Afrah's POV
"He left?" I ask Junaid as we make our way to the meeting with Sayan Factory. "Why didn't he come to me?" I fasten my steps to be by Junaid's side since he was already ahead.
"He was in a rush. It was early morning anyways." He answers.
My brother didn't even say goodbye to me, yet he had time to say it to Junaid and Marcus? Wow!! Did he really get mad at me for asking about our parents? Was it really necessary?
"I need to call him." I stop walking to grab my phone from my bag.
"Focus on the meeting, you'll call him afterwards." I watch as my phone is taken from my hand by Junaid.
We arrive at Sayan Factory and Mr Thomas, the owner, was kindly waiting for us outside. "Welcome, AZ Electronics." He offers us a smile motioning for us to enter. We went to the room where the meeting would take place and the signing of the contract as well. However, Junaid isn't careless like that. Why would he sign a contract this fast?
"The papers?" Junaid asks me and I hesitate a bit but end up giving him the folder.
"Could we have a coffee break? I'd like to discuss this further with Mr Junaid." I decide to interfere, although knowing of the consequences.
"That's absolutely fine. I was going to suggest it as well, you beat me to it." Thomas smiles to me. He is really kind.
"I appreciate your understanding." I smile back before grabbing the folder and leaving the room.
I make my way to the cafeteria to get myself a coffee, however, on my way there I see two people holding a huge box which caught my attention.
"What are you doing standing there?" I hear Marcus' voice behind me.
"Look at that box,"
"What's wrong with it?"
"It is a delivery box. In the meeting Mr Thomas said that they don't do deliveries, all their products from beginning to end are fully made and owned by their company. Also, if there are any deliveries, it should be of pieces of cars or any other mechanical or electronic device."
"Your point?" Marcus stands by my side looking at the men.
"I could even consider the fact that maybe they order a huge amount whenever they place deliveries and that's why the box is so huge. However, the two men, look at what their uniform says,"
"ZN light," Marcus reads it out loud. "I don't think this company is interested in clothes. Now the questions remain for the reason they would receive a delivery from a clothing company and why he didn't mention that before making a deal with us."
"Croché." I look at Marcus and he looks at me too once the two men were gone into the elevator.
"I applaud you. Great analyse." He offers me a smile.
"What are you two doing here?" Junaid asks and we turn back to see him behind us.
"I think we should postpone the signing of the contract for another occasion." I say and Marcus nods.
"He told us he received deliveries every six months." Junaid says. He probably saw the two men as well.
"But that still doesn't explain why from ZN light. Also, he never mentioned ZN light amongst his business partners, although rumours say that he is close with that clothing company."
"Afrah is correct. It could be just false rumours but you never let things like this slide when you're making a deal, especially overseas." Marcus adds.
***
I was surprised that Mr Thomas didn't seem bothered by us not signing the contract just yet. He even rescheduled it for within three months and he would be the one coming to England.
I had planned to meet Marcus and Junaid for lunch here at the hotel, however, I am still leaving the shower which means I'll probably be late. Who cares? It's not like they have to wait for me to eat anyways. I'm craving food from outside, although my brother told me not to leave the hotel.
After dressing up, I leave my room and meet Junaid at the lounge. "I'm sorry, I made you wait long. You guys could have started without me." I speak as I approach him. "Where's Marcus?" I notice he isn't here yet.
"He had to go somewhere."
"Oh...should we go out for lunch? I know a really nice restaurant not so far from here?" I suggest, expecting to be turned down.
"Sure," He answers to my surprise. "Let's go."
"Wait, what? Just like that? You won't even argue?" I follow him fastening my steps as he was already walking ahead.
"Your brother told me to stay with you so I can't let you go out on your own."
"I didn't say I would go on my own,"
"Knowing how stubborn you are, you probably would." He says and I give him an innocent smile knowing he was right.
As we make our way to his car, I see one right behind his. It was a black Civic Honda. The car's model was indeed attractive. Maybe I should consider a Honda when buying my car.
While I was distracted looking at the car, I wonder whether the driver could see me too as the windows were tinted. I couldn't see whatever that was happening in there. Tinted cars scare me, honestly. Imagine the driver is just in there watching me like a creep. Or maybe I'm the creep in his eyes. Yep, I should stop staring.
