Eternity

Chapter 15

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

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Once reaching her room, Ayzal tried to shake off the lingering tiredness as she prepared for the night. The memories of the engagement still played in the back of her mind, but she pushed them aside. She hoped the next day would be uneventful, a stark contrast to the present night's whirlwind.

Zayan, who had been nowhere in sight until now, suddenly entered the room and shut the door behind him with a loud thud. His usual calm demeanor was replaced with a stormy expression, his eyes dark and intense. He loosened his tie with one hand while glaring at Ayzal.

Ayzal, who was taking her earrings off, gave a cautious look towards Zayan through the mirror. She could sense the brewing storm in his eyes. Before Ayzal could react, Zayan dashed towards her, grabbed her by the wrist, and made her stand up, his grip firm and unyielding.

"Zayan, what are you—" Ayzal's protest was cut short as he said, "Why were you with him?" His voice was low, but the anger in it was unmistakable.

Ayzal blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Arham," Zayan spat the name like it was poisonous. "Why were you with him earlier?"

Realization dawned on Ayzal. She had seen the way Zayan had looked at them during the engagement, but she hadn't expected this reaction. "It was nothing. He just came over to talk. I didn't even want to be around him."

"Don't lie to me," he growled, his grip tightening on her wrist, breaking her bangles in the process. "I saw the way he looked at you, the way he touched you."

"It wasn't like that," Ayzal tried to explain, wincing as the pieces of bangles were close to cutting into her skin. "He was just being annoying, that is all. Please, let me go."

"Why were you getting so close to him? Do you plan to have a nightstand with him?" Ayzal's hand moved swiftly, the sharp sound of her slap echoing in the room.

Zayan recoiled slightly, stunned by the force of her blow. His expression darkened further, a mixture of anger and wounded pride crossing his face. He gripped Ayzal's wrist much tightly, his eyes narrowing with resentment."You dare to strike me?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "After what you have done?"

Ayzal stood her ground, her chest rising and falling with each breath. "You have no right to question me like this," she retorted, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

In his rage, Zayan wasn't aware of what he was doing. In a swift, angry motion, he pushed her away. Ayzal stumbled, her back hitting the wall. She felt the sting of her bangles coming loose, the shattered pieces falling to the floor.

"Zayan!" she gasped, clutching her wrist. The broken bangles had cut into her skin, tiny droplets of blood appearing.

He stood there, looking at her with a cold, satisfied expression. There was no remorse in his eyes, only a dark satisfaction at having caused her pain.

"This is what you deserve," he said coldly, his voice void of any warmth. "For thinking you could play me for a fool."

"I am not trying to fool you, I am telling you the truth. Please try to understand," Ayzal said, attempting to defuse the situation. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The pain in her wrist was nothing compared to the turmoil in her heart. "You need to calm down," Ayzal tried to comfort him, but it was to no avail.

"Don't tell me what to do. This is who I am, the person you are married to," he sneered, taking a step closer. "And you'd better remember that."

Ayzal's mind raced as she tried to comprehend the situation. She had always known Zayan to be intense, but this level of cruelty was new to her. She looked at him, searching for any sign of the man who claimed to be Murad's brother, but all she saw was a cold, unyielding force.

Summoning her remaining strength, Ayzal straightened up, determined not to let him see her break. "If this is who you are, then I pity you. You can try to hurt me all you want, but i won't budge."

Her words seemed to have no effect. Zayan's expression remained hard, unfeeling. He took another step closer, his shadow looming over her. "Pity me? You have no idea what you are talking about."

Ayzal held his gaze, refusing to back down. "I know enough. And I won't let you intimidate me."

A twisted smile crossed Zayan's face. "We will see about that."

With that, he turned and left the room, leaving Ayzal to collapse onto the bed, clutching her injured wrist. The pain from the cuts was sharp, but it was the emotional wounds that hurt the most. Tears streamed down her face as she realized just how deeply Zayan's hatred ran.