an agony of teeth-clenching discomfiture, "Do you mean there are reporters outside?"
A second later, I was confronted with the frightening sea of faces, snapping cameras and shouting questions.
I shivered violently, I wasn't used to this, Aahil doffed a shawl around my shoulders with exaggerating gallantry and banding a controlling arm round my spine, he strode silently parting the crowd towards the limousine.
Nobody got in our way and I was impressed by his cool, commanding presence and relieved when we got inside the comfort of the car.
In an intimidating silence, he had strode towards the car and helped me settle into the passenger seat.
Aahil's parents wanted us to spend some time with each other before he left for work, so instead of going to their family house, we rode towards Aahil's countryside villa.
My eyes which were filled with tears hardened as we rode out of the city onto the endless mountain road with its perilous bends and terrifying drops.
Throughout the journey, he had remained silent, other than asking, "Do you need anything?" a couple of times.
I kept stealing glances at him but he made it a point to keep his eyes glued to the road and after a few terrifying hours, I felt drained and drifted off to a deep slumber.
The limousine drew up in front of a large mansion.
It was dawn when we reached the countryside villa which was in the wood-side crowded by thick pines.
I looked at the villa in enchantment.
It was beautiful!
It had ageless cream-coloured stone walls, the three wings and the two-storey joined by a loggia supported on pillars lushly entwined by a giant jacaranda.
Surrounding the villa was a magnificent garden filled with flowers of all colour and variety.
The view from up here was breathtaking.
As we approached the entrance an elderly woman and an astonishing number of staff greeted us.
I wondered why he needed this number of staff.
The elderly woman introduced herself as the housekeeper and her name was Mariam.
I was propelled forward to meet the staff. It was a long-drawn-out process and such chattering friendliness could not be swiftly concluded.
Admittedly, I had been a little uncomfortable when Aahil had introduced me as his blushing bride to the domestic staff.
Once we stepped inside we were shown into a beautifully furnished master bedroom with a king-sized bed with red, white and pink rose petals scattered on it and the room glowed with the light from the several numbers of candles present.
Aahil dealt me with a sardonic glance, "You can sleep in the bed and I will take the couch."
'I am not sure I follow, Why are you being so terribly rude? What makes you think that I'm desperate to fling myself on you."
Aahil elevated an unimpressed brow, his mouth curling.
"Than let me help you get a clear picture, you agreed to marry me because you wanted infinite wealth and I married you because my dad was ill and my mom urged haste."
"I don't know what you are talking about ----'
His nostrils flared as he surveyed me with dark fury.
"You are the only person who knows where the most important file of our company got disappeared. And as you know its information could cost billions you thought of manipulating my dad to write a new will before we got married. He has made all the estates on your name. I have no idea how you or your family convinced him to take such a drastic decision. I agree that your dad worked hard to make that project a success and if he had lived than without doubt all credits would be given to him. But now if your family thinks that you can play games to return it to us then be well aware that our lawyers excel in their job. And be assured that I would not allow you to profit by a single penny!" He grated rawly.
I unglued my tongue from the roof of my mouth, I was trembling, "I know nothing about the missing file or for the matter about your dad's will."
Unexpectedly the beginnings of a smile tugged at the corners of his ruthless mouth, "How I wish that what you just said could be true."
Pale and tensed, I snatched in a ragged breath, "I mean to say that I know that the information of the last project on which my dad was working, has gone missing after his death but I don't have any idea about its whereabouts."
His mouth curled in distaste and impatience, "You really are a terrible liar. Your dad left a letter saying that only Aleena can help you reach the information about my research."
I stared blankly at him.
It had never occurred to me that I would be in such a mess.
The atmosphere was so tense that my heartbeat thundered.
I couldn't think straight.
Those brown eyes smouldered over me in a challenging enquiry.
A brisk knock sounded over the door and Mariam entered with a tray of coffee and home-made biscuits.
On wobbly legs, I retreated to open my luggage. I had goose-bumps all over me and horrible ache in my heart.
