"I had no idea that you had left the bedroom. You will return immediately," Aahil ordered in a low pitched growl of raw intimidation.

Luxuriant black lashes dipped. His sensual mouth twisted, "I was in the middle of a takeover bid for a company that I have been working to acquire for some months," His lashes shot up to reveal savagely impatient brown eyes, "I don't trust you. I am not leaving you down here alone to pick up some man on what is supposed to be our wedding night."

I had enough of his rudeness. There was something about his outrageous domineering attitude that brought the very worst in me, "I will do as I please," I challenged even though I had an undeniable current of fear shooting through my veins.

"Upstairs," Aahil bit out, pale with rage.

I stood my ground with stubbornness.

Without the slightest warning, he bent and swept me off my feet into his arms.

I was in complete shock.

"You will soon learn to submit when you are around me," he splintered in a menacing undertone, "And isn't it traditional to carry the bride over the threshold?"

I was thankful that Usman had scurried off the moment Aahil had embarrassed him and there was no one to witness this scene.

"Put me down!" I spat, scarlet cheeked.

"Make me," Aahil challenged as he stalked towards the bedroom.

I struck him with two outrageous fists.

"You will have to do better than that my little sweetheart," he mocked.

"Don't call me that," I launched as he climbed up the staircase.

"Now don't get your hopes high," he murmured in a sizzling purr of a threat as he shoved open the door to the bedroom and yanking me of his shoulders thrust me to the wide bed.

"What sort of woman are you?"

"It was just a formal talk," I muttered tightly.

"I know your kind. As you discard your formal talk, you discard your relationships too."

"I'm sick of you insulting me. What do you want to imply by that statement," I spat out in rage.

"Oh, so you have completely forgotten Isaac, haven't you?" Aahil demanded.

"Are you out of your mind?"

"Don't try playing games with me," he threatened.

My heart lurched sickly, the oxygen locking at the foot of my convulsed throat.

"Do you honestly believe that Aahil Hussain would marry any random girl with a blind eye? I had a private investigator on you for months."

My cheeks burning with outrage and mortification. I charged out, "How dare you?"

"Keep quiet," Aahil treated me with a chilling look of cold menace, "Keep quiet and listen well. I did not marry you just because it was dad's wish that I do."

I stood stunned.

"There is a lot going on in my life recently and marriage was the last thing on my mind."

Was he trying to make me feel like a gold digger once again? I drew myself up to my full height, which, tall as I was, still left me feeling strangely overshadowed by his dominating stature.

His mouth quirked, "Do you wish to know why I married you?"

My eyes desperately searched his for an answer.

The subtle movement of an eyebrow was his only acknowledgement to my confused expression, "You need to know about a very important issue. I don't think you are naive enough to be kept in dark. It is time I knocked some sense into you. Mr.Rizwan farouqi is one of a renown business tycoon and a competitor to our business world, he is involved in a lot of illegal activities and the police have no proof against him."

I took a breath.

Why was he speaking about some unknown person?

"Stop acting disinterested and listen when I am speaking," His mouth took a humourless curve as he regarded me again with studied insolence, "He has made several attempts to bribe our employee's and gain information through them, but has never succeeded. We have doubts that your father did not die a natural death but was a victim to planned murder. They worked out a very intelligent plan to paralyse my father too. But we have no proof against him so he cannot be charged by the law."

I stopped breathing.

My dad was murdered!

Not a muscle moved on my paralysed face as I struggled not to let my horror show.

His eyes were astute, missing nothing, "But he failed to get the file which has the coded information and was safeguarded by your father. Presently, he has become desperate after several failed attempts and his men have been trying for months to work out a plan to break into your house as they have hopes of finding it there."

'The Criminal investigation department has been keeping a close watch on the people who could be suspected as a victim to Mr.Rizwan Farouq's plan. But as your father, Mr.Ayaan had been a very honest and hard-working employee, we put several more men to watch out your family."

An insidious tension stole through me.

"My Dad was worried about your safety as you are the only one who knows the whereabouts of the file and there is a great threat to your life. So its time you refrain from speaking and laughing with any stranger you come across," His voice was as cold as the raw frost that hadn't melted despite the vain attempts of the sunny day.

I just kept staring at him. It felt like my whole life had turned upside down.  

Nothing seemed to make sense.

"My dad felt it is our responsibility to protect you and believe me even I feel the same, but dad wanted me to marry you as he thought a bodyguard cannot protect like a husband can protect his wife."

I wanted to speak but no sound came out of my mouth. I bit my lower lip with worry.

"I did not want to marry you or for that matter, anyone else. I don't think I would make much of husband material. Naturally, I was not tensed, as my private investigator had seen you and Isaac together several times and had come to gather that you both were childhood sweethearts. I was at ease that you would instantly disagree to go through this marriage."

I stilled in shock, glancing down at my feet and registering the things I had just heard, but he went on speaking without regard to my silence.

"But when you saw me for the first time, within minutes you were eating me with your eyes. Of course, a wealthy husband is far better than a middle-class childhood sweetheart."

Outraged, I shrieked, "Aahil you have got it all -------"

"The subject is closed."

"Then why did you open it?" I was wholly at the mercy of emotion and reaction, with no space left for considerate thought.

His hard profile was unyielding, "I don't like secrets. I should have faced you with it the first day we met but my dad was so overjoyed when you agreed for this marriage and as he is extremely ill, I had no choice but to go through this charade," Aahil conceded with a cutting tone.

"And now that we are married, I expect you to be pleasant to my family and also expect you to dress in a manner appropriate to your status. We will sort that out soon. And you won't be going back to the university until everything is sorted out and your life is out of potential danger."

My teeth gritted and I kept my lips firmly compressed.

Aahil stilled, "And last but not the least, no men," he added very very quietly, "no friends, no flirtations, platonic or otherwise. If you break that rule life will not be worth living, I assure you, sweetheart."

My stomach clenched.

He was inviolable, immovable, his beliefs set in stone. Yet, I was deprived of my usual mainstay to rebel against his miscalculations as the sheer depth of inner pain was too much to bear, at the moment.

The silence between us was like a great glass and I was too drained to try and climb it.

I vanished into the bathroom without a word and then the dam burst.

I had never been so hurt that I physically ached. I heard the thud of the bedroom door shut, making it clear of Aahil's departure.

Nothing seemed to make sense.

Was this the fairytale I had been anticipating all the time?

It was laughable but I couldn't laugh. My tremendous mouth compressed into a bloodless line.

My dad had chosen to safeguard that file over his own life.

What did that file possibly contain?

Should I discuss this matter with mom or Ali? But then, why hadn't dad disclosed it to anyone? I owed it to my father to keep faith with him.

The truth would only cause greater pain and distress to my dear mom and for what gain? I knew he couldn't be involved in crime.

It was clear that Aahil was having a tough time and he was trying his best to safeguard my family. Was this the reason he had been lurking in our backyard? He was a good man but how dare he terms me with Isaac or think so low of me?

Shaking with temper and overwhelming sadness I crushed against the wall, furious with myself that I was still trying to see the positive aspect of him even when he had hurt me so badly. I was too soft, dad had done this to me. He had always made me see the world with a positive outlook and not to be judgemental.

But now that dad was gone, I could not afford that kind of weakness.

This was the real world, not that forever sunny place in which I had naively inhabited.

And being soft was only an open invitation to get kicked in the teeth!

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I hope you are enjoying the story.

Does anyone have a clue to what information the secret file contains?

Do leave your comments.

Thank you.