The Politician's Girl

26. The Cunning Proposal

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-The choices we make are sometimes the toughest-

Zaroon

The leaves sway slowly, the air was strangely so empty...the colours felt brown and a complete monotone. Zaroon was laying on a yellow mat spread across the floor, just staring at the dirty ceiling of the warehouse with a constant frown on his face, as the bright sunlight fell on him from the windows situated in the middle of cemented walls. 

The emotions were heartbreaking...she had left him. He had let her go. He had wanted to run after her, stop her, but one order was enough to make him stay. Zafar Malik had gripped him hard from behind, by the shoulder. The interaction between him and Naina had made it clear that they were a couple. 

"She is my wife, Sir. And I-I love her. I apologise for this. I know my class is no way near yours, but I promise, Sir, I am and will remain loyal to you, always..." He had spoken without turning around, lowering his head in slight guilt. The immense pain had fumed his sense of possessiveness.

 Finally, the truth had been confessed. The pride that was supposed to blossom in his heart upon announcing this now felt like a piercing scar that burned him. 

His Naina...she was no longer by his side. 

Zafar Malik heaved a sigh. The disappointment and betrayal were clear in his tone. A worker daring to fall for the heir of the land...it was treason. Zaroon had winced, yet there was no regret.

"Sher Khan...what is done is done. You have disappointed me," the steeliness, suppressed anger and firmness were clear, "but I know who gave you the orders to marry. You are like my son, and there are enemies who want to reach me but using you."

"Sir-"

"Sher Khan, it is time to go back now. Naina...this is something she had to do on her own."

Feeling the shame of disappointing his boss, and letting Naina go, Zaroon now shifted on the mat in physical pain. He was a man with high morals and principles. He hated betraying the lands, yet right now...all he could think of was how Naina was out there all on her own. 

The moment Naina had walked out of the door, he had felt like she had taken his heart along. The dread, the fears, the realization of what he had done...he had almost sunk down to his knees in immense sorrow until Zafar Malik roughly grabbed his shoulder.

The thought of his Naina being used and manipulated by the people who were supposed to love her crushed him, yet there was nothing he could do. He hadn't been able to reach out to her.  She was learning. She was hurting. Zafar Malik had cautioned that she needed closure. Her family wouldn't hurt her because she was a ticket. She needed to learn about their reality on her own. 

Zaroon didn't know how to reach her and tell her that she was hurting over the scars that were meant to stay. The family love she was craving, he would provide it all and take away the pain that made her feel deprived. 

Sighing deeply, he then squeezed his eyes shut as a sudden pang sharply shot inside, upon remembering the hurt and betrayed look on Naina's face when he had scolded her resurface in his mind. He opened his eyes again, as his expressions scrunched, once the pang numbed. 

The melancholy, the loneliness...the simple closing of his eyes would bring forward her face, her tearful gaze would have him almost gasping for air. 

He had lost control.

He had hurt his dearest wife. 

The instant, she had started badmouthing Zafar Malik, it had just made him snap. He was already upset over what Zafar Malik had told him before. He didn't like his wife disrespecting the king. His principles, loyalty, his pride; he was a worker of the lands, and there was no way he was ever going to stop defending his leader. Yet, Naina was still so tiny, so naive and soft-hearted.