Chapter 17

    Taimur    Taimur and Riyadh were seated beside each other in the flight. Taimur was constantly thinking about Eva and the stunt she pulled today before they departed."My naughty girl," He thought grinning.

Riyadh must have noticed his grin, he looked at him teasingly and said, " Thinking about her, aren't you? So how are things going between you and your lady? Riyadh asked.

"Yeah I was thinking about her, and things would have been better if you just gave us some space," Taimur said the last part of the sentence in a sarcastic tone.

" Heyyyyy, Give me a break lover boy. But I just walked onto you two twice. And that also because circumstances demanded it, " He said " And those were the most intimate moments I ever had with her, and it's about when we are in the moment. Even if you can't be in an I will give you a smooch, mood all the time," Taimur snapped at him.

"Why are you lying and that to me, whenever she is around you act like a pup. Following her everywhere, sometimes I am reminded of that commercial of the cell phone network provider 'Wherever you go we follow ', Riyadh said laughing.

Taimur punched him in the arm with all his strength, "Language please, you are addressing a Prince." He said acting annoyed.

"Ouch" Riyadh yelled in pain. "If a Prince will act like a puppy he will be called a puppy, " he added.

"Fuck off, " Taimur snapped back. It was only Riyadh, who dared to engage in banter with Taimur. Any other person couldn't even dream about calling him names.

"I am happy for you man. I used to pray for you daily, that you find a girl who will love you for just being you. Not for your money, not for your status, " Riyadh said his face beaming with happiness for Taimur.

" Thanks, bro, I am the luckiest man in this whole world. You won't believe what she did to me earlier today. I wish I could tell you, " Taimur was again reminded of Eva. "You are going to pay for that stunt my señorita" He addressed Eva in his imagination.

Riyadh looked at him with widened eyes, and said "Did she give??? Riyadh couldn't complete his sentence because Taimur had interrupted him in the middle.

" Fuck off you dirty mind. I can't even imagine making her do such a thing so early in our relationship, " He retorted at Riyadh.

"And what if she asks for it? " Riyadh asked him with a sarcastic smile.

"Then I will have no choice but to oblige to her wish, " Taimur winked at him.

"You were home for the weekend, weren't you? Riyadh asked, remembering.

" Yep, one hell of a weekend". Taimur replied.

"So they know?" Riyadh inquired.

"Yeah, they know, " Taimur replied in the same tone "And?" Riyadh just stared at him.

"And except umumi, all my family members are against it, " He sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if they even love me, " Taimur said, grieving.

"And your father, what did he say? Asked Riyadh.

" He said it was okay, " Taimur replied.

"Are you joking?" Riyadh asked in disbelief.

" No, he said he was okay with it as long as I was happy. But the truth is I don't believe him, I am sure right now he must be hatching some conspiracy behind my back, " Taimur said brushing his hairs with his fingers. He looked very deserted.

"What do you mean?" Riyadh asked, astonished.

"I never told you why I left my home, didn't I?" Taimur asked, immersed in thought.

" I asked, but you never told me, " Riyadh said. He looked confused with all these answers and questions.

"Then get ready to hear something dreadful, it was about five and half years ago," Taimur said.

Taimur was sitting on his desk in his office when Mustafa walked in. "Not now", he told Mustafa, gesturing him to get out of his office.

" She won't listen, she is insisting on meeting you, " Mustafa said with a gulp.

"Who the hell, is she, " Taimur asked enraged.

"She won't give her name. Insist on meeting you. She says she needs to tell you something about your father, " Mustafa replied scared.

On the mention of his father's name Taimur got calm, what would a girl want to tell him about his father wondered Taimur. "Is she his whore? " he thought.

"Send her in, " he told Mustafa.

After some time a girl walked into his office she was looking very frail and skinny. It didn't take much time for Taimur to realize that she was suffering from some illness. He asked her "What can I do for you?"

"Ahhh, the thing is I am here to apologize to you, " she declared.

"Excuse Me, " Taimur was stunned.

"Yes I want to apologize for the pain and suffering I have caused you, " she said with guilt.

"I don't even know you, why do you want to apologize and for what pain? Taimur was still unsettled.

" As you can see I am suffering from Cancer. And it is terminal. My doctor says I have only two months left. And I don't want to die with a burden on my heart. That is why I came to apologize to you, " she continued.

"Get over with it, " Taimur was growing impatient by now.

" I was the part of the conspiracy to break off your betrothal, " She said with remorse in her voice.

"What conspiracy?" Taimur asked, alarmed.

"Your father hired me so I can befriend your fiance and brainwash her to break the betrothal with you and marry the King's son. So she could become queen one day, " she said rubbing her palms against each other.

Taimur felt like a bomb had blasted. It was Deja vu. His father had conspired to break his betrothal. Which he arranged in the first place. He couldn't believe how Sikander could do such a thing, that's impossible.

"What is this bullshit, " he asked in outrage.

"I am dying Your Royal Highness, why would I lie to you, " She asked with tear-filled eyes.

"How can I believe you, " he said with suspicion.

