The Billionaire's Final Victim | ✓

[30] She's Back.

A/N: I love giving you guys a Friday update! Next chapter coming tomorrow!

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"Barqat?" Dunia peaks her head through the door of his home office. No one.

She scans the room to double check and when she is sure no one's there, she pushes open the door wider.

She walks in and is mesmerized by all the books on the wall, does he even read? Dunia loved reading, once upon a time. But life had become so busy, she didn't even have time to look at a title of a book.

Her fingers brush across each book on the shelves. They're mostly classics: Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Harper Lee, and such.

The more she looks, she more different types of books she finds. He has modern fiction as well: Harry Potter series, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Hunger Games trilogy, The Mortal Instruments series. Hell, he even has chick-lit types like The Fault in Our Stars, Twilight series, and a few Sarah Dessen books.

"This can't possibly be his books? I'm not even discriminating about what a guy like him can or should read but some of these are totally not his style... But then again, do I really know him?" Dunia says out loud to herself.

"Those are a mix of his favourites and Ms. Furat's." It's James. Dontella had already informed James that she has told Dunia about Furat.

Dunia whips around to see him standing at the door, holding a few papers.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I didn't mean to startle you." He apologizes.

"No, no, it's okay."

"I'm just here to drop some documents off." He walks over to Barqat's desk and puts on the papers on the desk.

Dunia picks up a picture frame. It is a picture of a young girl, with the brightest smile. She looks so happy in the picture that it spreads warmth through Dunia. Her dark hair flowing in the wind as she's sitting on the grass, looking carefree. Her olive skin is basically glowing in the sun, she looks so angelic, sweet and innocent. Who is she?

"That is Ms. Furat, Ma'am." James answers the question she was asking in her head.  

Dunia's heart drops, and her mouth makes the 'O' shape. Dunia puts the picture back on Barqat's desk, where she found it. To be honest, Dunia has nothing against Furat, but the fact that Dunia now acknowledges her feelings for Barqat has her feeling extremely envious of Furat. I mean, she could dislike her for leaving Barqat when he was in the worst place of his life, but that's between her and Barqat, not Dunia.

"Ma'am," James interrupts Dunia's thoughts. "Sir will be back in here in about three minutes."

"oh... OH, I should wait outside." Dunia quickly zooms past James before he could say anything.

• • •

"What are you doing here?" Barqat asks in his blank tone.

"I want ice cream." Dunia says.

"Okay, and?" He raises a brow.

"I want you to take me to Arctic Bites."

"You can ask James to take you. In fact, you can drive yourself." Barqat becomes irritated.

Dunia tugs on his sleeve, "Please. James is busy and I really want those rolled up ice cream."

"What's wrong with you?" Barqat shakes off her grip.

"We made a deal to be nicer to each other and now is the time to prove yourself." Dunia puffs her cheeks.

"Dunia, I have work to do." He says in an aggravated tone.

"Please!" She pouts.

Barqat sighs, and rests his hand on his temple. "Okay, I'll spare you an hour."

"Yay! Let me grab my purse!" Dunia speed walks towards her room.

• • •

She sits inside Barqat's black Mercedes-Benz AMG S-class Cabriolet, one of the many cars in his collection that she's never seen.  The interior is just as luxurious as the exterior. The seats are covered in red leather, whilst there are splashes of carbon fibre in the car.

"Don't you have like a Honda or something we could take? We're only getting ice cream." Dunia murmers.

Barqat gives a harsh laugh, "Do I look like I own a Honda?"

Dunia rolls her eyes, "Brat." She says under her breath.

"Whatever. I don't need ice cream." Barqat says.

"Okay!" Dunia puts her hand up in defense. "I'm sorry."

He smirks.

Dunia turns on the radio as they drive towards Downtown, to keep the atmosphere less awkward. After about 25 minutes, the car comes to a stop.

Barqat can see from the side of Dunia's face that she's super excited. How does this girl get so delighted over such little things?

Dunia gets out of the car and is grinning at the ice cream place. It wasn't a lie, she was really craving ice cream. The moment she walks inside, she's literally a child in a candy store, but it's ice cream.

"Hi! Can we get a Love At First Bite and It Takes Two To Mango?" That is literally the name of the strawberry ice cream rolls. The worker nods.

"How do you know if I like strawberries or mangoes?" Barqat asks her amused.

"I've been living with you long enough to pick up your likes and dislikes. Plus, I've seen you munch on those strawberries like they're your source of oxygen." Dunia explains.

Barqat feels a tiny bit guilty as he doesn't know much or anything about Dunia's likes and dislikes. He's going to take a quick guess mango is a favourite.

Dunia claps like a child as she sees the employee roll up the ice creams. Barqat couldn't help but stare at her.

It's pretty chilly outside since it's November but looking at her spreads warmth over him as if it's a nice spring day. She becomes captivating the longer you stare at her, her eyes are like eternal summer: warm and cheerful. His attraction to Dunia isn't because she is beautiful, it's because of how her soul is so pure and innocent. She's always looking for the good in others. Even after he's continuously hurting her, she does nothing but give him smiles.

He winces at that thought because that's what Furat was like, always looking for the good in everything, always cheerful. After so many years, he still hasn't been able to wipe her out of his memory.

He feels a tug at his sleeve. "Your ice cream will melt if you don't eat. I will eat it if you don't want it." Dunia laughs.

A smirk appears on Barqat's face, "I don't think so, my love. I don't share food."

Dunia and Barqat are about to make their way to their car after throwing away their empty ice cream carton until something catches Barqat's eyes. More like someone.

The woman is pushing a baby stroller. Her silky dark hair that's flowing in the wind is undeniably beautiful, he would recognize her anywhere. There is no fucking way.

"My Jaan, I will buy you ice cream, please forgive me and stop crying." Her voice is all he needed to confirm his thoughts. It's Furat. It's his Furat.

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A/N: oh, shit!

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