• their end •

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( a/n: the context of the video & the story of his mother's death is updated in the book 'judgement' in the chap 'the TRUTH', since this chap is too lengthy to include that here, so do read that chap before proceeding further to understand the storyline, thanks )

//❄️❄️❄️//

/2 months later\

'Live where your heart finds life.'

Gule added the caption under the post of her painting before uploading it. Her art had begun to captivate a wider audience, especially after being showcased in exhibitions and galleries.

The admiration she received online now poured in faster than ever, with comments, messages, and a growing community of followers who saw her as an artist who gave life to emotions through her work.

The scandal had fortunately died down soon after the video was taken down from all sites. Yes, she did receive a few hate comments but it didn't bother her much.

Life had taken unpredictable turns for many, especially the most drastic one for Ruman Haider Shah. After putting his son in jail in his stead for his own freedom, he couldn't avoid the downfall.

Once a man drunk on power and pride, he had now lost it all. His wealth, name, and influence was all gone. With nothing left but his faded memories and regrets, he now lived in a nursing home. His downfall was the harsh reality of how life could change directions when least expected.

While, Shaheer had found his footing and a sense of purpose. He had finally launched his security agency. A dream born out of his experiences and fueled by Gule's determination to see him succeed.

She had insisted on investing in his company, refusing to take no for an answer.

/flashback\

"I'll be the investor." Gule said, folding her arms and staring at him with determination etched across her face.

"What?" Shaheer blinked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I'm going to invest in you," she declared firmly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"No. I'll—" he begun, but she cut him off swiftly.

"Yes, I will."

"No."

"Yes!"

"I said no, Gule."

"And I said I will, Shaheer!"

"Gule." He stepped closer, his brows furrowing in exasperation.

"Itny ziddi kyun ho tum?" She said, glaring at him.

"Itni dheet kyun ho tum?" He shot back.

"Tumny mujhy dheet kaha?!" Her voice rose in disbelief.

There was no winning for Shaheer after that. He had to let her have her way.

/end of flashback\

Within two months, Shaheer had secured contracts with three prominent agencies, working as bodyguard for high-profile actresses and executives. He had now hired a team (only four, as of yet) of bodyguards in his private company.

The profit share he gained allowed him to pay back Gule's investment almost immediately. As Gule was about to put her phone down, she got a notification from the bank informing that her account had received payment from him.

It had just been two months and he'd given her invested money back. Gule shook her head as she read the message and made her way to get ready to leave.

She'd been going to her house, where all her old memories with her father were, to work on her new painting. It was a huge one and she'd been working on it since a month.

Sometimes she'd just go and sit there with all the paints, staring blankly at the canvas. Sometimes she'd find the brush moving on its own accord in her hand. She wanted to portray herself, her emotions, her feelings in this painting.

On her way, she decided to drop by at Shaheer's company to give him an earful for being so efficient. Why couldn't he just pay her back slowly?!

Gule entered the office, a box of donuts in her hand. She'd gotten introduced to the four guys on her previous visits to the office, and the fifth guy was none other than Hunain who had become the heart of the office in no time of course.

"Assalam-u-alaikum, bhabhi!" Their voices rang out cheerfully.

"I bought donuts for you all. Enjoy." She smiled, placing the bag of donuts on the table.

"Wah, partner!" Hunain chimed in, his tone playful as always. "Humari karwi zindagi mein mithas bharny ka shukriya. Warna humara kharoos boss tou kabhi offer bhi nai deta."

Gule chuckled, raising her eyebrows. "Thori mithas unnko bhi transfer kar aati hun phir mein," she quipped, nodding towards the office door.

"He's inside. Go ahead." He pointed before picking up the bag of donuts to pass them to all.

Gule made her way to his office room, carefully opening the door without any noise. He was seated on the sofa instead of the office chair, his side pose visible to Gule as he was focused on going through some documents.

"Come in, Gule." He said without even looking. Gule wasn't even surprised anymore. Jin kahin ka! She went to stand beside his seated figure.

"Do you want to get rid of me that fast, bodyguard?" She stared at him, folding her arms. He looked up at her question and putting away the papers, he held her forearm to pull her to sit beside him.

