Prologue

From a young age, Amira had known that her parents would choose her husband. It was something that was bound to happen, especially now that her father's business had gone down the drain. 

But when the day finally came for her to meet her prospective groom, Amira couldn't help feeling a sense of apprehension.

 She had just turned 22 and finished university. She was still innocent and didn't know anything about life, so why did her parents decide without even hearing her out?

 As she entered the grand ballroom where the arranged marriage introductions were being held, her heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety.

 Little did she know that this meeting would be the beginning of a journey that would change her life forever.

Immediately upon entering the ballroom, all eyes turned to her, and she suddenly became the center of attention. She wore a long sleeveless gown that accentuated her curves, and her makeup was faint, making her look delicate. 

She could hear people whispering amongst themselves; she knew she looked her best. Her mom had put in extra effort for her to be this beautiful for her husband. Speaking of her husband, she glanced around the room, looking for him. 

She didn't know what he looked like, but she already had a picture of who her parents were selling her off to. He must be a short man with a big stomach and gray hair, but she didn't see anyone. In fact, her dad was the only man in the room who fit her description.

She stood there, waiting for the groom. She had always thought that the groom was supposed to be waiting for the bride, but in her case, it was the reverse. 

She was the one waiting for her groom. Suddenly, silence engulfed the room. She could hear a pin drop to the ground due to the deafening silence. She could feel shivers from where she stood; the hairs on her body stood up because of the strong aura she felt in the room. She heard footsteps approaching her and lifted her head to see who her husband was.

She was silenced like the others

. Was this man her husband? 

He looked so unreal, yet he was approaching her. He looked like the demigods described in her books. He had the perfect jawline, and his eyes were the color of the ocean. One could get lost in the depth of his eyes. 

Staring deep into his eyes, Amira felt her stomach tighten, and her knees became weak. His presence was overwhelming, and she couldn't help but be captivated by him.

Such an effect this man had on her, she was almost having an orgasm looking at him. He didn't look old one bit, in fact, he looked like he could be 30 years old.

He was not what she was expecting. He walked elegantly to where her parents were sitting and greeted them. Even from the way he greeted them, everyone present could see that he wasn't the type to respect someone simply because they were older.

He didn't even spare her a glance, which made her uncomfortable and nervous at the same time. She knew how many guys would be dying to be in his shoes now, but he didn't seem affected by her beauty.

She shrugged off her thoughts and went to stand with him at the podium where he was already waiting for her. She stood in front of him, and for the first time since he came into the room, he stared right into her eyes. 

She unconsciously held her breath as soon as their eyes locked. She couldn't believe it. This man was perfection, perfect from his head down to his soul, and he was oozing class. He removed his gaze and looked at the officiating minister. 

Amira was still in shock. She felt as if she was hypnotized. When she finally came back to her senses, she was handed the ring.

The voice of the minister rang out, "Amira, do you take Mr. Morris as your husband?"

So, that was his name, Morris, Amira said to herself. She nodded and slipped the ring onto his finger. She felt the softness of his hands and wished to hold it longer, but he retracted his hands as soon as the ring entered his possession.

Then the voice came again, "Do you, Mr. Morris, take Ms. Amira to be your wife?" Instead of replying, he just slipped the ring onto her finger and stuck his hands into his pockets.

Amira was sure she heard someone gasp from the audience. She was shocked too. This audacious young man here was definitely going to get an earful from her mom about respect and others, but she was even more shocked when her mom just smiled and called for more celebration.

This was definitely weird, but she didn't say anything. She had learned from her mom at a young age to never say everything she was thinking out loud.

Sooner than expected, the ball came to an end, and it was time for them to go home. Her parents came to see her off. Her mom hugged her, and she could feel tears well up in her eyes. 

She didn't want to do this, she didn't want to get married to this dangerously handsome man. But her dad's mind was already made up, and even her mom didn't have a say in it.

She remembered her dad complaining about his business and mentioning taking a loan to invest in it. But when he came back, he told her that she would be getting married in a week's time. It came as a surprise to both her and her mom, but they knew in that house that once their dad made a decision, it stood.

Her husband didn't utter a word. He was already waiting in his car for his bride, engrossed in his phone but occasionally glancing at the scene beside his car

. The driver, too, felt uncomfortable with this overt display of affection. He knew his boss didn't approve, but since no order had been given to stop, he allowed it.

Finally, Amira entered the car, and as soon as she did, the car zoomed off. Silence filled the vehicle. She started playing with her fingers, a nervous habit of hers. Unsure of what to say, she waited for her husband to break the silence, but he remained silent.

She took a deep breath, preparing to speak, when her husband's phone rang. Startled, she let out a yelp. He simply looked at her before answering the call. 

She noticed a hint of concern on his handsome face as he said, "Alex, turn the car. We're going to the airport."

He said that and closed his eyes. Amira took it as a sign not to say anything further. However, she had numerous questions swirling in her head. Who was this man? Where did he come from? How did her dad even get to know him? What does the future hold for both of them? These questions kept recurring, leaving her feeling clueless for the first time in her life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a vibration from her side. She realized it was her phone and that it had been ringing. She picked it up on the next ring, and her best friend's tiny yet bubbly voice rang out.

"Oh Anna," she had forgotten to call Anna as promised. For some reason, her dad hadn't allowed her best friend to attend the party

. Anna had been by her side since middle school, and she hadn't expected to be friends with her due to their contrasting personalities. 

While Amira was cheerful and reserved, Anna was bold and outspoken. She wouldn't tolerate any nonsense from anyone and always stood up to Amira's bullies. 

Even when her dad's business suffered, Anna took on a part-time job to support Amira, despite not needing one herself.

When Amira's dad had told her about the forced marriage, Anna had suggested they run away and start a new life in another country. However, Amira refused, considering the consequences her mom would face for her actions.

Anna's voice brought Amira back to the present as she heard her best friend cursing loudly through the phone

She realized that the call had gone on for over 20 minutes, but she didn't grasp anything Anna said.

"Anna, please, I will call you in the morning," Amira said in a bid to end the call, but Anna didn't let her. She said, "Ami, you haven't called me Anna in a long time. Is everything okay?" Amira didn't know how to respond, so she simply ended the call.

When she finished her call, she glanced at her husband and noticed that he was still closing his eyes. She decided to have a conversation with him in the morning, but for now, she would just enjoy the silence.