CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER 22 : Forging Trust

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Safia walked towards the place Fawad was seated and sat down in front of him .

"Hello" She greeted . Despite her polite tone , it was evident that she was uncomfortable . She couldn't get the image of Fawad with a gun in his hand , out of her head.

"Hello-It's great to meet you again" Fawad said with a slight smile . Remembering the words of his therapist.

Be polite Fawad . Always greet her happily and with energy .

Although he couldn't fully smile remembering how wierd he looks in the mirror as his dimple on left cheek appear .

"Likewise" Safia relaxed , seeing that smile displaying over his face.

'Maybe not fully , but he has surely mend his ways a little' Safia couldn't help but think that .

"I would like to jump straight to the point Safia " Fawad breathed out. He wanted to talk about a lot of things with her , but for now , marriage was the main priority.

"We are getting married next week" He told her . There wasn't any questions, or uncertainity . He wasn't looking for any advice or her perspective, and Safia was well aware , so she just gave a nod.

It was quick . Quicker than she had assumed.

"Okay. Is there a certain colour I have to wear?" She asked him.

"No . Just choose anything from the mall , I would be taking you to" Fawad told her.

"I don't need a new dress . I will just wear one of my mother's. It's not like it's a real wedding anyways " Safia told him , and the last part hurted him . He was trying his best to be atleast a nice husband for her , even though it meant for a time of just 5 years . He wanted her to take the marriage a bit seriously for atleast that span.

"There will be people to impress. I don't want my bride to appear in some vintage lenghna . So , just get your stuffs . We are leaving for the mall" Fawad told her .

"Right now ?" Her eyes widened.

"Yes"

"The shop is still open and I have work to attend" Safia told him.

"Then close the shop . I will pay double the salary" Fawad said .

"Life doesn't always work on money-" Safia forced a smile trying to make him understand.

"But it mostly does" Fawad cut her words in the middle .

By this time , Kashaf appeared with food in her hands.

"Hope you enjoy" She said.

"You shouldn't be eating those kind of stuffs a week before your wedding . You will get ill" Rudhra said as soon as he walked in the shop . Safia's face fell hearing that .

'What does he think of himself ? How can he say like that ?!' Safia wanted to throw a punch across his face . She knew that some people are straightforward and always speak on point , without sugar coating words . But Rudhra was straight up rude with no regards of others feelings.

"I find no problem in the food" Fawad quietly started to dig in the food . He ate a bite and looked at Safia.

"The food is good . Thanks for it" He thanked Safia and quietly ate that . Rudhra scoffed.

'I hate love for a reason . It makes people do stupid things . If I find him drinking sewage water tomorrow, I won't be surprised' Rudhra thought .

Fawad was one of those people who got ill quickly . He was never exposed to the kind of food made without proper chefs , and ingredients which weren't imported or handled properly . But here he was eating it .

Safia looked at Fawad.

"If you don't like it , you don't need to eat it" She remarked.

Fawad just stayed quiet and finished the food.

He wiped his hands from a tissue which on the side table and wiped his face .

Safia , who ate the same thing , was about to wipe her dirty fingers in her dupatta but stopped seeing his moments and quickly went to the basin to wash her hands.

"Let's go"Fawad said.

"Okay . Will he be joining us too?" Safia asked pointing towards Rudhra who was quietly seated on the chair.

"You don't want him to join us?" Fawad asked.

"Erm , it's not like that ! If he joins , then it's fine . But if he doesn't, it's - kinda better . In the end I am no one to decide . It's your decision to take" Safia told him mustering up her courage against Rudhra.

Rudhra stared at her and Safia quickly blinked her eyes innocently at Fawad , as if what she said wasn't offending to Rudhra .

"Fine . Let's go. Rudhra handle the base . We still have a lot to recover" Fawad told him . Rudhra gave a stern nod and passed a glare to Safia before going away .

They had a lot to recover . The night when they went to Dhansa costed them 240 crores . Mrs Z's people attacked the base and stole all the expensive weapons . All the hackers were still trying to track them down , but it was taking more time than expected.

"Yess ! Let's go " Safia jumped in happiness at Rudhra's departure. She didn't like him, and she didn't even bother to hide the fact now.

"Use this and get everything you want"Fawad said while slipping a black card in her hand.

"Is it one of those which they use in k-dramas?" She asked.

"Hmm"Fawad hummed . He had no idea regarding those , but now it was in his list to watch .

"Which one is your favourite?" Fawad asked.

"W. W- two worlds" Safia answered without thinking much .

"Tell me about it" Fawad asked her . He remembered the second advice of his therapist.

“talk about things which spark interest in her ”

Throughout the journey , Safia kept narrating the story to him excitedly while occasionally crushing on the male lead , making Fawad jealous. But he decided to bear it for the sake of their relationship.

They reached the mall .

"When we get out . I want you to not hesitate okay ? The mall is empty . Get everything you want" Fawad told her.

"You sure?" She asked awkwardly.

"Yes . The amount of money you spent here , I will donate the same amount to any orphanage of your choice" Fawad told her and Safia looked at him.

"Really?" Her eyes widened with excitement and she could almost jump in her place again .

"Hmm" Fawad replied .

"LET'S GO!" Safia yelled and Fawad clenched his eyes shut at the loud sound.  Safia laughed with embarrassment.

