Sweet Obsession

Chapter 8 Part 9

I got busy the next few hours. I bathed softly, not wanting to be rough where the bruises were. They were tender to the touch. I dressed in a beautiful red wine-colored gown that showed off my tiny waist. The cleavage was just perfect, inviting to the eyes of any onlooker. I slipped on my slippers and sat on the bed to comb my hair. I was thinking to let my hair loose today. My hair had grown another inch since the ball, and it was now well below the waist.

A sob escaped my lips as my mind wandered to yesterday when I watched my prince riding the black Arabian stallion with Shaeena holding on to his waist tightly as they laughed and rode away. It was the worst day of my entire life. Nothing could ever hurt me more than that.

I walked back to the mirror to take another look at myself and make sure I looked perfect. The woman who stared back at me looked somehow older than her years. I smiled coldly, knowing that today started a new era. I erased the past, wanting to start fresh from this point on. The woman who looked back at me in the mirror was a stranger. I did not recognize her. I let out a cold laugh as my head tipped back and I took a deep breath. This day marked the beginning of a woman who was fighting for recognition as a woman scorned!

Let Nidal feast his eyes on me today. He will regret the day he ever left me with bruises. I walked over to the dresser and pulled out a gray silk shawl. The gown I wore had no sleeves, and I needed to cover my bruises. I wrapped the shawl around my shoulders, and as I walked back to the mirror to admire myself, I heard commotion outside.

I braced myself, walked to the window, and looked out. I saw Nidal helping Shaeena off the stallion. My heart skipped a beat. Why had he brought her here today of all days? To rub her in my face? Anger ripped throughout my entire body. How dare he think he can treat me in such a fashion! He took me from the only people I knew as family and the only place I knew as home and brought me to this country. He locked me up against my will in this room for months until I fell in love with him. He taught me the ways of love, and I now live just to love him, but never once did he teach me how to live without him. How dare he!

I marched out of my room and down the hallway, but I stopped in my tracks. I heard the princess laugh. It came from down the hall and around the corner. Frantically, I looked for a room to hide in.

The first door I found, I turned the knob, opened the door, and entered the room, closing the door softly behind me before anyone saw me. I heard their voices closer now as they walked down the hall and came to a halt right outside the door that I was behind.

“My prince,” Shaeena purred, “thanks for yesterday. You made me so happy, Nidal,” she said softly. I froze. Hatred burned deep inside me. I placed my ear closer to the door, expecting Nidal to say something, but she continued talking, “I am glad you finally came to your senses. I told you she was not good for you!” she said convincingly.

“Don’t bring up her name. I told you I never want to speak of her again!” Nidal was clearly annoyed.

And then I heard their footsteps walk away, and their laughter echoed down the corridor as they fled to privacy. I opened the door to the room and stepped out. I needed some fresh air. I could not breathe. I had chest pain. I pulled the shawl from around my shoulders and held it in my hands to wipe away my tears. I ran as fast as I could to my room. Tears blinded me, and I did not notice Nidal standing there in front of the doorway to our room staring at me. He stood frozen, all alone. I stopped running and came to a halt about a yard in front of him. His eyes dropped to my shoulders as he stared in horror at my bruises. I quickly wrapped myself with the shawl and ran past him into our room and locked the door. I leaned against the stone cold wall, feeling upset at myself for allowing him to view my bruises. I did not want him to get the satisfaction that he hurt me so much.

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