Suddenly the image of the pharaoh chasing her entered her mind and she pulled back, confused and soaked with perspiration. “We can’t… It’s wrong,” she stammered as she turned and fled the tomb in tears.
Chapter Nine: The Charity Auction
The rest of the day had been a little subdued after the incident in the tomb which neither of them had dared to mention since. However their shared loved of history meant that there was never a moment of silence as they chatted away marveling about the remarkable feats of the Ancient Egyptians. They brunched at a splendid hotel on the banks of the river and then took a boat trip on a beautiful old-fashioned sailing boat which the sheikh had informed her was called a felucca. They bobbed along the Nile admiring the views of Luxor and the surrounding countryside, farmers hard at work in pale sun-bleached robes and turbans, their tanned faces and hands the only parts of their bodies visible. The thin strip of land either side of the Nile was lush and perfect for farming however beyond this the arid desert stretched for miles.
“Thank you so much for such a wonderful couple of days,” Frey enthused, “but I really must be getting back to Cairo now. I have some work to do and Katia will be worried about where I’ve disappeared to.”
“I’d really hoped you would disappear for one more night with me in Luxor,” the sheikh replied, “It’s our annual charity auction tonight at the estate. That’s why it was so busy when we arrived. It was something my mother always insisted we do and the tradition continues in memory of her. The rich and wealthy come to donate and bid on items and the money goes to orphanages throughout the country. I would love for you to be there with me.”
Frey thought for a second. “But what about…?”
“Aliana”, the sheikh finished for her, “She will be there too. But please listen to me Frey. I want to tell you something I’ve never told anyone before. You see the thing is…” he paused and she waited with baited breath. “I think I’m falling for you…” he continued, “and I want to tell you the truth.”
Frey’s eyes widened and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Did he really mean it? This handsome, intelligent, and not to mention incredibly rich man, was actually falling for her?
“My mother isn’t dead”, he suddenly blurted out. “She disgraced my father after disagreeing with him about the money from the charity auction. He wanted to use some of it to back a political party and she threatened to reveal this to the whole of Egypt. They had a horrible fight and I went to bed terrified. I was only eleven. In the morning she was gone.”
“What happened to her?” cried Frey. She was struggling to take all of it in and her heart was beating fast. In the back of her mind she knew that this was just what she had been waiting for. This would make for a huge story, but she didn’t even care about that anymore. He was falling for her! He was actually falling for her. What did this mean?
The sheikh continued. “My father said she had gone horseback riding early in the morning and had had a fall and broken her neck. It was in all of the papers – Sheikh’s wife found dead after horrific riding accident. I was devastated and blamed my father. I was so young and I couldn’t take in what had happened. But a month later Aliana smuggled a letter from my mother to me. Her mother and my mother were best friends and they trusted each other implicitly. I learnt that my father had banished my mother and she had gone far away to start a new life. I was ecstatic that she was alive and we continued to write to each other regularly with Aliana serving as messenger.
“But I still don’t understand why you’re trapped?” Frey asked.
“Aliana wasn’t as discreet as she could have been and after a time her father found out about the letters and came to my father. A deal was struck and that is how I am in the position I am in now. Aliana is a sweet girl and I’m sure she’s going through with it under the orders of her father. She would never want me to be miserable and besides, she’s in love with someone else.”
“But why don’t you just tell everyone what happened? Why does it need to be a secret now that your father knows you know?”
The sheikh groaned. “You really don’t know much about Egyptian culture do you? It’s a terrible disgrace for a wife to leave her husband and family, and my father’s reputation would be ruined if people knew the reason she left as well.”
“So you’re willing to be unhappy for the rest of your life just because you’re worried about what other people think of you and your family?”
“I knew you wouldn’t understand. Just know that I have grown to care for you deeply and if there was any way I could get out of this arrangement I would.”
Frey sighed. What was she meant to do with this information? He told her he was falling for her but he was still more concerned about keeping up appearances than actually doing something about it. She too was falling head over heels for the sheikh but what could possibly become of it? She had already spent far too much time imagining what her life would be like with him and she had to protect herself from becoming too involved. Maybe she should just betray him and write her story. But in her heart she knew that she couldn’t.
The conversation ended there as Frey’s phone started ringing and she excused herself to answer it. It was Katia and she was full of her usual excitement and gusto.
“Darling! You’ll never guess what!? Hot dancer boy managed to get me a gig working at Sheikh Faisal’s charity auction tonight. That was the interview I had the other day. It’s going to be totally epic! Please say you’ll come with me! Luxor baby! You know you want to!”
“You’re coming to Luxor tonight? I’m already here but I was going to go back to Cairo.”