"I mean . Let's go" she repeated again , but this time in a soft feminine voice, dripping with sugar.

~~~

5 hours later

Fawad was laying on the couch taking deep breaths . He was tired and his arms ached by the weight of the shopping bags he carried.

"I . Am . Never . Going . To . Shopping. With . Her . Again" He said taking deep breaths .

Flashback

"Let's go to that shop . It looks nice" Safia told him .

"Sure" Fawad said.

~~~

"Don't carry these bags . Let me carry them for you" He offered her while taking the bags , noticing that her wrist was getting slightly turned with the weights.

"No no . It's fine" Safia said.

"It's not a big deal for me . I can carry 50 bags with almost double weights with no discomfort " Fawad boasted.

"Really?" Safia asked.

"Hmm" He hummed.

'No way she is going to get 50 bags anyways' he thought while taking the bags into his own hands.

~~~

"Safia..are you done?" Fawad asked with heavy bags in both of his arms .

"Not yet. Are you tired?" Safia asked.

"Ofcourse not" he said as sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Then—lets go to the first shop . I think I have changed my mind about that purple dress" She said and walked towards the other area.

~~~

"Sir . Please visit us again" the recipientist smiled.

'In your dreams ' Fawad thought bitterly.

~~~

"Today was wonderful. Thanks Mr Siddiqui. The total bill was 5 crores. Please remember to donate it" Safia smiled and Fawad gave her a dry nod.

~~~

Present

"You stayed 4 hours in the mall ? You were stitching clothes instead of buying them? Or what?" Rudhra asked .

"Stitching would have been easier" Fawad gulped down the soda which Rudhra passed him in one sip.

"I hate to see you becoming a softie. You should have just taken her up on a date" Rudhra scoffed.

"Dates before marriage are haram" Fawad told him tiredly.

"Haram ? What's that?" Rudhra asked.

"Forbidden by God . Read it a week ago only" Fawad said.

"So- can't meet ? Can't kiss?" Rudhra asked.

"Nah" Fawad said.

"Gosh-strict rules . But stick to them . The last time I started breaking the rules of my life made me leave each part of myself behind too. The result is here" Rudhra told Fawad.

Despite of Rudhra trying to conceal his feelings , Fawad knew that he missed his older self and family . He missed how he used to be a normal boy leading a normal life .

That's the only reason , that Rudhra still feed the stray dogs . That's perhaps the only habit of his past self he still continues , as a way to remember the life he had.

"Why don't you make some rules for yourself too?" Fawad asked.

"Nah . I know I will just read the rules to break them" Rudhra said while chugging in another sip of the alcohol.

"Suit yourself . But I really think you should mend your ways. Possibly find some girl for yourself " Fawad knew he was pushing the wrong nerve by taking the name of a girl .

"A girl ? I can kiss a snake or even better , let a crocodile sleep next to me . But I won't let any girl near me " Rudhra irritatedly said .

"Hm . Whatever you want . I just suggested" Fawad said.

The door soon opened , and Augustus walked in .

His face was painted with happiness . It made Rudhra roll his eyes.

'He will soon become unhappy too . I have a strong feeling. Which girl actually marries in just a few weeks?' Rudhra thought to himself .

He and Fawad were at Augustus's marriage . It was a small and simple marriage with only a few people from each side . It looked like they were actually in some love , but Rudhra still  felt like something was off .

"You look happy "Fawad said looking at him.

"Yes because I am truly happy . I am going to become a father" Augustus smiled and passed them a box . It had cup pastries in it.

Rudhra pulled one cup pastry and took a bite.

"You know , back in the days , people announced such news with ladoos" Rudhra said while chewing.

"I know , Zeheb told me to buy ladoos only  But I don't like them" Augustus said and sat on the chair.

"Congratulations " Fawad said and took a bite too.

"I don't want to be the bearer of bad news , but I think you should be aware. Your life is getting too perfect in such a small amount of time . The people who come quickly and make everything better , are like storms . When they go away , they take everything with themselves " Rudhra said .

That's what happened in his life too afterall.

Augustus stood still for a second . Storms—They were something he always hated . Years ago , his beloved uncle went to the sea to travel the world , but all which returned was his scarf which he worn that day , which luckily got stuck to the wood of the deck.  All the rest just got carried away with the storm .

But perhaps , if the storm was like Zeheb, he might just fall in love with it .

"Rudhra , please speak good sometimes" Fawad requested .

"Will try" Rudhra shortly said and ate another bite.

"Leave it . Well where are you throwing the wedding?" Augustus asked.

"America . I don't want that Z to be there keeping an eye on me , at my own wedding " Fawad sighed.

"Does Safia know?" Rudhra asked.

"Not yet . Will take her on the last moment otherwise she will inform Seth" Fawad replied.

"You haven't informed Seth?" Augustus asked.

"No. And I don't even plan to do that too. He didn't informed me either when he went to Paris with her . On top of that , he lied that he is in Marseilles alone" Fawad bitterly said.

"Fair enough" Augustus said , but he was concerned.

He could see the rivalry slowly coming between the brothers due to Safia.

To be continued...

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Next chapter is wedding 🌝 So hold tight on your seats because we are gonna have a blast . Or atleast a small shootout 😄 It's going to be a special chapter with 5k words ♥️