Love Untangled - Chapter 125

Jasmine

Benjamin ignored me and he went on and on about how he intended to change woman’s rights. I was shivering.

Saphira approached me. “Are you alright?” She said. I looked at her. She probably meant well, but I did not like her much never the less.

“I’m sorry Zach started this.” She apologized on his behalf. “No, he is more than right actually. It is rather barbaric what is going down in the country I am born in.” I shrugged.

“Zach said that you never even wanted to marry Benjamin…” She said hesitatingly. I swallowed. And then turned to her. “Woman in Saudi do not always have a choice in that matter. More of they don’t then that they do.” I said looking at my husband who was still trying to convince Zach that he was a good man.

“We should not try to make something which is absolutely wrong, to be right with our words.” I told her. “Was there anyone else?” She carefully asked me.

What did she mean? “Anyone else?” I frowned. “Yeah… I mean… did you have an eye on someone else when you met Benjamin?” I laughed and cocked my head to the side.

“So you think that the only reason not to marry that guy over there, is to have a hot crush on another man.” I smirked.

I scratched my head trying to think of something to make her understand. I could think of nothing. “Woman do not really need a man to be happy….” I said and bit my lip. “It is a great bonus, but a woman’s world should not revolve around her husband. She should be the center of her own world.” I said to Saph, gliding my hand through the water.

“I couldn’t think of anything better to let my world revolve around.” She said looking at the two men. “You mean than my husband.” I spoke bluntly.

Saphira’s shocked expression made me want to laugh. “Admit it.” I dared her. “You are in love with him.” I said.

Saphira was quiet. “He loves you.” She told me. I knew that?! What was her point?

“That is an obvious fact.” I said touching my belly. “But you are not answering my question.” I said sizing her up.

Saphira hunched her shoulders. “I did not know you existed when I fell in love with him.” She said in a shallow voice.

I sighed. “Well… that was my fault maybe… I had refused to marry him before he went back to the States.” I said and how I wished I could take that all back now. Our lives had been much more simple.

“I know.” She almost whispered. “I do think he was happy then…” She said and nervously bit her lip. “I mean… He told me that he only married you because he did not want you near a family member who harmed you.” She went on.

“I know.” I whispered back. I let her words sink into my soul. “But he could of set me free the moment he married me.” I said thinking out loud.

“Mwa… He said something about that he was obligated to consummate the wedding, because of a trick his grandfather played on him, and that he could not leave you after that.” She said looking at me apologetically.

I felt tears well up. “That’s true… ” I slowly said. “At first he tapped some blood and told me that we were going to pretend…” I swallowed.

“But… ” I thought of our first night… the way he kissed me. I looked up to her, still raveled in the delight of the memory.

“Do you know that he and I did not have intercourse that night.” I whispered, unable to hide my smile from her.

Saphira frowned. “What do you mean?” She said a little frustrated.

“I mean that our wedding was not truly consummated until the first night at the safehouse.” I said eyeing her.

“I don’t understand… ” She said shaking her head. “I mean to say that if he wanted to…. He could of left me untouched.” I was definitely going to discuss all the other ways he had devoured me up until then.

“But the two of you kissed that night… didn’t you?” Saphira asked skeptically. Now it was my turn to be confused. “I mean.. Ben always makes a point out of never kissing a man when you are not married… So I suppose he kissed you that night and to him that would mean that he needed to take care of you…” She rushed through her words.

The guys were passing a ball at each other. I thought about what she said. “Actually… he did not kiss me that night when the witnesses were there though…” I said as I remembered what had happened then. “But he did kiss me the day after. When the witnesses left, he took me in the shower and kissed me.” I said thinking out loud.

I licked my lips. Our first kiss held so much power. “But now that you mention it…” I said looking into her eyes. “You are right.” I shrugged.

“Ben had promised me a fake marriage, I don’t know…” I said scratching my head. “That was never something that was going to work anyway. I mean, we fell for each other, the moment we met.” I said. “I’m sorry…” I was not trying to be rude.

“That’s okay… But did you know the reason why he proposed a fake marriage in the first place?” She questioned.

I flipped my hand. “Yea… Yes I do. Because when I told him I did not want to marry me he needed to be back home, without me.” I muttered.

“And he met me.” Saphira hissed. “True… But he still loved me… and we spoke every day… until I was as stupid to break all contact with him.” I said meaningfully.

“He was not into anyone but me until I let him go.” Or at least I thought that was true… I so hoped it was.

Saphira

I thought about it for a while. All those mixed signals he sent me… attracting me and then pushing me away. “But he does love me.” I told Jasmine.

“I know.” She whispered back.

“But he loves me more.” She said in full certainty.

“Listen. It was my fault. I should of never put him in the position that he let his heart open for another woman, when I knew that I was the one he wanted. It is my fault that he gave you false expectations.” She said cocky.

“False expectations?” I repeated her with a sharp edge.

“Yes.” She said quietly. “What do you think would of happened if he and I only had a fake marriage and you became his second wife?” She dared me.

“I mean… Benjamin and I… it is not something that can be fought.” She said raising her shoulders. “Even when I have been trying to fight it over and over again.” She shrugged.

“I don’t understand you.” I said kicking the water. “What do you mean?!” She said flustered.

“Why do you keep refusing him in the first place?” I sighed. Was she a lunatic? “In the palace you know… ” She started to say. “When we were not yet together I mean.. or at least, not officially. He was just my teacher.” Jasmine went on.

She sighed and placed her hands before her face. “I should not tell you this.” She said shaking her head. “What….” I urged her to continue.

“It’s just that he…” She sighed again and I saw some sort of pain flash across her face. “I did not know who he was until.. the moment I found out he slept with servants the whole time he and I…” She stopped talking.

I gestured for her to continue. “The whole time he and I danced around each other.” She blurted out.

“Ya did not want to marry him because he slept with other woman while he was not in a relationship with you?!” I said in a sarcastic tone.

“But we were… kind of… there was never nothing between us… We were like magnets from the beginning.” She went on.

So it was like Sierra and Ben… or something.

“It’s so frustrating that everyone wants him.” Jasmine said throwing her hands up in the air. She was too loud and I guessed that Benjamin heard her.

Benjamin looked at us and then threw the ball back to Zach. “Don’t be petty… ” I whispered to Jasmine. “It was just one maid for crying out loud.” I hissed under my breath. “One maid, every day and probably night!” She whispered too loud.

I thought about that. Still… “One silly maid.. you could of have him forever.”

“No! and the doctors assistant as well.” Jasmine blurted out like she trusted me to know these things. “Back in Boston!” She added.

“When…” I said narrowing my eyes at her. “He said that he always meets her at his club and that the last time he saw her was when he was there with Daniel…” She went on. I thought about that… Wasn’t that when Sierra slept at my place… We were together…