"When life shuts the door at you , open it again. That is how life works. You aren't suppose to give up".
~Unknown.
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Asad stared at Aneesa as she stood by the door dressed in a simple lilac dress.
He showed no emotion as she introduces herself. He just continued signing his papers.
Anas' accident made him turn void again and he didn't bother to hide it.
Nothing seemed to fascinate him anymore.
It's like each time he gets close to someone, death will come and take them away.
"Is there anything I can help you with Sir?"... her voice caught his attention.
He stared at his mother look alike and shook his head.
He wanted to ignore her but just shrugged it off.
When he was done signing his papers, he checked the time and saw it was pass noon which means Hiba was done with school.
He was feeling lazy and didn't want to go and pick her up.
Had it been Anas was here, he would have gladly picked up Hiba without Asad asking him .
Asad missed the guy but did not let it bother him.
"You should get my schedule from my secretary, Fatima. Tomorrow come early. You will start working fully"... Asad instructed her in a formal manner as he stared at her.
She looked so much like his mother just darker and thinner.
"Okay sir"... She replied, her gaze was focused on the floor.
Asad cleared his throat and tore his gaze away from her.
He then left the office.
Walking out of the company and into his car was hell like for Asad because the paparazzi were always there waiting for him like flies.
He walked pass them and went straight into his car and took a seat at the passenger side.
Aneesa watched Asad through her new office window as the car drove away from the crowd and into an unknown road.
Aneesa walked out of her office and went to look for Asad's secretary.
'The company is quite big'.... She thought as she made her way into the secretary's office.
"Hi good afternoon"... Aneesa smiled at Fatima.
"Oh Salam..." Fatima smiled back as she greeted Aneesa.
"You must be Mr Asad's new P.A." ... Fatima says.
Rumors had spread round the company that Mr Asad's new P.A. was a female and a good looking one at that.
Aneesa only nods in agreement.
"Good, have a seat and let's talk. Let me put you through the do's and don't's around here before your head gets chopped off"...Fatima joked.
After Asad had taken Hiba home , he went straight to the mosque and prayed then he proceeded to the hospital to stay with his friend.
He met Kamal already there.
He stared at Anas heart beat on the holter monitor and saw that the rate of Anas heartbeat was dropping.
'Who did this to you?'... he asked himself the question that he always asks himself whenever he comes to see Anas.
The following day....
Asad went to the office a little bit late and met Aneesa cleaning his table.
The smell of roses instantly slapped his nostrils and welcomed him in.
'My mom use to smell like this'.. Asad remembered as he walked into the office.
"Good morning sir"... she stopped and addressed him formally before continuing what she was doing.
Asad did not reply, instead, his eyes landed on the flower that was placed in a vase on his table.
He has never seen that there.
'This is new'.. he told himself as he started at the hideous color of the flower.
It was pink.
As a matter of fact, it was the only colorful thing in his black office.
He then stared at Aneesa's clothing and notice it was a light shade of pink.
'She really enjoys wearing bright colors of clothes'.
Asad then sat down and started going through some files.
Aneesa left the office in the process and returned with a cup of ice coffee for Asad.
Asad raised a brow as she placed it on his table.
"Uhmm... your secretary told me all the things you do and what you like seeing people doing when you are around so I am trying to follow all of them"... she nervously says.
Asad only nodded in response and took a sip of his ice coffee.
It tasted different but in a good way.
It does not taste like the one that Fatima usually makes for him.
"You made this?"... Asad asked her.
She summoned up courage to stare at him and smile revealing her dimples.
Asad didn't know which one was more mesmerizing.
Her eyes or her smile?
She had a beautiful pair of charcoal black eyes and her smile...
It was one of the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
"Yes sir"... she answered.
"Don't smile at me again... you do not have a nice smile"... Asad warned her but who was he kidding.
Her smile did something to his cold heart and then she had dimples to.
Just like his mom did.
He loved dimples!
Aneesa was perplexed for a moment "I am sorry sir".
Asad heard the sadness in her voice but decided not to pry.
Aneesa then left the office in a quiet manner in order not to disturb Asad.
Asad didn't want her to leave but ignored that feeling.
He hates what her smile does to him, he hates that motherly feeling she gives off, he hates how lovely her eyes were.
He hates everything about her !
'Why was she even recruited in the first place?'... Asad asked himself.
After he was done going through the files, he gathered all the papers he was suppose to read and kept them in front of him.
They were over a thousand pages.
He picked his phone and called his secretary.
"Hello. Good morning Mr Asad"....She greeted.
"Morning, call Aneesa to my office"... Asad ordered and ended the call.
'I will make her over work till she gets tired and leaves. She is crazy if she thinks she can win a spot in my heart with that smile and those eyes'... Asad said to himself.
Minutes later, a knock came in.
"Come in"... Asad stated and watched Aneesa walk in.
"You left my office without my permission. Why?"... he decided to attack her.
Aneesa stared down "Ohh I am sorry sir".
"This is for you"... Asad ignored her apology and tapped the top of the papers.
"You are going to read all of it and summarize it then give it to me before the end of today"... Asad ordered.
Aneesa stared at the papers with wide eyes but said nothing.
She had a very important event to attend after she was done for the day and she saw that Asad's schedule was free so she wanted to leave early but this unexpected task just spoilt everything.
