22| Definitely Not A Rebound

Guess who's got a new phone🙈 Me!!!Yayyy!

I am so happy that I'll be updating two chapters tonight. I've written almost 12000 words in total.

I hope you guys missed the story❤ cause I surely missed you all.

Also I want to start dedicating the chapters to all those wonderful readers and friends who've been supporting this story with their wonderful comments.

This one I would dedicate to kithaab_lover9, I want you to know that your comments on the last chapter entertained me and made me sooooo happy.

There are so many other names too, I'll continue to tag them in each chapter. Please don't hate me for choosing one of you. It's very tough🙈

D E F I N I T E L Y    NOT

A    R E B O U N D

Yousef led Hayat to the rack of bows. Several quivers hung from a steel bar, their goose-feathered fletchings dyed in bright colors for easy recognition. Hayat pulled out an arrow from one of the quivers. Its tip was blunted for target practice. Taking special pains to appear nonchalant, she bent the back end of the arrow, ever so slightly, to determine the weight of its spine.

Not that flexible.

“You’ve shot a bow and arrow before?” Yousef inquired, observing her with a surprising amount of keenness for someone so seemingly blithe.

“Not really.” She attempted to sound dismissive whereas on the contrary she felt her insecurities get the best of her.

Did he doubt she was a rebel too?

She was glad that when she woke up this morning, Tayyab  was not there. Instead, last night felt like a dream. The only proof of yesterday night was her sore back. She hadn't realized when she had dosed off to sleep too but when she woke up, she was no more seated. She laid on her bed comfortably, with a blanket that kept her warm enough that she didn't wake up even once during the night. She had no clue when Tayyab left her chamber either.

She was hoping to find Umar today but Yousef came instead, making the same old excuse on behalf of him. "The general is busy."

Hayat had figured out that Umar was avoiding her but why?

She didn't know.

“Why did you want to learn swordplay and archery?”

“I want to be able to defend myself.” She shrugged and put the arrow back in its quiver. Then she reached for another arrow with different colored fletchings. She performed the same test. It was lighter.

She placed it back.

“It appears you might not need my assistance, after all,” Yousef commented in an airy tone.

“No, no—” Her mind scrambled to the past. . “My . . . Fiance once told me it’s easier to fire arrows with less spine when you don’t have a lot of upper body strength.” she remembered asking Ahmer about his bow and arrows one summer night when he was all prepared to leave for hunting in the woods.

“I see,” Yousef stated dubiously. “And what did your . . . Ex-Fiance have to say about bows?” Hayat didn't miss the jab he tried to take at her words. She hadn't expected anything less. Yousef adored Tayyab just like Umar but he respected Tayyab more than Umar did, although Hayat couldn't understand how anybody could ever have so much respect for a killer.

“Nothing. The comment on arrows was merely in passing. He was leaving for hunting.” His expression turned even more doubtful but Hayat didn't know whether he doubted her or Ahmer.

“Of course. In passing.” He  said sarcastically and it made her blood boil. "My father went along with him. They were gone for hunting in the woods." Hayat added to clear his mind but Yousef only smiled as if Hayat was a naive child. It only made her frustrated.

He made a quick study of the different bows leaning within the weapons rack. When his hand paused on a tall, straightbacked bow, he glanced over his shoulder at Hayat.

She tried to conceal her anger and smiled at him.

Still watching her, he shifted his hand to a much smaller bow with ends that curved away from the archer when strung. He then picked up another set of arrows that looked sharp and ready to pierce through anyone's skin.

"This is a poisonous arrow." He explained and Hayat carefully studied it. She had seen this arrow before. It was the one her father used when he often went into the forest to collect woods.

She was always in awe of her father's excellence at archery. She had asked him to teach her too but he had dismissed her, saying that she had no use of it.

If only abba knew the future. He would have taught her. She told herself repeatedly.

"This is one of the most deadliest arrow in the seven kingdoms. It's imported from the Kingdom of Seher. One arrow and the opponent doesn't stand a chance. There are rumours across the border that the vizier of Kingdom of Seher illegally smuggles  it for the rebels." Hayat shifted uncomfortably. In no way, was she going to tell him that her father owned a similar set of arrows. He kept the poisonous arrow back and pulled a blunt one instead.

Her mind tried to make sense of what she had just heard. How did her father own it?

Was Yousef trying to imply that her parents and her fiance were rebels?

