Waleed 's POV

"you all need to stop laughing " I yelled at everyone while I took a seat beside Leilah's Father.

Everyone included: my Dad, Leilah 's Dad ,Dave , Austin, uthman, Asahd and the twins.

They all sat in my Dad's living room for football night which of course was put together by My Dad.

"it's funny to see my perfect son with his beard out and his hair so out of place. what happened son? Marriage took a wrong turn on you, already ? " dad Laughed.

"well... It seems someone's wife has been giving him the silent treatment for weeks now.... " Asahd was being sarcastic this time, And everyone joined in.

I can't believe I was being roasted by this people.

"Leilah told you that? "

surprised that he knew exactly what was wrong.

" I know that look. Between, It's called Twins instinct. If Leilah was giving you all the time in the world. She won't let you leave the house with your face like that! You will be all smiling here not looking tired, frustrated And OLD! "

he is absolutely right. Leilah is one to pay attention to details.

" Did it cross any of your silly minds here that I might have had a stressful week?" I argued.

Uthman coughed.

I could kill this guy now.

"yo! I am your Work partner, Dude! You have been absent minded in all of your meetings for weeks now. And You stay late at work after closing hour and you won't come out for lunch except Martha delivers lunch to you"

" is it that bad?" Leilah 's father asked, with concern all over his face.

"Mr Haseeb, It is worse than That! your son-in-law is a sad Man! " Dave laughed.

"OK.. But what really happened? Waleed? because this is serious? " Austin, the only caring friend in the world at that moment, asked.

"we had a little fight in Bahamas. You see, Alice texted me and she saw it and it wasn't good" I replied with my head down

"how bad was it?" Dave asked trying not to laugh.

"bad enough to make Leilah say she hates me and for the first time. Walk out on me"

"ooooh " they all chorused as they burst into laughter.

"Ever the villain... Alice! " Austin breathed.

"but why are you still talking to Alice to start with?" I could tell dad was getting upset.

" I wasn't talking to Alice.. Alice was talking to me and she might have said something that was insulting about Leilah... And I didn't defend her. I just pretended like it was nothing and Leilah saw that and got pissed. I even slept on the couch for the first time in my life"

That earned me the biggest laugh festival of the year.

"Billionaire, Waleed Akhmad made to sleep on a cold couch by wife.... I love this headline. I should send it to Mark" fawaz and his big mouth.

"Fawaz, don't you dare!"

"it must have been really bad for Leilah to let you sleep on a couch... Leilah is not that mean you know " her father looks shocked.

"in her defense. I didn't know she had left the door open until I was woken up by my driver, Romeo "

"so you punished yourself before being punished? Waleed! You are so whipped! " Austin, the cow laughed.

Everyone goes quiet when My phone voice instructor spoke.

"ice cream lover... . calling! "

"I bet that is Leilah" Asahd coughed.

"Ice cream lover? Out of all the romantic names on earth. I am disappointed. Brother-in-law" fahad rolled his eyes.

"Hey Lee... Are you OK? "

I think I picked up the call too fast.

"I would love to spend the night with Amal and my mom. Can I ? " her voice was so loud over the phone and I was sure everyone heard her.

"sure... You can. I wasn't going to come home anyway" I replied

"where are you..Waleed? ....."

Leilah is asking where I am?

My face lit up and just as I was about answering. It came.

"you know what?... Never mind. Have a good time" and she hung up.

"Lee .....hold on!" the line gets disconnected.

So dead.

... "oh wow! " Dave exclaimed.

Everyone turned to look at me in Pittsburgh.

"that is one pissed Leilah! Damn! I could talk to her for you. You know "Asahd says quietly.

"it's fine. We will solve this...we always do....so what's for dinner dad? Your son is hungry "

"I believe my son knows where the maids are right now " he smirked

I stood up to go to the kitchen.

"do you love her? " her father and mine chorused.

"you said what? " everyone had their eyes on me when I turned back to look at them.

"we asked if you love her " dad is now starring at me directly.

I looked around for a while. My mum appeared on the staircase. Everyone was now looking at me.

I can't even lie at this point but I don't even know what the truth is.

