It felt like days before morning finally arrived. I woke up a few hours ago and prayed my morning prayer and then just laid in bed and stared at the ceiling until now.

I decided it was time to get up and leave the room. I hadn't seen Walid since last night and I preferred to keep it that way. But I couldn't stay in the room all day long.

I got up and got changed into a summer dress. I combed my hair and put it in a messy bun before leaving the room. I headed downstairs but stopped midway when I saw Walid sitting on the couch, engrossed in his laptop.

I hesitated for a moment but walked past him and went into the kitchen. "Good morning dear." Razza greeted me as soon as I entered.

"Good morning uncle. Thank you for the food last night." I smiled at him.

"You're more than welcome. Let me serve you breakfast. Walid will eat later, he's a bit busy." He informed and I nodded.

"Okay. I'll help you." I said and went ahead to prepare tea.

He tried to change my mind to let him do all the work but I stubbornly helped him prepare the breakfast. He made some fresh bread and I glanced at him now and then, trying to see him work his magic.

I loved everything that had anything to do with baking...

"How long have you been preparing food for Walid and his family?" I asked suddenly, watching him put the dough in the oven as I poured the tea for both of us.

"Since the day he was born." He replied, making me look at him surprised. "Walid's father hired me when Mrs Aydin had Walid. He didn't want Mrs Aydin to step into the kitchen and tire herself since she would be busy with taking care of Walid. It did happen though, that she would enter the kitchen more than occasionally." He smiled. 

"That was thoughtful of him." I admitted, feeling happy for Walid's mother for having a husband who really seemed to care for her.

"Yes and you're probably wondering why he hired me out of all the cooks in town. He wanted a male cook, who in case of an emergency could protect the women in the Aydin mansion. Majority of the staff in the Aydin mansion are men." He tried to explain.

I had heard about the Aydin family. How powerful and respected they were. But that was the little that I knew...

Razza's words made me realize that I hadn't gotten myself into small trouble for sure. The family had male cooks who were there to protect in case of emergency, what more could go wrong for me than that?

"Why are they so cautious? I thought most people in town respected them." I asked, wanting to know more.

"Of course. The people of the town love and respect them undoubtedly. But there's always someone who's not happy with your success. Someone who's trying to take over. Someone who's wishing the worst for you." He spoke, making me actually nod in agreement.

"That's true." I let out sadly.

"I'll bring the rest, you can go ahead take a seat." Razza's voice made me come back to reality.

"Won't you eat?" I asked when he didn't prepare a tray for himself.

"I will, later." He replied shortly while chopping some cucumbers.

"No, you'll have your breakfast with me uncle. I'll wait by the table." I said while preparing his tray. He smiled at me warmly and I felt my heart drop, thinking of my father's smiling face.

Shaking away the image, I took the trays with me and entered the dining room. I put down the trays and went to the big window. I stared out at the sea and smiled. I wanted to visit the beach today. I could spend a few hours there, away from Walid.

Razza entered the room with plates of freshly baked bread. I thanked him and soon enough we had our breakfast.

He was one of the kindest and most fatherly man I had ever met...

As we had our breakfast, he told me about his daughter who was just a year younger than me. She was out of country at the moment, in medical school.

The information made me so proud because I loved seeing or hearing about women chasing their dreams.

Time passed rather quickly and I helped him clean the table once we were done with our breakfast. He hadn't let me step into the kitchen to help him wash the dishes or at least clean up after myself.

I felt so  mannerless, I would never get used to people serving me like that. It felt so wrong...

A while had passed since breakfast and I was still seated in the dinning room, looking out at the beautiful view of the sea.

Watching the sea brought me peace and happiness. It was mesmerizing how beautiful something as usual as water could come in such breathtaking form.

However, my peace didn't last long when I started to get bored by just sitting. I tried to think of something I could do to pass time but found nothing.

Suddenly, I felt the irritation rise as I stood up and stomped towards the living room.

I found Walid sitting in the same spot as before, engrossed in his laptop.

I walked up to him and cleared my throat. Unsurprisingly, he didn't even acknowledge my presence.

"This is what you brought me here for? So I can sit and stare out of a window? Do you have an idea of how suffocated I feel? I don't have anything to do here. You've locked me in like an elephant in a cage and there's not even a place to visit close by! Just some stupid snakes that you're talking about. But you know what, I would rather go to the forest and be with them than here locked with you." I was furious, and his calm, unbothered posture made me even more furious.

"So now you want to spend time with your husband?" He asked, making me huff and cross my arms.