No! She would never believe it. They were innocent, just like her.

"Have you seen it before?" Hayat held her smile, refusing to fall prey to his attempt to bait her into giving up information about her family.

With a knowing grin, he took the recurve bow from the rack and strode in line with the targets positioned fifty paces away.

As she followed him, Hayat grimaced at the soreness of her back.

She reached up and coiled her wavy black hair into a knot on the nape of her neck. Then she shrugged off her cumbersome mantle and handed it to Leila who had been watching the exchange silently. She was mostly swooning over Yousef.

A faint breeze cooled the bare skin at Hayat's arms and stomach. Her fitted silver top had a square neckline and tiny, capped sleeves. A silk sash of cobalt blue hung low across her hips, its pearl-embroidered ends trailing against the ground. Silver slippers kicked up tufts of sand with each step she took.

Hayat slung the quiver onto her shoulder, and Yousef handed her the recurve bow.

A crowd of curious onlookers had begun to gather off to the side. Leila and Ali, who had just joined her training, stood out front, still sporting their respective looks of excitement.

Hayat placed her feet close together as she tugged an arrow from the quiver and struggled to position it on the sinewed string.

"You can do it Hayat! C'mon." Ali chirped.

When Hayat nocked the arrow back, the thin strip of wood struck against the handle of the bow as it trembled in her ignorant grasp.

“Is this right?” she asked Yousef.

“No. It’s not.” He snorted. “Put your left foot forward so that your stance is shoulder-width apart.”

She did as she was told.

“Now relax your grip and lower your elbows. Use the sights positioned on the bow grip to aim.” Hayat almost sneered at her poor skills.

“Once you’ve settled your sights, pull the arrow back as far as you can and release it.”

When she loosed the arrow, it spun in the general direction of the target before it floated to the ground, twenty paces shy of its destination.

Hayat looked over at Yousef. He remained dubious.

“Did your ‘ex-fiance’ explain draw weight to you?”

She shook her head. He wasn't going to let this go.

He exhaled before stepping closer to her. “I chose this bow because it has a lower draw weight. That's why we chose that particular quiver of arrows. Meaning this bow and this arrow will work in tandem to help you draw back without having to use a great deal of upper body strength. Which is especially beneficial for smaller archers, like you.”

“So draw weight is about size?”

“I think it’s more about speed and accuracy. If you don’t have to expend a lot of energy firing a single arrow, it makes it easier to nock another one into position quickly. You also tend to be more accurate when you’re not straining yourself.” Ali answered.

“It makes sense,” Hayat agreed.

“I’m sure it does.” Yousef grinned.

She ignored his meaningful tone as she reached back for another arrow. After she fitted it into position on the sinewed bowstring, her eyes darted to his face.

“Have you ever been hit by an arrow?” she began. His amusement faded slightly. “Once! We were ambushed by the rebels. The arrow had been shot at Tayyab, I took it instead.”

“Are you serious? You took an arrow for him?”

Hayat stared at him dumbfounded.

“Yes!” Yousef answered with so much pride that Hayat wondered what he'd do after she killed Tayyab. The thought alone had her throat dry from a sudden thirst.

“I see.” She drew back the arrow farther and released it. This time, it sailed much closer to its target, but still managed to land buried in the grass. "You seem to love him a lot." She asked. Ali had been occupied with another courtier and so he barely heard the conversation.

“Its not like I am the only one who does it. My love and care for him is equally reciprocated. He's done things for me, things that I could have never expected from a stranger. He has a heart of gold." Yeah! Right.

"We all have our rough past. We all have had our share of fears Hayat but Tawaqqul in Ar-Rehmaan is very important. You need to see good in people, see past the fake facade they put up for the world. Tayyab has also been through a lot. What happened was.. I know it can't be justified but there is more than what meets the eye." He added.

Hayat had been engulfed in a constant battle that roared in her mind. There was no explanation for what he did to her. It was brutal and unfair.

But the way her heart had softened for Tayyab was more like a curse. She couldn't forgive herself for it.

It was almost like she had two sides, one that hated him when he wasn't around, and one that acted weirdly around him.

It's nothing!

It's nothing!

She repeated it like a mantra.

I hate him!

But the pull she felt towards him was like a magnet and it was only growing.

“Please understand; I’m not making . . . excuses.” His voice was very soft.

