20th August, 2019
An year later.
Istanbul, Turkey.
"Yes Mr. Charles. My secretary will send the documents to you by evening. Pleasure to be working with you."
"I had thought that the official contract signing will be done face to face Mr. Ibrahim?"
"Sorry to have disappointed you but please try to understand that I'm currently out of the country but since work needs my attention, I'm managing it somehow."
"Just saying Mr. Ibrahim. But I'm happy to have signed this deal with you. I hope we succeed together."
"I hope so too. Have a good day Mr. Charles."
"You too Mr. Ibrahim."
Cutting the call, he tossed his cellphone in his trouser pocket and getting his hoodie over his head, he stepped out of his apartment as he locked it behind him. Descending the stairs, he headed out of his apartment building and began walking to the nearby convenience store to get himself something to eat. It was afternoon time and as usual Shumail had skipped his breakfast not wanting to eat and now not being able to control his hunger, he stepped out to buy himself some junk food to eat and kill his hunger.
While walking down the road to the store, he connected his call to his secretary and plugged in his ear pods and waited for her to answer the call as he continued to walk with his hands stuffed in his hoodie.
"Good morning Ms. Rose. It's me. How's the work going?" He questioned.
"Good morning Sir. I'm trying my best to take care of everything and report every detail to you. How are you doing?" His secretary spoke from the other end and for a moment Shumail felt bad for have given all the major responsibilities to her, though he had assigned two more persons to share her work load but since the CEO being gone, it was but natural that work was hard to get done.
"Well I'm not doing really well but who cares!" He mumbled under his breath.
"Oh! I'm absolutely good Ms. Rose." He answered with fake enthusiasm. "Well I called to inform you that I have faxed you the signed documents. So be sure to deliver it to Mr. Charles secretary yourself."
"Will do that Sir."
"Good. See you then."
"Sir?" He was about to cut the call, when his secretary suddenly spoke. "Aahil Sir, Zaid Sir and Shahmeer Sir have been visiting the office regularly to inquire about you. They keep pleading me to give them your contact number. What should I do?" His secretary questioned and hearing that, amidst his pain a smile spread across his lips, knowing that there are at least three person in his life who actually care about him.
"Next time they come, tell them I'm coming back this week."
"Really Sir? That's such a relief." Came his secretary's voice, and he could feel her taking in a breath of relief.
"Anything else?" He questioned.
"Should I inform Mrs. Ibrahim too?"
On the mention of Eram's name, all the memories began coming back to him which he had tried his best to bury deep down in his heart in the past one year. Shumail felt his heart twist in pain as he closed his eyes for a brief moment before he opened them and looked ahead. His gaze landed on an aged couple who were coming his way, holding hands and seeing them, he couldn't help but remember the little time he spent with Eram.
Shumail knew he was fooling himself but he couldn't stop himself from walking towards Eram, which eventually resulted in his heartbreak.
Shumail knew the truth well enough but he still chose to walk on the path which he knew was going to hurt him badly.
And that's what actually happened.
"Sir?" He was brought out of his thoughts as he quickly shook his head and tried to get rid of all her thoughts.
"Umm no. No need to do that." Shumail said. "Ok then. I'll get going." He said and cut the call. He had reached the store by the time the call ended as he opened the door and entered, walking to the food section. He picked up some random cup noodles and a bottle of juice and went to pay for it.
"Fincan erişte tekrar?" The cashier spoke, shaking his head at Shumail while Shumail just gave him a smile. "Tekrar kahvaltıyı atladığını sanırım?"
(Cup noodles again? Guess you skipped your breakfast again?)
"Umarım fincan erişte günlük olarak yenirse sağlık için iyi olmadığını biliyorsundur." The cashier said while packing the noodles and juice in a bag.
(I hope you know that cup noodles are not good for health if eaten on a daily basis.)
"Biliyorum." Shumail replied handing him the money for it.
(I know.)
"O zaman neden hep onları yersin?" The cashier questioned, raising his eyebrows at Shumail.
(Then why do you always eat them?)
"Sadece hayatta kalmak için." Shumail answered and getting the bag from him, he walked out of the store and began walking back to his apartment.
(Just to survive.)
When he reached his apartment, he quickly headed to the kitchen and put on a saucepan to boil some water for the cup noodles. When the water was boiling hot, he poured the water in the cup and let it rest for a minute or two. He digged in right away after the noodles were done. His mind wandered to his home back in Toronto and to his friends as he placed his fork down and stopped eating. He was missing them badly and wanted to return to them as soon as possible. Being all alone in a totally different country without anyone by his side, he had almost went crazy if not for the office work that kept him busy. He had even given up on his company, not wanting to work and wanted to be left alone but he had thousands of employees to take care off who were dependant on him, and just for them he took his responsibilities back again.
Walking to the living room, he got his ipad which was placed on the couch carelessly and walked back to the kitchen and sat on his chair. He placed his ipad in front of him and connected the call to the three of them and began eating again, waiting for them to answer it.
The three answered the call and the screen flashed their faces while he could be seen on their screens as he ate his noodles.
Shumail waved them a "Hi", his mouth full with the noodles, and the first thing he heard was a gasp from the three on seeing him.
