13| he is a stranger

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WANIYA'S POV:

"How are you feeling, Waniya?" Doctor Sania gave me a questioning look and asked me about my well-being. I nodded at her question, having no power to utter a thing.

Mirha insisted on visiting the doctors. It was nothing. Just a fever or maybe a high fever. She was worried about me so I chose to visit. Ezzah wasn't unattended at home, she was with the house help I hired a few days back; before my engagement.

My eyes fixed on the ring adorning my ring finger, despite its radiant beauty, I felt an unsettling emptiness wash over me. The ring, which should have symbolized love and commitment, appeared to me merely as a piece of jewelry—nothing more than a circle of metal and stones devoid of meaning.

This realization struck me with a sharp pang of guilt. I was engaged to Shayan, a man whose kindness and passion I had once cherished.

Yet, as I stared at the ring, my mind drifted elsewhere, caught in a labyrinth of  emotions. I longed to immerse myself in thoughts of our future together, to feel excitement about the life we were planning.

I took a deep breath, struggling to gather my thoughts and push aside the shadows of doubt. I couldn't let this turmoil cloud my heart; I needed to reclaim my senses.

I was engaged to Shayan, and at that moment, I had to remind myself of that. It was time to let go of the past and focus on the promise of what lay ahead for us.

"....... so you need to drink more water. Waniya?" I wasn't able to catch what the doctor was advising. I couldn't focus. I couldn't but I needed to.

I brushed off my lingering thoughts which were haunting me, not allowing me to focus on what was happening around me. I looked at her and nodded.

"Are you sure you are okay?" again, the same question. I nodded, again. No, I'm not okay. How can anyone anticipate me to be all fine when I—

No, no, no I can't put myself through the pain that I have endured all these years. Not again.

"I'm prescribing some medicines, take them on time and keep my advice in your mind." I nodded. I had no idea which advice she was talking about. I hadn't listened to her. If it had been a normal day, I would have smiled and thanked her but I didn't.

"Come, let's go," Mirha spoke for the first time in the clinic. Again, I had no ability to speak so I just got up and moved.

Get your shit together, Waniya. I needed to let go of everything that had been doing nothing but providing me with pain, hurt, and sorrow. I can't relive those traumatic and painful years of my life.

"Theek ho?" Mirha asked. "Hmm." A sound left my mouth. (Are you okay?)

"Waniya, I know it's hard but you need to get yourself together...... for Ezzah," she caressed my hand with the pad of her thumb.

"Don't worry, I'll be okay." I mean it. It has been competent. I needed to relinquish what I was holding on to. I couldn't place reliance on my past. I needed to move on.

The driver took us home.

"Mamaaaa," Ezzah jumped into my arms the instant I laid my feet in the hall. "Aap kaise ho?" She rested in my arms. I told her that I was better. (How are you?)

"Ezzah, mere paas ajao mama ki tabiyat nahi theek," Mirha opened her arms but Ezzah shook her head. And I told Mirha that it was okay. (Ezzah, come to me. Your mama ain't feeling well.)

"Mama," Ezzah withdrew my attention towards her. I nodded and brushed my mouth on her forehead. "I talked to Dadi," she grinned. "You have her number?" I moved towards the sofas.

And took a seat. Mirha's phone rang and she said it was important and she needed to take it.

She shook her head and said "No, I called grumpy pants from your phone and talked to Dadi. She wanted me to visit," Ezzah pouted.

"Ezzah," she looked at me. "Now, listen to me carefully." She was attentive. "We don't know Shan— your grumpy pants personally.

He's just your teacher. And we don't trust strangers. Do we?" I made sure that she didn't get attached to Zeeshan. I know what I was planning to do and was doing is wrong.

"But Mama, Grumpypants ain't a stranger. He has met you and even Mirha. I even saw him talking to Sha," she said. Shayan was conversing to him. What had they talked about?

Did Zeeshan tell him about me? No, no that ain't possible. I managed to normalize my breath.

I incline Ezzah to keep an adequate space from Zeeshan; her father. But nonentity has to know that he's Ezzah's father.

