I felt more than just lonely and lost. I was yearning for my home. For my family...

The environment I was exposed to at the moment was not something I was used to. The room I woke up to was empty. I was all alone. I didn't like to be alone. I used to spend a lot of time with my family and friends. I missed those precious moments.

Sighing, I looked at the time to see it was already evening. I had slept for so long, but I knew I couldn't blame myself. The last few days hadn't offered me much sleep.

I removed the covers from me and stood up. I went to the bathroom and washed my face, loving the cold water against my skin. I put my hair in place and left the bathroom after staring at my reflection for a long time.

I stepped towards the window and looked out at the sea. The smell of it was hitting my nostrils and I leaned against the wall as I let out a sigh in relief.

Time passed and I didn't even notice when I had spent almost half an hour just gazing out.

Suddenly, my peace was interrupted when I saw a movement by the back door of the house, making me lean a bit forward to see what it was.

My heart started beating faster in fear when I noticed who it was. I didn't look away as I watched him walk up to the car parked a bit away from him. My eyes narrowed slightly when I saw him put something in the trunk of the car before closing it shut.

His tall frame strode back towards the house. There were many golden lights around the house, making me see him clearly. His aura screamed power and authority. His black formal clothing suited his personality.

I let out a sigh and shook my head. If he hadn't done what he did to me, I would've find him to be the most handsome man I had ever laid my eyes on. I still did find him handsome, but his personality and the way he was treating me didn't let me see that part of him.

Nothing made sense to me. He was a man with power. Just like he got me to marry him, he could've gotten any woman. Why would a man like him even want to marry me? I was just a girl, who hadn't even spoken to him until a few days before our marriage. Not to forget, we lived our life so differently.

What did he really want?

My breath hitched when his head suddenly raised and his eyes moved to me. I swiftly moved to the side to hide behind the thick curtains. I let out heavy breaths, trying to calm down.

I waited for a bit before pulling the curtain to the side. Fortunately, he had left.

I quickly closed the window and returned to bed. I tidied it a bit before sitting down. I looked around the empty room and felt suffocated.

I knew that I wanted to be away from him, but I also knew that I couldn't lock myself in the room. I would go crazy. Too many thoughts and memories would haunt me...

I got on my feet and hastily left the room before my mind could get the chance to gift me with unwanted thoughts.

As I made my way downstairs to the open space, my eyes glanced around at every detail. I examined the off white couches with the large square coffee table that had the perfect shade of brown, placed in the middle.

Even thought everything was so neat and clean, I still wanted to run out of the house and never come back.

A movement from the corner of my eyes caught my attention and I turned to see Walid stand a good distanced away from me. He had stopped midway upon seeing me.

"You should eat something." I realized how hungry I actually was when I heard him mention food.

Ignoring my hunger and him, I walked up to the couch and took a seat. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my seat, waiting for nothing to happen.

"I said, you should eat. The dinning room is that way." He repeated, trying to warn me with his voice how impatient he was getting.

"I am not hungry." I informed.

It didn't take long before he started striding towards me and I sensed by the way he was walking that he was on the verge of losing his temper.

I panicked and jumped to my feet when he continued coming towards me with that scary look on his face.

I hastily walked around the couch, making him stop and close his eyes in anger, as if he was trying to calm down.

"Don't." He warned, taking slow step towards me.

I backed away in fear while he was walking slowly and calmly. I continued taking steps back until I couldn't anymore. I turned around to see my back was against the door and I was trapped. I turned back around only to see him stand there with crossed arms and a satisfied look on his face.

He had lead me to the door....

I wanted to curse at him but controlled my anger.

Giving up, I opened the door and walked in. He suddenly walked past me, making me glare at his back in anger.

I followed him silently as he went behind a wooden screen wall and soon enough, we appeared at the dinning room.

The big room consisted of a big table in the middle and many high back upholstered dining chairs around it. My eyes caught a glimpse of the window covering the whole wall on the left. The view stunned me and I wished I could just sit and gaze out at the sea from there.

My attention turned back to Walid when he pulled out a chair and stared at me. I looked at the chair and back at him before walking to the other side to sit down, not taking his gesture.

There was a long silence and soon enough, a man dressed in a cook's attire appeared from the kitchen.

"Hello dear, I'm Razza. I'm so glad to finally meet you. I hope you've settled without any problems. If there's anything I can do for you, please do let me know." The cook, who seemed to be around his mid fifties, said kindly.

My eyes moved to Walid and he gave me a warning look and I turned back to the man and forced a smile. "Thank you uncle, I'll definitely remember that." I said.

"You are more than welcome. I didn't know what food you like so I tried my best. Make sure to tell me later what you would want for breakfast tomorrow." His words made me shake my head hastily.

"There's no need for that uncle. Please don't tire yourself. I'll take care of it." I tried to reason but he wasn't having it.

