Kidnapped by the Arab

In the morning, Mía woke up, and Ahmed was no longer by her side. She found a small note on the pillow.

“Thank you for allowing me to stay by your side. Your support and understanding have meant a lot.”

He smiled as he read the contents of the note. The pillow still carried his scent, and being close to Ahmed made her feel safe. She had thought of returning to New York soon, but what happened the night before made her change her mind. If her support was important to him, she would stay.

She had breakfast in her room as usual. She knew that she might not see Ahmed for a while since he was busy with diplomatic matters. She called for Raccha to go for a walk in the garden.

The advantage was that Ahmed’s mother was still in mourning, so she wouldn’t run into her in the hallways. Badira was a disagreeable woman with a bad temper.

She sat again on the same bench as before, while Raccha went back to the kitchen to have her breakfast. She asked Raccha to return as soon as possible, not wanting any trouble for being alone in the garden.

After a while of watching the beautiful peacocks, she felt observed once again. When she turned, she found the same man from last time approaching her. Mía didn’t know how to react, as it was forbidden to be alone with a stranger or any man who wasn’t part of her family in the country.

“Marhaba,” the man greeted her informally.

“Marhaba,” she replied.

“North American, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m Arkam.”

“I’m Mía.”

“Beautiful name.”

Ahmed came out at that moment and was displeased to see Mía seemingly at ease in Arkham’s company. It made him feel uncomfortable.

“I see you’ve already introduced yourself, brother,” Ahmed said.

“Yes, Ahmed. This lady is very pleasant. I’ll take my leave now. I hope to meet you again sometime. Naharuk sa’eed (have a good day.”

“Shukran,” Ahmed replied, unable to hide his annoyance.

“Mía, you mustn’t talk to men alone, no matter who they are. If my mother finds out, she’ll have a pretext to impose a punishment. We must respect their rules and impositions while in this country.”

“But I’m here alone with you now, just like last night,” Mía said with a flirtatious smile.

“Shhh, please. If they find out, you’ll be in serious trouble, and it’ll be difficult for me to protect you. Where’s Raccha?”

“She went to have breakfast.”

“I’ll talk to her. She shouldn’t leave you alone outside.”

“The way you treated your brother was very cold.”

“I’ll tell you later; it’s a long story. Just please don’t trust him. He hates me and might try to harm you.”

“Okay, I’ll follow your advice.”

Raccha returned at that moment, and she became nervous as Ahmed gave her an angry look.

“Accompany Mía to her room, then come to my office,” he ordered.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Arkham, on the other hand, had been observing them from a distance. He thought Mía was too beautiful to be with his idiot brother. He would pay him back for what he did to Lyna.

Arkham had fallen for Lyna the moment he saw her at the beach, but he missed his chance when Ahmed rescued her, and that’s how he lost the opportunity to get closer to her.

Not only did Ahmed take Lyna away from him, but he also took his position as the crown prince when their father removed him from that position and appointed Ahmed instead. He would never forgive Ahmed; he blamed him for Lyna’s death. If she had married him, she’d still be alive.

Since childhood, Ahmed always came first in everything. He was the one who did everything right, while Arkham was a mess and spent his time having fun. He had thought the position of crown prince was secure until he made a mistake that their father couldn’t forgive.

He ended up in the headlines of international news, surrounded by girls, two of whom were the daughters of a known foreign leader. His father was pressured to contain the scandal and avoid breaking diplomatic relations with that country.

His promise to change his ways meant nothing. He humiliated his father when he announced publicly that Ahmed would be his successor, and he was pushed into the background after his younger brother Ibrahim.

He tried to redeem himself by becoming responsible and even agreed to be engaged to Aracha Amin to maintain a good relationship with her family. It would be a great sacrifice because despite her beauty, Aracha was a superficial and heavy person.

His father immediately dismissed his efforts; he had already made the decision publicly, and there was no turning back. Ahmed had tried to explain that he wasn’t interested in that position and attempted to abdicate several times, but his father refused to accept his resignation.

Mía tried to convince Raccha to take her to visit the mosque. She could do it as a tourist as long as she respected the rules of the place. However, being the prince’s guest, she felt the eyes of his family on her, which was why Raccha advised her against it.

Raccha explained a bit about the Sheikh’s life; he had multiple wives. Ahmed’s mother was the senior wife and had three sons and a daughter with him. His other wives and children had a similar life of luxury but were not allowed inside the palace. Each had their own home and rarely saw each other.

The Sheikh had tried to persuade Ahmed to accept his harem, but he refused, freeing those women and providing them with what they needed to start a new life. In the country, having a harem or other wives was allowed as long as the senior wife accepted it, and Ahmed’s mother followed the traditions and accepted without hesitation.

Mía thought that would be unimaginable for her. The girl who married Ahmed would have a difficult life, as his mother would be pressuring her to accept other women, as tradition dictated.

At night, Ahmed entered Mía’s room again, this time through the window. She was putting on her pajamas when she saw him standing there and quickly covered herself.

“I’m sorry; I’ve been inappropriate,” Ahmed said.

“Don’t worry, just wait here; I’ll change in the bathroom.”

When she returned, she sat in front of him.

“How are you handling all of this?” she asked.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“It’s really difficult and exhausting. Meetings here and there, visiting and receiving worried diplomats about the future of the country. They don’t know what to expect with me in charge; they all have that doubt.”

“Wow, you’re really busy.”

“I’ve always wanted to abdicate. I want to live my life in the United States. My brother Arkham is the oldest, and the position would have been his, but my father removed him from the line of succession due to his past misbehavior. He hates me for that and because he was in love with my ex-wife, Lyna. She chose me over him, and he can’t forgive that, besides blaming me for her death.”

“I noticed the friction between you two; your looks say it all.”

“Right now, I wish I could just run away. It’s only your company that helps me endure all of this.”

She hugged him, feeling the need to comfort him. His mother kept talking about how wonderful Aracha was and what a good wife and mother she would be. Basima didn’t realize the immense pressure she was putting on her son, straining a cord that would eventually snap.

Just like the night before, they slept embraced. Mía believed Ahmed appreciated her only as a friend; he didn’t dare reveal the truth, fearing he would lose her, which he couldn’t bear. She was his light amidst all that darkness.

When Mía woke up the next morning, Ahmed had once again left, and she found another note on the pillow.

“Thank you again. Wait for me tonight. I don’t know why your company brings me peace; the nightmares stay away, and I can rest.”

As she read those lines, Mía remembered that those two nights, the faceless man from her nightmares had left her in peace.