Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19
S oraiya had always adored Paris on her visits—her mother was half-French after all—but today was different. As she walked along the Parisian boulevard, lined with newly sprouted fresh green leaves on the gnarled lime trees, she felt sick with fear. What if the French delegation used this situation as an excuse to withdraw from the agreement? If they did, other nations and other agreements could also be jeopardized. Everything Zak had been working toward would be destroyed. Because of her.
But she held her head up high, and ignored the occasional camera flash in her face. Zak had his arm around her to both physically protect her and to make it clear that he supported her, while instructing his security to deal with the paparazzi as he guided Soraiya into the hotel.
The leader of the French contingent, Madame Cardusi, welcomed them more warmly than the spring weather, if not a little warily. No doubt she could see through the flimsy pretense that Zak and Soraiya had come to Paris for short break. The shocking news of Soraiya’s true parentage had been splashed all over the tabloids and was the talk of the diplomatic and business circles.
As they entered the boardroom where they were meeting members of the French delegation who were able to come at such short notice, Soraiya felt every eye on her. She had to dig deep to find her reserves of strength to face up to them. But she could do it. For Zak. For Sirun, and not least for their child.
“Your Royal Highnesses,” greeted Madame Cardusi as they sat around the board table. “We are honored you decided to interrupt your holiday for business purposes.”
Zak inclined his head but didn’t smile. “We felt it necessary, given the circumstances.” He nodded to his vizier who slid some papers across the table to him. He opened them out and cleared his throat. “My wife and I wanted to come, in person, to make it very clear that the land upon which our agreement depends, has already been signed over to us.” He looked at the key members of the delegation in turn. “There is no impediment to the plans we made two months ago. In fact, we’re able to progress these earlier than we envisaged.”
He pushed across the papers to Madame Cardusi. “As you can see, the land is now legally ours. I can confirm I’ve already approved the initial planning stage to proceed for the upgrading of the port and we should have further timelines for you within a month.” He steepled his fingers together and placed them on the desk before him. “Be in no doubt, ladies and gentlemen, that these plans will proceed and that my wife and I are in complete control of every aspect, and support the plans agreed at our last meeting. Anything else you hear will be pure gossip and speculation.” He tapped the papers. “Which is why we wanted to show you the incontrovertible truth. So there could be no misunderstandings.”
There was a prolonged moment of silence during which the French looked at the papers and then at each other, and then began to nod. Madame Cardusi’s nod turned into a smile. She stood up and held out her elegant, be-ringed hand.
“We hadn’t expected this,” she said. “The lengths to which you’ve gone to reassure us is most impressive.”
Zak rose and accepted her handshake. “Thank you. But that is all down to my wife.” He released her hand and turned to Soraiya. “Who has handled some delicate negotiations to progress matters to this stage. It should be her you thank.”
The woman smiled and turned to Soraiya, who rose and also shook her hand.
“I’m happy that we’ve been able to iron out any potential stumbling block to our plans.”
“So am I, Your Royal Highness, so am I.”
“Please, call me Soraiya.”
“Soraiya,” said the other woman. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”
And in the firmness of the other woman’s grip and warmth in her eyes, Soraiya received the clear message that the woman was genuine and that they would be doing business together for many years to come.
They spent longer with the contingent than they’d expected to. The formal talks had continued and become less formal as the afternoon progressed. In the end they were seated outside in the hotel gardens enjoying drinks and conversations about their respective families. It was only when the last of them had disappeared that Soraiya slumped into her chair suddenly realizing she’d hardly eaten all day and certainly hadn’t drunk enough water. She felt quite ill, in fact.
She got up and walked towards Zak who was talking to his vizier. The thought that that was the happiest she’d ever seen his vizier popped into her mind before she felt a sudden pain in her stomach which wiped her brain clear of any other thought.
She groaned. Zak turned to look at her and his face fell immediately. He was beside her in two strides.
“Soraiya! What is it? You don’t look well.”
She managed to summon up a smile as the mysterious pain disappeared. She was just hungry, that’s all.
“I’m fine,” she reassured. She wanted, more than anything, to see that happy smile back on his face. It filled her with joy, knowing she’d helped put it there. “I’m just a bit tired. And hungry.”
He snapped his fingers to attract the attention of a waiter who came scurrying over with a carafe of water and glass.
