Arya could tell that her mother was in deep thought, so she gently tapped her, "Momma", she called slowly;" Ross had no right to treat me that way". "I agree with you and you have the right to be upset, but in his defense, you never mentioned your garlic allergy to him, and he probably laughed because he thought you were kidding around", Aleena said and added, "Plus, he apologized, with a bouquet and a Gucci bag, like a proper gentleman," she sighs and continues, "Look dear, relationships always test our patience, you do not have to forgive him immediately, but you should eventually, okay love?". Arya nodded as she took a sip of water from the glass.
Aleena stood up to leave. "Susan will be up with your dinner in ten minutes," she said as she majestically walked towards the door." Also, please stay away from the desert Prince!". Before Arya could turn to look at her, she'd already left. Desert Prince, she thought, her desert Prince. She wondered if Haydar's return had anything to do with her unwillingness to forgive Ross, who was sorry. Arya scolded herself for even thinking of Haydar; he didn't show any sign of still being interested in her; he didn't even speak to her; who knows, he might even already be married to some Dubai princess.
She wanted to talk to him; she had a million questions: why was he arrested? Was he guilty of the allegations against him? How did he manage to get out of prison? Did he get his family's wealth back? Arya was hungry for this information, but she couldn't reach out to Haydar; she wasn't sure where to find him, and it wasn't a feminine thing to do, so she focused on her dinner, lentil soup and crusty bread. She had some yogurt afterward and viewed her pre-wedding pictures on Instagram.
Haydar slowly takes in the beautiful scene; a majestic fountain, lush greenery, fragrant flowers and the lawn, well manicured. He walks into the mansion, its exterior bathed in white marble and limestone; its intricate design further asserts its grandeur. As he stepped across the threshold, his feet felt the old marble floor, then the softness of the lush Persian rug that clothed as well as adorned the floor. Sandalwood burned slowly in beautiful petal incense burners in several parts of the house, soothing every nerve of Haydar's body. A two-year-old boy runs to him; he lowers himself to pick the boy up, and the toddler laughs out loud as Haydar kisses him tenderly on both cheeks. "Ammar dear, how are you?" He asked tenderly. Ammar chuckled loudly and ran off as soon as Haydar put him down.
Haydar went upstairs to take a quick shower and change. He went downstairs and had dinner with his mother and Ammar. He went to the mosque for evening prayers and came back home again at bedtime. This had been his routine since he left prison after his lawyer proved him innocent. He'd successfully regained eighty percent of his family's wealth but lost Ayesha in the process. She fainted after hearing of his arrest and went into premature labor. She died immediately after the cesarean section, leaving her baby, Ammar behind. Haydar hadn't been the same since he heard of it while he was in prison.
Haydar looked forward to seeing Arya. He'd promised himself to visit her as soon as he got the chance, but he ended up accidentally meeting her at some water park while she was having an allergy episode. What was more, she was engaged to Calton's first son, to be married in a few days.
Arya bumped into something hard and firm at the five-star hotel where her bridal shower would take place the next day. She instantly succumbs to his rich scent, oud, musk, saffron and a heavy dose of masculinity and shuts her eyes dreamily. She opened them slowly and gazed at Haydar's face briefly. "Hello Arya," he said with a smile. Arya pauses to regain her composure and gently replies, "Hi". She turns to leave the scene, but Haydar stops her by saying, "Aren't you going upstairs? The elevator is that way "he pointed in the direction of the elevator. "I'm waiting for Tara", she answered slowly; I came to check on my bridal shower preparations, she concluded, hoping that the last sentence would cover up her desperation to talk to him or connect with him in case her body language gave her away. Haydar didn't seem to notice.
"Alright, can we sit and talk for a bit before she arrives, please? "His deep hazel eyes were pleading. Arya nods reluctantly. They sat down in the hotel lobby, surrounded by elegant furnishings and soft, gentle music. Haydar looked at Arya; she looked more radiant than he could remember her being. Her designer off-the-shoulder dress accentuated her collar bone and slender neck, which was adorned with a beautiful pearl necklace, and her simple make-up further heightened her aura, the pink eye shadow complimenting the stylish dress, which was also pink.
"What happened Why were you arrested? How did you get out of prison, and why are you here?" They were barely seated but each question forced itself through her mouth her eyes, seemingly calm, masking her immense anxiety, fear and confusion.