Twisted

Riya helps Yasmin choose her outfit for dinner. Yasmin hates feeling like she’s losing her voice and is “a mute trophy for people to lug around” (103). She is surprised to find Julian at the restaurant and is antagonistic toward him, but also feels grateful that he helps soothe her anxiety. They sit down with Alexander Sokolov, heir to a Russian diamond business.

Julian, already annoyed by Yasmin, is further irritated when Ian calls to report problems with Darryn Anders, their rival in the search for the lamp. Ian and Aidan are leaving for Egypt the next day. Julian suddenly realizes that he wants Yasmin to marry him. When Alexander condescends to her, Julian sends Yasmin home. He finds her phone on her chair and pockets it, then accepts a ride in Alexander’s Lamborghini.

Yasmin continues to think of Julian as her nemesis and Aidan as sweet and perfect. She asks Aidan to meet, then peeks in on her father while he is sleeping. She wishes her father could comfort her, but also wants to make an adult decision for herself. Waiting for Aidan so she can say goodbye before he leaves, Yasmin falls asleep. Aidan never shows.

Yasmin greets her father in the kitchen. She notices that Aidan’s mother ignores her, as usual. The news reports that a Lamborghini crashed on the backroads of Badour, the town where they live.

Julian arrives, and Yasmin wonders if he had something to do with the crash. Wary, Yasmin realizes that Julian “doesn’t want to help me; he wants what’s being left to me” (124). Julian promises Yasmin that he won’t kill Aidan if she cooperates with him.

Julian tells Ali that he loves Yasmin and wants to marry her. Yasmin plays along, telling her father she loves Julian. Ali says he is happy if Yasmin is happy, but Julian feels that Ali still does not regard him as good enough.

Later, Julian speaks with Tinashe about Darryn’s interference in their dig. His mother leaves a voice mail claiming she is going to die soon so Julian should pay attention to her. He silences a call from Riya on Yasmin’s phone, which he used to prevent Aidan from meeting her before he left.

Yasmin realizes it is too late to tell her father about Aidan and wishes she hadn’t hidden so much of herself from her father. Julian comes to her room and tells her to start packing; she is moving to his house. Yasmin becomes angry and strikes him. She tells Julian she will never submit to him as his wife. Julian overpowers her and informs her that, after her father dies, Yasmin will sign Sultans over to Julian. She realizes she has no choice.

As she goes through her closet, Yasmin finds a box of old photographs. She regrets that she let her passion for photography slip away after her father got sick, but as she regards the images, she recalls playing in the snow with Aidan when they were kids. Yasmin cries, but then realizes that, while she can’t save her father, “maybe I can save his legacy” (148). Riya visits and assures Yasmin she will help. Yasmin doesn’t want anyone to get hurt because of her.

Julian intimidates a judge into validating his marriage certificate without the required waiting period, blackmailing him with a sex tape of the judge and his lover. Yasmin comes to the courthouse wearing a blood red dress. She plays along with the ceremony and calls Julian patatino, Italian for “little potato.” When he kisses his bride, Julian is surprised that he doesn’t hate having her touch him. The kiss is intense.

Yasmin is impressed by the size and luxury of Julian’s home. She is upset that she enjoyed his kiss and hates how attractive he is, though “it makes sense that the devil would appear as perfection to lure away souls” (163). When she taunts Julian, he threatens her into showing him respect. He returns her phone. Yasmin informs Aidan that she married Julian. She is pleasantly surprised that the room Julian set up for her resembles her room in her father’s house: “it pisses me off that I’m immediately feeling comfort in a strange place where I’m basically being held captive” (167). She realizes the only person she doesn’t feel the need to please is Julian. In the shower, Yasmin masturbates while thinking about Julian and their kiss.

In his office, Julian masturbates to images of Yasmin performing oral sex and wearing his ring. He drives Yasmin to her father’s house, annoyed by their sexual chemistry: “Things would be much easier for me if I wasn’t suddenly attracted to her” (178). He reminds himself that Yasmin is the enemy, “the one person who is standing in the way of what I want most” (179). He tells himself not to feel bad that she is hurt and upset.

Yasmin and Julian visit Ali, who is being tended to by Shaina. Ali tries to send Yasmin away while they talk business, but Julian insists she stay: He is in love and Yasmin is his partner now. Yasmin feels grateful that Julian is standing up for her: “I hate him just a little less in this moment, and it makes me sick” (188). When Julian gives her a quick kiss on the forehead, Yasmin is unmoored: “it throws my entire world off its axis” (189).