Waleed's POV.

Waking up to my wedding day feeling lazy. I had spent last night on her Instagram page. Amal had said something about her page last night. I couldn't wait to view her page and see if she posted any picture or pictures of her boyfriend.

She had nodded in affirmation when I told her about my plan. She must have a boyfriend for her to agree easily Like she did the previous day.

I kept starring at her pictures and watching her hijab tutorial videos. Her videos were as funny as they were educating. She is beautiful , so beautiful that I will have to remind myself continuously to not fall for her.

Most importantly, She is so full of life.

It was 7am by the time I got downstairs. I sent Abdel with the diamonds I had gotten for her to deliver it to her mother. It was my wedding gift to her. I felt that was the proper thing to do on your wedding day.

I stepped outside the house for Air for a second and then my friends pulled into my driveway with their own cars. They planned to attend this wedding in style.

"hey Dude! " Austin was the first to get down from his car. "we bring good tidings to the latest groom in town"

"top of the morning to the latest groom in town. " uthman laughed. "you know we should have our bachelor's even after the wedding today right? "

"I am not in this cheerful mood.. Guys" I turned around back into the house and slumped lazily into my favorite chair.

" it's happening too fast... One minute I am single and the other minute... I am getting married to someone who obviously hates me. I mean she completely avoided me like I am the one who ruined her life , the whole night."

"you know it isnt that bad. She is recovering from the shock as well. Few minutes with her yesterday and I can say she is very intelligent and well-spoken too" Dave spoke in his Grecian accent.

"so what did Alice say?" Austin asked. " I heard she is on a shoot on Paris "

"I haven't told her... I didn't have time to "

"waleed? Are you insane? " They all chorused.

"loook.. This wedding is going to be private. No one is invited except close relatives. So I didn't see it as a necessity telling her over the phone. She left for Paris immediately I found out and there was no time to talk."

"still, you need to tell her. I mean, she deserves to know" Austin said.

"I am not going to tell her this over the phone. I will go to Paris and explain everything to her, myself. And I am not going to break up with her" I was lost in my own words.

Everyone was quiet for few minutes. Until Austin again.

"so how are you going to manage the both of them? " he sounded like I sounded ridiculous.

"I am going to have an open marriage " I declared.

"don't be ridiculous... Wal! That poor girl doesn't seem like one who would agree to this ridiculous thoughts" Uthman was shouting now.

" well, She didn't have a problem with it when I spoke to her about it" I smirked.

"i am going to take a long shower and think about my life. Naomi made breakfast. You can dig in if you want". I said to no one in particular.

I left my friends discussing my "ridiculous decision" and disappeared upstairs for a much needed shower and ghusl bath.

Later, I joined the boys for breakfast. Told them about the wedding gift which at last, reduced the tension in the house.

" I think I may have invited Amal to lunch , last night" Dave spoke with his head down

"way to go DUDE! Getting a girl at your friend's wedding" Austin gave him a pat on his cheek and we all laughed.

"you are already getting dates at my wedding, Dave...? I feel betrayed."

"come on! I said "date!" not "Dates" I am not Uthaman. .... .people! Have mercy on my poor soul_" Dave defended

" oh so I am now a "player" to you, Dave! So rich coming from someone who gets in the news every week with different girls". Uthaman was half - pissed now.

" oh Uthman. You are not a "a player " you are "the player". I mean, All the ladies in This city knows the colors of your briefs " Austin attacked him.

"oooooh Damn! " I laughed.

"you are not to laugh! Waleed! " uthman Hits my back making me to choke a little. I was still laughing. " you are worse, Waleed ".

" well, unlike you, I never dated anyone. I mean... I am a Two nights man except for Alice and Brittney ofcourse"

" you really should be proud of yourself, my friend. two - nights - man" Uthman chuckled.

" and by the way, you aren't dating Alice for the record. She is dating you. She went to that interview to say y'all was in a relationship without informing you first" my friends were laughing hard now.

" you are one to make jokes, huh? aren't you. Uthman? At least I was going to start something proper with her"

They sent me the "we know you are lying"stares.

"Maybe. until this marriage. you have never made any move to start any. You put the P in play you know!"

Everyone started laughing and talking at the same time. I looked up to see that it was almost time for my wedding. Yes! My wedding.

I left the guys to go dress up in the matching Male Saree my mum had gotten to match with her gowns. I had gone shopping for her wedding gowns with her mother and Amal. I was made to pick out the designs I would love to see my bride in. Even as I was angry doing that, I had to pick something attractive so she wouldnt look stupid on our wedding day at least.

"you look dashing, Man! " Austin was smiling so hard. "Guys! Our groom is the sexiest man alive! "

The guys laughed, they took selfies with me, promising to not post any.

........

Thirty minutes later, I sat On the rug inside the Haseeb's mosque with my friends chatting away with her family members. Her dad had given me the "take care" of my daughter mini talk. My dad pulled me in his embrace. He was feeling guilty for something that wasn't even his fault to begin with.

I was deep in my thoughts concerning living arrangements, when I saw her. She was covered in her veil but as I lifted it up before she sat beside me. I saw the most beautiful bride on earth. Everyone went quiet as I did that. I turned around to see many behind me oogling at her. She was wearing the particular gown I had told her mother, I loved.

She might have all the beauty in the world... But I am been forced to marry her and that's a disqualification right there. I reminded myself.

