London, England.

Malik walks into his luxurious penthouse. Yawning audibly, his eyes behold a woman in a blue maxi dress who's seated sulkily in the living room. His steps halt.

He knows he's in trouble. Just why didn't he call her back? He clears his throat to mask his guilt. Carefully, as if afraid to make noise, continues walking through the foyer.

"Hi." He saunters towards the brown office desk placed right near a gigantic, floor-to-ceiling window that covers the entire side of this luxurious penthouse.

The walls are furnished in cream, matched with the sparkling marble floors. The lobby is the living room, containing a cream leather sofa, a black coffee table, a pair of navy wing chairs, a forty-eight-inches TV, and other minor stuff.

Getting up from the sofa, her feet against the velvet silver-grey carpet, Roshni says, "At last you're back. I thought you moved out." Sarcasm laces her voice. 

"Why would I move out? This is my house, remember?" Malik chuckles softly.

"Exactly! The house you've never been to since we arrived," Roshni says accusingly, her arms folded across her chest. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't going to sleep here? I mean, I understand you're not obligated to tell me a thing, but still—"

"Did you miss me?" Malik asks teasingly, interrupting her rumbling. He shrugs out of his blazer, smiling.

Roshni huffs in response, rolling her eyes at him. "You must be kidding me. Look, I really don't care how you live your life, Malik. I don't give a damn when you come and leave, but I want to be informed about certain things," she says, her gaze as serious as an angry wife reprimanding her husband.

"Things like what?" Malik stares at her mischievously, his big eyes squinted.

He's having fun.

"Like when you sleep out?" Roshni replies coolly. "I mean, you told me you wouldn't take long, and here you are, coming back on the next day. No bother to even call or text me." She's mad.

And oh yeah, he's screwed up! Malik sighs remorsefully, even though this is all new. 

"I got caught up with work. There's a situation in the company, and with Liam's absence, I had to work double," he explains, his eyes dark from the lack of a proper sleep. "Pardon me, her Highness. I seriously didn't think you'd be upset with my absence." He smiles again, playful.

"Will you please be serious, Malik!" Roshni snaps.

"But I am." Malik laughs, for he's having a brand new problem of having to answer to anyone about his whereabouts. What the fuck! "And I'm back, so stop sulking, will you?" He makes his way towards a curved staircase heading to his bedroom.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Roshni asks in a yell.

"Eat what? You cooked?" Malik asks lazily, gripping the glass railing of the staircase. 

"Yes?" Roshni answers.

"Why?" Malik queries, surprised.

"Why?" Roshni huffs incredulously, not knowing what he's expecting for an answer. "It's what normal people do so as to not starve to death. Well, maybe you're not normal after all because your kitchen appliances are all new."

Who cares about the kitchen? Malik wants to roll his eyes but he decides against it. 

"Good for them. At last they found a user. You shouldn't have bothered to cook. I don't eat at home," he said matter-of-factly while taking another step. 

His remark made Roshni frown, a little pained by his bluntness. "Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Sorry."

Malik glances at her and mutters, "Cool." 

She sighs heavily. "But we need to talk!" Her words keep him still. 

"About what?" he asks gently. 

"The house rules or something? How we're both going to evolve."

"Do we need that?" Malik gapes. 

"Yes, we do. We have a lot to discuss," Roshni insists, looking quite determined to make this matter more serious than it sounds.

Shrugging, Malik answers, "Sure. But after I take a shower, please. And maybe sleep. And maybe—"

"Just do everything you have to do, Malik! But we're having this talk today," Roshni tells him compulsively.

"Alright, Lightness. Jeez, you don't need to bark!" Malik retorts, and she gives him one of her vicious looks that usually makes him do nothing but smile.

Damn, she can be a sly one!

He slams the door to his bedroom that holds the whole upper floor.  A smile lingers on his lips as he moves closer to the enormous glass wall. From up here he can clearly see the living room, and his gaze finds hers as she's also eyeing his room. Unhurriedly he undoes the buttons of his shirt, and she stands there transfixed. 

Malik enjoys the challenge, and smoothly he tugs his shirt off, a smirk on his lips. 

