❝ Aankhein Kehti Hai Baithe Tu Mere Rubaru
Tujhko Dekhun Ibaadat Karta Rahun
Tere Sajdon Mein Dhadke Dil Yeh Mera
Meri Saanson Mein Chalta Hai Bas Ek Tu ❞
Inaaya bit her lip and her eyes sparkled as her gaze followed the man she had intimidated multiple times. She held the glass of sparkling cider between her lips. He had somehow caught her interest. He was intimidated but not disrespectful or put off by Inaaya's strong nature. He hadn't flinched at who she was, which put her in a novel daze. In those few conversations, he hadn't mansplained to her anything or told her she was too loud or talked over her. She clinked the edge glass against her teeth as he walked to the bar area near her, unaware of her entertained gaze.
"Acha yeh to batao tum mujhse itna darte kyun ho." Her voice startled him as he whipped his head around. She bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Aap!" He greeted her with the utmost respect before thanking the bartender for the glass of iced water. "Aisa to kuch nahi hai." He took a sip from his glass, more like a gulp. Inaaya looked away to hide her amusement. "Aap thori na koi scalpel mafia ho." He put his glass back on the bar.
"haan woh to sirf hospital mein use karne k liye hai." Inaaya shrugged, he raised his eyebrows at her. "Kya?"
"Kuch nahi." He went back to his glass of water.
"Acha choro yeh batao tumhari koi wife waghaira no nahi?" Inaaya fully turned towards him and the poor guy choked on water. Inaaya wasn't the one to flirt with another woman's man so she made sure the coast was clear before she went marching in.
"Jee?" He coughed a little. "Uh No." He wiped his mouth carefully as his ears and face turned red.
"Fiancee?" He shook his head, his coal-black eyes stared back at her in confusion. "Girlfriend?" He shook his head again, nervously fixing the end of his suit jacket. "Mashkua? Nakaam mohabbat? pupho ki beti? bachpan ka pyar?" His answer was another no. Inaaya tilted her head to the side, scrunching her brows as she scanned him from head to toe. He was one hell of an attractive man with eyes dark like the bottom of the oceans, hair that matched the moonless midnight sky, and the suit fitted across the plains of his body perfectly. "Bachpan ki mangni to hogi hi hogi."
"Woh bhi nahi, Maharani Saheba." He faced her too seemingly enjoying her guessing game. He put his elbow on the bar, leaning on his side. There was just a small smile but still filled with nervousness.
"Phir to tum paka psychopath ho." Inaaya's shoulder's slumped as she failed in her guesses.
"For the record, Sclapel se aap logon ko threaten karti hai mai nahi." His eyes danced with amusement.
"Woh to mujhe ghussa aajata hai to pata nahi scalpel nikal jaata hai kahin se. Aaj nahi hai. Jo bolna hai bol do." She drowned the sparkling cider down her throat.
"Patients pe bhi?"
"Sirf tharki patients pe. Baqi everyone loves me." Inaaya's eyes had pure sparkle of pride and he sucked in his breath at the sight of it.
"Everyone?"
"Haan jee." She turned her head high, smiling.
"I can see why."
/////
Laila stood there stunned, watching his tall frame disappear down the grand staircase. The faded warmth of his lips still lingering on her forehead. Mein roz tumhare liye dua karta. She touched her forehead. Her fingers barely touching the spot where his lips had been pressed softly. What the hell just happened? She stayed for long minutes waiting for his return, but he never showed, leaving her to stew in emotions she never had the courage to touch. She curled her hand, clutching it against her chest as if trying to stop her heart from beating so fast.
The universe hasn't even given you a fickle of what you deserve.
Laila picked up the empty wine glass. Her fingers shook around it as she stared at the imprint of his lips on the edge of it. She placed it back on the table, curling her shaky hands. The world around her blurred as it caged her in a whirlpool of his words. She walked back into the banquet hall, but hardly she could see anything clear. She was nodding and smiling but all she could see was his words flashing like red and the way his touch caressed her forehead. He was drunk. He must be drunk. She pushed herself to believe that, terrified of thinking it meant something else.