He was his friend, it was obvious that he'd take his side.

Hayat twisted away from him and snatched another arrow from the quiver at her back. When she loosed the arrow, It flew toward the target in a perfect spiral.

And struck the corner most circle of the target.

Hayat had instantly smiled with all her heart. She couldn't believe, she had finally hit it,  even though it was far, far away from bullseye, it was a progress.

“Amazing. Despite never taking care to aim, you actually hit the target this time,” Yousef intoned drily. “Don't listen to him, you'll ace it in no time. I can sense it." Ali tried to boost her confidence.

“It’s because Yousef is such a good teacher,” she replied in a blithe manner.

The shadows from a passing cloud seemed to cast a small smile across Yousef's lips.

“Tell me Hayat, who would you take an arrow for?” Yousef murmured.

It was a brazen question on his part. Hayat felt a hint of color rise in her neck as she faced him. "Anybody I'd take an arrow for is already dead and I am sure that people who'd take an arrow for me aren't alive either." She laughed, bitterness quite evident in her voice. Silence befell as Yousef avoided meeting her gaze.

"Rubbish! I'd take an arrow for you." Ali smiled, and even if he had only said it to make her feel better, Hayat was glad that he did.

None of them noticed how Tayyab watched the exchange from the balcony of his chamber. He was merely watching them interact in detached silence.

****

Hayat had an amazing training lesson.

She was in a good mood until she ran into Altamash on the way back to her chamber.

“Ah, Hayat Khatoon, just who I was looking for.”

“Is everything all right?” Hayat asked.

“Of course. Why shouldn’t everything be all right?”

“I don't know. Maybe because your plans to ruin yesterday's ball had faltered. You should be glad I've kept my mouth shut about it.” Hayat smirked when Altamash scowled. He didn't take the threat well. "Do you think your plans to Ruin Al Qasr wouldn't falter my lady?" Hayat's breath had hitched. The smug smile that played across Altamash's mouth couldn't be mistaken.

He knew!

But in no way was Hayat going to acknowledge it. "I beg your pardon?" She smiled politely, but her teeth grind together behind her lips.

"Oh please you can stop with the pretence already! My nephew might be naive for acting like a love sick puppy around you but I must assure you that I will find proofs of your treachery no matter how much the rebels try to cover your tracks and the day I do, It'll be my blade and your delicate neck." Altamash  beamed almost as if the imagination alone thrilled him. Hayat stood frozen, unable to move. She couldn't think of a single thing to say to the man in return.

"What? Cat got your tongue? Did you think you could fool me?" Altamash laughed uproariously. Hayat was sweating profusely and her heart went rampant under her chest.

"I .. I think you are mistaken uncle. I might have been very outspoken to you, perhaps you are offended because... "

"Ohhh! Save it for Tayyab. The day he gets to know what a treacherous bitch you are. I am going to have so much fun." The sly smile, the mockery Hayat saw in him just made her want to kill him but at the same time it made her dreadful,  dreadful of her future, of her life, of surviving yet another day, of fighting battles, she had never fought before.

"Just know Hayat khatoon! You are not the only one with secrets in the palace. Everyone's hiding something and I love to keep an account of it all." And with that, Altamash left.

Hayat watched him leave, gobsmacked, air returning to her lungs once again.

Stupid! Idiot! You should have said something. You should have denied it.

She hated not having the last word in a conversation, specially a conversation like this. Absolutely loathed it. What’s worse, Altamash wasn’t falling for her ruse. And if there’s no ruse, then it was a matter of time before Altamash found a way to prove that she was guilty. The only way she could stay alive was if Tayyab believed that she was innocent and that would likely happen if he fell in love with her.

The rebels were not reaching out to her anymore. She didn't know if they'd still cover her tracks.

She could kill him now and not care about her deal with the rebels but then she had no plans for her future. If she killed Tayyab and somehow escaped, an entire kingdom would be on a hunt for her and to add to it, the rebels wouldn't leave her either.

She was no warrior, she couldn't protect her own self for long against the trained warriors of Hudaan or the notorious rebels.

Maybe breaking Tayyab's heart would be a better revenge than breaking his bones. Breaking his bones wouldn't give him a long term suffering. It would end within seconds and he didn't deserve it, he deserved more.

He deserved to live with that pain of betrayal, of loss just the way she had to.