"I never said that. I wouldn't want to be in the same room as you leave alone spend time with you." I clarified.

"Then why are you complaining? You have so much space around you, go do something." He said, still not looking up from his laptop as he typed away.

"What should I do in here? I don't have anything to do. Should I just walk around the house like a mad woman for time pass?" I let out in disbelief.

"If that's what you want then do it. Permission granted." He said arrogantly, making me grit my teeth in anger.

"I will not be locked in here. I'm going to the beach." I stated as I walked towards the main door which was already left open.

"Be careful, there are-"

"Wild animals I know! That's exactly what I want, for them to come and eat me in pieces so I don't have to be with you!" I spat back before he could complete the sentence.

I felt the relief wash over me instantly when I felt the air hit my face. I made my way towards the water and sat down on the sand, on the exact same spot I was sitting yesterday.

I looked around to make sure no one was around to hear me. When the coast was clear, I started pouring my heart out. I talked about everything and nothing, to no one in particular.

If somebody saw me right now, they would book the an appointment for me with a psychiatrist.

But I didn't have any other way. The ocean was mine and hers place. Being close to it made me feel like she was close to me...

I sighed and looked up at the sky. "You know, at times like this I miss you a lot."

Time went by peacefully and soon enough, I got on my feet. I walked towards the water and removed my sandals.

I let the water touch my feet and winced. I had wounds on my feet from that day I had stepped on the glass pieces which stung a bit. But I didn't care because I found it peaceful walking around the water.

I smiled and turned around but stopped when I saw a figure sitting a bit away from me.

When had he arrived?

I rolled my eyes and and walked up to him. "Why are you following me?" I asked, plopping down on my knees a bit away from him while crossing my arms.

He looked up from his laptop with a raised eyebrow. "The wind can be strong here so I wanted to make sure that you don't fall in the water and drown." I narrowed my eyes at his response. "I don't have the time to arrange a funeral."

"Whatever." I let out, when I didn't know how to respond back to his mean and selfish words. "I know how to swim so I don't need you to look out for me."

"I'm sure you do. Let's go for a swim then." He stated seriously, putting his laptop aside to stand up.

"No." I let out in panic. "The water is too cold." I quickly said.

"That will not be a problem. I'll keep you in my arms. Your temperature will rise like it always does when I'm standing close to you." He stated seriously, and I could feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment.

"T-that's absurd." I said, looking away from him angrily. "No such thing happens." I muttered, mentally cursing myself for letting the embarrassment show on my cheeks.

"Sure." I heard him say. There was a long silence and I looked back at him to see him engrossed in his laptop, reading something.

"What are you reading?" I asked.

"Mails from my obsessed girlfriends. They are pretty mad I got married without informing them." He shrugged.

"Girlfriends? How many do you have?" I asked, curiosity taking over.

"I don't know, I stopped counting." His reply made anger boil inside of me.

"Then why did you not marry one of them!" I spat angrily.

"I don't have to marry them for them to be with me. I know you wouldn't agree to be my girlfriend so I had to marry you." He spoke with so much innocence that I thought for a second of putting him in audition for a drama club.

"Didn't your 'girlfriends' mind when you 'married' me?" I asked, scooting a bit to the side to take a look but he noticed and turned the laptop away from me.

"Nah, they are chill. They were just mad that they couldn't attend my wedding. They wanted to help me get ready for the big day. You know, help me take a bath, dress me, fe"

"Enough!" I stood up and looked at him disgusted. "I don't want to hear about your girlfriends. I just asked because I was wondering which poor soul would want to be your girlfriend." I cleared, making him look up at me.

The strong sun was making his eyes the lightest brown I've ever seen and his perfectly tanned face was glowing. His pink lips quivered into a smirk when he noticed I was staring at him. "You'll cast the evil eye on me." He said, confidently.

"I'm going." I said and turned around but he stopped me.

"Fine, come sit down. I won't misbehave."

I thought about it for a moment. He sounded honest for the first time since I had met him and it made me get a grip of his different emotions.

Did he have to be so difficult?

I would turn mental just by tying to understand him...

I turned back and sat on my knees again, this time keeping a good distance.

"Will you tell me why you married me now? I did corporate with you a lot and I've been on my best behavior today. Please?" I asked hopefully.

Walid turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "You telling me you're locked inside like an elephant in a cage is your best behavior? I would love to see your worst."

That smirk, I wish I could just slap him so he stopped smirking in such a way that made my heartbeat quicken in fear.

