Thank you all for reading and especially those who comment and vote.
You probably have already noticed that this story is getting darker. Well, that's why it's now ''Mature'' as there would be depiction of violence, however, not those gory scenes though. Thanks for reading.
Chapter 27
Blue!
Coldness!
Darkness!
Frustration!
Possessiveness!
Those were what she saw in his eyes. She got frightened.
"No,'' she whispered unconsciously.
"Sajal?'' he stared at her intently. His hands tightened on her hands.
"So?'' she glared at him and tried to free her hands desperately.
"So?'' his voice became deep and low. The intensity in his eyes increased.
"So, what?'' she gritted her teeth. "So, what if you like me?'' she questioned him with ferocity.
"So, what if I like you?'' he repeated her question with a bizarre ridicule.
"Yeah, so?'' she gave him a ridiculing gaze as if taking revenge of his previous tone.
"Sajal! It seems you don't know even a little bit about me!'' he lips curled up coldly.
"What do you mean? And leave my hands! Will you?'' she felt alarmed at his behaviour.
"Don't you get that?'' he left her hands and leaned against the tree. "If I like you, it means you are mine.''
"What?'' she yelled loudly.
"You heard me,'' he stated in a casual manner.
"Are you mad?'' she was furious. "How dare you decide something for me? Who are you again? Are you taking some kind of property?''
"Sajal,'' he walked towards her.
"Will you accept my feelings?'' he held the bouquet of red roses in front of her as he murmured.
She paused. She saw something swirled in his deep sea blue eyes. She could feel her heart beat turned faster. She gazed into his deep sea blue intense eyes and saw a glimpse of a mysterious world. He was manly and handsome. There was no doubt about that.
No! Umar Jahan was dangerous! He was bad news! A harsh voice in her mind crushed the fantasy at once.
"No,'' she replied solemnly. She composed herself.
He observed her serious and composed manner keenly. He became uneasy all of a sudden. He wished she would have that fierce manner at that moment; however, she had become composed all of a sudden.
"Why do you like me? And please don't give me that out-dated reason of good looks.'' She asked him gravely.
"Good looks?'' his eyes unconsciously fixed upon her: her light brown eyes were as usual dazzling; her black hair were shiny, a few strands were swaying on her pretty forehead; her round face; her skin colour was olive, and she had below average height. She was not that beautiful, he observed. Nonetheless, she was extremely attractive.
Girls in S-Valley were mostly tall and had fair features that made the fierce girl in front of him prominent not to mention her mixed accent. If she said that she was not native, everyone would believe her. Something flashed in his eyes.
"What?'' Sajal felt self-conscious.
He just stared at her and said nothing.
"I asked you something!'' she uttered impatiently.
"I have already told you. You mesmerised me.''
"That's not a reason. Just because you are so called mesmerized?'' she sneered.
"This is a valid reason. Do you think anyone can mesmerise me?'' he sounded arrogant.
"So, if another girl mesmerises you, you will also want her to accept your feeling, etc.'' Sajal scorned at the very idea.
"No, there is only you.'' He promised seriously.
"Mr Jahan, I don't want to get myself involved with you.'' She uttered every single forcefully and slowly.
"And you are comfortable in getting yourself involved with him?'' he voice was cold. His face and eyes turned expressionless. The usual cold Umar Jahan was back.
She paused and looked at him carefully. She was surprised when she detected from his tone a little bit... jealousy?
"Him? Who is this him?'' she asked sternly. She had a bad premonition in her heart.
"Your friend's brother,'' he said coldly
"Excuse me, I'm neither getting myself involved with him nor will ever do that.'' She almost shrieked at him furiously. "Never ever associate me with a person without my permission.'' She stepped towards him warningly.
He paused and looked at her deeply. She could see his probing eyes prying into her soul. She felt anxious.
"Promise?'' he murmured.
At once, she felt alarmed. She could feel the danger; although, she did not know why. She felt that if that point was not cleared at that moment, her life would be in jeopardy.
"Umar Jahan, Never and I say never ever associate me with something or someone on the basis of some stupid assumptions or false proofs.'' She gazed into his eyes, ignoring the promise part.
