Secret Passions Read Online Free PDF

walked beside her mother back through the large garden filled with flowers of every color and large stone statues, until they reached her rooms.
     
    Here there were other women dressed much like she was, women who had always been there to serve her no matter what her need. Her mother spoke harsh words to her, scolding her for running off to her father. She looked down at her colored hands, which were decorated in Henna especially for the day’s special events.
     
    “I’m sorry, māṁ. I won’t run away again.” She looked into her mother’s young smiling face. “Now, turn and look at yourself. Look at how beautiful you look on your special day.”
     
    When Sandi turned and looked at the large walled mirror, instead of seeing a young girl of the age seven, she saw a full grown woman. And instead of just her engagement party, it was the day of her wedding. She would no longer belong to herself. Instead she would be a slave to her husband's family. To bear as many children as he wished, to work, clean, and cook for him and his family. She looked at herself in the mirror and her image slowly transformed in front of her eyes. Wrinkles started forming around her eyes and mouth, her hair turned a light shade until finally it was full of gray, and there were too many wrinkles on her face to recognize the child she had been a few minutes before. Her life was over before she had even begun to live.
     
    She woke with a start and looked around the room. When she noticed a silhouette of a man standing in the open doorway, she screamed.
     
    “Easy, it’s just me. You were having a bad dream.” He watched her relax back against the pillows.
     
    “I’m sorry if I woke you.” She sat up a little and he could see the large white t-shirt she wore was one of his.
     
    “I was just passing by when I heard you. I didn’t mean to startle you.” He took a step into the room.
     
    “It’s fine. I guess with everything that happened today, I should have known the dream would follow.”
     
    “I could get you a glass of water?” He started to walk towards the bathroom.
     
    “No, that’s okay. I’m fine, really.” She looked at him and he couldn’t help it, he crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed.
     
    “I’ve been doing some thinking. I’d like to do some research into your family. Just to see if there is anything we can do to get them off your back. If that’s okay with you?”
     
    He could tell she was thinking about it. “Why? What difference do you think it will make?”
     
    “I’m not sure, but if there is one thing I’ve learned in my line of business, it’s that everyone has a weak point. Maybe there is something further we can learn about your family. Something that will tilt their decisions about you in your favor.”
     
    “At this point, I’m willing to try anything.” She leaned her head back against the padded headboard, and he noticed that she looked very tired.
     
    “I’ll let you get some more rest. We can finish talking about it in the morning.” He got up and turned to leave.
    “Mitchell?”
     
    He turned back to her, his hand on the doorknob. “Yes?”
     
    “ Thank you for not turning me away. Thank you for sticking your neck out five years ago to save a girl halfway around the world whom you had never meet. I know I didn’t say it back then, when I first met you. I was a different person then. I just wanted you to know that I’m grateful to you. I owe you more than I could ever repay.”
     
    He was floored. He didn’t quite know how to respond. He felt his throat close up a little and felt a tightness in his chest. So, he took the coward’s way out and nodded his head, then walked out, shutting the door quietly behind him.
     
    Once he reached his room, he shut the door and leaned against it, his head resting on the wood as his eyes closed. What he wanted to do was bang his head against it. He didn’t deserve her thanks. He’d been a screw-up back then. Hell,