"Never." He slightly squished her right cheek, before turning back to the scattered documents on the table, searching for something.

Gule felt her cheeks rise upwards but joined her lips together to stop smiling, internally scolding herself for melting so quickly.

"Here, sign this." He found the piece of paper he was searching for and placed it in front of her.

"What is it?" Gule asked as she read the bold heading of the agreement. He had added her as a permanent stakeholder of his company, ensuring she received monthly profits.

"But I don't-" Gule was about to refuse but he cut her off, handing a pen in her hand.

"I'm not asking, Gule." He said, urging her to sign. "Just like you didn't let me stop you from investing for the start up of this company, now you can't stop me from returning the favour to you till it's running."

"Returning the favour? Till it's running? Matlab, for a lifetime. I'm gonna be rich!" She smiled, clicking the pen. "Jis speed sy tum jaa rahy ho, yeh company tou ISI ko bhi peechy chor dy gi."

She bent forward to sign the paper, continuing to talk. "Tum itny pyar sy keh rahy ho isi liye sign kar rahi hun. Mein ziddi aur dheet nai hun na unlike someone I know."

Shaheer smiled lightly, watching her and listening to her. "...aur tum tou poory businessman bann gaye ho. How're you so good at everything you do?"

"You made this happen," he told her, gratitude evident in his voice. Gule put a pause to her rambling, returning the signed paper to him.

"You made this happen. I just believed in you." She smiled. Shaheer got up to carefully place the paper on his table. She looked at the time.

"I was on my way to Baba Jaan's house, so I thought I'd drop by," she casually told, her eyes  now scanning the office.

"Is the painting coming together now?" He asked, making his way back to the sofa.

"Kind of." She shrugged.

"So, when I come to pick you up later, can I take a peek at it?" He almost sounded like a curious kid.

"Not yet," she replied, shaking her head with a sly smile.

Before Shaheer could respond, Gule noticed a picture among the scattered documents on the table. "Who is she?" She asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"My new client." Shaheer turned to glance at it, his expression neutral.

Gule tilted her head, studying the woman's profile from afar. "Pyari hai," she remarked.

"I wouldn't know," Shaheer replied flatly, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve. "I don't look at my clients that way."

"Tou jab mein tumhari client thi, tab tumny mujhy bhi kabhi nai dekha?" Gule curiously asked.

Shaheer had a sudden flashback for a moment. He'd never looked at her that way in the start. But he remembered the time he was awestruck by her. She'd made him forget how to breathe.

He glanced at his watch, ignoring the question altogether. "I need to get going. I have a meeting with the new client."

Gule leaned closer, refusing to let him off the hook. "Jawab do pehly mujhy."

Shaheer got moving, stepping towards the door, but she followed him relentlessly. "Shaheer!" She called out, her voice taking on a more insistent tone. "Batao na!"

//❄️❄️❄️//

Gule leaned back on the old couch of her father's house, holding a mug of steaming chai in her hands, as Radwa, who had come to visit her was sprawled out beside her, scrolling through her phone lazily.

Since Radwa's house was nearby, she usually came over when Gule would be at her father's place. The cozy silence was broken when Radwa suddenly spoke up.

"Did I tell you? I got a marriage proposal." She said it so nonchalantly, as if it were just another mundane detail.

"What?!" Gule almost spilled her tea.

Radwa shrugged, trying to seem casual, "Yeah, my parents are considering it." Her graduation was close and her parents had been talking about her marriage for a while now.

"Wait, wait, wait," Gule set her cup down, narrowing her eyes. "Since when do you not tell me these things in detail? Who is it? Do you like him?"

"I haven't met him yet," Radwa replied, fiddling with the edge of her Kurta. "It's just in the initial stages, but... uh..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes darting to the side.

"What?" Gule leaned forward, sensing there was more to the story.

"Well," Radwa bit her lip, hesitant, before blurting out, "Hunain kinda proposed to me on the way back from the hospital that day."

Gule froze, processing the words. "So, you mean, he indirectly proposed to you for marriage?" She almost screamed.

