Instinctively women would seek security and stability. So it was only natural that they would seek a man who could provide those things for them. At least that was what Salim knew.
During his life as a prince, he saw that even women from powerful families still had such tendencies. It would be even more difficult because not only those women who demand stability and security but their families as well. That was why they would only accept the proposal from men whose status was as strong or higher.
In the modern world, Salim realized that not much had changed. The difference was women in 2019 were attracted to rich and powerful men like CEOs or even mobsters -- Salim learned it from the movies he had seen, by the way. The rich men are the Sultans and princes of today. But the point was the same, with the wealth and power they had, providing security and stability wasn't a difficult thing for them.
'A prince or a rich man, both are me', Salim bragged.
Therefore, Salim was so confident that Arsia was surprised because she would marry a good quality man like him. Unfortunately, he had to accept the fact that this didn't amaze Arsia at all, he didn't make Arsia interested. Quite the opposite.
"Why are you silent? Tell me how many wives you have?" Arsia asked impatiently.
'It seems that she thinks that she will become a concubine', Salim's thought when he saw Arsia's eyes staring at him with a look of anxiety.
Seeing Arsia like that, something came to his mind. Because that girl had already made him annoyed by provoking his pride, Salim wanted to tease her. Just a little.
Salim made an expression as if he was trying to remember. He raised his finger and counted. While doing so, he glanced at Arsia just to look at that girl's expression was now. As he had expected, Arsia became so much wary. Salim laughed at that girl inwardly.
'She's really innocent', Salim thought, amused.
"Why did you count it so long?" Arsia protested.
"Sorry for this but I forget how many of them," Salim said with faked regret.
"How could you forget it?! Do you really have that many?" Arsia pursued.
"More than my fingers and toes," Salim answered at random. "Oh, even with Behram's fingers and toes," he added dramatically.
"What?!" Arsia was hysterical. "T-that means you have more than 20?" Arsia stuttered out of disbelief.
"I'm young, attractive, and rich. More than that, I'm a prince. Ensuring our noble line is one of my duties. 20 even sound so scant," Salim said.
Inwardly, Salim laughed at what he had just said. This time he was amused by himself. Having more than 20 women? There was no such thing! For the sake of his senses, monogamy made more sense to him. But he was enjoying teasing Arsia. So he wanted to continue all of that nonsense a little longer.
"Is that mean I can be the 30th?" Arsia made sure with a choked voice.
Salim shook his head. "You're the 50th probably," he replied in calm. "You can ask Behram if you don't believe me," he pointed his chin at his servant who had been standing near the door in silence.
Quickly Arsia turned to Behram. "Is that true, Mr. Behram?"
Salim quickly blinked his eyes at Behram. He ordered his servant to justify all his fun. Behram who had received the order could only carry it out according to his master's order even though his feeling said that this would only get the problem bigger. In addition, Behram had also promised that he wouldn't cause any trouble when Salim talked with Arsia. That was why he just did it as Salim wanted even though he didn't agree with it.
Instantly Arsia's face turned pale. She looked back at Salim. But this time with a look of horror as if it wasn't a gorgeous man but an ugly monster in front of her.
"So that's why you easily accept all of this? Because you used to marry women for your own sake?" Arsia asked in hurt.
Arsia's question was like an arrow that slid unnoticed by Salim and stuck right in his heart. Salim was surprised. That was when he realized that he had hurt Arsia.
A feeling of shame suddenly ambushed him. He was so sorry for his childish attitude earlier, who wanted to make fun of Arsia. Seeing how adorable that girl was with all the expressions on her face seemed to have made Salim forget about their current situation. Moreover, he became ignorant of Arsia's condition as someone who suffered the most here. Instead of finding a solution for the girl, Salim made her state even worse.
His brain worked fast. Immediately, Salim had to find something to take everything under control before they get off track. "Arsia, no. You gonna be my first. I will marry you as my first."
He stared straight at Arsia. That girl's face slightly turned towards him. Arsia's pair of round black eyes met his as if Arsia was trying to make sure something on Salim.
Salim didn't know what Arsia was looking for from him. But the next second he saw that the teardrops were slowly flowing from Arsia's pair of beautiful eyes.
"How cruel of you!," Arsia hissed.
That was the last thing Salim heard before Arsia left that place.
***
Arsia stepped out of the room with furious anger in her heart. She had nudged Behram until the old man staggered a little. Of course, Arsia didn't do it on purpose. She just wanted to open the door and leave the place right now. She would die of suffocation if she had to be in the same place as Salim.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Behram," Arsia said softly before leaving.
She went to her room and locked it. Arsia knew that Salim would follow her. That man had even knocked on her door now.
"Arsia, I'm so sorry!" Salim shouted behind the door.
Arsia ignored him. She threw herself on her bed and hid herself under the cover. Without seeing herself, Arsia knew that she looked very miserable at the moment.
Everything that happened to her today really made her exhausted. Arsia was able to withstand the pressure inside her. Even when she explained her situation to Salim, she was still able to hold back her tears even though a single tear escaped. But that man, instead of sympathizing, made her a joke.
"You're so cruel," Arsia repeated to Salim. This time with a low voice between her sobs.
"Arsia, I'm really sorry! Please come out," Salim was still trying to talk to her.
Arsia pulled the blanket higher. Her body was curled up in avoiding hearing Salim's words just now. There was nothing Arsia wanted to say to that man at this moment other than cursing.
'Bastard!'