Once bitten twice shy, wasn't that what they always say about love? Eliza lost her heart to someone while she was at university. She was always the responsible child but a very secretive one. Her secret made her lose all beliefs in love until the right man came along. Mansour grew up thinking he was an Al Fahezi until what he thought was his brother got married. The secrets behind his identity made him question all he knew about his life. Will he come to terms with his origins before he can claim the woman he loves or will secrets ruin them both?
View MoreMost of the names here are made up specially the ones for the Emirati family. I could have used a real Emirati surname but I just made up my own, better to be safe than sorry. Some of the events here are close to my heart.
PROLOGUE
Eliza looked up admiringly at Valeria and Regina who were both in their late teens. They were so pretty and tall, an impressionable girl of 8 like her would believe anything they would say. Valeria is the only child of their next-door neighbor and Regina who also lives next to Valeria’s house is the second eldest child of their other neighbor. Eliza thought they really think her cute so whenever the two young adults, Regina being 19 while Valeria just turned 18; ask her parents to bring her with them, she gleefully goes. She never suspected that they’ll be her downfall. One day, they tagged ger along to Valeria’s house and went into a forbidden room that contains adult magazines. As young as she was, she thought those magazines were okay to be viewed. Of course, they also told her not to spill their secret.
“You must promise not to tell anyone, Eliza, otherwise we will deny it and tell them that you did it on your own and we’ll not be your friends anymore.” Warned Valeria.
More scared of losing their friendship, Eliza nodded. She more or less became a slave to their whims nearly losing her innocence in the process until she realized when she turned 14 that the things they had her do were not for children. She found this out when they tagged her along to a wedding and a dancing was involved. Due to her height, people think she’s older than her actual age. An inebriated guy chose her as his dancing partner. It was quite innocent at first, the guy asking her questions until he closed his arms around her and attempted to kiss her in the middle of the dance floor to which she got scared and ran away with the guy in hot pursuit.
“Please don’t let him see me, Aunt.” She begged her aunt as she hid her body behind the lady.
“Don’t worry, he won’t see you and he won’t touch you!” her aunt said in outrage seeing what the guy did.
“Where is she!? She embarrassed me leaving me in the middle of a dance.” The guy almost shouted. Eliza was cowering behind her aunt while in her periphery, she saw Valeria and Regina giggling as they were pointing at her. Fearing that the drunken guy would find her because of them, she hid her face on her aunt’s back.
From then on, she did her best to avoid Valeria and Regina. She never expected them to tell on her, falsifying facts which earned her parents’ wrath. She was spanked until she almost lost consciousness. Only her father’s pity saved her from more of her mother’s anger. The only bright side of that episode was the two older girls never bothered her again. She thought she was well-rid of the two’s mischief until one day while she was walking to school, she encountered the drunken guy only this time, he was quite sober but apparently, he never forgot her. He intentionally stalked her until she had to stop staring at him in horror while he mockingly looked around for some flowers to give her. Managing to pick some wild flowers growing on the side of the road, he presented them to her while giving her his leering smile.
“Pretty flowers for a delicious dumpling like you.” He mocked. Eliza was so scared; she could barely move. She was saved when her younger brother came upon them and saw her trembling on the wayside. The guy left immediately.
CHAPTER 1 Are you stalking me?
“Ami sure is lucky, Rain is quite a catch.”
“Do you think so? I thought it is the other way around.” Eliza whirled around to see Matan smirking at her.
“Oh, it’s you! Why do you always intrude into my personal space?”
“I think you are the one intruding into mine.” Replied Matan sarcastically.
“Why, you, you, incorrigible beast!” Eliza fumed.
"Are you stalking me?", Matan tried to snarl at Eliza but it came out as a low growl instead. He has been grumpy of late, it started when his closest pal, his best buddy, his brother Ali, got married. Gone were the days when the two of them would get into all sorts of trouble that pushes the limits of their mother’s patience. He wouldn’t deny his brother the contentment he seemed to have found, although Matan has his doubts. How can Ali be content when the woman he professed to love has married another man? If he isn’t stupid too, he thought as he attended said woman’s wedding. His reverie was broken by Eliza’s strong
"You wish! My godmother invited me to her son's wedding so why the hell do you think I am stalking you? You may be my boss’ son but you aren’t my boss so get lost!" It irked Eliza that this man could easily rile her when she is an expert in masking her emotions thanks to her upbringing and her past experiences as a child. The Vicente’s like most of the farming folk in her hometown are not so showy with their emotions. Even a simple hug could prove awkward, a hug for Eliza would be a disaster; since that day at the wedding a long time ago. She summoned her courage and gave Matan her famous glare which usually cowered her younger brothers. It seemed ineffective to this man though as evidenced by his sarcastic reply
"If that is so, why then are you always at the same place where I happen to be?"
