Chapter 52: Chapter 52

Dashtan came out of the room after getting dressed, while Rakia was still performing the bath ritual. Initially, he wanted to wait for her to finish but his mother came into his room while he was lying on the bed checking his cell phone. A knock on the door from her mother interrupted her.

“Where’s Rakia?” Mahira looked at her son while occasionally darting into the room as Dashtan stood in the doorway of the room he had half-opened.

“Taking a bath, why, Mom?” Dashtan looked at the woman curiously.

“Do you want to rest?” Mahira asked again.

“I was planning to take Rakia for an afternoon walk.” Her son divulged the plan. The mother nodded.

“We’re having dinner at the Golden Fork tonight, your father’s friend has invited you,” she informed, Dashtan frowned.

“Who?” Because he didn’t want to accept a dinner invitation that he didn’t know the source of. His father was surrounded by many people and not a few were sycophants.

“Mr. Zulfikar from Talka industries. You must know him,” Mahira replied. Dashtan thought for a moment and then showed an understanding expression.

“Yes, I know him, alright, what time?”

“Eight o’clock, don’t be late, you know what your father is like.” Mahira then walked away leaving her son standing in the doorway before going back into the room. He grabbed his phone and tablet and headed out of the room to the backyard. He sat on one of the sun loungers, turned on the tablet and opened his data base application that he used to track things.

He was honestly not that familiar with Talka Industry as the company was currently cooperating with Dalilah’s company which was in danger of going bankrupt. At last information, the company was offering Dalilah a deal that he wanted to know what it was. Dashtan illegally entered the company’s website and opened a number of documents related to debts and cooperation agreements. However, he found nothing suspicious, but he kept looking. Several times his IP Address was caught by the company’s website security system but as a genius in his field, Dashtan always had a way to overcome his own difficulties, except for his current relationship with Rakia.

“Hi, what are you doing?”

“Oh, Godness!” Dashtan was surprised when Rakia greeted him suddenly from behind so focused was he that he did not notice the woman’s arrival.

“Trespassing in someone else’s company,” Dashtan replied as his gaze and focus returned to his tablet. The curious Rakia immediately sat beside Dashtan and watched what the man was doing.

“Oh my god! Ash! You could be in jail!” exclaimed Rakia in a half-whispered voice but her intonation was slightly shrill.

“I won’t. God, Damned! What the hell is this virus?” Dashtan looked angry and then, he could no longer access the website. He chuckled in annoyance then placed his tablet on Rakia’s lap.

“Wait here, I’ll go in and get my laptop,” Dashtan ordered and walked away as fast as he could. Rakia could only stare at the man in confusion, she didn’t understand why Dashtan hacked into a company’s website. The man returned with the laptop in the on position in his hand he sat back in his place. His fingers were soon typing furiously on the keyboard.

“Voila! I got you!” he exclaimed excitedly, Rakia just stared confused at the laptop screen.

“What are you doing?” Rakia finally spit out her curiosity.

“The owner of this company invited us to a free dinner at a restaurant tonight. Before that, I had a feeling about the company, he might want something. And sure enough.” Dashtan’s words were interrupted as he showed a document to Rakia. The woman read the writing on the document, none of which she understood the meaning of what Dashtan wanted to discuss with her.

“I... Don’t understand. It’s just a stock transfer document from the Welling Corporation, what’s wrong with him buying the company’s stock?” Rakia frowned while looking at Dashtan uncomprehendingly.

“Welling Corp is Dalilah’s company. That means she auctioned off the company on the stock market and apparently, Talka industries bought a few percent, so there might be other buyers. But,” the man cut off then shifted his focus to his laptop which he positioned back to face him. He typed in a website and entered freely there like he was in his own home. There were charts of several stocks there. Dashtan sighed, her company’s stock was rising, but she was a little surprised that Dalilah’s company was ranked third on the stock exchange. Rakia waited for the rest but Dashtan was silent.

“But, what?” Rakia asked out of impatience.