"Miss Laila!" She whirled around, but it wasn't the voice she longed to hear. Sikander Behram Shah walked towards her as she composed herself. "There was something else that Mr. Ali mentioned. I wasn't able to discuss it in depth." She nodded waiting for him to elaborate further. "The legal documents for the orphanage kids. Mr. Ali mentioned that it was hard, even impossible for the kids to get the birth certificate or other forms to apply for the ID or passports..." Laila tried hard to focus, but the only thing she could remotely even figure out were just his lips moving. She had mentioned that problem with Ali Sir in passing and he had remembered to the point that he brought it to Mr. Shah's attention. What the hell was this man? She needed space and time to breathe and figure all this.
"... there is not much I can do right now, but I'll bring this matter up with my father as he is currently in the office. I will contact you once I hear more about it." Laila nodded, barely getting a thank you out in return as he excused himself and bid goodbye. Laila took a long leaning back against the wall. She closed her eyes, only to have those bloodred eyes flashing in front of her. She snapped opened her eyes.
"You okay, Lily?" Inaaya placed her hand on Laila's shoulder. Laila turned around wanting to spill her guts out, but it wasn't the place and time to open the pandora box of her fears.
"I'm in trouble, Niya." She helplessly stared back at her friend, who blinked back knowing too well what had happened when she heard those words back in college. Uh-Oh.
Agar mein aaj bhi dua mein yaqeen rakhta to mein roz tumhari Khushi Allah se maangta.
Laila stared at the ceiling searching for an ounce of sleep the second night. The comfort she found in her sleep usually was now lost somewhere. It didn't help that Inaaya was snoring next to her like a nuclear alarm as she slept like a damn log. Laila was two breaths away from smothering her with a pillow.
Mein roz yeh dua karta ke Allah tumhare har sans ke saath khushi likhe.
Aap kyun mere liye dua karte? Laila stared at her phone. The picture he had sent her long back with the raised glass. Aap to dua mein yaqeen bhi nahi rakhte. Her mind was at war with her heart, before she could even take a step, her mind reminded her of a thousand times she had been abandoned and left like she was nothing. And this man, She knew him more than she knew anyone at this point. He could get up and leave everything in a heartbeat. How could she entrust her feelings with him when the only thing mattered to him was his vengeance.
"Tu penguin ko ceiling se hata kar iska poster chipk do, at least meri neend to nahi haram hogi." Inaaya took her phone, stuffing it under the pillow, annoyed with the light.
"For your kind information. Yeh mera ghar, mera room, mera bed hai. Aur yeh blanket jo tune cheena hai, yeh bhi mera hai." Laila tried to pulled the blanket, but Inaaya rolled herself in it again. "Mujhe yeh nahi samajh aaraha, ek tumhara apartment hai uper se itna bara ghar, pr tu yahan aake musibat bani hui hai."
"Tumhe kyun itni takleef ho rahi hai. And FYI yeh mera bhi ghar hai." Inaaya huffed putting the pillow on her head.
"Kab choote gi tumse meri jaan." Laila snatched the blanket again, this time tightening it around herself so her friend couldn't snatch it.
"Aisi khushfehmiyan na pala karo. Jahez mein jaoongi tumhare saath." Inaaya's muffled voice made her roll her eyes.
"Pehle to mein shaadi karne wali nahi hoon. Doosra agar Allah Allah karke yeh muajza hogaya, to mein yeh apne mian se likhwa ke loongi ke sirf iss shart pe shaadi karni hai k woh mujhe iss pagal khaane se dooor le jaaye."
"Likhwa ke lelo mujh se. Tum apne isss 'miaan jeee' ko chor do gi pr humne ni chorne wali. Ab dafa ho aur mujhe sone do, kal meri long shift hai."
