8. The Unsolvable Puzzle

I was playing with that twinkling diamond ring which was still with me. A very strong evidence that explains my deception, a reminder that I was really at the Church. Since my mind was still numb, still froze that's why I was feeling lost. Although, I ran out of there safely, but this could not solve the whole problem.

I was locked in my dorm room. The wedding dress was there on my bed. The shoes were there as well. I didn't fully wash away the makeup either even though it had been twenty four hours since the wedding. I was no more audacious enough to face the world. I was too scared, too dreadful to do that.

I was thankful that Carol was not here or else it would be difficult to hide this from her. I was feeling safe here in my room as if nothing was wrong, nothing really happened. My phone rang all day, but I didn't check. It would be probably Andrew, probably Carol calling me. I didn't go to that mansion for cooking either.

The biggest question that was bothering me, that was creeping me out – Did I get married to that man yesterday?

Samara came back, but she was late. I hurried out of the Church and after that I didn't know what happened. Ashar pronounced Samara as his wife throughout all the wedding vows, but I didn't take those vows on her behalf. It was me who was standing against him. It was me, who got the ring from him, so it means I was now Ashar's wife?

My body trembled at the thought. If the answer to this question was yes then I didn't have many days left. Hobsons would kill me for this betrayal. My heart was feeling so heavy that I had troubled breathing. I couldn't be married to him. The officiant said Samara's name over and over again during all the vows and verses.

I had made such big promises in the Church that they were upsetting me. I was not very religious, but those marriage vows are so holy and sacred, you can't just let it pass. I was lying in the Church, in front of God, making fake promises. It could be count as a great sin. I was screwed for life certainly.

Sniffling, I sat up and dried the moisture from my cheeks. I unlocked my phone and went through my call history. There were few text messages from Carol, few missed calls from Andrew, Samara and Carol. I sent a quick message to Andrew apologizing for my absence and that I would come for the breakfast tomorrow. After that, I arranged a meeting with Samara through a text. She was the only one who could solve this bothersome puzzle, whether was I married to Ashar Hobsons or not.

After this meeting, I would just leave my job. I would leave this mansion. I didn't want to work for them anymore. My life was at stake and this could be the only way to save myself for now. I had to go out of this room and find a solution to get rid of this.

💙

Next day, early in the morning, I assembled the shoes, wedding gown and put them in a shopping bag. I was going to return everything to their rightful owner. The strong fear was constantly fluttering in my stomach, making me weak. I was going to the mansion and it was not easy to pretend normal there. I could not hide my fright.

Half an hour later, I arrived at the mansion and walked through the front yard with that shopping bag in my hand. The cold sweat on my forehead increased, when I saw Ashar and Samara wandering in the garden. My face became pale as Ashar's face replayed the whole Church incident in my head.

It was my first time seeing him in the mansion. If I knew he was Samara's fiancé, I would've never agreed to her scam. He was in casual clothes; crew neckline, plain tee shirt and loose trousers. Whereas, Samara was wearing a mini sundress that was lightly blowing along with her hair due to soft morning breeze. They were chattering to each other. Both of them were smiling. Samara looked so carefree and relax that angered me a little. She shouldn't be like this when her whole marriage with Ashar was a question mark.

Ashar moved his head. His gaze caught me. The smile on his face slowly faded, replaced by a confusion. I winced, tightening my grip on the shopping bag I was holding. Ignoring him, I began walking straight to the inside of the house.

"Hey you, wait."

I squeezed my eyes shut, muttering some swear words under breath. I turned around and saw Ashar and Samara both were standing two steps away from me. Fear was evident in Samara's eyes. I and her both were avoiding eye contact.

Ashar raised his finger at me, "You..." He looked bemused and astonished at the same time, "You're the same girl, right I met at the Dalton Royal? I spilled my drink on your clothes."

My brows rose. He remembered me...

Samara shot him a surprised look, "Do you both know each other?"

He turned his head to his side, putting his finger down, "Not really." He looked at me again, studying my appearance, "What are you doing at my house?"

I stiffened, trying to stop my body from shaking. He could recognize me. I rubbed my temples and stole a glimpse of his face. He frowned, definitely noticing my uneasiness. Samara answered for me, "She is the cook at your house, don't you know?"

With widened eyes, Ashar looked at Samara, "What? It means she is the same cook Mom is keep blabbering about these days, young girl with pretty eyes?"

His words knocked my socks off. That's really how Katherine described me to him? A faint smile touched the corners of his lips, "I'm surprised. Do you remember me?"

Before he could further interrogate me, I said, "I...I should go now. I'm getting late."

He opened his mouth to say something, but I moved around and started walking in the opposite direction.

