Ava opened her eyes as sun rays fell on her face.
She saw herself draped around her peacefully sleeping husband.
A naked husband.
And along with that panic sets in.
What had she done??
Where was her brain??
The last time she had given into her desire, he had ended up breaking her heart into a million little pieces.
And she would be a fool if she let him do that to her again.
She got off the bed without waking him up and had a quick shower.
Her brain scolding her again and again for her lack of control when it concerns Zayed Ahmed al Zidra.
What is so special about him that makes it impossible for her to hate him.
It has always been like that. Ever since he married her, he had been her superhero. Her very own prince charming, though he was never charming towards her all those years back.
He had made it perfectly clear that he loathed her. And it didn't stop her heart from falling hard.
As she was making a coffee for herself, his words six years ago continued to skim across her mind.
Those horrible words, just minutes after she gave herself to him.
'Did you enjoy?'
'Or did you enjoy more that Arif?''
'Enough Aveline. Enough with you playing I am an innocent. I am tired of it. You didn't just betray me, you betrayed my entire family. Did you think of my family even once. The family which accepted you, a total stranger, with open arms. Did you think atleast once about that family before doing such a disgusting thing'
'I have been listening to your lies until today. Not anymore. I want a divorce. I can't even breath the same air as you. I feel disgusted just looking at you. Who knows what kind of upbringing you got that you behave like this'
She was still reeling from the effect of those memories, when she felt a pair of arms snake across her waist from behind.
She jerked away from making him frown?
"What happened Aveline" Zayed asked with a contended sigh
"Nothing" she said struggling to maintain her composure, while pouring the coffee into a mug.
"It is a very beautiful morning, right Aveline?" Zayed asked looking out through the floor to ceiling glass window of the penthouse suite, facing the Eiffel Tower.
She nodded jerkily
"A beautiful morning for a new start" Zayed said huskily, drawing Ava against him.
She pulled away from him
"What start??" She asked tartly
"Our life Aveline. After last night-" he was rudely cut off mid way by Ava's sarcastic laugh.
"After last night what?? Sex is not a promise Zayed" She said, leaving Zayed stunned
"Aveline, last night. I thought" he struggled with words, still trying to come to terms with Aveline's cold words after the beautiful night they shared
"You thought what?? That because I slept with you I forgot everything you did to me?? If yes, then you are bloody naive Zayed" Ava said with scorn
"Are you going to pretend that you didn't feel anything last night Aveline?" He asked in disbelief
"Defenitely not" Ava conceded
"All I have to do is touch you Aveline. You will melt in my arms" he said making Ava's blood boil in anger.
Because whatever he said is true
But how dare he say that?
"You were my first lover, Zayed. So far you have been my only lover. My body might probably always respond to yours. But my brain knows better" Ava said dismissing their chemistry simply as a part of lust
Unfortunately neither her heart nor her body received the memo yet!
"What are you trying to say" Zayed asked in apprehension
"Nothing much. Just, don't ever forget that I am still married to you, because you threatened to take my babies away" Ava said and the pain she saw in his eyes was like a gutter punch.
Zayed didn't get a chance to respond as they heard the door bell ringing.
Ava hurried to the door to avoid any more interactions with Zayed
"Surprise!" She heard as soon as the door opened and saw Basim and Kate standing along with the triplets.
"Happy birthday mommaa" they screamed and hugged her with such a force that she stumbled and would have fallen down if not for the supporting hands of her husband on her back.
Birthday?
Whose birthday, she wondered
It js not her birthday!
She doesn't even know when her birthday is.
She was too young when she lost her parents and sister.
So how would she remember her birthdaym
"Momma, why did we never cut cake for your birthday before?" Zian asked curiously. Because every year, their momma buys cakes on their birthdays and they celebrate it like Christmas. But they have never done so for their momma's birthday
"It is not my birthday, darling? Who told you so??" She asked
"Papa said it is your birthday tody" Zada said, pointing at her father
Papa? Since when did they start calling him papa, Ava wondered
"Arthur said, even they didn't know your birthday" Zahir said and Basim face palmed
"Arthur? How do you know Arthur" Ava asked in confusion.
"What's the point of hiding anymore? Zahir already ruined the surprise" Ava looked up to see her little friends from Barely village standing there and  grinning at her
"Arthur- Chloe-  Jean-  Esme-" Ava's voice cracked with all the emotions running through her.
All four ran to her and hugged her.
Oh! How she have missed them all these past years.
"We missed you so much Ava" Jean said making Ava smile through her tears
"Me too"
"Happy birthday Ava" they all shouted together.
"What is this? Why are you all wishing me birthday. Who said it is my birthday today? And how did you all come here?" Ava asked confused out of her wits.
"Zayed said it is your birthday today. And he came to our village last week and talked to our parents. He got their permission to bring us here" they said with a  grin and her heart ached.
He went to all the length to surprise her and what did she do today?
She heard Basim's phone ringing and him talking to Salim
"Zayed? Give her your surprise gift already. Salim is saying Camille is on the verge of killing him and he can't keep driving around Paris any longer" Basim said and Zayed jerked up as if from a nightmare.
"Yeah right" he said and walked towards his bedroom
A few second later he came out with an envelope in his hand.
"Happy birthday Aveline" he said in a low voice, giving her the envelope.
What if they are the divorce papers?
Oh God!
It hadn't been even fifteen minutes since she told him she is with him only because he threatened her.
And now she is terrified that he would let her go.