“Oh crap! You must be sick in the head if you think so. Do you own this place then, you odious man? I would never lower myself to that of a stalker especially to someone such as you. Ewww!” Eliza visibly shuddered.
"What did you say?" asked Matan.
" That you are so handsome!", replied Eliza in false sweetness before she bared her teeth and regally moved out of the kitchen forgetting what she was meant to fetch for Ami. Ami is her godmother's daughter-in-law now as she married Rain just that morning. Ami also happened to be another of Madam Claudia's numerous godchildren as the former was the daughter of Claudia's best friend and neighbor who passed away when Ami was younger. In truth, Claudia is in alt as she finally has Ami as her daughter by virtue of her marriage to Rain. She couldn’t stop saying in a loud voice,
“Just get lost, will you!” and she swiftly turned her back on him escaping the confines of the kitchen that seemed so small for them both. She just couldn’t understand why Matan seemed so bent on unnerving her. She saw how he interacts with Ami and Mabel; it was no surprise as he was friends with them most especially Mabel. With that in mind, she hurried her steps away from the kitchen and from the horrid man.
Matan watched Eliza's hips swaying gracefully as she swept out of the kitchen. For some reason, it bothers him that she seems the only woman who dislikes him immensely. he couldn't explain it as well, he enjoys annoying her just to get her attention. She has that unflappable facade that could fool others but not him. Living in the UAE with so many nationalities, one learns how to mask one’s expression to get a point across. When he met her at the cruise ship, she was a bit reserved or aloof and only seemed to have eyes for Rain. What a waste, he thought at that time as Rain was already head over heels in love with his best friend Ami. True, Eliza wasn't as innocently beautiful as Ami nor as goddess-like as Ami’s cousin Mabel but she is a beauty in her own right. When Matan looked into her eyes during that time, there was vulnerability hidden in the depths. Despite all that he couldn’t stop looking at her, hair is jet black and her eyes, they reminded him of his coffee, not black but dare he say it, dark chocolate. Damn, am thinking like a poet, he grimaced. He should be tracking another beauty and see if they would match. he was thinking of another woman, Rain's ex-fiancée but for some reason his mind cannot conjure what Fiona looked like. In his mind he can only see a chocolate-eyed, long black-haired woman with fair and smooth complexion. He shook himself and followed Eliza out of the kitchen. He nearly laughed; he might be the one stalking the irksome woman after all.
Now, where are these people hiding their booze? He wants a drink right now, where is the harm in that? This is a wedding after all, consequences be damned. He has loads of practice dealing with consequences after all, what could one more hurt? He didn’t even mind Devlin ribbing at him telling him even to mind his own business.
Feeling frustrated with his campaign to win Eliza’s hand, Matan went straight to the Al Fahezi official residence in Al Reef. He escorted Eliza back to her accommodation and when he tried to hold her hand, she managed to avoid the contact which annoyed him. He immediately took his leave as soon as she entered the apartment for fear that he would do something irrevocable. He respected her enough for what he had in mind. True, it might strengthen his bid to claim her as his wife, but he might earn her hatred and resentment later. That is why he is currently feeling at odds with the world. If Ali would see him now, he would probably laugh his arse out. When Ali decided to marry for honor instead of love not so long ago, Matan scoffed and chided him for his choice. He told him so arrogantly that he would only marry for love and look where it got him. He couldn’t even express his feelings for one stubborn woman who was bent on distancing herself from him believing that she isn’t w
Eliza has been going out with her officemates every Friday night in succession and every single time Evan was there to her dismay. It might have been fun if the gentleman was another. True, Evan was handsome, the cliched blue-eyed blonde but she was longing for the tall, dark and handsome person who was with her when her mother died. She hasn’t heard from Matan for how many months now and she dreadfully miss him. What a silly heart she has, longing for that which is never going to happen. She couldn’t forget the stolen kisses they shared as they awoke a hunger in her for more. Silly, silly longings for a silly girl. As if a rich man such as Matan would deign to lower himself to a poor expat like her. But then, this is her dream, and she just wants to indulge just for once. She couldn’t sleep with these thoughts running in her head. After much tossing and turning about, she finally dozed off. Her dreams were filled with Matan’s kisses, and she ended up getting sweaty and restless in her
“Are you coming with us, Eliza?” Meera asked as she was putting on the last touches of makeup. Most of the staff in the office were invited to celebrate their manager’s birthday. Theo dropped his planned courtship for Eliza as he saw how Matan was so possessive of her. Why bother when he found out that the woman who first caught his attention actually had feelings for him. Meera was already part of the staff when he joined. He found her pretty when they first met but she was somewhat shy whenever their eyes met. Before he could summon the nerve to invite her out, Eliza happened and as always, his impetuosity won. He acted without thinking. True, he was ecstatic when Eliza finally agreed to a date with him but when he saw the sparks between her and who they thought was one of the Fahezi sons, he knew he got no chance. It was a blessing in disguise when a project was given to him and Meera was the obvious choice to help him do it. Although Meera was hesitant at first, she soon
