Anissa heard the gates open. The loud creak of the gates made her heart flutter with nervousness.

He's back. She thought to herself. All this time, she never felt nervous.

It had been two days since she discovered that she was pregnant. And perhaps this was the only time she actually felt happy. A new ray of hope bloomed in her heart and caused her to look at life in a new perspective.

She was looking at life with a positive attitude once again. Shehryaar might've showed her a very dark and dangerous side of life, but Allah is always greater and always has the best plan. And that was the beauty of hope, it gave you a new perspective on things in a much brighter light even in the most darkest of times.

She smiled a small smile as she placed her hand on her abdomen: from what she could decipher from the signs and symptoms, she must be seven to eight weeks along, adding up the time since she had been married and even though a home pregnancy test is never accurate to a hundred percent, but she did know that it was good enough for a confirmation.

"My baby, it's time to tell you father about you." She whispered to herself.

She got up from the bed and headed for the door with a smile on her face. As soon as her fingers gripped the door knob, a fleeting feeling at the back of her mind halted her movements. She knew that she wasn't allowed to leave the room and this could be seen as an act of defiance from her part but she had to leave and greet Shehryaar. Even though his warning and threats ringed in her ears, she wanted to step outside of this room for the first time in days.

She was feeling enthusiastic for the first time in a long while. She was just too excited to tell him about the good news. But there was something stopping her, killing her excitement all in one go.

The consequences of her defying him came to mind. He had specifically warned her. But that wasn't what was causing cold chills to run down her spine and spike her heart beat.

It was her fear and trauma.

Of him.

She wasn't afraid of disobeying him rather, she was scared of telling him about the baby. And found dread washing over her.

Should she tell him or not?

He was the father, he had every right to know. She couldn't hide it from him even if she wanted to.Surely he would understand and not punish her: after all, she was in a delicate condition now. He wouldn't hurt her now, would he?

Shaking her head vigorously, she didn't let her doubts control her as she made her way out.

It was finally time for change. When they were married, she had promised herself that she would change him. But his abusive and violent behaviour had caused her to lose all hope and she didn't want to continue with her marriage especially after the hell that he put her through. But with a baby on the way, Shehryaar would have no choice but to change.

So far, she could understand that perhaps Shehryaar might've had a very rough past due to which he treated her with so much violence. But now, she was willing to put it all behind her. If nothing else, for he sake of their child, she could work on her marriage once again and try and change him.

A part of her, the selfish part, didn't want to let go of all the atrocities that he had inflicted on her. It wanted her to believe that he won't change and might cause harm, accuse her and might even order her to lose the baby. That thought caused Anissa's heart to constrict so hard that it physically hurt her.

No, he wouldn't possibly do that to his own child. That part of her wanted to run away and protect the baby. It was instinctive and impulsive but not smart and she needed to handle this situation with a clear head.

Yes, he wouldn't. Her conscience whispered. And that was the moral compass she held. This was the selfless part of her.It was a more dominant part of her, the selfless part, the self sacrificing part of her, which resisted the whispers of the devil on her shoulder and wanted to believe that change will happen.

She had faith.That was all that was needed.

This was probably the first time she was going to greet him willingly after he returned back from his trip: from what she knew, Shehryaar was gone to Pakistan to conduct some business. She had no interest in know the nature of his business.

With her hand placed firmly on her abdomen, she made her way down the staircase.

She was in the middle of the staircase when her steps ceased upon hearing a shrill giggle. It was coming from the entrance. She frowned as she looked and she felt as if her heart stopped then and there.

Shehryaar entered through the large double doors with a woman by his arm: she was a beautiful voluptuous woman dress clad in a red cocktail dress, her long legs bare and feet adorned with six inch black heels. Her skin tanned and features exotic indicating a Mediterranean background. Her thick raven hair splayed around her shoulders in large ringlets. Her long painted fingers were trained on Shehryaar's chest.

Anissa's mind ran a million thought a second as she began to shiver and sweat profusely. Her heart was beating so past now that she thought it might explode. Her eyes fell on Shehryaar.

Shehryaar observed Anissa's reaction: she was clearly pale and her hazel eyes were wide with disbelief and bewilderment.

Their gazes were locked.

Grey to hazel.

Suddenly, a smug and cocky smirk quirked up his lips as he eyed Anissa. The woman at his arm kept babbling on and on about something that he had no interest in listening to as he studied Anissa intently from a distance.

It was so obvious who the woman was or at least from her actions with the way that she was throwing herself on her husband.

They were standing far from each other yet they could feel each other's feelings radiating off of them.

Anissa's cheek flared as hot tears pricked her eyes. Feeling overwhelmed, she ran back upstairs and into her room.

She felt like her legs grew weak with each step and all of a sudden, she fell to her knees near the foot of the bed.