He made me promise to meet him later and I had no other choice than obey. The man seemed to be even older than my father. I didn't like that he had to prepare food for me. Even though it was his profession, I wasn't used to it.

Razza left us alone and minutes passed but I still hadn't touched the food in front of me as I stared blankly at the darkness outside, lost in my own thoughts.

The sound of a spoon tapping against a glass reached my ears, making me look up.

"You can start eating." Walid announced, his words making me want to throw the random empty plate on his face.

''You can't force me to eat." I said back, feeling the anger raise inside me at how casually he could just order me around.

''To make you eat would be the easiest task I've ever done.''

I looked at him in rage and that's when our eye-competition started.

He obviously won again because I couldn't stand looking at those dark eyes of his.

"Eat.'' He ordered.

''I won't, what are you going to do about it?" I raised my eyebrow, trying to keep my anger in check.

At this point, I just wanted to get under his skin. I wanted to hurt him, give him a hard time, even thought it wasn't even half of what he had done to me - I still wanted him to suffer.

"Stop acting like a stupid little kid and just eat the damn food." His voice raised at the end as he slammed the table, making me flinch while my heart dropped in fear.

I hid my fear and jumped up from my seat with full force, making the chair fall back. "I said I won't, what are you going to do about it?" I repeated raising my voice back.

If he thought he could scare me with that look and raised voice, he thought right.

However, I would never give him the satisfaction of knowing that.

"Really? Do you really wanna know?" He asked suddenly, his voice and posture turning into a calm one as he walked around the table.

I gulped but didn't move as he approached me. "Yes, I'm eager to know what you're going to do." I continued challenging him.

"Fine." He nodded, standing in front of me. His hand raised and I flinched in fear, thinking he was going to finally lay his hand on me.

Instead, his hand just reached my face, not bringing any force with it.

I stood confused as his fingers brushed away the few hair strands from my face.

"But the thing is, darling. I'm not gonna do anything. To waste even another second on a person like you would be my misfortune." With that, he turned around and walked away.

My heart dropped and I wanted to cry. I tried to convince myself that he was just trying to emotionally hurt me but failed as I rushed forward and blocked his way.

"If this is how you were gonna treat me, if I'm such a burden on you, why did you marry me? Tell me the real reason." I wanted my answers. I wanted him to tell me why he found everything a joke. Why he found something as big and special as marriage, a joke.

''I assume you didn't understand my words. I'll make it easier for you - don't waste my time." He spoke, pulling me to the side by my arm to make way for him.

I stood there shocked and hurt as I watched him leave the dining room. His posture was calm but I had seen in his eyes he was burning with rage.

His words had been like poison to my ears. Was his heart made of brick?

I pulled a chair with me to the window and sat down. I pulled my legs up and wrapped my arms around them.

The tears I had fought finally left my eyes. I tried to stop them but failed.

Never in my life had I been exposed to a person like him. He made me feel worthless. Like my life didn't have any value at all.

Throughout my life, I had a good relation with most people I met. I gave respect and I received respect.

But with him, that was not the case...

The lights to the dining room turned off automatically and I sat there in the darkness as I watched the sea.

I sat for a surprisingly long time and I almost fell asleep. My eyes drowsily closed until the lights turned on, informing someone's presence.

"I have met stubborn people in my life, but you put all of them to shame." I heard Walid say, his voice getting closer as he spoke.

I didn't say anything or look at him as he stopped beside me. I heard him sigh audibly as he pulled a chair with him and sat down beside me.

Some time passed and I felt his gaze on me before he finally spoke up.

"I am a scoundrel.....but I don't want to hurt you. If you just listen to me and stop disrespecting me, things will go easier for you. I've told you that."

He had me thinking he was going to apologize until he uttered those last words.

Of course he would blame me for everything...

"I get it." I looked up at him. "But the only way you can avoid my disrespect is by locking me in the room. Away from you." I spat and stood up as I quickly left the dinning room.

I passed the kitchen and made my way to the room I had slept in earlier. I locked the door and made my way towards the bed before sitting down.

A long time passed before the doorknob turned and someone tried to open the door. He stopped when he realized it was locked.

"Razza has put food outside your door. Don't make me lose it by not eating." I heard Walid warn.

I heard his footsteps walk away and I looked at the time to see it was getting late. I should just sleep to make the hunger disappear.

I laid down in bed and rested my face on my arm. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but nothing happened.

I flinched slightly when I heard Walid curse from outside the door. I sat up quickly and gulped in fear.

"You're really testing my patience now. Open the damn door." He ordered, sounding furious. He had probably came to check if I had taken the food or not. "Everything will be much easier for you if you just listen to me.'' Of course he would say that. After a long silence, he spoke up again. "What is it that you want? I don't f*cking understand!"

"A simple divorce paper would do." I replied.