"What have you been doing? What is wrong with your face?" Zaid almost screamed and cursed at him on seeing his dull pale face with his eyes having dark circles underneath them, his eyes looking totally hollow. His cheekbones were visible more prominently due to the weight loss and skipping of food. He looked skinny. He looked a total mess.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Shahmeer exclaimed, his blood boiling in anger at Shumail and in that moment he wanted to punch Shumail right in the face for leaving them without a notice and not contacting for a whole year. "This is what we get for caring about you? I don't even know how badly I'll beat you if you come in front of me! What have you been doing!"
Shumail swallowed quickly to answer them both when Aahil cut him off as he spoke, "Don't you say a word! You left home, you left the country, you left us. You left everything behind and didn't even took effort to make a call? You have seriously lost your mind to take such a step." Aahil scolded. "You better not come in front of me. I don't know what I'll do to you." Aahil's voice clearly showed how much angry he was with Shumail for leaving them like that. "What took you an year to contact us. You changed your number, don't reply to emails, we don't even know where you went! As if you wanted to erase yourself from our lives!"
"I didn't wanted you guys to hack down my location and come searching for me. Changing number was a must. I wanted to be alone." Shumail answered.
"You idiot! You've seriously lost your mind." Zaid shouted at him. "Why did you wanted to leave us and be alone in the first place!"
Shumail pursed his lips together and went silent. He didn't had an answer to give.
"Where are you? Tell me! I'm coming right now to beat you to pulp." Zaid threatened. "Look at what you've done to yourself!"
Shumail let out a small laugh. "I'm fine guys. Look I'm alive right in front of your eyes, aren't I?" He spoke, giving them a smile. "And don't worry I've decided to return back."
"Really?"
"Are you serious?"
"When?"
The three questioned at the same time and he smiled again at them. "I can't wait anymore. I'm coming tomorrow. I'll land in the evening at 8." Shumail informed.
"You made the right decision. Please come back." Zaid had tears in his eyes as he spoke and looking at him, Shumail felt emotional too as his eyes brimmed with tears.
"And you call me a drama queen." Shumail commented, looking at Zaid's crying face, which Zaid was quick to wipe and sober up.
"I'm missing my drama queen very badly." Zaid said.
"Wait until tomorrow." Shumail said and waved them a bye before he ended the call, as he finished the remaining noodles and chucked down the juice.
***
"I know."
Eram stood numb in her place when she heard those two words coming out of his lips. Her eyes were wide in horror as her mind processed the words and upon realising, she was confused how he knew, she was afraid of him, she feared his anger but the bigger part of her which had unknowingly fallen for him was tearing apart on the very thought of losing him.
"I don't run a business for nothing." Shumail said, finally turning to face her. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he looked right in her eyes as if he could read through her but his gaze being intimidating, Eram's eyes automatically shifted to the floor as she fidgetted with her fingers, trying to think how to explain the situation to him.
"I became suspicious of you on our very second meeting. I had caught you stealing glances at me before you collided with me at the crossing. Your eyes were different, as if analysing something." Eram's eyes were widened a second time when she heard him. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. "That suspicion gave rise to the question 'What you were doing alone at the lonely highways?' Because when I had hit you with my car, I was on the highways. People don't normally go walking on highways, do they? I questioned myself the same but couldn't get an answer. Of course I had to do my search. I thought of letting it slide thinking of it as my overthinking but our so called 'accidental meets' which were actually 'planned meets' began increasing and that's when my suspicion got more strong."
"Then why did you kept silent all this time?" Finally finding some courage in her, Eram questioned him in a small voice slowly looking up at him and meeting his eyes.
"Stupid of me right?" Shumail let out a dry laugh as he questioned to her. "I guess because somewhere deep down I wanted you to trust me and come to me, and tell me about everything yourself."
"You married me even after knowing everything? Have you perhaps..."
"No!" He was quick to answer her even before she finished her sentence. "It was solely for Zain."
Eram''s head snapped in his direction on the mention of her brother's name and her hands went to her mouth as she cupped her mouth in shock.
"How did you..?" She couldn't finish her sentence. She felt ashamed realising that he knew all her lies but still was silent, wanting for her to come to him herself. "That means when you asked me who was Zai after I had the nightmare, you knew already that..."
Shumail snickered. "Of course. In all this, I actually pitied you to have fallen in my wicked aunt's trap and I was feeling sorry for you. I guess whatever I did was to apologise to you for my aunt's wrongdoings? I guess yeah.."
Didn't knew whether he was trying to fool the world or himself, by not accepting the fact that somewhere in all this mess he had fallen for her?
Yeah...!
That's why he wanted to keep her near him.
That's why he wanted for her to come to him and tell him everything herself, so that he could forgive her.
But does everything happen according to our will? Sometimes no...
Assalamualaikum guys
I know I'm late. Couldn't find time to write down.
I hope you understand.
The chap is not edited so please bear with me -_-'
Coming back to chap...Shumail's finally returning!!!!! Yaay!
Who's excited? Me!!!
The whole truth will be revealed in bits and parts in the upcoming chaps so be patient :D
Shoot down your thoughts on the chap!
Until next time...gule gule!