Aria felt her heart sink into her stomach. She knew that she would still stand by what she believes, even if it comes to facing Aali head on about it but there was something about that look of his. She wasn't used to it one bit, and quite frankly, it was scaring her to the core.

And she isn't the one to be easily scared.

He dropped her phone on the bed, before gesturing for her to sit down. She did so hesitantly, while he took the space beside her, so he is facing her.

Lightly digging her thumb nail into her index finger out of habit, she looked away from his to get away from his piercing gaze. However, she found herself glancing back at him when he said nothing. The silence was killing her. "So..." She decided to speak since he doesn't seem to plan on doing so, "...you heard?"

He nodded, "Yes" He said, his eyes never once looking back.

She let out a small breath through her slightly parted lips, her gaze blank. "I do not plan on taking it back" Sure, his current attitude scared her but she is not a coward. Even while scared, she will stand by what she believes. If that will infuriate him more, then so be it.

She will not take it back. She's that stubborn.

The corner of Aali's lips tilted into the smallest smirk there is as he shook his head. Aria truly is a progeny of her parent, even when it comes to the attitude. "You do not?" He asked, his lips turning back into their tight line as he waited to see her expression.

She shook her head, "I'm sorry but, no. I will not"Personally, she knows that it will annoy and hurt her if someone accuses her mother of something like that, and she's sure Aali feels the same way but she will not take it back no matter what until she is proven wrong even though she knows that she is right.

She's sure Aali is a good person, and any good person would not turn a blind eye to the truth. Surely, he will not let his mother go scot-free if she found guilty, right?

Aali shook his head, "Like mother, like daughter" He murmured, low enough for her to miss it.

She rose a brow, not getting a hang of what he said. She had always been the attentive type, but what he said was so low she didn't get it. Her lips curled into a scowl when he stood up, and walked away only to head to the walk in closet. Her brows drew in as she blinked, looking away.

Was that his way of showing his anger and showing her that their conversation is over? If so, then she really doesn't know how to react.

Should she be glad he didn't yell at her or threw a fit because of her accusation or should she be disappointed he choose to ignore the truth? Sure, she doesn't have any evidence. But shouldn't he at least ask her why she believes and accuses his mother of such?

Those thoughts plagued her mind and her heart clenched at the thought of maybe, she made a mistake by trusting Aali. Maybe, he's not such a good man she believed he is.

Her thoughts were cut midway when she heard another set of footsteps coming back into the room. She whipped her head up, her gaze falling on the man whose thoughts plagued her mind at the moment. Her gaze then moved to what he is holding in his hand. A brown folder sort of, she couldn't really be sure. And it must've shown on her face due to the brows drawn in close.

Aali took his earlier spot, handing the folder over to her.

With a wary look masking her features, she took it from him. "What is this?" She asked, unable to tear her gaze away from him. Not even to check and see the content of what he just handed over to her.

"Just check it" Was his only reply.

Her eyes skimmed his facial expression looking for any hint on what it might be, anything. But apparently, luck wasn't on her side on that matter for she couldn't tell a thing. His face remained blank, not giving her any hint on whether the folder is good luck, or bad luck.

Truth be told, she feared checking it because, what if it's not something that would work in her favor? She doubts it will be considering what just transpired between them.

Nonetheless, she swallowed thickly and after letting out a shaky breath, flickered the folder open. Her gaze landed on the words at the top of the first paper, and she found her drawn in brows returning back to their original position. This time around, it was her lips that were contorted as she parted them.

As if unable to believe what her eyes were seeing, she was quick to drop the folder on the bed and flick it to the next page. She repeated the same action till she reached the last page. And when she was done, she looked up, slowly releasing a deep breath as she fixed her gaze on the man that she calls her husband. "What..." She was barely able to form coherent words.

"You asked why I asked to marry you, right?" He spoke up, seeing as his wife is too stunned to speak. His lips curled into a smile when he remembered the day he met her at her house, and how he suggested eloping with her back then. "It wasn't because of your sarcastic suggestion of us getting married. No. I had a lot of reasons, Aria"

Aria remained still, not wishing to interrupt the surreal moment. It wasn't because of Aali's words. Partially, it is. But it has more to do with the what he just gave to her.