Roshni quickly looks away, and without wasting a minute she leaves. 

Laughing, finding the fall of her bold facade amusing, Malik ambles over and grabs the remote from the nightstand of his large sofa bed. He presses a button among many and slowly the cream curtains pull themselves together to cover the wall from the ceiling to the floor. 

Around six in the evening, Malik finally gets downstairs and finds no one in the living room. Everything is well arranged, no sign of it being occupied a moment ago as all the grey and blue pillows are now placed neatly on the sofa, and so are the business magazines under the coffee table.

"Wow," he mutters, feeling like there are some changes in the place that he can't quite gather. 

And where is she? He walks towards the extra bedroom located near the kitchen, and softly knocks on the door that opens a few seconds later. 

"What?" Roshni asks, poking her head out.

"I'm ready. Let's talk," Malik says, hands buried inside the pockets of his grey joggers, and by all means he looks quite handsome in his white hoodie with tousled dark hair—sexy and messy. 

"Cool. Hold on a second." Roshni steps in for a moment, and then returns with a silver laptop. "I found it in the room and used it for something. I'm sorry I didn't ask for your permission."

"It's alright. You can keep it," says Malik.

"Okay. I'm going to use it again right now," remarks Roshni as she walks past him. "I was thinking of—" She pauses upon Malik's sudden detour toward the kitchen. 

Decidedly, she waits for him in the living room. When he returns the laptop is on. 

"So, what are those rules, huh?" He's holding a bottle of water as he sits bossily on one of the wing chairs, facing her.

"Quite simple. You'll tell me what you consider the boundaries, and I'll do the same. For example, I don't want to be surprised with your guests, so at least notify me when you bring one," says Roshni, a laptop on her thighs. "Well, except for Kira and Liam, of course."

"Hmm. I see," Malik remarks, tapping his fingers on the armrest of the chair. "And what else?" He smiles.

What is this? Middle school boarding house? He laughs mentally. 

"So . . . I'm starting?" Roshni looks taken aback.

Of course, honey. Fuck, does he even have any rule to make? It's all her call. 

"Ladies first," Malik utters pointedly, sounding magnanimous.

"Okay." Roshni begins typing on the laptop.

"Are you writing this conversation?" he asks.

Jeez, women are so weird! Why so much hussle over something so simple? 

"Yes." Roshni lifts her eyes at him. "We're putting everything in writing. I don't want any blowback."

"Oh my! You're so meticulous." Malik grins.

And fuck, this meeting is at last getting interesting. He sits straight while opening the sealed bottle of water.

"For how long are we going to live together?" Roshni quizzes. 

"For as long as it takes," Malik answers, for he's no idea. Roshni squints her eyes. "I mean . . . As long as we don't have a solution yet, we'll continue living together, Lightness. Cool, isn't it?" He smiles bashfully, deep inside wondering exactly the same thing. 

Until when?

"So it's . . . indefinitely." Roshni types down. "Okay. And is there anyone else you share this house with?" She glances up at him. 

"No. I live alone," Malik answers while taking the water bottle into his mouth, eyes fixed on her.

"Alright, let's go straight to the DO's and DON'Ts." Roshni stares at Malik as she says, "I don't think I have anything to say. This is your house and I'm just a guest, so I'll just skip this one. But what I don't want is the invasion of privacy."

"Hmm . . . I think that's too general. Would you mind breaking it?" Malik asks seriously.

Who does she think he is? A pervert?

"Of course," Roshni says determinedly. "First, make sure to knock on my door before entering, at all times, by any means."

"As if I wouldn't," Malik snorts in a low voice. "Okay. Second?"

"Don't bring your girlfriend without letting me know first," she says, and he shoots her an inquiring look. "That way I wouldn't be around here when she does come," she adds, clearing any misunderstanding.

"And where will you go?" Malik quizzes with a laugh, not knowing why this topic is in the conversation to begin with.

"To my room. Out. Anywhere but here," Roshni says dryly. "Also, since I'm not going to question about the people you meet or go out with, I'd appreciate it if you do the same. It's a fake relationship after all, right?"

