.
Athar's POV
.
"Are you gonna tell me what is the matter with you?" Izhaan shouted, I looked at him
Mujhe to bolte hue bhi sharam aayegi isko k Ayesha kya saj dhaj ke us manhoos ke saath apna birthday celebrate karne gayi thi (I would feel so embarrassed to tell him that with such great preparations Ayesha was celebrating her birthday with that wretched guy)
I put the blanket over me
"Let me sleep, buddy" I said. He snatched the blanket away from me and threw it away
"Enough of your "let me sleep", I have been asking you since last night, but you are just not telling me. It's ok if Aftab uncle didn't call and your surprise ruined, you tried your best" he tried consoling me
"He did call her" I said, he frowned
"He did? Then why are you so upset?" He asked, I sat straight and let out a cold sigh
"While I was at home, preparing a surprise for my wife, decorating the room with everything she likes, she was out to celebrate her birthday" I said, he rolled his eyes
"That's it! Just because of something so small you got upset?" He asked
"She was with su.. that guy I loathe"
"Sufiyan?" He asked in a high tone, I rolled my eyes
"Yeah, him! You could have talk without taking his name "
"I don't understand, she was with him, why?"
"I don't know! And that's not all, he booked the entire restaurant for her, and the whole staff were thinking they are a couple, so I got really pissed"
"Naturally." He agreed
"I was planning to make it a special day for her and she was....." I trailed off because of my excessively growing anger
"What did you do then?" I asked
If I tell him the whole truth now he will give me a long lecture about controlling my anger etc etc. But right now I'm not in the mood.
"I went there, I warned him and brought Ayesha back with me" it wasn't a lie
"You did the right thing. Ayesha should understand that it is not possible for a guy to see his girl with somebody else"
"Exactly my point."
"Is she upset with you now?"
"When is she not upset with me?" I scoffed
" Listen to me buddy. Talk to her nicely, you have to make her understand your point. Don't show agitation, don't show anger. Show patience and love. She is a strong-headed girl. She can only be dealt with love" he said, I nodded my head
As of now I don't even feel like talking to her after refusing her categorically so many times, she's still meeting that man. Every time I close my eyes all I could see is both of them standing and holding hands, it burns me from within
How did she go to meet him? How dare she agree to celebrate her birthday with him? How could she let him book the whole restaurant for her?
"Stop thinking now buddy" Izhaan said
I forced myself to not think about it because if I keep on replaying the image in my head I will just lose myself
" I need a favor" I asked
"Tell me"
" I would be sending my car for servicing tomorrow in the evening so could you please come to pick me up from the office"
"Sure, no worries. I will get free early tomorrow I will come to you straight" he shrugged
"Thanks. I'm going to sleep now"
I closed my eyes and the same image floated in my head. I kept on reciting prayers till I fell asleep.
******
"Sir we are here" the driver said, I looked outside and saw we were outside my house.
"I'll be back in ten minutes" I said and got off the car.
It was post lunch time. I had to go to a meeting, since it was not in my schedule, I was not carrying the file, it was at home so now I was on the way to khanna's office but had to stop to get the file from home.
I entered the house and went straight to my room. I couldn't see anyone anyway.
I walked into my closet and searched for the file, It wasn't where I usually kept my documents. I was looking around for it.
I opened the drawer one after the other but the file wasn't there.
" Where can it go?" I wondered
I was checking in the whole closet but couldn't find it. My eyes went to Ayesha's cupboard, maybe I kept it there by mistake.
The moment I opened the door of her cupboard, a huge pile of clothes fell on me.
"What the..." I looked around the mess
I saw her cupboard, an involunteered smile escaped my lips when I noticed what's in her cupboard, there were chocolates, chips.
I look down at the mountain of clothes. Should I fold it? I would have if I had time so I kept it the way it was.
"Such a child" I mumbled.
After closing her cupboard I thought of checking one more time in my cupboard and thankfully I found it there
I opened the door of the closet, but stopped immediately when I noticed Ayesha entering the room
"How was it?" She was asking someone over the phone. Then she removed the phone from her ear and put it on speaker and kept it aside
"Too good" I heard Reem answering
"When are you going to return home?" Ayesha asked
"We are going to sit in the cafeteria for a while, then I was thinking to go to the orphanage. It's been so long I miss all the kids terribly" Ayesha's expression changed
"Ok" she said in a dry tone
"What?" Reem asked
" I get bored at home. I have nothing to do. Since I have entered this house, all I do is just sit around. My life has become so meaningless. I feel like the bird who has been kept in a cage, and you know that's not what I wanted, I wanted to fly" she said
That's how she feels? That problem has already been taken care of. I just need to tell her, but I don't feel like talking to her.
