Chapter 61: The Second Heart - Part One.

"Very close. It's reinforced concrete," Ibrahim disclosed and his hand ventured higher on Ava's thigh. His each touch was sending a subtle wave of anticipation through the air.

Feeling his hand edging toward a territory that made her uneasy, Ava pressed her own hand firmly over Ibrahim's. She was silently signaling a boundary not to be crossed. His hand came to a gentle halt, respecting the unspoken limit set by Ava. 

Her eyes met his, a mixture of uncertainty and a hint of frustration evident in her expression. She took a deep breath, preparing herself for what might come next.

On the other hand, Ibrahim maintained an outward calmness, his gaze unwavering and seemingly innocent. He was looking at Ava as if he were the embodiment of innocence itself.

Breaking the silence, Ava questioned, "What are you doing?"

Ibrahim's reaction was a playful yet smooth smile. Leaning back in his chair, he withdrew his hand from Ava's thigh, his fingers lightly trailing down her leg before settling back on the armrest. The atmosphere shifted as he nonchalantly remarked, "Nothing, just testing your focus."

Opening the book once again, Ibrahim resumed his role as the mentor, seemingly unperturbed by the effect of his actions. Ava, however, couldn't tear her gaze away from him. How he could remain so composed while she grappled with the aftermath of his touch? 

Internally, she grappled with the intensity of emotions stirred by his touch and marveled at his calm demeanor. There he was unaffected by the emotional whirlwind he had incited with a simple touch.

Yet, she resisted raising her voice, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of knowing the impact he had on her.

"I didn't feel your touch at all; it didn't divert my attention," she asserted.

Without glancing at her, Ibrahim extended his hand, gently patting her head. Ava sighed and again told, "I know your all tricks. You are confusing me again."

She looked in the front towards the desk. And her brows furrowed. Ibrahim nodded, "I know, Baby Girl. I know that your focus is intact."

She again looked at him, her eyes searching for answers, asked hesitantly, "Are you mocking me?" 

Ibrahim met her gaze, his expression softening. "Mocking you? How can I mock you?" he replied, a genuine perplexity in his tone. "You're the most valuable person to me, Ava. How could I mock someone I hold so dearly?"

Ava murmured, "Then why is he doing this if I'm valuable to him?" She said to herself but Ibrahim heard. 

He leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath as he locked eyes with her. In that moment, his gaze held a depth of sincerity as he revealed a truth that cut through the layers of their complex relationship.

"You're my weakness, Ava," Ibrahim confessed. "To me, you're the most desirable women woman for me and the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. It's not just about your outer beauty; your heart - it is beautiful too. And I, Ibrahim Rahman want a place inside your heart for me."

Ava blinked in response, the weight of Ibrahim's words settling in. When he expressed his desire for a place in her heart, an unexpected door seemed to open in her heart. 

Unbeknownst to Ava, a subtle transformation was underway. In the midst of captivity and coercion, a complex emotion began to blossom—she was falling for the man who was sitting in front of her. She didn't realise that she had started to fall for the man who had kidnapped her, who had forcefully married her.

The Stockholm Syndrome, like an enchanting spell, worked its magic on her. She had started to fall for her husband, a man whose actions had initially instilled fear. Their eyes locked, a silent conversation unfolded—a tale only they could understand.

Overwhelmed by the emotional turmoil, she looked away. She couldn't maintain eye contact, especially now, when her heart wrestled with a kaleidoscope of emotions. Love had entered the equation. But they had to go through a long path. Her feelings needed examination, a journey that would reveal if it was genuine love or a product of the circumstances that bound them together. The boundaries she had meticulously built seemed to crumble.

Ibrahim observed Ava as she gulped, her breaths deep and deliberate. He cleared his throat, breaking the silence, and explained, "Earlier, I just wanted to make both your hearts beat at the same time." 

Ava's mood abruptly shifted, confusion etched across her face. "Both hearts?" she questioned, her expression revealing genuine bewilderment. "Doesn't everyone have only one heart?"

Ibrahim relished in her confusion. He couldn't help but find amusement in her innocence. "Most people have only one heart, but..." he trailed off, leaving the statement hanging in the air.

Ava's confusion deepened. She pressed for more information. "But what?" 

Ibrahim remained silent, enjoying her state of perplexity, a playful smirk playing on his lips.

"But what? Ibrahim?" Ava insisted, a touch of urgency in her tone, wanting clarification on whether she possessed an unusual anatomy.

She checked her left side, placing her hand over her heart, then moved to the right side. Of course, there was no heartbeat on the right side, "Do I have two hearts?"

Ibrahim nodded. And her mouth fell open in disbelief. "How?" She asked, her voice filled with incredulity. She had checked her body multiple times, and no doctor had ever mentioned such a peculiar condition.

Here Ava grappled with the anxiety of having two hearts, Ibrahim sat calmly, his gaze fixed on her. Glancing at his wristwatch, he declared, "I have to go to the office now."

As Ibrahim rose from the chair, Ava looked up, a cascade of questions tumbling from her lips. "How can you leave me like this? Haven't we consulted a doctor about this? What if it's harmful to have two hearts? And where is the second heart?"

With a reassuring smile, Ibrahim replied, "Don't take pressure, baby girl. Your second heart doesn't beat usually."

 Ava's brows furrowed in worry, and she stood up, moving to face him directly. "It doesn't beat? Then what does th second heart do?"

His smile softened as he explained, "Yes, the second heart beats occasionally and it won't harm you at all."

Ava was looking visibly tensed. She grabbed Ibrahim's forearm, seeking reassurance. "It won't harm? Really?"

Ibrahim looked into her eyes and assured her, "Don't think too much. It's just a rare condition. But don't tell anyone now."

"What'll happen if I tell?" Ava asked. Curiosity etched on her face. 

Cradling her face in both hands, Ibrahim softly responded, "Then they will be scared too, just like you are now."

Ava nodded in understanding, and in a moment of unexpected tenderness, Ibrahim leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. And Ava momentarily puzzled by this softer side of him, questioned when he had become so tender.

She quickly stepped back, "Isn't it getting late for you now?"

Ibrahim casually tucked his hands in his pockets and replied, " Hmmm. It is getting late, but I don't want to go. I just want to sit and watch you all day."

"Stop flirting with me." Ava replied.