Wrong situationâshe should be worried, but instead, she's boosting herself up. What can I even say to this girl now?
I roll my eyes so hard they might just disappear into the back of my head. I stop myself from scolding her for giggling and acting all shy when she really shouldn't be.
"Ziyan, just thinkâif two people had the guts to stalk me, imagine how many weaker ones must be suffering in silence, hiding their admiration for me. I can't even imagine how many have a one-sided crush on me." She flips her hair over her shoulder dramatically, then suddenly narrows her eyes at me. "Wait... you're a boy too. Are you hiding your feelings for me?"
She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively, scooting closer with a creepy grin.
I push her away without a word and stand up to change out of these tight, uncomfortable clothes.
"You don't have to worry, though." Her voice follows me, smug and teasing. "You're not included in those heartbroken boys because I'm your wife now."
I turn to glare at her, but seeing her grinning like an idiot, I end up turning away instead, hiding the chuckle that escapes me.
A knock on the door interrupts our nonsense, and I quickly move forward to open it, finding Laiba Aunty standing there with a pair of clothes.
I step aside to let her in, but she remains in place.
"How are Hafsa and Nisma?" I ask as I take the clothes from her.
"They've calmed down. The others are trying to lighten the mood." She lowers her voice, glancing past me. "How is Ziah?"
I look over my shoulder at my wife, who's lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.
"She's fine now. No need to worry." I give Aunty a reassuring nod. "And please don't tell Uncle and Aunty. They'll worry too much, and Uncle's already had a stressful day."
Aunty nods, offering a small smile. "Fuzail said he'll handle everything. You don't need to worry."
I hum in response before bidding her goodnight, reminding her to take care of my mother. Once she leaves, I close the door and turn to Ziah.
"Here." I toss the clothes onto the bed. "Laiba Aunty brought these for you. I'll change first, then you can."
When she doesn't respond, I leave her to her thoughts and head to the bathroom.
After a quick change into grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt, I step out to find Ziah still lying in the same position, fiddling with her fingers.
"What's going on in that little brain of yours?" I drop the towel onto the chair and walk toward the bed.
She finally speaks, her voice quieter than usual. "I was thinking about what I saw written in your room today."
I sit beside her. "What did you see?"
"In big, bold, red paint, right above your bedâit said, 'Leave him, or you're dead.'" She turns to face me, her brows drawn together. "If he's my stalker, that means he admires me. If he's my secret admirer, that means he loves me. And if he loves me, why would he threaten to kill me?"
She makes a fair point.
"Hmm, true." I nod. "I guess he's the type of psycho who thinks, 'If I can't have her, no one can.'"
She sits up with a pout. "That's so ugly."
"You don't need to stress over this, Ziah. Let me handle it." I ruffle her hair, earning a groan of protest.
"Fine, but I still feel bad for all those poor souls who have a one-sided crush on me."
Not this again.
"You never answered meâare you one of them?"
I cut her off before she can continue. "I'm tired. Go change now, or I'm turning off the lights."
She giggles, enjoying this, before hopping off the bed.
Right as she steps into the bathroom, her head peeks out again. "Ziyan?"
I hum in response.
"The bathroom is too big and lonely. If I don't reply when you call me twice, come check, okay? And I'm not locking the door, so don't come in."
I shake my head with a smile, but the thought unsettles me. She's scared to even use the bathroom alone because of that damn creep. I swear his days are numbered.
"I'm here, Ziah. Just change quickly."
She smiles before disappearing inside. I keep my eyes on the door, lost in thought about what she said.
"Ziyan!"
My heart nearly jumps out of my chest at her sudden scream. I rush toward the door, knocking urgently. "Ziah? Are you okay? Can I come in?"
A whine answers me. "Ziahâ"
"Yes, come in," she finally says, her voice quieter.
I open the door slowly, warning her so she isn't startled.
"What's wrong?" I step inside, only to be met with an irritated Ziah standing in the middle of the room. Her long hair is loose, her dupatta is on the floor, and her jewelry is removed.
I think I'm seeing too much skin for the first time.
Her neckline isn't even that deep, but it gives me a clear view of her collarbones. I gulp, suddenly feeling warm. My eyes force themselves up to hers, trying to ignore the fact that my brain is short-circuiting.
