'The consequences can't be endured by anyone else, Arsia. Remember it', Arsia recalled it in her head. Salim's words, why did it feel more like a threat than a warning? Her guts were shrunken by it.
Shortly, Arsia regretted opening that topic. Although she didn't know what consequences Salim was referring to, the chaos she was going through now seemed to be quite descriptive. She didn't want Ahmet Selim to experience it either, of course.
Besides, how would she say it to Selim? How would she propose to him? Obviously, it would be very embarrassing! Even though Selim has always helped her solve her problems, it didn't mean that Selim would be willing to help on this one too (so far Selim has only helped her with college matters). And what if Selim rejected her? Arsia would be embarrassed to death!
Seeing Arsia being silent, Salim tilted his face slightly to the left to examine the change in that girl's face. "What's your opinion? Do you still want to marry another man?" he asked.
"I don't want to get married," Arsia muttered without looking at Salim.
"I didn't hear it?" Salim pinched his eyebrow again.
"No," replied Arsia. This time she answered by looking at Salim.
"Are you sure? I will not make it hard for you if you don't want to marry me. You can marry Behram. He won't refuse my order, tho."
It was clear that Salim intentionally scared Arsia through his so-called offer. He was sure that even if Arsia wasn't that smart, that girl wouldn't be so stupid as to choose to marry Behram over him. The change in Arsia's face boosted his confidence.
Arsia sighed. "Okay," she broke the silence.
Arsia's answer sounded ambiguous to Salim's ears. He asked her to make sure, "Okay... what?"
"Marrying Behram," Arsia said.
Salim was stunned to hear it. It left him speechless for a second, he didn't know what to say. Exactly, he didn't know how to respond to Arsia's absurd decision.
"Are you... sure?" he made sure.
"Yes," Arsia's was so sure.
"With Behram?" Salim repeated.
"Yes," there was no doubt in Arsia.
Salim snorted. In a temper, he stood up from his seat. His chartreuse green eyes squeezed to Arsia for a moment with a sharp look full of disbelief. Then he passed and left that room.
Arsia who followed Salim's out then called him, "My Lord!"
Excited because Arsia held him, Salim stopped his steps. He turned his head.
There was a glimmer of hope in Salim's mind that Arsia would say something like 'I was wrong, I changed my mind, I'm going to marry you'. But of course, Salim covered up his euphoria. For the sake of his pride, he didn't want Arsia to find out. So he made his face as cool as possible when he asked, "What is it, Arsia?"
Arsia winced.
'Oh, well this won't be as what I expected', Salim thought as soon as he saw Arsia.
"Wouldn't it be better to walk out from the door?"
That was what he heard from Arsia later.
Because of his annoyance, Salim unconsciously was about to get out of the window. Like Arsia's rejection was less ruined his pride, this embarrassment still had to happen to him. Salim, without saying anything, immediately overturned his direction and opened the door harshly.
'This unlucky door!', he murmured inwardly. Salim took his anger out on that innocent thing. Behind him, Arsia was looking at his back with a confused look.
'What's wrong with him?', Arsia wondered. She was absolutely no idea about Salim's behavior.
At the door, Behram was waiting for Salim. He slightly pulled his body back when the door opened. Finding his master coming out with a grumbling face, Behram knew whatever was going on in there was not something to be expected.
"How did it go, My Lord?" Behram asked in a calm and careful tone after the door of Arsia's room closed.
As if just realizing Behram's presence, Salim turned his head. He examined Behram from top to bottom with eyes full of judgment.
'His hair is already gray and almost bald in the middle. He's also not as tall as me and slightly bent over consumed by age', Salim judged.
Then he took a closer look at Behram's facial features.
'His eyes are wistful. Deep wrinkles around the tail of his eyes and he has eye bags. His lips are too thin and pale as his face's skin tone. He looks like he has no lips, however', Salim added.
Then Salim calculated another thing. Which was more crucial than just physical matter in a marriage.
'Is Behram still able to perform his duty as a husband?', he thought.
"My Lord?" Behram called his master who was silent. Unfortunately, the master was still lost in his thoughts.
'How could Arsia choose Behram over me? What is she planning to do by marrying Behram? Does she think she can run to that man by this way?', Salim's mind was filled with suspicions.
How could he not? Salim accidentally heard the voice of 'that man' as he was about to enter Arsia's room. It made him hold himself for a moment before breaking the window just to overhear what his bride-to-be and that man were talking about.
In the end, Salim couldn't hear them clearly. He had only heard 'don't talk about romance'. Salim knew it wasn't enough to 'accuse' but he couldn't do anything to stop his blood from boiling, other than breaking the window. That was how he was able to meet Arsia calmly earlier as if he didn't know anything.
Their marriage, although it should be happened because of a mistake but Salim considered it as something serious and important. Arsia wasn't just a key guardian for him now. For the sake of anything, that girl was also his future wife!
His bride rejected him.
As if it wasn't enough, Arsia even dared to express the idea of marrying someone else than himself.
Arsia's refusal did hurt his pride as a man (yes, at this moment Salim was angry as a man!). What was so lacking in him that Arsia didn't want him? Salim couldn't get the answer.
"Follow me," Salim ordered Behram. His voice was not friendly at all.
Getting such treatment from Salim certainly made Behram wonder. But Behram remained silent and followed as he was instructed. His master took them to one of the empty room near the kitchen, a little bit far from Arsia's room.
Before closing the door, Behram checked to make sure no one was following them. It was a habit of him, no matter if they were in the modern era right now.
Behram turned to Salim after closing the door. His master was still unfriendly toward him.
"Arsia chose to marry you," Salim said immediately in an accusatory tone.
Indeed, Behram was surprised to hear that. Now he knew why Salim looked at him as if he was his mortal enemy.
Behram wanted to say something to clarify it. But Salim immediately raised his right hand to hold him.
"I don't know what she's planning right now. That girl..." Salim held back his words due to his anger.
Behram thought Salim was going to say something important. But it was jealousy that his master showed.
"How could she choose you over me?"
Behram bowed himself. He was worried that his master would misunderstand him. Hurried he said, "I'm so sorry, My Lord. This is out of my control."
Salim breathed harshly. It was hard for Salim to accept that Arsia chose to marry Behram. He stared at Behram sharply.
"You have to make her rethink her decision and reject you!" Salim's decreed.