Chapter 10 - FIRST DAY

OMNISCIENT

The next morning, Zafeer woke up with a determined mind. He was going to be an office man which meant that he would have very limited time. He knew Junaid was not one to disappoint, his cousin-brother was capable of handling everything impeccably.

It was the first time he would be seeing the headquarters of the company he built with his sweat. He took a loan from his maternal grandfather who was more than willing to dash him the money but Zafeer refused, saying he wanted to work too. After two years, he returned the exact amount of money to his proud grandfather. Zafeer also owns a few five-star hotels and apartments in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Crown Prince made his way to the bathroom and took his bath then came out, only to meet his outfit for the day hung neatly on the clothes rack. He won't lie, the maids in the palace know how to carry out their jobs efficiently.

He wore the white button-up shirt and topped it with a black Dolce & Gabanna floral lace pattern blazer with the same colour of slacks. Sliding on a pair of Micheal Kors sleek black office shoes, he sprayed his Chanel Imperial Majesty perfume and sauntered out after putting on his silver Seiko wristwatch and shielding his eyes with Rayban clubmaster shades, his Arabian bangs making him stand out in an exceptionally unique way.

It was his first day at the office and if the employees were not professional enough to his taste, it was a straight sack for them. He would start with a thorough interview just like he did with the staff back in Saudi. They were glad that the guy left. If not, they wouldn't have the freedom they were enjoying currently.

The palace guards kept praising him, everyone was awestruck at how breathtakingly gorgeous he looked. His steps were filled with grace and gait as he settled in the backseat of the white Mercedes-Benz S-class. The fleet of cars soon arrived at the North wing, where he would have breakfast together with everyone and then go to the office later on.

"Crown Prince Zafeer is gracing us with his presence," A guard announced and he entered the royal dining hall. As usual, he was the last person to arrive but always snatched the attention.

"Ooo! I am crushing," Sabreen grinned and took a quick picture of him before he could smash the phone. He hated attention but always got it.

"Morning everyone," He greeted and sat on his usual seat, between Junaid and Sabreen, opposite Turad.

The day before, Turad came back from the hospital after a long day of surgery. He managed to tell them about his encounter with Marwa and they kept laughing, including Zafeer which was very unusual. The guy neither laughs nor smiles, but it feels good that he did the day before.

"It is your first day at work, huh?" Haroon questioned with an amused smile that flabbergasted everyone except Umaiza, she knew why.

Last time they checked, Haroon Baghdad was never the one to act carefreely around Zafeer. Not with the cold, icy stares he gets every time. Now, the uncle and nephew behave like father and son for a reason unknown to everyone, even Haroon. Hamida was on alert, she knew Zafeer must have something up his sleeves, he was never the one to change without a strategy underneath.

"Yes, Uncle," Zafeer gave him that smirk that always managed to look like a smile. He is the only one who can do that in the family.

"Well, good luck with that, Son," The last word got the attention of all the family members, even King Harith couldn't help but drop his fork on the table. Something is going on, not that they know about it.

"Do you need me to show you around the whole place?" Junaid asked Zafeer.

"Yeah, sure. It is already eight, let's go now," Zafeer adjusted his wristwatch and stood up.

Zafeer, Junaid, and Turad made their way out after bidding adieu to their family members. His enigmatic expression was unwavering, he didn't let them have any clue of what he was doing.

"Look, I am tired of holding it in. Why are you suddenly being nice to my father? Zafeer, tell us," Junaid blocked his path on the hallway where no one would hear them.

"I am trying to change," Zafeer partly lied, he was never the one to do that but it wasn't like he had a choice.

"Drop that and tell us the real deal, Brother," Turad spoke.

"Okay, fine. I will take you guys somewhere today. No more questions," He uttered and walked past Junaid, the said guy adjusted his royal blue Balmain double-breasted suit and followed his cousin-brother out.

"I wonder what this person is up to now," Turad groaned and trailed behind them. The three princes entered their respective cars and made their way out of the palace.