Frey gave her friend a quick recap of the recent developments, leaving out the episode in the tomb and the conversation that had just materialized. She needed to talk to her in person about that. Katia was over the moon that Frey was already in Luxor and managed to persuade her to accept the sheikh’s invitation to stay another night. Frey thought the situation would be more manageable with her friend by her side.
By seven o’clock guests were pouring into the estate and finding their tables in the huge marquee that had been set up in the landscaped gardens. Hundreds of robed staff glided around efficiently, taking guests to their seats, pouring drinks, and serving an exquisite six course feast. Frey was surprised to find that she was to be seated next to the sheikh which she found uncomfortable, especially as she soon picked out Aliana and her family on a nearby table by the glares she was receiving from the girl’s parents. Aliana herself was a busty girl with wide eyes and a rather vacuous expression and she looked uninterested by the whole affair.
The entertainment started with Katia and her hot dancer boy performing a fairly cringe worthy version of A Whole New World, complete with Aladdin and Princess Jasmine costumes. Frey couldn’t help but smile as they sung and belly danced their way around the room, Katia giving her a wink as she shimmied past. The other guests were in raptures however and they received a huge round of applause.
Frey hardly had a chance to speak to the sheikh as he was in high demand but he introduced her to everyone who approached him and she was flattered if a little intimidated. It became time for the grand auction to take place and the room was buzzing with excitement. The guests were dripping in diamonds and jewels and beautiful clothes and Frey doubted that she had ever seen so many rich people in one place before.
The sheikh started the auction with a brief speech about the various orphanages the money would be given to and how the children were going to benefit. He was as charming as ever and the crowd laughed and sighed along with him in all the right places. He then auctioned the first item which he had donated himself and Frey couldn’t believe it when a bright red Ferrari was driven into the huge marquee. It had the desired effect; the crowd went wild. The car went for an astonishing amount and the sheikh took his seat again next to Frey and let another important looking man take over the bidding. He patted her hand and smiled to her. She wondered how he could act th
at way when Aliana was right there.
There were paintings and antiques and sculptures to be auctioned off, as well as memorabilia and various items signed by Egyptian celebrities, many of whom were also in attendance. Frey couldn’t believe how much some of the items went for and how happy everyone seemed to be to spend so much money. She glanced around for Katia but couldn’t see her anywhere. So much for having support she thought and she felt a little annoyed. She was probably off canoodling with hot dancer boy somewhere.
The auction ended and the music started. The Ferrari was driven away by its happy new owner and the space where it had been was now filled with happy swaying people. Frey couldn’t help but be a little affected by the vibrant aura surrounding her, despite the confusion in her head, and when the sheikh asked her to dance she accepted readily. He swung her around the marquee expertly and she gazed into his dark, intense eyes wishing it could all be different. She didn’t even care about the money, she just wanted him. She wondered if he would run away with her and leave his riches and his father behind but she quickly brushed the ridiculous thought away.
Suddenly people started to turn around and look at something that was going on at the entrance of the marquee. As Frey and the sheikh pushed through the crowd she was horrified to see that Katia and hot dancer boy were being detained by some stern looking security guards. They were dressed in the same robed outfits that all of the staff were wearing and Katia was sobbing loudly.
“Take them into my office at once!” the sheikh ordered before turning round to Frey and glaring at her. “That’s your friend is it not? What is the meaning of this?” He spoke with an iciness that caused tears to well up in Frey’s eyes.
He turned to the crowd, his manner once again charming and amiable, “You really can’t get the staff these days!” he joked, “Please carry on and enjoy your evening everyone. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve sorted out this minor indiscretion. Thank goodness I have a good security team!”
As he turned and walked out he grabbed Frey’s arm and pulled her along with him, his face turning icy cold once more. He marched towards the house, Frey struggling to keep up with him in her high heels. Her heart was pounding faster than ever. What on earth had her stupid friend done? “I didn’t know anything about this”, she whispered through the tears that were now rolling down her cheeks.
He spun her around quickly and studied her face. “Do you promise you didn’t know anything about this?” he asked her, softening slightly.
“I promise”, Frey managed to gasp between sobs.
“But that is your friend?” He glanced at the couple who were now entering the house with the two burly security guards.
“Yes, that’s Katia”, she confirmed, “But she honestly didn’t tell me anything. I don’t know what she was doing.”
“Neither do I”, said the sheikh, “But we’re about to find out.”
He started towards the house once more but Frey stopped him.
“Wait”, she said hesitantly, “There is something I need to tell you. I’m afraid I haven’t been completely honest with you and I think Katia may have been trying to help me in some way.”
The sheikh looked suspicious and confused. He took her to the gazebo where they had sat the previous night and sighed. He looked sad now and her heart ached. I have to tell him everything, she thought. Dammit Katia, if you were doing what I think you were doing, you’ve truly screwed things up.
She took a deep breath and told him everything.