They were standing close to each other as they stared intensely into each other eyes. Both were silent for a long time. She noticed his expressionless eyes gradually turned soft. His expressionless face turned gentle.
"Okay,'' he said gently. "However, you have to be honest with me.'' He had noticed her avoiding the topic of promise.
Sajal raised her eyebrows at his demand, ''What do you mean?''
"You should honestly tell me about yourself whatever I ask.'' He explained quietly.
"Oh, would you tell me anything honestly about yourself that I ask?'' she mocked.
"So, we are not at that stage yet.'' He sighed.
"Excuse me! What do you mean by we are not at that stage yet? And I am not yours!'' she was still furious at his supposed declaration.
"If you tell me all about yourself honestly then I would not suppose anything.''
"Why would you even suppose something about me?''
"I like you, Sajal. Is there something wrong with my confession? I am honest here and I also told you that there is no other girl besides you ever.'' He sounded frustrated. He had never thought about going through such a frustrating situation. He was always in control and the result would always be as planned.
Her heart beat became faster. Umar Jahan was handsome, intelligent, noble, powerful, wealthy. He belonged to a noble family. He was principled, honourable, imposing. However, she belonged to a respectable and noble family as well. Girls did not decide such matters for herself without consulting her families. Perhaps some may but she did not. What's more, she did not want to be associated with him as she would always feel a bit apprehensive in his presence. He was one of the powerhouses of S-Valley and association with such a person was not something light. She did not want to involve herself or her family in the muddy water. She also felt she could not be matched with a glacier.
"And I say No!'' she suddenly wanted to go home.
"But why Sajal?'' he noticed her change.
"You already know the reason. I don't want to involve myself with you.''
"Think about it, Sajal. We can have a future.'' He insisted.
"Future?'' she scoffed inwardly.
"Yes,'' her expressions did not go unnoticed from his hawk eyes.
"Listen, end this conversation right now. I want to go home.'' She pretended to be calm and composed.
He watched her packing her belongings silently for a few seconds and stepped forward to help her.
"Leave it,'' she frowned at his right bandaged hand and said.
"What about that cooperation?'' he asked in a soft voice.
"What cooperation?'' she blurted out. His soft voice was making her nervous.
"About promoting handicrafts?'' he reminded her.
"No,'' she refused directly and turned away from him.
"Sajal, I know you are going to cooperate with Tahir Zaryaab.'' His tone was a bit darker.
"So?'' she turned towards him.
He smirked coldly at her. She stared at him in disbelief. Watching that cold and calculating smirk, no one would believe that just a few minutes ago that cold glacier had confessed to her.
"Don't interfere.'' She uttered slowly and powerfully.
Amusement crossed his eyes when he observed her fierce stance.
......................................
"Sajal!''
She turned towards her brother who has called her name as soon as he enter the lounge.
"Assalamoalaikum.'' She greeted her brother.
"Walaikumussalam!'' he smiled.
"Sajal, that person has woken up.''
"Really!?'' she was pleasantly surprised.
"Yeah,'' he replied and told her all the details about the situation.
"Why is he only responding to you?'' she asked curiously.
"I think that's because I was one of his rescuers.'' He said thoughtfully.
"Imran,'' she drawled in a sickly sweet voice.
"What?'' he became apprehensive.
"This place is so beautiful.'' She smiled eerily at him.
"Hmm,'' he nodded his head.
"It's been so long that we have resided over here yet you haven't taken me to the beautiful spots of S-Valley?'' she pouted ''cutely''.
"Oh,'' he exhaled.
"Oh?'' she blinked stared at him in ''wonder''.
"I would have taken you to visit different areas here; however, that patient had got me a bit busier.'' He was sorry.
"Huh,'' she pouted. "I want to hang out with my friends.''
"Okay,'' he smiled and pinched her cheeks.
"Aaee!'' she shrieked.
....................................
