It's been a few days since the engagement and Sahara's going back to work today as she had those few days after the engagement off.

"You know that friend of your fiancé's? Um– what's his name, I can't remember. But anyways, I could not believe him. He was trying to flirt with me! I was gobsmacked!" Ria says in frustration.

"Who? Viktor?" Sahara asks as she raises an eyebrow.

"Yes! Him! For Allah's sake, could he not see a hijab on my head? No bloody respect!" Ria says.

"Why? What happened?" Sahara asks out of curiosity.

•••

*Flashback*

Ria was waiting for Mr. Akbar to finish introducing Sahara to some guests so they could go to the lady's side and grab something to eat. And that's when Viktor made his entry.

"Are you lost, darling?" Viktor said in a flirtatious tone.

"Who in the bloody hell are you calling darling?" Ria fired back while she was about to turn around.

"Oh, we have a feisty one. I like it." Viktor kept his flirting.

Once Ria turned around, she was a bit taken back by his good look.

"Good evening, my name's Viktor Petrov, Damian's best friend and business partner. How do you do?" He smirked.

"That's nice to know but goodbye, I don't want anything to do with you." Ria was about to walk away but then he said, "Wait, don't you think it's a tad bit rude to walk away without an introduction?"

He flashed her a handsome smile and Ria felt herself melting on spot, and ended up accidentally giving away her name, "I'm Ria Fahim, Sahara's best friend." What the– this is haram. Why'd you give him your name?! Get yourself together, Ria! Don't fall for this one, he seems dangerous, Ria told herself mentally.

"Oh? I guess we will be seeing each other more often than I anticipated, good day, Ria. We will meet again." He gave her a flirtatious smile and walked away, leaving Ria stunned.

"Who does he think he is?" She muttered to herself. "We will meet again." She mocked him out loud in a manly tone. "Yeah, right." She said sarcastically.

*End of Flashback*

•••

Sahara starts giggling, "that's Mr. Petrov for you. Always flirting with anyone with lady parts."

Ria rolls her eyes, "what a fool." She suddenly smacks her own forehead, "I totally forgot to read Fajr this morning, omg! Okay, have fun at work! I need to read Nama'az!"

"Khudahafiz!" Sahara calls out after her.

•••

Anastasia barges into the staff kitchen, looking frantic. "Where's Sahara?"

Some of the the employees point to the refrigerator corner of the kitchen.

"Sahara! To my office! Now!!" Anastasia says loudly.

Sahara was midway about to bite into her sandwich when she turns around to hear what the commotion is about. Then she realizes Anastasia is calling her to her office.

She drops the sandwich on her plate and speed walks after Anastasia.

Anastasia whispers, "Sorry I made I scene. I was talking loudly because of how I forgot to tell you why I couldn't come to your engagement but realized I'm not supposed to spill the tea yet so I had to pretend to be mad at you."

Sahara let's out relief, I'm not getting in trouble, thank Allah.

Sahara takes a seat, and right then, Anastasia starts squealing. "OH EM GEE! YOU'RE GOING TO BE MY SISTER-IN-LAW!" Sahara has never seen such a child-ish side of Anastasia because she's always so cool and collected.

Sahara looks at her confused, "me? How–"

"I totally forgot you don't know. I'm Anastasia Vasiliev!" She put emphasis on the last name to help it ring a bell. "I'm Damian's younger sister."

"You're– what? You're his sister?" Sahara thought they looked somewhat similar but never questioned it. "What about your last name at the office? Marie?"

"That's my middle name! I didn't want to use my last name because I didn't want people sucking up to me since I'm my brother's sister." She explains.

"That makes sense. You seem to show him quite a bit of sass." Sahara laughs.

"You're right. He deserves every bit of sass I show him." Anastasia laughs. "Anyways, I was going to break the news at your engagement ceremony but work dragged on and it was unavoidable so I wanted to apologize."

"It's totally fine! No need to apologize. You didn't miss anything exciting." Sahara says.

"Good, because I'm going to be there for every second during the wedding." Anastasia giggles. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE MY SOON-TO-BE SISTER-IN-LAW! I can't wait to spend more time with you!" Anastasia is super stoked because she very much adores Sahara.