"Of course, I was honestly intrigued by what you said then. And if I didn't already have plans to marry you at the time I would've asked for your hand to see your reaction. I'm sure it was still priceless" He chuckled, while she shook her head, a smile making its way on her face. "But to be honest, Aria. One of the reasons why I wanted to marry you was because I knew you would agree to it. Maybe I wasn't certain then but I was well aware that you were searching for what really happened to your brother. And sooner or later, I knew it would lead you back to this family. And it did, which was why I wasn't surprised when you agreed" And that was the truth. Given, he didn't expect her to agree that quick but he knew she would eventually.

"So you knew your family has something to do with it?" Aria asked, finally able to form sentences that actually makes sense.

"Yes" He nodded. "Contrary to what people believe, I am not a clown Prince. I know everything that is going on in the palace even when I'm not around" That was the first time he is ever admitting the truth to anyone on the matter at hand, and he didn't regret it being to Aria.

Aria's lips curled into a small smile, "I never once believed that" She stated honestly.

"Ah...the background check" He hummed in understanding. He heard about that when she did it. And truth be told he found it amusing as much as he was impressed.

It's always good to know who your enemies are before going into war.

Aria rose a brow. She never told him about the background check. Only one person knew of it, and that's the person that she had do the job for her. "How..."

Aali chuckled. "I know a lot of people for a lot of reasons, Askim"

There he goes. Askim. As much as Aria would deny it any day, she was starting to love the name. Whenever he says it, butterflies erupt in her tummy and her toes curl. She has been trying to fight it but Aali is getting to her faster than she wanted to admit.

She swallowed hard, darting her tongue to wet her suddenly chapped lips. Clearing her throat, she blinked. "You said, it was one of the reasons?" She asked, to distract herself from dwelling on the things he makes her feel. And that chuckle of his...the way he looks when he smiles, or grin is just...Ya ilahi.

As if possessed, Aria shook her head again to get rid of the thoughts.

Aali raised a lone brow at the action, wondering what got her acting such way. Nonetheless, he didn't say a word about it. "Do you trust me?" He asked instead.

His words discarded the earlier thoughts in her head. And this time around, without wasting a second to think about it, she nodded, "I do" And that was the truth. Sure, just about five minutes ago she was doubting her trust for him but after seeing what he has done for her, she knew without an ounce of doubt, she trusted Aali.

Maybe more than she would like to admit.

Aali smiled softly at her words for she has no idea just how much weight her answer took off his shoulder. Since his earlier conversation with his mother, or the Queen as he would like to address her then, he felt genuine happiness because of her words. "Then trust me when I say when the time is right, I will tell you everything without leaving a thing out. That is the promise I'm making to you"

She nodded, her lips stretching into a smile that spoke words she didn't utter. But there was one question still at the back of her mind. "Would you also tell me who killed my brother, then?"

He nodded, "I will tell you everything soon Aria. But trust me, for now, do not dwell on that"

"So you're not upset I accused your mother?" She asked, bit a bit of caution. Despite his lack of reaction because of it, she still wanted to thread carefully around that topic.

Aali released a small breath then shook his head. "The Queen" He corrected. She lost the right to be called that after what happened earlier. He meant every word he told the woman. "And no, I'm not upset"

"But you did look like you were earlier"

Aali sighed deeply, "Askim, I was upset. But not because of you. It's because I had an argument with the Queen that didn't end up the way I hoped it to be" He confessed. There were things he hid from Aria, but he meant it when he said he will tell her everything when the time is right. However, aside from that, he fully intended to tell her everything.

"I'm sorry to hear that" She's sure she only felt that way because he is involved.

He shook his head. "I'm supposed to be the one to say that" He reached his hand out and took hers in his, enclosing it in his warm hands. Weirdly enough, despite loving the warm action, all Aria could think about was what the man uses on his palms because they are soft. "I'm sorry about the way she has been treating you, I've always known about it but I never stepped in because I was sure you could handle it. But as your husband, I should've been there to protect you so for that I'm sorry. I promise, I'll never let her do anything to hurt you again. I'm done being on good terms with her"

Aria's brows drew in, "I can't let you do that to your mother because of me, Aali" Given she hates the woman but who can ever get in between a mother and her child? She certainly didn't want to be the one despite how the mother is. "I cannot let you cut ties with your mother no matter what she does to me. You can change your wife, but never your mother--"

"She's not my mother" He cut her off, "She has never been and never will be" He stated firmly. One of his hands that was holding hers reached up to lightly caress her upper arm that was not hidden by blouse's sleeve the back of his hand. "That woman has taken so much from me. I will never let her take you too. You mean so much to me Askim" His voice was low when he said that.

