UNCONDITIONAL

VI

Harleen was beginning to overlook the incident she witnessed on the first morning of Noor's home until one day, what she saw unfold ended up confiscating her sleep for several upcoming nights.

It was a day like any other. Harleen was waiting in the living room area for Noor to get ready for the day when a model named Victoria walked out of the hallway from the other side of the living room in her lingerie. Harleen knew she was famous but couldn't recall the magazine cover she had last seen her at. Confused, Harleen watched on as she made her way to the dining table and scanned the items left behind from Noor's breakfast.

"Who the fuck eats this shit?" She threw up her hands. It was all healthy food as far as Harleen could tell. "You!" Victoria called out to one of the servers. "Go check what else is made for breakfast."

Harleen noticed Noor walking out in her usual royal manner as the model waited for the server to return from the kitchen. Noor's eyes fell on her and immediately drifted towards Harleen as if to completely overlook her existence. As Noor passed by, Victoria called out to her. "Oh hey, Noor. How's your morning?"

Noor halted in her tracks and took a deep breath as if to keep her composure before turning to face her. Harleen watched on as Noor replied, "my morning always grows better when I see the homeless being fed at my 10 foot Victorian dining table."

The model laughed, "At least I find a home in your husband's arms. It's a great place to be, but who am I talking to...you wouldn't know." She was pushing Noor's buttons. "But tell me Noor, how does it feel to know your husband is sleeping with another woman under your very roof?"

Harleen couldn't believe her ears but she watched on.

"You tell me..." Noor began walking over to her slowly, with her eyes forewarning the danger this woman had called upon herself. "How does it feel to be sleeping with a man who only has me on his mind? So much so that not only does he end up referring to you by my name, he even dreams of me and calls out to me in his sleep?" Noor peered deep into her eyes.

Victoria was intimidated but carried on. "What are you talking about? He hates you."

"Oh yeah. Is that what he told you?" Noor allowed a smirk to occupy her lips for a moment.

"It's not just what he told me, it's what he tells you, it's what he tells the world. He hates you but you love him." She remarked.

"You're right about one thing for sure. I love him. I love him so much that I allowed not one, not two, but eight of his hoes before you to walk under my roof over the past two years." Noor uncrossed her arms to point at the coffered ceiling. "And you know what they all told me on their final day out..." She paused for a second. "That they wished, that Prem would for a single second, just one second, forget about me, and focus on them. That he was with them, but his mind was with me. They wanted his mind where his body was for just one...single...second, just once. It never happened. You know this too." Noor tapped her lightly on her shoulder to bring her out of the daze before saying one final thing, "enjoy this luxury for the few days you have left, until Prem eventually grows bored of you too and then never show me your face, ever again. Okay?"

Noor turned around to see Prem watching her from the side. He was dressed in a plaid brown suit today. Noor hadn't seen him at all in the last four days so she scanned him from head to toe, once again taking in as much of him as she could with a smile. He had heard everything Noor said to Victoria and he was far from impressed but didn't say anything. Just watched her scan him longingly and then leave with her new assistant.

Harleen had managed to walk out and get into the car but she was unable to process her thoughts let alone form any words regarding the situation. On the first day, she had sensed there were issues between Noor and business tycoon husband, Prem, a couple once trending worldwide as #goals on twitter. However, she could never have expected the situation to be as horrific as what she saw today.