She looked at the reflection in the mirror. She was sitting in front of a dressing table. She was dressed in crimson red chiffon maxi. Her beautiful light blonde hair cascaded down her thin waist. Some of the locks rested over her shoulder. Her long dupatta was worn on one shoulder. Her light blue eyes had urgency and pain. Her beautiful sharp features, thin lips and tall height could make her distinguished from thousands. She looked a fierce girl and she was one. The slight sinister air around her could attract many people.
She remembered her argument with her friends or with him. He was not like that before. He was weary of every stranger or in fact everyone. Then that girl came and everything changed. He had changed his rules for her. She was alarmed when that girl was not kicked out.
Sajal Hayat seemed special to Umar Jahan. She could feel that. She had witnessed that. She had a lot of proofs. She knew Umar was disturbed because of Sajal. Others might credit his disturbance to the disappearance of Malook Qalandar; however, she had observed his behaviour keenly. Although he was worried about the disappearance of his subordinate, he was also disturbed and she was sure that the source of his disturbance was Sajal Hayat.
She—Aneela Ijaaz―had loved him since she had her first memories of her life. She could still remember as if it was just yesterday when her parents scolded her in front of their distinguished guests. Jahans had visited them, and her paternal uncle's family had also visited them. She could feel the hostility of her uncle's family. When her male cousin who was a year older than her at that time pushed her to the ground, she was furious. She also pushed him to the ground. The boy started crying and ran to his parents complaining that he was pushed by her. Her aunt grumbled and complained ''mildly''. Her parents especially her father scolded her loudly in front of the guests and particularly his brother in order to appease him and his wife. She also protested loudly that he was the first to push her down. Her parents did not believe her since she was famous as a fierce child. She could still remember that Umar Jahan who was although older than her, but still a child at that time, stood for her and told her parents that her cousin pushed her down first. He even demonstrated that by pushing her cousin to the ground.
She later thanked him. He answered her that he did not help her rather he disliked her cousin and his family.
Since then she had liked him. With the passage of time that feeling changed into love. She loved him. She loved Umar Jahan. Despite the fact that he was dangerous.
Aneela Ijaaz saw a faint reminiscent smile on the girl's lips in the mirror. Suddenly, her eyes sharpened and she decided something. She stood up and grabbed her purse. She walked out of her room.
She paused before the door of the Jahan Mansion. She took a deep breath and opened the door. She asked the servant about Umar Jahan and he answered him that he was in the library. She walked towards the library. Library in Jahan Mansion was huge and spacious. It had books in more than ten languages and on different subjects. She saw the door was half opened and smiled.
"Umar Jahan, you know your enemy but you don't know would meet your end by an unexpected yet familiar way. Hahaha.'' A hysterical laugh echoed in the library and hit Aneela Ijaaz who was about to enter the library. She stopped in her track and peeked through the half opened door. Her eyes widened when she saw Afaaq, senior manager of Jahan IT, bathed in blood and lying on the cold floor. His shirt was ripped and his body was full of scratch marks; blood was oozing out of his wounds. He was laughing hysterically. His eyes were red and sinister. She glanced at Umar who was looking at Afaaq expressionlessly as if that had nothing to do with him. The attacker was of course the cat who was growling at Aafaq standing near him.
Yes! The cat. It was a trained animal. Its paws were covered with blood. It was the same cat who acted cutely in front of Sajal Hayat and begged her attention. She clenched her fists at the memory.
"Would you rather suffer pain than point out the person.'' Zahir Batoor said.
"Am I not suffering?'' Aafaq sneered. "My ultimate end is death.'' He seemed as if he was neither afraid of pain nor death.
"You can be spared.'' Batoor replied calmly.
"Do you think I'm foolish?'' He mocked. ''I'm bound to die either way.''
"Why are you suffering for someone who doesn't care about your life?''
Aafaq looked indifferent to that.
''Do you think your family can escape the consequences?'' Batoor smiled softly.
Aafaq looked restless for a second but then became expressionless.
Umar glanced at the cat in a bored manner, and the cat jumped at Aafaq. She heard his painful loud screams and watched as he was embraced by the death gradually.
Her breath stopped when Umar Jahan turned her head towards her. Their eyes met each other.
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Sorry for grammatical mistakes.
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