•||Chapter 20: Surprise And A New Beginning||•
|| S A I M ||
I glanced at my beautiful Begum getting ready for her friend's wedding then glared at the mail on my laptop. If not for this urgent work, I might have joined my Begum.
I opened WhatsApp on my phone then typed in the group that Mohsin and Laraib made.
"999 ways to woo your wife"
Saim: You two better take care of my wife. @Mohsin @Laraib.
I at both of them gloomily and wished to scold my employees for not taking care of this simple work.
Besides Mohsin and Laraib, Vivian was also in this group which was useless. He didn't need to know anything about wooing his wife when he had already wooed her into marrying him. There was only one miserable person in this group who was me.
"Ok. I'm coming," My Begum's voice pulled me out of my misery.
She was answering the servant standing in front of the door. I put my laptop aside and stood up quickly to escort my Begum to the car, who just glanced at me. With reluctance I watched my parents' car pulling out of the gate and disappearing from my view.
With murderous thoughts after parting with my Begum, I made my way inside the house. I could feel the servants moving away from my view with caution. I changed into my suit then took my laptop and went to dad's study room to deal with the work and all important conferences that had to happen today out of all the other useless days.
It was so good to see my employees and subordinates trying to deal with my mood as they were reporting about the projects whilst Vivian was enjoying my downcast mood with the most stupid smirk on his face.
Every now and then my gaze fell on my phone that was beside the laptop. Seeing the black screen, the frown on my face became more visible with each gaze fell on it.
These meetings were so long that we discussed the process of projects and then I held conferences with the USA branch till midnight. I was supposed to be in London, in our headquarters but I couldn't leave before Eid since it would be our first Eid after marriage and leaving my Begum here was out of the question.
After mailing the contact information of the people I got from the exhibition and giving instructions to my assistant, I made my way to our room. I rubbed my eyebrows tiredly and twirled the paper flower in my other hand as I opened the door. Seeing my Begum already sleeping, I put the paper flower on the side table beside her, then went to the wardrobe to change into a night suit and laid beside her with a helpless sigh.
"Good night, Begum." I whispered lightly.
Taking another sigh I turned to the other side of bed, our backs facing each other and closed my eyes.
The next day I opened my eyes slowly then turned to the other side. Seeing it empty, I woke up quickly and sat up. I glanced at the clock and got up quickly after seeing it was afternoon. I made the bed properly then changed into my tracksuit and went downstairs to look for my Begum.
There she was, talking with mom in the living room. They both were looking at the phone and commenting about something.
"You wake up finally. Come and see. Isn't he your friend from London? You didn't tell us about his marriage. You should go to his reception today. Afterall, he is also becoming our business partner," Mom handed me her phone.
In confusion I took the phone from her and looked down at the picture. My eyes zeroed at the groom, feeling the flames of rage rising in me and wanting to punch his face blue and purple.
"I didn't know he was your friend until Phupho told me... I saw Saba there too but she wasn't looking well," My Begum told me, frowning.
I handed the phone back to mom and looked at my Begum, wanting to tell her about Faisal but I feared that if I spoke, it'd be harsh words dipped in anger. Controlling my anger, I just sat with them silently and listened to their conversation while worrying about Saba.
"Ah! ...You haven't had breakfast yet. I'll have someone arrange a light brunch for you."
I looked at my Begum to make sure, was it really her, worrying about my meal. I nodded my head before she changed her mind and watched her disappear from the living room.
"I don't think there is a need for brunch when it's already time for lunch," Mom put her elbow on the couch headrest and her chin on her palm, looking at me interestingly.
"How can I say no when it's the first time my Begum is worried about me skipping a meal!" I smiled at her and watched her eyes lit up.
"Begum!" She sang, repeating how I addressed my wife.
"Oh my God! I can't believe my son is finally whipped," She fanned her face, laughing happily at me.
• • •
I stared at the girl who was always happy and spreading happiness everywhere with her presence. She was looking like her normal self, happy go girl, but her eyes were telling that there was a part of her happiness snatched from her.
"You can resign and join my company," I gave her an offer for not having to work with the person who gave her deep wounds.
