Her hands clutched her dress as she looked down. I placed my both hands each side of her head on the wall and caged her. She was terrified to be in that position. "Move back. What are you doing" Turning her face to a side she pushed me with both han...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Arsh parked the car with a sharp jerk and roared, "Go to your room!"
Without a word, Shafiyya obeyed, her steps hesitant and small.
Aryan stepped out and stood beside Arsh, placing a calm hand on his shoulder. "Arsh... calm down. Don't punish her."
Ignoring him, Arsh strode toward the house, his long strides eating the distance. He headed straight to his room, where Shafiyya was already waiting, anxiety written across her face.
As he opened the door, she stood quickly, trying to explain. "I told her it's a bad idea, but Zahra—"
Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden lightning pain struck her cheek. Her face turned to the side from the impact of the slap. Shock froze her for a moment.
She clutched her reddened cheek, tearful eyes locking with Arsh's, and in that instant, she saw the storm of fury that he could barely contain.
Shafiyya staggered back a step, holding her burning cheek. Her lips trembled as tears threatened to spill. "I—" she tried to speak, her voice barely a whisper.
"Don't 'I' me!" Arsh barked, his eyes flashing like lightning. His voice was low, dangerous, yet every word cut through her like a whip. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you even think for a second before you act?"
She swallowed hard, guilt and fear mixing into a heavy lump in her throat. Her hands clutched at her dupatta, her body shrinking under his gaze.
"I told you! I warned you! And still... you defy me! You put yourself in danger—my wife... my responsibility!" Arsh's fists clenched at his sides. His voice was sharp, slicing through the quiet of the room.
Shafiyya's eyes filled with tears, shame and regret flooding her. "I-I just... I thought—"
"Thought?!" Arsh cut her off, taking a step closer, his towering presence leaving no room for escape. "Your 'thoughts' could have cost you your life! Or worse—Zahra's! Do you understand that?!"
She shook her head, unable to speak, the weight of his anger pressing down on her. Her heart raced, not just from fear, but from the undeniable intensity of his protective fury.
Arsh ran a hand over his face, exhaling slowly, trying to rein in the storm inside him. Then, softer—but still firm—he whispered, "I don't care about excuses. From now on... you follow my rules. No exceptions. Is that clear?"
Shafiyya nodded silently, tears slipping down her cheeks, the lesson seared into her very bones. Arsh stormed out of the room to his study.
Shafiyya stood frozen in place like a statue, her eyes wide and glistening as silent tears streamed down her cheeks. The sting on her face burned with every passing second, the heat radiating from the spot where his hand had struck.
She couldn't understand—what had she done that was so wrong? His words echoed in her mind like a haunting refrain: "Cost my life." What did he mean by that? Why did it sound so... final? The confusion tangled with the ache in her chest until she felt like she couldn't breathe.
