PRESIDENT'S SON AND I

7: Rules

ZAFIR

I was aware of the look I gave her, because I still couldn't put it behind me the words she had uttered to me. And I still can't believe that she had said all that to me and was still seated on my dining table, facing me. If it wasn't for Jamal, this lady right here would've met with her nemesis through me. But I'm trying to get on Jamal's good book, I'm not going to make things worse than they were.

We were eating in silence and I had my eyes fixed on my plate even though the only thing I would want to gulp down my throat right now was a bottle of a very intoxicated beer and then sleep for the rest of the day. But it seemed like Jamal had a mission of keeping me sober today, and I may have to bear with it even if it's the last thing I would want.

I can't believe she had thrown away all my bottles! The nerves she had! And did she know how much money that was? And now how I had to go and buy more? It wasn't the money that mattered to me, it was how to get them. I had to do everything discreetly lest someone saw me and reported to Daddy, and she just had to do that.

"I believe you have more rules for...her, right?" Jamal began, and we both lifted our eyes to him at the same time. I fixed him with my usual cold gaze that always made him uncomfortable and he waved his hand away, as though swatting a fly away.

"Stop giving me that look, Zafir. And speak, will you?" I shrugged and gulped down the drink before I fixed my eyes on her.

I knew I dislike all the people in this world. But for her, I think my dislike for her was a bit more than usual. She got on my nerves and if I could, I would grind her alive and throw her away. But she had Jamal as a shield between us, and what a strong shield she'd gotten.

"First, the eating thing. I don't entertain eating in the room or something, there was a reason man created the dining table, use it." I fixed my eyes on her to the point that I could tell she was fighting back an eye roll. I ignored that and continued, "Second, before I wake up, I want everywhere to be crystal clean and smelling nice, I won't entertain any form of dirtiness." This time, she couldn't stop the grunt that escaped her lips.

"And she should make sure I never see her. I mean, if she could, I should never see her until the day you decide to end this torture and take her away from me. No interaction, no flimsy greetings, and no one in this Villa should know that she's here."

Jamal opened his mouth to speak when I beat him at it, I'm not done yet. "And the last, her baby. I hate babies, their cries and whatever sort of things that involve them." I could say my words were like an arrow that shoot directly to her heart, at least that was what I got from the expression that plastered itself on her face before she could even control herself.

"But she can't control those things, Zafir. What if Muniba wakes up one day and decides to be a bit hard to deal with? Of course you'll hear her cry because this house isn't sound proof, is it?" Jamal said and I fixed him a look.

I shrugged my shoulder and relaxed back on the chair. I knew either of the rules wouldn't sit right with her, and instead of me saying no to Jamal about this, she would say it herself. "That's left to her, I think. Either to shut the baby anyway she can, or I shouldn't be held accountable for what I'd do if I wake up to a baby's cry echoing in my ears."

I made a look, and she turned to look at me with nothing but sheer anger and something I couldn't decipher in her eyes. "Muniba, that's her name. Either you call her that or don't say her name at all. She's not named baby. She has her own name. Use it or don't refer to her at all." Her voice was like a shower of ice during winter. And she didn't have to tell you that she was angry or she hated you if she used this voice on you, you just knew.