Chapter 3

‘You WILL marry me.’

His words were echoing in my mind, disturbing me. I knew he wouldn't leave me until I fulfilled his demand. He was selfish and too powerful, he will get what he wants.

Shit, shit, shit, what should I do?

“What happened? You look… frustrated.” My co-worker, Anne asked, noticing the scowl not leaving my face.

“Because I am, Anne.” I sighed, stopping my work and hiding my face in my hands.

“Is it about Jared? I thought you moved on from him. He cheated on you after all. Why shed tears for someone like him?” She mumbled, shrugging her shoulders.

My mind already shifted from him because of a certain man who was hell-bent on teaching me how to hate.

“It’s not about Jared.” I sighed, rubbing my temples. 

“Then?”

“Anne, what would you do if you were given a chance to take revenge on the person who cheated on you? Would you take it?” I asked expectantly to get an answer on what to do.

“Of course. I would want their heart to break like mine… and I know you are not like this. You wouldn’t do this but you should.” 

And her response pushed me into turmoil too. Should I accept his offer? Should I hate Jared? Can I do that?

“You think?”

“Hmm. Not everyone deserves forgiveness. Cheating shouldn’t be forgiven.” She nodded.

“I don’t know. Maybe we were never meant to be. And besides,” 

Shaking my head in denial, I rose from my seat to get myself some coffee. Taking a deep breath so I could be my usual self and smiled.

“I cannot force myself to hate.” 

That is right, I cannot hate anyone, never. No one can force me to feel that emotion for anyone, not him too. 

After being determined he couldn’t change me, even if we got married, I returned from work. I was at the bus stop, tapping my foot with an empty stomach.

I wanted to go home and fill my stomach but a certain someone who adored ruining the peace of my mind came in his opulent BMW, stopping before me.

“Hey.” 

Folding my arms at my chest, I narrowed my eyes in suspicion, “Are you following me?”

“This time, I am. Your car is gone for maintenance, the bus will take time. Come, I will drop you.” He offered nonchalantly. 

I scoffed, not wanting to spend a second with him, “No. Thank you. I don’t need your so-called courtesy, Sir.” 

“Do you think I will take no for an answer? I am not used to refusal, woman. Come…” He called sternly, turning his gaze towards the people who were whispering to see a rich man stopping for me.

“Unless you want to gain attention and act like an attention seeker.” 

Shrugging his shoulders, he returned a teasing smirk. With a grimace, I stared at him for the next few seconds, knowing he wouldn’t be at peace.

“Call me an attention seeker then.” I rolled my eyes off and sat at the station, pissing him off at my stubbornness.

“You sure are stubborn, woman. You refused a chance to sit in a BMW.” He added, narrowing his eyes in irritation.

I began to use my phone while watching him from the corner of my eyes. My heart began to race when he refused to move an inch and to scare me, he honked at me, gaining attention deliberately.

“Ah!”

My mouth gaped, not believing how far he intended to go for his selfish purpose to convince me. Gulping, I tugged my hair behind timidly.

“Be grateful I am offering you politely to drop you off. I am not this generous to many people. Come.” He ordered and not wanting to create a scene, I got in the car as we drove off.

“I didn’t ask for it.” I muttered, bringing a silence between us but soon I noticed him staring intensely at me.

Hugging my sides, I looked down with a scarlet shading coming to my cheeks. My throat dried, not meeting his gaze accompanied with thumping heartbeats.

“What?” 

Growing nervous by his keen eyes observing my body, I turned to him finally. Tightening my grip on my dress, I began to feel distressed by my choice to enter this car.

“Hmm?”

“Why are you looking at me like this?” I whispered worriedly.

“Doesn’t your heart hurt? Doesn’t it agonize you to find the man you once loved being someone else’s husband?” He asked in a serious resonance, stopping the car at the red signal.

Gritting his teeth, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes, turning his head away as his large hand held his chest.

“Because my heart burns when I think about it,” 

My lips parted, tilting my head to the side. Not expecting him to be this sensitive about them. 

“No. I have accepted that we were never meant to be. Who knows if someone much better is written in my fate?” I breathed out, tone softening.

