24| such a tease

I felt disappointed, as you guys didn't bother commenting on the last chapter!!

AUTHOR'S POV:

It has been a day since Waniya left for New York because of an event. Initially, she had planned to stay for at least three days, but Ezzah's call changed her plan. She made a plan to return home the same evening.

On the other hand, Mirha tried her best to keep Ezzah happy, but deep down she had a hint that nothing could make her happiest at the fullest. Mirha made sure that she was with Ezzah all the time. She never stopped Ezzah from eating ice cream.

But there was one thing that was off: Shayan. He didn't come for once after Waniya's departure. Mirha couldn't pinpoint what, but she knew something was wrong. Someone's words kept lurking in the back of her head. Maybe he was right—that was all she could think.

"Massi," Ezzah pulled her shirt, as she called Mirha. They were at an indoor kids' play area. They were standing before the trampoline. Ezzah's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Chalo na," Ezzah said. Mirha took a few steps, handing the ticket to the ticket taker.

"You won't join me," Ezzah frowned. Mirha shook her head. "Hurry up, go," Mirha smiled at her as she went in. This was how Mirha was from that day. He wasn't her best friend but something in her heart ached.

Her mind was no less than a labyrinth, confused. Not sure what to believe. She would meet Farhaan every other day, creating memories to cherish.

But, on one random day, boom, the magic is long gone. A connection that once felt special was now nothing. She wanted to be with him, after years, she had started to trust her fate. She had thought that the curse from her life had been lifted but it never happened.

She thought someone after Waniya would love her or maybe look after her, and she would eventually move on from her past, but it never happened.

A voice broke her trance, ending the session of her thinking. A known pair of eyes looked at her. Farhaan. Her stomach flipped. Her vision shifted to a girl standing next to her.

Her face dropped, and he didn't go unnoticed by Farhaan; he knew something was up with her. They haven't talked since that day. He didn't message her, as he didn't have solid proof against Shayan and Mirha waited for his message, unwantedly.

Farhaan wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know what to say; a voice interrupted their thoughts. "Chachu," Ezzah yelled at the top of her lungs. A smile crept on his lips, as he waved back at her.

Mirha couldn't help but steal his glances. But the girl didn't go unnoticed by her. It was Faiza, Farhaan's friend, in fact, a sister-like friend.

Faiza was here with her kids and fortunately, she met Farhaan there after a long time. A few minutes later, Ezzah came out. And Faiza left.

"Ezzah, how have you been?" Farhaan picked her up. "I am good. And what about Dado? I want to meet her," Ezzah said. "You can meet her today," Farhaan completely ignored Mirha's glare. "Maasi, can we go?" Ezzah showed her puppy eyes.

"Ezzah, we need to do homework," Mirha excused. "But tomorrow's Sunday. Isn't it?" Farhaan said. "Oh yes, maasi, please," Ezzah said. Farhaan turned his face, looked at her,, and said. "Please," such a tease. "Okay," that's all Mirha said.

~

After a few minutes, they found themselves settled in Farhaan's car. Mirha told the driver to leave as Ezzah wanted to go with Farhaan. The drive wasn't quite at all. It was filled with Ezzah and Farhaan's never-ending talking. They talked as if they were long-lost friends.

"You and Maasi were friends?" Ezzah's question caught their attention. "Yes, your maasi and I were friends back at our university," Mirha frowned at his lie. Ezzah hummed.

They reached Baig's mention after a while. Ezzah ran inside as if she was a family member. Farhaan and Mirha trailed after her, no words were exchanged.

"Ezzah?" Zoya saw her entering the hall. She was sitting there with other members of the family.

"Dadi," Ezzah said, grabbing everyone's attention. "Ap kese ho? Maine itna miss kiya apko," Ezzah moved towards her. "Main theek hu, ap thek ho?" she nodded. "Who are they?" Ezzah questioned seeing unfamiliar faces.

(How have you been? I missed you.)

(I'm good. What about you?)

"Idhr ao, let me tell you," Amjad Baig said. "He's your Grumpy pants elder brother, she's his wife, and that's Anaya, their daughter." He introduced them. Ahaan easily recognized her, because of the striking resemblance with Zeeshan.

(Come here.)

Amjad introduced her to them, but to his surprise, they knew her already. Anaya and Ezzah were at first but soon Anaya took Ezzah to her room, so they could play. Mirha wanted to leave but Saira stopped them, saying Ezzah was enjoying.

Mirha was busy talking to the ladies when Farhaan called Zoya to the kitchen.

"Bhabhi, do you like her?" Farhaan questioned. "Acha toh ye waja hai, Mirha ko ghar lane gi," Zoya teased. Farhaan blushed. "Kya soucha hai?" Zoya said. Farhaan's plan throughout his life was simple. (So this is the reason you have brought her home.) (What have you thought?)

He didn't have a will for relationships, though; he had a crush on half of the girls popular at university.

Still, he wanted to get married. Maybe he had seen a life partner in Mirha. The day Mirha left the cafe, furious. Since then Farhaan had been thinking about her.

He didn't have a desire to hurt her. He was mad that she wasn't leaving her mind. They used to hang out almost daily. She was now a part of her routine. Maybe he was falling in love?

Eventually, he discovered that he maybe had a few feelings for her, which would most probably fade away with time, but it had been more than a month, and they were still there.

"Farhaan?" Zoya called him out. "Abhi tak to kuch nhi soucha," he said. Zoya smiled at him. A ping from Farhaan's phone caught his attention.

(I haven't thought much.)

It was something he needed, something that could fix everything. He had appointed two men; who were stalking Shayan.

