The Untainted
Chapter 27 – The Hidden Mask
The screech of the car tires announced their arrival at a luxurious penthouse, but Balkis barely had time to notice the grandeur. Her heart raced too fast for admiration.
"Khalid, let me go!" she shouted, struggling against his grip.
He ignored her protest, dragging her to the door. A faint click sounded as his finger pressed the sensor, and the door slid open automatically. A sleek fingerprint scanner—the kind only the wealthy could afford.
Balkis tried to pull away, but it was useless. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her panic rising as she stepped inside.
The interior was breathtaking. Marble floors, glittering chandeliers, walls adorned with exquisite art—it was beautiful, dazzling even. But Balkis didn't have a moment to admire it. Her eyes widened as a shadow loomed over her.
"Like the view?" Khalid's voice was low, teasing. "How about something else, babe?"
Balkis stiffened. "No games, Khalid! Wallahi, if you do anything to me today, I swear I'll hate you forever—and I'll use everything I have to bring you down!"
He laughed softly, a sound that made her skin crawl. "How about tomorrow? Or the next day? I could keep you here, you know."
"You… you… never! Don't even dream of it!" she yelled, pointing a trembling finger at him.
"Oh? Tell me, then, what do you think I want from you?" he teased, eyes glinting with something she didn't want to understand.
"You… you're playing with me, right?" she stammered.
"Ahhh… you're funny," he said, chuckling. "No, babe. Did I ever say I'd touch you today? No. You'll be helping me around this house. Cooking, cleaning, laundry… starting today."
"What?!" she gasped.
"Yes, sweetie. My future…"
"As a maid or your wife?" she interrupted sharply, her voice firm. "I am not your wife, and definitely not a maid. I will never marry you—a womanizer, a manwhore!"
Something dark flickered across his eyes. A primal, dangerous heat. Balkis' stomach twisted. She felt it—the silent, silent warning of what she was walking into. She realized, too late, that speaking so boldly might have just opened a door she didn't want opened.
Khalid's jaw clenched. His gaze burned into hers. Slowly, deliberately, he said:
"Who are you to be my wife? Do you deserve it? A nameless girl daring to tell me I don't deserve her… or are you saying you don't deserve me because you already know you're not worth me?"
Balkis' heart thudded painfully against her ribs.
"…And as a maid? Well… you're lucky I even offered that. Lots of girls would jump at the chance." His smirk was wicked. His words cut like knives.
He gripped her jaw, holding her in place. Words failed her.
Her chest heaved as she tried to steady her trembling body. Tears spilled unbidden. The dam she had been holding back broke.
"Yes… I don't deserve you!" she sobbed. "I'm just a penniless girl with no name. Please… just let me go. I hate the day I met you. I wish I had never…"
Hearing her, Khalid's face softened, but his ego refused to let him show it. His throat tightened. He wanted to reach out, to comfort her—but he couldn't. He turned his gaze away, swallowing the dry lump that had formed.
He released her jaw and walked to the door, rigid as a statue.
"You will stay here from now on," he said without turning around, "or come every day to do what I've said. Your choice. I want to see you here every day. The door has a password… your birthday. Oh, and one more thing…" His voice dropped lower. "…you won't have another man in your life until I say so."
With that, he left, and the sound of his car fading in the distance left Balkis shaking, trembling, and utterly alone.
She stood by the window, staring at the sleek black car as it disappeared. Her stomach churned. Disgust, self-loathing, and disbelief warred within her.
He had used her birthday as the password. He had imposed rules as if she were some object under his control. And yet… she knew, deep down, that resisting him openly in school might make her life unbearable.
She cursed herself for ever accepting his proposal. She had thought he was sincere, that he respected her boundaries, that he could be trusted. She had even met his siblings—they were kind, welcoming, almost believable.
But now… his true colors were on full display. The charming, persuasive man she had known had disappeared. What remained was power, possession, and arrogance.
A tear slid down her cheek as the memory of that dreadful evening came rushing back—the night she had fallen asleep on the couch, exhausted from cleaning, unaware that he had returned drunk, unfaithful, cruel.
Her parents, she realized, would have been overjoyed at this match. Rich, successful… exactly what they had wanted for their daughters. But Balkis knew she could never accept it. She would never let herself be trapped, even by wealth or status.
She whispered a silent prayer: "Ya Allah, guide me. Protect me. Give me strength to stand for what is right." And my heart that yearns for.....
Her reflection in the window stared back at her—eyes fierce despite the tears, hands trembling but determined. Balkis had realized something crucial: no matter the allure of wealth, power, or charm, she would never sacrifice her dignity, her faith, or her freedom. And for a true man..., maybe a little push will do. Just maybe. Trying is better than not. So I dont regret it.
The storm outside might have been calm, but inside her, a fire had ignited. It either break her or make her whole!