"No" Ayesha shouted.
Wait! What did I miss?
" Please Ayesha! come to the university, it would be so much fun" Reem insisted
Over my dead body! I was about to walk to her, when Ayesha spoke.
"I can't. You can call me anywhere, and I will come, but not to your university, not today, not tomorrow, not ever" for some reason I knew that she was saying it because of me, She knows I wouldn't like her to go there. That's why she was refusing. I felt a little satisfied.
"Gabbar aa ja na (please come)" Reem said
"No no no" Ayesha shook her head
"Fine" Reem said
"Hello.. hello... Reeeem" Ayesha shouted but the line was silent now
Ayesha picked up her phone then kept it aside.
"Ugghhhhh! What the hell is this? Ya Allah, what kind of a situation is it? if I don't go Reem is getting upset with me, and if I go Mr. Khan will become an angry bull again." She said in an annoyed voice
Angry bull?
I thought she refused to go because she cares about me, about what I feel, but no. I marched outside the closet, she startled when she saw me, clearly she wasn't expecting me there.
Without saying a word I just left from there.
I wish there was a way where I could make her feel the same pain which she was giving me.
******
.
Reem's POV
.
After the phone call with Ayesha. I was feeling guilty for staying back at the university. So I made an excuse with my friends and left to get her.
I was walking towards my car. Suddenly someone jumped in front of me. I stopped, it was Sufiyan
"You startled me" I smiled
"What is wrong with you? Why are you not answering my calls?" He asked, I frowned
"You called me?"
"Yes Reem! I have been trying to contact you but you are not answering your phone"
"I'm sorry, it must have went unnoticed"
"How is Ayesha? Is everything okay at home? I tried calling her but the call didn't go through, Athar must have blocked my number from her phone. I hope he didnt do anything with her, I want to know if she is ok. Did she say anything? You think I should mee ..." He was panicking, his words were coming so rushed out of his mouth
"Woah woah! Sufiyan! Calm down. What are you saying? I don't understand anything. Why would Athar block your number?" I frowned
"Didn't Ayesha tell you what happened at her birthday?" He asked
"Did something happen that day?" I asked, he scoffed
"It wasn't just something" he said, then he told me the entire incidence about how Athar reached and behaved that way
"What? He put a knife on your throat?" I asked in shock.
"I don't care about what he did to me, but my whole concern is for Ayesha, I want to know if she is alright, what did she tell you?" He asked
"She didn't tell me anything! I had no idea about this incident." I was so angry at Athar
"I want to talk to her, please Reem, do something, I will go crazy till I don't find out, how she is"
"She is fine. Rest, I will take care of" I marched towards my car, and sat inside. I started the engine and headed to Khan Architectures, I have tolerated this Athar enough, but he has done enough damage to Ayesha now
I drove straight in the basement parking, I remember Ayesha told me that his office is on the 25th floor, I got in the lift and took it straight to his floor
As the door opened there was a receptionist desk, I went there
"Athar Khan?" I asked
"Sir is in his room"
"Where is the room?"
"Do you have an appointment?" She asked, I glared at her
"Where is it?" I shouted, she pointed towards the direction, just outside his cabin there was some woman, she was Rose perhaps
"I want to meet Athar" I said
"Ma'am actually..."
"I am sorry Rose" I said, she frowned at me
"Where is Athar Khan? I want to meet him, why are you not letting me go to him?" I shouted so loud that people started gathering around
"Ma'am please calm down" she said
"I said I wa..." Some door opened and Athar came
"What is happening here?" I turned to look at him
"Reem! What are you doing here?" He asked
"I came to meet you, I want some answers from you, I want to know what you think of yourself?" I said in a high tone. He looked around at everyone who were staring at us with wide eyes
"Come with me" he told me, I followed him in his cabin
As the door closed he glared at me
"What is your problem? Why are you creating a scene? You have embarrassed me in front of my staff" he said angrily
"Oh! So only you have a right to embarrass people, but when it comes to you, it's intolerable" I snapped at him, he rolled his eyes
"I don't know what lie your friend has fed you, but this is my office you cannot do the drama here"
"Don't you dare say anything against Ayesha. I know how you forced her to marry you, I stayed quiet because she made me, but the way you ruined her birthday is just too much, you cannot publicly humiliate her, privately you have always done"
"I did not humiliate her"
"Oh really" I crossed my arms at my chest.