"I don't hate you that much to show you my worst." I admitted. My anger could be dangerous. Very dangerous. "But don't change the topic. I want to know the truth. Your behavior towards me shows that you hate me. Why would you marry someone you hate?" He didn't reply and seemed unbothered as his eyes were still fixed on the screen in front of him. "Can you just answer my question?" I tried again, waiting patiently for him to look up at me from the laptop.

Finally, he shut the laptop and put it to the side. His eyes moved to me and I tried not to cower in fear. "No. I can't."

"What's your plan then? Why are you keeping me here? What will happen after one week? Will you let me go? Can I go back home next week? Will we get a divorce once we are back?" The hope in my eyes disappeared when I saw his expression at my words.

"Go inside." He spoke calmly, but I could hear the storm behind his words.

"But-"

"I said, go inside." His voice was cold, making a shiver run through my body.

His dark eyes were set on me and I knew better than to argue with him at the moment.

He could've been a psychopath who could throw me in the water, leaving me there to drown...

I quickly got to my feet and hurried back inside the house. I felt hurt and betrayed.

How could he be so casual after literally forcing me to be with him?

He was indeed heartless. He wouldn't care about my feelings. He simply wouldn't. 

~

I looked up from the tv when someone knocked on the door. My attention turned to the door and I smiled. "Dinner is ready dear." Razza informed.

"I'll be there. Thank you uncle." I said and he passed me a smile before leaving.

Razza had asked me many times about when I wanted to eat but I had said I wasn't hungry until an hour ago when I felt the hunger coming.

I had informed him that I was going to come downstairs soon so he didn't have to come upstairs to call me, but apparently he wanted to treat me like the queen that I absolutely wasn't.

He was around my father's age and I hated it when he did everything for me. I would never get used to being served that way.

Earlier, I had spent time watching random shows on television and now I didn't have anything else to do. It was already late in the evening and the day had passed surprisingly fast.

The reason to that was probably because of me zoning out with different thoughts now and then.

Sighing, I made my way to the dinning room and found it empty as I sat down. I looked over the table and everything was already set.

Razza walked in with a jug of water. I smiled happily when I didn't have to ask him, but he himself took a seat across me on the table.

Just like earlier for breakfast, we had our meal and talked about everything possible. One thing I realized was that he loved talking about his religion. He was very practicing. Which made me happy, because I loved hearing and learning new things.

I had just finished eating and I was drinking my water when Walid walked in. I put down the glass as he stopped at the other side of the table and rested his elbows on the head of the chair, beside Razza.

"Wake up early tomorrow. We're going somewhere." He announced bluntly.

"I don't want to go anywhere, with you." I said, forgetting about Razza seated in front of me.

"I was informing you, not asking." He shot back just as harshly. The poor elderly man started sweating as he excused himself and left the kitchen.

My eyes turned back to Walid's as I looked at him in warning. "I said, I won't go anywhere with you."

"I said, I was informing you. Not asking." He repeated, making grit my teeth in anger. I relaxed after a few moments and turned to him.

"Fine. I will come. But you will regret it." I clarified with a fake smile.

I tried not to show my fear when he moved towards me dangerously. "How will I regret it?" He asked, leaning down and putting his hands on the table in front of me.

"You will see.." I forced out with much difficulty.

Why did he have to come so close? I couldn't breath properly when he was so close to me.

"What will I see?" He mocked, coming closer.

He was tormenting me. In ways that no one had before...

I found the courage to look up at him and speak. "You can expect the worst." A ghost of a smile appeared on his lips at my words.

Suddenly he leaned even closer to my face. My heartbeat quickened and panic rose inside of me at the way he was looking at me straight in the eyes.

He started coming even closer and soon enough, he was only inches away from me.

In a swift movement, I don't even remember how but I had taken a hold of my glass with water and emptied it on his head.

He cursed and straightened. "What the f*ck?" He let out angrily, his voice raised.

A realization of what I had done hit me and I hastily jumped to my feet and ran out from the other side of the dinning room. I rushed to the closest room, forgetting to close the door after me in the panicked state that I was in.

I looked around the room and decided to hide in the big wardrobe that could fit twenty people. Once inside, I closed the door after me and backed away in the darkness. I hid behind the clothes until I realized something.

My eyes widened and I looked around in the darkness. I was in Walid's room. In his wardrobe. Hiding behind his clothes.

The scent of his cologne was all over the wardrobe, making me curse at myself for not realizing.