Laila shook her head as a soft smile touched her lips because Inaaya was right. No matter how much Laila complained at the end of the day Malka and Inaaya were two pieces of her heart she could never part herself from. She'd leave the entire world for the two. She laughed, fixing the blanket on her snoring friend before closing her eyes.
❧❧❧
The music was deafening around him, blanketing the laughter of all who were drunk or reaching that point. He wasn't one of them today, no, because he was in the uncertainty of his own. His words weren't slurring tonight, but his thoughts were blurry, too chaotic for his liking. The cigarette burned between the tips of his finger as he leaned against the cold wall. The memories he ran away from all these years weren't the ones he was running from anymore. It had hit him like a truck when it wasn't the red highlighted hair he was trying to forget. It wasn't the slurred voice whispering in his ears anymore. Not the shade of dark eyes he was running from.
No.
He looked for her. The eyes that spoke to him volumes every time he looked into them. The eyes that were ablaze with the warmth of the sun and they sparkled like the shooting stars. The warmth that curled around him, caging him. He no longer looked for red streaks vining between black hair.
No.
He looked for the hair held together on top of her head by a pin. The hair that were weaved together by the burnt sunsets. He looked for the hair partially covered with the 100-foot fabric. He looked for the wisps of hair that framed those light brown eyes.
But
It was a sin for him to bring her name in a place like this. She was far too sacred for him to whisper her name with alcohol soaked lips. She wasn't a woman to be chased after in a place like this. No. She was a woman to be asked for in prayers. She was a woman for a man whose heart wasn't stained with years of nicotine and alcohol. She was a woman for a man whose heart was ignited with the love for her God.
He was a sinner with no hope to find his way back to the God he lost. She wasn't meant for a sinner. Even if she was, he had no right to ask for her. No one he could pray to and beg for her.
He drowned the last of his drink as he smashed the end of his cigarette before turning away from one place that usually offered him a bit of peace. Today he couldn't even find his feigned peace.
Kash mein tumhe maang sakta. Kash mere haath gunahon se itne bhaari na hote, ke ab mein inhein tumhe maagne ke liye bhi nahi utha sakta. Kash mein tumhare Rab ke dar ko na chorta to aaj tumhe apne sajdon mein maangta. Kash. Per mein tumhein nahi maang sakta kyunke mere pass tumhe kuch nahi hai dene ke liye, siwaye gunahon ke.
❧❧❧
Laila rounded the car as Junaid smiled at her in acknowledgment. They were supposed to finalize the land today for the hospital. Laila paused for a second at the car door, taking a deep breath. Her hands were clammy when she opened the door. There he was leaning back in the seat with his eyes closed. She quietly sat in her seat as the car came back to life. He stayed still as he was. The jacket splayed on his lap. She glanced back at him. The shadows under his eyes had deepened. Did he never sleep or what? The stubble merely contained and hair as tousled as ever.
Laila kept her mouth shut as she kept herself busy with working on the iPad, letting him sleep. Over the hour, her eyes would find their way towards him, remembering what he had said to her on Saturday night. Part of her was dying to demand explanations for his actions. Though, The dominant part of her was hoping he was drunk enough to forget what happened and what he said. She shook her head trying to get rid of the conflicting thoughts.
Their destination was about an hour and a half away from them. The journey gave her the time to compose herself and remind herself that she was at work. The car came to halt waking her boss. Rubbing his eyes out of sleep, he turned around, blinking at her.
"Morning, Miss Laila." He furrowed his brows staring at her.
"Good Morning, Ali Sir." She sighed in relief seeing him in his usual mood. "Should I send flowers to Miss Sehar?" She asked the usual after-weekend question, but this time there was a burn on her tongue. She desperately hoped he didn't hear it.
"Uh, No." He mumbled getting out of the car. She scrunched her eyebrows staring at the empty space. While she did his expense report for the week the night before, it showed he went out to the bar this weekend and he usually went out with her so what happened? Whatever happened there was a certain type of coolness that spread through her, soothing the burn on her tongue. She took the iPad, her journal, and the documents that needed to be signed as she left the car to follow him.