"I was preparing surprises for her, but instead of being with me she went to him, how could she let him celebrate her birthday, she is more at fault than him, by meeting him she is not just defying me, she is also giving him false hopes"
"She is just being his friend, I don't understand what is your problem with that?"
"She agreed to meet him, that is my problem"
"She didn't know that he was calling her for the celebration! He called her and faked an emergency, she only went to help him, and when she reached there then he told her about his lie." I told him, he was suddenly quiet
"None of them are at fault, you are. You might have forcefully married her, but you don't own her, so stop behaving as if she is your property"
I thought after knowing the truth he will realise his mistake, but when he spoke he only made me angrier
"Even if she reached there with the intention to help, so why did she stay after knowing the truth? She could have just returned" he said
"You are unbelievable. What is the issue if she stayed there?"
"I don't want her to be anywhere near him and being her husband this is my right" he said, my blood boiled with anger
"To hell with you" I said and left from there.
As I was walking towards the elevator I felt many eyes at me, I kept ignoring them and walked off.
I entered the elevator and pressed the lower basement button.
"What kind of a man he is? Izhaan is so much better than him. How will Ayesha live her life with a person like him?" I was questioning myself
The elevator door opened, I was walking towards my car, but I bumped into someone.
"Sorry" I said, I looked up, it was Izhaan, I rolled my eyes
Isi ki Kami thi bas (only this was left)
"Reem! What are you doing here?"
"I came here to buy the building, could you please help me with that?" I asked
"Huh?" He frowned
"I came to knock some sense into your brother's head, but unfortunately his brain damage is beyond repair" I said, his face hardened
"He is my brother! Show some respect to him" he narrowed his eyes at me
"Seriously? Respect? He doesn't deserve it, and he proved it again"
"What happened?"
"He ruined Ayesha's birthday, Sufiyan prepared so much for her and he dragged her out from there" I said angrily, he sighed
"What he did was correct!" He said and my eyes widened
I take my words back, Izhaan is no better than Athar, both the brothers are equally horrible
"How can you say that?" I said, he held my arms
"Look! He loves Ayesha, and for a guy it is impossible to see the love of his life with somebody else. So what he did was justifiable." He said softly, I was staring at him in disbelief, I removed his hands from my arms
"Wow! What a mentality you have got! I can't believe, I spent days constantly thinking about a guy like you"
"Reem you were thi..."
"I thought you were an honest lawyer, but sadly law is just a joke for you" I taunted, he turned serious
"Don't say that"
"Why? You just said your brothers actions were justifiable! Breaking things in someone's property is justifiable, right? And assaulting the staff is also justifiable? And threatening to kill someone while pressing the knife on his throat is so justifiable. Hats off to you and to your brother" he looked at me wide eyed
"What are you saying?"
"Don't do this drama in front of me now, I am so done with you, I don't even want to see your face" I walked away from him, I heard him calling my name, but I didn't stop I sat in my car and drove straight home.
Athar has been proving himself worse and worse, but I was shocked with Izhaan. How can he support Athar? I can't handle them right now. I decided what I have to do now
When I entered the house, I found dadi and maa sitting on the sofa, I went straight to them
"Assalamualaikum " I said
"Walekum assalam "
I sat next to them and after making the small talks for a while, I came straight to the point, and once I got what I wanted, I thank them and left from there.
I entered Athar's room, Ayesha was sitting on the bed reading something, she looked up as I entered
"Reem! When did you come?" She asked, ignoring her I walked into her closet, she followed me, I opened her cupboard, some clothes fell down
"What are you doing?" She asked, I stayed quiet and took out a small trolley bag and begin packing her clothes, I was picking up random clothes one by one, wrapping them around my hand to make a round then I stuffed in the suitcase, Ayesha held my hand
"What's going on?" She asked
"I'm packing your clothes" I said
"I can see that, but why you doing it?"
"We are going to our house, right now" her eyes widened
"What? We were supposed to go next week"
"And you were supposed to tell me everything" I snapped at her
"What did I hide?" She looked confused, I scoffed
"I met Sufiyan today, he told me what you should have told me" her expression changed when she realized what I was talking about. I went near her and held her hand
"Why? Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to, and I tried too but you had a headache that night, and I didn't want to give you any more stress"
I remember that. I sighed
"You should have told me, my headache was not more important than this, you suffered alone. And he blocked sufiyan's number from your phone?"
" I did that myself. The way he behaved that night, the rage I saw in his eyes shook me and I know that he is capable of doing what he says. I don't want to keep bringing Sufiyan in between. That is why I blocked him and I think it is better, if he stays away from me."
