CHAPTER 69: DEVIL IN MINKZahra's Pov The soft morning light filtered through the curtains of Dashiell's LA château, casting a gentle light on my skin. My eyes fluttered open, languid from exhaustion of the last 'hectic' few days. My body felt like it was sinking into the bed beneath me, the feeling of comfort almost unrecognizable after everything that happened in Mina Al Arab. The flight back from the UAE was so stressful, but it was something I was looking forward to- at least we went back home alive and well.Beside me, Dashiell's arm lay across my waist, his breathing steady and soft. For a moment, I wanted to stay still, but the birds chirping in the estate grounds made me so excited, and also because I was excited about brewing one of the middle eastern coffee grounds that we bought yesterday.Aside from that, my mind was racing with the thoughts of Christmas. Though it still felt like months away, there was so much to prepare. Malek never celebrated Christmas- at least not
CHAPTER 70: CÍRCULO DEL DIABLO (Devil's Circle)ZAHRA'S POVThe evening air was unusually still as Dashiell and I prepared to head to Lisa's birthday party. Images flashed in my head of yesterday when I received her invitation. I didn't want to go, but when I saw that I could bring a plus one, I immediately pitched it to Dashiell, who was hesitant at first, but agreed.We were in Dashiell's study, just about to leave for the party when he got off the phone with Gotham and Blazer. They would be at the party too, blending in with the crowd but keeping an eye on everyone there. "I don't trust her," Dashiell said, his tone low, pulling me closer as we stood near the door."Neither do I," I replied, smoothening the sleek black dress I had chosen for tonight. "But something about her seems...I don't know, magnetic. She's facially attractive and also has an attractive mannerism. I'm very curious to know more about her.""You're always curious." Dashiell smirked, brushing a strand of hair b
CHAPTER 71: ENTANGLED IN THE SPIDER'S WEBZAHRA'S POV 'We have a meeting tomorrow. Would you like to come?'My fingers hovered over the screen, my mind racing with thoughts about whether to reply or not. My eyes scanned Siobhan who was pacing around the room, her brows furrowed."Ignore the message," Siobhan said firmly. "I'd even recommend that you delete her number.""I didn't even collect her number nor did she ask for mine. Till today, I wonder how she got it." I replied, clutching my phone tightly.Dashiell was leaning against his desk, his arms crossed, waiting for Siobhan to say something."She probably has spies everywhere, and now she will stop at nothing until she gets you to join her." Siobhan said and stopped pacing before slowly turning around to face us. "Étoile Cercle is a cult. And it's not just any cult. It's one of the most dangerous ones that hides behind charm, sex, wealth, and power. Their spider symbols represent manipulation, control, and betrayal. Once you j
CHAPTER ONE: MEETING MR DASHIELL My eyes flickered open like the blurry Christmas lights at the far end of a NewYork street. I tried to move but my head felt like it had been nailed to the hard, black tiles, and I could only manage to lift a finger or two.My mouth quivered as I felt liquid surrounding my cold body, I began to wonder whether I had taken a piss on the floor while unconcious.Using the strength I had left, I raised my fingers up to meet my eyes. My vision was blurry but I could still decipher that the liquid on the floor wasn't piss but in fact blood.I was surrounded by my own blood.I shut my eyes as I recalled how this came to be. It wasn't the first time he had beaten me, but this was the first time that his fists led me to draw blood.I have endured it for eight years and running. All the beatings, the scars, and the pains. With no one to run to but the good memories of my distant past. Spent running around with a boy that lived close to me.People talk about ho
CHAPTER 2: MAN OF THE HOURI stepped into my bedroom to meet the floor clean, the space smelling like antiseptic, and my husband leaning on the wall, tapping his feet furiously. I could feel the rage burn into his eyes as he came forth and dealt a harsh slap to my face. My right cheek burned like a spinning wheel in a hot furnace, and it looked like so. I bow my head, my eyes gazing at the floor trying to count the black tiles to keep me from bursting out tears. Malek loved to see me cry, but I vowed to never shed any tears, not for him."Where were you?" He seethed."I went to the pharmacy to get some medicine," He scoffed, "For what? The little punches I dealt you? You felt like you could talk out of place now because I let you to! I would never let any woman that I bought with billions of Kuwaiti dinars, not dollars, dinars, disrespect me in the way you did," He spat lousily.I said nothing and so he started to walk around me."So, what took you so long? The maids said they saw y
CHAPTER 3: TWO HEARTS, ONE DANCEAs my husband and Dashiell continued to talk about business and crazily boring stuff, I felt the urge to run away from the party. The larger it was, the more I felt like I wanted to vomit. I haven't known Dashiell for more than a day but I could tell that he was a man of few words and works. His aura was enough for him to voice out a five thousand worded essay in two minutes. I kind of admired him, plus, he was hotter than Malek. Malek looked like the effect of a failed chemistry practical. Curly hair, big head, large stomach, and thin legs. And he called me ugly? Me?I am the epitome of beauty and perfection. Every time I walked past my husband's friends, their eyelashes fluttered like they wanted to make them fly out of their shorts. They studied me like I was their business textbook, and when they saw me, it was like the light had been restored to darkness. I am the air that those men breathe. My beauty rises and kills. They could chew my long h
CHAPTER FOUR: WINE OVER GOLF?A week had passed since Malek's opening party and I hadn't heard from either Dashiell or Malek. Fear began to engulf me as the thought of Malek already signing off the inheritance to his mistress's unborn baby filled my head. I paced around my large bedroom frantically, thinking of how to reach Dashiell. Where do I even start from? How do I get to my child, who I don't even know his name. What should I do?Just then, my phone started to ring. Like a bolt of lightning, I rushed to pick it up and saw that it was an unknown number.I swear if it's the interior designers that are calling to ask whether we have a new event coming up, I am going to kill that person myself."Hello?" Then, his familiar baritone voice filled my ears, "Were you waiting for me to call?" I moved to sit on the chair, even more restless than before, "I was almost tempted to steal your email address from my husband," I confessed"My driver is in your estate. He's going to bring you
CHAPTER 5: DIVORCE? ON A CONDITIONI was so glad that Dashiell's driver didn't drop me in the estate, and that he dropped me off at the same place we met last week. But as I stepped onto my husband's estate grounds, all of the guards stationed at the gate all the way to the main house, held guns and stood near the gate. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I heard Barney call out to me. "Ma'am, Mr. Malek wants to see you as soon as possible," My heart sank. I knew that tone, that look. Malek definitely knew that I had left the estate, and he knew who I had met with. "What is it, Barney?" I asked, hoping that he was calling for no reason. Barney's expression remained neutral. "I'm not supposed to give you that kind of information, ma'am," I nodded slowly, "I understand. Sorry," I replied and made my way to his room.************Malek had his back to the door as I entered the room. He immediately stifled a laugh as he felt my presence. "You have grown nerves, Zahra. You have bec