chapter2
584 Words
A soft click pierced through her screams.A small flame flickered from an expensive metallic lighter, illuminating for a few brief seconds a set of sharp, chiseled masculine features—a strong jawline carved with precision—before moving to light the tip of a cigar. The man took a deep drag, then exhaled slowly. The smoke curled upward, wrapping the darkness in the rich scent of fine tobacco mixed with a heavy, masculine cologne.He leaned back against the luxurious pillows, watching her panic and terror with complete detachment. His eyes gleamed with cold amusement, as if he were enjoying a private theatrical performance he had just paid handsomely to watch—and had no intention of letting it end too soon.Real fear gripped Asia, paralyzing her thoughts. This man wasn’t behaving like a kidnapper afraid of scandal or the police. No… he looked like the master of this domain, a king upon his throne.She spun around frantically, hands flailing in the darkness, desperately searching for any piece of clothing to cover her n***d body so she could flee this monster lounging on the bed. She took a hasty step forward, still screaming at the silent figure:“Stay away from me! Don’t you dare come closer—I’m warning you!”She whirled around, searching for the door, for any way out. In her blind rush, she didn’t notice the massive wooden wardrobe looming in her path.Thud.Her forehead slammed violently against the sharp edge of the wardrobe. A blinding white flash exploded before her eyes. Her balance shattered, and she began to fall toward the cold marble floor——but the floor never caught her.Before she could hit the ground, two powerful arms, hard as iron, shot out from the darkness and wrapped around her waist with swift, practiced precision. They pulled her back up, pressing her trembling body against a broad, solid chest that rose and fell with calm, commanding strength.She whimpered in pain, raising a shaky hand to her injured forehead. Her head spun violently. It felt as though that brutal impact had suddenly rearranged the shattered pieces of the puzzle inside her mind.The image of “Sami Salman” and the white wedding dress dissolved like smoke. In their place emerged the face of the man now holding her.She slowly opened her eyes. In the faint, glowing light of the cigar ember between his lips, she stared at the stern face so close to hers. She blinked several times, her eyes scanning her surroundings. The terror in her gaze vanished abruptly, replaced by utter confusion. A faint, childlike, almost silly smile touched her lips.“Yaqub…?” she whispered softly, familiarly. “Yaqub Al-Rashid?”She wrapped her arms around his neck with affection and murmured, “What happened? Why are we in the dark?”Then, with deep frustration, she whispered:“It happened again… didn’t it?”For a single second, the strong arms around her waist stiffened. His chest hardened. The cold, mocking look in Yaqub’s eyes disappeared, replaced by something deeper—dark, burning, a turbulent mix of frustration and cruelty.He lowered his head until his hot breath brushed against her lips. A cold, sarcastic smile curved his mouth as he said in a low, razor-sharp voice:“Welcome back to reality, Fayroz…I was wondering how long it would take this time before you stopped living in your delusions… and realized you’re not anyone’s bride.You belong to me—in the world of Yaqub Al-Rashid.”
- Writer