"I don't know. The truth is.... Apparently, I have never been in love before and I don't know what I feel right now but I know this is different and I hate this distance between us. That's all I know. Dad"

That said, I left the room and turned to the kitchen.

once I was done eating with my mum while we talked about the fun part of The Bahamas, I headed back to the game.

"if you want to know what is happening to you or you want to understand your feeling for her. Then you have to cut Alice off because it's pretty obvious you have never felt anything but that attachment that comes with sex for Alice"

Dad continued "if you don't. You may lose the Leilah who is probably the one you are in love with, right now " dad sounded as serious as Death.

I could only nod.

"I am sorry for the tension. Can we play our game now? I need to get all these out of my head.... Please "

it was hard admitting how I truly felt for Leilah. But I had lied to them. I had realized how much I love her while, watching her sleep in her room last night.

I Had snuck into her room while she slept with only her panties on. I had gotten aroused watching her breathe in and out with her breasts exposed and I Had gone back to my room so I don't force her into havin sex with me.

Half way into the game and I realized I wasnt focusing enough on the game. I quietly dropped the game pad on the table, said goodnight to everyone and walked to my childhood room. No one questioned and I was glad.

In my room, I kept starring at my phone for a while. Then I mustered courtesy and texted Leilah.

Me : Hey.. are you at your mum's now?

2minutes later.

Leilah : stop texting me Waleed. I know you are with her, enjoy.

Me: Lee. I am not like that.At least not anymore. I am with the boys at my parents. It's games night today. Your dad and the boy are here too.

Leilah : OK.... Can I sleep now? Husband?

Me: I miss you Lee and I am sorry.

I looked up to find mum by the door smiling sheepishly.

"you can come in mum! God! Stop sneaking up on people "

You will never hear my mum coming until, she is standing right next to you.

"hey darling, Are you alright " her voice, calm and soft like Leilah's.

" I am OK mum and No, I am not thinking about Lee"

"you call her Lee now? Thats a step " mum gigglesd

"she calls me wal.... That's a step too" I smirked.

"you know she called two days ago " I was beyond shock to hear that.

I knew they talk from Time to time but she never told me.

"she wanted know if I been talking

to you. You have been going home late Wal"

"I have been working late while making sure she is asleep before I get home. "I admitted.

"that won't solve your problems. And I am sure it hasn't solved anything sp far. Yeah? "

Nodding. "yeah"

"It will keep prolonging issues.Wal... You should know better"

"what would you have me do mum? I just discovered I love this girl. She gets to find out I am still in touch with my mistress when she had just told me she loves me. I was going to tell her that night ...mum.... I was. But she took my phone when I was in the bathroom and read the messages"

Mum gasped.

"For the first time, mum, I love someone but It feels miserable already ! I mean, it's been three weeks and Three days Mum! Three weeks of being avoided by my wife"

"you know, She started work. But wont even tell me! I had to find out from my lawyer. She is killing me mum! "

I didn't even realize I had tears in my eyes until mum held me in an embrace. I quickly closed my eyes to stop the tears from falling.

"she was here wal....I lied to you. She came to see me from work" my mum avoided my gaze for the first time.

"she thought she was the only one in love with you. you didn't follow her back to the room that night to explain things to her when she left... She had cried herself to sleep that night waiting for you"

"really? "

I was completely dumbfounded.

"well, I thought she would get mad if I go close to her. And why was she here exactly? "

"she needed someone to talk to. She didn't want to talk to her mum or Amal. She needed someone who knows you to tell her about you. She said she wants to know you, to understand you. she knows you feel something for her but she isnt sure what it is."

I was still dumbfounded.

Leilah doesn't understand me?

"Now. You will go to wife first thing in the morning and explain yourself to her but that is after cutting all ties with Alice. You are a married Man now. You should act like one....you know I love you son and I will always tell you the truth. Leave Alice or any other woman Out of your Marriage if you want this to work! "

That said, mum left. I laid on my bed thinking about Leilah. She had visited my mum because she wanted to know me. She has been putting more efforts into this marriage and it was time I helped too, instead of lounging in self pity.

"aren't you having breakfast with us? " dad asked while I fix the last of my Addidas sport shoes.

"I have something urgent to do this morning " I stopped in my tracks. "where is everyone?"

"they left early this morning. They all have things to take care of" he replied.