The city of Harnoi was a paradox in itself. On one side of the highway, it was a gated affluent community with the highest literacy rate in the entire country while on the other side of the city was a refugee camp and an area where people had bare minimum access to basic facilities. Her unpredictable boss had decided to make the biggest not-for-profit hospital on the lower end of the city. It was all good in theory until he had decided that he was going to make it better than Saeed Regional, a private hospital that cost people an arm and leg just for one visit.
"This is ridiculous." She rubbed her forehead as she stared at the signed papers and acres of open land. She had been trying to knock some sense in him, but it was as if she was talking to a boulder. "Pehle to hum isko barely afford kar sakte hai aur agar ban bhi gaya to isko aap chalaein ge kaise. How will you even fund this hospital to keep it running?"
"None of your business." He sucked on the end of the cigarette.
"None of my business? Really? I worked on getting the contract so it is my business. It is my business till the day I'm employed by the company." She pulled the stupid cigarette from his lips, smashing it under her black ballet flats.
"What the hell?" He gritted his teeth. She crossed his arms, standing strong in her spot, daring him to come at her. "I will find a fucking way okay? I will have the government contract next month. I will have the damn building up and running at any damn cost."
"Why? Why the hell are you destroying everything for a place? We can have this somewhere else with better access without losing everything."
"Because this is where Asmara left me to die. Right in this city, I begged for mercy. This city will make her beg for mercy and I swear on my each and every breath I won't grant her an ounce of mercy. The streets of this city witnessed me begging on my scrapped knees, now it's her turn." His eyes were burning with a cruel vengeance. He was the man to be feared, but she only had the urge to protect him from the fire that will not only burn his past but him too. But She couldn't save him if he didn't want to be saved.
"And what will you get when it's all over and there is nothing left?" She quietly broke the intensity of his rage. "Revenge isn't just between two people, there is a lot of collateral damage."
"I have nothing to lose." The words were supposed to be shallow, but now they were filled with fear this time. He had something to lose and he was scared to lose it now. Laila heard it all in those few wavering words. He turned around jogging to the car, leaving her there.
Aap shayad mere liye dua nahi karsakte, per mein aapke liye dua karoon gi Allah aapko iss badle ki aag se nikaal kar apne tarf wapis mor dein.
For the rest of the day, Laila found construction companies for the hospital, but all he did was reject. It was seven in the evening and her fingers ached as she cracked them, stretching out her arms.
"Not this one. Doesn't look nice." He pushed the iPad back towards her. She took a long breath trying to calm the nerves that wanted to break the iPad in half on his head.
"Hum construction company dhoondh rahe hain. Aapka rishta nahi karva rahe." Laila snatched the iPad from his desk. "Milna to khair aapko woh bhi nahi." She mumbled it under her breath.
"Aap ko bohat shauk hai meri shaadi karvane ki." He leaned back in his seat, arching his eyebrow at her.
"Agar mujhe time he waste karna hoga to mein useless TV dramay dekh loon gi, aise nakaam cheezon ka shoq nahi paloon gi." She pulled up the other company, handing it back to him. Agar isne yeh bhi reject kardia, to maine khud iss kameene ki Qabr ka construction karvana hai. He looked up, opening his mouth to speak, but she narrowed her eyes.
"I'll look into it more." He closed his mouth looking back at the iPad. "Aur waise koi bekaar kaam nahi hai. log aage piche ghoomte hai mere." He tried gloat, raising his head higher in the air.
"Aisi ghalatfemiyan to sirf Inaaya palti hai pr kamz kam uske pass achi personality to hai. Baqi aapke piche nahi aapke bank account ke piche aati hai larkian. Warna to koi mar ke bhi na aapke saath shaadi kare. Kisi ke screw dheele he hone hai." His mouth fell open a little at her reply as she scoffed him away. Right he was about to speak, her phone rang.
