Don't give up on me.

TWENTIETH

A week passed and the folder that Johum was supposed to give Zayan was still lying idly in the drawer on her side table. It wasn't like she didn't get the chance to meet him. It was the hesitation of giving him something so valuable to him. She would give it to him eventually but the curiosity was eating her alive.

On tuesday, exactly after nine days of not seeing him, she decided to give the folder to him. If her father had no problem giving him the property, then it was none of her business and she shouldn't jump in to matters that did not concern her. Fairly ever night, her father talked about Zayan during dinner. He talked about him visiting the office often and Johum could tell that he had been successful in impressing both; her father as well as her brother. She wanted to call Murat a dumbfuck for believing him but she knew it wasn't his fault for not seeing through his facade.

And what would he see? Zayan was the same person with her as he was with her family. He was more cruel with her but his emotions, his way of talking was same. So her family could not spot anything to doubt about him. He was basically an angel. She rolled her eyes as she twisted the noodles around her chopsticks.

"Johum, what if police finds out about his activities?" Samantha's curious and worried eyes found her, "I mean, he isn't in mafia or something, right?" Johum swallowed the noodles and eyed the folder in front of her. She had told Samantha everything, she had told him how he carried guns around. But mafia was a big deal and she was pretty sure if she breathed a word of it to her friend, Zayan would enjoy making bracelets out of her intestines using her eyes as beads.

She cleared her throat, "No." She let out a laugh and moved a tendril of hair from her face as stray hairs tickled her lips, "Of course not. He does have guns but he has license for them." She shrugged, lying smoothly. "But he still scares me. And I guess..." Johum eyed the folder once again, "the only reason he married me is this folder; the property." Samantha looked at the folder and then leaned back.

"That son of a bitch." Sam huffed, "I can't believe he ruined your life for a piece of land. What kind of person does that?"

"Zayan Helmy apparently." Johum shrugged, "I will ask for divorce after few months. Don't worry." But she, herself knew that it would be close to impossible. Once again, he would slaughter her and feed her bones to dogs.

She placed the chopsticks in the plate and stood up. "I need to go, I have to meet him." She said out of annoyance, still remembering what happened last week. If she wasn't wrong, her wrist still hurt when she moved it. Unconsciously, her fingers went up to her neck where he dared to... she sighed and smiled at Samantha. "See you tomorrow." Sam nodded, gathering her things as well.

"Yeah, take care." She air kissed her friend as she walked out, wearing her non-heeled aka flat boots this time. She didn't want to depend upon him again. He was sweet sometimes but she still did not trust him and still very much believed that he would cut her in to pieces if he got the chance.

Her thoughts drifted away when she felt a presence behind her. She did not bring her car, neither did she call Zayan to pick her up so she was going to call for taxi when she felt it. Johum stopped walking once she was out of university gates and looked at her side. The hood covered almost all of his face as he pressed a hand on her back, staring ahead.

"Walk." It was not Zayan, it was not Za'ir. Johum swallowed as her skin burned where he touched, not literally of course but due to fear. And she started sweating in cold weather. 

"Who are you?" She mumbled under her breath, staring at the students passing by not giving a flying shit as to why she had just stopped. The pressure on her back increased.

"Walk." Johum inhaled sharply, preparing herself to let out the loudest scream of all times when he placed his arm around her shoulder. "It wouldn't be wise 'cause I really enjoy the sight of blood." He stated flatly but she detected the amusement in his voice. "Your french braid wouldn't have a hair out of place if you just follow my command lil person." Johum swallowed and walked, just as he had said and clutched the folder to her chest in a death grip.