I decided not to talk about Zeeshan anymore, if Ezzah wanted to discuss him then I would make her aware that he's only a teacher and nothing else.

"Sha," Ezzah called Shayan when he got home. I passed a small smile at him. "You don't look good?" He was examining my face. "Just fever," I informed him. "Sha, mama also went to the doctor."

"It's nothing serious, just a fever. It will go with time," I explained. "You should have told me. I would have taken you to the doctor," he moved towards Ezzah, who was now nested comfortably in his arms.

"It's okay, Shayan," I said. "Waniya, you and Ezzah are my responsibility. I don't want to take you for granted," he said. I nodded, unable to digest the words that were leaving his mouth.

"Acha ao, kuch kha lo phir medicine bhi leni hai," he made me get up and called the house help to serve dinner. (Okay, now have some food, as you have take the medicine.)

He called Mirha, she came in no time. "Sha, mujhe ice cream khani hai," Ezzah grabbed our attention. (Sha, I want to have ice cream.)

"Koi ice cream nahi hai. You have been eating too much ice cream these days," I said. But Shayan whispered something in her ear, which made her grin. (No, ice cream.)

"Mirha, will you accompany me to the office tomorrow?" I filled the glass with water. "Waniya, you ain't feeling well. It's better to take a few days off." Shayan suggested.

"No, I'm fine and I need to focus on the brand these days. We are about to launch our new collection," the designs were almost ready and we are about to bring them to the public, which is actually the hard part. He nodded.

"How's your business going?" I questioned him while making Ezzah eat some rice. "Tough, my rival is back," he shrugged his shoulders.

I had never asked Shayan about his rival as it was not my concern. He once told me about his rival when we first became friends. His rival is ill. The things he had told me his rival did.

His rival was entangled in a sinister web of criminal activities, including human organ trafficking, child trafficking, and drug smuggling.

He maintained connections with various underworld figures, operating in the shadows of society.

It's unfathomable how individuals can engage in such heinous acts, ignoring the profound moral and ethical implications of their actions.

The extent of his involvement in these despicable trades raises questions about the darkness that can exist within human nature.

"Who is he?" Mirha questioned him. "Zeeshan. Zeeshan Baig." My breath hitched. I stilled. The spoon I was holding in my hand fell on the plate, creating a sharp sound. "Waniya, are you okay?" Shayan asked me. I bounced my head, hurriedly

Conceivably, he's another Zeeshan Baig. No, no, no Zeeshan can't be his rival. There isn't only one Zeeshan Baig in this world. "The CEO of Baig Enterprises?" Mirha again questioned.

Please say no. Pleas—

"Hmm," Shayan's reply was clear. Zeeshan was indeed his rival. Should I tell Shayan that Ezzah is Zeeshan's daughter or should I keep him in the dark?

But I can't create a new relation on the base of a mere lie, that would be wrong. I will discuss it with Mirha and tell him about it.

The dinner went on. Ezzah thankfully forgot about her ice cream and I took her to her room.

"Ezzah, brush your teeth. We need to sleep. You have your school tomorrow," I was shocked that she didn't argue or show her tantrums.

She quickly went to wash, I helped her brush her teeth, wash her face, and crawl to her bed.

"Okay, now hurry up and sleep." I caressed her hair. "Mama," she called me. "Hmm," I said. "Why are you marrying, Sha?"

She was just growing with a lot of questions and I had no answer to it. Why was I marrying Shayan? For Ezzah.

"I'll answer your question tomorrow. Now we need to sleep," she bounced her tiny head and snuggled into her pillows. Soon she dozed off to a deep slumber and I went back to my room.

"Mirha," I grabbed her attention. "I know you are overthinking about the fact that Zeeshan and Shayan are rivals." She said,

"Should I tell him?" I wanted her suggestion. "Waniya, it totally depends upon you. If you think he should know about Ezzah then you should tell him," she suggested.

I nodded.

"Tell what?" I almost jumped in my place when I heard Shayan's voice.

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aesthetics

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