"What is it, Ziah?" I take a step forward, and she pats her waist. "I asked Hafsa to tie my skirt tight since it was loose, and she tied it so tightly that I am not able to untie it now," she huffs, and as if she isn't standing in front of a man, she lifts her blouse to her waist to show me the knot. I choke on my saliva when her slim waist comes into view.
Coughing out a little, I walk towards her to help, dragging myself towards danger.
"Iâlet me try." Gulping down a ball of air, I crouch down to have my face right near her waist. I try my hardest to not concentrate on her smooth, milky skin but on the knot, which is tangled even more because she must have tried to remove it forcefully. I shut my eyes when the urge to run my fingers over her smooth skin creeps through my body, but I calm myself down.
As I try to untangle the knot, my fingers brush against her smooth skin so much that I feel like I might be making her uncomfortable, but when I look up, I see her eyes fixed on this stupid knot. To my great relief, no discomfort can be seen on her face.
"Should I call someone?" I rest my palm on her lower back as I ask her, since I can't remove it.
"They will be sleeping. I don't want them to be disturbed again because of me." She huffs with a pout on her baby lips. Her lips look so soft, so pink, that I want toâ
Never mind.
I mentally roll my eyes at my own perverted mind but clear my throat to speak. "Do you want me to chop it off with scissors?"
Her eyes widen hearing me.
"Do you even know how much this dress costs?" She slaps my head as if I just said something sinful.
"How much?" I raise my eyebrow as if I don't knowâwhen I was the one who paid for it. Knowing she wouldn't, I question her, and she lifts her chin to think.
"UmâI don't know the exact amount, but I am sure it costs more than me, so don't you dare think of harming my wedding dress." She glares at me, and I roll my eyes.
Not finding any other way to remove it, I lean forward but pause when she flinches as my lips brush against her waist. I hold her still when I feel her squirming before removing the knot with my teeth, and within a few seconds, the knot loosens. I look up to see her wide-eyed, her cheeks bright red, as she nibbles her lower lip nervously, looking around innocently.
I rub her smooth skin with my thumb where my lips had touched, both unfortunately and fortunately for me. Pulling the knot one last time, it flies open, and her hands snap down to hold it in place. A chuckle escapes my lips at her adorable, flushed-up face.
I do not torture the girl anymore and move towards the door to leave.
A few minutes later, while I doze off in bed, the washroom door creaks open, and I see Ziah through my half-opened eyes, her figure walking towards me.
She looks freer and more comfortable after removing her makeup and heavy clothes.
When I see her standing near the bed, fiddling with her fingers, I rub my tired eyes but open them. "Why are you standing there?" I ask the girl who was never hesitant with me but looks way too hesitant today.
"Ziah," I call again, my voice deep and sleepy.
"Where should I sleep?" she innocently asks.
"Where do you want to sleep?" I raise my eyebrows, noticing her staring at my bed.
"Come here." I pat the empty space on the left, which I left for her. I'm sure she feels uncomfortable sleeping with meâof course, she would. We were close, but not so close that we shared a bed. When I was a kid, I used to sleep in her bed, but that was then. Things change as we grow up. If nothing had changed, they would have married us off long ago, seeing us so close.
"I can sleep on the ground if you want. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable," she speaks in a quiet voice, but the silent room allows me to hear her clearly.
"Are you uncomfortable sleeping here?" I ask, ignoring her question.
She hesitantly shakes her head, telling me she doesn't know what to say. Knowing she's more concerned about my comfort than her own, I call her again.
"Come here, Ziah." I ask her once more. She nibbles on her lower lip nervously before joining me.
I so want to laugh at her shy state, but I keep my mouth shut, knowing how much of a jerk I'll look like if I make fun of her right now.
"Do you want to sleep alone? I can sleep with Fuzail in the next room. You just have to give me a nod, Ziah," I assure her, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable.
But she quickly shakes her head, her cheeks catching a tint of red.
"Hmm, then sleep. You had a long day." I reach out, caressing her head before gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"Good night," she mumbles before pulling the sheets up and disappearing under them.