Three months have passed since Matan and Eliza went back to the UAE but after that airport pickup, the former got so busy with work that he wasn’t able to sustain his vow of picking Eliza for work. They were both so busy with their work that neither noticed until she overheard her employer talking with someone over the phone. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop but sharing the office with Mariam means hearing her conversation with people over the phone. “How long will you be gone? Who will run your businesses? Oh well then, I guess that is alright. I didn’t know that Devlin’s brother remained in Italy. It has been what, almost five months now, hasn’t it? Eliza? Yes, yes of course, that you would even ask. Take care of yourself and of your father, we hope you’ll come back safe and whole. You’ll always be my son, love you. See you when you get back.” Mariam ended her call and waved at Eliza when she noticed her hovering by the door. “Do come in habibti. That was Matan, he and his f
In the don’s villa, Vigo and Brio were able to corner Greta on her way to her bedroom. Vigo laid out his plans to Brio beforehand so that he would be assured of his brother’s cooperation. Greta upon seeing them wanted to flee as no good can come of this meeting as usual. “Come va?” Greta asked warily? “Cut the pleasantry woman!” Vigo snapped. Even though you were able to twist the old man’s hand and convinced him to propose to you, admit it, with his heir found, our chances at his riches are nil so you better work with us if you know what’s good for you.” Planning to play along as she ran out of ideas on how to proceed after getting the don to finally propose to her, Greta ushered the brothers into the attached parlor to her bedroom where she served them each a finger of brandy while she poured champagne for herself. Why relegate champagne to special occasions only when the don has an abundance of it. He has a winery and a vineyard after all. Brio wa
Matan ended up going back to the UAE by himself as Eliza’s ticket didn’t coincide with his. Their talk at the Gonzales Manor proved enlightening. He managed at least to get Eliza’s consent for him to formally court her as she deserves. The courtship is all but a formality for Matan because she is already his despite her objections. He laid her concerns to rest. Her spouting gibberish about her lack of virtue was no concern to him as he jokingly teased her that he himself is no longer a virgin as well. Eliza was torn between laughing and angry with him but at least he was able to make her smile. Although he did not get his heart’s desire that they would fly back together, he could at least pick her up at the airport with no awkwardness whatsoever between them or so he hopes. He brought Eliza back to her house so she could pack up. Her brothers agreed to Claudia’s plan of having Eliza stay with them at the manor until it was time for her to fly back. Her brothers and her niece
That kiss during Eliza’s vulnerable moment emphasized her susceptibility to temptation in the form of a handsome man named Matan Mansour Vanni Vittore. But who is she kidding, despite Matan’s not saying anything, she fell for him, hard. How couldn’t she, she felt safe around him, safe and cared for. Her mother has been buried and all the customs and traditions had been dealt with so she can now go back to the UAE. Matan’s offer still stands, he extended his stay and was awaiting her decision. Dare she hope for more? He mentioned that he won’t say anything until they got back to the UAE and that he respects her mourning period, but what does it mean? He heard her confession to her family about her past but he doesn’t seem bothered by it. Her grief over her mother’s death is still too much but for her family, she must remain strong. With that in mind, she opened her social media account and read loads of messages of sympathy. She was busy responding to some of the
Aware that they were left alone, Eliza looked at Matan with questions in her eyes. “What is it habibti?” Matan asked refusing to let her out of his embrace. “When did you arrive? And how did it go with your travel? Is your great-grandfather dead?” Eliza asked in succession but not moving away from his embrace although her rational mind was wanting to. Her heart’s desire won. She wanted to be held by him longer than what propriety entails. “One at a time, sweetheart.” Matan didn’t regret using the endearment. God knows they both need it now. “As you can see, I am as whole and hale as the last time you saw me, although to be honest I was quite upset when I found out you weren’t there when I got back. I know, I have no right to be, but I was hoping that my previous gallant gestures would have given you a clue as to what I feel towards you. But that matter could wait, what matters is I am here to offer you a shoulder to cry on and sturdy arms to hold you should y
“Mama, what did you get yourself into this time?” Eliza teased her mother as soon as she arrived at the hospital trying to mask the pity she felt for her. She went straight to the hospital from the airport. Her father embraced her as soon as she arrived, it was unexpected as her family isn’t very showy when it comes to emotions. She only just noticed how her parents have aged most specially the matriarch of her family. She looked so gaunt and emaciated in her hospital gown. Her parents have mutually agreed on a beneficial separation instead of the legal process. Not because of another family but because of bad habits that never changed. “The usual I guess.” Her mother replied in a weak voice. She too seemed to want to ignore the pain she is currently feeling. “Glad you could come home, my daughter. Were your employers unhappy that you came home? I hope they are not giving you a hard time, we do not want that for you. But really, you didn’t need to come home for my sa
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