Present...
I entered the shop in quite a mood today for reasons unknown to me. I planned to go to the orphanage today to celebrate my birthday, or of all of us, after I finish buying a gift for the caretaker.
A pyramid caught my attention, which I already imagined kept on the counter or used as a paper weight. As soon as I grabbed the masterpiece, another hand grabbed it just above me caging my hands underneath his.
"Hey! I got it first!" I shouted at the intruder.
"I saw it first!" His cold voice was enough to send shivers down my spine.
"Hey Mr. Let me have it. What is it to you even? You look rich! You can get plenty of them from other shops." I poked my finger on his bicep. But what he did next made me embarrassed. He picked up my finger with his thumb and forefinger as if, if he touches me more, he will catch the virus and push it away.
"Stop touching me! Don't you have manners?" His tone held annoyance.
"Manner? Manners? You are talking about manners?" I shouted on top of my lungs. "Do you even know the M or manners? Huh? You are disrespecting a girl here and you have the audacity to teach me manners?"
"Listen here girl! Don't mess up with me. Or you will bear the consequences." He said dangerously slow but it affected me least because my anger was already on high peak after he ruined my mood.
"What do you think of yourself huh?" She grabbed his collars and jerked him towards her.
"Don't you know that it is haram to touch a Na Mahram? Or you aren't a Muslim?" He said looking into my eyes with such a coldness that I felt the hair of my skin rising and I immediately left him.
He didn't take a second to slam the masterpiece on the counter and stormed out of the shop.
That flared my anger and I ran behind him. Grabbing his perfectly tailored suit, I pulled him around to face me.
"What do you think of yourself? Huh?" I gritted my teeth. His sentence settled an unknown fear in my heart.
"Leave me alone. Why are you even following me? I left that piece, right? Then what's the problem?" He hissed annoyingly at me and looked here and there to see people watching us in amusement.
He turned around again and without waiting for my reply entered the elevator. But I wasn't done with him now! How dare he ruin my day? I stepped behind him at which he groaned in annoyance.
"What is your problem? Huh? Why are you even like this? And who are you to point out if I am muslim or not? You are not pious yourself. Are you even listening to me?" I screeched as he ignored me leisurely and stepped out of the elevator and towards the parking lot. No matter how much this was contradicting my usual personality, I badly wanted to strangle him to death, so I followed him, even when I could see two bulbs screaming danger at the either side of his head.
I blabbered whatever came to my mind until he stopped and my head knocked to his back making me wince. I stepped aside and looked ahead as to why he stopped when he was running just a second ago. A man was standing some ten feets away from us and was smirking at the hulk in front of me, while the man with whom I was fighting without any reason was glaring at him murderously.
"Woah! Who do we have here? Mr. Hamdani and Mrs. Hamdani? Very bad Safdar, you didn't invite me to your wedding? Your best mate?" He mocked the nameless man who had a name now Safdar Hamdani.
"Go away Zafar." If his voice was cold before with me, it was dangerous at a whole new level with this man named Zafar.
"Why? Won't you introduce me to your wife?" His tone was teasing as well as taunting.
"She is…" Safdar inhaled sharply to calm himself down. "What do you want, Zafar?"
"Nothing...until now." Smirking he looked at me up and down and sitting in his car he drove away passing us.
I saw his car zooming away in a trance. What just happened? When I looked back at Mr. Safdar, he was already glaring at me with a flared nose.
"Sit in the car." He whispered so dangerously that I contemplated for a second before objecting, weighing the cons and pros in which cons obviously weighed more, she tried objecting.
But before even she could say something, he grabbed her hand and pushed her in the passenger's seat, locking the car.
××××××××××
December, 2018.
"Assalamualaikum." She mumbled looking down in her bright orange lehenga, it was so bright that she herself didn't want to look at her reflection in the mirror. But what could be done? It was her wedding dress. Chosen by her husband of a few hours.
"Walaikum Assalam." They mumbled gruffly not even glancing at her and continued doing their work.
"Behave!" Her mother in law reprimanded them but to no avail they didn't pay any heed.
"Umm...come I will show you your room. Your husband must be already there." She was embarrassed at her own children's behaviour and smiled through tight lips.
Room...it wasn't decorated like it should be...was the first thing she noticed...it was not like she was expecting it to be.
It could be clearly seen that beside his mother and father no one was happy with this marriage. But if they weren't happy then why did their parents agree in the first place?
"Aunty? Where is my luggage?" She asked while rubbing her neck which was sore due to the cheap quality of cloth she wore and not being habitual of it being a cherry on top.
"Ohh it is in the closet." She could just nod her head ignoring the silhouette of her husband which was visible on the balcony. "I am sorry child on behalf of their behaviour." She said not meeting her eyes. It wasn't even ten minutes and she had to apologize because of her children.
