Twisting Roses

2: Public Humiliation

-I will continue swinging with the wind...living in a world of dreams-

The tantalizing air...the slow drifts of the wind...even in crowds he felt so alone, so caught up in the memories of the past and present now. She was in his every breath, yet there was another pair of innocent eyes that had started hurting his heart, terrorizing his mind. 

Engulfed by the lonely corners of his own mind, he didn't know how to feel...how to claw out the constant aching sensation of pain throbbing in his heart. 

He was a desperate wanderer, yearning for shade and warmth. 

His world...he wasn't bothered by it, even felt it was suffocating his soul because there wasn't anyone who truly worked hard enough to understand his heart...his feelings. The pretentious ways of his loved ones made him frustrated enough to punch walls. Only his nano was the one who cared, and even she pushed him towards a responsibility he didn't want to keep. He didn't want to give another girl his heart--no matter how innocent her eyes were...how pitiful and desperately she needed to be protected in this wild world of superstitious norms. 

She was in no way near his class or grace.

His nano's charitable act of getting him to marry her had been a pitiful decision because Demir didn't do charity, and he wasn't going to spend his time saving a timid and weak girl from being preyed up on his family...let himself get befouled by emotions. 

He wasn't. 

He believed that his wife deserved to be treated like a rabble, pushed back and punished for even attempting to cheaply take his Meeran's place and raise her status because it eased his heart. 

Seeing her eyes water with pain, her emotions so clear and vivid, soothed him in an addictive manner.  He adored the sadistic feeling of watching her tear up and hide her broken whimpers because that meant she was suffering...hurting as much as he was.

In a world, where the weak were usually targeted, Demir had chosen her for panting out his anger and frustration in the form of sheer mental torture and ignorance. It was easy that way...felt almost satisfying to inhale that emotion. 

Breathing as the waves moved beneath his yacht and his fists tightened around the railing, he leaned against the cold metal and completely ignored the world behind him. His family was hosting a party...many had tried to approach him, coax him to simply converse, but he was content in simply allowing the breeze to tingle his soul...the moon to hide his beating heart...so way from his people...so away from reality.

***

There were fairy lights set all over the yacht, lounging chairs placed around a huge swimming pool, and guests content holding thin glasses filled with exotic juices and conversing about business endeavours; some were boasting about their boutiques. Some were praising each other's fashion fiestas. I was content in simply sitting on a lounging chair, lightly tapping the water with my feet. 

Shifting as the cool breeze toyed with my senses, I sighed as my gaze turned towards my husband who was standing so far away, leaning against the yacht's railing, and drowning out the world behind him. He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to introduce me as his wife and have to deal with social disapproval.

As always, in the world of upper-class snobs and elites, I was a complete outsider-an unwanted addition. I had no place among the rich and no strength to make many accept my crass and clumsy ways. In such moments, the reality was so vivid, and it kept on reminding me that my husband hated me, and his family was all ready to make him move on to a lady who would match his standards.

Sighing as my invisible soul stayed faded among the crowd and my gaze dropped towards the ripples of water being made in the pool, I flinched as a cold hand grasped my shoulder.