QAIS

Chapter 22: My Gilded Charcoal

His coat laid idly on the back of the chair he rested on, while the tie hung loosely against his white shirt as he signed and stamped official papers that Pasha handed to him one by one. The dark, wavy hair was brushed back messily, in dire need of a haircut, but Qais had been too preoccupied to bother.

Pasha was reading out his business letters. Reaching the lord was not an easy task, especially after he waa exiled and had no permanent abode. The letters were sent to his numerous offices across the country, set under different aliases, and then redirected to the offices in the city he resided in. For now, it was Insafaan. A trusted man would then manually collect it and bring it to the mansion.

That was the case for most letters. Except one.

Pasha's deep voice came to a halt as he reached it. Wordlessly he placed it in front of the lord.

The black envelope was a stark contrast against the mahogany table. It was the only letter that would arrive directly at his doorstep without any roundabout route. It didn't matter if he was on the run or in his secret home in Insafaan, it would always find him. It was also the only letter Pasha was not allowed to read out.

Qais picked it, a turmoil in his eyes as the gilded seal with the family crest shined in the yellow light of his lamp. It was from the Palace. The Royal Secretary in particular.

The discomposure lasted only a few seconds as he tossed it aside to a pile of similar black unopened letters. It was pitiful, years worth of letters lying to a side like a pile of forgotten cigar ashes.

"Aren't you ever going to read them?" Pasha couldn't help but ask.

The lord glanced at the charcoal envelopes as if to set them on fire by mere looks. "I don't have the time to waste on them."

Pasha scoffed. Don't have the time to waste on letters from his own father?

But the fact that he stored them instead of throwing them away was the only thing that gave Pasha some hope. Maybe one day, he'd have a change of heart. Pasha could only hope it wasn't too late by then.

The butler sighed and carried on, "...J&C Enterprises, has a shareholder meetings this week. You being a major shareholder they've requested your presence. But I've sent in a proxy statement. Other than that..."

As Pasha continued reading out the current affairs, Qais having lost all mood to work got up from his seat and glanced out from the large victorian windows of his study. The ocean eyes perused over the new gardens before fixating on a particular turret across to his. Layla's room.

The lights were off. He wondered if she was asleep, and if she was was she dreaming peacefully or was she having a nightmare? Was she comfortable enough? And did she see the gardens yet? Did she like them? He made a mental note to make Yasmin help her out for strolls now that she wasn't on bedrest anymore.

His brows furrowed as he noticed a slight opening in the window. It was windy outside and anger surged in him at the thought of cold breeze slipping in to her room.

Who the fuck left the window open??

"...the labor strike because of which our textile factory is behind deadlines and incurring loss. The COO has sent forth their demands, do you want me to list them?" Pasha looked up only to see the lord storming out of the room.

Pasha sighed, he might as well talk to a wall.

The two men made their way down the carpeted corridor where gleaming chandeliers hung at each distance. It was then that Pasha realized they were heading to the wing Layla was in. He felt a heaviness in his stomach as they neared it.