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14
After Aubrey made it back to Rihamel, all she wanted to do was hole herself up in her room, but Nura was waiting for her.
“Tell me what happened,” she said sharply. “And tell me the truth. Yusef Abadi is a snake.”
It was all Aubrey could do not to fall apart in her mother-in-law’s arms. She managed to keep it together until they were behind closed doors, and then she spilled everything. “I can’t tell Jarah, and neither can you. I don’t want to be the reason Rihamel can’t get along with its neighbors.”
“Strange. Why would Bibi…oh, it doesn’t matter. I think that when Yusef saw his father and Cyril getting along so well, he feared he’d lose power, so he took matters into his own hands. It wouldn’t surprise me if he’d been looking for a reason to stir up trouble with us ever since.”
Sitting on the couch in Nura’s suite, Aubrey’s eyes widened. “Took matters into his own hands…? You think Yusef killed his father?”
“Paid someone to do it, more likely. Cyril feared the same thing, but we could never find proof. You must tell Jarah. Trust that he will do the right thing.”
Sensing that her mother-in-law was holding something back, Aubrey eyed her. “You no longer travel to Hal Rabat. I’m guessing that Yusef is the reason, and you never told your husband.”
Sighing, Nura nodded. “He is only a few years older than Jarah, and yet he thought he could manipulate me. Thankfully, Cyril interrupted his attempt, and Yosef nearly ran from the room. I see he’s become even slimier since. He controls women through law, and when he cannot, he tries to control them through fear. I regret not telling Cyril. You will regret not telling Jarah.”
Resolutely, Aubrey shook her head. “Perhaps, but I can’t. Peace is too important, and Yusef has a point. If anything goes wrong, the whole world will blame Jarah’s decision to marry an American.”
“He would not stand for such blame, and he would defend you with his life. He loves you.”
Aubrey snorted. “I don’t think the man knows how to love.” Realizing what she said, she immediately tried to backpedal. “I mean, I don’t think he knows how to show it.”
To her surprise, Nura laughed. “It’s all right. Your husband is my son, and I understand him well. When I look at Jarah, I see his father. Cyril struggled to show he cared. To the Ramzi men, showing emotion is showing weakness. Thankfully, Cyril found a way, or I would not have stayed.”
“Stayed?”
“Divorce is not easy in a royal family, but separation? Cyril’s parents lived separately, as did his grandparents. Their entire lives, after they produced the required heirs. My family lives in Egypt. Going home was always a possibility for me, as it is for you. It wouldn’t be frowned upon for you to return to your home in the United States. I suppose Jarah didn’t mention that possibility. Maybe it’s the baby or his fondness for you.” Nura’s eyes sparkled. “After all, he said you two were a love match.”
Aubrey all but groaned. She was struggling to keep her lies straight. “I think I’m just feeling the stress of everything that happened. I know Jarah loves me.” Then, she swallowed hard. “I love him.”
Odd how difficult it was for her to say. Maybe because it was the truth, even if she was trying to tell herself that she was just playing a role. She did love Jarah, and there were times when he looked at her that she thought maybe he could love her. Then, duty would call, and he’d be gone again.
Maybe that’s why it felt so hard. She wasn’t trapped in a loveless marriage. She was bursting with love. She just didn’t know how to tell him.
Excusing herself, she made it to her bedroom and dropped onto the bed. The servants had been in to clean. The sheets had been changed and the laundry had been done. Sitting there, she stared out the window and put a hand on her belly.
Jarah would want her to eat. He probably had a chart on his phone tracking what she ate. He’d be pissed to know that she wasn’t hungry, but when she put a hand on her stomach, she knew she should eat.
When, she wondered. When would she bond with her child? When would she start to feel blissfully happy? When would she get that glow?
As she moseyed into the kitchen to find something to eat, there was a knock at the suite’s door. Outside, she found a food cart waiting for her. Either Jarah had called it in from Hal Rabat or Nura had taken care of it.
Rolling the cart in, she sat at the table. She couldn’t do much right, but at least she could eat.
* * *
To her surprise, it wasn’t even midnight before the door to the suite opened and Jarah walked in. Moonlight streamed through the room, and she stared at him, silently. Why had he come early? Had the rumors of her last night in Hal Rabat reached him? Did he think she’d gone to Yosef willingly?
Fear clawed at her chest.
“You’re awake. I’ve read that you’re supposed to be getting more sleep, not less when you’re pregnant,” he said quietly as he began to undress.
“You’ve been reading baby books?”
“Yes. Did you see the physician? Is everything all right?”
So her fleeing of Hal Rabat wouldn’t be a complete lie, she had gone to see her doctor. “Yes, and everything is fine. I’m sorry to have worried you.”
