chapter 68

.

Ayesha's pov

.

I looked at Maizah, then at Reem. I don't know if it's even a good thing that they are face to face.

"Let's go Ayesha" Reem said and was about to walk away, but Maizah held her hand to stop her.

"Reem please. Listen to me" she pleaded, Reem pulled her hand out of her grip with a jerk

"Stay away from me" she snarled at Maizah

"I know you are upset with me. Any girl would react the same way after witnessing her husband with someone else, but you kn.." she was saying but Reem took a step towards her and pointed a finger at her.

"Stop talking before I do something I don't want to do" she grinded her jaw.

Just then it occurred to me maybe Maizah has come in front of us as a blessing in disguise, she can tell Reem what we are trying to tell her.

"Reem please! Let her talk" I requested.

"Ayesha! How can you even say that?" She glared at me

"Just once, please for my sake" I knew it will make her listen to Maizah, she heaved a defeated sigh

"You have five minutes" she turned to Maizah

"After dada abbu's death, I was all alone and scared, but then I met dada ji, he introduced me to Izhaan, they promised to bring justice to my dada abbu. Initially I was scared but as I got to know Izhaan, I felt safe. I wish you could see how lucky you are to have him as your life partner, he is so caring" she was endlessly praising jeeju, I noticed Reem clenching her fist

Yeh kya bakwas kar rahi hai Maizah, yeh to mamla aur bigad degi (what nonsense she is uttering, she will worsen the situation)

"So jeeju was helping you with the case, that is why he pretended to be your husband" I said, she nodded

"My life was in constant danger, but after Izhaan showed it to everyone that he is my husband..."

"Fake husband" Reem corrected her, her face was red, I could imagine how jealous she must be feeling right now, but she needed to hear all this

"Yeah! Fake husband" Maizah's eyes showed so much pain while saying this. Oh please now don't say she fell in love with him while pretending.

"What happened that day?" I asked her bringing on the topic

"That day when you saw us in the cafe, we had to come publicly together, and you have no idea how many enemies of mine were there, almost everyone had a gun and was waiting to kill us. They just wanted a confirmation that we were pretending, everything was going according to the plan, but suddenly you came" she said to Reem

"Then what happened?" I asked

"If Izhaan accepted you as his wife, it would have brought danger on you also, so he chose to be rude to you and we left from there, but after we left he was going crazy, he just wanted to return to you and clear all the misunderstanding." She said

I looked at Reem, there was no expression on her face, she was just blankly staring at Maizah.

"I realised how much Izhaan loves you Reem. I hope you see his worth, not everyone is as lucky as you are. People like Izhaan are hard to find in this selfish world, that guy cares so much about his loved ones and he is so dedicated about his work" she started her praises again, I wanted to put a tape on her mouth.

"Five minutes are up" Reem spoke and she turned around to leave.

"It was nice meeting you Reem. And please give my salam to Izhaan" Maizah said, Reem stomped her foot and exited the store, I went after her.

"Are you ok?" I asked

"I want to go home" she said, I nodded.

We headed towards the car and soon we were on the way to home.

I looked at Reem she was awfully quiet, I could tell she was deep in thinking. She already knows almost the whole truth now, it was the best time to keep talking to her about it

"Oh my God! It is hence proved you have always been jeeju's priority" I said, she frowned at me

"You heard her, it was all just a drama. Jeeju didn't recognise you because he didn't want to put your life in danger, he never betrayed you, you are punishing him for no reason" I said

"Let's not talk about it " she said

"Aaahhhh" I groaned loudly

"Enough Reem! You know everything now, then why can't you stop running away from it? Jeeju did everything because dada ji asked him to do, he was just doing his job. It was just unfortunate that you saw them. Don't punish him Reem, he doesn't deserve it" I shouted, she just sat quietly.

I looked at her in disbelief, how can she still be angry at jeeju. I think now is the correct time to execute Athar's plan, we are in a now or never situation.