*

Haroon Baghdad has just come back to his chamber from the throne room. He slumped on the couch and let out a relieved sigh. His nephew was being nice to him, he should be suspicious but for some reason, it looked genuine and made him feel at ease. He has always loved the boy like his own, it was his greed and obsession for the throne that always drew him back.

"What do you think you are doing? That is not part of the plan," Hamida angrily appeared from nowhere, she was clad in cerulean-coloured lace which was sewn into an umbrella gown, and her shoulder-length hair was uncovered.

Ninety-nine per cent of what he is doing is caused by her. It was like he was under her control, he never dared to argue with her. Their mission, or rather, her mission is to make her husband the king but for that to happen, she must go to extreme measures, even beyond and she is more than willing to do that.

"He was being nice to me and you expect me to be rude? You know well that the Crown Prince is clever so for now, we have to follow him gently to find out what he is up to," He just said that part to coax his wife, she might throw a tantrum if he argues and he does not want that.

"Good! For now, you have to stick to the king and continue your duties as his right-hand man, you have to use the trust he has for you to get his signature on the files I am going to bring later. The governor will do the honours of crowning you the king and I will be the queen of Kano state. As soon as that happens, they won't be able to live in the palace anymore, this gigantic, luxurious place will be ours," She laughed nefariously.

Haroon just looked at his wife with a blank expression, it felt like something was holding him back from protesting, he could not open his mouth no matter how hard he tried to. Even if King Harith stepped down from the throne, they would still be more powerful than ever because of the Sultan of Saudi Arabia, and not only that, they already have more than enough wealth that would keep them out of Nigeria for a lifetime and even more generations to come. Yes, they are that rich.

Sabreen heard all that her mother said, she came to chat with them because she was bored but the princess ended up eavesdropping on their conversation. Her chest was heaving as she ran out of the hallway, barely managing to compose herself. She quickly dialled Junaid's number, he was the only one who could handle the situation.

They knew that their mother wanted the throne, but they never thought that she would stoop so low. Thankfully, none of them adopted that evil character of hers, even Zayn. Junaid Haroon Baghdad is the only person who is capable of stopping his mother and sometimes, he must threaten her with Zafeer's name. She fears Zafeer as if her dear life depends on him.

*

Zafeer stared at the exterior of the colossal glass building in front of him, silently praising the skilled architect who designed the building. When he looked up, he saw the title of his firm, Baghdad's real estate, boldly engraved in yellow gold, he decided to use his family name as all his brothers did.

"I know you are astonished, but just wait until you see the interior and your office, Junaid Haroon Baghdad never disappoints," Junaid laughed as they climbed the series of stairs that led to the electronic glass door, the huge armed bodyguards were trailing behind.

Even before they stepped in, the workers had already gathered themselves for the welcoming of their boss who they had never laid their eyes on. As the Crown Prince stepped inside the building, the incredible scent of a heavenly air freshener hit his nostrils, he felt the chilliness that came from the various standing air conditioners caressing his skin tenderly.

Thankfully, the shades shielded his eyes, making it impossible for them to see his black orbs. He watched through his dark sunshades as the females looked at him for longer than necessary, it made him feel uncomfortable and he kept wondering what it was that they saw in him. He is just a human being like everyone else but he wanted to know why he always gets that look from females, even the ones that were old enough to be his mothers!

"Everyone, welcome your new boss, Crown Prince Zafeer Ibn Harith Baghdad," Junaid announced, making them gasp in surprise. They heard that he was a half-Arabian but they never thought he could be this handsome, his angelic looks made them want to see more of him, and some of them had already started hatching a plan to get closer to him.

The two extremely handsome princes, even though amidst people, stood out extraordinarily. Zafeer did not have a grand opening ceremony, the guy hates gatherings and crowds. His presence dominated the whole place, making the first floor look small and the workers feel inferior.