Letting out a sigh of tiredness, I close my eyes. Sleeping in the same bed for the first time should have felt awkward, but surprisingly, it isn't. It's... comfortable. The soft rhythm of her breathing lulls me into a deep slumber.
Next Morning
A yawn leaves my lips as I stretch my tired body. Rubbing my eye with my knuckles, I sit up.
My head turns towards the sleeping figure who has taken up half of the space, sleeping like a queen. My finger unknowingly moves toward her hair, gently pushing aside the soft, smooth strands that have sprawled out of her messy bunâjust like her body, sprawled across the bed.
I stare at her beautiful face for a good minute. I don't know why, but I love staring at her face while talking to her. I love when she looks into my eyes as she speaks, even if it only lasts for five seconds.
The way her cheeks redden when I keep my gaze on her only makes me laugh at her cuteness, but I can't help but take in every inch of her features. I don't want to miss any expression she gives.
Caressing her cheekbone one last time, I stand up to freshen up.
8:30 AM
"Fuzail, after breakfast, you're coming with me to the office," I inform Fuzail, who is giggling with Naim about something.
Everyone is seated at the dining table, having breakfastâexcept for Ziah, who is still sleeping. I already told them not to wake her up and to let her sleep until she wakes up on her own. They all nodded, though they questioned me, but my cousin's teasing glance does not go unnoticed.
"What? You're going to the office today? Darling, let me remind you, in case it slipped your mind, that you got married yesterday. Give your wife your time," Fuzail's mom glares at me while serving lunch to her husband.
"Mamma, I am with you! I agree." Fuzail nods at his mom, throwing a thumbs-up toward her.
"I have some work to deal with. I'll come back as soon as possible, Aunty," I explain politely, and she shakes her head.
"No is a no. You're not going."
I don't say anything and just munch on my food, my thoughts drifting to everything that happened yesterday. I'm so lost in thought that I don't hear Mamma's voice.
When she gives my hand a pat, I look at her.
"Sorry?" I apologize, asking her to repeat.
"Is the work important, Ziyan?" Mamma, who is sitting beside me, asks.
"Yes," I nod, and she hums.
"Is it about Ziah?" She reads me like no one else, and I give her another subtle nod.
"It is," I sigh, looking at Aunty, who is watching us. "I promise I'll come back soon and will do whatever you say. For now, I have to go, Aunty."
I stand up when I see her nodding.
"Fuzail? I remember asking you to join me," I call out, looking at him as he whispers something in Naim's ear, making him giggle. That little brat took a leave from school way too easily, using the excuse of being too tired after the wedding.
"Yeah, yeah, coming. When I come back, we'll talk about other things." He waves at my brothers, grabbing a sandwich before rushing toward me. Soon, we leave the house.
"May I know why you all have invited yourselves to my room?" I raise an eyebrow as I enter my office with Fuzail, who immediately runs toward Max, pulling him into a big hug.
I don't just see EricâI see Mateo and Ziah's friend too.
"Hello, sir. I am Zachary, you can call me Zach," the guy who I assume is Ziah's friend grins, giving me a slight bow.
"I'm sorry, lover boy, I didn't ask your permission to call them, but I wanted Max for a reason, and he walked in with this handsome hunk," Zach smirks, gesturing toward the "handsome hunk"âwho rolls his eyes.
I couldn't help but roll mine as well at the way he calls me lover boy.
"And may I know the reason why you called them?" I raise an eyebrow, stepping forward, only to see my two employees quickly take a step back.
"I have some work with them. Let's talk. I've got some information."
At the word information, I immediately move forward to sit on the couch beside Zach, who startles, clearly not expecting me to sit there. He jumps to the other couch.
"Hmm, what information did you get?" I ask Eric, who is holding a bag of chips. I control myself from snatching it and throwing it away at how unprofessional he is being.
"What happened yesterdayâ"
Before he can continue, Zach interrupts.
"How is Ziah? I heard that fucker did something again to my friend?" Zach moves forward, cursing in a flow.
"She's doing good now," I nod at him. His hard expression relaxes, and Max, sitting beside him, leans his head on his shoulder for comfortâonly for Zach to push him away with a groan.
"So what happened yesterday was done by a guy. A man is behind this," Eric says again.