Hayat made up her mind. Tayyab already seemed to have been attracted to her and she could use it, to manipulate him, to hurt him and then to finish his existence.

She didn't want to admit it but her own words didn't make her as happy as it was supposed to.

But she had to hurry, because Altamash was a sly fox who waited curiously for any weakness on her part and if Tayyab loved her with all his soul, he'd never believe Altamash no matter what proofs he gave.

She let herself into her chamber, Altamash’s threats ripe within her mind.

On the foot of her bed were placed three sheets of her lessons from Tayyab. She didn't know the intensity of his love for her.

Was it just a spark?

Was it a beginning?

Was she a rebound?

"They came a while ago my lady." Bilkis said from behind her.

Hayat picked up the sheet, "Can you read Arabic Bilkis?"

"Yes khatoon."

"Read this for me." She handed her the writing paper.

"For all the things my hands have held, the best by far is you." Hayat couldn't help but feel warm. The fluttering in her stomach returned with a vengeance.

Definitely not a rebound.

***

After last night, Hayat had hoped to see Tayyab again. She had thought he was opening up to her and she'd have more time with him but now as she watched him from the balcony, training his falcon, Zorah, Tayyab was as inscrutable as ever. As cold as she had first seen him. When he'd met her gaze, she had smiled but he never returned it nor did he look at her again.

Good! Now he was avoiding her too.

But she won't take it from him. She decided to go visit him herself.

As she walked towards him, Hayat wished she could end it here and now, with the slash of a sword. She wished she could grab Tayyab by the shoulders and shake a semblance of life onto his frozen countenance.

Instead, Hayat continued with the pretense—the one she gave to the world, and the one she gave to herself.

The ground was full of warriors, training there horses.

When the team of horses behind her stirred, Hayat glanced over her shoulder apologetically. She opened her mouth to reassure the young driver, but the brittleness in her voice forced her to clear her throat before speaking.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to the warrior, after a discreet cough. That earned her Tayyab's attention too, who had been busy with his horse in the stable behind her. The rider was taken a back, "My lady do not apologize for such a thing." He dipped his chin in a bow. His mare’s left ear twitched as he shifted around in his seat.

She nodded, and turned around to near Tayyab, who had been watching the exchange with scrutiny.

Behind him, two horses were saddled and ready for use, he held them by the reins.

"Assalamo alaikum." She greeted him.

"Walikum assalam."

"I am sorry, I couldn't help but come. I wanted to get a better view." She offered an excuse before he'd embarrassed her by asking some stupid question.

"A better view of what? The horse or me?" The corner of his mouth twitched and Hayat somewhat felt at ease.

"The horse. I wanted to see.. The horse." She flustered when he laughed.

She remembered the horse, it was the same one that had a shiny coating and appeared metallic in the sun. The most beautiful horse she had ever seen, Tayyab's horse, Nayla.

"It's yours?"

"Everything in the stables right now is mine. All mine." Tayyab smiled. The burning intensity of his gaze had her shudder. She knew what he was trying to imply but shrugged it anyway.

She reached out to pass her hands over the silky white hair of Nayla and just like before, it careened into her touch and rubbed the side of her mouth over her palms. "She likes you." Tayyab said.

"So I've been told." Tayyab stared at her, as if trying to solve a puzzle.

"Do you want to ride it?" Hayat blinked when he offered.

"No.. I don't know.. I don't know how to do it. I've never done it before."

"Do you want to?"

Hayat thought for a second, "Yes, but.."

"Then it's done. Put your leg over here." He placed his fingers on the stirrup that dangled on the side of the horse. "Hold the reins tightly, so she knows that she has to stand still." Hayat's heartbeat had picked up pace, she was thrilled.

But when she tried to put her leg atop it, Nayla didn't stand still, she moved, and Hayat easily got dis-balanced. Gladly, Tayyab caught her before she fell back. "I am sorry. I think I can't do this. I am just going to make a fool of myself." She blurted out feeling a little embarrassed. She even looked around to see if the other warriors in the ground saw it, but none of them even looked at her.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed of, when I first tried to mount her, she tried to throw me back and kick me." That made her laugh.

Hayat was taken a back, when Tayyab kneeled before her. Curious and amused gazes flickered towards them, as the prince kneeled before her and cupped his hands together.

“What are you doing?”