“But, it looks like Dalilah is up to something.” They were silent for a moment before one of them broke the silence.

“What do you think she’s up to?” Rakia’s question was difficult for Dashtan to answer at the moment, considering he had no clue.

“I heard that your company has acquired the shares of your stepfather’s company, is that included in his inheritance as well?” Rakia asked on the basis of information she had gotten among her fellow journalists who were assigned to look for news about it. Dashtan chuckled then turned to look at Rakia.

“You journalists must know a lot of secrets scattered across this hemisphere.”

Rakia laughed, that wasn’t entirely wrong. All the news presented on television and online media originated from journalists.

“Think of it that way, but unfortunately we are also at the forefront of many dangers. If information leaks out, we’re the ones on the front lines receiving all the consequences.”

“I won’t let that happen to you,” Dashtan said. He grabbed the woman’s chin then looked into Rakia’s green eyes with a deep look.

“That’s the risk of my job,” Rakia whispered, Dashtan gave her a brief peck on the lips then said, “And now it’s my job to protect you from that danger.” Touched by that promise, Rakia smiled with a smile as soft as the clouds that afternoon.

“Have you ever experienced anything unpleasant during your time as a journalist?” Dashtan looked at Rakia’s whole face, touching the woman’s hair that was blowing in the afternoon breeze.

“There have been a few times. Stoned while covering a demonstration, threats and almost a victim of sexual harassment,” Rakia explained, sighing heavily. She looked down, all those risks had shaped her personality to be more resilient and courageous. Dashtan felt sympathy and was more determined to give the woman protection.

“You don’t want to stop doing this job? I can provide for you.” Dashtan’s lips were only inches away from his wife’s, his gaze wistful of the desire gathering inside him. He caressed Rakia’s face gently sending thrills and vibrations of desire to the woman.

“You want me to spend your money and turn me into a woman who will depend on you, is that it?” Rakia’s intonation began to sound low and lilting.

“That sounds like a good way for me to keep you for myself.” Dashtan slowly brought his lips to Rakia’s, then tasted them in an unhurried rhythm that created a sweet and deep kiss. Their eyes were closed enjoying the movement of their lips tasting each other and channeling desire.

“You always manage to get me out of control,” Dashtan admitted as their kiss ended. Rakia smiled as she brought her hair behind her ears.

“I don’t know why you always make me cross our boundaries.” Rakia said with a hint of regret. She regretted why Dashtan was not the one she met first, perhaps their relationship could have ended happily.

“Maybe... Because we want it.” Dashtan intended to return to tasting Rakia’s lips but someone came and greeted them.

“Hello, lovebird,” greeted the person who immediately moved the two away from their current intimate position. Rakia turned her head as well as Dashtan towards the person who was currently standing not far from them.

“It’s you. Habibti, it’s Razak,” Dashtan said as he turned back to his laptop. Rakia stood up and greeted him without touching his hand. A man wearing a white men’s robe complete with a head covering in the form of a turban wrapped around his head in the same color as his robe. His stature was like that of a typical middle eastern man.

“Unfortunately I didn’t come with any wedding gifts for you. Congratulations on the wedding that took Dubai by storm.” Razak looked at Dashtan with a faint smile. Rakia frowned.

“Why is that?” Rakia asked as she turned to look at Dashtan and Razak in turn.

“Don’t you know? Soon, the parliamentary seat will be passed down to your husband, Sister-in-Law.”

Rakia was shocked beyond belief, hearing Dashtan cluck he rolled his eyes.

“Are you done with that fake news? If so, you’d better check our cooperation with Talka industries.” Dashtan looked at Razak with a slightly sharpened gaze, then moved his fingers to form an instruction for Razak to get out of here. Razak sighed loudly and moved away.

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” asked Rakia as she turned to her husband after Razak’s leaved. Dashtan immediately got up from his seat and said, “We’ll talk later.” Then he walked away leaving Rakia staring at him curiously.

“What is he hiding?”