I felt my heart racing as I leaned back and waited for the worst to happen. Was this the time he showed his true colors and killed me?

I had surely pissed him off big time...

Well, I just hope he didn't find me. Although my hope broke as soon as I heard footsteps entering the room.

I stopped breathing and my eyes widened. Not because he entered the room, because I felt something on my foot. I didn't even realize that I screamed out.

I quickly covered my mouth with my hands when I realized it was only the sleeve of a shirt and not a spider.

The door to the wardrobe opened abruptly and the clothes that were covering me, disappeared.

''What happened? Are you okay?'' I heard him ask. I turned to him and tried to come up with something that would make him forget about his original purpose.

''My finger broke?'' I said more like a question than answer as I held out my finger in front of him, trying to make it look like it was broken but failed miserably.

He crossed his arms and stared at me. It didn't take long before he motioned for me to get out of the wardrobe. Not having any other choice, I jumped down. I looked at him suspiciously when he pulled out a towel and sat down on the bed.

"Come here." He ordered, giving me a look. I shook my head. "Don't make me come and get you." He let out, anger clear in his voice.

I put aside my fear and made my way to him. "What?" I asked once I was standing in front of him.

He held out the towel for me, making me cross my arms and huff. "You caused it, you will have to fix it too." He demanded, his voice very low

"No." I stated and looked away. If I had looked at him any longer I would obey him helplessly because of the dangerous look he was giving me.

I gasped when he suddenly took a hold of the hem of my dress and pushed me towards him. I looked at him in disbelief when his hands reached the end of my dress and he dried his neck and hair with the fabric of my dress.

"What are you doing? Let go..." I let out hoarsely, not finding my voice. I felt tears form in my eyes but I pushed them back.

"It's just a dress stop overreacting." He said, not realizing the real reason I felt devastated. Could he not see how inappropriate he was being?

"No...I'll do it with the towel. Let me go." I pleaded.

How could he pull on my dress like that and then pretend that nothing was wrong with it?

The back of his hand was almost touching my legs, making me more than uncomfortable.

He released me when he was done and I quickly backed away as he ran a hand through his hair to fix it.

"Let's sleep. It's late.'' He said suddenly and I looked at him disgusted. After everything he did, he wanted me to just sleep as if nothing happened. He was being so inappropriate and now he wanted me to sleep...

''What do you mean 'let's sleep' I'm not sleeping with you, in this bed, together.''

''Then, will you sleep with me in the bed that's in the guest room?'' He smirked and I rolled my eyes.

I quickly composed myself and spoke up. "I wont sleep with you in any bed. No, not just bed. I won't even sleep in the same room as you." I stated, wanting to cry as I looked down at my damp dress but controlled my emotions.

"You are too sensitive. I just used your dress to dry what you caused." He spoke nonchalantly as I watched him move around the room, looking for something. "Also, next time you will think twice before doing anything like that."

He wanted to torture me. Torment me. Kill me with his actions. "I won't sleep here. I'll go back to the other room." I simply stated, pushing back all emotions. Surprisingly he nodded. I was going to turn around and go back to the other room, but stopped when spoke up again.

''You can sleep on the couch.'' I glared at him.

"If anyone is going to sleep on the couch it will be you." I said angrily as I sat down on the bed before he could. Once he had fallen asleep in that uncomfortable couch, I would leave to sleep in the other room. It wasn't enough punishment for him, but a uncomfortable night sleep was all I could give him right now.

However, my eyes widened when he sat down on the other side of the bed.

''W-what are you doing? You are going to sleep on the couch.'' I angrily said as I stood up and backed away.

''I never agreed on that.'' He spoke as he punched his pillow to make it flat before lying on his back.

''Fine, do what you want.'' With that I walked towards the couch. Suddenly he caught my wrist and pulled me back.

''Change of plans. I like the couch more.'' He let go of my hand and walked towards the couch. He laid down and I stared at him and crossed my arms.

''In case you're about to change your mind again, let me know.''

''I won't. Go to sleep.'' I stared at him as he spoke and jumped slightly when he turned the lights off with a remote.

I found the perfect opportunity to make a run for it. I knew he wouldn't care less if I left the room. He was just trying to scare me by ordering me around.

If he wanted me to sleep in the same room as him he would've forced me to do so since the first day. Which he clearly didn't.

I made my way slowly towards the door and when I was close enough, I sprinted out of the room and ran to the other room. I locked the door and sighed in relief as I prepared myself for a sleepless night.

Thankfully, away from him.