"Okay sir"... Aneesa's facial features became sad as she replied and stared down.
"You can take it and leave"... Asad ordered and Aneesa simple obeyed.
Asad then left the company and went to pick his cousin.
Later that night, he went back to the company and met Aneesa still summarizing the papers he gave her.
She was the only one that was still around... well with the security guards.
She froze for a split second when she saw him before calming down.
She thought it was the devil or something because of the black clothes and pale white skin.
"Good evening sir"... her gaze was focused on the papers she was summarizing.
"Evening. Are you still working on the papers?"... he asked even though he knew she was.
"Yes sir".
"You can stop here , it is past 10. Get ready , let me drop you off"... Asad stated and Aneesa simply nodded.
The duo went to the car and Asad turned on the ignition.
He sat at the driver's side while Aneesa sat behind so Asad seize the opportunity to stare at her through the gear mirror everything second he got.
Not that he wanted to . He just found himself doing it.
The drive was quiet and fast.
Asad kept on stealing glances, he wasn't sure why. He just did but he was somewhat glad that the drive was over.
He parked the car in front of her house and watch her open her door.
"Thank you sir"... she stated and walked out of the car and into her home.
Asad felt bad for keeping her till now but he didn't want her in his company and he didn't want to sack her either so he decided he will continue treating her this way till she leaves.
The following day, Aneesa came to work and met Asad already waiting for her.
He tapped his wrist watched when she neared him.
"You are late Miss Aneesa"... he pointed out.
She was not actually late , he just came earlier than usual.
"I am sorry sir"... she stared down.
Asad heaved a sigh and handed over a lots papers to her.
"You are going to call all these people and fix appointments with all of them.." He handed over another list to her.
"Then you will headed to the market and get me all this. I want everything to be done before noon"... Asad said with finality and walked away.
Aneesa stared at all list then at Asad as he walked into the elevator.
She heaved a sigh and walked into her office.
Asad watched her work tirelessly, calling people to book appointments with him and then buying the food stuff that he asked her for.
When she was back from the market, Asad made her account for each penny she spent and she ended up spending a long time explain everything to him but Asad deliberately did not pay attention.
In the process, hurting her feelings.
Asad ignored the fact that he hurt her feelings , instead he loaded her table with more work.
Aneesa did not complain to this, she simply did everything he asked her to do.
This made Asad curious to know.
'How long will she endure all this?'.
Days started going by and Asad kept on giving Aneesa difficult task to do and she kept on doing them without complaining , sometimes he would shout at her other times he would watch her work tirelessly then destroy her hard work then watch her cry and she will still quietly re-do the work and this only softened Asad's cold heart.
He even made her pick Hiba from school all the time and that made Hiba very happy as she was already fund of Aneesa and his Aunt Nafisa got to know her through Hiba.
Aneesa had now spent 5 months working with Asad and Anas had spent 6 months laying on the hospital bed.
He was healing which everyone was glad for but Big boss had other plans for Anas and long awaited his return.
"Have you finish the work?"... Asad asked Aneesa as they got into the elevator.
"Yes sir"... she addressed him formally in which Asad hated.
Aneesa was friendly and bubbly to everyone except him and he did not like it.
He grew fund of her as time went by and he felt like he was always looking at his mother.
He felt like he was always talking to his mother .
He felt like he mother was brought back to life and he was given a second chance to redeem himself but Aneesa always addressed him formally and he hated it.
'Why can't she ever be free with me'... he always thought.
She has never even called him by his name and he yearned to hear her say it.
He always thought it will sound just like the way his mother use to sound when she calls his name.
"Good"... he says as the elevator door closes and takes them to the fifth floor.
"Aneesa"... he called out her name softly.
"Yes sir?"... she replied, staring down as the tiled floor.
"Why are you not free with me?"... his question shocked Aneesa.
After all the way he has been treating her, how would she be able to be free with him.
At a certain point, she thought he has mental issues and he always scares her.
"I am sorry sir"... Aneesa stated.
"Stop calling me sir... it is driving me crazy"... Asad didn't know when he voiced it out.
"Oh I am sorry si- ... I .. I means boss"... Aneesa rephrased herself.
Asad released a sigh out of frustration and stared at her.
"No. Call me by my name. Call out my name . Please"... he pleaded.
"O..okay si-... I mean Mr Asad"... she replied but her eyes never left the ground and it was killing Asad.
"Aneesa please look at me"... he said calmly pleaded.
Aneesa slowly rose her head and stared at his unearthly handsomeness.
Her charcoal black eyes dilated in the process.
She then tore her gaze and stared at the tiles again.
Asad said nothing to this.
Instead, he started walking closer to her and she started walking backwards till her back hit the metallic wall of the elevator.
He pinned her with his left hand and cupped her cheek with his right.
"You are a beautiful lady. You remind me of my late mother Aneesa. You even have her name. I am not asking for much from you. All I ask is for you to be free with me. Please mom"... He gave her as small smile as he stared at her dead in the eyes.
His cloudy gray eyes were staring at her so tenderly and she couldn't help but stare back.
The elevator door then opened, interrupting their moment and Kamal appeared.
"Asad. I have been looking for you"... he smiled.
Asad suddenly moved away from Aneesa and gave his cousin a flat look.
'Thanks for interrupting us'...Asad fought the urge to roll his eyes.