Daisies

Ibrahim couldn’t be more calm while driving his car. His heart is on fire, and he took out his frustration on the celerity of his car, claiming that it had exceeded the legal speed limit. He simply desired to be free of this uptight sensation coursing through his heart. For a brief moment, he wished he could forget about Anna. He drove as fast as he could to Alan's restaurant. He immediately parked his car and entered Alan's office.

“Ibrahim!” Alan squealed when he saw Ibrahim throw himself on his couch. He appeared to be muddled.

Alan marched to the couch and sat beside Ibrahim. “You looked so messy. What happened?” he inquired. He realized that his mood was bad, so he grabbed a bottle of cold water and handed it to Ibrahim. “Cool yourself down.” He added.

Ibrahim received the bottle and drank it all at once. “Have you investigated it?” he inquired, placing the now empty bottle on the table.

Alan gave a nod. “Yes. Our guess was correct. You may be intelligent, but Arthur is way smarter than you this time. He figured out right away that you’re going to bring your men with you.”

Ibrahim massaged his temples. Is this old man trying to fool him? “The bullet should have been aimed at me, but why did he choose Anna? For the love of God, she's his friend's daughter.” He sounded skeptical.

Alan stroked his back. “Duh, because she's your wife!”

Ibrahim exhaled a sigh. Alan is correct. This is due to the fact that she is his wife. He's dragged her into his dark world and set her up to join him in his misery. He couldn't stop this game because it had already begun. Moreover, it includes Arthur between them. He is feeling guilty for it. She is just an innocent girl who doesn’t have any idea about this but is still going to get hurt in this process.

Alan noticed Ibrahim didn't respond to him, appearing to be lost in his own thoughts. “Why? Do you now feel guilty? I already warned you not to use innocent people in your revenge.” Yes, he had warmed him enough.

Ibrahim closed his eyes and rested his head on the sofa, trying to figure out what he should do next. His thoughts are still clouded by the image of Anna, who appeared to be broken, and yet he considers his revenge.

“What about Kai? I'm still not sure why he was there.” Ibrahim inquired hurriedly.

Alan shook his head. “I’m still trying hard to get my people to figure that one out because what is strange is that he was not even on the guest list.”

Ibrahim's eyes narrowed upon hearing this. “What? How could he be there if he wasn't invited?” This is strange. Kai approached Anna as if he knew the bullet was aimed at her, but why wasn't he one of the guests? As far as he knows, only the guest invited by Arthur is permitted.

Alan appeared perplexed as well. “Did you happen to see him earlier when you were there?”

Ibrahim shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

Alan could tell things were getting complicated because this Kai was suspicious as well. “Do you know what I’m thinking?” he inquired.

Ibrahim nodded, his face darkening as if he comprehended something. “It means he was aware of the entire situation. He knew the bullet was going to hit Anna, which is why he appeared at the same time as the attack.”

Alan massaged his temples because this was so difficult to solve. “What do you intend to do next?” he asked, looking at Ibrahim.

“I will not abandon my plan, it will proceed as planned.” Ibrahim uttered confidently.

Alan sighed, looking at how much weight Ibrahim was trying to carry. He has a lot of things that he has to take care of. Will he be, okay?

----------------------------------------------

“Mrs. Saunders, are you okay?”

Anna smiled when she heard how concerned her maid is. At least there is still someone in this house who is concerned about her well-being.

Anna smiled at the maid and lightly squeezed her hand. “I'm fine.” She responded.

The maid breathed a sigh of relief. “I was so worried when I learned you had been admitted to the hospital. The driver told me that sir got so scared that he immediately drove you to the hospital.”

Anna's pupils constricted. Ibrahim was concerned about her. How could an iceberg be worried about her?

“Really?” Anna seemed to be uncertain.

The maid quickly nodded. “I told you, Mrs. Saunders, sir isn't a bad person, he cares about you.”

Anna gave her sad smile. Why would he abandon her in the hospital if he truly loved her? He should accompany her until she gets discharged. “I'm hungry, could you make me something light? I like to take a shower, first.” She attempted to change the subject.

The maid nodded once more. “Indeed, Mrs. Saunders.”

