Chapter 2

Caled 's POV

If I could sum up my life in the United States, I would say that it has always been a true amusement park. At least until today. Since leaving Mudab to study in New York, I have been able to enjoy the advantages of being a millionaire on American soil. I have a life of luxury with parties, travel, drinks and all the comforts I need. I always had the women I wanted. I often went out with more than one on the same night. He had the reputation of being the Sheik of Manhattan and that's why he had a free pass anywhere. I work in investments and have a financial services company, Hussain Co . We offer investment management and advisory services, as well as financial planning and portfolio management for individual and institutional investors.

Because of my influence in the financial market, many call me the Investment Falcon. My precise and attentive eye for business has made me a true market leader. I am often labeled arrogant and cold, but it is a necessary protective cover to survive in this environment. And my life would have pretty much stabilized if it weren't for the news that fell into my lap about five years ago. My father, one of the great leaders in Mudab , was sick and needed me to come home to help my brother with the family business. As the youngest son, that was my duty. That's why he sent me to the United States. To study and learn everything about the world of investments. The intention was to return to Mudab and make the family business prosper even more. But living in a world completely different from yours can be too tempting. New York showed me the beauty of a life of luxury and power that was different from the East. There I could do whatever I wanted, without rules or impositions. I owned my empire and didn't have to look like the son of Sheikh Mustafa Al - Madini .

But my father's illness was forcing me to relinquish all the freedom I'd built to return to the imprisonment of my duties as the youngest son and administrator of the family's businesses.

upon arriving at Mudab found my father very weakened by a mysterious illness. My mother was devastated. She was the first of my father's six wives, and the one he loved most. Due to the frailty of his illness and the fear of dying at any moment, my father revealed that my brother was betrothed to the granddaughter of Omar Al - Makhzumi Abudab , a very influential sheikh throughout the East. We had already heard from my mother that her marriage was arranged, but my brother never believed it would actually happen, especially when he found out that his fiance's father had fled to the United States. He thought that the deal was off. But unfortunately that's not how my father thought. He revealed that he kept people undercover in the United States watching Hanna's life. That was the name of Rafiq 's future wife , my brother.

“I don't understand how I can be forced to marry a person who doesn't live our ways ”. My brother tried to argue.

“When she is twenty-one years old, she will be brought to Mudab to marry you. Then she will be taught about our customs and our country.” my father replied in a weak but hard voice. My brother had no choice but to accept.

“And why did you call me here, my father?” I interrupted, trying to understand my position in that story.

“Hanna's mother was murdered by enemies of our family. The target was the girl. A clear attempt to keep our families from coming together. I need you to swear to your father and brother that you will return to the States to protect her until she is of marriageable age. Defend her with your life and when the time comes , bring the young woman to marry your brother.”

“I swear, my father. I will defend my future sister-in-law against everything and everyone, as you wish” I promised as my father joined our hands, sealing our pact.

That same night my father left and my brother took his place. It was a long funeral and great suffering for my mother. At the time, my brother Rafiq was thirty years old and the most competent person to take my father's place. All his life he was prepared for that moment and all our people were happy to see him in power.

After the funeral ceremony, my brother joined me in his office. His face was sad and tired. I sat at the table opposite him and asked what ailed him.

“I just received a message from our grandfather, demanding that I respect the treaty he made before my birth. He and Omar Al - Makhzumi Abudab are great political allies and the marriage will establish the families’ dominance over important business with the West.”

“This was also our father's will. Why are you like this?” I asked watching him swivel his chair from side to side.

“Because I don't want to marry a woman I don't love. Even more an American, because that's what she is! ” he blurted out the confession, leaving me very confused.

“And what do you intend to do? Disrespect our father's will on his deathbed?” I exalted myself.

"I would never do that. And I know I will have no other choice. But I needed to vent to my best friend” he got up and walked to the door.

“ Forgive me , brother! I understand you. And I feel like I have no other choice,” I yelled before he left.

After that night I returned to the States with a mission to protect Hanna. I was supposed to find her and protect her until she was old enough to marry my brother. At first the task seemed simple to me, after all I wouldn't have to leave New York and nothing would change in my life. But over time, as she grew up and I followed her life from afar, I discovered a love I never imagined I could feel. The frail fifteen- year-old who arrived in Manhattan with her father and sister was strong and fearless. He was not afraid to work and help support the family. Her strength and beauty were enchanting me to the point that I couldn't stay away from her anymore. She had never noticed me until that night at the bar.

When her mother died and I was put in charge of taking care of her, she was just a little girl. I was twenty-two and she was fifteen. There was no malice in my heart. She was just Princess Hanna Abudab , betrothed to my brother Rafiq Al - Madini , king of Mudab . I introduced myself to his father, Samir, and told him exactly what had happened, told him how his daughter was in danger. I offered to help and brought them to Manhattan so he could work from my house.