She laughed at my offer and shook her head with a smile, not showing any mark of pain.
"I'm not that weak, Saim. But thank you for this offer. I'll be alright. I can't run away forever. And if anyone, it has to be him not me," She told me, patting my arm with a hand which once had a beautiful ring in the ring finger.
"Besides, what's the point of crying when I have no one to wipe my tears," She added, nonchalantly.
"Saba. Your brother is still alive," I looked into her eyes.
She stilled for a second then smiled at me.
"Don't tell your wife. His wife is Mehrun's friend. Bury this all here and bless both of them with a happy future."
How much strength and might these women have to bury their past with a smile was still a mystery to me. I had seen my Begum picking and collecting herself after Shaizum, and now I was witnessing another woman picking herself to face her ex calmly.
"She has a right to know," Both my Begum and Anmol had the right to know about Faisal.
I didn't want my Begum to worry about anything but this situation was something that would affect her too.
"Please don't."
• • •
I put gajra for my Begum beside her dupatta silently and went to get ready for my dearest and good friend's reception.
Seeing the color of my Begum's dress, I matched my tie, cufflinks, socks and handkerchief with her. I was folding my handkerchief when she pulled it from my hands gently and started to fold it another way.
I watched the moments of her hands and her attention, hiding the smile whilst feeling over the moon inside. She folded it in a flower design and tried to hand it to me but I didn't extend my hand.
She looked up at me whilst I arched my brow at her. She looked like in a serious dilemma then stepped near me, making my hands itchy to hold her tiny waist and taking in her fragrance. I watched her eyelashes flutter like a butterfly and wanted to touch them too but held myself back, telling this was not the time yet.
Baby steps...
With a butterfly touch, she put the flower fold handkerchief in my breast pocket then stepped back quickly with slight pink cheeks besides her blush-on.
"I'll wait outside," I cleared my throat and quickly excused myself before I changed from baby steps to big adult steps with her.
I leaned against the railing looking down at the empty hallway and taking deep breaths. There was a pat on my back making me look at my right side as Ammi stood beside me.
"I appreciate what you are going to do for her," Ammi nodded towards the direction of my room where my Begum was getting ready.
"I want to give her some sense of security. I can only give her material security right now since mental and other psychological security is out of reach for time being," I sighed, hoping what I had planned, helped her with her unconscious insecurities.
"What you are doing takes a big amount of self esteem," She patted my shoulder and gave her blessings.
Seeing her tired, I helped her to her room and spent time with her talking till my Begum was ready.
"Rest well, Ammi," I kissed on her head and went out of her room.
Seeing my Begum near the first step of the staircase fixing her dupatta, I felt my breath stuck. Her each moment was engraving on my mind and telling me how it would reflash in my mind at night, torturing me.
A part of me wanted to hide her from the world just for myself and gave her everything she deserved.
"Phupho and Uncle left," She looked behind and informed me softly.
I nodded my head slowly and tried to pull myself away from her spell, following her till we reached my car. I pulled the door for her quickly then went to the other side.
I drove to the venue, glancing at her every now and then from the corner of my eyes silently.
We both were walking inside when she held my arm tightly. I looked down at her and saw her staring at her heel whose strap was opened. I held her hand from my arm and kneeled in front of her, I grabbed her tiny ankle and put her foot on my knee to close her heel's strap.
"How romantic!"
"Why didn't I see you do this to me last month when my shoes were opened?"
The passerby hush voices sounded, making me glance at my shy Begum. I stood up and took her inside calmly. After greeting everyone, we made our way to the bride and groom.
Seeing me in front of him, Faisal's eyes widened a little then he turned his head to my Begum.
"You...?"
"My wife," I answered, holding the anger.
Not wanting to show my ugliest side to my Begum, I took him from Bride.
"I'll be back," I watched him informing his wife, Anmol, then looked back at me with a little fear and restlessness.
When we reached a remote side of the garden behind the hall, I threw a punch at his chest without wasting a second. I wanted to aim for his face but I had made a promise to not tell anyone about his dirtiest behavior.
"You are really lucky. If my wife wasn't your wife's friend and I didn't want to make my wife worry, I would have ruined every single part of your body except this face," I snapped at him after punching him enough.