“Helping you onto your horse.” She looked around to see that all eyes were on them. Realising her confusion, he added, “I don't care. A prince can bow before his queen. They have to get used to it." Her heart raced but she followed his instructions. She held onto the horses rein a little tighter this time and placed her foot onto his cupped hands and swung one leg over the horse. The fabric of her skirt rises up her legs, and Tayyab casually helps to right it, positioning the material so she's covered. But as he does so, a finger brushes her bare calf. Hayat draws in a breath.

This man was causing a havoc in her heart, his simplest movements made Hayat skip a beat. When the feeling subsided, she felt happy. This was her first experience of riding a horse and it was magic.

She was distracted when Tayyab began to climb behind her. "What are you doing?" She furrowed her brows, "Taking you for your first ride." He said while mounting the horse, to sit behind her.

Hayat's back was pressed against Tayyab's front. He held the reins with one hand and the other one raked around her stomach to hold her in place. Hayat felt the butterflies flutter in her stomach. She could feel his breath on her bare neck. It made her feel cold, colder than the winter wind.

When he pulled the reins a little, Nayla began to walk in a slow pace, she exited the stables and walked into the ground. The warriors grinned at the sight. Hayat loved the experience. She had always wished to ride a horse. "How do you feel?" He whispered in her ear. "Amazing." She answered.

"I need the four of you to follow us." Tayyab barked orders to the four warriors who were training their horses.

Each of them mounted the horse in an instant without any struggle. "Are we going somewhere?" Hayat asked.

"Yes I want to take you somewhere. I want you to remember your first ride." He whispered into her ears.

Hayat's smile didn't falter. She enjoyed the feeling of muscles, bunching and releasing with each step. Wind blew past her, flinging the horse’s mane into her face. Each stride gained momentum, until the horse was going flat out. Nayla laid her ears back as she hurtled onwards. The ground flew past beneath Hayat, making her dizzy. She was glad that Tayyab sat behind her or she would have fallen down the moment Nayla picked up pace.

Hayat clenched tight with her legs hoping she'd not fall, specially with Tayyab's iron like grip around her stomach, that she tried to ignore as much as possible.

The feeling was both exhilarating and liberating.

The ground was racing by alarmingly fast, but her eyes are on the sky, for she was sure that Nayla was so fast, it was as if she was going to take flight any moment now.

Down stone-paved lanes and past candlelit lanterns they travelled. She was so happy to see the world outside Al Qasr once again. She missed it. Missed everything.

She felt free. Free of worries. Free of heartache.. Of the fear of survival.

A lone tear escaped her eyes, but she shrugged it, held herself together.

They curved down the streets of the forest on the sideways, layer after layer of quiet neighborhoods, run-down inns, and even a bawdy house. She didn't know where he was taking her. All she felt was happy and she wanted it to stay that way.

"Are you comfortable?" She heard Tayyab ask. "Uhh.. Hun.." She said and regretted too because soon after, Tayyab began to slowly lift his hand off her stomach. She felt the full force of the movement beneath her.

She felt as if she'd fall off the horse just any moment. She began to tremble and Tayyab seemed to have noticed it too, for he held her by her stomach once again and secured her.

"It's fine. You'll get used to it." He assured her.

Part of her felt guiltier and guiltier the farther they travel from the palace, the more she enjoyed the warmth of his hands around her, as though she had been abandoning the entire purpose of her existence. This had to be more about getting him to fall in love with her and less about enjoying a horse ride with him.

But that’s not so. She never knew how desperately she needed to leave the premises of Al Qasr.  How desperately she needed an escape. Even for a while. Even if it was with the destroyer of her life.

"Where are we going?” she says as the horse turns onto another road. “A place I've spend most of my childhood mornings in.” she felt him smile.

They came to a halt in an open field near the hills. Tayyab dismounted the horse easily, lifting Hayat off it too. She had almost forgotten about the warriors who followed behind them guarding the journey.

“Go for a walk. We won’t need your assistance for some time but don't go far away. We’ll return when we’re ready.” The guards nodded before heading for a trail to the left of where they stood, one of them held the reins of Nayla. Both disappeared into a cover of trees. The ground was still moving beneath Hayat, as she felt uneasy.

“This way,” Tayyab says.

The grass is soft and silent beneath her feet as he leads her in the opposite direction of the guards. The ground rolls up and down with the hills. "Aren’t you worried about being alone up here?” she asked.

