chapter 42

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Athar's POV

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I sighed deeply and rolled my eyes. I looked at the stupid barrier between us, It was for sure the ugliest blanket I have seen in my life, it was irritating me.

Ayesha was sleeping so far from me, this is not what I had in my mind. Last night she got me so addicted to her proximity, and now when I'm craving for it, she has gone ten miles away from me.

I don't know if she agreed to stay in the room for one night or she has now come here forever. I can't let this night go to waste.

I looked at Ayesha, the peace which was there on her face last night was missing now. I want it back. I want her to seek comfort in me.

I was slowly lowering my head towards her, but suddenly she turned her back on me, I panicked.

I sat up straight and got off the bed, I began pacing in the room. How can she be so unaware of the war I'm having inside me?

She is a beautiful girl, and she is my first love ever, how can I not have desires from her, before her I have never felt this way for anyone ever in my life.

I poured myself a glass of water and drank it.

"Hold your horses Mr Khan" I told myself, then I had another glass of water.

The situation in which we were in right now was frustrating me to no end. Even though it was unknowingly but she only exposed me with those feelings and now I can't get rid of them.

I got up and went near her, I knelt beside her. The purple night light was making her look like a flower, I was drinking in every feature of hers with my eyes

Can't she hear the noise my heartbeats are making? Very carefully I held her hand, I locked her fingers with mine.

I sat on the ground and ran my fingers in her hair, I leaned down and sniffed her hair, it smelled fruity, I couldn't stop myself from planting a kiss on her head.

Her high cheekbones made her look so much more sexy. I traced a finger on her jawline, she frowned and stirred a little, I immediately backed off.

I got up from the floor and sat on the chair. I could only sleep for a few hours last night, but it was still the best night of my existence, I want it every night.

I went to my side of the bed and picked up the hideous blanket and threw it away, she is my wife, there is nothing wrong in cuddling with her, being her husband it is my right.

I was just about to lie down, when I remembered she is my wife later, first she is gabbar, she will kill me first then will ask my dead body why I went near her. no no I can't take the risk.

Again I got off the bed and picked up the nasty blanket, I rolled it in just the way Ayesha did and kept it between us.

She turned in her sleep and put her leg on the blanket, an idea striked me, I was suddenly too excited, I blew her a kiss

"Thanks for the idea my love" I murmured

I threw the blanket off the bed from her side and laid back. Now there was no barrier in between us, I stretched my arm and put it over her head, as if her soul connected mine, she laid on my arm.

I pulled her to me, she snuggled closer to me, I placed a feather light kiss on her cheek, then I held her hand and put her arm over my chest.

"Ah finally peace" I sighed, a smile appeared on my lips. I held her tightly and kept looking at her pretty face, I didn't realise when I fell asleep.

****

"Aaaaaaaaaa" I loud scream scared me, my eyes snapped open and I sat up straight immediately.

"What happened? What happened?" I was asking in an alarmed tone

Ayesha was still lying on the bed, then she sat up straight and looked at me with wide eyes

"What the hell were you doing? How dare you to come near me?" She glared at me, it took me a while to process what she was saying, once it did I started defending myself

"I did not come near you" I shook my head

"Oh really! You were..." She trailed off and looked down, "holding me" she said hesitantly

"I wasn't"

"Oh you were! Didn't I tell you not to cross the boundary?" She shouted at me, I looked at her smugly

"Look carefully madam, I have not crossed the boundary, you have." She looked down, her mouth dropped open when she saw that I was almost at the edge of the bed and she came towards me

"Where is the blanket?" She asked looking at me, I just shrugged

She looked everywhere on the floor and again was shocked to see it on her side of the bed.

"H..how did it get here?" She wondered

"Now please don't say that I got up at night and threw it there, then laid back on my side and pulled you to me" I narrated what exactly happened, she looked embarrassed

"Say something" I said

"I have to go" she got up and ran off. I laughed and laid back on the bed

"What a lovely start!" I said.