An eerie hint gleamed in his eyes as he raised an eyebrow temptingly. Before I could explore it, he concealed his disheartened emotions with his affectation.

“And that ‘better’ is me.” He whispered, starting the drive again.

“As if.” I scoffed.

“Excuse me, you are with your ex’s boss. I am rich, good looking and kind enough to give you a ride home.” He reminded me nonchalantly. 

“With overwhelming arrogance and selfishness.”

“Not everyone is a saint.” 

Growing irritated because at a certain point, I had begun to think about his proposal too and I didn’t want to.

“Look, I have told you before, I don’t want to marry you.” I growled, curling my hands in a fist.

“Why?” He asked nonchalantly which increased my rage. Acting as if he had no idea why.

“We are different. We have different points of view on life. You and I can never live together, never be one.” I hissed.

“Who says I want to be with you? I only intend to break this facade of yours and teach them a lesson. I will make you hate them too and stop acting.” He remained calm. 

At this point, I was infuriated, he couldn’t judge me, “I am not acting. Goodness exists in this world, not everyone is heartless like you.” 

“Hmph, we will see.” He muttered, turning his head to the side as we stopped outside my place.

With my head fuming and overflowing with distress, I quickly held my bag close to my chest and got out of his comfortable vehicle.

“Now, thank you, Sir, for dropping me off but I am leaving now.” I muttered rudely, turning to leave.

The second, I took a few steps, his rough hand grabbed my arm before everyone, stopping me.

“Wait.”

My breaths hitched as I turned to him slowly, averting my eyes from his stern one. 

“Leave me.” I whispered, breaths becoming heavy when he refused to leave and brought me close to the point I could feel his aura drowning into mine.

“Are you sure? I am giving you a golden chance, place your conditions but marry me. I would do anything, I repeat-” 

My heart skipped a beat when he leaned down and whispered dominantly in my ears, “ ‘Anything’, to teach that woman a lesson.” 

Controlling my feelings, I put my hand in between, hoping to escape the prison of his arms. Intimidated by his cruel intentions, I gulped.

“And then I will make you like mine.”

I gasped when he was almost touching me, not leaving me with a deadly eye-contact, revealing his intentions which were scaring me.

“What are you doing…?” I whispered as he let go of my arm finally, giving me a moment to regain my posture. 

“No one should be this kind and forgiving in this cruel world.” He growled, bringing his hand to touch me but I pointed my finger at him to stop.

“Don’t touch me again.” I warned, converting my apprehension into rage.

Still I was intrigued- how could one be overwhelmed with corruption? 

“You can’t force someone to feel how you want. Plus this would destroy us.” I hissed in a low tone so the people won’t create more rumors than they already would.

“That is exactly what I want. I want to destroy their lives and when they return from that point of ravage, return to us, they will realize they closed this path too.” He growled breaths becoming heavy, stilling me for a moment to register. 

He was breathless from atrocity, standing too close and I failed to notice the distance because I was only bewildered.

“How hateful can a person be? What she did apart from cheating on you that you have gone ‘this’ blind for revenge?” 

To my compassionate question, he scoffed, “You wouldn’t understand nor need to know.”

I took a deep breath to empty my mind and glanced at his large form. Narrowing my eyes, I pondered about his intentions and I had faith in myself.

“If you think you can corrupt me, then you are wrong. Now, before I do something, kindly leave. I have no intentions of marrying a man like you.” I enunciated strictly as I pointed at his car.

“You will marry me. You are entangled in this web now.” He also spoke in the same tone.

“I am not like you who is unaware of the term called ‘moving on’.” I taunted with a fake smile.

“She doesn’t deserve it.”

“Leave.” 

“I won’t leave you this easily.” 

He growled, sending daggering in my direction which I ignored and rolled my eyes but the fumes emitting from him indicated he won’t end this here. 

“Hmph.” 

The second I turned my head away, his husky voice reached me, stopping my whole being as he hissed in my ears before leaving.

“Deny all you want but soon you will enter my place as my bride, Saafia.”