"It should be your decision if you want to be in his life or not. Why Athar has to impose his thoughts on you?"
"He's a maniac. I am so fed up with him. Reem honestly, I don't even want to talk about him. He's a horrible person" she said, I sighed
"Even i can't handle the drama of the Brothers right now, I have taken the permission from maa and dadi for both of us, We both need a break from them, get your stuff together. We are leaving in half an hour" I said
"Ok"
" I'm going to my room to pack my stuff. I'll see you in 10"
"Should I go and talk to dadi and maa myself?"
"Upto you" I said and then left to my room.
We got our stuff together and made a way downstairs to leave. Dadi, maa and Hayat were in the living room, we bid good bye to them
Hayat was sad about us going, but we promised that once her exams finish we will take her out somewhere.
*****
.
Izhaan's POV
.
"Are you gonna tell me why you are sulking? Ever since you have come to the office, you are just sitting quietly and throwing daggers at me" Athar asked
I stayed quiet because I didn't want to create a scene in the office, I was furious at Athar
"How can you not tell me what you did in the restaurant when you went to get Ayesha?" I asked, he sighed
"Reem told you?" He asked
"That's irrelevant. You did not tell me the truth, and like a stupid person. I was standing there defending you while you have been so wrong all the while"
"How can I be wrong?"
"The reason to get angry was not wrong but the way you have acted it was extremely wrong"
"I couldn't see her with him"
"So! You will destroy everything? Do you even realize how big the problem would have become if the restaurant decided to press the charges against you? our family would have got insulted. You cannot threaten to kill anyone. God forbid, if something happens to that person. You will be the first suspect" I shouted
"Isi liye nahi batana tha mujhe tumhe, wakeel giri jhaadte rahoge ab (this is why I didn't want to tell you, now you will just keep showing off your advocacy)"
"Athar! Why are you not realizing what you have done is not correct? And never repeat it in future"
" If you don't want me to keep repeating it in future then you have to keep her away from him" I looked at him then I rolled my eyes. Nothing can be done with him.
Reem got upset with me. She thought that I knew everything and even then I supported him. I have to tell her the truth. Otherwise she will just stay mad at me.
We reached home, I parked my car and went in the house. Athar was with me.
"Assalamualaikum " I said loudly when I saw everyone in the living room
"Walekumassalam"
We sat there for a while, my eyes were wandering around. I wanted to see her. It's been half an hour and she was still not here. I have to go in the room now.
"I'm going to freshen up" I said
"Dadi! Reem bhabhi and Ayesha bhabhi have reached safely, I just spoken to Reem bhabhi" hayat came shouting
Reached safely? I was confused, but before I could say anything, Athar asked
" Where have they gone?"
"As if you don't know" hayat rolled her eyes
" Just tell me" He asked getting annoyed
"They have gone to Abdullah uncle's house?" She replied
"When will they return?" I asked
"What is wrong with both of you, you guys are behaving as if your wives never talk to you" hayat said showing irritation
"Just tell Hayat" I said
"Reem bhabhi and Ayesha bhabhi have gone to Abdullah uncle's house for a week. Ok?"
"What? A week?" Athar and I said in unison
"What's wrong?" Maa asked.
"I'm going to freshen up" I got up and left from there
I came to my room, I was feeling so angry, what is this way, Just one fight and she's already running away? I took out my phone to call her, but my ego didn't let me , Let her be, I will also not talk to her.
****
It felt like after ages I was lying down on my bed, sleep was far away from my eyes. I was restless after a long while of tossing and turning. I got up and went to Athar's room
He was already lying down on the bed, but he was also awake. I laid besid him. I tried falling asleep, but I couldn't.
"Can you stop fidgeting, you are irritating me" he said
" Just shut up. I'm restless because of you, Reem fought with me because of you, she went from here because of you, and now I can't sleep, because of you"
"Akele nahi gayi hai woh, meri biwi ko bhi le gayi (She has not gone alone. She took my wife along)"
"Galti tumhari hai to ab chup raho (You are at fault so now just shut up)"
I don't know what was happening to me. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to talk to her but at the same time I didn't want to lower myself so much in front of her, but then bowing my head down to my love doesn't seem like a bad idea, but she doesn't realize my worth.
Ugh!! I'm going crazy..
Kuch bhi ho jaye mai use nahi manaunga, woh gayi kyun yahan se (I will not convince her come what may, she shouldn't have gone from here).
Please vote and comment