The Crown in the Storm ✔️

Jealousy sees the sharpest for it is love and hate at the same time.

"So you're telling me that Aunt Mamo feels there's a conspiracy against Feroze?" I asked, my brow furrowed in disbelief.

"What if all of this is connected? Think about it, Elena" she said, her eyes wide.

"That someone planted false reports, downplaying what was going on in the city? Started a revolutionary campaign, tried to assassinate you, injured Murad and is now after our public image?" this whole thing sounded insane.

"Yes..."

"But for what? I keep saying we have nothing to do with this and every single time, we end up having something to do with it"

"She thinks... she says it's Naila's father" she whispered, her eyes darting towards the door. I frowned at her paranoia. This assumption was dangerously close to what Rania and I had discussed during the wedding. "That's why Feroze will be coming here on his own"

"To ask for what? Our support?" why oh why did I fall for someone in the family?

"To stand against her father"

"He's not even Prime Minister and he's aiming to form alliances"

"Naila was never the charmer... they always needed Feroze to go out and convince the public. And you know our society, it's more convincing when a man does it" she twisted her mouth as if she had tasted something bitter.

"True. I'm already being labelled as characterless because I lived and worked abroad."

"I was afraid of that. But your father and uncle did not listen to me. It's different for a woman. They understand it but they can never comprehend it because they have never experienced it. I had to keep your Uncle close after your father's death... many wouldn't listen to me. His presence helped change their minds. Everything became a lot easier."

"I'm sorry..."

"No need to be sorry. Both of you have to be prepared for what's to come. After I die, your uncle can guide you but what about when he's gone? What will happen to us? How will we fight? We're more helpless than the average woman on the street"

"We will have our titles, our money, our land" I argued.

"Will we? The moment they decide to storm the castle, what can we do? Power lies where people want it to. The moment they decide to shift it somewhere else... it's over" I stared at her, feeling insecure.

"Will it always be a man's world...? I'm the heir to this place and I feel helpless right now. They can think of any accusation against me and that would be it. Men are charged and convicted for far worse and they roam around waving and posing with victory signs" I said, sitting down on the rug. This week was turning out to be the worst and it was still Monday.

"We have to be tough. We have to fight. We can never lose hope. We brought in Izzy to make sure that you girls would have someone to support you" I looked at her in shock.

"Brought him?"

"He lost his parents at a young age" she stated, looking at her hands.

"I know that... his parents were your friends"

"It's a little more than that. Why do you think your Uncle EJ never got married?" well, that was an odd question.

"I don't know... he never found someone?" which seemed strange because I had seen the way women looked at him. Uncle EJ had always laughed it off when we were kids and we had not bothered to ask him when we grew up.

"He was in love with Izzy's mother. Yes, " she confirmed at my shocked expression.

"How... does Izzy know?"