HONEYDEW (A murder mystery)

Chapter 10

Hours later, I lay awake in the darkness, filled with self-loathing and rampant insecurity.

I was still shattered by the knowledge of dad's planned death. I felt drained. Never had I cried as much as I had in the last few hours.

It was noon and Aahil had still not returned and I had refused to go down for lunch even though Mariam had requested a number of times.

When I could lie down no more, I sat up abruptly in my bed and tied my hair into a messy bun and I was about to stand up when a magazine on the side table caught my attention.

It had a tittle, "The rich and famous."

I leafed through it absent-mindedly so as distract my current chain of thoughts, but when I saw something familiar, I stopped at the very page and eyed it intently.

There was a picture of Aahil looking as spectacular as ever in his dinner jacket. There was a whole page written about him.

Aahil Hussain is an Indian businessman and one of the richest persons in India. He is the founder and managing director of A1pharamaceuticals.

He started by helping his father in the wholesale generic drug business. It was during his work as a drug distributor that he thought of manufacturing his own drugs instead of selling products of other company.

A1 pharmaceuticals were started with just a capital of Rs 10,000 but today it is India's largest drugmaker and most valuable company.

Appreciation of the drugs produced by his company led to a 50% surge in his personal wealth amounting to USD $4.7 billion and in the past year, he had a net worth of $17.2 billion.

He is named in the list of Asia's top ten wealthiest self-made billionaires.

He has acquired many pharmaceutical companies worldwide in the aim of expanding his research of drugs to a larger scale.

It won't be long when this dynamic and hardworking young man will be called as the first richest man in the country!

Suddenly, the bedroom door flew open and it was blocked by a stunning looking man wearing Italian double-breasted beige suit.

Who could look more stunning than him?

For a split second, Aahil took my breath away and I was transfixed.

But the sensation did not last long.

Aahil frowned at me, "Did I not make it clear that for the duration of our stay here, you were to behave as if this is a normal marriage?"

And how I wish this truly was a  normal marriage.

I suppressed my thought and with uncertainty nodded my head.

"Then why did you refuse to join me for lunch downstairs? And why did you refuse our housekeeper's offer to give you a guided tour of the villa?"

Had he just used 'Our'

But then what would it matter, what words he chose to use now after the harsh words he had already used.

I heaved a stoical sigh, "Anything else I have done wrong?"

"You are not my guest. This is supposed to be your home. Act like a newly married woman."

"I haven't a clue how a newly married woman acts."

"But you have an incredible imagination. Use it," Aahil suggested with a sardonic bite.

It was already being used. In my mind's eye, Aahil had changed from a hero to a gangster. But Oh so incredibly handsome gangster.