"No," Radwa replied with a groan. "He was very direct with it, Gul!"

|flashback|

Hunain, seated beside Radwa in the front seat upon his own demand, continued talking about how boring staying in the hospital and being a patient was, "I'm never gonna take a knife for anyone ever again."

"Itny bahadur lagty tou nai ho," she commented, glancing at him sideways.

"Are you impressed?" Hunain's grin widened as he had leaned closer. "Isi liye jab bhi aap ka shaadi ka plan bana, tou mujhy number one option py consider kijiye ga." He told her so casually that she almost caused an accident as she heard the words.

Her mouth fell open, her brows furrowing. "Kya? Kyun?"

"You're pretty cute," Hunain said matter-of-factly. "I'll protect you from everyone, I promise. Aur agar mein zakhmi ho gaya, tou you can heal me, doctor sahiba."

|end of flashback|

Gule's jaw dropped, meanwhile Radwa continued fiddling with her clothes, an habit she'd developed only when nervous and Gule knew that very well.

"Koi sharam hoti hai, haya hoti hai." She commented.

"Tum sharma gai?" Gule questioned with raised brows.

"Haan!" Radwa blurted out, her cheeks heating up as Gule erupted into laughter.

"Ajwa, I didn't know you could actually blush!" Gule teased, her laughter ringing out across the room.

"Stop it!" Radwa protested, her voice light with embarrassment. But the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her.

The next half an hour consisted of Gule teasing her and talking her into admitting there was a 99.99% possibility that she liked Hunain and should consider his marriage offer seriously.

"How's married life treating you now?" Radwa shifted the topic swiftly.

"It's still as perfect as it can ever be." Gule replied with a smile.

Since the day he'd opened up to her about his past completely, she felt a lot closer to him. It was true that he'd been full of secrets, had hidden so much from her, but when it came to him, she couldn't seem to think straight or get mad.

Even if he'd have told her he killed a man on purpose, she was afraid she'd still have looked over the fact. He held so much control over her heart that it scared her.

One other thing that had changed was their physical closeness. He acted like a man starved of touch and she loved every second of it. He loved cuddling her and couldn't sleep without her in his embrace.

"He is the best husband. Listens to all my crazy demands and stupid rants like they're the most important. Handles all my moods without a single complaint. He never refuses when I ask him for something." Gule's smile widened as always at his mention.

She excitedly started telling her about their latest adventure, not knowing her perfect married life was going to turn upside down real soon.

//❄️❄️❄️//

The dim glow of the laptop screen illuminated Shaheer's face, the only light in the otherwise darkened room. He didn't know if he was prepared to open this file sitting in his mailbox for the past ten months.

It had been two months since a professional hacker like Hunain started trying to crack open the file sent by Zarar. When Zarar had reminded him about it after getting caught, Shaheer had sent it to Hunain since he didn't know its password.

The hint for the password said 'name'. Shaheer couldn't think of anyone linked with Zarar and himself to be able to guess the name. He had to go pick Gule up from her father's place later. Suddenly, a memory flashed across his mind.

He had to enter a name for the password. A name Zarar had mentioned to him on call once. He didn't have the thought before and it struck him. So he went over to Hunain's place to try it out there.

He reluctantly entered the name. Shah Nawaz. It worked. The file opened and everything seemed to have been paused as he realised it was real. Zarar wasn't bluffing. He actually had the file.

His finger trembled slightly as he pressed play on the CCTV footage. The timestamp showed a date from years ago, the day his life had forever changed. His heart pounded in his chest as he leaned closer, his eyes scanning every detail.

The screen showed the mall, its interiors engulfed in thick smoke. People were running, their figures blurred in the chaos, but his focus froze on two figures in the center of it all.

His mother.

She was clinging to the edge of a broken railing, her hand desperately reaching up to the man standing above her. Shaheer's breath hitched. The man's face. He recognised it all too well.

It was Shah Nawaz. Gule's father.

Shaheer's world tilted as he watched the scene unfold in horrifying clarity. His mother was hanging there as her father held her wrist, keeping her from falling into the fire. The quality of the video and the smokey view made it hard to make out their expressions.

Shaheer flinched as his grip loosened, barely managing to keep the hold. Her lips moved, but no sound reached Shaheer.

