Am I Married?

17. A New Friend

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Samara said she refused William's proposal in clear words because she was getting married with the love of her life. But, that guy didn't give up. He even visited her office several times. On the wedding day, William sent her few pictures to threaten her. Actually those were the photo evidence of their hang outs and intimate moments. He said he was about to send these pictures on Ashar's cell phone because he couldn't see his love getting married to some other man.

Samara got scared and planned to meet him in person as she thought this could be the only way to talk some sense into him. She tried to get in touch with Ashar to convince him to delay the wedding for an hour or two so she could fix that problem, but when she couldn't get a hold of him she started thinking of some other way. She said if Ashar would've seen those pictures, he would've gone crazy with anger and then the whole wedding event would turn out to be a disaster.

She cared for Hobsons and Ashar, therefore, she couldn't just give up and let their image and name became ravaged by the country's news media. When she was considering other options to solve that problem, I entered into her room. The moment she saw me, this whole crazy and dreadful idea clicked in her head; to put some other girl at her place in her wedding dress for a while.

So it was also my fault. I got furious and cussed some swear words to myself for going into her room at that day. I imagined if I wouldn't have just gone there, I wouldn't have tied myself with the man who was supposed to be Samara's husband.

Anyways, she went there and somehow convinced William that she didn't feel the same way for him. He understood and promised her that he won't show those pictures to anyone on one condition that he won't delete them. He would keep them to himself. Samara said she was running out of time so she couldn't argue with him anymore so she accepted his condition and ran back to the Church.

She was doubtful about William that he could break his promise. But after sometime the entire family knew about her betrayal so those pictures were not going to make any difference. Ashar now knew Samara's short-lived infatuation for William.

Rambling past the living room, I recalled Samara's long story in my head, but then my gaze caught Ashar sitting in the living room. I stopped immediately and took few steps in reverse and stood at one corner of the entrance of the room. It had been a week since they confined me here in this mansion and since then I didn't see Ashar even for once so I got surprised to see him here finally.

He was sitting on an L-shaped sofa, typing keys of his laptop that was opened in front of him. His eyes were glued on the screen in front, covered with the transparent eyewear. His fingertips were busy in continuously pressing the keys of the keyboard. He looked serious, but sophisticated as usual.

His fingers stopped typing, but his bluish irises were rolling in slow pace as if he was reading something on his laptop. He moved up his one arm and rubbed the side of his index finger against his lower lip in a thoughtful manner. After a minute or two, he resumed his typing.

I felt the urge to go inside and try to talk to him, but I stopped when I heard footsteps in the hallway as if someone was coming in this direction. Swiftly, I hid myself in the dining area and noticed that Samara was going towards the living room. So she knew Ashar was here.

Silently, I followed her because I wanted to listen to their conversation. I wanted to know Ashar's current mood in order to make up my mind accordingly whether I should dare to talk to him or not. When Samara went inside, I again stopped at the same spot where I was standing before.

"I'm glad you're here." Samara spoke, forcing a smile on her face.

In response, Ashar looked up at her for a moment with one raised eyebrow before moving his eyes back on his laptop's screen.