"Niya, tumhara he zikr ho raha tha." She smirked at him, as he tried to get her attention."
"Haye aise na karo warna maine sachi mein tumhare jahez mein chale aana hai."
"Allah tauba. Aesi manhoos batein na karo." She hissed in the phone.
"Dafa ho. Acha suno, meine yeh pouchna tha ke Sheraz ko le aaon Friday ko? Help ho jayegi."
"Sheraz ko?" Laila chewed on her lip absently, oblivious to the fact that the ears of her boss perked at hearing another man's name. "Haan le aao."
"Ok."
"Hello?"
Inaaya was gone before she could even say hello as usual. The girl's conversation had no beginning or end, straight to the heart.
"Sheraz kon hai?" She glanced up as he intervened between her amused thoughts.
"Huh? Inaaya ka dost. Thank God, she called. I just remembered I'm going to be off on Friday. It's a half-day anyway so there shouldn't be much trouble. I will have everything settle beforehand."
"No." He shook his head, fixing his attention on the computer screen.
"What do you mean No? I need the day off. Family Emergency." She threw a mocking smile his way.
"No. Anyways why is Inaaya's dost coming over?" He looked back at her with his questioning gaze.
"None of your business." She smiled widely, giving it back to him for his morning attitude. "Also Zain already approved it."
"I-"
"You can't override it."
"You're my assistant, Miss Laila."
"I'll tattoo that on my face so you won't have to waste your breath on reminding me that again. The food is in the mini-fridge. Junaid will call uber for you cause he's got a class tonight. Go home and sleep, and let your brain regenerate those last two brain cells because they look like they are about to die." She waved at him, leaving him seething behind.
❧❧❧
She left the surgical floor, hiding from the chief resident again during her break. They all took advantage of her quirky and dominant personality by throwing her like a bone in front of the nastiest patients. She headed to the cafè in search of food to kill time. Her limbs ached after a difficult three and a half hours of surgery. She was massaging her upper arm when she caught sight of a familiar face in the cafè.
"Nanha Farishta? What is he doing here?" She stuffed her hands in the pockets of her scrubs and approached him. She tapped his should, standing behind him in the line.
"Aap?" He turned around with wide eyes at finding her there. "Aap yahan?"
"Aam tor per surgeons hospital mein he paaye jaate hai." She pulled her badge up. He nervously smiled at her question. "Why are you here?"
"My parents are here. Just getting something to eat for her." He pushed his hand through the mass of his black hair. Gosh, she literally looked like an innocent little person in the grey shirt and jeans. His dark eyes flickering towards her and then back at the line as they walked together now.
"What happened? Are they okay?"
"Yeah. My mom is here for MRI for her arthritis." He nodded.
"To phir itna nervous kyun ho? It's a smooth process. There shouldn't be anything complicated."
"I know." He sighed. "But my mom is terrified of MRI. Usually, Hadiya, my little sister, is with her and she knows how to calm her down, but she is in Multan for her house-job so I don't know how to help her." They reached the counter ordering food for themselves.
"Put it on my account." She showed the lady behind the counter her ID.
"What? No." Zain was flustereted as she crossed in front of him.
"You're at my hospital so my rules." She shrugged carrying her tray, expecting him to follow her and he did also insisting on paying her back, but she refused. "Do you want me to help her?" He fell in to step beside her as she offered her help.
"Can you?" He glanced back at her with those soulful eyes. Suchi mein Nanha Farishta hai yeh. She bit her tongue lightly to stop herself from blurting it all out.
"If that's okay with you."
"Please. Aap ka bohat bara ehsaan hoga." The nervous smile turned in a genuine one. Haye, kitna cute hai. She resisted herself from swooning as she followed him to the waiting room where his parents were.
"As-salāmu ʿalaykum!" She greeted the couple sitting in the bland waiting room. His mother was wearing lilac shalwar kameez and duppatta wrapped around her head like a hijab while his dad was dressed white holding tasbih in his hands. Both of them smiled at her. "Mein Dr. Inaaya hoon, Zain ki dost."