She waved it away.
“But, Soraiya, you look as if a puff of wind will knock you over! You must sit down and rest.”
“I’m fine. I’ll have plenty of time for rest on the plane.” Ignoring all the other people around her she rested her head on his shoulder. “Please, Zak, just take me home.”
There was no re-occurrence of the shooting pain which had made her feel so faint at the hotel. She let Zak take control, and soon found herself resting against him in the back of the limousine as they headed once more toward the airport.
“Close your eyes,” he said. “You must be exhausted.”
She nodded and did as he said. The last thoughts before she slid into a brief, deep sleep were that on one level the world was sorting itself out, and on another, things were breaking apart.
She awoke with a start to find Zak kissing her temple. “We’re at the airfield.” He was outside the open car door, reaching in to her.
She blinked, focused on where she was, and then pushed herself wearily out of the seat with his help.
His brow was creased with concern. “This isn’t like you. Are you sure you’re well?”
She summoned up a smile which she hoped was reassuring, despite the dull ache which seemed to fill her gut. “I’ll be better once I’ve eaten some good Sirunese food from home.”
It seemed to work. “I’ll have our chef prepare the best for you. It appears there’s a small delay in our departing. But we can rest in the private lounge until we’re able to leave.”
She nodded, regretful that they couldn’t leave straight away. She felt that everything would be better once she’d touched down on home soil.
They walked into the lounge and he insisted she settle onto a divan with her legs up, and drink some water. She felt a little better then, and also ate a little while he paced back and forth, constantly checking the clock.
“Why don’t you go and see what’s going on,” she suggested, wanting to be able to relax. She couldn’t when he insisted on watching her so intently.
He nodded. “Yes, lay back and rest, and I’ll find out what the holdup is.”
She couldn’t seem to get comfortable, wriggling around, and in the end sitting up again, holding her head in her hands, thinking surely morning sickness shouldn’t be like this. She looked up when she heard the door open.
“Good news. We can board now.”
With his arm around her, they boarded the plane, and they were soon in the air, heading back to Sirun. Soraiya breathed out a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness that’s all over,” she said.
“My thoughts exactly. It’s been very stressful for us all, but for you in particular.”
She managed a smile, despite a sense of growing discomfort. “I somehow think that our life together won’t be without its challenges, Zak.”
“Maybe not, he said, but hopefully we’ll be able to take better care of you than we have been. All this jetting around isn’t good for you, habibti ,” he muttered, fussing over her. “For the first time I’m glad that I inherited a security guard from my father who is a trained doctor. I’ll get him to check you over before you go to sleep.”
“I’m fine. I’m just pregnant and a little tired, that’s all.”
“You are not reassuring me,” he said solemnly. He huffed a frustrated sigh. “You must promise me that you will do nothing—absolutely nothing—when we get back to Sirun.”
She laughed. “I can just picture how you want me—cocooned in cotton wool—eating and drinking punctually so as not to harm the baby.”
He gripped her fist. “No. So as not to harm you , habibti . You .”
There was something in the urgency of his gaze but when he opened his mouth to speak, the words never came out because at the same moment she rose and took a step forward to go to the bathroom. But she stopped, as she felt moisture leak from between her legs. She swallowed hard. She must have imagined it.
“Soraiya?” Zak exclaimed, fear and urgency in his tone. “What’s the matter?”
“The matter?” she said, trying desperately to ignore the physical sensations which were hammering at her brain to be interpreted.
“Soraiya! You’re worrying me.”
She could only shake her head, trying to free it of everything as she took another step and then another, and by the time she reached the bathroom she knew. The familiar drawing sensation in her gut and aching back were the final clues she could no longer ignore. They weren’t the sensations of early pregnancy. They were the sensations of a body losing something.
She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Her mouth was dry, her eyes were wet and the only thing that escaped her lips was a wail.
“Soraiya?” He leaned his concerned face to hers, and all she could think about was that she wasn’t only losing her baby, she was also losing him. Their child was the only concrete thing that was holding them together.
“Zak,” she said. “Time to get that bodyguard.”
“Why? Soraiya, tell me what the hell’s going on!”
“I think… I think…” She cradled the baby she so desperately wanted. “I think… there’s a problem.”