"What's wrong with her? She seems nervous." I heard Ashar questioned.

Instead of answering to his question, Samara voiced out her own query to him, "Where did you see her?"

I stepped into the foyer of the house so I didn't hear their conversation further.

💙

"Couldn't you act confidently? Ashar was annoying me with his questions that why I was so nervous and shaking during the vows."

I was with Samara at the nearby cafe, after preparing breakfast for the family.

I snapped, "How can you expect me to be relaxed in such a situation? Why you came so late?"

"I didn't come late. I was just unable to come to you."

"What do you mean?"

"I was waiting for the right moment, stupid. There were so many people and the security cameras. I was thinking of a safe way to implement my plan. I was there watching the whole ceremony." She elaborated.

Her hairs were tied up in to a loose ponytail and her face had no makeup, still, she was looking beautiful with her original facial features. I could completely feel why Ashar liked her. He must have attracted towards her amazing beauty.

"How did you manage to arrange a dress on such a short notice?"

"I had a similar dress which was not completely same, but it was good enough for that little time." She grabbed her steaming coffee cup and brought it against her mouth.

I put that shopping bag on the table, "It has the dress and the shoes. So what you've decided further?"

"I don't know." She shrugged, put her cup down on the table and grabbed the bag.

"What?" I stared at her in disbelief, "Here I'm so stressed out and keep thinking whether I should call myself Ashar's wife or not and look at you, so relaxed."

"Don't you dare think that you're married to him." She clarified rudely, "I'm the real wife."

I shook my head at her annoyingly, "You can't call yourself married, Samara. You've missed almost all of the ceremony."

She was sounding like that I was interested in calling myself Ashar Hobsons wife. This woman had some serious mental issues. Anger overcame me so I pulled out the ring from my pants' pocket and placed it on the table, "This is the proof that shouts you're not married to him. He put that ring in my finger in front of minister, in front of two thousand guests."

Her eyes widened. She immediately grabbed that ring and put it in her finger. I rolled my eyes.

I continued, "I think you should tell him everything. Our silence is not going to solve the matter. You came late, Samara. This all happened because of you. I tried to delay the wedding."

"Alright. Stop blabbering." She interrupted my pleading, "The priest said my name during all the wedding vows and Ashar took all the vows with my name. He didn't declare Sanaya to be his wife, but Samara as his wife. And about that ring, he has already proposed me with the ring prior our wedding, so if he put a ring in your finger, that doesn't make you his wife, he was just doing it because it was a part of the ritual."

Whatever she was saying was right? I wished it to be. But, a man and woman in Church declare each other husband and wife, in front of God and guests. It was me who said 'I do' and accepted Ashar as my husband, although, it was a lie. I lied every word I said in the Church.

"So you mean all those wedding vows are meaningless to you? Couples who go to the Church and declare each other husband and wife, they do it just for fun? And you mean that couples can send other people at their place to the Church to take vows for them?" I argued.

Even, if I was not his wife as she said, still she couldn't call herself his wife either. She could not live and act like Ashar's wife. Her relaxed attitude was giving me creeps. She hadn't planned anything to solve this mess.

"What about the documents that I have signed on your behalf, how are you going to hide that from everyone?"

"What documents?" She became confused, "I thought the problem was solved."

"Your father forced me to sign them. I couldn't escape from it." I clarified.

"You cheat." She smacked her palms on the table loudly and stood up, "I can't believe this. You're doing everything purposely right, taking advantage of this situation? I should've known girls like you can't be trusted who always find ways to trap rich guys. But listen, I can't let you win."

Anger contorted my face. She was crossing the line. I didn't expect her to behave this way when I'd given her a huge favor and risked my life in the process. Instead of thanking me she doubted on my integrity. I didn't even know Ashar personally and here she thought that I wanted to marry him.

I was thinking she was going to defend me if truth comes out, but seeing her like this further escalating my anxiety. She was showing her back to me. I shouldn't have helped her, listened to her. What I've got in return? An unwanted, confused marriage with the person who had no clue about the mess he was in.

I argued with Samara for about next fifteen minutes and tried to make her understand that it was not my fault that I ended up signing the papers. It was her Dad's pressure.

"I've thought of resigning from Hobsons. But, first please give me the confirmation that I'm not married to Ashar Hobsons. I would leave and never show you my face as I have no plans to come back here ever again." I said.

I'd already begun searching for rental apartment. Soon, I would be shifting from school dormitory. By hearing Samara, I understood that she was inconsiderate, she was only thinking about herself. I think she was not serious about her own marriage.

"You're not his wife. Stop saying that." She reminded me again, "Moreover, you can't go anywhere right now. First, let me get those papers which you have signed. Let me find out what those papers were about, after that, I would like you to leave."