Gathering the proof Farhaan needed. And they had done well-appreciated work for Farhaan. Not only one, they had provided three different videos of Shayan busy having "fun" at different private clubs in the city. Farhaan was absolutely disgusted by the fact that Shayan could stoop this low.

"Bhabhi, I need to go," he left the kitchen. "Mirha, can you join me for a minute?" he asked. She looked at him as if she had seen or heard something out of the box, realizing his Mom was sitting just right next to her, she couldn't deny him. She nodded, as she stood up.

He went towards the garden, and she followed him. "Bolo bhi kiya hai?" Mirha said. "Wo.... actually... kuch.....," he didn't know what to say.

(What?)

(Say it.)

"Farhaan?"

"You wanted the proof; look at this," Mirha knew what he was talking about, so he handed her his phone. Mirha's expression changed within an instant. He swiped to the next video. "Here, he's getting the money for human trafficking," he said. "This is yesterday's video," he swiped again. Shayan was making out with another girl, from the surroundings, one could easily tell it was a club.

Mirha turned her face, feeling disgusted by every second of the clips she had watched. "Waniya would be heartbroken," these words rolled off her tongue.

"I need to tell her," Mirha said. "Mirha," Farhaan called her. "I need to tell Waniya. He's... Bad. All this time he has been pretending," she didn't listen to him. "Mirha, meri baat suno," Farhaan called her.

(Listen to me.)

"I don't know how Waniya will react. She will be heartbroken. I need to tell Waniya," Mirha moved. "Mirha," Farhaan almost yelled, as he stopped her. "Meri baat suno," he said, making her look at him.

(Hear me for once.)

Her eyes looked as if she could cry anytime. "I am sorry," she whispered, looking down, tears streaming down her cheeks. She felt betrayed. She felt bad for not trusting him. "It's okay, Irha," he took her into a warm hug.

"I am sorry not believing you Farhaan," she sniffed. She felt bad, and what she did that many don't is accepting that she was wrong and asking for his forgiveness.

"Chup, khair hai," he wiped her tears. "We need to tell Waniya," Mirha said. "We can't. You see, these videos have poor quality. Shayan can easily say, it's not him.

(Shh, it's okay.)

We need even more solid proof," he explained. "I am sure you'll find one," she smiled.

"I am sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you," she apologized, again. "And I am sorry for letting you go," he said.

~

Waniya and Zeeshan got done with the event. They left the venue; Waniya had a flight in six hours, meanwhile Zeeshan had a flight tomorrow morning. Waniya reached the hotel before Zeeshan.

She changed, but this time in the restroom, removing her makeup, she started packing her stuff. She hadn't bought a lot of stuff with her.

She heard someone entering the room, which was no one but Zeeshan. He frowned looking at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, removing his watch. "Lagta hai waqt ke sath sath andhe hogaye ho," Waniya spat. "Han pyar main toh phele se hi andha tha," Zeeshan replied.

(I guess you have gone blind with time.)

"Packing karhi hu, flight hai meri," Waniya said, his heart dropped hearing her. He wanted her to stay with him, forever. "Kyu?" Zeeshan question.

(I have a flight.)

(Why?)

"What do you mean kyu? I need to get back to my daughter," she said. Zeeshan didn't say a thing, only because it involved Ezzah.

~

"Waniya, have you seen my towel?" Zeeshan yelled from the restroom. Waniya looked across the room and it was placed on the chair.

"Yes, it's here outside," she yelled back. "Can you bring me that?" He yelled, again. "Wait."

She grabbed the towel and, standing before the restroom door, knocked. "Here take it," he opened the door a bit and took the towel.

Was he naked? This thought reddened her cheeks. The thought of him being naked brought a flood of memories. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

~

WANIYA'S POV:

It was almost 7 pm here in New York. And I am just about to leave for Pakistan. I don't know where Zeeshan went, he just said, "Don't go before meeting me."

I was checking my emails. When a call from Mirha caught my attention. My heart sank, it was almost four in the morning there. It was Sunday there, there ain't a chance they would wake up this early.

I picked up the call. "Mam..... mama.....," Ezzah was crying, my heart stopped breathing for a moment. "Mama....mama.... Please come back," Tears escaped my eyes.

"Mama ki jaan, kya howa mere bacche ko," Waniya tried sounding calm; where was Mirha? All she could hear was her hiccups and sniffs.

(Mama's love, what happened?)

"Waniya, I am sorry. I didn't want to trouble you, but she had a nightmare, and since she has been crying," my heart sank. My baby needed me, and I wasn't there.

I failed as a Mom. I heard someone. "Ezzah," I called her. "Come.....back..... Please, Mama," she cried. Zeeshan heard her. I couldn't talk.

"Ezzah," Shan took the phone. "Grumpy pants," she called him. "Stop crying, little cute heart," he said in his calm and soothing voice.

"Is Mirha with you?" he asked her. She hummed. "Okay, now stay calm. Hug one of your teddies. And close your eyes," he said.

"Mama will be there with you once you wake up," he said. I didn't take my eyes off of him. After ten minutes of complete silence, Mirha spoke. "She slept." I was relieved. I wiped my tears and he ended the call.

"Pareshan na howa karo main huna, hamesha," Zeeshan said. I hummed. "I need to leave," I said. The urge to teleport, and just be with my child.

"I'll join you," Zeeshan stood up. "And I got these for you," he handed me the roses, specifically white roses. He remembers.

"But you don't have a flight today," I said. "I managed to exchange the ticket with someone," oh he did it for me? "Come on, let's go now," he held my hand as if completely a puzzle.

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aesthetics

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You can find spoilers related to the novel that will keep you hooked on my Instagram.

I'd: @bibliozaar (link in the profile.)

Ignore all kinds of mistakes, as English isn't my first language!

Take care!!!

Zaar.