Zander sighed, lazily running his fingers through his black, silky hair, pushing it back. This girl was driving him insane! Rhia's face was red with embarrassment; she pressed her back against the door, shutting her eyes tight, trying to erase the memory of what had just happened. "How will I face him?" she thought, her mind racing.

Rhia emerged from the bathroom, her cheeks still flushed. "He's left," she said, relieved, not imagining how awkward it would have been if she had seen him. She walked over to the bed, and Zander's phone began to ring. He wasn't there, so Rhia picked it up, knowing it wasn't the right thing to do, but she couldn't help herself. "Thank goodness I tried calling countless times," a calm, velvety voice said on the other end. Rhia's heart stung in pain; her eyes widened, and a lump formed in her throat. "Are you there?" the voice asked. Rhia's body shook slightly as she felt a presence behind her; she didn't need to turn around to know whose intimidating aura it was. She slowly turned, and Zander stared at her, waiting for an explanation.

In a swift second, Rhia hung up. "Oh... I... Your phone," she stuttered, shifting her gaze to the floor, looking like a scolded child. "I'm sorry," she said in a cracked voice, the lump in her throat making it hard to speak. Zander held her chin up, gazing at her deeply, silently. The silence was suffocating, and Rhia shifted her gaze, wondering why he was acting this way. "Why are you apologizing?" he asked lazily, just as they were interrupted by his persistent phone buzzing. Rhia used the opportunity to escape, and Zander stared at the screen, his gaze swiftly shifting to Rhia. He left to answer the call.

Rhia's heart raced, beating loudly, wondering if Zander could hear it. Her mind drifted back to the call, and she knew she had no right to be angry in an arranged marriage, but she couldn't help how she felt. She shut her eyes tight, convincing herself to sleep.

The soft morning light crept through the window, and the birds' chirping was soothing. Rhia stretched her arm, yawning, her hair looking adorably disheveled, with a few stray strands framing her face. She slowly opened her eyes, which immediately snapped open, like shutters flying apart. Zander stared at her, and she quickly shifted her gaze, a gentle blush blooming on her cheeks, which Zander found surprisingly cute, along with her messy hair, making her look like a morning goddess. "Good morning," she managed to say, her voice sounding like a sweet treat, a delicious morning surprise. "I'll be leaving for work," she finally said. Zander, already aware she was an artist, nodded. "Mm... James will drop you off," he spoke in a hoarse but husky voice, surprisingly sending shivers down her spine. The sound of his footsteps echoing away left her in an unsettling silence.

*****

Lesley woke up, her eyes stretching wide, taking in the unfamiliar environment. She looked groggy and disoriented, like a sleepy bear emerging from hibernation. She gently massaged her temples, feeling a slight headache, and a faint memory of last night flashed back – all she could remember was meeting him and passing out. She immediately stood up, tiptoeing to the door, turning the handle with a soft, delicate touch, like a feather gliding across a surface. She steadied her breathing; the dark circles around her eyes were visible, and she bit her lip as the memories came flooding back. Lesley's eyes widened, and she stood still, her cheeks flushing as she tried to compose herself. "Where do you think you're going?" his deep, smooth voice filled the air, goosebumps crawling on her skin as she refused to move, her hair looking like a bird's nest, all twigs and tangles. Lesley lowered her gaze, turning redder, unable to believe how embarrassed she felt. "Huh?" The feeling of his tone, like a gentle nudge on the shoulder, encouraged her to share more Leseley was silent he saunters towards her with a confident stridestride, his eyes fixed on hers like magnet Rhia took a step back, her eyes widening slightly as he approaches, like a startled fawn. 

"Go and freshen up John will drop you home"

He turned and walked away leaving her standing there in a stunned expression, like a statue frozen in time. 

***