Chahat 5

Hoorain came down all red resembling a tomato after her encounter with Asfandyar. She saw the change in seating plans as well, Mr. Mir and Mr. Alam were now seated on a sofa together while Mrs. Mir and Mrs. Alam were seated on the one opposite it.

She came and sat beside Raima as before, Raima looked at her red face and wiggled her eyebrows with a smirk on her face while Hoorain just gave her an eye roll to avoid any further embarrassment.

The elders also noticed the presence of Hoorain but did not question her further. Everyone's attention switched towards her and Mrs. Mir asked, "Hoorain beta, aap ka kya plan he aage ka?" (What do you plan to do now?)

"Jee aunty, filhal to results ka intazar kar rahi hoon. Jab results aa jayenge phir kuch sochon gi magar most probably mein baba ke business ko join karoon gi for experience aur agar achi performance rahi to mein apna business start karna chahun gi." Hoorain replied professionally which impressed everyone and especially a certain someone who was about to enter the room but stopped hearing her speak. (Aunty, I am waiting for my results for now. I will think about something once my results are out but I will most probably join dad's business for experience and if my performance is satisfactory, then I will start my own business.)

"Arey wah, very good plans beta. You can join my company or Asfandyar's company as well if you would like. I can arrange some things for you. Zaheer, you have an amazing daughter, she is very well brought up." Mr. Mir complimented Hoorain and then turned towards Zaheer Alam to compliment him, to which Mr. Alam smiled and nodded his head . (A/N: 'Arey Wah' is basically a way of saying 'That's amazing' in urdu)

Hoorain was about to say something when Asfandyar walked in with a powerful aura around him. He said his Salam loudly and sat on the only vacant sofa which was the head sofa right opposite his Jaan.

(A/N: Just to give you an idea of the seating ,this is how the sofas would be from Asfandyar's POV. Imagine a chair right in front of the camera.)

"Wa Alaikum Assalam beta. Office mein problem solve ho gayi?" Mrs. Mir asked to make sure everything was alright. (Wa Alaikum Assalam Son. Is everything solved at the office?)

"Jee, sab solve ho gaya he." Asfandyar replied while catching a glance of his dushman-e-jaan who was looking anywhere but at him. 'You'll be looking at only me very soon, meri jaan.' he thought to himself (Yes, everything is solved.)

Beejan entered the room and invited everyone to have lunch, everyone went towards the dining area and saw all the amazing dishes set neatly on the table. Everyone took a seat with males on one side and females on the other. They started having lunch and the families loved each other. The older females were talking about recipes as Mrs. Alam complimented the amazing dish made by Beejan and Abida Mir. Raima and Hoorain were busy with talks about university and the males were talking about business and politics.

After lunch, everyone returned to the living room and Mrs. Mir finally said, "Humain pata he ke ye aik wada he bade abbu (Akbar Mir) aur Jahanzaib uncle ke darmiyan magar humain apki beti bohut hi achi lagi he. Agr apko bhi humare Asfandyar se koi shikwa na ho toh officially baat pakki karein?" (I know this is a promise made between elder father (Akbar Mir) and Jahanzib Uncle but we really liked your daughter. So if you don't have any problem with our Asfandyar should we officially call this a baat pakki?) (A/N: I didn't know how to say baat pakki in english🤡😭.)

Mr. and Mrs. Alam had a long eye-communication and then looked towards Hoorain to gain her approval, she didn't want to say no because everyone was looking towards her with high expectations hoping she would say yes. She knew she would be really guilty if she said no but if she can somehow convince Asfandyar before the engagement to call it off then she wouldn't feel that bad, so she just slightly nodded.

The Alams gave their yes and they started congratulating each other and soon after sweets were brought in and fed to the new soon-to-be couple. Raima hooted and hugged her best friend and now soon to be sister-in-law as well as her brother, teasing both of them. They decided to have a little engagement party a week after and to have the nikkah plus rukhsati a month after

The Alams left after an hour and Hoorain was left to think about an actual excuse. On the other hand,someone was on cloud nine knowing that his first and only love would be his in a week, well technically a month but he was still excited for the engagement.

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It was 2 days before Asfandyar and Hoorain's engagement and Hoorain had decided to meet Asfandyar to convince him to cancel this, she didn't have anything against this marriage or Asfandyar, she thought that he didn't want this marriage as he never showed any interest in it during their baat pakki so she would make up an excuse and he can cancel the engagement, that way he will be happy and she will eventually find someone.

Hoorain had contacted Asfandyar yesterday and they took permission from their parents and right now she was pacing in her room dressed in a simple black shalwar kameez waiting for Asfandyar because he was picking her up. Her phone rang in the overall silent room, she lifted her phone to see who was calling, it was Asfandyar she picked it up and brought it near her ear, "Assalamualaikum."

"Wa Alaikum Assalam. I am outside your house." Asfandyar's deep voice rang through the phone.

"Ok, I am coming." Hoorain whispered. She was really nervous, she felt so wrong doing this but it had to be done. She didn't want a marriage in which one person was unhappy. She rushed downstairs and bid her mom goodbye while passing her in the living room and fixed her hijab on her head as she stepped out of her house. She saw Asfandyar leaning against a black Maserati. She went towards him as he opened the door for her and put hand on top of her inorder to avoid her bumping her head against the car's roof.

He rounded the car and entered the driver seat and sped off. After a very silent car ride, they arrived at an ice cream parlor. Asfandyar saw Hoorain fixing her hijab before she stepped out, it really made his heart flutter because she cared about her modesty.

They went inside and Asfandyar guided her towards a booth and asked what flavor of ice cream she wanted even though he knew what she would say.