*****

"Are you serious?" Izhaan's eyes twinkled in excitement

I just told him that Ayesha has permanently shifted to our room. It was not one night thing

"Yes! I asked Ayesha and she confirmed it" I told him

"That's amazing news, but how did it happen?" He asked, I gestured like I'm raising up my collar.

"I did it" I said feeling too proud of myself.

"How? What did you say?" He asked

"I told her that you and Reem need to spend time together and that is not happening because of her" I smiled sheepishly

"Wow! Great! You made me a scapegoat!"

"It worked! Aren't you happy? I killed two birds with one stone" I laughed, he just shook his head.

"What are you both talking?" Hayat came and sat between us

"None of your concern" I said, pulling her braid lightly, she gasped and smacked my arm

"When will you start behaving yourself?" She asked

"Never" I continued troubling her

"Izhaan Bhai! Are you gonna say something to him?" She said, he gave me a look and I understood what he meant, he mouthed "one. Two. Three" then we both started tickling her, she laughed loudly.

"Maaaa" she shouted between her laugh. Maa came and saw what we were doing, she facepalmed herself, we stopped tickling Hayat

"When are you boys going to grow up?" She scolded us, but her playful smile could be seen. Hayat ran and hid behind maa

"Athar bhai started, he was hitting me" hayat lied, I gasped

"Liar" I shouted

"Maa, see, even now he is glaring at me" she did the drama

"I'm not" I shouted

"Such a drama you are hayat" izhaan said

"Maaa" she pouted, maa shook her head

"Keep me out of your childish fights" she walked off, hayat stuck out her tongue then ran off, I laughed

Thanks to the almighty Allah everything has become normal now, maa's anger was slowly killing me, but now she is fine with me. I had to beg her to be ok with me, she is also just like Ayesha's father, she said so mean things to me, but now everything is ok.

"Have you seen Reem?" Izhaan asked breaking the chain of my thoughts, I shook my head

"Why? Now you can't live without her?" I teased him

"Yes, I really can't." He answered, I smiled. May Allah bless their couple, Izhaan really loves her dearly.

"I will go look for her" he said and got up then he left.

My phone pinged, I checked my phone it was a message from Rose, she was reminding me about my meeting,

I didn't feel like going to office, I miss Ayesha badly there. She should be coming to the office with me.

When I gave her the appointment letter, I thought she would be jumping with joy, but no, Ayesha being Ayesha, had to give me a long lecture.

I want her to come with me and I know what I have to do about it. I got up and went to dadi's room. I knocked on the door

"Come in" dadi said, I opened the door, she smiled looking at me. She was sitting on the bed while reading some book, she kept it aside when she saw me, I laid on the bed and kept my head on her lap

"Don't you have to go to the office today?" She asked while pressing my forehead

"I will go in a while" I said

"What is bothering you?" She asked

"how do you know something is bothering me?" I asked, she chuckled

"I know you very well. I can see it on your face. Now tell me" I sighed

"I am thinking about Ayesha"

"What about her?"

"She gets so bored at home"

"Hmm even I noticed that"

"I have got her degree also, she is qualified for a job now, I'm thinking of telling her to get a job somewhere, but I..." I was cut by dadi, she pushed me up making me sit

"Are you out of your mind? The daughter in law of Khan family will get job somewhere else, she should join you in your company" dadi said sternly, I supressed a smirk

"She will never work in my company, I know her" I made a sad face

"How will she not, I will make sure she does"

"I know her dadi, she has no interest in my company, she will not listen to anyone" I did the drama

"She will definitely listen to me and I will prove it to you right now" dadi called Soha and told her to bring Ayesha.