"Morning everyone, I hope you will all cooperate and work efficiently to make this firm exceptional," He spoke in a very professional tone, his voice so deep and melodious, the authoritative type that makes you want to hear more. He sounded cold in a professional way, completely oblivious to how fascinating he sounded.

"Yes, Sir," They all responded in unison.

"Here is Adrian Peterson, your assistant. I did a thorough background check on him, he is up to your standards so do not worry," Junaid intentionally added the last part, knowing that his cousin would start interrogating the man as if he were a police officer, Zafeer does not like making mistakes.

"Good morning, Sir. I will try and serve you to the best of my abilities," Adrian bowed, he was dressed smartly in a dark grey three-piece suit with the same colour of slacks and sleek black office shoes.

"Obedient, that is impressive," Zafeer internally scoffed. He wanted to smirk but he felt like it was too precious for him to let out.

"I hope so," Zafeer snapped back to reality and answered the man, his arrogance won't allow him to commend the man. Not at that moment, at least.

The other workers were introduced one by one, mostly the heads of departments. They then took the lift to the fifty-first floor, where his office was situated. Junaid made sure to give him a tour of the company, they exited the lift and made their way to his office after they showed him the assistant's medium-sized office, it looked comfortable, a huge coffee brown mahogany table sat at the far end of the room with a nude office chair.

"Now, allow me to present to you, the boss's office," Junaid enthusiastically opened the door, revealing a spacious office. It was painted in a deep shade of grey just like the exterior of his chamber back at the palace. He stepped inside, letting his gaze wander around the office.

He appreciated the way the huge French windows gave a spectacular view of Kano, which would be his favourite spot. The place was warm and cosy, with black couches alongside a colossal refrigerator and espresso machine. The Panasonic air conditioner was on full blast, and at the other end of the office was a huge black table made of high-quality hardwood and it contained office equipment like clips, files, and expensive pen holders, beside the table was an adjustable office chair that can be switched to a massager whenever the person is stressed and opposite sat two chairs with silver handles.

"Don't speak, that is not all," Junaid talked and dragged Zafeer to a door, he turned the knob and it revealed what looked more like an executive lounge. A mini living room with a fireplace, television, and a recliner. There was also a room where he could change his clothes, there were a lot of them in there, including shoes and a bathroom where he could freshen up.

"I said something simple, Junaid," Zafeer sighed, he was impressed but his brother went superfluous.

"Isn't this simple? This is what you paid for, Dude," Junaid rolled his eyes.

"Okay, fine. We have to get ready for the thorough interview, one by one," Zafeer uttered with a serious expression.

"Let's go to the conference room, it is the best place for things like this," Junaid replied and they sauntered out.

He already pitied the employees. Zafeer is a person who wants everything to be done impeccably, he won't hesitate to sack a person who is not sharp enough.

*

Marwa had closed from work. On her way back, she decided to drop by the convenience store to buy some pads and tampons for herself, it was almost her time of the month which meant she was on the edge.

She put on a poker face to hide her embarrassment when she picked up the tampon. She badly wanted to take the pad but it was at the top and her hands wouldn't reach it, she was way too short.

"This pad is a bastard, or is it that I am too short?" She inwardly groaned before a voice interrupted her.

"May I help you with that?" The person easily got two packs of pads, it was a male!

Marwa had never been so embarrassed in her life, she felt exposed. It was her top little secret but the man just came and ruined everything, she might not even go out with Zafeer today because she was angry. When she turned around to see the intruder, she immediately galvanized. Was she hallucinating or was she seeing someone that looked exactly like a person she knew?

After calming herself by taking deep breaths and reminding herself to stop hallucinating, she talked.

"And who are you, young man?" She cleared her throat to get rid of the awkward atmosphere. They had the same look of shock on their faces, as though they were thinking of the same person.

"I am Rayan Shakur, and you?" Junaid smiled, he knew well who she was. He read about her but seeing her in real life and a coincidence just made him assured that indeed, Zafeer made the right choice.