"I have proof. I recorded the phone calls between your father's man and me. I also have to save chats with your fiance, " She handed an envelope to him.

"I just want to say you sorry, Your Highness. The pain that was inflicted on you, I also am guilty of it. I am sorry, " with this she left.

Taimur was still in disbelief. He opened the envelope and it contained a pen drive. He connected it with his laptop immediately. He started opening every folder in the pen drive. And with it, all the knots in his head started opening.

It was his father who had plotted against him all along. His father had inflicted him so much pain and suffering. And what was Taimur's mistake that he just wanted to live a peaceful life with the women he loved? Away from all the politics and limelight.

Taimur had always hated the interference of his father in every decision of his life. He wanted to dominate Taimur in everything. Taimur was a mere puppet for Sikander, making him dance to his tunes.

He had always wanted to escape this 24X7 surveillance of his father in his life. But won't dare because of his mother. But this conspiracy and betrayal had proved the last nail in the coffin.

And Taimur couldn't find any more forbearance towards his father. He decided to leave their home. His father had tried very hard to prevent him from leaving, but this time he didn't budge.

His father gave up after a cold war for a month. And that was Taimur's first triumph against him.

"What kind of monster would do that to his son? Riyadh gaped in astonishment.

" A monster like my father, " Taimur retorted.

"I am sorry, I can't find words to comfort you, " Riyadh said sadly.

"It's ok, it doesn't matter anymore. But I don't trust him with Eva, " Taimur said.

"I can understand, " Riyadh agreed and continued, "Do you think she is safe in Azmaayir without you,?

" I can't guarantee it, I wanted to bring her with me. But this will only increase my father's desperation and he might try to harm Eva. I am sure he won't be able to manipulate her, but he might threaten her to leave me. So I have asked Haris to make sure she is safe back in Azmaayir till we return, " Taimur asserted.

" Yeah, we can trust Haris. He will make sure she is safe. And what do you plan next? He asked anxiously.

"I am planning to marry her as soon as I return. I will pop the question when I am taking her to the farms, " Taimur said.

"And what after that, will you give up the claim? Riyadh inquired.

" I wish I could but Uncle Waleed wants me to be the King. He fears if my father's wishes are defied anymore it will be catastrophic, " Taimur continued. "It's his ruthless desire to see me ascend the throne. And if anyone else other than me ends up on that fucking throne, uncle Waleed is afraid my father will shred him to pieces. Uncle Waleed thinks to see me, end up on that throne will keep my father in his senses".

" He understands very well how my father has used him in his lust for power. He doesn't take any action against Abí because he doesn't want any bad blood in the family, " Taimur said with a sigh.

"I didn't have any problem with his plan until Eva's arrival. She had turned my whole world upside down. Now the only thing that matters to me is her. My heart stops even if I imagine a life without her, " he said helplessly.

" Umumi has asked me to get married as soon as possible. And I intend to do that. She understands father better than anyone else, " he continued.

"That's a hell of a lot of information to digest. You should not have burdened me with it, " Riyadh said, taking a deep breath. He then continued, "Does your uncle The King know about Eva?"

"Not yet, I didn't get a chance to tell him. I am planning to get married first. Because the council can try to obstruct the marriage at all costs, and I have heard rumors that in the past they have gone to the extent of murder to prevent outcomes that they don't agree upon, " Taimur said looking apprehensive.

"You should make sure Haris put his best men around Eva, " Riyadh got anxious listening to Taimur.

"Haris himself is watching her. He knows he will lose his head if the future queen gets as much as a single scratch. We can trust him with her safety. That's not my concern right now, it's what my father is planning. I have asked Hairs to monitor it very carefully. He has got infiltrators within my father's men, " Taimur winked at Riyadh.

"So I get all the information I need about my father's plan. But till now he had not made any move, and that is what is a cause of my concern, " Taimur said.

"But we will find out very soon. Because he won't sit idle, he will try everything to stop me from marrying Eva, " Taimur understood his father very well.

He knew how ambitious and ruthless he was and how he had fucked up Taimur's life. Sometimes he got so sick of these conspiracies that he wanted to go into exile. But his uncle won't let him do that. And he respected and admired Waleed very much.

The love which his father could never bestow upon him was given by Waleed. He was very fond of Taimur since his childhood. And as Taimur grew up and excelled in everything his fondness grew day by day. He had three sons but they all had disappointed him in every field. They were just arrogant brats bickering at each other for power and fame.

And when Taimur was betrayed by Sehar and his son he was very sorry for it. He had asked for forgiveness from Taimur for his son's actions. And from then he had always guided Taimur in everything. What Taimur could achieve today Waleed had a significant hand in it.

"Sometimes I feel like Uncle Waleed is my true father. He had always been there for me trying to console me in every up and down. My father was always busy running the country or hatching conspiracies, " Taimur took a deep breath, he felt tired. This constant stress has been taking a toll on his state of mind.

Eva was the only ray of light in his life. She had filled his life with flashing colors. He felt alive for the first time in his life in her company.

  "We live in a creepy place bro, everyone is planning behind each other's back. Just feels as we walked out of a thriller", Riyadh said.