The two best friends sat together in silence, Blake was driving both of them back to his apartment. He would occasionally drop a few glances at his best friend who had a sulky expression.
"You good, buddy?" He decided to ask. His only response was silence. "Wanna talk about it?"
"Talk about what?" He snapped.
"Aye! Don't use that tone with me. You are the one that asked me to accompany you here," Blake reprimanded him, Faiz's shoulder slumped.
"I'm sorry, I just…. Sorry," He didn't know what to say. Tonight was way too intense for him.
"It's okay, you just need to rest." Faiz gave no response to this, Blake didn't know what to say. He had his suspicions but didn't think this was the right time for it. So instead, he said, "I'm here for you bro."
That made Faiz smile.
Blake pulled up in front of his apartment and the two got out, after giving themselves a bro hug, Faiz got into his car and drove home. His mind drifted to what happened earlier. He was beyond embarrassed, but the real cause of the heat in his cheeks was the memories of her body so close to his.
He wasn't sure if he'd be able to sleep that night.
And he didn't.
He stayed up all night staring at the chandelier above his bed as his mind went to a certain dancer with green eyes. If he thought tonight was filled with drama, he had no idea what was coming to him the next day.
Barely having up to two hours of sleep, Faiz got ready for work, little dark bags forming beneath his blue eyes. He was exhausted, the night went by so fast to him.
He got into a fitted grey suit by Dolce and Gabanna, not bothering to get breakfast as he left for work. As he drove, he didn't see the posters that had colonised the streets of Brickell, he was too realised his face and Maya's were all over town.
As he parked his car in FZ's employee parking lot, he noticed how many eyes were on him. The same as he got into FZ, the busy chattering in the reception stopped as he closed the glass doors behind him. His brows creased with confusion. It was until his eyes fell on the notice board behind the receptionist's desk that he realised the reason for all the stares and gossip.
On the headlines of every newspaper in not just Brickell, nor Miami, nor America, but the whole world was 'AL KHARI'S RUNAWAY PRINCE FOUND WITH NAKED STRIPPER ON THE STREETS OF MIAMI'
Faiz wanted to scream.
Bridget, FZ's receptionist saw his reaction and quickly tore the paper off the board with shaky hands.
"Give it to me," Faiz growled.
She adjusted the rim of her glasses as she blinked rapidly at him, terrified that she was about to lose her job. "S-sir, it was here when I-"
"Give it to me!" He snapped and she flinched back.
"I'm sorry! So sorry, sir," she quickly gave him the papers and his eyes scanned through them. Below it was similar stories.
'SOURCES HAVE FINALLY TRACKED DOWN THE RUNAWAY PRINCE OF AL KHARI, HE IS FOUND ON WITH FAMOUS STRIPPER, MAYA HUDSON'
He couldn't believe what he was reading. Everyone backed away slowly as Faiz's pale skin transformed into a bright shade of red. His fist balled as he crumpled the paper in his hands and stormed into the elevator. His mind spiralled as he thought of who and how his secret was found. Did his father send a search party for him? Or was a picture of him released? Al Khair was not a famous kingdom so the royals were not that popular. But for news such as this to reach the States, he knew something was wrong.
He got into his office and slammed the door behind him. His hands went to his hair before he began to pull the tender strands harshly. His phone rang, it was Blake.
"It's everywhere, man," were his first words as he answered the call. Blake was the only one he had told about his past and where he was from, he knew how much of a disaster it would be if word of his royal lineage were to get out on the streets. "Check the news," Faiz ended the call and checked the news on his phone.
A male and female reporter sat as a picture of him and Maya was broadly displayed in the background. The picture was taken during their argument in the parking lot, Maya's exposed body covering the majority of the screen.
Faiz listened as the reporters spoke.
"Have you ever heard of Al Khari, Rob?" The female reporter asked the male reporter.
"No, but our sources tell us that it's a little town located in the United Emirates, not very popular but very rich in gold and other mineral resources," Rob said.
"Wow, and their prince has been in among us this whole time?" The female reporter asked.
"It seems so, Payton. And not just in our midst but he's also the CEO of FZ enterprises," Rob said and Payton's eyes widened with fake shock as if all they said wasn't already scripted.
"The FZ enterprises? That's owned by Faiz Malik?"
"Yes, the very one."
"My God, I heard he was a man well known for his righteousness," Payton smiled and the two reporters looked back at the picture of Faiz and Maya that was displayed.
Rob snorted, "That does not look very righteous to me." The two laughed and Faiz turned it off. He wondered how many times he had to get humiliated in just a matter of days. Who could have possibly done this?
