Bewitched

•thirty four•

Apollo neighed happily as the Manzil finally came into view and Fawad smiled at his horse's apparent relief. They had been away since morning, scouting the tenant lands and those under court custody. It was noon now and like his horse, Fawad too was exhausted. Getting off Apollo, he patted his sweaty mane and then handed him to the groom.

Turning around, he stopped short when he noticed a woman approaching him. It didn't take Fawad long to realise who she was what with her thin slender figure and sun bathed skin.

"Fawad!" She chirped as she reached him, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Sonam, what a lovely surprise." He recoiled, confused at how happy she sounded, "We weren't expecting you."

"Of course you weren't, I didn't tell anyone I was coming," Linking her arm through his, she led him towards the grounds.

"Sonam..I.." Fawad cleared his throat, unable to meet her eyes, "I don't know what to say."

"Then don't say anything."

"But you broke off the engagement. I never intended that to happen."

"But I did. I was just waiting for the right time."

Fawad's head snapped up in surprise. Sonam smiled as she saw the shock on his face.

"You know as well as I do that there was never love between us."

They had now reached a cliff that overlooked the vast pastures below. They sat down on an idle bench that caressed the edge.

"You were never going to break it off so I did it myself." She glanced at him sideways, "I put us both out of our misery."

Fawad was about to reply when Sonam cut him off, "I'll explain everything later. I'm not here to talk about me. I'm here to talk about you." She glanced at her watch, "And I don't have much time either. Mama and Baba are expecting me back home and they're in a really bad mood after I left without explaining things."

Without pause for breath, Sonam continued quietly, "I went to see Mahira today."

Glancing cautiously at Fawad, she saw him shakily inhale, "I...I told her everything."

It was a long while before he finally spoke, "You..you shouldn't have done that."

Not expecting the answer that she received, Sonam frowned at the man seated beside her, "What do you mean?"

"You heard me the first time. You shouldn't have gone and explained yourself to her."

"Fawad..what's wrong?"

Shaking his head, Fawad got up in agitation, "She doesn't deserve any explanations anymore. She should've stuck around and heard me out all those months ago. But she..but she left."

"What else was she supposed to do, Fawad? She was heartbroken. She must've thought you had used her."

"Used her? I never declared that I loved her. I wasn't obliged to her in any possible way."

"Oof, you're unbelievable." Sonam grabbed at her hair, "So you're saying that you never loved her?"

Fawad made to leave but was roughly grabbed by Sonam, "You're not going anywhere until you answer me."

"I don't have to answer you."

"Even if I told you that she was engaged." The statement stopped Fawad in his tracks and he suddenly grew rigid.

"Even if I told you that her fiancé's name was Zaroon." The cold and brutal words had brought about the reaction that Sonam had desired. She saw Fawad's white knuckles suddenly clench in a tight fist, and when he turned around, there was such fierce anger in his eyes that Sonam winced.

This was the first time she had seen him so angry and it scared her. Calming her thundering heart, she approached the subject with delicacy, "I've gotten the answer that I wanted. You don't have to tell me anymore."

The tension in the air seemed almost palpable until Fawad finally sighed and moved towards the edge of cliff, "When?"

"I don't know. She told me today." Sonam replied reluctantly, unable to see the expression on his face.

"Why go through the dilemma of telling me all this?"

"Because when I looked at her eyes, I knew that there was still a chance," Sonam whispered, "All I could see was pain, and longing, and love."

Fawad didn't speak for a long while, and Sonam took it as her cue to leave, knowing there was nothing more she could do.

Just as she turned around, Fawad's question stopped her in her tracks, "How was she?"

A smile crept up Sonam's cheeks, " You'll have to go and see for yourself."

•
A/N

Heyy, guyysss! Please forgive me if I've been MIA since forever. You know exams and stuff.

Thanks for all the love you've shown to this book. You don't know how much it means to me.

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