He didn't even go to his office today, he was the one that did all the work and Zafeer only watched, he barely opened his mouth but by the time they finished the interview, thirteen people lost their jobs, seven females and all because of one reason, they made eye contact with the Crown Prince which was considered as a sign of disrespect! Nah, the man is way too professional for that.

He was on his way to the palace when he decided to stop and buy some ice cream for Eshaal, Sabreen, and Zayn as he promised them earlier, and that was how he ended up bumping into Marwa.

"Are you Murad's brother? Because you look alike and have the same surname," She foolishly asked, it took a moment for him to process who Murad was before he gave her a wide grin.

"Yes, I am his twin. Don't worry, you can also consider me as your brother," He smiled kindly and it made her feel at ease, again. He looked so much like someone and it creeped her out. The worst thing is, she does not even know the name of that person, only the bad memories that he left her with.

Junaid saw a series of emotions in her eyes before she blinked and they disappeared. It aroused his curiosity and the yearning for someone he hadn't met in years, a person that is probably dead now.

"Wait! Are you Marwa?" He questioned, trying to act all ignorant. It was the best way to get in her good books.

"You know about me?" Her eyes widened in shock.

"Of course! My brother will not stop talking about you ever since he met you, I was intrigued by how fierce you were when he told me about your encounters with him," He replied and they laughed. Yes, he is automatically Marwa's friend.

Junaid is the best flirt, hyper and luckiest person when it comes to girls, he always manages to get in their good books. Followed by Turad who is not interested but tries to blend in with family but as for Zafeer, the guy is just austere. His arid nature won't allow him to entertain even his family, let alone an outsider. But the guy is changing, and he likes it.

"That brother of yours was very stubborn, he just could not leave me alone for crying out loud. Mind if I tell you a secret?" She whispered.

"Nope, just spill it out," He grinned, the type of energy she likes.

"His deep voice intimidates me and I love it," She whispered as her honey-caramel skin crimsoned, imagining the sound of his voice made shivers run down her spine in a good way. The feeling was so unusual to her but whatever it was, it felt so good and she welcomed it with an open heart.

"Wow! I will pretend I didn't hear that," He laughed and placed ten packs of pads, tampons, and a pain reliever in the basket he brought with him earlier. She was too shy to ask what he was going to do with those. After all, she is a Fulani and shyness is in their nature.

"Do you need more?" He pointed at the basket.

"Are they for me? But I didn't budget for all these, I can only buy one," Marwa gasped and awkwardly scratched the back of her head.

"A brother must make sure his sister and ensure that she never spends even a penny on all these kinds of stuff, so please let me do the honours," He smiled at her, it was so contagious that she had to smile back.

"Thank you so much, Hamma Rayan," She instantly warmed up to him, he felt like the void that person left had been filled with sisterly love for Marwa, the girl might be tough but she is a big softie on the inside.

And that was how they went on a spontaneous shopping spree with Marwa in that same store, no doubt, she felt too comfortable because she filled the basket with all sorts of goodies like Twix, gummy bears, wafers, Toblerone, and the like. It felt like forever since she had been that happy like a missing piece of her was restored.

He offered to take her home which she agreed to in an instant. He also made a promise to tell her all he knew about his brother when they met next time. She was so excited that she could not wait, a part of her was keenly interested in Zafeer's life but the other stubborn part wouldn't let her admit it. She was still holding on to toxic memories, in hopes that all was a dream.

When they arrived at her place, she saw Zafeer angrily coming out of the house, his strides were fast and unforgiving as he punched his car, he was seeing red and that was when she remembered that she spent too much time at the store, Marwa didn't even get the time to change her clothes.

She was alarmed, she had never felt so scared in her entire life. The look of him was monstrous when he raised his eyes and saw her through the windshield. She knew that she was done for. They agreed to meet at 2:30 pm but here she was, 3:45 pm with a gaze filled with guilt, Marwa was in a tight spot.

"Isn't that Murad?" Junaid worriedly questioned and parked his silver BMW 7 Series behind Zafeer's. He prepared his mind for the worst as he alighted the car after Marwa.