Baraq's head jerked to his left side. His cheek burned and he blinked once, twice, thrice before his mind registered what has happened.

Layla has slapped him.

"You, piece of of meat. You lied to me." She grind her molars and ignored the pain searing into her jaw. Fisting her burqa in one hand she raised her hand to slap him again, butbfind any courage to do it for the second time.

"Because, I never felt attracted to you." He mumbles out loud, hesitating on his own words.

"Who taught you that marriage is all about attraction? No, you know what? I am done here. I don't want to even talk to you." Layla grits out and turn her face away from him and begins to walk out from the room.

"Layla, honey, we can't turn away from Baraq. Even if he is arrogant. We have to take help from him. Because, unfortunately he got all magic that we don't have." Nazreena says out loud and walks to Layla.

She keeps her hand on Layla's shoulder and grips it in her firm grip.

"You can stay here. Or if you want Hafsa can send you back."

"No, it would be too much of a hassle. And I kind of want to finish this all and get my family back." Layla ignores Baraq, whose cheek is still stinging.

"Za'al, go ahead and prepare her room."
"What about me?" Baraq questions with drown marring on his features.

"Totally depends on you. If you want you can also stay. Prepare his room, too."

The huge shadow, nods and flies into the corridor disappearing into thin mist.

"Now, please take some rest. And I will you call you both once when the dinner is ready." 

They both nod on her words and began to walk after Hafsa gestures them to. Hafsa guides them into the wide corridors with everything ancient adorned on the sides of the walls and corners.

Baraq opens and closes his mouth like a fish. He never felt any regret in his life, but now after seeing Layla's reaction he surely felt as if he did a great mistake. He surely did it. It was a grave mistake.

"Layla," the moment he letbout the words. Outbof no where he was shoved the into the wall, an elbow digging in his throat making it difficult for him breath.

"No,"

"You don't Layla me. You lose all the right to do that."

"L-let m-e sp-eak." He says with difficulty feeling trying to get her hand off of him. But even she was surprised with her own strength.

"No," she glares at him and jerks away from his body as if his closeness has burned her.
He coughs out and massages his neck. His eyes raises at her, as if seeing her for the first time.

"You were never like this." He whispers, his yellow sandy eyes boring holes in her forehead.

"You don't get to label me what I am like and what not. Hafsa, please guide me." Grumbling under her breath he walks making Hafsa guide her quietly.

"You are being hard on him." Hafsa mutters in the quiet corridor.

"Hard. You are talking about hard. Then let me tell you something. When I was alone, he was never there. Never." She grits out and silence follows after.

Baraq looks at her and just blinks his eyes. Only if she knew. His throat tightens as he silently fell into steps behind them, words itching to come out of his throat, but he gulps them down and walked behind them.

"This is yours." Hafsa guides her into a room, it was smaller than Nazreena's, but was still quite big for her.

Layla nods her head in appreciation and enters the room. Gloom surrounds her as she closes the door of the room on Baraq's face. He didn’t move, didn’t wince just stays rooted on his place.

"And this one is your." Hafsa says, opposite to the room of Layla and goes away from there.

Layla huffs aloud and removes her niqab and Abaya. Her white pajamas feels casual and familiar on her skin as she plops on the mattress. Her eyes sting, from all the overwhelming emotions, and her head feels dizzy. A lone tear slips from her eyes as she closes them and let's out a breath from her shaky lips.

Tears dampened her face as her shoulders shake and she cries on the truth of her destiny.

"Why?" A sole murmur escapes from her lips as she wipes her face. Dizziness and darkness envelops her form, taking her to the land of dreams.

"Why Baraq?"

A whisper ring in her ears, as she finally fell in the pit.
Outside of the room, Baraq caresses the door of her room and slides down on the door.

"Oh, Layla."

"How do I tell you the truth?" He whispers seeing the dark evening clouds taking over the sky. His head leaned on the door, and his right knees points towards the ceiling as breaths into the calming breeze of evening.

He felt horrible feeling engulfing his heart when Nazreena was telling Layla the truth, but soon a calming relief spread out on his cold heart.

Atleast, she knows now.

"I would have told you earlier, if I wasn't bound by by my ego. I would have told. That I was, uhm, am your husband." He mumbles into quite of of darkness.

Silence engulfs his form as he pressed his hands together on his eyes.

"I stayed."

"I always stayed with you."

His words rumbles against the soft breeze as he finally admits the truth.