At the end of 10th standard, I was leaving for home. On the way, Gilbert's friend group stopped me. At first, I just wanted to avoid them, but they surrounded me. They had been bullying me since 5th standard, but I always ignored them. Today, however, they crossed their limits.
One of them tried to touch me inappropriately. When I pushed him away, his friends grabbed both my hands. Then he touched my face and said, "You are really ugly." They had a discussion among themselves, and then one of them released a dog and pointed it toward me.
I ran like an athlete in the Olympics, but the dog still caught me. I don't know what happened after that—I lost consciousness and found myself in a hospital. My mom said an older woman found me unconscious and brought me there. That trauma still lives in my heart.
"Bring my breakfast first, and I am warning you, if I find anything burned…" Gilbert ordered Rita, who was lost in her thoughts.
She went to the kitchen. "Should I just add poison to his food? But I don't want to go to jail," she thought.
Gilbert was playing with Robin in the garden, waiting for his breakfast. "Laura is really lucky for me," he thought.
Rita came with the breakfast tray, but this time nothing was burned. "You really made it, but first you will taste it," he said.
She looked at him confused. "What? I don't trust you. What if you added poison in it?" he said.
After she tasted it, she tried to sit, but he asked her to iron his already ironed shirt for office, reminding her that nothing should happen to it. She accepted because he had locked Robin in his room as promised.
Gilbert found everything ready as he asked. He felt like he was in heaven. But Rita already felt tired. She went to her room to rest, but Gilbert said, "Listen, no need to send lunch today."
She threw a pillow at him. "Get lost. I seriously hate him."
Meanwhile, Gilbert received a call from his mom.
"Dear, I am sending you dresses for the party tonight," she said.
Gilbert rejected it immediately. "Sorry, I can't come and please it's your birthday party don't lie to me".
She replied. "You kid have no manners, It's my birthday party but I'm throwing it to introduce you and Rita. I'm not asking you—you have to come."
Gilbert cut the call. "She really thinks she can force me now," he thought. He checked the time and went to meet Laura.
Gilbert took her to a fancy restaurant where he was a regular customer. He ordered all her favorite dishes.
"You really remember what I like," she said.
He served her soup. "Try this, it's the best."
She took a sip. "It's yummy."
He carefully served her other dishes. "Even after so many years, you really haven't changed at all."
When he heard "marriage," he quickly changed the topic. "It's been so long since we talked like this."
She smiled. "Are you coming to the party tonight?"
He didn't want her to meet Rita. "No, I have an important meeting."
She made a woeful face. "Why? This is your party. I will be there as well."
Gilbert changed his plan after hearing she was coming. "Okay then, I will pick you up."
Meanwhile, Rita saw a parcel on the table. She opened it and found a beautiful red dress inside.
Jenny said, "Madam, this is sent by the elder madam for you."
Rita asked curiously, "For me? Why?"
Jenny politely answered, "Today is the elder madam's birthday, and she wanted you to wear this."
Rita was surprised. "Birthday?"
Jenny was also slightly surprised that Rita didn't know. "The elder madam organized this for you."
Rita smiled.
Gilbert came back home and found Rita sleeping on the couch. "She looks so normal right now," he thought.
He stared at her. Then, to wake her up, he intentionally brought Robin.
She woke up at Robin's barking. "What? How can you bring this dog here?"
Although he was not that hungry, he tried to irritate her. "Where is my dinner? And did you clean my room?"
She stood up in irritation. "Do I look like a servant to you?"
He smiled. "Definitely."
She picked up an empty glass to hit him, but Robin barked.
Gilbert hurriedly pulled the leash back. "Keep him tied, or I will kill you," she said.
Gilbert said, "Why are you looking at this dress? It will not suit you."
She put the dress back in the box. "It's none of your business."
She took the dress and went to her room. Gilbert said, "I think you should reconsider before coming to the event."
She turned back. "What about you? No one even bothered to send anything for you. Maybe because they know your true face can't be hidden behind these expensive clothes."
Gilbert took a sip of water and chuckled. "I am already good-looking. Even if I go like this, they will still look at me—then at you."
She went back to her room. "What a bastard he is."
She dressed beautifully and came down. She saw Ray standing alone.
"Aunt Marina asked me to pick you up," Ray said.
Rita couldn't stop looking at Ray and even forgot about Gilbert for a moment. He looked like a celebrity.
"You are really looking good," she complimented.
"You too. Can we go if you are ready?" he said shyly.
Gilbert stood with his mother and Laura. He was surprised when he saw Rita arriving with Ray, smiling like a couple.
Marina hugged her daughter-in-law. "I knew this dress would be perfect for you."
She looked at Gilbert. "Ray, my son, you are my favorite, not like others who want me dead."
Gilbert couldn't take his mother's overacting anymore. He dragged Ray aside. "What are you doing with Rita?"
Ray removed his hand from Gilbert's grip. "Since you left her, your mom asked me to pick her up."
Gilbert looked toward Laura. "I don't want Laura to meet Rita."
Ray thought Laura was his ex. "Why are you so worried? Laura is smarter than you."
Gilbert wanted to say he didn't want Laura to think he was forced into marriage or that Rita was not attractive, but he couldn't find the words.
"No, I don't want them to meet because I don't want her to think I am forced into this marriage," he said instead.
Ray looked at him in disbelief. "Seriously? How will she even find out? And you said Rita likes you, so she definitely won't say anything."
Gilbert felt frustrated. "She doesn't like me, nor do I. Just look at her—how is she my wife?"
Ray wanted to respond but was interrupted.
"Mr. Navid," said a familiar voice. He was the regular guy Jackson had introduced at the club. "We couldn't complete our conversation last time. Don't you introduce your wife to me?"
Meanwhile, Marina was attending other guests. Rita and Laura were left alone.
"Hey, I am Laura, Gilbert's friend," she said.
Rita was fascinated by Laura's beauty. "Hi, I am Rita. You look beautiful."
Laura smiled. "Thank you, but today you outshone everyone."
Rita knew she wasn't as beautiful as her. "You are too humble."
Laura noticed Rita's rough hands but didn't want to mention it in front of everyone. "If a guy like Gilbert marries you, then definitely you have something. Don't look down on yourself."
Gilbert and Ray came with Navid.
"Hi, I am Navid, Gilbert's friend, and you must be his wife," he said, pointing to Laura.
Before anyone could react, he asked Rita, "You must be her friend."
Instead of correcting him, Rita said, "No, I am his distant relative," pointing toward Gilbert.