The Bride He Lured

A high profile party, 2

The air stiffened at once as lightning struck the flat top of the mountain in the man-made island.

“My mum is perfectly fine, what are you saying? “

For the first time, Rosa could detect fright in his voice as he let go of Amira’s waist.

“I think we should go back home,” Amira suggested.

“You cannot travel back now, Zayn,” James warned,“Your mom is already receiving the treatment she needs.”

“Let's go; don't listen to him!” Amira spoke, dressed in a black lacey evening dress while she pulled Zayn by his hand.

“Your mother was definitely stressed about the whole blog thing; clear it up, then you can leave early. She'd be relieved to hear that.” James debated.

“You want to know what Mrs. Sterling was stressed about?” Amira dropped Zayn’s hand to come stand in front of Rosa, who was lost in reality.

“This. This is what she was stressed about.” She poked Rosa's exposed chest repeatedly with her French nails.

“She has no social status, no career, and she lost her first son; now you have come for the other one!” Amira spoke in a very high tone, pushing Rosa violently.

Rosa stiffened as her head spiraled at the words. Unclear and puzzled memories from ten years ago flashed in her head.

Holding her face, she almost tripped, but James saved her on time.

“Let's go.” Amira held Zayn by the arm, and they began to walk away.

“It's the right thing; the universe is saving you from introducing this disgrace as your wife.” She added.

“I still think you should see the guest before you leave.” His best friend's words echoed loudly from his back.

“Mrs. Sterling had invited these guests to an impromptu party, and they honored it. It would be very bad if both of you didn't show up.”

Zayn stood still now before gently removing his arm from Amira's grip.

Letting out a breath of relief, James smiled before looking on to Rosa, who looked tense and unsure.

“You'd be fine,” He held her shoulders, holding contact with her beautiful puppy orbs.

“Let's go before I change my mind,” Zayn announced, making his friend step back with a fulfilled smile.

“You both look so good together,” James giggled, covering his mouth with both hands.

“Pardon?” Zayn asked, raising a brow with his hands around Rosa's well-defined waist.

“Oh, it’s nothing!”

“She is responsible for Zeror’s death, and you're going to introduce her to them as your wife?” Amira roared as loud as she could.

“Unbelievable!” She added, clearly displeased.

“Given that these people don't even know Zeror or Rosa, we should be safe from any gossip unless—” James paused.

“There is a mouse in the house.” He concluded, his gaze fixed at Amira.

Zayn opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“Let's get this over with.” He finally found words, and James went ahead to signal the event coordinator.

The arena was simple and dreamy as the smell of some luxurious wine and cocktails filled the air.

Ladies and gentlemen, mostly in groups and duos scattered all around in the most simple but classy attires.

“Please, let's put hands together for the couple,” the MC announced as Zayn and Rosa walked majestically down the red carpet.

“Your grip around my arm is tight. Are you scared?” He teased the bride.

“Yes,” she answered audibly to him alone amidst the claps.

“Explains your failed acting career. You have social anxiety.” Zayn whispered in Rosa's ear as they walked down the aisle.

“You're scared too.” Rosa whispered feathery in his ears.

“Ridiculous,” he scoffed.

“You know you are.” She replied, and Zayn just rolled his eyes at her, “Not another word from you.”

“They have such a beautiful synchronization,” a female guest whispered as she clapped passionately.

As later planned, everything was snappy as Rosa watched Zayn’s pretentious smile.

His grip around her waist never changed as he made a toast to her and introduced her to the audience.

“What a pleasure to meet you.” A man with a white beard came over with a younger woman by his side.

The man looked at her seductively in a way that made her skin crawl. She glued her eyes to the ground and tightened her hold on Zayn’s arm.

His shoulder tensed up at the sight of the man too.

"What a beautiful woman you've got by your side, Dr. Zayn. I am sorry about Mrs. Sterling."

So Zayn was a doctor? Rosa wondered. An academic or medical one?

“You're not supposed to be here,” Zayn gritted through closed teeth.

“Yet here I am, with my plus one too. Doesn't the bride know?”

“Know what?” Rosa looked in between the two men that sandwiched her.

“It's nothing.” Zayn answered in a defensive tone.

“I came to tell you to release my goods or else___.” The man began to trace his short, fat fingers along Rosa's smooth face.

“Keep your hands off my wife.” Zayn warned.

“Or else, I'd make this one my slut.”

Before he could end his sentence, Zayn's angry fist met his face. “How dare you disrespect my wife?” He roared.

Rosa's shoulder went cold as everything happened so fast. The man was receiving the beating of his life from her husband and just stared, puzzled.

The so-called “plus one” hurried away from the scene, and Rosa thought, “She has had her share of Zayn’s beast, but this?”

Why was he so provoked?

“Zayn, what are you doing?” Amira stepped forward in the circle now surrounding the sudden ferocious fight.

“Stay out of this!” He pushed her away immediately after her hand touched his back in an attempt to persuade him to stop fighting.

In shock at Zayn's action toward her, Amira stumbled backwards uncontrollably but was caught by Rosa on time.

For the brief moment that both of their eyes met, Rosa saw resentment in Amira’s eyes before she snatched herself away.

“Zayn!” Rosa called out.

“Zayn let him go!” Rosa screamed as desperately as she could, seeing how he repeatedly broke the elder man's nose with his fist.

As if shot back to reality, he froze on top of the older man, who now laughed at his face. “You like this one,” he said to Zayn.

Another fist was about to meet his face, but Rosa held it on time.

“I think it's time you leave to see your mom.” She whispered as some men came over to help the man beneath Zayn.

Amira watched in displeasure as her blood boiled. “What happened here?“ James said from behind her.

He had just been away to use the toilet for a while.

She just turned to eye him before leaving with a long face, agitated and resentful.

“You will pay for this, Zayn!” She gritted bitterly, remembering every detail of his arm on Rosa's body, holding her proudly.

“what do you want me to do? " An anonymous man dressed in black suit asked behind her.

" Release those photos to the media. Let Zayn explain why he is secretly married to the girlfriend and murderer of his twin! "