“Don’t worry. My men are roaming the edges of this spot. Out of sight. Besides, no one travels this way unless they’re ordered by the king, it's part of our property and illegal for others. Invaders can’t make it through to our end because there are men stationed on the other side of the hill too." He explained to her

“besides, I don’t wear this sword just for looks,” he adds. “I do know how to use it. Rest assured, the only dangerous thing out here is me.”

“And should I fear you?” She asked.

“Never.” She had laughed at his response, not taking it seriously.

Over the next rise, she spotted a large oak tree, the branches providing a lovely shade from the warm air. A few dozen feet away, a lake rested, ripples forming from bugs dancing on the water’s surface or a fish making a brief appearance.

A field of daffodils surrounded them, the golden petals swaying in the breeze, coloring the whole place in what would make a perfect painting.

“It’s beautiful here,” she said as they sat under  the shade of the tree, their back pressed up against the trunk.

“My mother used to sneak Umar and I out here as boys. We’d play in the mud, catch frogs, pick the flowers. She was never too busy for me, despite being a queen.”

“She sounds like fun.” she knew he was opening up to her once again. She avoided saying anything that might push him away.

“She was. I … miss her.” He sweeps his eyes over the daffodils and says the same thing he'd said last night. “She loved flowers. To this day, the groundskeepers take extra measures to maintain her flower gardens that I know you've seen." Hayat nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"I want you to know that I am grateful to you for choosing that theme for the ball." Hayat shrugged it like it was nothing.

"Do you know how to swim?" He asked. "I am a good swimmer." She answered proudly. "With my friends I used to go to this lake near my house. We loved it. I..miss my friends..I miss swimming in that lake." She informed, a hint of sadness in her tone.

Tayyab turned to her, a wicked grin on his face. “I'd like to see if you are as good in swimming as you claim.” He stands, grabs the neckline at the back of his Qamis, and pulls it off in one movement. He looks down at her, calling her bluff, daring her to follow.

She is only distracted for a moment by the expanse of muscles visible on his chest. They were hidden so well under that loose fitted patent Qamis of him. "I can't. My dress will just weigh me down and I'll probably drown." She tried to find any excuse.

"Doesn't matter. Nobody is here. You can undress." She stared at him bewildered and Tayyab seemed to have realised the weight of his words as soon as he'd said it. "I mean, you can at least remove your shamla and your skirt. Wear your pants and the last piece of cloth that'll cover your...upper body." The conversation was awkward. Her cheeks flustered as she thought about it. If she removed her shamla, the last piece of her cloth would be transparent the moment she entered the lake. "I won't look until you are in the lake." Tayyab tried to reassure her.

She should decline but the offer was too tempting.

“Your guards?” she asks.

“They’re out of sight,” he says, his voice growing deeper with each word. Then, as though it takes him great effort, he turns around.

Hayat kept her eyes on his as she undid the buttons on her overskirt. Once undone, she shrugged off the garment along with her shamla, so she was clad only in those pants and a tight, sleeveless blouse.

Making as much noise as she possibly could, she shrugged out of her boots, and then she approached the water, wondering if the prince would peek. If it’s just an act or if he thinks to catch her unaware.

He doesn’t even fidget. She should have known, he wouldn't turn.

The water was cold at first, but after a few seconds, she grew used to it, daring to go deeper and deeper, until all the important parts were covered and despite the transparency of her blowse, he wouldn't be able to see anything other than her face and her shoulders.

“I’m in,” she tells him.

He turns around and avoids looking at her. He begins to remove the hilt of his sword from around his waist and his boots. . Hayat tried to look away while he removed his clothes until he was only wearing his pants.

Her toes dig into the smooth mud beneath her as she face the other direction. She kept her thoughts away from all the critters living in the lake.

He dived into the water, and Hayat only stared at him blankly. He was only up to his waist, giving her a nice view of his torso. There’s not a mark on him. Not a scar or freckle in sight. How? How is he so perfect?

All that bronze skin and lean muscle. Hayat tried to not look at his body as he made his way into the deep water.

The water is so murky, she could stand right in front of Tayyab and not see anything under the water.

She was glad because her blouse had become transparent, the moment she had entered the lake, and the murky water helped her cover the swell of her breast, that was now prominently visible.

She hurries to think of something to say before it turned awkward.

But her mind wasn't thinking properly.

To be continued... In the next chapter.

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