"He must be busy or..." Layla glanced at me and laughed, "Or, maybe he doesn't want to come. Who would want to see this face mom."
Both of them burst into laughter, right until something happened no one would have imagined.
The doors slammed open and a man, tall, broad shouldered, veins tight with anger, walked inside.
Their laughter died instantly.
The air felt suffocating as he stood there with his dark expression, chest rising and falling. His gaze first cut to my stepmom and Layla, then slowly drifted onto me.
With heavy steps, he walked towards me. I lowered my head, letting my hair hide my face.
He stopped right in front of me. I saw his hand reach out, fingers slipping under my chin as he lifted my face.
My heart throbbed, I clutched to my dress. I didn't want Shahr to discover the truth. What if he regrets not divorcing me? What if he finds me ridiculous? What if he laughs along with them?
My head spiraled in panic. One thought tripped over another.
His other hand brushed toward the hair covering my face. With gentle hands he pushed them aside until a sting shot accross my face and my expression twisted.
I tried to pull away, but his firm yet careful hands held my wrist tightly, and his other hand gently held my chin in place.
"Don't move." He ordered in his cold dominant voice.
We all stood there with our stomachs tensed, as he closely inspected my face.
"Who dared to slap you?" Eyes flaring in anger, his head turned to my stepmom and Layla, "Did you do this?"
He walked towards my stepmom who stood there silent.
"Tell me, was it you?" He asked again.
Stepmom and Layla stood there silently, not daring to answer.
"I'm not going to ask again." his hand moved toward the sword at his waist, "Answer me, or I will behead you."
"It- it wasn't us! It was the maid." Blurted my stepmom pointing at the maid who had brought our food earlier.
I gasped in shock. How could she do this? How could she frame an innocent? I took a step forward, ready to tell the truth.
The maid also took a step forward, "Master, when I arrived the slap marks were already there."
She had seen them? I thought she didn't, as she didn't say anything. My head lowered feeling bruised.
"Duke, don't believe the maid. She is lying." Blurted out my mom. Her face covered in sweat, her nervousness could be clearly seen on her face.
"Oh, then why didn't you punish the maid?" With one brown raised, Shahr asked.
"How could we?" With an awkward smile, she said, "It's the Duke's mansion, the Duke's maid, how could we just lay our hands on one of them?"
"But, they laid their hands on your daughter." An evil smile curled on Shahr's lips which made them tremble in fear.
"Duke." Layla stepped forward, "Mother was educating sister. Please pardon Mom's actions, that is how she educates us." With a sweet tone she exclaimed as if she wanted to draw the Duke's attention on her.
Shahr's expressions darkened, "You aren't going to tell the truth? Drag them away."
Some guards entered the room. Getting dragged by the guards, my stepmom and Layla screamed at the top of their lungs, "Duke, please let us go. Duke." Uttered Stepmom.
"Duke, please do not do this." Said Layla.
But before they could stay anything further they were dragged out of the room like animals. No mercy.
I swallowed hard at the terrifying sight.
Shahr turned towards me, his hands coming towards me, thinking he is going to beat me I closed my eyes in fear. But soon enough I found myself in his arms.
His broad shoulders wrapped my whole body as if I were a small kid.
"Why didn't you call for me?" Breaking the hug, asked Shahr. His hands caressed my cheeks. My expressions tightened as the pain stung me again.
His hands gripping my waist, and with gentle and soft voice he asked, "I'm sorry, did it hurt?"
For a moment I lost myself in his deep eyes which showcased care for me. I shook my head left and right to bring distract myself from his beautiful eyes.
"Now tell me everything." He demanded softly.
I stayed quiet. His displeasure was clear, without warning he bent down and carried me in his arms. Placing me on the sofa he sat beside me.
"If you aren't going to answer then I'll have to find out my own way." As he exclaimed I lifted my gaze and looked at him with curiosity.
Understanding my feelings, he said, "You didn't tell me, I won't tell you either."
He stood up and before I could say anything he stormed out of the room. The maids rushed in to dress my wound.
"Duchess, why didn't you call for help?" Said one.
"Yes Duchess, we were outside to help you." Said another.
Watching them made me remember the maids who always looked after me and took care of me. I smiled at them and stayed quiet.
After my dress was changed and my wound was bandaged, the maids helped me to my chambers and left to bring lunch for me.
-Shahr's pov-
I slammed open the prison doors, as I stepped inside, I saw those people who has bullied my wife. My blood boiled, my hands itched to slit their throats.
With heavy steps I walked to them, my presence made them feel what fear was. Both, daughter and mother, hugged begged for their lives hugging each other tightly.
They deserved to die, how dare they bully my prey? I wanted to kill them then and there, but after some thinking, I didn't.
I needed to find out the whole story behind this. A murderous smile left my face imaging the different ways I would torture them for touching my prey. They would suffer twice the amount they made my prey suffer.