The next day, breakfast had already been prepared by Razza when I had walked in to the dining room.

After having breakfast together, I helped Razza clean up and he left for home, telling me he would come later to prepare lunch for us.

There was no sign of Walid in the morning and I didn't bother asking Razza where he was because I was honestly relieved. I was still confused about everything that happened yesterday morning to evening...

Sighing, I put the last cup away and proceeded to walk out of the kitchen. My eyes suddenly landed on the small basket, consisting the cake I had baked yesterday. I hadn't even gotten the chance to taste it last night because of how stressed I had been.

My sleep last night had been as disturbed as any other night. Thoughts about Walid had bothered me all night.

The way he played with my mind. The way he managed to make me do anything he wanted.

I had thought a lot about it last night and decided to try and put an end to that. I had decided there would be some changes. I wouldn't act like the scared little girl in front of him. He needed to know and understand  that I was worth more than just being ordered around. He couldn't step over me. Not now, not ever.

Walid didn't have me wrapped around his finger and he would never have me wrapped around his finger...

I had also thought a lot about the encounter with his brother. I had an uneasy feeling when it came to Asaf.

Across from the two brothers trashing each other, I  couldn't stop thinking about the way he had stared at me. He had almost ended up crying....

The reason behind him acting like that to seeing me was still very much unclear. But, I made up my mind to try and find out when the time was right.

Shaking my head, I pushed away the thoughts and unrevealed the cake in the basket.

Since I didn't get to eat the cake yesterday, I had expected it to be untouched. Which to my surprise it wasn't, making me wonder who had tasted it....

I came to a conclusion that it was probably Razza...

I put the basked back and left the kitchen. On the way out, I decided to try and avoid Walid today at any cost. I wasn't ready to face him yet. If I was going to be the strong girl in front of him, I needed time.

I was still a bit shaken from last night...

~

I tiptoed towards the stairs to see if someone was downstairs.

Fortunately, Walid was nowhere in sight. The empty house made me step down quietly and make my way towards the kitchen.

I had been hiding in my room all day long. It was already evening and I was hungry, wanting nothing more than food.

Earlier in the afternoon, I was seated by the sea until I heard Walid's car arrive. I was so stressed that I had quickly risen and hid behind a tree. After that I had made my way inside the house with much difficulty and succeeded in making a run to my room, without him hopefully noticing me.

Walid surprisingly hadn't looked for me all day either so I had been peacefully hiding in my room, reading through some magazines and pacing around the room.

However, the hunger got to me after long hours and I knew I had to eat something.

Which was why I was on a mission right now to try and get to the kitchen without meeting anyone on the way.

I looked behind me nervously and sighed in relief when no one was there. As soon I faced the door to the kitchen in front of me, I bumped into someone. My steps haltered back and I looked up to see who who it was.

I had tried so much to try and avoid him for the day...

"If you're going to be discreet, do it properly." He spoke, staring at me with the eyes that always made me feel so small in front of him.

"I wasn't...I'm busy....I mean I was busy. I had a lot to do. I was in the room and had a lot to do." I rambled, not knowing myself what I was saying out of nervousness.

"Yeah I guess you were scrubbing the floor in your room.." He trailed off, sounding impressed.

"Don't start." I let out in warning. "Where's uncle Razza?" I quickly asked. I hadn't seen Razza since he had left in the morning. I didn't know if he had returned after that.

"At his home, with his wife, probably busy having-"

"Stop it!" I shrieked, looking at him in fear.

"I was about to say busy having dinner." He stated, walking past me.

I knew he was playing with my mind again. I wished I could throw him to the wild animals in the forest. All my problems would've been solved that way.

"Are you hungry?" He asked suddenly. I swung around to see him seated on the wide couch.

"Yes." I scoffed.

"Okay. Get ready we will go out to eat." He announced.

"I'll eat at home." I stated firmly, walking up to him.

