Chapter 101: A Forced Fiancée
The moment Sulaimon got home, he was met with the sight of a really elegant lady sitting with his parents in the living room. They were chatting and laughing together like they'd known each other forever.
His instincts immediately screamed at him, but he ignored the lady and went straight to greet his parents.
"Assalamu alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, Mom, Dad."
"Wa alaikum salam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, son," his father answered warmly, but his mother's response sounded a bit off.
Sulaimon looked at her in confusion.
"Mom, what's wrong?"
"Where were you?" she asked instead, giving him a pointed look like she already knew the answer.
"Mom, why are you acting like this?" He glanced at the visitor, clearly confused as to why his mother would behave that way in front of a guest.
He subtly signaled to her with his eyes, but she merely raised an eyebrow.
"She is your fiancée."
Sulaimon froze.
"I chose her for you when you couldn't bring someone home for me."
"What? Mom! You can't do that!"
"I have someone already!"
"Oh." His mother scoffed. "The student you are chasing around like a fool? Someone discarded, and you want to take her like she's some kind of gold?"
Sulaimon's mouth fell open.
His father coughed lightly.
"Lara, you can't speak about someone's daughter like that."
"Your son isn't clean either, so don't try to wash your son clean while dirtying someone else's daughter."
"Don't tell me that, oo. I don't want her." His mother gestured toward the lady beside her. "See a fine girl here. Well-mannered and beautiful. Not an extremist."
She turned sharply toward Sulaimon.
"See Sulaimon, he doesn't go to clubs again. He doesn't drink anymore. He hasn't even married her, and he has already started doing all this. If he marries her, will he become a short-trouser man too?"
"Mom." Sulaimon stared at her. "Aren't you happy that I stopped all those bad habits? Why are you going against what Allah has commanded?"
His father suddenly stood, clearly tired of the argument.
"I told you not to interfere in matters of the heart. It is your son's life. Let him choose who he wants. You will not stay in the marriage with him, but you won't listen."
He shook his head.
"I pray you don't destroy everything before it becomes too late to fix it."
With that, he walked away.
Their marriage had been a forced, arranged business marriage—almost like a contract. Very little love existed between them.
Sulaimon was their only son, their one blessing after years of waiting. Yet, for some reason, his parents rarely lived like a real married couple to him.
His father stopped at the door leading to the back garden and turned around.
"What you failed to teach your child is being taught by a little girl."
His eyes hardened.
"What a shame."
Then he walked away.
His words left Sulaimon's mother pale.
This was exactly what she was afraid of—the comparison and the changes in her son.
She loved her husband, but he had someone else in his heart.
Ever since they got married, she had known that he had never forgotten the woman he truly loved. He never loved her. To him, she was merely a part of an arrangement.
And her ego would never allow her to beg for a man's love.
Moreover, they were both stuck in the same loveless marriage. She wouldn't leave him, and he wouldn't marry the woman he loved.
They will both continue living in the hell of a marriage they are. She won't leave him, and will never allow him leave, never.
Meanwhile, the lady sitting quietly in the living room had been watching everything unfold.
None of this was necessarily new to her. She had seen similar things happen in wealthy families countless times.
But her attention remained focused on Sulaimon.
He was exactly the type of man she wanted.
Tall.
Chocolate-skinned, with glowing skin, broad shoulders, and long legs.
There was a charisma about him, an aura that belonged to someone used to power and authority.
What a dangerously handsome man.
If only she could throw herself at him right then and there.
Her thoughts wandered into places they had no business going.
Sulaimon finally turned to address the lady. He hadn't even bothered to ask her name.
But the moment he saw her eyes, he stopped.
She was looking at him like a cat that had just found a delicious fish.
He was used to women looking at him that way, but seeing someone his mother had apparently considered "wife material" staring at him with such open desire made him wonder if his mother even knew what she was doing.
How could she bring him someone like this?
Someone whose lust seemed to have completely overtaken her sense of decency.
He walked toward her, holding her gaze.
His eyes clearly showed his disgust and repulsion, yet the woman shamelessly adjusted her clothing in a way that exposed more of herself.
Sulaimon immediately looked away.
He turned slightly, giving her only his side profile.
"Miss, can you show yourself some self-respect and cover up? Don't display yourself like that in front of me like you are selling goods.
He paused.
"I don't like you. Not even a little."
He held up two fingers with a tiny gap between them.
"Not even this little."
His expression hardened.
"In fact, I can call it disgust at first sight. So don't bother trying to sell yourself to me because I'm not interested. I feel like puking."
"Sulaimon," his mother warned.
"Mom, do you even love me?"
He turned toward her in disbelief.
"How can you bring a street girl for me? Someone with no basic morals or decency in front of a man?"
He gestured toward the lady.
"How will she train my children? To become like her?"
The lady finally spoke.
"I'm sorry, Sulaimon. I liked you at first sight. That was why I did what I—"
"Are your ears blocked?"
His voice cut through hers.
"I don't like you at all. Is it that hard to understand?"
He stared directly at her.
"Listen carefully. Whatever they told you is wrong. Now I'm telling you that I. Have. Someone. I. Love."
He enunciated every word.
"So don't pin your hopes on me. I already have someone."
He turned toward the door.
"Mom, tell Dad I'll visit next time. I'm going somewhere."
He took a few steps before stopping.
"I hope you think about what I said because I'm not changing my mind Mom. I've chosen the girl. No one else but her."
His expression became serious.
"And don't go near her. Don't try to convince her to leave me, because I'm still trying to win her heart."
The two women in the room felt struck like a bolt of lightning. Who will reject this handsome guy or she's pretending to him?! It sound unbelievable to them.
He looked at his mother one last time.
"She's not a gold digger, and she's definitely not a prostitute like some people." he said after seeing their eyes, knowing exactly what they are thinking.
With that, Sulaimon walked out.