Chapter 47

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Adnan had always imagined what it would feel like to hold Afrah and call her his wife. He had imagined the feel of her hand in his, and the way his heart would flutter whenever she looked at him through the eyes of a wife.

But nothing could have prepared him for the way his breath would seize momentarily whenever she turned to him, or the way his heart soared when she slipped her hand into his and smiled so brightly that his knees trembled from the effort of looking at her and remaining calm and collected.

The moment they descended the stairs, a cheer erupted in the living room, so loud and deafening that it seemed to shake the building. The ladies swooned at the sight, the men barked out their laughter as they cheered him on, and somewhere in the crowd a woman stared at Afrah with a calculating look in her eyes, relishing the thought of all the heinous things she was going to do to her.

Neither Afrah nor Adnan noticed her however. They were too busy smiling at everyone, turning