We reached the house, without saying a word Reem got off and walked in the house. I quickly took out my phone and called Athar.

"Kya baat hai, madam khud se phone kar rahin hai, kitna khushnaseeb ho gaya mai. (wow! Madam is calling on her own, I feel so blessed)" he said

"Athar! Listen to me" I said and then I told him about everything that just happened with Maizah.

"How is Reem's reaction?" He asked

"She is just too quiet." I sighed, "I seriously think it is the right time to put your plan in action" I said

"Hmm, you are right" he said, then he gave me instructions on what to do. I hung up the call and went in the house.

Reem was in the washroom when I came into the room, I heard the water running sound, she must be taking a bath. I paced around the room waiting for her.

The moment I heard her coming out of the washroom I quickly got in action.

"Ayesha! What happened?" She asked when she saw my worried face

"Dada ji has returned from Germany" I said

"Oh finally! It was a very long trip of his, but why are you so stressed?" She asked

"You know why dada ji delayed his return?" I asked

"No" she shook her head.

"Because he fell sick there and the doctors didn't allow him to travel" I said

"What?" Her eyes widened

"Yeah!"

"How is he now?" She asked

"Alhamdulillah he is absolutely fine now, but he is just upset, that you and I are not there, he wanted to come to meet you, but dadi didn't let him, now he is missing you and worrying a lot about you, I'm afraid he will take it on his health"

"Oh! I will just call him right away" she picked up her phone, but I quickly snatched it from her hand

"Reem! I seriously think it's better to talk in person. Can you just put everything aside and let's go to meet him?" I asked, she looked a little reluctant, "he is not at the Khan villa, he is in the farmhouse" I said

"Why has he gone there?" She frowned

"For fresh air" I made an excuse. "I'm going to meet him now, you want to come?" I asked crossing my fingers

"Yes! I will. Let me just change my clothes"

She ran into the closet, I quickly messaged Athar, and told him about the success of step one of our plan.

Soon we left for the farmhouse. I looked at Reem.

"Sorry baby for lying to you, but this can't keep happening. The way you took whatever happened with Maizah is a big positive sign, it gave me courage to go ahead with the plan" I said to her in my thoughts.

"Baby you ok?" I asked

"Yeah" she nodded.

Soon we reached the farmhouse, I parked the car and together we came out, my back was hurting because of so much driving today.

I saw Athar coming towards us.

"Assalamualaikum" he said looking at us.

"Walekum assalam " Reem and I replied in unison.

"Where is everyone?" Reem asked

"Inside" he answered, she gave him a curt nod and turned to walk inside

"Reem! You go ahead I wanted to talk with Ayesha about something. Go to dadi's room" Athar said, she nodded and left.

"Will it work?" I asked Athar

"In sha Allah" he said.

Without making it obvious I messaged the doctor about my back pain, she immediately replied.

I can't take medicine right now.

Athar was talking, so I brought my attention to him while praying to Allah that everything falls into place.

"Don't worry" he put an arm over my shoulder, I leaned on him.

We both were busy in talking suddenly I felt some movement behind me.

"Someone is there" I said pointing towards the grass

"There can't be anyone, it's just us" he said, so I just shrugged the thought off my head.

*****

.

Reem's POV

.

After meeting Maizah I felt so uneasy, there was just weird feeling in my heart which was eating me.

I hated it every time she took Izhaan's name and praised him. Who the hell is she to tell me if I am lucky or not!

I thought about that day at the cafe. I remember seeing a man with a gun, he was talking about killing two persons, was he really talking about Izhaan?

I felt my heart beat stopping thinking about it.

Have I really been punishing him for something he didn't do?

I came to washroom and stood under shower.

What if he did something to Izhaan? What would have happened to me then? My head started spinning.

I came out of the washroom and Ayesha gave me the news about dada ji, I got so worried about him, that I quickly agreed to come to meet him.

