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A waiter came to her table, and when she lifted her head to speak to him, that was when he realized who she was.
Mrs. Bauer stiffened when the sheikh suddenly appeared in front of her. “May I?”
“Of course, Your Highness.” Propriety forced her to say the words, but she couldn’t stop her lips from tightening as she watched him fold his imposing length in one fluid motion. “It’s a surprise—-”
“Don’t bother with the pleasantries,” Rayyan said under his breath. “I should’ve known you’d be behind this.” The one thing about this whole mess that he hadn’t been able to understand was Hyacinth’s uncharacteristic neglect of her responsibilities. All their differences aside, it had been unlike Hyacinth to deliberately miss a day’s work, and Rayyan couldn’t see Anisah – who was affiliated with Sheikh Malik’s department – asking her sister to do so either.
“Everything was aboveboard, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Mrs. Bauer defended. “I submitted a letter of request for Hyacinth’s involvement to your H.R. manager—-”
“Kafia.” Enough. “All I want to know is why. It is not like you to get so involved—-”
“Because I don’t want to see her hurt,” Mrs. Bauer said fiercely.
“What makes you think she will be?”
She stared at the sheikh in blatant disbelief. “Jemima Black.”
The sheikh inhaled sharply as everything in the past became devastatingly clear in an instant. “You had no right—-”
“She’s my—-”
“Favorite student, I know.” His voice was harsh. “But she’s my woman.” There was no taking the words back the moment they were said, and the sheikh’s jaw tightened as he watched Hyacinth’s homeroom teacher whiten.
“Are you saying it’s real?” she asked stiltedly.
“I haven’t seen Jemima since—-” Hyacinth started working for him. But the sheikh caught himself in time, saying instead, “We started going out.”
“I’m so sorry.” Mrs. Bauer was unable to meet the sheikh’s gaze as she made her apologies in a faint, shaken voice. “It will never...I...I won’t i-interfere again. I p-promise.” Her eyes closed for a moment, her humiliation as unbearable as a fresh raw wound, and when she found the courage to open her eyes again, the sheikh was long gone.
HE FOUND HER AT A SECLUDED part of the garden, cornered by a boy her age. He was handsome and presentable enough, someone from a good family no doubt, to be invited to this kind of event. But the sheikh also knew that the boy wouldn’t ever be a match for him, not even if the lad was given a million years to catch up.
Hyacinth was dressed in a plum-colored abaya, its modern design transforming the traditional robe into a fashionable cover-up in chiffon. Underneath the robe, the girl wore a plain black dress, loose enough to still pass as conservative, but at the same time tight enough to faithfully follow her slender curves.
All in all, a pretty dress to make a pretty woman even prettier, and judging by the look on the boy’s face, it certainly did its job in impressing the other sex. As for Hyacinth, her eyes had a similarly glazed look to them, but for a far different reason.
It would serve her right, the sheikh thought, if he let her die of boredom.
Ten minutes later, Hyacinth heard someone politely clearing his throat from behind, and upon turning around, she was startled to find Gadi standing a foot away. “G-Gadi?” Her heart leapt despite her mind’s command to stay calm. Where he was, Gadi was rarely far away from –
But there were exceptions, too, she told herself firmly, so don’t get your hopes up.
“Khalis aietidhar, anisdi, insan.” My sincere apologies, milady, milord. “But His Highness, Sheikh Rayyan Al-Atassi—-”
The boy’s face lit up. “He’s here?”
“Nem, insan.” Yes, milord. “Begging pardon for the intrusion, but the sheikh requests a word with the lady—-”
Seeing Omar’s confusion, Hyacinth explained hastily, “I’m an intern at the finance department.”
Omar was quick to give way after that, and Gadi was soon escorting Hyacinth to one of the temporary cabanas that had been set up for the function. A pair of attendants pulled the drapes back to let Hyacinth in, but as soon as she was inside, the drapes were allowed to fall back in place.
And just like that, she thought, she was alone with the man she had done her best to avoid.
Hyacinth didn’t allow herself to look away like a coward as she watched the sheikh approach her, his movements reminding her of the sleek, prowling grace of a predator.
Her throat tightened as he came closer and closer, and unwilling to give him the satisfaction of seeing her tongue-tied, she forced herself to speak. “Marhava, alshaykh.” Hello, sheikh.
“Marhava, anisdi.” Hello, milady. The sheikh’s tone was polite, his gaze contemplative. It was easy enough for him to see past her mask of casual indifference – and what he saw, he didn’t like.
“Did you miss me?” she asked lightly.
