HIS INNOCENT BRIDE

FIVE

"You seem quite interested in someone's property." The gruff voice shook me to the core as I turned around with a squeal. The book was pressed against my chest as a gesture to show how scared I was.

I was expecting some kind of expression that could say "You are a dead meat" but there he was standing with a small smile on his face.

He was wearing his jogging pants and simple white T-shirt. I didn't expect 'sir' to be this casual if I compare him to his son. His hairs were half white and black showing he was still a little young and his height was I guess one inch less than his son. The eyes weren't the same but the way of smiling I guess was.

But you haven't seen him smile!

My conscience mocked me as I remembered but still I could tell both of their smiles or smirks were similar.

"I-I..." My voice choked in my throat as I didn't comprehend how I should introduce myself. For a while in this heaven full of books I forgot I was a slave here and depending on my fate I should be happy because I didn't know what's the next step my fortune was going to take for me.

"I thought my daughter in law would be a blonde with a gun in one hand and a pocket knife with the other." Fahad Shah smiled lightly while stepping towards his chair. He took the plate and fork to start serving himself and I didn't know what to do.

Run away. My mind was constantly thundering his thoughts.

"I am sorry. I just..." I looked at the book in my hand as I didn't have the courage to meet eyes with him. Although his eyes weren't like his son but still the intensity in both of them were the same. They could burn the other person alive with those narrowed eyes and they would just smirk at the end as it wouldn't affect them at all.

"I should be sorry by the way for my son's ass behaviour. Have you taken your breakfast?" He asked and I just looked at him with doe eyes. I knew the prominent thing on face were my eyes. I had a small button nose with hearted shaped plum lips but eyes... my eyes were like anime.

"I-I..." I didn't know when I started stammering because I never did that in my entire life. Only when I am scared of Beela asked me to lie for her in front of my aunt. Nothing else. I helped her to sneak out of the house at midnight because she was head over heels for Jameel. I knew it was wrong but according to her that was none of my business whenever I tried to control her from going at midnight.

"Do you speak a different language?" It wasn't a question as it was just to wake me up from the thought of my bitter past. As if the present wasn't. The positive side of mine glared at the negative thoughts.

"Again. I am sorry. I was just looking at novels. I like them a lot." I sat across him as he poured me the chilled orange juice.

"That's what makes me curious. Shouldn't you be taking classes at the shooting centre?" He asked followed by my horrified expressions. I hate loud voices and here he was asking me for the shooting classes.

"I don't like it." I mumbled looking at the orange juice with ice cubes melting in it.

"Really?" He was looking amused as his smile brightened. "That reminded me of someone." He muttered to himself and before I could stop myself I asked.

"Who?" That could be personal.

"The person whose dress you are wearing right now." He said and I choked on my saliva because I hadn't taken a sip of my orange juice.

"I am sorry. I didn't have clothes so I had to wear them." Again a trial of apologies left my throat as he motioned me to take the juice because of my coughing and then I took it.

"You don't have to. You are going to live here. You are going to become the part of this family so you shouldn't be apologizing for your mistakes. In this house people make a lot of mistakes but none of them apologizes especially the person you are married." He said and I just looked how sad he was despite of the smile he had on his face.

"I-I am n-not his wife. I-I just..." I was saying when he cut me in between.

"I know. A punishment but you both signed the marriage papers. That paper holds a lot of power and authority. You can get his whole fortune just by that one paper. It's all on you whether you want to become a soave or his wife. Because he had signed those papers in front of everyone. He had married to you in front of everyone. He wants it or not but you have your rights. Stand up." He put the last piece of his brad n his mouth as I just looked at him with helplessness. It was as if he was preparing me for the mutinity.

"If I stand up he would kill me." I murmured as I wanted him to see his son wasn't the ordinary person. He just married me forcefully in front of everyone. If he could do that he could kill me in front of everyone too.

"No if you stand up he would see who is protecting you." He wiped his face with the tissue. Even the way of eating screamed royalty.

"Who is protecting me?" I asked as I saw no one around me protecting me from him. My aunt and Beela would never do that.

"Me." He said and patted my head before going.

Everything he said just went over my head as why would he be protecting me. I looked at the door where I he just vanished and then I remembered those forest green eyes.

Yes. I better not stand up.

*

"You talked to him?" Suzi asked me with her eyes as big as an owl during night. "Like you seriously talked to him. Woah! And he didn't even glare at you?" She asked resting her elbows on the counter boring her eyes into mine.

I just shook my head in yes as I was looking guilty for touching his books. I mean book could be personal to someone.

"His books are personal to him and he let you touched them. Impressive. You really are something. Teach me how to look that innocent." She asked batting her eyelashes as I just looked at her with dumbfounded expressions.

"Even you try to look innocent you will still remain the same witch from inside." I swear it wasn't me but the familiar voice beside me and then I inhaled the fresh minty cologne.

"Sir. I must remind you that eavesdropping isn't a good habit." Suzi forced a smile on her face as somebody had put hanger in her mouth. She didn't like the comment Muzamil just threw at her while Muzamil shook her head completely ignoring her as he sat down beside me with his attention all over me.

"So I heard you are my sister-in-law." He more like stated as when he mentioned sister I assumed that he wouldn't take me with him unless he added. "...but you are fake one. I know that too." He added with a smirk as I could feel the sweat trickling down my temple as I looked at Suzi with helplessness in my eyes but she was busy cleaning the slabs.

"Don't take me." I gathered enough courage to say everything in one breath and that too with a stern face but my voice came out as a mumble which he made me realize when he laughed.

"F**k! How's she going to compete with Areej. She is going to eat you alive." He laughed as Zaroon with intimidating black eyes entered glaring at Muzamil.

"Stop harassing her." He glared as I felt relieved he took my side or he saved me from him but I didn't think he had so much affect on Muzamil because he still had that mischief in his eyes.

"What? Don't you wanna bet on them?" Muzamil asked turning towards him as he sat opposite to us on the table while Suzi asked him for water and he denied. She didn't ask that from Muzamil as she also didn't like him—like me.

"Why would I? It's definite who is going to eat the other one." Zaroon said and my eyes got watery. He wasn't on my side.

"Hey hey relax. We were just kidding. We are actually excited to see you here. I think we should team up and tease the hell out of him." Muzamil said as soon as he saw my eyes twinkling.

"Tease who?" I asked rounding up my eyes at him in curiousness.

"Me I suppose."

And that voice was enough to make my soul leave my body.