In the bathroom, I simply stood, an agony of self-loathing engulfed me and I stood like a statue for long, anguished minutes tasting the reality of the situation I was in.
Stop being a puddle of self-pity, an inner voice scolded me.
I was not going to sit around and cry. I would have to confront the situation.
All this had to be some major misunderstanding and I knew nothing about the missing file or about the estates until he had confided it himself.
He would soon realise how wrong he had interpreted me.
I was feeling exhausted and I wanted myself out of this heavy lehenga. I tried removing my dupatta which was fastened with so many pins.
It took me forever to remove the pins one by one and then It started getting on my nerves as one of the pins was acting stubborn and not loosening its grip.
If I used all my might than the dupatta would tear and I did not wish to do that.
I was stuck. I cursed under my breath, which I never ever did.
I tried for few more minutes but in vain.
By now I started losing my patience and started crying, loud sobs escaping my lips.
Mamaaa..how I wish you were here...
I heard a soft knock, "Are you fine? What's taking so long?"
"Go away," I shouted.
The knock became persistent and I opened it slightly.
"You look terrible. Could you please stop crying?" I despise women who cry all over the place.
"I can't seem to remove this pin," I said pointing towards it.
He slowly loosened its grip avoiding my gaze and surprisingly helped me remove all the heavy ornaments too. "Turn around," he commanded.
I did as he told and to my utter astonishment, he removed the flowers which were draped on my hair-bun. My hair was done into a high bun and tiny roses were put together like a maze and they gave a vintage vibe!
I was amazed by the gentleness in which he removed them and undid my hair. "Could you finish your shower faster?" he inquired in a flat tone.
I gave a blank look.
"There is a couple of bathroom in this villa but I don't want the staff to have any doubts. Mariam has been our housekeeper from many years and if she comes to know that we are not in good terms, the news will travel sooner then a forest-fire and I don't want my dad to worry over anything,"
In response, I closed the bathroom door on his face as I had enough of his rudeness.
After I took a long hot shower, anchoring a towel over my wet hair and dressed in pyjamas I walked back into the bedroom to find him engaged in a phone conversation, his back towards me.
He talked in fluent Italian, his one hand dug into his pocket.
He looked so incredibly handsome that with difficulty I wrenched my gaze away.
"If you want to sleep then you can take the bed, I have very important work to do, so please stop wasting my time with ridiculous fairy stories!"
I breathed deeply, frightened that I would burst into tears.
I went to the nearby window and started staring outside but soon boredom and resentment overcame me.
I looked at Aahil and he was still busy on the phone so I quickly put on a full-length dress, adjusted my hijab and slowly tiptoed outside the room and went about exploring the villa.
As I stepped on the landing of the second wing of the villa I was greeted by one member of the staff.
"Salaam, Mrs.hussain. The staff here are glad that you both chose to stay here. My name is Usman and if you need any help I am at your service," He bowed down like I was a queen. If he bowed any further his nose would touch the ground.
I couldn't stop laughing for some time.
"Mrs Hussain, you are not aware of the importance Sir Aahil holds in this place. Employment was far from plentiful here and we had a lot of financial crisis, but after Sir Aahil put up several factories in this place and gave employment to as many people as possible our lives have settled."
Slight relief engulfed me as someone chose to speak positive of him, "Could you tell me about the factories Aahil has set up here? What do the factories manufacture?"
He kept staring at me.
"Are you listening?" I enquired, hoping to get more information.
"I apologise, Mrs Hussain, could you please repeat your question. You are so beautiful that Its impossible to think straight around you ------"
"Then permit me to do your thinking, Mr Usman." At the sound of smooth drawl my head whipped around so sharply that it hurt, "If I see you speaking to my wife next time, you will wish you were not born."
As I spun, Aahil clamped a hand that bruised my forearm, his handsome face masked with constrained anger.
I clashed with glittering brown eyes and paled.
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It feels nice to edit this once again as I'm totally in love with the characters (:
Wattpad has some really voracious readers like you. Yes, you, who are reading this at present.
Thank you for reading my work :)