"Wa ʿalaykumu s-salam, kaisi ho aap, beta?" His mother's voice was as soft as her eyes, full of warmth, love and home. The dad also nodded.
"Mein theek hoon, aap kaisi hai?"
"Allah ka shukr hai Alhumdullilah." His mother glanced at his father smiling then back at Inaaya. There was just something so beautiful about the two. She felt it in those few seconds.
"Zain ne bataya mujhe Hadia yahan nahi hai," She put her tray away from on the table before sitting next to her. "Aap fikr nahi karein mein apka bohat ache se khyal rakhoon gi. Aap samjahe woh yahan aapke pas." Inaaya held the elder woman's hands in assurance right when the door opened and the technician called them. "Mein aapke saath hongi. I promise." Zain's mother held her hand while walking to the room. Inaaya helped her on it.
"Inaaya."
"Mein yahi hoon. Aap yeh pehn lein aur ankhein band kar lein." Inaaya put headphones around her head as she instructed the technician to play the audio of the Quran. Zain's mother opened her eyes smiling at her. Inaaya nodded at her, keeping her promise to stay by her. Unaware of the gaze from the other side of the glass as he watched with awe. Zain Ali's heart fluttered as he watched the crazy Scalpel Mafia become so compassionate with his mother.
❧❧❧
"Maine bola that iss ghar se sirf mera jinaza nikle ga. Mein ek qadam nahi nikaloon gi iss ghar se." Malka refused to move from the middle of the courtyard. Inaaya sat on on the stairs stuffing her mouth with chips while laughing.
"Kya musibat hai yaar." Laila slumped against the gate, rubbing her eyes. "Iss ghar mein konse paiso ke drakht page huay hai jo nahi chorna? Aur mein konsa kaha tumhari doli yahan se nikal rahi hoon jo kokilaben ban rahi ho. Sirf itna kaha hai ke please iss tang muhalle se ab chalte hai."
"Kitni badtameez ho gayi ho." Malka took her slipper out.
"Allah Tauba karo 27 saal ki hoon. Ab to na maro." Laila dodged the slipper as it came flying across the courtyard.
"Tumhara to mein bharta banaogi. Mere peet piche yeh sab kar rahi thi. Sharam nahi aayi. Yeh sila diya meri saari zindagi ki mehnat ka." Laila dashed for the stairs as the other slipper came for her.
"Tum mujhe bata do ghussa kab kam hoga ke mein moving company ko date bata doon." Laila peeked over Inaaya's shoulder, Malka was still sitting there holding her head, crying about Laila's betrayal.
"Allah aisi manhoos aulad kisi ko na de." Malka held her head, staring at the sky.
"Maut ka farishta aaj ni aane wala. Isliye aaram se packing karo aur sahi salamat yahan se chale Chaltein hai." Laila tried again.
"Waise bhi Allah apne pass sirf naik aur ache insaan bulata hai. Tumhara time itni jaldi nahi aana." Inaaya wiggled her eyebrows, teasing the already fuming woman. Malka got up with her jharoo chasing them around as the house echoed with laughter.
Malka was still sulking in her room and refused to talk to them, while complaining to Allah so loudly, Laila was sure Safiya Aunty could hear it too. Inaaya's friend had been a great help throughout the week, along with the moving company. By Friday the movers had almost emptied the house. Out of spite, Laila deliberately went to Safiya Aunty's place with a nice gift for her, and parted with a sweet victorious smile leaving the vicious woman in shame. Kill them with kindness as Malka had taught her.
Although she laughed it off with Malka, it was hard to say goodbye to the house which saved her and gave her safety, but it was time to have a home they both owned and lived without a fear of ever losing it. Inaaya blindfolded Malka as they got near the house.
"Yeh ghar humara hai. Bilkul waise jaisa tum chahti thi." Laila whispered as she held Malka's hand while Inaaya held the other one as they walked her in through the front gate, finally removing the blondfold.