His phone rang and this time it was his sister, Samira. Faiz panicked, if this news were to return home he didn't think he ever would. Despite his fear of the disappointment he might hear from his little sister's voice, he picked up the call.
Unfortunately, it wasn't Samira in the end.
"You are nothing but a disgrace!" Faiz's blood drained as he heard the voice he had been dreading to hear for the past five years.
"Baba."
"I am not your baba, you incompetent brat! You made sure of that after you abandoned your kingdom, your family!" Faiz pulled the phone away from his ear at the intensity and pitch of his father's voice. "A part of me tried to understand why you left, it was your dream, I know. But this, a prostitute?! Astaghfirullah! Your mother's very soul must be crying at this news. What have you become?!"
"Baba, listen to me. It's not-"
"I am beyond disappointed. You couldn't even have the decency to conceal your sin! Disgraceful! Our people weep at this news. You've brought nothing but shame to our village! To our entire country-"
Faiz became fed up.
"That's enough!" He snapped, he could practically see his father's brows raising at his sudden outburst. "You know who else is ashamed? Me. I'm fucking ashamed of you!"
"Faiz! I am your father-"
"Are you?! I don't think so. None of this would have happened if you had just supported my dream. But you cared more about your kingdom than your very son's happiness, and I didn't blame you, to be honest. But I will not allow you to call me after so many years just to insult me. If there is something I've learnt here, it's that you don't judge someone without knowing the whole story." He said, repeating Maya's words.
"Faiz, I'm-"
"Goodbye, Baba." He ended the call and threw his phone on the chair in front of his desk. He sat down on his, tilting his head back as he took a calming breath. He thought of how was he going to recover from this and what impact this would have on FZ. He shut his eyes as he tried to calm his pulsating heart.
He was angry. Angry at everything.
He wished he had never gone to clubspace that night Blake invited him. He wished he had never met that dancer with green eyes that seemed to constantly hunt his mind.
The hours passed and Faiz had just finished reading a few business propositions. He surfed the internet for any good deals he could embark on when another headline caught his eye.
'FAIZ MALIK IMPREGNATES FAMOUS DANCER, MAYA HUDSON'
What?
He clicked on the website and found more outrageous rumours;
'FZ'S CEO HAS FLING WITH CLUBSPACE STRIPPER'
'FAIZ MALIK AND MAYA HUDSON ARE EXPECTING THEIR FIRST CHILD
'MAYA HUDSON SETTLES DOWN WITH ARABIAN PRINCE, FAIZ MALIK'
'ARE THE NEW COUPLE MOVING IN TOGETHER?'
Faiz's head throbbed the more he read. This was far beyond outrageous, he wondered if Maya was responsible for these rumours. It was the only possible explanation. This had more effect on him than on her. It would work more in her favour.
He rubbed his hands against his face. Perhaps he was right about her after all. She just wanted money, now she was spreading all these rumours. But did she have to go that far? Did she have to go as far as ruining his reputation and tarnishing his company's image?
He was filled with so much rage at the thought.
He picked up his phone and just as he had decided to confront her about this outrage, his phone rang once again. This time it was an unknown number. Could it be a reporter? Or someone from the press? Despite the debate going on in his head, he answered.
"Hello?"
"Now you know what happens when people refuse to do business with me," came the voice of an unknown man on the other end.
Faiz's face crinkled with confusion, "Excuse me?"
"Oh, you don't remember I see. It's fine, I'll probably find another one of your secrets to use and tarnish your dear FZ."
Faiz was getting aggravated by the suspense, "Yalla! Who are you?"
"My partners warned you about this, you know. These are consequences of refusing to join forces with me." Faiz's face morphed as the realization dawned upon him.
"Rhodes."
"Ah… You aren't as stupid as I thought you were." Rhodes chuckled from the other end.
"You are doing all this because I refused to join my business with yours? Are you so childish as to go that far? What do you gain by doing this?!" Faiz screamed with frustration.
"Respect," Rhodes simply answered. "And don't act all angry, you were warned. You brought this and what is to come upon yourself. Next time, you'd think twice before refusing me. Have a nice day"
"You-" the line went dead and Faiz yelled as his entire body shook with rage. "Ahbil hayawan!" He cursed in his native tongue before smashing his phone against the wall.
He fell back into his chair, his head falling into his hands as he tried to calm himself down once again.
Everything.
Everything he has worked for was about to go down the drain. His years of hard work and discipline, all the blood, sweat and tears were for nothing? No, he refused to give up so easily. He would clear his name and bring back his good reputation.
But his heart was still plagued by sadness, not because of the outcome this would have on him and his business. But because he had falsely judged Maya.
Again.