Her hand began to tremble while she read the Quran. I acted on impulse and grabbed her hand so she would be calm. This earned me stares from all over the mosque like I was doing something I wasn't supposed to do... I rolled my eyes.

"what! She is my wife already,! "

I controlled myself from screaming.

Her hand was soft like petals. And very smooth too. I felt something that belonged to me hardened a little. I had to control myself. I don't love her. I don't feel this away about my numerous girlfriends so why do I feel this way with her?

Everything went on smoothly. She wouldn't bring her head up from the ground for the rest of the event.

I was taken into a room and told was hers after the mosque function for a change of clothes. Asahd and her twin older brothers brought my clothes upstairs. my friends weren't allowed into her room. I wondered where she was and was later told by Asahd that she was in her mother's chamber getting dressed up for the reception too.

The room looked too feminine. Her scent was all over the room.

I saw a picture of a child that looked so much like her on the wall. While I was fixing my shoe lace, my eyes landed on a diary underneathe her pillows. Turned around to notice I was the only person in her room as the rest had left for me to get dressed. I picked it up. Quickly flipping it the last page to see if she had updated it recently, I saw it:

"my life is being ruined and He feels normal about it. He isn't even seeing anything bad in all of these. I don't even know why I said yes to that open marriage thing..... Dear Diary... I am on Google reading things about him.. What kind of man is this to be rumoured to have been with almost 10 girls from January till this month . He is a beast. I wonder what those dumb girls see in him. Oh Diary, I hate Waleed. I can never love him... "

With a heavy heart, I dropped the diary where I found it.

"wow"

That was all I could mutter before her dad knocked on the opened door.

...................

"can I sit? " her father brings me back from my thoughts as he asks politely pointing to the space beside me.

"please do sir."

I am still recovering from the so much hate your daughter has declared for me. I said to myself as if saying it to him.

"Ditch the salutations already." he smiled. Smiling back, I nodded in agreement.

"Waleed." he started. "you see, Leilah is a lovely girl. She was well brought up and she would never disrespect anyone no matter how small you are."

I nodded again.

"Waleed.You are taking my only daughter away from me. I know you don't feel anything for her right now considering, you are only fulfilling our family wish. But I want you to please never take your anger out on her. It's not her fault all these is happening. Neither is it yours. I know her so much to know that if she ever breaks down. There will be no glue that could mend her. I am here as a father and as a man to another man. Learn to tolerate her. You need more than love to keep a marriage so I won't ask you to love her but take good care of my girl. " he finished his statement.

I was speechless. I had no idea what or what not to say. I nodded again because that's all I could do at that moment.

Here I was, thinking about what she called me in her diary and I am being asked to tolerate her bitchy ass. Her father gave me a pat on the back and left.

It was time to go to my parent's. Amal entered the room to announce that she, Leilah is ready. Not before I glanced through her wardrobe and saw a lot of denim trousers there.

Like! She isnt a normal Muslim girl then. She has the western fashion. I consoled myself with the thoughts that she wouldnt be wearing all those "mama" clothes in my house.

My sisters had shopped the clothes that were brought to her closet in my house two days before I had gone to London. They had picked outfits for "the kind of girls" I like, with hundreds veils. Insisting that Leilah would never leave the house without one. According to Amal, Leilah can never go out with one because her hair is Waist-lenght and she isn't totally comfortable with cutting it all the time, more of She being tired of cutting it and having it same way barely weeks after. I was told.

That hair, I longed to see. secretly, I was hungry for the hair fetish I had grown over the years and one waist-length hair was enough for me to like her. I have never been so lucky with women who had hair in the past and I was a bit happy, Leilah had.

I made no move to check out the rest of her clothes. Now I wish I did, I prayed silently for her to like them ..seeing she wears normal western clothes. And seeing I was in no mood to accompany a woman to any stall.

"I actually thought I was getting married to a typical hijabi who wears mama Clothes." I laughed at myself.

I should have known. Considering she wore a 6inches cape Robbin strapped heels on her graduation day. Oh yes... I needed to look at her to be sure if I made the right decision to accept her.

I head downstairs to meet the most beautiful bride ever. The gown brought out the busty Beyonce's curve I never knew existed.

I thought she was bluffing. My third leg was trying to get excited. I tried to calm myself quickly before anyone noticed.

Am I staring at her like all these men here?

" you will not love her" I kept reminding myself .

Taking her hand from her Mother's , I helped her into the waiting car .

" thanks " she muttered.

Not realizing how much effort I made complimenting her dress. For some awkward reasons, I felt like kissing her.

Am I losing my mind or something?

The thought of being forced keeps reminding me how I have other women to go back to.

" it's normal to feel this way on your wedding day whether you love the woman or not" I Reminded myself again.

Minutes drive later, Something must have triggered something as I found myself holding her chin to kiss her. Her smooth palm was right on my neck.

"Sir, we have arrived at your parents house" Abdel announced.

Abdel... You will be paid double for saving my ass.

We are now outside my parents house, I can no longer fight the urge to kiss this woman... After all she is my wife now... But I Have to wait.

I noticed alot of people outside , guests were try to fight their way through the others.

"sir, there are Reporters outside" Abdel brings me out of the world I was in. I had been busy taking her features in.

"someone tipped the Reporter! "

I was confused. I thought Austin paid these people to say away from me for two days.

Bad move Austin!

I turned around to find Leilah crying.

She hates this .. ?

It was the first time I was seeing a girl get scared of being seen with me. She must really hate me then or am I getting ugly now?

Ofcourse you are not.