What does she mean by that? What people? Malik stares at her intently, his eyebrows knitted together.

"Really? What if I beg to differ?" he challenges, placing the bottle on the table.

"Meaning?"

"Let's see." Malik shifts abruptly onto the sofa, right next to Roshni. 

She moves warily. "What are you—"

"Relax." A knowing grin appears on Malik's face. "Instead of all these, why don't you tell me what you want istead?" he asks, staring at her dusky brown eyes deeply, disturbing her confidence.

"What?" Roshni moves farther. 

"Give me the laptop and stop imagining things," Malik says while taking it. He takes his time staring at the contents until he snaps, "This is all nonsense; forget it. We'll have a contract if you're that interested."

"A contract?" Roshni widens her eyes. 

"Yes, Lightness. We'll have it by tomorrow. We can discuss the terms and conditions afterwards." He shuts the laptop down, then reclines back on the coach, his eyes on her. "Oh, and forget about meeting the 'people' you mentioned earlier. Whether it's fake or real, you're still my fiancée, so you're not meeting any other guy."

"W-what?" Roshni gasps incredulously at his brazen declaration. "What if I find someone I like? Should I stick myself to this fake relationship, then?"

"Yes. He'll have to wait until we're done," Malik states. 

"That's ridiculous! And what about my needs?" Roshni blurts out.

"Needs?" Malik winces, looking strangely at her. "What needs?" he asks.

Damn, what the fuck does she mean by this? He glares at her.

"I do have my needs. Do I have to say it out loud?" Roshni says, her voice flustered.

"Huh?" 

"What?" she questions the stunned look Malik gives her. "Why are you looking at me like that? You can spend the night with Monique and I can't do it with another guy?"

Okay, where did Monique come from in this topic? Malik smiles. 

"So . . . you want to spend the night with someone because of Monique? Fine. Who is he? Maybe we can work it out in our contract." He's highly amused. 

"Well, I—" Roshni pauses, sighing, nibbling her lips, having nothing really to say.

"Say it, Lightness. Who is he? Your boyfriend? Is he in London?" Malik asks, a tiny curiosity eating him deep inside like a dangerous parasite.

She can't have someone here, can she?

"What are you rambling about?" Roshni gets up, moving away from him. His gaze stalks her as he laughs. "I'm just saying that if you're going to continue having an affair with other women, then I can also do the same. It's only fair, right? We are faking this, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah, no need to remind me that it's fake," Malik remarks, a slight displeasure coating his face. 

So she wants to date other guys? This idea doesn't really feel okay.

"Will you be able to handle it without getting caught, though? Because we're being monitored very closely now that we're here. Can you?" he asks. 

"Um . . . I don't know," says Roshni. "But if you can, why can't I?"

"Oh, so this is about me, huh?" Smiling, Malik rests his elbows on his either knees.

"Oh please? Of course not," Roshni scoffs.

"Do you want me to stop seeing other women?" Malik teases, fully aware that he's not even in the mood for this stuff lately. The company is taking a toll on him.  "Is that what you want, Lightness?" He firms his gaze up at her.

"Yes?" Roshni replies carelessly. Malik raises a stunned eyebrow. "I mean, we should both be careful, right?" she quickly devises. 

"Right." Malik beams, trying hard not to laugh at this whole discussion. "We shall add that on the contract then. None of us will be involved with other people while we're dating."

"Dating?" Roshni asks sharply

"Yes. Dating," Malik replies. "I'm going out. You don't need to wait up." He stands up right away, the discussion over.

"Where are you going?" Roshni asks curiously.

"Knightsbridge is big, baby. You can come along if you want." Malik winks playfully.

"Ew!" Roshni grouches.

"Your loss." He heads toward the door, grinning amusedly.

"Hold on," Roshni halts him, and he cocks his head back to face her. She looks hesitant for a while, but eventually she says, "I'll get my jacket. Wait for me."

"Wise choice." Malik smiles.

A/N
Hey, yo! This was just a teaser chapter on upcoming book about Malik. "The love blossom" is supposedly title. I need ten 'YES' to know if you're all interested.