Anna didn’t reply to her and went to her room. She's been sitting on her bed for a while, her mind is racing with ideas. She was too tired to think about it anymore—was she wrong to go to Kai's room? Kai had saved her, and all she wanted to do was thank him. Should she call Ibrahim? When the image of Ibrahim hugging her flashed through her mind, the strange feeling returned. She looked around her large room, which she found very cold. Inside her heart, she longs for Ibrahim to return home. She tried not to care, but she couldn't help but crave the warm feeling she gets when she is in his embrace. She never felt more at ease. Neither when she was with Kai.

Anna tried to relax by taking a long, warm shower. She looked out the window and realized the day had turned dark and she still couldn't see Ibrahim. She smiled as she walked down to the dining room and saw that the maid had prepared a feast for her. This is too much for her alone.

“Isn't it too much? I couldn't finish it by myself.” Anna joked.

“Who says you're going to finish it on your own?”

Anna turned around in search of the owner of the voice. She finally gets to see him. He appears to be sloppy as he was still wearing the same shirt he wore yesterday. Where did he spend the entire day?

“I think you should take a shower.” When he was about to sit in the dining chair, Anna stopped him.

Ibrahim looked down at his shirt and realized that she was right. He stayed at the hospital all night for her and then went to Alan's the next morning. He didn't say anything and went to his room. She, on the other hand, trailed behind him and followed him to their room.

“Do you want me to prepare warm water for you?” she asked, trying to sound gentle.

Ibrahim is taking off his clothes, preferring to ignore her. He didn't even bother to respond to her. He walked past her into the bathroom, not even looking at her.

Anna rolled her eyes in annoyance when she looked at his manner. This man is really capricious. She quickly left the room before she got even more annoyed. Looking at how stressful his face is, she doesn't want to incite his rage. She returned to the dining table and started to scoop some rice. There was no doubt that the food which the maid prepared was delicious but she just doesn't feel like eating anymore. While she is still struggling to finish the food, she notices Ibrahim walking towards the table and taking his usual seat.

They were both avoiding each other's gaze. Torturing? It is, indeed. She had a lot to say, but everything faded when she looked at him. He looked so worn out and wanted to finish his meal as soon as possible. That cold pair of eyes and that flat face were not the same ones she saw yesterday. He was a completely different person yesterday. He was still giving her the cold shoulder when they were in their room. She could feel that he was already sleeping soundly.

In the blink of an eye, the cold night turned into a warm day. Anna opened her eyes to find another disappointment, the bed beside her was empty. She looked at the clock, which read eight o'clock in the morning. She touched the pillow, which felt a little cold, indicating that Ibrahim had been gone for quite some time. She pushed the comforter aside and went to the bathroom.

“Oh, my goodness!” Anna screamed as she was about to enter the bathroom from where Ibrahim emerged shirtless, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Water was dripping from his hair, alluding that he had just gotten out of the shower.

Ibrahim smirked, aware that his appearance makes her uneasy right now. The idea of teasing her came to him. He tried to appear serious while shortening the distance between them. Just as he predicted she took a step back. He didn't stop there, but continued to close the gap until she reached the wall and couldn't take another step back. Ibrahim couldn't help but laugh at her reaction just because he was shirtless. He pressed his hand against the wall, as if pinning her against it, and drew his face closer to hers. He heard a small gasp from her. He could smell her sweet perfume because of the closeness.

When she felt his warm breath against her cheeks, Anna closed her eyes. What is he trying to do? Her heart has been racing like crazy, and the butterflies in her stomach have been swarming like crazy.

“Good morning,” Ibrahim said into her ears.

Anna opened her eyes and pushed him away. She didn't want to look at him, so she ran into the bathroom. Her cheeks are flushed, and she couldn’t stand it if he notices.

When he saw her running away with burning cheeks, Ibrahim laughed. Did she really think he was going to kiss her?

Anna finished her shower and went downstairs to eat breakfast. She looked around, and an uneasy feeling went through her heart when she couldn't find Ibrahim. It’s his house, but why does it seem that he’s rarely home?

“Sir had left. He told me to inform you that he has something important to do.” the maid said.