Ayesha stopped to talk to Athar Bhai, so I came inside alone, I went straight to dadi's room. The door was closed, I knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Dada ji" I said

"Yaar Athar, why are we here?" Izhaan asked turning around and looking at me.

Is it really him or again just my imagination. We both stood quietly just kept looking at each other.

"Reem! I didn't know you were coming here" he said.

He is real!

I felt fluttering in my heart, he was actually standing in front of me after a month.

"Athar just said, he has some work here, so I came here with him, I had no idea that you will be here" he was panicking, I just looked at him trying to believe he was really here.

"Jaan! Are you ok?" He asked coming closer to me, I felt so angry at him at the moment. "Please say something, you are scaring me" he said

I slapped him hard, his face whipped to one direction. He put his hand on his cheek and looked at me with wide eyes.

"How dare you to ask me if I am ok or not?" I held his collar and shook him

"Reem" he held my wrists, I left him with a jerk

"How could you do this to me?" I shouted in anger, "how can you forget that you have a wife and a baby?" I asked

"What are you talking! You guys are my life how can I forget about you?" He was taking a step towards me, I raised my hand to stop him

"Don't lie. A month passed and not even once you cared to come and talk to me? Was I really so unimportant for you?"

"Jaan! You are the most important person for me, I thought you were angry with me that is why I refrained myself from coming to you" he said

"I was angry at you, I am angry at you, you should have come to me and let me take out my anger at you, but not even once in the whole month you tried to talk to me. I hate you for this" I cried

"Please don't say that! Only I know what I went through this whole month, I was dying without you, but I was so scared of coming in front of you, I didn't want to risk your health" he said.

I went near him and punched him on his chest repeatedly

"You have never loved me" I said, he held my hand and pulled me to him

"I only love you. Believe me Reem, it was all just for my case, dada ji gave me the responsibility of ....."

"Yeah righ! Dada ji gave you the responsibility of the case and you forgot everything else, you got married to me because dada ji and dadu wanted us to get married, I am just a responsibility they put on your shoulders, you don't love me" I said, he held my arms and pulled me to him

"Tumhara har ilzam sar aankhon pe, par yeh mat kehna k mai pyaar nahi karta tumse, tum jaan ho meri, mere jeene ki wajah ho (I will accept all your accusations with bowed head, but don't say that I don't love you, you are my life, you are the reason for me to live)" he said staring deep in my eyes

"Really? Then where were you? I missed you so much. I wanted you to come to me so that I can show you how angry I was at you, I wanted you to beg for forgiveness, I wanted you to make me feel how much you want me, but you just disappeared" I sobbed

He pulled me in a hug, I tried pushing him away but he tightened his arms around me.

"I didn't disappear, I was just too scared to lose you. I would prefer dying than living without you, please believe me, I love you endlessly" he said.

I was trying to process what he was saying suddenly there was a loud bang on the door, I broke the hug and turned around to see what it was, there was some man standing.

"Simon" Izhaan said

"I am so sorry Mr lawyer to disturb your romance" he said and walked towards us. Izhaan put me behind him.

"What do you want? Get out of here?" Izhaan shouted at him.

"Well! I want many things but let's start with an apology first!" He looked at us with his scary red eyes, I clutched Izhaan's tshirt in my fists, "fold your hands Mr lawyer and ask for my forgiveness for what you did to me! You have wasted my precious years of life, now apologise for it" he growled

"You are too stupid to think that I am going to apologise to a monster like you, given a chance I will get you behind the bars again" Izhaan said, the guy's face hardened

"Apologise, or " he shouted making me jump on my place

"Or what?" Izhaan asked

The guy chuckled, he took out a gun from his pocket and pointed at Izhaan, I gasped and held Izhaan tightly

"Or I will shoot you" he said

"Look Simon it's between you and me, let my wife go from here, then you can shoot me if you want" Izhaan said, it felt like my soul was being pulled out of my body painfully

"What are you saying Izhaan! He looks mad, please just apologize to him" I said with shaky voice

"No Reem! And please go from here" he said, "let her go Simon" Izhaan said

"Ok" he shrugged and moved two steps back

"Izhaan please I will not go from here" I shook my head, then I turned to the guy, "look I am sorry, please forgive him, but let us go" I said

"Shut up Reem. He's a criminal, and I will not even lower my gaze in front of them. Just go" Izhaan said

"You know what Mr lawyer, I will not kill you" he said, suddenly he held my hand and pulled me to him, he put the gun on my forehead.

