Sabrina watched his disappearing figure as he stepped out of the room, frustrated with herself and with Fate for thrusting her into such a situation; why did this have to happen to her?
She couldn't believe how much his words had hurt her; he had just named her a whore and made clear his intentions toward her; a frisson of fear raced through Sabrina at what he might have in store for her.
So her thoughts were in chaos as she lay on the bed, her whole life flashing before her, but after a while, she raised her head from the pillow and sat up on the bed, trying to get down again, but her thigh was hindering her.
As she was not one to indulge in self-pity, she moved off the bed, holding the frame as she steadied her footing on her good leg.
Just as she thought herself stable, her feet slipped on the water that had escaped the jar when she had thrown the vase at Jamal, and she landed not too gently directly on the broken vase, flowers, sand, and all.
At that moment, the door opened and two maids came into the room, accompanied by the impervious teenager that had come calling earlier.
"Oh, are you okay?" Maryam asked, rushing to Sabrina's side and trying to help her up while the two maids looked about in panic.
"Come on, help her up," Maryam said in a voice, that demanded to be obeyed, a voice so like his brother that Sabrina had to shudder at the resemblance.
"Of course, milady," the two ladies in identical uniforms rushed to her side, supporting her weight and helping her back into the bed.
"You can clean the floor now, Carly," Maryam said, smiling at the maid after she made sure that Sabrina was well settled on the bed, with a pillow propped against her back.
"Of course, milady," the maid smiled back, while the other wheeled the cart of food that had been abandoned when Maryam had yelled at them earlier.
"This is food for you, miss; we were the ones who bathed and cleaned you while you were unconscious; the ointment rubbed on your thigh won't work if you did not rest," The maid said in perfect English, which confirmed Sabrina's suspicions that she is from the states.
"Well, eat your food now, mi amor, and rest; it will do you no good if you refuse to rest and anger Jamal," Maryam said, biting her nails that were painted in a variety of colors; Sabrina wondered yet again about a the contrasting character of the teenager.
"I need to brush my teeth," Sabrina whispered, feeling embarrassed about being unable to even take care of the most basic of needs.
Sabrina had barely finished the sentence when Maryam got up and rushed to the bathroom, coming back with a toothbrush, paste, and a wash basin.
"You can do that here, Carly; please get her water," Maryam handed Sabrina the stuff she had retrieved from the bathroom, and Sabrina's admiration for the teenager increased greatly.
She makes the maids feel like they matter, and she isn't spoiled; unlike daughters of rich households back in New York, this girl is down to earth.
When Sabrina was done brushing, she collected the water from Carly and rinsed her mouth, her face red with mortification, but the other occupants did not seem to care as one of the maids collected the washbasin and headed for the bath.
"Now, time to eat, then you will tell me the latest update about New York; I have been there before, but it's been so long, and hearing about New York is not like witnessing New York City by oneself," The teenager continued blabbing while she served Sabrina herself.
Plates after plates of assorted meals with fresh fruits and even pastries were placed in front of Sabrina until there was no space for anything else, while Sabrina just looked on dumbfounded.
The food looks too pretty to eat; she just actually wants to keep it somehow and bring it out to look at it when she is down.
"You don't like the food, no?" Maryam said, her expression looking crestfallen, her eyes reflecting her disappointment.
"No, I love it, it's just that, it's…it's been…so long since I have had a decent meal, not to talk of something this luxurious," Sabrina explained and smiled at the girl in reassurance.
"I am glad you find them pleasing; I picked the menu myself; I don't want you to try anything strange yet since you are not used to our food," Maryam replied with a full-blown smile, her eyes looking pleased while the maids just smile at her with fondness.
And with that, Sabrina started eating the food, slowly at first, then she started devouring them, starting from the bacon and eggs and down to the chocolate served as dessert, while Maryam smiled in encouragement.
When she couldn't inject one more molecule of food, she rested her back on the pillow and laid her hand over her tummy.
"I fear that I have overindulged myself with this meal; I'll need at least four days to be able to move from this spot," Sabrina said with a good-natured smile, surprising herself; she couldn't remember the last time she made a joke, not even before she was sold off.
"I am glad that you love the food, but you eat only so little, yet you talk like you have consumed a lot," Maryam said with a giggle as the maids cleaned up the plates while Sabrina watched them.
"Oh, my bad," Maryam jumped up as if remembering something, while Sabrina just stared at her curiously.
"I forgot my manners; this is Carly, she is a foreigner like you, and she is ummu, they work at the palace," Maryam quipped with her trademark smile while Sabrina just looked on dumbfounded.
A palace, she is in a palace, does that make her captor a king, no, that doesn't make sense, no king will leave his throne to go buy a woman halfway across the world and the man fought with a Mafia for God's sake, all these thoughts were what filled Sabrina's head as she continues staring at Maryam.
"Are you okay, you look like you have seen a ghost," Maryam said again, sounding puzzled and waving a hand in front of Sabrina's face.
"Worry about your skinny ass because you just begged for a spanking; I thought I made it clear that if I want you here, I'll let you know," Jamal's voice boomed from the doorway.
The voice sent Maryam into shock as her eyes went as round as saucers, her hands clenched by her side, showing how scared she was.
"Hello, brother, I just accompanied the maids here so they won't get lost," Maryam said, turning to her brother, her fears not visible in her voice and the defiant way she raised her chin at him.