Damsel In Distress (A Wattpad Featured Book✓)

CHAPTER: 66 | THE ART OF LETTING GO (PART-12)

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who requested for a jealous Aariz moment on Instagram during our Q&A session the other week.

★★★★★

Aariz was nowhere to be seen for the rest of the evening and it was bothering Laiba more than it should. After some contemplation, she dropped him a text but it was still unopened and unread from his end.

She wasn't the only one concerned, though.

They might have made them delete the pictures and videos but the news still spread like wildfire among the guests. Eventually, it reached the ears of the elders.

They didn't seem all that worried about him initially but as the time of Areesha's ruksati came closer, they began stirring. Their ever-so-composed body language showing signs of uneasiness. They were seen exchanging glances, having hushed conversations and making phone calls.

When no one was able to reach him, they decided not to wait for him.

Despite all her efforts to bring her family together for her wedding, that was how Areesha was sent off in the end.

Her beloved twin brother was absent during her rukhsati.

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The celebration came to an end with Areesha's rukhsati. And as guests began taking their leave, a sense of gloominess took over the Othman Haveli. The remnants of the wedding were seen everywhere. Vacant tents, disarrayed tables and chairs, decorations coming off, flickering lights and lanterns, extinguished candles, the carpets littered with paper cups, flowers, petals, leaves, wrappers, broken/missing shoes, bits of clothing, lots and lots of tissue papers and what not.

The workers began clearing the area while the family members, one by one, silently retired to their respective rooms. Complaining about how tired they were.

Laiba wasn't ready to go to her room, yet. She wasn't going anywhere until she knew Aariz's whereabouts.

He still hadn't replied to her text which left her with no choice but to approach Shah.

Shah had promised her that she would be the first to know if he found him and that was why she was in the backyard, seated on the empty chair, her head resting on the table.

She had begged Sarah to stay with her but since Haider Ahmed was unwell, she had to go. 

And now she was alone watching the workers move around, piling the tables and chairs and listening to the sound of vacuum, metal clinking metal and the men shouting orders.

Someone cleared their throat behind her.

She turned around to find Zeeshan standing by the pillar a few feet away from her table, his hands in his pocket and his expression passive.

Laiba had spent two years of her life hating this person. He was her nightmare. In flesh and bones. The mere sight of him triggered a dark part of her brain, memories that she would rather not think of.

Her hatred for him was unfathomable.

Clenching her cell phone, she stood up abruptly and began to walk in the opposite direction.

Zeeshan followed her, "Laiba," He called out, "I just want to talk."

She only strode faster, moving the white drapes out of her way while the lanterns continued flickering overhead.