CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21 : Unexpected Interventions

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"Sooo~ how have the past months been?" Kashaf asked Safia. The elder girl asked as she carried out her usual duty as the chef of the place. Safia took a few carrots from the bowl where Kashaf was collecting the chopped veggies.

"It's been interesting. Really interesting," Safia munched on the carrots while thinking about how wonderful her past month was, with no interruptions from Fawad.

"I heard you went to Paris for two days," Kashaf told Safia, and she nodded.

"Yes, Seth wanted me to meet his mother. She couldn't come here due to her chronic illness, so he took me there. It was a fun time. Me, Kalyani, Ismail, and Seth were all there. Roaming around the streets of Paris, decorating gingerbread houses, and I even tried one of those popular croissants with hot chocolate. In addition to all these things, his mother was incredibly sweet," Safia smiled.

"Sounds like some sort of holiday romance book," Kashaf sarcastically said.

"Romance? It was just friendship. On top of that, I never wanted to go there; it was Seth who surprised us with a ticket at the last moment," Safia reasoned while munching more carrots.

"Well, it's not just any friendship. It's with your fiance's brother! If Fawad were there, I wouldn't have batted a single eye, but he wasn't," Kashif said with annoyance.

Safia, for the hundredth time in the month, regretted telling her about the contract marriage.

"It's a contract marriage, Di," Safia rolled her eyes. "He doesn't like me. I don't like him. We don't owe each other anything," Safia clarified.

"I get it, it's a contract marriage. But - but what if you genuinely give your hundred percent in this marriage? What if he falls in love with you and you both have your happily ever after?" Kashaf asked, and Safia looked at her.

It's a question she hasn't even thought about. How could she ever fathom a person like Fawad to ever fall in love with her? They both not only belong to different worlds but also had different morals. She surely felt bad for what he had gone through as a child, but there was too little she could do to help him.

"I should head back to work," Safia awkwardly told Kashaf and walked away.

"Before going, just know that whatever the thing is, contract or not, I still have a feeling that a husband will support you no matter what," Kashaf told her.

"It's not a book or some romantic story," Safia walked out and started to handle the food for the people. She tiredly wiped her hands on her apron.

The place was packed with customers of all sorts of ages sitting around the shop. There was a new installation of glass racks where pastries were put. Each of them was fresh and colorful and sold almost instantly.

Safia wanted to sneak a bite of one of those tasty delights, but today it looked difficult.

"Here, order for table number 14," Abhishek said from the side and passed her a tray.

"Why don't you give it?" She asked.

"I kind of gave him a shake 3 days ago, but he kept nagging about my delivery style, saying I was too casual, and I should be professional with my work and way of waking and whatnot. He tried to fight with me without any reason, and if he repeats it again, I know I will throw hands," Abhishek muttered while Safia directed her eyes towards the old man, who was the topic of their discussion.

His jaw was stern, and his beard fell down on his chest. He was scrolling on his phone.

'He looks like a regular old man to me,' she thought.

She walked towards the old man and passed a tray of food to him, saying, "And here is your order, sir." She balanced the patties, with a cup of chai, and a ketchup dip on the side.

"Be careful, Ayesha," a lady's voice rang in her ears, and in no time, a little girl almost bumped into Safia's leg.

"Sweetheart, be careful," Safia whispered, and the girl gave an apologetic smile and ran back to her mother.

Safia's mind shifted to the girl who ran into her mother's arms and snuggled. Due to the shifting focus, her wrist got twisted because of the weight of the tray, making it fall on the ground, and a drop of ketchup on the old man's shoe.

Her eyes widened.

"I am so sorry," she gasped, looking at the mess which was created near her leg.

"Sorry? Dammit! Your sorry will not get me a new shoe!" he shouted.

"I can give you napkins, sir, and perhaps a new order, but this time free of cost," Safia apologetically said. She didn't mind paying for food for some time as long as it meant that she had made up for her mistake.

"I don't want any of that! What horrible service you guys have," he angrily said.

By this moment, Safia understood Abhishek's words.

"What horrible service!" he repeated.

"I am terribly sorry, sir," Safia apologized.

"I apologize again," Safia bowed with a frown, feeling guilty and sad. She was surely clumsy, and a few orders almost fell from her hand from time to time, but they never resulted in this kind of behavior. Customers were always sweet or a bit annoyed, but never screamed at her like that.

"I want to talk with the manager," he said.

"There aren't managers around, sir," Kashaf came outside after hearing the ruckus.

"There are no managers! God! Why did I even come into such a stupid little shop, which has blind rats as the waiters?" he angrily said.