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Asfandyar's POV

Ain had called me yesterday and asked me to meet her. I was surprised to say the least because all she does is avoid me whenever we meet up but today she asked me to meet her personally and right now I was going to pick her up from her house.

I parked my car right in front of her house and called her to let her know. I went to the front of my car while waiting for her and soon after I heard her house door opening and saw her coming out.

My breath got hitched seeing her in a black shalwar kameez, she looked ethereal. She was beyond beautiful, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I snapped out of my daze as I saw her coming towards me. I rushed to open the door for her then rounded the car and entered the driver seat and sped off.

All throughout the ride, I saw Ain fidgeting her fingers. I really had the urge to grab her small hands in my large ones but had to stop. We eventually reached the ice cream parlor and I escorted her inside and asked what flavor of ice cream she wanted, she replied with cookies and cream, although I knew that she would say that but I still had to ask.

I went towards the counter and ordered our ice cream.

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3rd person POV

Hoorain was very anxious, she didn't know how to tell him, she took a deep breath and waited for him. She saw him coming with two bowls of cookies and cream ice cream. "Ye dosra bowl kis ke liye?" Hoorain asked. (Who is the second bowl for?)

"Of course mere liye aur kis ke liye." Asfandyar replied while chuckling at her cute confused face. (For me of course, who else?)

"But apko to cookies and cream ice cream achi nahi lagti thi na?" Hoorain asked, really confused by his odd behavior. She took a spoon full of ice cream and put it in her mouth enjoying the delight. (But you didn't like cookies and cream ice cream, right?)

"Achi nahi lagti thi but ab lagti he kiun ke meri hone wali biwi ne mujhe iss baat pe reject karne ki dhamki di thi." Asfandyar replied and smiled while thinking about their encounter on their baat pakki. (I didn't like it but now I do because my soon-to-be-wife threatened to reject me because I didn't like it.)

Hoorain turned pink from embarrassment but was really touched by his actions. She cleared her throat and got to the mission at hand. "Um.. wo mene apko kehna tha ke ap ye shadi cancel kr den. Men to kar nahi sakti kion ke meri baat koi bhi nahi mane ga magar apki baat to sab hi mante hena." (Um.. I wanted to request you to cancel this marriage. I can't do it because no one would listen to me but everyone listens to you.)

Asfandyar's features hardened and he dropped his spoon in his bowl and looked up at Hoorain who was looking down. "Kion?" Asfandyar asked in his hard voice, he was angry but tried to control his anger. (Why?)

"Because....because mujhe koi...aur pasand he." Hoorain replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Asfandyar clenched his fist trying to control his anger, his features hardened further. He couldn't imagine someone else taking his Ain away from him. (Because.... Because I like... someone else.)

"Kon?" Asfandyar asked in a loud voice, scaring the poor girl and the people in the restaurant. Hoorain flinched hearing him yell at her. She had a weak heart and couldn't handle someone yelling at her, her eyes started to fill with tears but she didn't want to let the tears flow so she blinked her eyes to get rid of them. (Who?)

Asfandyar felt really guilty for scaring her, he took a deep sigh and asked her again, this time in a low voice, "Who is he?" Hoorain was really scared now, she didn't think that he would react this harshly. If only she knew how much Asfandyar loved her.

"Hoorain men tum se kuch pooch raha hoon." Asfandyar's patience was running thin at this point, he just wanted to rip that bastard's head who dared to like his Ain. Hoorain was really afraid now, he never took her full name. (Hoorain I am asking you something.)

"No...no one." Hoorain replied earnestly but Asfandyar took it wrongly, he thought she was trying to protect her so-called lover from him. Asfandyar slammed his fist on the table causing Hoorain to flinch.

"Hoorain I am asking you for the last time, if you don't tell me then I will know either way. I have my ways and if I find out I swear to God that he won't be able to see another day. So I am asking you, who is he?" Asfandyar's patience was almost out and seeing Hoorain's unresponsiveness, he had had enough. He pulled out his phone and dialed his secretary. "Hello Wali, I have some work for-"

"Wait!" Hoorain finally said halting Asfandyar and he cut the call. She didn't want to create a bigger issue. "It's no one, I promise. I just thought you weren't happy with this marriage so I would give you an excuse and you can cancel the marriage. I didn't mean any harm. Please don't kill anyone." Asfandyar finally got her motive, his mood recovered. Oh his Ain had no idea how much he had waited for this marriage.

"Who told you I was unhappy? I am happy to the point I can't place it into words." Asfandyar chuckled. Hoorain looked up, really surprised, it was like a revelation to her. Embarrassment rushed in realizing her actions, she immediately looked down. "Look up." Asfandyar told Hoorain.

Hoorain looked up and their eyes met. "Don't ever hide your pretty eyes from me Ain." Asfandyar told her while gazing in her eyes, Hoorain felt heat rising to her cheeks and she averted her eyes, she couldn't hold his strong gaze.

After about 10 minutes, they left the parlor and arrived at the Alam mansion. As Hoorain got down and entered her house, Asfandyar said, "Don't think I would let this slide Ain, you will receive your punishment very soon."

Before Hoorain could turn around to say something he sped off, the last thing she saw was his smirk. She knew she messed up but at least their misunderstanding was cleared.

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Assalamualaikum!!

I know it's been a while but school is HECTIC. We're like 2 weeks into schools and teachers have already started giving us assignments and tests. Anyway here is the new chapter. If you find any mistakes or concerns, please reach out to me or just leave a comment.

Hirz-e-jaan has been No.1 on mohabbat and I am beyond happy!! Thank you so much !! <3

Leave a like and give feedback :)

I'll upload the next chapter next weekend, till then Allah Hafiz lovely readers!!! <3