Anna drank her orange juice and nodded. "I don't think you need to cook lunch. I'm meeting my friends so I’ll eat outside.”

The maid smiled. “Indeed, Mrs. Saunders.” She politely responded.

Jacob and Lilly are the friends she was going to meet. She hadn't seen either of them in a long time as she hadn't gone to the club since her wedding. Furthermore, she feels like she owes them an explanation.

She changed into more proper clothes and grabbed her bag as the clock struck eleven o'clock in the afternoon. She walked down the stairs and went straight to the box where Ibrahim kept his car keys. She randomly chose one and walked to the garage. It was the first time she walked through his garage, she noticed that it was more like a showroom. She saw several expensive sports cars parked nearby. She pressed the button to see which car the key belonged to, and it was an Irish green Porsche. When she’s about to get in, someone stopped her.

“Let me drive you instead, Mrs. Saunders.” Luke said.

Anna fixed her gaze on him. “No,” she said quickly.  

“Sir, hire me as your personal driver. Please allow me to accompany you.” He was adamant.

Anna sighed. “I’m not going to repeat myself twice. I'm going to drive on my own.” She replied and quickly got into the car, ignoring Luke.

Luke took out his phone and dialed a number watching the car drive out of the garage. “Ma'am left the house unattended. Please keep an eye on her.” He spoke on the phone. He had no malicious intent but was concerned for her safety.

Anna drove straight to the cafe, where Jacob and Lilly were waiting for her. When she opens the cafe door, a strong scent of coffee hits her nose. She walked to the table in the corner and sat in between them.

After noticing she arrived in a luxury car, Jacob teases her. “I had no idea you'd change so quickly.” He said while slurping his warm coffee.

Lilly appeared befuddled. She has no idea about the entire story. She only heard about it from Jacob because she didn't get a chance to meet Anna.

Anna sipped the vanilla latte Jacob had brought her. “I don’t know where to start.”

Lilly seemed to be expecting something. “You're so mean. Anna, Jacob was aware of your marriage. Why didn't you tell me about it?” She sounded agitated.

“I’m sorry, Lilly. Everything happened so quickly that I didn't have the time to inform you guys.” Anna responded.

“You’re not fun anymore Anna. You don’t visit clubs nowadays. It's as if I've lost a drinking companion.” Jacob joked.

Anna slapped his arm playfully. “Ibrahim grew up in an orphanage, as you told me, Jacob. It’s true, but did you know he was adopted?” On the spur of the moment, Anna inquired.

When he heard what Anna said, Jacob almost choked. “Adopted?” He couldn't believe it.

“He was adopted by a Frenchman.” Anna replied.

Jacob couldn't grasp it. There is no mention of his adoption in the news. Is she sure? Lilly interrupted Jacob before he could ask her another question.

“Anna, how did he treat you?” Lilly inquired, worriedly.

Anna was silent for a moment as she deliberated her response. She refuses to admit that, contrary to her fears, Ibrahim is not a bad person. He's not as bad as she expected, but the battle with her own emotions is too much for her to bear, and she has no idea how to describe it.

“He's not a bad guy.” Anna replied.

“What a relief! I was afraid he was going to torture you. But am I the only one who wonders if your husband has another purpose for marrying you?”

Jacob gave a nod. “Lilly could be right. You still have to be extra careful with him. I'll have my father's detective look into your husband's background. But I have a question. How does he perform in bed?” Jacob asked bluntly.

When Anna heard his question, she couldn't help but pull his hair. “Hey, shut up,” she nearly yelled, and an image of an undressed Ibrahim flashed through her mind.

When he saw Anna's flushed cheeks, Jacob burst out laughing. “I'm just teasing you, Anna. You can choose not to answer, but why are you blushing?” he asked in the middle of his laugh.

Lilly, too, couldn't stop laughing. "Anna, it's normal between husband and wife," she explained.

Anna could no longer hide her embarrassment. It may appear to be a normal occurrence, but they are not normal married couples. He had the ability to make her feel safe and secure one moment and upset the next. “Please, just stop.” She said this attempting to quell their laughter.