"Mission accomplished" I inwardly laughed evilly

****

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Ayesha's pov

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"Why are you sitting here all alone?" I asked Reem, she was in the lawn

"Just some fresh air" she shrugged. I dropped next to her

"You looked disturbed, is everything ok?" I asked

"Yeah" she nodded

Even though I didn't want to, but I still believed her and started talking about my things. I told her about my degree

I was continuously talking to her and she seemed lost as if she was not even listening to me

"Where are you lost?" I asked shaking her

"Huh?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing" she shook her head

Her disoriented state gave me an idea what could be the matter with her

"Did anything happen between you and jeeju?" I asked, she heaved a deep sigh, I understood immediately, "oh my god! Already? He must have been just waiting for me to go" I laughed

"That did not happen, but I'm afraid it will." She said

"What do you mean?"

"When he comes near me, I go numb. Such foreign feelings engulfed me, I can't explain what happens to me"

"What are you thinking?"

"I fear to be alone with him, I know the moment he will get a chance, we will do it"

"So, you are not ready for it?"

"I don't know, maybe I am and maybe I'm not."

"Talk to him, he will understand, he will not force you, I'm absolutely sure about it, he will stop"

"That's the thing, I don't want him to stop" she said and my eyes grew big

"You want to do it?"

"No" she shook her head vigorously, I rolled my eyes

"Decide what you want!"

"I wish it was so easy. I am not even clear about my feelings for him. Anyways I will have a plenty of time to think, it's not that he is going to be with me every night" she said

"He will be with you every night" I clarified

"What?"

"I'm not coming back to your room ever again"

"What? Why?"

"Because it's time for you to be with your husband"

"I can't handle him, please don't do this to me"

"You will have to" I smiled sheepishly, she thought for a moment then she sighed

"Forget about izhaan, I can't let you be with Athar, I'll be worried for you" she said

"It's my final decision, and baby, I am your gabbar, you should worry about him not me" I winked at her, she smiled

"I have full confidence in you, but still Athar cannot be trusted, that guy gives me very bad vibes" she made a sour face

"Bhabhi, begum saheba is calling you" Soha came and told me

"Ok I'm coming" I said, she nodded and left. I turned to Reem

"Don't worry about Mr Khan, I can surely handle him." I said getting up, then I headed to dadi's room

I knocked on the door, when I heard dadi's consent I opened the door to enter, I was taken aback when I saw Mr Khan there, what is he upto now?

"You called dadi?" I asked

"Yes! Come my child, sit with me" she patted next to her, I did what I was asked for. I looked at Mr khan, why was he smirking? I smell something fishy

"Beta" dadi said and held my hands lovingly, "I was wondering, you stay at home all day, you just get bored at home, so I was thinking why don't you join office with Athar" she said, and I glared at Mr Khan

Oh! So this is what it is about, I rolled my eyes

"Dadi! I'm still thinking about it, I wanted to explore other options also" I said

"No beta! Khan Architectures is now as much yours as it is of Athar's. You are an intelligent girl, you and Athar together can take it at even higher position." She said, I gave an angry look to Mr Khan, he must have filled all this nonsense in dadi's head.

"Dadi I'm going, I have to get ready" he said

"Ok beta" dadi greeted him, then he left the room.

"Is there any problem, tell me!" Dadi asked, I shook my head, "then why are you not willing to join the office, it would make me happy if you do it" her face looked sad, I sighed

"Ok dadi! I will join the office" I said, her face lit up, she held my cheek and brought my face closer to hers, then she planted a kiss on my head

"May Allah bless you! Thank you beta"

"Don't say thank you please, you are embarassing me"

"You thought about me, I feel extremely delighted"

"Why wouldn't I, you are my sweet dadi" I smiled

"And you are my sweet princess" she held my chin delicately, her gesture reminded me of baba, "so you will start from tomorrow?"

"Yes" in my emotions I nodded, she beamed.

"My child" she patted my head sweetly and I realised that I made an emotional decision and there was no going back now.

How cunning you are Mr Khan!!

"I'll go and see if Mr Khan needs anything" I lied, a big bright smile appeared on dadi's lips

"Sure beta"

I nodded, got up and left from there.

I came to the room, I looked around for Mr Khan, he must be taking a bath since I could hear the water running in the bathroom. I sat outside while waiting for him.