I always protected her discreetly, from afar, without interfering in her life. She started singing in nightclubs at the age of eighteen. He performed on Manhattan nights, in concert halls, bars and parties. Until then I followed my father's orders and did not interfere in his life. I only protected her and provided for her needs, without showing it to me. My father feared she would run away if she found out she had an arranged marriage to my brother. Hanna was the granddaughter of a very influential sheikh in Mudab : Omar Al - Makhzumi Abudab _ The alliance between the two families was essential to maintain the prestige and business of both. That's why Hanna was promised to my brother, even before she was conceived. But the son of Omar, Hanna's father, fell madly in love with an American tourist and abandoned his family to run away with her. Sheikh Omar never forced his son to return, as he loved him so much, but he kept his promise to marry his granddaughter to my brother as soon as she turned twenty-one.

When Hanna turned fifteen, her mother was murdered by members of a rival family to mine. Their intention was to kill Hanna and end the possibility of an alliance between the Abudab and Al- Madini families . My father then asked me to return to Mudab as he was sick. Upon arriving there, I was tasked with protecting the princess until she was old enough to marry. Although, in our country, girls had the custom of marrying as children, my father had an agreement with Omar that Hanna could not marry until twenty-one, and this was maintained even after her mother's death.

With that I returned to the States with orders to become Hanna's guardian and to protect her with my life. At first I thought it would be an unpleasant task, but over time I got attached to that girl in a surprising way. But it was when she got involved with an older man that my protective side was tested.

In one of her performances, a man who appeared to be in his thirties approached her during the show's intermission. He delivered flowers and started to attend all of his presentations. Hanna ended up involved by him and the two began to meet. Once again I would have to get involved to ruin her relationship. It was always like that. Every time some guy tried to get close to her, I was forced to find a way to make the guy disappear. One threat and they disappeared, never looking for her again. But with this man it was different. When I sent the message to him not to approach Hanna, it seems I ended up arousing his anger. One night I followed them to his house and my sixth sense alerted me. I decided to enter the house, along with my men and I had the vision that broke my heart in a thousand pieces. Hanna was unconscious and that monster was on her, about to possess her. Without thinking twice I advanced on him and punched him in the face with all the rage that consumed me. I'd never attacked anyone, but seeing Hanna in that state woke the bloodthirsty hawk in me. After leaving his face completely disfigured, my men took care of the rest.

I walked over to Hanna and scooped her up in my arms. There was a bruise on his eye and bleeding near his mouth. I felt an unbearable pain in my chest. It was my fault, for I hadn't protected her as I should have. In that moment I knew I was completely in love with her. I kissed her forehead and pulled her out of that horrible place. I took my princess to her father's house and a doctor friend attended to her. Samir thanked me and said he would do anything I asked, as I had saved his daughter's life.

After that day Hanna never went out with other men again. I saw her sad look and knew she was afraid to relate again. On the one hand, it was good, as it made it easier for me to expel her suitors. But on the other hand, the thought of seeing her suffer was tearing me apart inside. I couldn't stay away from her anymore, and I couldn't imagine seeing her married to my brother. It was too cruel. I wanted my sister-in-law and that was a serious character flaw.

With her twenty-one years approaching and her marriage to my brother, I decided to forget about her for good. I kept watching his steps, but I locked that feeling in the darkest place in my heart. And it would have worked if it hadn't been for his eyes meeting mine in that bar. It was as if I had been invaded and exposed in the most intimate and devastating way possible. Hanna's eyes showed me so much desire that I couldn't help my body's reaction. She had never seen me before, never noticed me, and this was a way of protecting me from that feeling. But when our eyes met, I immediately sensed his interest in me. I knew her well enough to recognize the signs in her body. The way she hunched her shoulders when she was embarrassed, the way her chest rose and fell in the face of emotion, but it was the way she looked me up and down that made me choke. Hanna, you can't want me. It's not me you have to love. I desperately mentalized , but she drew me like a magnet. I wanted to ignore all the gifts and go to her. Take her in my arms and get out of that place. I loved her with all my might, but it was a forbidden love and would be cursed for generations if anyone ever found out.

So I ran the first moment she looked away from me. I left my men on alert and went to my apartment. I threw myself under the shower to release all those sensations that pulsed in every part of my body. An insane desire to love Hanna. To make her my wife. Crazy was I for loving a woman that wasn't mine. But I loved her with all my might and I couldn't pull away.

The next day I went to the bookstore and this time I went inside. She was behind the counter, deep in thought as she tried to pack a gift. I knew when his mind wandered by the way his gaze was fixed on any given point. At the same time his mouth, slightly open , sucked in air slowly. Did she think about me? I dreamed many times of the day she would notice me, but it was a dream that only lived in my mind. It could never have come true.

When the attendant invited her to go to the movies, my hawk side began to bother her again. I tracked from afar when someone wanted her and that kid wanted what was mine, or rather, what was my brother's. When she answered and then turned her body towards me, my heart skipped a beat. His eyes were wide in front of me and looked me up and down. I couldn't move. The breath came back as a woman entered the store and walked over to her, taking her out of my line of vision. Once again I ran away. Like a hawk I flew away from her. But I knew I would come back. Trained hawks always come back to those they love.