In a twist of fate, Saida finds herself bound in an arranged marriage to Mustafa, a handsome but aloof billionaire carrying the weight of a troubled past. As she steps into his sprawling family home, Saida is not only confronted with the challenge of winning her husband's affection but also the reality of his newborn child and the sprawling dynamics of his extensive family. Thrust into a world where love seems like a distant dream, she must navigate the complexities of her new life and the coldness of a man who sees her as nothing more than an obligation. Mustafa, still grappling with the pain of his past and the responsibilities of his present, is indifferent to Saida's presence, focusing solely on the wellbeing of his child. With every passing day, Saida's hope for a love-filled future starts to wane, but her resilience shines as she endeavors to peel back the layers of Mustafa's hardened heart. Will Saida's warmth and persistence melt Mustafa's icy exterior to find the love she yearns for? Or is her dream of a happily ever after doomed from the start? Dive into their journey of unexpected love, familial duties, and the search for a happy ending against all odds.
Chapter 1 Saida
Saida couldn't believe that this man would wait to corner her at her mother's restaurant. The man had been to her father's house a week ago to ask for her hand in marriage which she had gracefully declined. This man's name was Tony, and for some reason, he just couldn't understand that Saida didn't want to get married to him and to be honest, she didn't understand it either. He was kind of handsome and he came from a good family from Saida's neighbouring town, everyone had something good to say about him and he had women salivating over him but he didn't make Saida's heart skip a beat.
Saida knew that her marriage would be arranged by her family. She was expected to be pure until the day she got married to the man of her family's choosing. She knew it was old-fashioned but it was tradition and Saida wasn't anything more than a good daughter. The last thing she ever wanted was to disappoint her family. She lived on the praise and the smiles and happiness from her mother and father.
Saida came from a small town in the east. In their little small town, her father Mr Abdul was the richest man in their town from the different manufacturing industries he built that manufactured different crops from the small town. Their family was then very respected and known. Ever since she turned eighteen, suitors had been arriving at their house from left to right that she had lost count. Her father being a very religious and humble man, would let anyone without looking at his status, ask for her hand because he believed everyone deserved a chance and he hoped she would find a good man and finally start her family.
Saida was considered a princess in their small time. She was considered The town's jewel because she came from the richest family and the biggest reason was her behaviour. Saida had very good proper manners and a pure heart, she was always ready to help the young and the old and she would volunteer in anything and everything that needed volunteering. She was charming and cheerful, always a party warmer as soon as she arrived. Everyone just absolutely loved her.
It was no secret that they also named her the town's jewel because Saida was so very beautiful. She had the kind of beauty that struck you at a glance with no artificial or additional enhancement. People either wanted to marry her, have her as an inlaw, a daughter or they wanted to hate her because she was so perfect.
Saida was Mr and Mrs Abdul's only daughter, she had two older brothers who were already married, and being the youngest and a girl meant she had everyone's affection and attention. Without a doubt, she was her father's eye. She was twenty-one years old now and lucky that her parents had promised not to subject her to a forced marriage. They promised to let her make her decision on the marriage proposals and hoped she would one day meet a man she felt a connection to, with their blessings.
Her mother owned a restaurant, which was the only restaurant in town and she was an amazing cook. Her mother was the Best cook in the whole world and could turn anything into a delight with very little or too much Ingredients. Saida loved cooking, it was her passion and she enjoyed being in the kitchen. She got all her cooking skills and recipes from her mother and she used to accompany her mother since she was a little girl in the restaurant. Now she managed the restaurant for her mother and let her relax at home.
Her brothers had taken over managing the company and its industries from their father, and now her father was in semi-retirement, guiding his sons to take over. Hence Saida took her mother's role hoping that she too would take over from her mother and manage the restaurant, so she would retire early like her father. Saida loved her parents very deeply.
And so, Tony was just one of the suitors that had been to her home asking for her hand, the only difference was that Tony was determined and did not take no for an answer. He thought if he kept on pushing, that Saida would finally say yes but all it did was make him an annoyance. She tried to ignore him the whole afternoon and as she was leaving in the evening to go back home, she did not want to have to deal with him anymore.
She was sneaking out back with the trashbags to avoid suspicion from Tony, so he wouldn't follow her outside when she crashed into a solid body. The force from the hard-toned body made her lose her balance and her grasp on the trash bags and they both ended up with kitchen dirt on the lower parts of their bodies and their shoes. Strong arms steadied her and brought her back to her feet. She started apologising profusely for the mess when she looked up and lost her breath.
He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. He had high cheekbones, striking clear blue eyes like the sea and such inviting plump limps. He smiled and she saw a dimple with that smile and it nearly made her go crazy. Saida never thought she could ever feel this way, she never expected the feelings that had overcome her to be real. She never thought she could feel this way about a stranger.
The man wore clean expensive clothes and there was power with the confident way he held himself. He hard on clean shiny shoes that had now been soaked in the mess, it was a good thing that she got most of the damage on her, she wouldn't dream of dirtying that perfection. Although she had dirtied him, when she blushed and found herself smiling at him, the man smiled back. She wanted to pinch herself
Saida could tell that this man was from the big city and he wasn't from around town, since she knew almost everyone and she would have sure noticed him around. It made her wonder what a man like him could be doing in a small uneventful town like this.
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