Iski himmat to dekho dadi se sifarashe lagwayi ja rahi hai (look at his audacity, he is making dadi approach me)

The water stopped running, I stood up, when I heard the door opening sound, I marched towards the bathroom

"What the hell do you think of yourself?" I shouted, he startled

"Oh god! You scared me" he said

"You got scared in so little, I will show you what real scared is!" I said and stood next to him

"How dare you to get dadi involved?" I asked, he was about to walk away but I stood in front of him, "stay. I'm talking to you" I narrowed my eyes at him, he smirked

"Ok! Come into the closet with me, I will get dressed and you can talk to me there" I frowned at his words, then I noticed, he was standing just in a towel infront of me, I quickly turned around

"Shameless. Go wear your clothes" I said and ran towards the bed, ignoring his laughter

"What shameless? How else you expect me to come out after a bath?" He shouted, I chose to not reply

Idiot. Jerk. Moron.

After ten minutes, he came outside, thankfully he was completely dressed now. He stood infront of a mirror and started putting some cream on his face.

I stood behind him

"Now tell me" I said, ignoring me he continued getting ready, I stood in front of him

"I'm asking you something" I said

"Hmm I'm listening"

"So answer me, if you are listening to me"

He was combing his hair, I tapped my finger on his shoulder repeatedly.

"Give me the answer" I said, suddenly he held my hand and pulled me, he put me against a wall, I gasped. He kept his hand on the wall, and lowered his head to me

"What do you want to know?" He said in a low husky voice, I was so stunned by his sudden action that I couldn't find words

"Dadi.. office.." I said looking down

"I was just telling dadi that you should do something to kill time, and she said that you should join the office" he said. He picked up a flock of hair from my shoulder and sniffed it.

"Mr Khan, what are you doing?" I asked,

"What am I doing?" He asked, coming closer to me, "and by the way why are you still calling me Mr khan, I am your husband now, call me by my name"

I shuddered when he whispered to me. It took me a while to get out of a trance once I did, I immediately pushed him away. I can't give in so easily, I can't let him win

"I will call you whatever I want, and I don't see anything wrong with "Mr Khan" unless you want me to call you jerk or devil?" I crossed my arms at my chest. He heaved a sigh

"So you will not call me by my name?"

"Mr Khan is your name"

"Fine" he pulled back. He gathered his stuff and turned to leave. He stopped at the door

"Be ready for office tomorrow Mrs Khan" he said emphasizing on Mrs Khan

"I'm not Mrs k.." he closed the door and went off

"Such a stupid person"

My ringing phone caught my attention, I immediately picked it up, it was a call from baba, I excitedly answered it

"Assalamualaikum" I said in a cheery voice

"Walekumassalam, how are you princess?" his voice sounded so happy

"Alhamdulillah I'm fine. You seem in a good mood"

"Of course I'll be, the news is so big" he said, I suddenly got excited

"What is it?"

"My company is blooming now, we got the investment at the correct time, our condition is even better than before. Shazib is a wonderful boy, even after spending such a huge amount he kept on helping me"

"That is so amazing baba" My eyes filled up with salty water

"We are going to have a success party in two weeks, all of you will have to come" he said, and my heart started racing

"But mumma?" I asked

"I think it's time she should become normal with you"

"How will it happen?"

"We will see, first you plan coming here, you have to come with your entire family, I have talked with Athar already, he promised me he will bring everyone but you talk with elders yourself, it wi..."

"You gave him the news before telling me?" I felt a little hurt, he chuckled

"Yes beta"

"So mean"

"Ohho! What's so mean in this? There is no difference between him and you now" he said, There was peace in his voice. I didn't know if I should feel good or bad about it, but it gave a weird feeling to my heart

He continued talking but my mind was stuck in this only

******

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Reem's POV

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I felt a little lighter after talking with Ayesha, I need to find out about my feelings for Izhaan.