"It's ok Aunty. You don't need to apologize." After exchanging some more words, she left them alone, closing the door behind her.
She sighed tiredly and stepped inside the closet to get rid of the clothes as soon as possible.
When she came back much freshened and less tired after taking the shower, he was already in the middle of the bed lying with his forearm on his eyes. Slightly shaking, and composing herself a little she was about to take a step towards the bed when his voice boomed in the air of the room.
"Don't you dare step on my bed!" She felt herself shivering more at his chilling voice. "Take the couch." He said and switched off the lamp light which was the only way of light in his dark room.
Ignoring his presence, she laid down the prayer mat albeit of how tired she was and started performing Isha salah followed by nawafils which she would have prayed with her husband by her side...but alas.
Completing her prayers and supplications, she laid on the couch, which was quite difficult considering her 5'6 feet height.
She wasn't surprised at his behaviour or actions. She used to be treated like that. And considering his family's behaviour downstairs, she expected this reaction from him.
Azferene Wajahat was a puppet in everyone's life. Whether it be her own parents, this family, her husband or…
She didn't even want to think about that.
Thinking about what had her life come to she didn't realise when sleep engulfed her.
××××××××××
"STOP THE CAR! I SAID STOP THE CAR!" I was shouting on top of my lungs but to no avail it didn't affect him a slight bit.
Everything! I tried every damn thing, but nothing affects him.
"Why the hell are you taking me?" I shouted yet again. My throat parched due to the shouting I did in a day.
"BECAUSE YOUR FOOL SELF DECIDED TO FOLLOW ME AND ANOTHER FOOL SAW YOU WITH ME AND CONSIDERED YOU AS MY WIFE! AND LOOKING AT HIS PREVIOUS RECORDS AS FAR AS I KNOW HIM HE WILL COME AFTER YOU! SO SHUT THE HELL UP AND DO WHATEVER I TELL YOU TO IF YOUR LIFE IS EVEN A SLIGHT BIT DEAR TO YOU!" He shouted on top of his lungs making me cower back in fear. I moved away as far away from him as possible as tears stung my eyes due to his loud voice.
He went back to driving as if he hadn't shouted at me just a second ago.
Before I could come up with a reply, he parked the car in front of the Ma...MANSION! Oh my Allah! Such a huge Mansion! Just like they showcase in movies. I will faint just looking at the height of it! Number of bodyguards stood like a statue standing there. Is he some sort of celebrity or what?
He gestured to me to move out and only then I realised he was already by my side and was standing with the door open.
I followed him quietly. Not having enough courage to contradict anything after he bursted like a water balloon on me just a few minutes ago.
"Why will he come for me? I don't even know you." I asked, looking around the mansion with fascination. I don't even have an idea that this city would have such a beautiful creation of architecture.
"Because he is my enemy. And I don't want someone NOT SO INNOCENT to get hurt because of me." He seethed while veins popped on his forehead making him look dangerous.
"Gulabo!" He called out and immediately a girl around my age came running towards us. "Show her the guest room. She will be staying with us for some time." Gulabo nodded her head and went away saying she will prepare the room in an hour.
"And you…" He turned his head towards me but I cut him off.
"Ilhaam." Folding my hands on my chest I glared at him. Two can play the game. But he looked back at me with a confused face.
"I don't believe in Ilhaam. (Intuition)." He mumbled annoyed at me, probably for cutting him off.
"You fool! My name is Ilhaam." I shouted for the upteenth time that day.
He looked taken back for a second but composed himself. "Yeah whatever. Who keeps such names? Until this matter is solved. You will be living here following my rules! 1. Not going out without my permission. 2. Not informing anyone about your whereabouts whether your family or friends. 3. Don't cut me off when I am speaking and don't even dare to shout at me."
"You should have said in simple words, 'You are kidnapped here.' Don't do this. Don't do that. And what about my family and friends? They will get worried!" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Give me their address, I will do something about it." He said already tired of the conversation which I was elongating.
"Huh! As if. Don't bother. I will take care of it by myself. I don't need your help." I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him.
"You won't be using your phone." He snatched away my phone which I pulled out from my purse to call my workplace.
"WHAT? AND WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT IT IN THIS HUGE MANSION OF YOURS?" I was shocked. No going out. No talking to family. Nothing. I will just die here.
"Keep your voice low in front of me. This is the last warning. I will give you another one with net access, but no interacting with anyone until this matter sort out." He glared at me dangerously and yes, I was as usual about to object when he beat me to it. "Not a word! I have already talked beyond my limit, no thanks to you. Wait here till Gulabo escorts you to your room and try not to show your face again."
Saying he disappeared in the huge hallway leaving me behind in shock. Did my life just turn upside down?
××××××××××
2.11.2021