"Reem!" Izhaan yelled, "you said you will let her go"

"You are stupid to believe me, even if I kill you tonight, you'd die an honoured death, but if I kill her you will die every moment for the rest of your life. I have just witnessed how much you love her" the guy laughed like a maniac.

"Listen please just let her go" Izhaan said

"Apologise" the guy said

"I am sorry, I am really very sorry" Izhaan didn't even take a moment to fold his hand and apologize, it hurt me seeing him like this, tears fell from my eyes.

"That was not fun at all" the guy said, then he pressed the gun on my forehead

"Ow" I whimpered

"Simon please don't" Izhaan pleaded

"Do something better" Simon said

Izhaan quickly kneeled and bowed down his head while folding his hands

"Izhaan no" I said, it was so painful to see him like this I closed my eyes.

"I am sorry. I beg for you forgiveness but please let her go" Izhaan said

"This is so much fun" Simon laughed loudly, "now put your forehead on the ground and beg" he said

"Don't do this Izhaan" I shouted, he hit my head with the gun, "aahhh" I yelped

"Don't spoil my game" he shouted

"Don't hurt her, I'll do it" Izhaan said

He lowered his head on the ground, my heart was breaking into pieces.

Izhaan held his foot and pulled it forcefully, making him stumble and fall down, he pushed me in the process. I prepared myself to fall down I wrapped my arms around my bump to protect my baby, suddenly someone held me, I looked at the person it was Ayesha.

"Are you ok?" She asked

"Izhaan" I looked at him, I was horrified when I saw Izhaan, Simon and Athar engaged in a fight. Simon still had a gun in his hand

My vision was turning blurry. My heartbeat slowed, it was so difficult to breathe.

"Reem! Police will be here soon" Ayesha said her voice was shivering with fear, my wide eyes were stuck on the three of them.

Suddenly the room echoed of the gunshot and I felt the ceiling fell on my head.

"Izhaan" I screamed.

I dropped on my knees and cried loudly.

.

Athar's POV

.

After Ayesha pointed out some presence around us, even I felt that there was someone. My sixth sense told me that something is not correct, I quickly called shaurya and told him, he said he will send police from the nearest police station and he was also coming.

"What is happening Athar? I'm so scared" Ayesha said.

"Go, sit in the car and lock it from inside, I will go and check Izhaan and Reem" I said

"I will not leave you alone, I will come with you" she held my hand firmly

"Ayesha please try to understand, we don't know what is happening inside, I can't risk your life by taking you in there"

"Risk my life? What do you mean?" She asked with a frown

"There's someone after Izhaan for revenge" I said, her eyes widened

"Reem and jeeju are inside Athar" she shouted, I put my hand on her mouth immediately

"Lower your voice"

"I have to go to Reem" she was going inside, I stopped her.

"Please go to the car"

"No"

It was impossible to make her understand at the moment, but Izhaan and Reem were inside I couldn't afford to lose time.

"Ok! Come with me, but you stay behind me" I said, she nodded

I took Allah's name and walked in the house, I reached till the door of the room where Izhaan and Reem were. I looked through the keyhole

My heart was beating crazily when I saw Simon holding Reem at gunpoint and Izhaan was kneeling infront of him.

Very slowly I opened the door, Simon couldn't know I was standing behind him. He was laughing evilly.

He asked Izhaan to put his forehead on the ground, but when Reem refused him to do it he hit her, she yelped in pain. I clenched my fists

My eyes connected with Izhaan, he motioned me to be ready, I knew what he was about to do, I quickly gestured Ayesha to handle Reem and just then Izhaan pulled his leg, he fell and we both pounced on him.