Dadi called Ayesha, so she left leaving me alone with my thoughts. I closed my eyes and rested my head at the chair.

Ya Allah! please help me

"Wassup jaan" a voice said in my ear, I opened my eyes and found Izhaan there, his face was so close to me, I got up with a jerk.

"What happened?" He asked, I felt so weird sensations in the pit of my stomach. I walked away from him

"Reem! Are you ok?" He asked.

"Maa is calling me" I said and ran away from there.

****

Solving even the most complex maths equation seems so much easier than solving my feelings for Izhaan.

I can't stop touching my lips since I woke up, I can still feel tingling on my lips. The seal of his love has not just touched my body, but has been imprinted on my soul.

I stood in front of a mirror and thought about him, what do I want? Do I like his touch or not! Of course I do

But how can I like him? Nothing good can come out between our relationship, I should be careful, how can I forget about dad.

He used to make me feel like his world starts and ends with me, but it took him hardly anytime to throw me out of his life. Even this relationship with Izhaan is temporary, he is only giving me importance now, once he will have me in his control he will just leave me

I should just try to stay away from him. I have decided, come what may I will not let him come close to me now.

I startled when two strong pairs of arms snaked around me and my back was pulled against a hard chest. I looked up in the mirror Izhaan was there

"Hey Jaan!" He said. I stayed quiet. He pulled me closer to him.

I was losing myself, I leaned back, I would have fallen down if he was not holding me

All my previous thoughts were slowly leaving me while I was trying to hold tight, but they were slipping away like sand

He tightly locked his arms around my stomach, I closed my eyes

"Has something happened?" He asked looking at me through the mirror, I shook my head. "Then why you are so far from me?"

I felt his lips on the skin connecting my neck and shoulder, he was telling me how much he loves me while leaving small kisses from my neck to shoulder

Something was happening to me, I wanted him to never stop and keep loving me like this, but at the same time I wanted him to let me go.

My heart wanted to be with him, whereas my mind was telling me repeatedly it is just temporary.

Mind won and heart lost, I broke his grip and moved away from him

"Reem" he said

"I have to go to Ayesha" I said and ran in her room through the adjoining door

She was sitting on her bed when I entered the room, I ran and sat next to her

"What's wrong with you?" She looked concerned immediately

"Izhaan" I whispered, she sighed

"You ran away from him?" I nodded my head

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because if I stay with him, I might lose myself, and I know I don't want that, because I know it's all temporary" I shared my feelings with her

She sat facing me and held my hand

"No it isn't. I know what is going on in your mind, I'm not going to defend dad because I know you won't like it, but let me tell you stop judging jeeju's love with that, he love you immensely, have faith, please. Just try to find your feelings for him and forget about everything else."

I just stayed quiet and listened to her

Rest of the day, I kept my distance with Izhaan, Ayesha made it clear that she will not return to the room, so when it was night time I came to bed early, he was still with the family.

I laid and got lost in my thoughts, what is it that I feel for him? What is this feeling? Should I trust him?

The door opened, I immediately closed my eyes. I heard the door locking sound, he is here. I pretended to be asleep

The bathroom door opened and then closed, after a while he came to me, I felt him lying down next to me.

"Reem" he called me softly, I kept up the drama, I could feel the heat of his gaze but I kept my eyes closed.

He held my hand between his, I felt his lips on the back of my hand.

"I love you so much Jaan" he said, the warmth of his words melted my heart for him.

Then I felt my hand against something rough and prickly, I assumed it was his light beard.

Soon I heard his soft snores, I opened my eyes and looked at him, my eyes teared, he was holding my hand under his cheek.

Does he really love me? Is it going to be forever?

Whoever I have loved in my life has left me, Ayesha left me and went away with her family. Dadi, dadu and mom left me, dad left me. Will he also leave me?

I pulled my hand out of his grip and turned my back at him, I have to take care of my heart, I can't bear another heartbreak, but I can feel his love.

Ya Allah please help me.

I cried myself to sleep that night.

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