The sound of a slap rang out in the room. Mohammed turned his head gracefully to face the woman in front of him. He was enraged, but he maintained his composure. "What does this mean, Raiha?"
"You were aware, were you not? You were aware of His Majesty's new mistress. You were aware that the Sultan had also married her and made her his sole Queen. You were always aware of her existence and played me for a fool. Why did you do that? Why did you subject me to such an ordeal?"
"There appears to have been a misunderstanding." Mohammed gave her a look that was devoid of a smile.
"You keep all of this from me and claim it's a misunderstanding?" she retorted angrily, tears welling up in her eyes.
"And why should I have to answer to you? I only work for the Sultan, not for you. Stop pushing the envelope, Raiha."
He was working hard to keep his cool. He didn't tell a lie; his job was to serve the Sultan.
Raiha walked up to him, her satin kaftan exposing her breasts, and leaned against him, staring up at him. He was tall and chiseled.
"What do I mean to you, Mohammed? Please tell me," She sobbed, clutching his kaftan. "Are you just using me as a pawn?"
Mohammed stood there watching as tears streamed down her cheeks. Raiha's grasp on his shirt tightened. He clenched her jaw and leaned down to lick her lips. "Raiha, Raiha, Raiha. Why are you acting this way? It's not as if we are lovers."
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Surprised by his statement, she loosened her grip and quickly separated herself from him.
"To be clear, you always came to me, and I gladly accepted your invitation. How can I say no to free food?"
"Free food?" she was taken aback by his words and repeated them. "Do you really see me that way?"
He shook his head, took a deep breath, and pushed his hair back away from his face. "What else is there to say? Do not tell me you have fallen in love with me because that is completely out of character for you."
"I cannot believe I trusted a scumbag like you."
He gripped her arms tightly and stared her down. "This piece of garbage, on the other hand, knows how to please you more than the Sultan. Every time he beds you, he makes you scream with euphoria. Is that something His Majesty does?"
"How certain are you that His Majesty is incapable of pleasing me?"
"If he did, you would not be so quick to spread your legs for me every time we crossed paths." He shrugged as he said this. "What do you think his expression will be if he learns that his beloved Consort has been having affairs with his Grand Vizier and childhood best friend?"
"You're not going to say anything to him. If he finds out, he will execute you."
"And that's where you are incorrect," said Mohammed. With one hand clenched securely around her waist, he played with her lock of hair, pulling her closer to him. "Do you think he would kill me for the sake of a woman? When something new arrives, Raiha, the word favorite slips away. That's the way us males are. After discovering interesting new toys, we will quickly lose interest in our old ones." He moved down close to her ear and murmured something. "Think carefully: who would His Majesty, the Sultan, choose to execute between the two of us?"
She yanked him away from her fiercely. How dare he say such a thing in her ear? He was shirtless as he stood in the middle of the room. Raiha had walked into his room suddenly just as he finished his bath and was about to put on his pants after drying off. She didn't allow him to fully clothe himself.
"You are going to be sorry, Mohammed."
He didn't seem to be bothered by her statement. He walked over to his bed and sat down. "You are dressed like that, Raiha, and you are trying to make me regret something?" As he gazed up and down at her, he patted the bed. "Come here," he murmured, his voice thick.
She approached him and then stood in front of him as Mohammed caressed her waist. She then pushed him on the bed and sat on him as he caressed her thighs going up to her waist pulling her downwards so he could feel her body on his. Raiha then leaned down and whispered something to his ears.
"It's amusing how you threaten as if you were a child, Mohammed. You could inform the Sultan if you truly wanted to, but the fact that you haven't makes me question why. Or are you the one who secretly loves me but is frightened to acknowledge it?"
He flipped her over the bed and lied on top of her, smiling as he looked at her, who was almost half-naked, and almost kissed her.
"Raiha, if you really wanted to be bedded, you could have just stated so. I have no qualms with satisfying you. What I despise the most is an angry woman in my bed, which you well know does not turn me on."
*********
"How's the search coming along?"
"Your highness, she has yet to be found."
Ashley's face became drab. Her sister's whereabouts were still unknown, and there was no indication that she would be found anytime soon. Without Asher's knowledge, Ashley requested a covert search for her sister. She had always carried the burden of guilt from the tragic incident that occurred when they were children. She was determined to find her sister and return her home as quickly as possible.
"Thank you very much, Wilberforce. Please let me know if you come across anything." She smiled before continuing, "How about my lovely tiger? Is he okay?"
Wilberforce was taken aback by her unexpected question. He was a Grand duke who served the Emperor of the Wicker Empire but also chose to serve Princess Ashley despite their sibling rivalry. Ashley was forced to marry Wilberforce at the age of fifteen by the order of her brother the emperor, Asher. Regardless of the circumstances, Wilberforce had always adored his wife, Ashley.
He always treated her as his superior, despite the fact that she was his wife. He wanted to treat her with the utmost respect. Was Ashley, on the other hand, at ease with it?
"He's doing fine, but he misses his mother terribly."
They sat on the veranda of her bedroom while her chambermaid, Mary, served them tea. He continued to survey her quarters, puzzled as to why she insisted on staying rather than returning to her matrimonial home. She was not being treated well at the palace, and no one could speak up.
Despite their three-year age difference, he had never denied her anything. He always honored his wife's wishes and did his best to please her. He couldn't confront the emperor because he didn't want to put Ashley in danger.
"When are you going to return home? Our son is missing you. I'm missing you." He placed his cup on the table with care and looked her in the eyes. "I'm missing my wife."
Ashley clutched her cup tightly, attempting to escape his stare. He was a tall, well-built man with limestone skin. His long carrot hair was tied up in an untidy bun, and he kept looking at her with his light gold eyes.
After taking a sip, she turned and avoided his eyes, then set her cup on the table. "I still have some unfinished business here. Please give me some time."
He sighed deeply as he rubbed his temples. Was there anything she needed to finish at the palace? She was married, but instead of spending time with her husband and child, she opted to stay at the palace, where she was treated with contempt.
"However, are you going to be all right?" He put his hand over hers and waited for a response. Wilberforce's expression was distraught as Ashley placed her hand on his, attempting to reassure him that she would be well.
"Don't take your gaze off my face, Wilberforce. I think it's about time I tell you the truth about myself."
She had a very serious expression as she stated that and the look on Wilberforce's face changed abruptly. He seemed shocked as he stared at Ashley.
"Your Highness, your eyes…"
*********
Irfana sat in her leather bedroom chair, her daughter in her arms, attempting to put her to sleep. One of her chambermaids rushed into the room, breathing heavily and smiling. "My Lady!" she exclaimed.
"Hush! Can you not see that my baby is trying to sleep?" She gently rubbed her infant's back before returning her gaze to the maid who stood at her bedroom door. "What exactly is it? What caused you to scream so loudly?"
"His Majesty has arrived back at the palace…"
She bent down breathing heavily with both her hands on her knees before continuing, "But he came back with a woman…"
"So what? How is that any of my business?"
"She is his one and only Queen, My lady. Do you not know what that means?"