"So you are ready? I didn't know, I thought you would be more comfortable in normal clothes than sleep wear. But if you say so, let's go." He stood up and moved towards the door.

His behavior  made my anger boil and I walked up to the cupboard and picked up the vase.

"Okay, I'm coming." I said sweetly with a fake smile towards his back. I followed him and just as I was about to smash the vase on his head, he moved to the side and took a grip of my wrist. With his other hand he pulled the vase from my hand.

I stared at him in shock. How did he have such a quick reflex?

Or maybe he knew I was up to something since I just accepted his order happily.

Either way, I was annoyed with him. "You're breaking my heart by showing me so much love." He spoke sarcastically, letting go of my wrist and putting the vase on a random cupboard. "Save the love for later, it's still early in the evening."

~

I watched as Walid came back to the car with our food. He had obviously forced me to the car earlier and drove off. I had then told him clearly I wasn't going to get out of the car.

I was in my pink long stripped pj set with my fluffy robe that had hearts all over it. Not something I preferred wearing to a restaurant...

The door opened and I looked at him as he got in his seat before handing me the bag with my food in it.

I opened the bag and container as the smell of freshly cooked rice and chicken hit my nostrils.

Both of us ate our food in silence until he finally spoke up.

"There's a river with a waterfall nearby. I could take you there if you want." It felt like he had struggled a lot to say those words which left me shocked. "Since you are so obsessed with creepy seas and oceans that you start talking to the demons you see swimming there."

Of course. Of course he would taunt me. Here I had thought he had asked me a sincere question for the first time ever.

Also, how did he know...

"How do you know? Are you spying on me?" I asked, turning to him.

"Some of the demons are my friends. They inform me every time you go there and converse with them." He stated, his face holding not emotion.

"I hope they've not told you the secrets I've shared with them about all the ways I have planned to kill you." I said. "Take me to the river."

I took the last sip from my drink and put the containers in the bag, before putting away the bag.

I felt his eyes on the side of my face for a moment before he turned around and started the engine.

He started the journey towards the river and I tried hard to stay focused. I was going with him to the river as an enemy and nothing else.

He was playing one of his games again. I could see what he was trying to do. I wouldn't fall for the tricks...

The car ride was silent towards the river and the car came to a stop soon enough. Walid got out and I gulped in fear when I couldn't see anything outside. It was pitch black. With shaky hands I opened the door and made sure Walid was on my side of the car before getting down. I closed the door after me and frowned.

"What is this? Where is the river? The waterfall? I can't see anything!" I complained as I stepped towards him.

"Are you always this annoying?" He asked. I quickly rushed after him in the dark. I could barely see anything. "Never mind. I know the answer." He added when I opened my mouth to say something.

"Walid, can I hold your hand?" I shakily asked, trying hard to not sound scared but failing miserably as I glanced around in the darkness.

His footsteps stopped which made me stop too, not daring to move without him. He was silent for a moment and I literally couldn't make out where his face was or he himself, it was too dark.

I didn't understand why he had stopped. "What did you say?" I heard him ask.

"Can I hold your hand?"

"And before that?" He asked again, coming closer.

"Walid?" I said unsurely, feeling strange to say his name.

I had never called him that before...

There was a long silence and I felt him staring at me in the dark. "So, can I hold your hand or not?" I asked. Still silence. "Brother Lid?" I called, remembering the man that had called him that the other day. I heard him move forward and I quickly backed away. "Okay okay, I'm joking I won't say that again. I'm scared please." I pleaded helplessly as I stopped and looked around.

It was completely dark. No source of light anywhere. My heart started beating faster when I couldn't hear or feel his presence anywhere near me.

"Where are you?" I let out, sounding very scared. "It's no time for a joke. I'm scared!" I said, feeling close to crying as I wrapped my robe tighter around me.

Suddenly I felt his presence behind me and I smelt his cologne in the air. How had he moved without making even the tiniest sound?