It was quaint 2-bedroom house, painted all in white with front yard and backyard enough for Malka to grow all the veggies and flowers in the world. The board read 'Malka and Laila.' Malka's eyes filled with tears of pride as she pulled Laila into hug.
"I'm so proud of you, Laila. Thank you for this." Malka kissed her forehead. "Bohat khoobsurat hai."
"Mera bhi equal hissa hai matlab mere bhai ne dhoondh ke diya hai." Inaaya wormed her way into the hug. Laila's smile sparkled on her lips, hugging Malka and Inaaya. The smile reached her eyes and her heart conquering a piece of her fear. She smiled with all of heart unaware of the storm looming silently at her door, bering a gift of despair for her. Her home wasn't about to come without a cost.
He was watching her through the blinds. Her smile reached her ears. There was a spring in her step as she waltzed around the office as if she had swallowed a whole bottle of happy pills.
Rapunzel
Stop scowling at me. Also, return
my Sher Khan back to me. Stop
kidnapping him from my office
Shehryar
No.
You went on date? Why are
you acting like a damn unicorn?
Rapunzel
I don't need a man to be happy.
ALSO, NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!
He looked up meeting her smug face. He slammed his phone done, pressing the button on the remote to close all the blinds. She can spew the rainbows in her own office. He didn't need to witness that.
"What the hell happened to you?" Zain barged in his office unannounced.
"Learn to fucking knock." He yelled at his baby brother who wasn't even fazed by his outburst.
"New contracts we received from different suppliers. Have a look at the finalized list along with your assistant who seemed to be floating in the clouds today while you're are stewing here in hot water. Did you guys have a fight again?" Zain groaned.
"Why would I fight with her?" He rolled his eyes. "For all I care, She can go jump off the fucking window she loves so much with all her penguins."
"Definitely pissed you off. You can't-"
The door opened again as a distraught Inaaya stood there in het scrubs. Her eyes were red, tears strewn across her face. Shehryar glanced as his brother and then back at her.
"I don't know how to tell her." Inaaya hiccuped between her words. "I came to tell her but I couldn't even face her."
"Here." Zain took the glass of water from the desk handing it to her before making her sit down. Shehryar furrowed his eyebrows at the hysterical woman in his office. What the fuck was going on? "Ok, now tell me calmly what happened?" Inaaya barely got it together in her words.
Oh no. He covered his face with his palm. How the hell is Rapunzel going to handle this and then there was a knock on the door. She was the only one to knock so softly.
"Stop. Let me handle this." He took his keys and wallet from the desk before opening the door slightly.
"Ali Sir-"
"I need to go somewhere urgently, Laila." He clasped his hand around her wrist walking to the back elevator.
"But Sir-"
"No questions Laila, please." He silenced her in the elevator as she held the iPad and journal against her chest, confused at his behavior. He pulled on her hand as the elevator door opened to the garage. He opened the car door, made her sit in the car and locked her with the seat belt. Her eyes stared back at him, searching for answers for his sudden behavior.
He didn't say anything as he pulled out on the street of Islamabad, driving aimlessly until he could build the courage to break the news to her. The car stopped on an empty street as he took a deep breath, turning towards her.
"Ali Sir, are you okay?" She blinked at him, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Laila, I am about to tell you something, but you have to stay strong okay." He whispered, each words grating against his throat. "Inaaya came to the office. She said Mother Margaret's health became critical last night. The doctors tried to save her, but it was time for her to say her final goodbye. She wasn't in pain anymore so she left in peace." Laila's breath turned into ice in her lungs as everything slipped from her hands.
"Mother Margaret." She whispered furrowing her eyebrows. "No. She can't be gone."
No.
_________
Finally an update with lots of stuff going on. I'm not that satisfied, but here it is 🥺🥺🥺😭😭
Sorry for all the mistakes
Note: Harnoi is a completely fictional city.