Izhaan and I were trying to take the gun from his hand, but he was definitely too quick, he was giving us a really hard time.

In the attempt of snatching the gun from him, he fired it, I looked up at Izhaan to see if he was ok, thankfully the bullet didn't hurt any of us, he fired it on the ground.

Soon Allah sent his help and police came, they held Simon.

"Buddy are you ok?" Izhaan asked looking at me from head to toe, I nodded

"And you?" I asked

"Yeah I am fine"

"I will kill you Mr lawyer, you can't stop me" Simon shouted. The police dragged him outside. We were going after them but stopped when I heard Ayesha's scream.

"Jeeju, Athar" she was shouting. I turned to look at her, Reem was on the floor, she was holding her stomach and yearning in pain.

"Reem" Izhaan ran to her and held her.

"We need to take her to the hospital, right now" Ayesha shouted

"Bring her out Izhaan, I will keep the car ready" I said and ran outside. The policeman stopped me to ask some questions, but luckily shaurya came in time, I told him that we have to go to the hospital and he quickly cleared the way

I brought the car to the entrance, Izhaan came outside with Reem in his arms, he put her at the backseat and sat beside her, Ayesha sat on the passenger seat.

"Izhaaaaaan" Reem was shouting in pain.

"Jaan I'm right here" Izhaan was trying to comfort her. Ayesha was crying heavily.

"Ayesha stop crying and call Reem's doctor, tell her we are bringing her" I ordered her, she nodded her head and quickly called the doctor

"Hello!.... Dr Palak?.... Oh.... We are bringing Reem..... Ok" she hung up

"Dr Palak is in operation theatre" Ayesha sobbed

"It's ok don't worry" I said

Reem was continuously screaming. Izhaan was uttering comforting words to soothe her, but he was evidently failing.

"Athar drive faster" Izhaan shouted

"Buddy relax. We have almost reached" I said "Reem try to distract yourself, look outside" I said to help Reem

"Shut up Athar" all three of them shouted at me

Even though I was telling everyone to calm down, but in all honesty I was freaking out from inside.

Ya Allah please make us reach the hospital in time.

And Allah answered my prayers, we reached the hospital and Reem was taken to the labour room.

"I will inform everyone at home" Izhaan said.

Ayesha and I was standing in the corridor, she looked so pale, there were unshed tears in her eyes.

"Why are you crying? We should be happy. Junior is coming" I said

"She is in pain" she cried, I held her and pulled her in a hug

"It's ok" I rubbed her back.

"Ayesha?" A voice said and we both turned around, it was Reem's doctor, Ayesha opened her mouth to say something but she beat her

"Is your back hurting too much?" She asked Ayesha, I frowned in confusion.

"Doctor Re..."

"Oh so you are Ayesha's husband?" She asked me, I nodded, "it's nice to finally meet you. I understand business is important, but taking care of your pregnant wife is more important" she said and a rug was pulled out of my feet

"Excuse me! Pregnant?" I asked in disbelief

"Yes! Ayesha worries too much about the baby, she must have called me like hundred times in last two weeks." She laughed

"Ayesha" I looked at her, she lowered her gaze.

"I really want to see you in the next appointment" doctor said to me.

"How is she?" Izhaan came

"Mr Izhaan, you are also here?" The doctor asked

"Doctor Reem is in labour" Izhaan said

"Oh really. I didn't know I will go and check on her" she said and ran in the labour room.

I looked at Ayesha in disbelief, she is pregnant and she knew about it, but she never shared it with me.

"Athar I ..." She opened her mouth to speak but I gestured her to stay quiet.

"Not a word Ayesha" I glared at her.

I was definitely happy to know about the news, but right now anger overpowered every other feeling.

With great difficulty I controlled myself. And focused on izhaan, it's his day and I didn't want to spoil it.

Please vote and comment