Chapter 1
Whenever I talk about how Murad and I met, I cannot help but smile. Whenever I remember that day, everything comes back to me so clearly. I never thought our first meeting would happen like that.
It all started at a shopping mall.
That day, I had gone there to look around a few stores. I picked out a dress and went into a fitting room to try it on. I clearly remember closing the door behind me. I was looking at myself in the mirror when suddenly the door opened.
I turned around, completely confused.
Murad was standing in front of me.
For a few seconds, I just stared at him. Then I finally lost my patience.
“What are you doing? Why would you enter a closed fitting room without knocking?”
He did not even look embarrassed. Instead, there was a strange smile on his face, as if my anger amused him.
“Good thing I didn’t knock.”
I frowned.
“What?”
He took another step toward me.
“I wouldn’t want to miss seeing someone this beautiful.”
I did not know what to say. His confidence only made me more annoyed.
“You’re seriously strange.”
Murad smiled again and took another step closer. The distance between us slowly disappeared, and I had nowhere to move.
“Stay away from me.”
I raised my hand to push him away. In my anger, I even tried to slap him. But before my hand could reach him, Murad caught my wrist in midair.
For a moment, I froze.
Instead of letting go, he gently pulled my hand closer and pressed his lips against the back of it. The kiss was soft at first… then slower, warmer. His mouth lingered there, and I felt the heat of his breath against my skin.
My heart started beating faster.
“Let go of my hand.”
My voice was not as firm as before.
Murad looked directly into my eyes. His grip on my wrist tightened just a little, not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me he wasn’t going to let me go that easily.
“Calm down first.”
Then his other hand moved to my waist. He pulled me closer in one smooth motion until my body was pressed against his. There was almost no space left between us. I could feel the hard lines of his chest through the thin fabric of the dress I was still wearing. His scent wrapped around me — clean, expensive, and somehow dangerous.
I looked into his eyes. It was the first time we had been that close. I was angry with him, but at the same time I could not understand why my body was reacting this way. Why my breath had become so shallow. Why the place where his hand rested on my waist felt like it was burning.
His thumb slowly stroked the curve of my hip, just once, almost thoughtfully.
“You’re shaking,” he murmured, his voice lower now.
I wasn’t sure if it was from anger… or something else entirely.
That day, I only saw Murad as a stranger who had managed to get on my nerves.
I had no idea that this unexpected meeting would become the beginning of one of the biggest changes in my life.