But Zach snickers. "Sorry, but this is the information you got? Boss, you should have hired me instead of him. By now, I would've killed that brainless human in a hundred different ways." He rolls his eyes, indirectly calling Eric useless.
"Oh my God, did you just insult Eric by indirectly telling him he's useless?" Mateo gasps dramatically, eyeing Eric, who is definitely boiling inside.
"He is insulting you," Mateo shakes his head as if saying, Why are you even alive after this insult?
Fuzail joins him, nodding along.
What shit is happening here?
"What theâWhen did I say he's useless? And that he's good for nothing?" Zach exclaims. "I was just telling Boss that he has talented people in his office who can also be detectives for free, without charging a buck. I can help him. Yeah, sure, he'll give me a promotion and a bonus, but I would totally do it without asking for a penny." He grins proudly.
"Over?" I ask, watching as he leans forward, still grinning.
"What, Boss?" His eyes hold a bit too much hope.
"Your rubbish. If yes, then let's listen to him," I nod toward Eric, who is pressing his palm against his mouth to keep from laughing. Mateo and Fuzail, however, are not holding backâthey're slapping Zach's back, laughing loudly.
I have no idea what the hell they're laughing at.
When I glare at them, they stop, though they sit up and breathe in and out dramatically, just to annoy an already-annoyed Zach.
"So, as I was sayingâit's a man who did this, and it's someone close to you. Because this was done by someone who was present at your wedding," Eric says. "The security was high, and we made sure no one entered without a pass. You only invited people close to you, which means it's someone you already know."
I sit back, confusion filling my head again.
"Someone I know," I mutter.
Eric nods.
I glance at Fuzail, who is already staring at me.
"You think it's Fuzail?" Eric gasps.
I raise an eyebrow. "Sorry?â"
Before I can say anything, Zach jumps up, yelling.
"You are over, my friend?! How could you do this to her! She's your brother's wife!"
I widen my eyes as he grabs Fuzail by the collar.
"What theâ"
Ya Allah. I hold my head as Zach and Max burst out laughing at Fuzail's expression.
"We were just kidding, buddy. Why are you so scared?" Zach wiggles his eyebrows.
I roll my eyes.
Eric joins in, laughing with them, enjoying this mess.
"And the other thing... I'm not sure yet, but from matching the dots, I came to a conclusion," Eric continues. "From all the letters and threats he's been sending you, and the pictures of you and Ziah, it's clear... he's not behind Ziah. He's behind you."
A gasp leaves everyone's lips.
Fuzail stands up, shocked.
I feel like my soul has left my body.
What the freaking shit is he uttering?
"What the hell? So that's why he always threatens Ziah, saying he'll kill him? And why he threatens me to stay away from her?" I look at Eric.
He nods.
"I'm not sure yet, but that's what I think. I'll confirm it soon." He casually throws a chip into his mouth.
I feel like I'm dying, and this man is eating chips.
"This shit is confusing," Zach shakes his head. "So, it's someone we know. I was about to kill Mateo when he said he was the one who gifted Ziah the presents, but then he cleared it up. So, who else is left? Me? Nope. I'm not into boys, so sorry. Then Fuzail? He was staring at you, Boss, so I don't know if he's into you or notâ"
Zach laughs, only to receive a punch.
He is enjoying this more than he should.
"Keep a look on him, Boss," he winks.
I roll my eyes, cringing hard at this stupidity.
"Then Mateo is left. Are you into Boss?" Zach raises an eyebrow but squints, daring him to tell the truth.
"He's not! He's into me! Right, babe?"
Astaghfirullah.
This was all that was left for my eyes and ears to witness.
I stand up.
I cannot sit here and take in the looks they're exchanging.
"Boss, whatever happens, don't worry. We are with you," Zach pats his chest. "Just tell me you're not into boys. Because my friend is your wife, and I won't be taking it lightly if youâyou knowâjump into another category."
I snap my head to glare at this big mouth named Zach.
He awkwardly smiles.
"Eric, this is just your guess, right?" I ask.
He nods.
"I hope it's just a guess," I mutter, resting my head back against my seat.
From all this, I can only tell...
My head is spinning.
*****
A/n: Who do you think is the stalker?