Anna spent the entire afternoon with Jacob and Lilly before going to see her parents. She almost misses the sunset if she hadn’t looked at her watch as she was so busy chatting with her brother and parents. She chose to return before Ibrahim. She drove back to house after saying goodbyes to her parents. However, she makes a detour to a flower shop because the decor piqued her interest. She opted to go outside and look for the florist. She smiled as she gazed at the lovely and fresh flowers. She decided to purchase a bouquet of daisies. Despite Ibrahim's extensive flower garden, she was unable to spot this particular flower.

She drove back home after finishing the payment and placing the daisies inside her car. She entered the large house and parked the car before going inside. The house was quiet as usual. She put the daisies in a vase and placed it neatly on the dining table and left to take a shower instead. Anna was drying her hair when she heard a loud sound of broken glass. Has someone tried to break into houses? It's impossible. Ibrahim has enough people and a tight security system to guard the house, which is quite difficult to break.

As she couldn’t keep her curiosity at bay, she went out of the room and walked down to find the source of the noise. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized that the sound came from the dining room. Words couldn't express how she felt when she saw the daisies she had bought earlier, which were now scattered on the floor alongside the broken vase. She turned to face Ibrahim, who was staring at her with a razor-sharp gaze. She could see his jaw clenching and his face red with rage. As he continued to look at her with hatred, his hand was balled into a tight fist. For a brief moment, his frightening stare sent shivers down her spine. She has never seen him so enraged.

Anna was unable to grasp it. When he returned home? Why he broke the vase and the flower she had purchased? Is this guy insane? A split second later, she notices him walking away without looking at her. She avoided looking at him. When she saw him stepping on the daisies, her heart dropped to her stomach as it was garbage for him. What exactly is he doing? He didn't say anything, so she's completely perplexed.

“Oh my gosh!” exclaimed the maid when she saw how messy the dining room was. The broken glasses were all over the place, and her eyes widened when she saw the flowers.

“Mrs. Saunders, are you okay? You’re not hurt right?” she asked checking on Anna if she had any wounds.

Anna shook her head weakly. She was still frightened by the site in front of her. She tried her best to reach him, but it appears that his anger has blinded him. In his black leather jacket, he appeared to be getting ready to go out.

“Ibrahim.” Anna called. She noticed he was putting on his leather boots without looking at her.

She reached for his hand, but he pushed it away harshly, almost knocking her down. He didn't even acknowledge her presence before reaching for his black helmet. He stormed out of the house, leaving Anna behind. She sighed sharply, as she had been caught off by all of his sudden actions. She returned to the dining room and noticed the maid cleaning up the mess Ibrahim had made.

The maid stood up and reached for Anna's hand. “Are you really okay, Miss. Saunders?” she inquired again, looking so concerned.

Anna gave a nod. “What's the matter with him? Why did he throw the flowers I bought? Did he really despise me that much?” Anna inquired, as if the maid knew something about his earlier behavior.  

The maid looked pityingly at her. “Do you ever wonder, why doesn't he have daisies in his garden?”

Anna shook her head. How could she have known? She'd only known him for four months, how could she have picked up on all of his habits?

The maid glanced at the calendar quickly. "Natasha's favorite flower is Daisy." The maid responded quietly.

Anna doesn’t get it. Who is Natasha? So, what if her favorite flower is daisies? “I don’t understand.” She’s still puzzled.

The maid sighed and looked down, as if she wasn't sure how to tell her madam.  “She was Ibrahim’s ex-fiancé. She ran away on their wedding day last year.”

Anna’s eyes turned big and she closed her mouth with her palm as she’s so shocked upon hearing what the maid told. Ibrahim had a fiancé?

“I couldn't remember the exact date, but it's somewhere around mid-autumn, which is this week.” The maid continued.

As if a thunderstorm had struck her heart was on fire after hearing this. It's no surprise that his mood is so low, but he made it clear from the start of their meeting that he doesn't do stupid things like falling in love. She could see how angry and furious he was, indicating that he was hurt. How could he have been so broken that he couldn't love anymore? This is not acceptable. Ibrahim is not a heartless person, she realized. He's just hurt.