He laid there, coughing and rubbing his chest where I hit him. I turned around and went to the washroom to fix my clothes and hair, without helping him.
I pulled the handkerchief out which I had ruined its folds.
What the hell had I done?
Relationship progress: My Begum folded my handkerchief beautifully in flower shape on her own but I RUINED IT.
»»»●«««
|| M E H R U N ||
After Saim and Faisal went away, Anmol came and joined us.
"How were the back muscles? The abs?" Laraib asked Anmol, wriggling her brows at Anmol.
I looked at Anmol with interest and watched her smiling with shyness.
"Hard but... You got the meaning," Anmol looked at Laraib, winked blushingly.
I looked at the two of them and waited for them to elaborate in detail but they just talked to each other with eyes and brows, testing my patience.
"Girlsss.."
They both turned to me then glanced at each other then again looked at me, bursting in giggles.
"Tell me what you two were talking so silently with eyes and eyebrows?" I whined.
"Just touch Saim's muscles and you'll find," Anmol winked at me teasingly.
"Right. I heard from Mohsin that Saim works out and has many muscles," Laraib added in sync after Anmol.
I titled my head and looked at them nonchalantly. They both were trying to draw my attention away and not telling the secret details between them.
"Just look at your man. Don't you want to touch his muscles and feel it. Those abs and back muscles," Laraib fanned her face with her hands and nodded her head sideways towards the crowd.
I looked away from them and looked for Saim unconsciously. My blank brain was making me search for him in this crowd. There he was entering the hall with no expressions on his face. There was a touch of coldness in his eyes too which I found smexcy on him, just like any cold male protagonist of a novel.
I quickly put a halt on my thoughts and looked away from him before he caught me eyeing him.
What was I thinking?
I looked back at both girls while mentally scolding myself and saw both of them talking to each other with eyes, smiles and eyebrows again.
"I hate you both," I pouted and stood up.
Ignoring both of them for teasing me by doing this in front of me, I made my way towards Saim. He stood right in front of me making me face his chest. This was the second time today I felt him so tall making me think my 5'2 ft. was really too short. But facing his chest right now made me replay both Anmol's and Laraib's words.
Shit!
I mentally facepalmed myself then took a step back quickly and noticed his breast pocket was empty. I glanced up at him and saw a tiny bit of misery in his eyes other than his cold face. I saw the handkerchief in his hand and pulled it gently to fold it again.
I folded it in another flower shape then adjusted it in his pocket on my own this time and stared into his eyes.
"Are you alright?" I asked him softly, sensing his anger.
He hummed, nodding his head without taking his eyes off me. The attention he gave me was always palpitating my heartbeat. The whole event I stayed beside him, not wanting to leave him torturing in anger, and bearing the amusing gazes of my both friends.
This was all I could do for him since he had been here for me and made me comfortable around him.
• • •
A whole month of Ramadan passed away, taking many beautiful memories with it. Like every Ramadan, I made a big table of Futoor (Iftar) for the whole family and my friends on the 27th of Holy Month. This was my last Ramadan with everyone here in Pakistan because our tickets had been confirmed right after Eid.
And Eid was today.
It was 6 am.
Both Saim and I were getting ready for Eid prayer, feeling a bit down for leaving everyone so soon.
"Begum, you haven't given me a gift," Saim stated, staring at me with a smile.
This 'Begum' would be the death of me one day. Everytime he called me Begum, I felt something inside me ripple. He had been doing a great job in helping me forget everything. I wished to repay him back but there was still a small lock left on my heart which wasn't unlocking. I tried to unlock it many times but the key had been lost somewhere.
"What do you want?" I asked him in confusion, thinking about what to give him while staring at him, sorting already sorted things perfectly, through the mirror.
Another thing I learnt about him, he had a mild OCD and punctuality.
"Let me post a picture of us."
I paused with the lipstick in my hand near my lips. Not answering him rightway, I applied lipstick then made my hair unfocused.
"It's best if your identity as my husband is kept hidden," I mumbled without looking at him but could feel his eyes and attention on me the whole time.
"But it's best if I post our picture. With my identity, it will not be bad," He told me softly.