“I thought you were a heartless playboy”, she sniffed. “I had no idea what an amazing caring man you really are. I was planning on finding out your secrets and exposing them to the world. But as soon as I got to know you and, well, started to develop feelings for you…” she glanced down at her hands, blushing, “Well I just knew I couldn’t go through with it. I’m so sorry for deceiving you. And I promise that whatever happens between us, your family secrets are safe with me.”
The sheikh looked somber. He thought for a moment and Frey waited in agony for him to respond, for him to say anything. But he just sat in silence for what seemed like forever.
“So you think Katia was snooping to try and find out information for your story?” the sheikh asked her finally.
“That’s the only explanation I can think of.” Frey answered.
“I’m very disappointed in you, Frey. I thought you were different. But you’re just the same as all the other girls.”
At that point Frey decided she had nothing else to lose. She poured out her story from beginning to end. She told him about her studies and her job and her story. She told him about her parents and their tantric sex books. She even told him about Kevin Barker. Maybe it was the champagne but she felt able to open up to him in a way she had never been able to open up to anyone else before.
At this point a smile crept onto his face, “Oh my dear sweet Frey, how can I stay angry at you for long? You’ve let me down terribly but I suppose I can understand that you were just trying to further your career and that at the start you probably didn’t have the best impression of me.”
“But it doesn’t change anything, now you know the truth. We still can’t be together and now I have no story and probably no job when I go back to New York.” Frey was crying again and the sheikh pulled him towards her in an affectionate embrace. He stroked her hair and waited for the tears to stop.
“I have something else to tell you”, he said. “It’s part of the reason I felt so betrayed by you. You see, I can’t let you go. You don’t understand how crazy you make me. I need you. I want you. I have to have you.”
Frey pulled away and looked into his eyes, trying to understand what he was saying. “But you said it’s impossible…” she started to say before the sheikh hushed her by putting his finger to her lips.
“While you were getting ready earlier I had a meeting with Aliana’s father. You see it’s not just me who isn’t happy with the arrangement. Aliana is in love with someone else too and has been begging her father to let her marry him even though he isn’t from a high family. I asked him if we could come to a compromise… You see he’s in a terrible financial situation and needs money as soon as possible. It would mean going against my father but after what he did to me when I was eleven, letting me believe my own mother was dead, I can justify it to myself.”
“What do you mean?” Frey asked. She was trying to put all the pieces together but she couldn’t quite grasp what it all meant.
“Legally, as soon as I’m married, I become owner of the estate as well as a huge sum of money. It’s written into my inheritance and can’t be changed. I’ve promised him that when I’m married I will hand over the entire estate to him along with a large chunk of the money, as long as I don’t have to marry Aliana and that I can keep the land in the south. He in turn will keep our family secret and will let Aliana marry who she wants also.”
“And he agreed?” whispered Frey with her eyes wide open, hardly daring to listen to the response.
“No” she sheikh sighed, “But I have another trick up my sleeve. You’ll just have to wait and see.”
He looked at her intensely and took her hand in his. “I’m sorry the circumstances aren’t more romantic”, he said quietly, “But my dear Frey before I put into action my second part of the plan, I need to know something for sure… Will you marry me?”
Frey was overwhelmed with emotion. She didn’t know how it was possible to experience such an array of feelings in such a short space of time. She was speechless.
The sheikh continued. “I know it’s totally crazy and we’ve only just met each other, but I just know we’re meant to be together. I’m sorry I was angry with you. I was so worried that you weren’t the girl I thought you were. I find you charming and interesting and incredibly intelligent, as well as stunningly beautiful. I can’t take my eyes off you when I’m with you and I think you’ll have to agree that the chemistry between us is electric, even if you do only have Kevin Barker to compare w
ith!”
Frey couldn’t help giggling at this. She flung her arms around him and exclaimed, “Of course I’ll marry you!”
“Even without the estate?” the sheikh asked.
Frey rolled her eyes. “You really think I care about that?” she asked incredulously. “I just want to be with you. I don’t care if we’re the poorest couple in the world!”
“Don’t go that far!” the sheikh laughed. “I’m still a billionaire you know, with or without the estate! We can build our own beautiful home on my land in the south, instead of some horrible flashy hotel! It’s just that every other girl I ever met was only interested in my status and my estate and my money.”
He looked vulnerable and slightly insecure and Frey thought her heart would burst. She was so full of love for this incredible man who exuded confidence in front of a crowd but who opened up to her in a way that made her want to hug him and look after him and reassure him.
“I couldn’t care less about the money”, she admitted truthfully. “Although, of course, it’s a nice bonus!” she added cheekily as a second thought.
He grinned and took her in his arms and they kissed. It was a deliciously sensual and loving kiss and Frey couldn’t believe what was happening to her. She must have been the happiest girl in the world right then. She just hoped his plan, whatever it was, would work.
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