"What's your relationship with my brother? You are too compliant with his wants and needs." I speak as we enter Junaid's car.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"He even calls you by your first name. You don't allow me to call you by your first name."
"I never stopped you from it." He simply replies as he adjusts the rearview mirror as if wanting to gain a certain angle from it.
"You never gave me permission either." I say and he stars to speed up suddenly.
"Junaid slow down!!" I hold the seat tight somehow trying to keep myself from panicking. "You're a terrible driver!!" I scream after he drove past a red light. He constantly looked at the rearview mirror while making turns and accelerating. I don't know the reason why he is speeding up like that, but I don't like the way my heart is beating and how I can feel my hands shaking.
Flashback ON
"Where are we going?" I ask the woman that was driving.
"I am going to take you to your mum and dad. Don't worry."
"But mum and dad are dead. What's going on?" I scream as she starts accelerating.
"They're behind us."
"Who's behind us?" I hold the seat tight somehow to keep myself from panicking. But it was too late.
"They are behind us." That's all she kept repeating as she accelerated.
"Stay calm, Afrah." A voice in the front seat says while looking at me. It was a male voice. He was sitting next to the woman who was driving.
I couldn't contain myself and started crying. That's when I felt a hand tighten mine. The hand came from the seat right next to mine.
End of Flashback
As I come out of my thoughts, I notice that Junaid had stopped the car and we were now in a hidden alleyway. I don't know how and when we reached this place but I am glad that he stopped speeding.
I couldn't talk. My right hand was on my chest feeling how my heartbeat had accelerated. Whilst my eyes were wide open looking at nowhere in specific. My mind was blank and fear had taken over me as a whole. I didn't know what was real anymore.
"Afrah!" That's when I realise Junaid has been calling me all this time.
It's not that I didn't want to talk. But that I couldn't.
"Afrah, are you okay?" He leaves the car and comes to my side. That's when I let the first tear slide down from my eyes all the way to my cheek. I couldn't help it. When I turned around and saw Junaid right beside me, my heartbeat slowly returns back to normal. All I needed was to see him.
That flashback. Where did it come from? Never in my life have I experienced such an event. Am I imagining things that I have never lived? Or am I remembering things that I have lived?
"It's okay. You're fine now." He tries to comfort me. "I did my best not to cry, and thankfully I could contain the other tears that were begging to be released. "Let's go back to the hotel."
"Why did you speed up like that? I know that I'm annoying, but killing me won't make you get rid of me. I will come back and haunt you." I tell him, but obviously he wouldn't take me serious. I notice him form a smile that lasted for longer than a few seconds, for the first time since I met him.
He walks around to the driver's seat and gets in. "To be able to crack jokes even after all of this, you're definitely fine." He starts the car.
"Who said it was a joke?" I look at him as he comes closer to assure that I have my seat belt on, "You're a terrible driver. Never volunteer to become a taxi driver. If they don't die from a car crash, they'll die from a panic attack." I lay my head on the seat as my heart beat slowly went back to normal, but not for long, it soon started to increase again. Not because he was accelerating, but because he was laughing. So he knows how to laugh? I mean, I have never seen him laugh before. It was one of those contagious laughs that bring happiness in you just by hearing them. But that isn't the case here. Why is my heart accelerating as a reaction to his laugh? And why am I staring at him like that? I want to stop, but I can't.
He soon receives a phone call and picks up his phone to answer it. His expression changed immediately after the call. He looked almost angry.
He doesn't say anything and just starts driving.
"Please go slowly this time." I ask but he doesn't answer. He was going slowly anyways, I just asked to make sure. "Where are we going?" I ask after realising that we weren't going towards the hotel.
"Marcus is waiting for us. We're spending the night elsewhere today."
"Why?...where are we going?...Junaid is something wrong?" I kept asking questions, but received no answer whatsoever. He has some really bad mood swings. This is getting me sick and tired.
As soon as we arrive, I open the door and leave to see a huge house in front of me. There was already a car in the parking next to us. Supposedly Marcus's.
"Are we going to stay here?....Is it another hotel?" I ask Junaid but he doesn't answer. "Alright I get it. No more questions." I sigh before following him in.