Gasps from the sides were heard, and people were whispering while looking at her. Safia's heart clenched, and she could feel herself getting overwhelmed. She didn't do it on purpose, but the way it was getting dragged out and got into people's attention made her feel uncomfortable.

She hung her head low, feeling the gaze of people bored down on her.

"Why don't you drink some water to calm yourself down, or else I would have to put my bullets inside you to do that work," a man warned in a dangerous voice. Safia didn't dare to look at the person who had interrupted the matter, due to the embarrassment. The voice was awefully familiar but she couldn't pin point how .

"And who are you?" The old man asked with anger turning around looking at a man almost twice his height . The man's eyes reflected nothing but hatred towards him .

"I can be the reason why your wife will be a widow , if you don't keep your mouth shut and mend that attitude of yours " Fawad warned while bringing out a pistol from his pocket and put it in the man's mouth forcefully making him gasp.

"AHH GUN!" A girl shouted , and Safia looked up at that. She was stunned to find Fawad . People didn't dare to come near him , and the old man's eyes went round with fear and his face paled. He was wearing a mask , but his light brown eyes were enough to tell who he was. Only the people who were close enough could actually recognise him , and Safia was thankful for the fear instilled in people's hearts that they didn't come close enough.

"Mr Siddiqui! Stop it" She sharply whispered and pulled Fawad's arm harshly , but it didn't work . He just pushed the gun deeper in the throat and a fearful squeak came .

"FAWAD!" She shouted near his ear . He turned and looked at her . Their eyes met and he could remember all the time he has terribly missed her in the past months .

"Fine" Fawad tried to said calmly despite of the anger inside him .

He was meditating and visiting a psychologist for his anger issues , but it all went in vain, seeing all this. He came here , to take her to the wedding   planner.  The wedding was just around the corner , and although it was a fake one , he didn't want Safia to miss out on the feelings of being a real bride.

He pulled away the gun and threw it on the table where the old man was once seated.

"Go and wash him up" Fawad said with disgust reeking down his words.

The old man quickly hold the gun and washed it and passed it to Fawad.

"Now get lost and never . I repeat . Never mess with my girl" Fawad spat and the man quickly nodded and ran away with stumbling steps. Few people went away , while the others kept sitting as if nothing happened.

Safia almost couldn't recognise this Fawad. The one she knew , and heard of from Seth , surely had anger issues , but it was always masked with coldness and sarcasm. He almost never lost his temperament.

He looked at her , and calmed down as a sigh left his lips . He didn't want to showcase this side , but there he was.

"Sit here sir , we would come with some food" Kashaf said and held Safia's hand , dragging her inside in the kitchen , not letting Fawad speak a word.

Abhishek gave an awkward smile to Fawad , who was seated down on the chair , but when the smile didn't returned. Abhishek scratched his nape and walked inside.

Abhishek closed the door of the kitchen with a laugh .

"Woah he looks so dangerous ! And what is Fawad Siddique even doing in our small shop in the first place ? Wait—thats not the main question! The main question is , why was he calling you my girl " Abhishek asked curiously .

"That's a long story " Safia mumbled.

"Oh-I have all the time in the world " Abhishek laughed.

"Actually you don't. Go and handle the duty . The people are still there" Kashaf told Abhishek passing him a note pad .

"Fine , I will be going ! But I still desire my answers. If not today , then tomorrow" saying that Abhishek walked outside .

Kashaf again closed the door, and the outside seemed normal now .

Safia knew that she was in for a round of questions.

"He was Fawad Siddique?" Kashaf asked with an excited giggle.

"Yes di" Safia sighed .

"He is so nicee !!! He is so overprotective!!! And sooo charming !!! Did you noticed how he saw you his gaze softened??" Kashaf asked.

"Nothing like that happened" Safia said.

"Gosh ! You are so blind . Will you  kw go ahead and deny that he called you his girl?" Kashaf asked.

"He was maybe just acting right ? Because it's contract marriage , but we can't just go around and tell everyone it's that" Safia reasoned.

"Okay okay , whatever suits your thoughts, but still I think the least , you can do is go and give him some snacks and eat it with him . He deserves that for helping you out with that jerk " Kashaf told her.

"Hmm, I will give him that" Safia said while selecting what should she give him .

"Goo and sit with him , I will give you both some burgers and coffee!" Kashaf said and pushed Safia outside with a giggle still excited after seeing the chemistry between her friend and Fawad.

To be continued...

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My mind was seriously blank and I had no idea what to update , so I was keeping the update on hold , but here I am now !! Thx for waiting y'all lovely people 🤧♥️