Sahara accident lets slip, "I'm glad someone in the family loves me." And quickly covers her mouth.

Anastasia's eyes soften up as she gives a genuine, almost sad, smile and she puts a hand on Sahara's shoulder, "He'll come around, I know you'll bring him around. Don't worry."

She sure hopes that Anastasia is right.

•••

"So, you're the beautiful Sahara in our office that everyone talks about, huh?" says this man peering over Sahara's shoulders as she waits for her papers to print.

"Uh, everyone talks about me?" Sahara asks, confused.

"No, but I've noticed you, you're very beautiful." He says while standing too close.

"Thank you... uh... if you don't mind-" Sahara says as she tries moving away.

He doesn't let her get far. He grabs her wrist and pushes her against the wall, "You're not going anywhere, darling."

"Listen, mister," She puts up her left hand, "I'm engaged, to be married. Please respect that." Sahara says struggling under this stranger's hold. She's praying that this helps him move off of her. She thinks that he will feel horrible and let her go. What a naive girl.

"Your fiance doesn't have to know to know a single thing, sweetie." His words fill Sahara's mind with disgust.

She screams for help but no one could hear her.

Her eyes start tearing as she starts repeating the Ayatul Kursi as she thinks, oh, Allah, please help me! This will be a dishonour to me, please Allah save me.

As if Allah heard her prayer within seconds, Damian walks through the doors, "Get your bloody hands off of her."

The man and Sahara both look towards the door and she looks at him with relief. "Oh, yeah? And you are?" The man asks without the knowledge that this is his own boss.

Damian's eyes drifts towards that man's hold on Sahara and his outrage turns into a state of violence, "Your worst fuckin' nightmare, you bastard." Damian bolts towards them and grabs Sahara by her hands and pushes her aside. He proceeds to grab the man and puts him in a headlock, squeezing out his air source. "She's my fucking fiancee, you prick."

Damian looks over at a terrified Sahara, who's eyes are puffy from dried out tears, the hurt look on her face made him more enraged at his man. His hold around the man's neck turns tighter and tighter, until the man turned blue-ish purple.

Sahara sees that it's going too far so she steps in, "Sir! Stop! You're going to kill him!" But he was lost in his fury. She puts a hand on his arm and calmly proceeds to say, "If you kill him now, you'll make it easier on him. He will suffer more if you report him."

Her calm nature dealing with the situation instantly made him cool and composed. He lets the man go and calls for security to take him away. I'll deal with him later... personally, he thought.

As they watch security take the man away, Sahara turns to Damian and says, "Thank you for saving me Sir. I really appreciate it."

Damian's vile nature quickly came back, "If you thought I saved you because I like you then you better rid yourself of such silly thoughts. I only saved you because I can't take in a wife who is scarred in the eye of the public."

His words made her physically flinch, it felt like someone cut her like a newly sharpened knife. He analyzes her expression and laughs a maliciously, "Oh? You thought I saved you because you meant something to me? Didn't I tell you to give up on that dream a while ago?"

"I- thank you, anyways. I really am grateful for it." Sahara always tries to reply to his snarky comments with politeness because she knows Allah will repay her kindness one day.

He rolls his eyes, and leaves the room. The truth is, he genuinely did become angry when he saw that man hurting Sahara, he didn't know why but he did. He will never admit it but he did care at that very moment. He didn't even realize he was about to kill the man until Sahara's calm voice brought him back to reality. Why does it seem like she holds so much over me? Why did I react in such a way? I don't even have an inch of fondness for her. He was thinking, feeling baffled from the whole situation.

As Sahara stands in that printing room watching him leave, thinking, he must've felt something when he saved her... All I ask for, all I ever want is to be somebody to you, if not a wife, if not someone he loves, maybe just a friend? Anything, except your enemy.

•••

Now, everyone's eyes focusing on Sahara, waiting for her to say the same on the other side of the net-like barrier, waiting for her to say qubool hai (I accept).

All Sahara can think about is that she already signed the marriage contract but she can still throw away all of this by not saying she accepts. She has been silent for too long [...]

- - -

♥️