"Anything but that." He said a bit too quickly. "I can take you shopping tomorrow. I'm sure you'll love that. I'll get you anything you want. I'll take you to the most luxurious ma-"

My anger boiled as I stood up and opened the door swiftly. "If you wanted a money seeking wife who would be happy over the stupid stuff that you are mentioning to me, why the hell did you marry me? Am I that cheap in your eyes? Trying to make me happy with j-" He cut me off by raising his hand in a way that told me to shut up.

He stared at me silently, a satisfied look spread across his face and I realized he had said all that just to make me open the door. "Leave me alone.'' I demanded and walked back towards the bed to sit down.

''Not until you eat.'' What an evil person he was.

Razza came into view with a new tray of food. I quickly came to my sense and felt embarrassed. Had he heard us shouting like mad people earlier in the dining room? I hope not.

Even if he did hear us, it didn't seem like he was affected by anything as he passed me a warm smile and put the tray of food in front of me. "Make sure to eat this time." He gave me a look and I bit my lower lip in nervousness.

"Thank you uncle, I'm sorry for the trouble." I apologized.

"No trouble at all. I don't want you to fall sick, you haven't eaten anything since you've arrived. Eat for my sake dear." He spoke kindly. I gave him a reassuring nod and he turned to leave.

Walid picked up the old tray of food from the doorstep and handed it to Razza who then left us alone.

"Don't bother me anymore and just eat." Walid said, making his way towards me.

"No. Once I faint I will file a case against you." I muttered.

"What?" He let out confused.

"You heard me! I'm not going to eat so I can get unconscious and you will have to take me to the hospital and I will tell the doctor you didn't give me food. I will file a case against you for not giving me food and forcing me into a marriage. There's a lot of groups helping married women in trouble. They will help me for sure." He looked at me in disbelief for a moment then shook his head with a faint smile.

"You will file a case against me in my city?" He asked, making me go silent. Stupid city leader. "Stop dreaming and eat."

"Don't tell me what to do." I warned, looking at the food then back at his irritated form. "But I already sinned a lot. The food outside went to waste and I can't waste more food. So, this is an exception." I explained.

I started eating the food, ignoring his look with his perfectly shaped eyebrow raised. Before he could say anything, his phone rang.

''Finish all of it, this call will take time.'' I ignored him again and he just left me alone as he exited the room.

My mind wandered off again as I ate silently. How did my life take such a big twist and why. Was it destiny? Or something else? Something I was not aware of...

I finished the food and walked back downstairs with the tray in my hand. It took me some time before I finally found the kitchen. Razza was nowhere in sight so I left the kitchen after washing the dishes after me.

I didn't have anything else to do so I wandered around the house and tried to take in every detail, every exit...

A thought crossed my mind when I realized Walid was nowhere. I shook away the thought and sat on the couch. I waited for anything to happen but nothing else than the disturbing thought appeared in my mind, again.

If he was nowhere to be seen, it meant he wasn't home. Which meant I was alone in the house, since Razza was not home either.

What would happen if I just walked out of these doors and never returned....

Thoughts about him hurting my family hit me like a brick.

No he wouldn't hurt my family. Once I was far away from this place, I would call my parents and let them travel out of country to Germany, where my second uncle lived.

I just wanted to go back to my family. I wanted to go back to my own life. I wanted my freedom back. Was that too much to ask for?

I stood up swiftly and walked towards the main door. I nervously glanced around, afraid if he would come any second. I suddenly halted when I thought about what Walid had said earlier.

Wild animals....I shivered in fear.

I convinced myself I would rather face the animals than Walid, and continued taking steady steps towards the big wooden doors. I glanced around constantly and sighed in relief when I didn't see anyone.

The moment I turned around, I froze. My heart, my hope, my imagination to be with my family, all of that broke into pieces.

Gathering all the courage I had left, I looked Walid straight in the eyes.

He was standing a couple of feet away from me, looking scary with the hard look in his eyes. He made his way towards me, his anger showing clear on his feature.

''Where are you going?'' He asked, as if feed up with me and my behavior. "I asked you a question.'' His strict and intimidating voice rang in my ears as he came closer.

''I.....I'' I couldn't find my voice. I cleared my throat and looked at him confidently in the eyes. Or at least, I tried. "I'm going home." I tried to sound strong but the fear was clear in my voice.

"I would love to give you a ride but I'm kind of busy right now." He said, sounding serious even though the sarcasm was clear in his voice. "You can go ahead. But let me give you some advise before you leave. Make sure to wear proper shoes, those sandals won't get you anywhere. You will have to walk hours to get out of here, and you will most probably end up in the forest because we are in a very deserted place. It would be fun to watch you try." He mused the last part to himself as he took a seat on the couch.

"I hate you." I shouted as tears escaped my eyes and I rushed back upstairs to the room.