I nodded at him and left. I got my car from the car park and started my car engine, Ready to drive at maximum speed to the Haseeb's. It was a Saturday morning anyway.

I entered the house as soon Mrs Haseeb welcomed me in.

"wal.... How are you? " she scanned my face for some expression.

"I am OK... Is Leilah still here?" I was unconsciously scratching my cheeks.

"yes.. Silly. Come in!" she led me through the sitting room. "and Wal... She isn't going anywhere. Stop being worried " she laughed.

We got to the dining hall and my eyes landed on hers which she quickly took hers away.

"our son -in law is Here. Darling, You should join us for Breakfast "she said, Motioning to me to sit down.

I don't need breakfast right now.

"I am sorry... I am not quite prepared for breakfast "

"one doesn't get prepared for food. Waleed" Fahad rolled his eyes.

"you don't reject your In-laws food wal son, come sit. Come on.... " her father laughed

Amal flashes her wristwatch at me with her tongue out. I smiled back at her. Then I noticed Leilah has her her face down. Her hair served as a shield in blocking her eyes away from me.

"Lee.... You should say Salaam to your husband now! " her mother tapped her.

"salaam... " she murmured forcefully.

I could barely hear her.

"salaam...." I walked up to where she was, and kissed her on her temple.

Sheis blushing in front of her family.

"y'all aren't in your estate you know! Cut the single Fahad here some slack! " asahd rolled his eyes and that earned him a slap on his back by his older brother, Fahad

He choked on his food. While everyone laughed at him. Except for Leilah, Leilah only smiled.

The only empty seat was beside Leilah. I gladly sat with her. Took her hand in mine and placed it on my thigh

while we ate, I occasionally Squeezed her cold hands. She doesnt protest at all. She only smiled at me occasionally. She was putting up pretense to her parents.

We all finished eating. I could barely eat Mine. Her mum frowned at my Plate and I apologized to her, telling her I wasnt exactly hungry.

The maids parked up the dishes and everyone started to talk in twos. I turned to Leilah and raised her chin up.

"did you sleep well?" I asked, quietly

"yes I did. " almost whispering.

I wish I can say the same for myself

I squeezed her hand one more time before puttinf it back on the table.

"Mum. can wal and Leilah stop intimidating the single people on this table. I am serious this time? " Asahd says again.

This time around he gets a scorn from his Mom.

Amal 's phone rings and She left the table. The twins had to go to their Dad 's so they left too.

Mr Haseeb and I discussed the new 1billion Dollar Gig I got in Barbados.

Leilah 's hand slips out of mine. She picks a strand of hair off my face , place her hand back in mine, whispering to me about the urgent need to cut my hair. I nodded politely at her and she smiled.

I ended discussions with her Dad who later picked up his keys to attend to my Dad who seemingly wouldn't stop calling.

I wonder what those two are up to!

"I came to take you home" I informed her .

"I was going to ask if I could spend the weekend" she avoided my gaze.

"is that what you want? you could... If you......"

placing her tiny finger over my lips

" I will go with you. Let me get my things ready". She left the hall .

I didn't mean to sound that way.

I looked up to find her Mum and twin brother starring at me. I childishly played with my phone and car keys.

"go after your wife. Waleed.....she is in her room" her mum taps my back, smiling

I stood up from the chair. "Thank you" I mouthed to her and Asahd before racinf up the stairs.

Once there, I opened the door and Closed it behind me.

She was in her undies.

" uhnmm sorry. I forgot to knock "

"you don't ever knock. Waleed." she rolled her eyes. "I will pull on a dress now then we leave. "

I watched her dress up quickly and I helped her into her slippers .

"you can't wait, can you?" she laughed.

"I can't.. I have missed you too much to. I am so sorry Baby" I grabbed her lips in mine for the first time in three weeks.

"I am sorry I took things too far too" she surprised me.

"no... You didn't. I am the one jerk here known to mess things up. You See. I never texted her until that day. I am done with her and everyone else. Please believe me and trust me this one time"

"trust should be earned and not said.Waleed.. But I will try to" she kissed me on my cheeks again.

Carrying her little overnight bag, I led her downstairs. We say goodbye to her family and since Amal had driven her Here, there was no need picking up her car.