And maybe Aria was overthinking stuff when he said it but it sounded like a promise. He's making a promise to protect her from the Queen no matter what it will take for he knew the woman wouldn't back down easily.

"You're doing it again" Aria said, in the same tone he used earlier. Her eyes never left his, her lips slightly puckered as she blinked.

"Doing what?"

The butterflies in her tummy were having a party after he said that. Does the man have any idea what he was doing to her when he speaks lowly like that? And what's with the look?

"You're saying things that makes my toes curl" She whispered, "You're doing things that makes my heart beat faster" She swallowed thickly when she said that, unable to tear her gaze from his piercing ones, "You're looking at me in the way that has butterflies forming in my tummy"

Aali's lips curled into a wide smile that had his pearly teeth on display. It was then that Aria noticed the dimple of one of his cheeks. It is barely noticeable, but it's still there.

"And the smile..." She added, eyes taking every feature of his in as if it's the last time that she will see it. "It's really unfair" She murmured.

Chuckling, Aali retracted his hand that was on her arm and the one that held her hand. He used his hand to take her now free hand and placed it on his chest, right where his heart is. "You feel that?" He asked, implying the way his heart beat faster than normal. "That is the effect you have on me. You're not the only one that feels like it's unfair" He flashed her a grin, and despite her melanin covered skin, he could tell she's blushing. "Just like there's no Majnoon without Layla, there's no Aali without Aria either. You're my one in a million, Askim"

Perhaps it's his words, or maybe she had just been ignoring the urge but right then, Aria found herself pulling him into am embrace for the very first time. He had always been the one to insinuate it, but then, she did. She buried her face in the nook of his neck when he hugged her back, her arms wrapping around him tightly. "Thank you" She whispered, though she's sure he heard her.

"There's no need to thank me for being honest, Askim. I meant every word I said"

"Still" For the first time since she stepped foot in the country, she genuinely felt peace and happiness that she didn't feel in a long time. And ever since she married Aali, for the first time, she felt like she wanted to stay with him.

Not because he doesn't leave her with any other option but because despite her trying to ignore it, she knew she is falling for him, harder than she would like to admit.

Eventually, she pulled back. And when she did, Aali pulled her back to peck her forehead before he let her return to her original position.

"If it wasn't clear, that was me reminding you that you're not going anywhere even after all of this is cleared up. You're staying with me, as my wife, my better half, my partner and the mother of my children in shaa Allah"

Aria blushed, making him chuckle.

Her eyes moved to the opened folder that now rested beside him. "When did you have time to do this?" She asked, gesturing to the folder.

Aali threw a quick glance at it before he shrugged. "The very minute you agreed to marry me. I figured you wouldn't want to stay home all the time here. It took time to finalize it and it was only done while I was still unconscious. Fahad was a great help though" He had her transfer to the law firm branch in Hadewa finalized. Now, she could go to work and continue where she left off back in Istanbul.

"Does he work there?" She asked, a brow raised. She remembers the man telling her that he is a lawyer when he and his wife, Emmarah came over. And since he helped with her transfer, she wondered if he happens to work there.

If he does, she won't be surprised. The law firm is one of the best there is out there. Fahad obviously looks like a big shot lawyer, so he is bound to work at places like that.

Aali nodded, "Yes he does" He grins. "Which is a good thing because he will let me know if any man tries to hit on you" He muttered, already planning the death of the poor man that will make that mistake.

"What did you say?" Aria asked, because the man spoke so low she had missed the second statement he made. Judging from his facial expression, it's something he didn't want her to hear, and that only piqued her interest more.

Aali shook his head, his grin widening. "Nothing" He couldn't let her know his plans, else she would make sure he never steps foot in the law firm. "You start work tomorrow. It'll be a great way to get away from this house and its drama" He then slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a key, which he handed over to her, "And these are your car keys. I got you a new one"

Her eyes widened as she stared at him agape.

"I mean you can always use my cars but I figured you might want yours. If you don't, then feel free to use any of mine"

Aria shook her head. "I don't know what type it is but I love it already. Honestly. JazakallahKhair"

"Wa fa anti"

"Oh and about your cars, you don't have to tell me that. Remember when you said 'what's mine is yours'? I fully intend to take advantage of that" She offered him a grin that would make any man regret saying that to her.

But Aali didn't seem like he did one bit. Instead, he shook his head as he chuckled. "Whatever makes you happy, My Queen. Just try to be careful, and we're good"

"No promises, Prince"