Her chest tightened so hard that she felt her airways constrict as she gasped for air.

So many feelings she felt inside, passing through her in the form of waves. But she couldn't understand why she felt this way.

He was cheating on her by bringing a woman to their home- their home.

How dare he? She deciphered one of the emotions as betrayal. But why did she feel betrayed? She didn't love him. He had forced her to marry him and then some but still, why did she feel betrayed. Most probably because she was his wife. If anything, he was disrespecting and humiliating her by bringing home another woman.

And she had never been so blatantly disrespected or humiliated in all her life. All she had was her dignity and self respect. And now, clearly he was attacking her on that level.

Just how low could he get.

And then another emotion, something very painful and dominant that caused her to doubt herself: hurt.

She couldn't lie to herself. She was hurt. Because as a wife and a soon to be mother, how could she ever tolerate unfaithfulness and infidelity? No one could.

And he was her husband. He was suppose to be loyal to only her. All her past insecurities came rushing back. She was already feeing dejected and now this.

They were married.

Her husband- Shehryaar was hers.

A sudden surge of possessiveness flood over her senses but her mind immediately subdued them as the hurt paved way to anger and rage.

Husband? Ha! My foot! Such a bastard like him deserves to rot in hell for all that he's done. How dare he! She mentally screamed as the bitterness in her surfaced.

She should've expected this from him.

What was she to do now?

A part of her, a small part, was happy with the turn of events because maybe now he would leave her alone but her dignified personality and nature was extremely against it. And she felt so bitter and resentful. She hated Shehryaar more then anything now.

How could he do this to her?

She felt so stupid thinking that he would change. He shocked and surprised and hurt her at every chance he got.

She felt disgusted. How low would he fall in her eyes?

And the baby? What about the baby? How was she suppose to tell him about the baby now?

The sound of the door opening had her tensing.

No weakness Ainnie. Do not how him that you are affected by his debauchery. Her conscience advised. Willing into composure, she stood up. And wiped her tears away. But it was going to be hard controlling her emotions since the pregnancy hormones would cause all her cognitive responses to be amplified.

I'm so sorry you have such a pathetic excuse of a father my baby. She thought venomously, Placing a hand on her stomach.

Her back was still turned to him but she could feel his heated gaze burning holes in her back.

Schooling a composed expression, she took deep calming breaths and turned to face him.

Shehryaar smirked when he saw her puffy eyes and red nose and flushed cheeks.

Good. He thought proudly.

His gazed locked with hers as he stood there with his hands resting in his pockets.

She narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"Who's your friend?" She spat bitterly even though she tried to act unaffected but her bitterness wouldn't cease as she directed all of her hatred towards the man standing a few feet from her.

Shehryaar chuckled.

"Friend? Nice word. But no she isn't my friend." He said, his grey eyes staring down at her in a mocking manner.

She huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. Shehryaar's eyes darkened with desire when he saw her stance with the way her breasts expanded up her arms. But now wasn't the time to be thinking like that. He had a plan in mind and he was about to carry through with it.

"How pathetic you are. How low will you go?" She spat.

He raised a perfect brow at her as his smirk grew. "Aww, don't tell me that you're jealous?"

"Hardly." She scoffed.

"You seem to be forgetting your place." He stated.

"No, you seem to be forgetting yours." She countered loudly. She had no idea where this courage was coming from but she knew that she had to protect herself and her baby.

"I am your wife. I don't care whether you call me your slave or whatever. If you wanted to whore around then at least have the decency to do it else where." She screamed.

Shehryaar narrowed his eyes at her. She saw utter annoyance mare his features. She was sure that he would hit her by now but was surprised when he maintained the distance between them.

But really, Shehryaar was annoyed as to why she wasn't affected. But he was about to get a reaction out her.

"It's amusing how you still think that this is a marriage. Because I had told you that it isn't. You're my slave and that's all that you all." He said sharply, his words hitting her like a whip.

Involuntarily, her eyes welled up with tears as her raging emotions began to stir but she still tried to remain strong.

"A-at least do this somewhere else." She stammered hoarsely.

"Oh? You have a problem with what I do in my own home? You have no say in this slave." He stated haughtily, feeling glad to have finally gained a reaction from her.

"I am your wife!" She shrieked.

"So now you're my wife?" He scoffed. "What happened to being my wife when you fucking ran away from me?" He taunted.

"I don't care. That was before,"

"Before what? Hmm?" He cut her off. "Sweetheart, did you actually think that you were special? Don't delude yourself." He growled.

**********

ITS SERIOUSLY THOSE WTF MOMENTS, ISN'T IT?? 

BUT THATS WHAT IT IS WHEN YOUR READING MY STORIES, EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. 

OH AND RADISH READERS, PLZ NO SPOILER, ANYONE WHO GIVES SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS, THEIR COMMENTS WILL BE DELETED.

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