His Substitute Wife

Meeting the Future Husband

Mardin was a beautiful small city that made up the border of Southeastern Turkey. It was the direct neighbour of Syria and Iraq which is why their culture it also had some Arabic influences. 

Aleena watched in awe as they passed by building after building. Unlike her birth city in which had modern European influences and thus were mostly made up of corporate buildings and wooden or brick houses, Mardin's entire architecture was made from yellowish limestones. From their houses to their museums, it was all made from the same yellow limestone and it was all simply enchanting. Aleena couldn't help but feel impressed by everything she had been seeing. 

"We're here," Nihal's voice suddenly sounded from beside her, breaking her out of her reverie and reminding her of the true reason she was in the stunning city in the first place. 

Nihal stepped out of the car with Aleena in tow. The two men who were standing guard outside the door greeted Nihal with a nod of their head before they quickly opened the door for her. 

Just like the rest of the buildings Aleena had seen, the house they were entering was made out of the same material as the rest. However, the house was much larger than any of the houses they had passed by so far. Not to mention, it was the only house on strip. 

Aleena followed Nihal inside and straight away, a servant ran towards them and greeted Nihal. It seemed that most of the workers saw Nihal as their lady and respected her a lot. Aleena on the other hand was almost completely ignored by everyone. It was almost as if they hadn't noticed her but she didn't mind at all. She was too busy admiring the architecture of the house they had just entered. 

Instead of reaching the inside of a house once they entered through the doors, they instead entered an open courtyard. It was square in shape and on all the sides were arched doors that lead to another area of the house. On the right was the arched door that lead to the large kitchen and on the left it looked like a second lounging area. Directly in front of them however was a pair of stairs that lead to the upper level floor. Aleena assumed that was where the bedrooms were located. 

"Is Rezan sultan home?" Nihal asked, referring to the madam of the house. 

"Yes," the servant smiled at her lady before she added, "I'll quickly go call her for you." 

She excitedly ran up the stairs but before she could get far, a sturdy woman dressed in black from head to toe began to descend the stairs. She was wearing a black dress that did not show any skin at all, with a black scarf over her head that covered the all of her hair minus the front. However, her black outfit aside, it was the black kohl that covered her eyes that really caught Aleena's attention. It was so dark and although women from her hometown wore make up often, she had never seen kohl as dark or as thick as her one. It somehow made her look all the more intimidating. 

And her posture, Aleena couldn't help but feel impressed. Although she was visibly much older than Aleena, she stood up straight and looked so powerful and confident that Aleena almost felt ashamed of her own slumped state. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a glare directed at Nihal. Her voice came out as strong as Aleena had expected it to be and although Aleena felt her her quake upon hearing it, Nihal was impressively very composed. 

"As I promised, I found a bride for the Arslan family." 

The madam finally turned her attention from Nihal to Aleena who had been standing behind her. She looked her upon and down and an unimpressed look filled her features. Aleena herself looked down to see what she had seen and she couldn't find anything about herself that would guarantee such a look. She had made sure to dress modestly in a pair of jeans and long white blouse and she even wore make-up to make a more impressionable first meeting. However, it seemed her her attempts were futile. 

Rezan sultan turned her attention back to Nihal and narrowed her eyes questioningly, as if asking Nihal to elaborate. 

"You told me that you would agree to me returning to the Arslan family as Zayd's bride as long as he too married someone else. I told you I agreed as long as I could pick his bride. She is my pick." 

"I told you that wasn't necessary," Rezan sultan spat, looking frustrated. "I do not want you as my bride."

"Are you going back on your word?" Nihal challenged, causing the madam's deadly gaze to meet her own. Aleena really couldn't understand how Nihal was so unnerved in front of the older lady. She looked as if she was capable of killing fearlessly. Yet Nihal was confidently standing in front of her and talking back. She really did deserve to be the wife of a powerful tribe leader, Aleena thought. 

Rezan sultan finally turned to Aleena, her expression not easing at all. She still looked at Aleena with the same deadly gaze that had earlier been directed at Nihal.

"What is your name?"

"Aleena Yildiz."

"What do your parents do?" 

Aleena was surprised by the abrupt question but she answered nonetheless, "My mother passed away when I was a child and my dad runs a small childcare." 

"Why is your father not here?" Rezan sultan asked, making Aleena's heart rate quicken. She already felt guilty enough that she had lied to him but the fact that she was even going as far as getting married without his blessing broke her. And yet she was now expected to tell the stranger before her that her father did not know about her marriage.

"He is in hospital," Nihal suddenly lied, making Aleena's head snap towards her. "He had an accident recently and is now in a coma."

Tears grew in Aleena's eyes over hearing such a disgusting lie. How could she sprout a lie like that without stuttering even once? Aleena's blood drained from her face upon hearing it despite knowing it was a lie.

"He does not approve of this marriage then."

It was not a question but Nihal still answered without even blinking. She must have practiced the lies a lot if she was able to mutter them so confidently. 

"We informed him of the marriage before his accident and he agreed to it. She has his blessings."

Now the tears really did drop down Aleena's face. She couldn't help it, she hated hearing such lies. 

"He knows the true nature of this marriage yet he gave his blessing," Rezan sultan scoffed. Her voice was filled with malice and it only made Aleena feel her own rage surface upon hearing it. 

"How dare you judge my father," she seethed, her voice coming out almost breathlessly. 

Nihal turned towards her with wide eyes and tried to stop her before the whole plan was messed up but it was already too late. The damage had been done.

"He hasn't done anything wrong. He doesn't even kn–"

"How much did you pay him?" Rezan sultan asked, turning to Nihal once again. She completely ignored Aleena's words much to Nihal's happiness. Otherwise the livid Aleena would have revealed everything already.

"I did not pay any money," Nihal lied. Although this time Aleena was happy about her lie. She couldn't handle the lady before her judging her father any further. "He is not aware of the condition of this marriage. He just knows that his daughter will marry Zayd." 

Rezan sultan did not look pleased to hear that but she also did not comment further. Her curiosity was now about another matter that was more important to her than her family's blessings. 

"Are you a virgin?" she suddenly asked, causing Aleena to choke on her own spit. 

"Do you think I would bring shame upon myself by bringing someone impure?" Nihal asked, causing Aleena's entire face to turn red.

The conversation was so degrading in many ways yet they were speaking as if it was the most natural and normal conversation to be having.

Rezan sultan stared at Nihal for a few moments too long before she announced, "Mustafa, get the car ready. We're going to the doctor." 

Aleena heard someone from the other end of the shut doors to shout out that he received the order. Aleena was completely confused over why she suddenly wanted to see a doctor but Nihal on the other hand understood exactly what was going through Rezan sultan's head.

"Do you not believe me?" Nihal asked. 

"I have no reason to trust someone like you," she said, looking down at her ex-bride. She then turned to Aleena, "The doctor will check your body to make sure you are suitable for our family."

In other words, they will be checking her hymen to determine whether she was a virgin or not. Aleena began to panic upon hearing that. Although she had never had s****l intercourse with anyone before, there were so many other ways her hymen could have broken. What was she going to do if the doctor suddenly claimed she wasn't a virgin? 

Before she could show her disapproval of the idea though, the doors opened and someone else entered the courtyard. 

"That will not be necessary," the deep voice of the intruder came from behind Aleena. "I will marry her."

Aleena's head snapped towards the owner of the voice and an involuntary gasp escaped her lips upon meeting the eyes of the most handsome man she had ever set her eyes on. 

"But –" came the voice of Rezan sultan who was ready to fight her grandson on his decision.

"We will find out the truth during the night of our marriage."