Chapter 60: Chapter 60

They fought again when they met at home in the afternoon. Dashtan slammed the suit he had taken off his body onto the living room sofa when he saw Rakia passing by the living room and going towards the kitchen. He approached the woman who had also stopped waiting for him. He looked at Rakia with all the emotions mixed inside him.

“Don’t make our relationship more difficult.” Dashtan began his attack.

“Tell that to yourself. I’m just trying to make myself comfortable from the mess you made.” Rakia parried the attack so nicely that Dashtan was quite surprised by it. It hit him, hard. He stared at Rakia with his jaw set, his gaze sharp and intent on discouraging the woman. But Rakia changed quickly because of the circumstances that began to pressure her, she began to be immune to every threat.

“So you’re going to hate me?” The question caused Rakia’s forehead to rise and her lips to purse. She thought.

“Probably yes, but I honestly thought of another idea.” Rakia responded to the current annoying situation by trying to look friendly. But in reality, she wanted to scratch her husband’s handsome face. Dashtan squinted.

“What is it?”

Rakia further eliminated the distance between them. She stared at Dashtan with all the passion she had, never before had she been in this situation. So angry and so passionate at the same time.

“How about... I cut out my heart and turn it to stone, then I don’t care about you? Interesting, isn’t it?” Rakia spoke in a half-whispered, teasing tone. Dashtan stared at his wife’s green eyes that seemed to glow with anger and desire.

“The only thing I want to do is... How can I put up with all this even if I have to turn my heart to stone and throw away all my wishful thinking about the marriage I dreamed of. So...” Rakia paused for a moment, she looked at Dashtan’s seductive lips. She smiled her mischievous smile and pecked them.

“So be prepared to accept all the risks that you will receive for breaking your promise to a Rakia Adeline,” Rakia concluded after she kissed Dashtan’s lips and finished her threat. She went into the kitchen leaving Dashtan confused, between shock, anger and desire. However, he was surprised at Rakia’s quick turnaround.

Before she could get far enough away from him, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back towards him, facing her.

“What about you trying to love me?”

Rakia was silent for a moment, her gaze surprised but only for a moment. Then she laughed with a laugh that conveyed her frustration.

“Let’s just say you’ve changed my mind because of your stupid decision,” Rakia said wistfully, then she looked at the man with all the feelings she had.

“Do you remember that I had three wishes that you would grant? You promised me that.” Dashtan looked at Rakia carefully. The woman was shocked and she felt that it was a big mistake she had made. Finally, Rakia nodded in acknowledgment.

“I will use my first request,” Dashtan said.

“What’s that?” Rakia tried to relax but in fact she was tense.

“Please, don’t hate me.”

Those words left Rakia speechless. She had completely forgotten the three requests she had promised to fulfill if he asked her to. Rakia chuckled, she felt trapped by this terrible situation, this marriage and this relationship.

“I’ll think about it,” Rakia said.

“But you promised to grant the request.” Dashtan insisted and Rakia didn’t like the way she couldn’t do anything to make the man suffer.

“That’s a tough ask, but if you can give me a reason for me not to hate you, I’ll keep it.” Rakia tried to maintain her status quo. She didn’t want to be the underdog here.

“Then listen to my explanation about the marriage.”

Rakia signaled with her hand that she could not hear any explanation at the moment.

“Is there a more plausible reason for a husband to secretly marry behind his wife’s back? I know, your family is used to it but what about me? Who is in this marriage with you? What about your promise? You said there was only us in this marriage but in fact... You broke them yourself.” Rakia spoke without pause and spewed out all the thoughts she had been holding in for the past few days. The sadness began to creep up again, tears quickly gathering in her eyes. She turned away from Dashtan and in that instant tears fell down her cheeks.

Dashtan clenched his hands at him sides when he saw Rakia crying in front of him. It hurt him too much and to make matters worse, he was the one who made her cry.

“Since this has already happened, I can only make my own decisions. If you want to let me go, that’s even better.” Rakia spoke again after finding the strength to do so between her tears.

“If not?” Dashtan looked at Rakia with a pleading gaze.

“If not, I will behave like the wife in the agreement. However, there is no agreement between us to end the agreement.” Rakia wiped away the tears that were rolling down her face then raised her gaze to look at the man she unknowingly loved but hated at the same time. The sound of the bell distracted them for a moment, Mrs. Hunt immediately opened the door and returned with someone whose presence was not expected at this time.

“Sir, Mrs. Dalilah is here,” said Mrs. Hunt who was immediately corrected by Dalilah.

“I’m also Mrs. Dashtan now.” The woman said shamelessly with a smile that could make Rakia roll her eyes and want to vomit.

“Why are you here?” Dashtan asked in a cold tone. Dalilah frowned.

“I wanted to see you, my husband.”

“Don’t call me that!” snapped Dashtan which startled everyone in the room including Dalilah. She seemed to swallow harshly.

“I’m just-“

“I’ll talk to you in my workspace,” Dashtan cut in quickly which Dalilah obeyed immediately. The woman went from there to Dashtan’s workspace. Rakia shot Dalilah a glare.

“She’s going to stay here?” Rakia’s tone sounded frightening to Dahstan as did the woman’s gaze.

“I wanted to discuss that with you.” Dashtan’s reply only fueled Rakia’s anger further.

“If she wants to stay here, I’ll move in, after all, I already bought an apartment.” All the cheerful and friendly faces Dashtan had seen on Rakia seemed to have disappeared without a trace by now. There was only another version of Rakia who was consumed by anger, hatred and vengeance. Rakia moved from Dashtan’s presence to the kitchen, she could no longer continue the conversation with her own husband.

“Would you like me to make you something?” Mrs. Hunt looked at Rakia with concern. She knew more or less what had happened.

“I just want some tea,” Rakia said and the woman nodded obediently.

“Mrs. Hunt, if that woman asks for something, a drink or anything don’t listen to her.”

Hearing that, Mrs. Hunt smiled and agreed to her employer’s request. As she was enjoying her tea, she heard Dahstan and Dalilah arguing.

“No, you can’t stay here, you can stay in your house, we don’t need one place.” That was Dashtan speaking. Rakia snorted in her cup as she drank her tea.

“Why not? I’m your wife too. And Rakia should be able to accept that.” Dalilah argued.

“Do you remember our agreement? Only status! Nothing else.” Dahstan emphasized his words.

“I will report this to your father. You remember that you must also treat me like your wife, like you treat Rakia.”

Rakia’s ears began to ring at the babble that only squeezed her heart. She finished her tea and got down from her high chair. However, just as she turned to leave, the two people walked into the kitchen.

“Mrs. Hunt, please make me some coffee.” Dashtan moved to the granite countertop while Rakia prepared to leave but Dashtan held her back.

“Stay here, we need to talk.”

Rakia looked at Dahstan with a deep frown.

“What do you want to talk about? Do you want us to discuss which room the woman should stay in? Then we make a welcome party for her, is that it?” Rakia laughed with a pathetic-sounding laugh. Dashtan looked at Rakia with a scratched heart. The wound he had inflicted was too big. Rakia got up and approached Dalilah who instantly shrank feeling the aura of an alpha female from Rakia.

“Do you still remember my threat at that time?” Rakia stared at Dalilah piercingly. The woman was like a frightened mouse, she looked down not daring to look at Rakia who looked like a venomous snake that would devour her.

“Be prepared to accept the risk for daring to heed my warning,” Rakia said in a cold tone as cold as arctic ice and left the place that would slowly but surely harden her heart.