"I don't want to make you a target of public opinion. It's better to leave it like this. We are already going to leave everything here. No one will know about me there," I was not ready to throw him under the bus.
"Begum, everyone there also uses the same social apps. Whatever happens will be on me. Besides with my identity I can handle it. Just give me my eidi," He asked me so softly and gave me a smile.
It wasn't like his usual smile or was it that it was the first time I noticed how heart-melting smile he had. I was finding myself getting a bit lost in that heart-melting smile and now I could finally put a picture whenever reading about smiles like these in novels.
"What about my eidi?" I changed the topic while trying to lock my necklace.
He moved behind me and took the necklace from hands gently and locked it securely.
"Wait till noon."
I had been waiting for my Eidi and glanced towards the door or hallway, anticipating Saim's return. After Eid prayer, all the men left for the graveyard to visit my late grandparents and they would be returning anytime now. I had been waiting for my Eidi since early morning.
"Mehrun, have you made firni?" Ammi entered the living room slowly and asked me with a smile.
I nodded my head and got to help her on the couch. She held my hand as she sat and slipped a thick envelope.
"Your Eidi."
I thanked her quietly and felt excited for eidi. Few minutes later Saim and all the men returned, and my parents followed behind them.
When everyone sat after Eid-hugging, a servant came with a tray of gajra and distributed it among all the ladies. Since it was the first Eid after marriage, Saim and I got a lot of Eidi from everyone but I was only anticipating the Eidi he promised earlier.
He smiled with the same heart-melting smile as he looked at me then he looked at his dad, Arash Uncle.
"Dad." He lowered his voice while calling Uncle who nodded at him back then stood up.
Uncle excused himself then left the living room. Minutes later he returned with a file in his hand and handed it to Saim who got up then came towards me. He stopped in front of me then handed me the file.
"Eid Mubarak!"
I looked up at him in confusion while everyone around us quietened down. I opened the file slowly and read the documents, trying to interpret all the words. My hands holding the file trembled slightly as I felt I held a very hot and heaviest weight. With widened eyes and breath held, I looked up at him.
"You..."
"What did he gift?" Dad asked me, cluelessly when I couldn't speak properly.
I passed the file to dad silently without breaking eye contact with Saim.
"Transfer of inheritance rights and shares?" Dad asked shockingly.
"I'm giving everything that belongs to me to her. My family's company will belong to her after my father and the company under me belongs to her now. And the shares and all properties I held are now hers. I'm officially penniless," Saim stated and chuckled, staring into my eyes while all I could hear was my own heartbeat.
• • •
I rubbed my swollen eyes and felt emotional again for leaving everything behind and moving to London with Saim. I pulled the zip up while looking around the biggest airport then at Saim who came to me with hot coffee and handed it to me.
"Our other luggage will be delivered to us. Let's go," He looked into my eyes with a frown but didn't say anything about my eyes.
I stood up and followed him to his car which he had called. On the way he was telling me about the places we passed and some of his memories which helped me forget my emotions.
"And this is our house."
I looked outside as the car drove in through the gate where in a beautiful font it was written on a golden plate towards the basement.
Amore Vita.
It was Italian, meaning love life. Once the car stopped in the basement where his other cars were also parked, we both got out one by one. Upon entering the main floor, I stared at everything in awe.
"It's more beautiful than the pictures," I whispered, looking at the beautiful architecture of this glass mansion.
"Wait until you see all the rooms," He nodded his head towards the stairs.
Once we started the tour, I was left in speechless awe with all the details. This was just like a dream house, a huge mansion with a 3 level pool and with so many different entertainment rooms. He showed me around the house, introducing me with the latest technology he equipped but there were only two places I fell in love with. One was obviously the library and the second was the kitchen.
I could imagine myself cooking and baking happily in this kitchen. Seeing the neat and clean, fully equipped with latest technology kitchen, my hands were itching to cook something and making me forget all the tiredness from travel.
"There are houseworkers too but they lived in the building behind."
I nodded my head but making a mental list of dishes I should cook everyday.
What I didn't know was that while I was just busy with the list here, there was a silent storm coming slowly, pulling me in.
. . . . . . . . . .
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