"Don't be." He said, from behind me. One of his arms wrapped from behind around my shoulders and in the scared state that I was in, I clutched it for dear life as I leaned back against him. I didn't understand what I was doing. The darkness was scaring me too much for me to be sane. "Walk." He ordered.

His hand across my chest suddenly moved and his fingers intertwined my mine, holding my hand tightly.

The gesture made my heart almost jump out of my chest but I tried to stay calm and focus on trying to find my way in the darkness.

I started walking with him still holding my hand across my chest as we walked in silence. I could soon hear the sound of the water, making me realizing we were finally getting close.

He stopped suddenly and let go of my hand as he unwrapped his arm from around me, exposing me to the cold.

I watched as light suddenly emerged from the other side when he pushed away a big heavy branch connected to many other branches.

My eyes widened in excitement as I rushed forward. The moonlight was finally showing, showering it's blessings on the river.

There were a few lamps placed around illuminating around the river. My eyes took in the scene and I grinned widely. The water fall was the most beautiful one I had ever seen. The water looked so clear and beautiful even in the dark.

"Oh my God." I let out, not being able to control my emotions. I rushed excitedly towards the river, wanting to feel the water.

Forgetting everything around me, I took of my sandals and placed my feet in the water. The water was very cold, making my old wounds sting a bit.

However, It didn't take long before my feet got used to it and I smiled happily as I made my way towards the water fall.

I sat down on the big stone beside it, the sound of it's heavy storms scaring me a bit. I felt happiness for the first time after a long time.

Just watching this place gave me the peace that I knew I needed. It was such a beautiful place. I was happy we visited it during the dark, because the dark just enhanced it's beauty more. It looked magical.

I spent some time sitting by the waterfall and enjoying the wild atmosphere until I remembered that I wasn't alone...

I swung around and looked for Walid, worry taking over me. My eyes landed on his frame leaning against a tree a bit away from me, making me sigh in relief.

The lamp beside him illuminated on his face. I almost shivered at the intense way he was staring at me. It felt like he would break me in pieces just with his gaze.

It was like he wasn't aware of anything else. Just staring at me with thoughts in his mind that I would never find out about.

What was going on in his mind....

I stood up and walked up to him. His gaze didn't move as he held it firmly on me when I stopped in front of him. I couldn't help but smile at the joy I was feeling.

"Thank you for bringing me here." I said.

His eyes suddenly dropped to my lips as I spoke, making me shift awkwardly. He looked back up at my eyes as if he had come back from a long trance. "This place is good for your grave right? In case you annoy me too much one day and I decide to kill you." He asked seriously.

My smile dropped and my anger returned. "Can't you ever say something nice to me!" I let out, glaring daggers at him.

"Okay. I'll try." He nodded understandingly. "You have a great body."

My jaw dropped and I moved forward to lunge at him but he caught my arms and turned me around. He pinned me against the tree and my heart did a faint jump. His eyes moved down to my lips again and I panicked.

However, I couldn't find the courage to move as he leaned in towards me. My legs and arms seemed to have given up. I closed my eye and waited for the worst to happen.

"I'll burry you under this tree, and water it every year on our anniversary." He whispered in my ear.

Those words...I had told him that on the first day of our marriage. He remembered...

I watched him back away and give me a satisfied look. He enjoyed seeing me like that. Helpless, flustered and looking like a mess.

I had told myself many times that next time he tried something like that I would not allow it. But I failed miserably every time to stand up for myself because of the shock that always take over me when he gets close to me.

"Shall we?" He finally said, motioned to the side. I tried to control my uneven breathing and stared at him before stomping away, my face probably flushed red. "That will keep her inside for tomorrow." He mused to himself, making me stop.

"What did you say?" I asked, turning to him.

"I said be careful." He lied, approaching me.

I wanted to curse at him but kept cool and took one last look at the river before walking closely beside him towards the car.