Shah Nawaz tried to pull her up, his own weight falling forward due to the fire and chaos. Their grip was loosening. And then.

Her hand slipped. She fell.

The footage captured the flames swallowing her whole. The screen froze on her figure disappearing into the inferno before cutting to static.

Shaheer stared at the screen, his mind blank yet filled with deafening noise. The realization hit him like a blow to the chest, stealing the breath from his lungs.

His entire life, his purpose, his vengeance, it had all led to this moment. The truth was like a sharp blade, cutting deep into his soul.

The man who had caused his mother's death was none other than Gule's father. Shah Nawaz.

His hands clenched into fists as his body shook with a mixture of grief and fury. His jaw tightened, his teeth grinding together as the scene replayed in his mind over and over again. The betrayal, the hatred, the unbearable weight of it all crushed him.

Tears welled up in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. Instead, he slammed his fist against the desk, the pain barely registering. "Why..." he whispered, his voice cracking. "Why?"

He had dedicated his life to avenging her, to finding the person responsible for the fire. And now that he knew the truth, it felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him.

Shaheer's shoulders slumped as he buried his face in his hands. His mind raced with questions, with memories of Gule, her laughter, her warmth, her unwavering presence in his life.

How could he look at her the same way now?

How could he reconcile the woman he loved with the man who had destroyed his world?

The room grew colder, the silence suffocating. Shaheer sat there, frozen, as the weight of the truth crushed him from all sides.

And for the first time in his life, he didn't know what to do.

He closed the laptop shut without exiting the file, his thoughts were a storm. The weight of the revelation pressed heavily on his chest. He knew it wasn't her father's fault.

His mother's death had been destined, yet he couldn't stop replaying the moment. Her father had tried to save her, but perhaps if he'd been faster, stronger, more determined. These thoughts bore holes in Shaheer's chest, a hollow filled with misplaced blame.

Shaheer couldn't let go of the resentment swirling within him. And yet, Gule. She had nothing to do with this. She was blameless, untouched by the chaos of the past.

He clenched his fists, trying to banish the images from his mind. He couldn't let this poison seep into his behavior or twist the love he felt for her. She was his present, his peace, his anchor, he couldn't let the past fracture what they had built.

Yet, the anger and sorrow tangled within him were relentless, refusing to be silenced.

He sat on the edge of the couch, his face buried in his hands. The silence in the room was broken by the faint creak of the door as Hunain entered.

He placed the coffee mug he was holding on the table, his gaze fixed on Shaheer's slumped figure. "Shaheer." He called. Shaheer didn't look up.

Hunain sighed and took a seat across from him. For a moment, Hunain debated whether to leave him alone, but he couldn't. "I saw it too." He confessed.

He had actually managed to open the file and curiosity got the best of him so he decided to take a look at what's in the video. The content had left him shocked. As heart wrenching as this truth was, he knew it would break Shaheer's newly mended heart all over again.

So he did what he thought was right. Hid it from him. Every time Shaheer asked about it, he'd lie and tell him it looks like a spam file so he'd stop paying attention to it.

"Meiny wohi kiya jo mujhy sahi laga. I never thought you'll guess the password and open it yourself like this. Why do you always have to dig up everything?!" Hunain shook his head looking at him.

"Look, I don't know what's going through your head right now, but you were over the idea of getting revenge after your wedding. That's why I thought you were better off not knowing the truth."

Shaheer finally lifted his head, his eyes hollow. Hunain sighed. "Zinda laash lag rahy ho. Mujhy ahsaas tha tab hi nai bataya na, ab mujhy yeh bhi nai pata tum suicide attempt karo gy ya homicide."

"Ahsaas karo, bakwaas na karo." Shaheer finally snapped, which made Hunain's shoulders relax a little on getting a response out of him.

"I understand." Hunain's said calmly. "And I know what you're thinking. That the world's against you, that this pain will never go away."

Shaheer clenched his fists. He wanted to scream. He wanted to tell him he didn't understand. He didn't even know how to express the turmoil his emotions were in.

Hunain leaned forward, his voice low. "But I've lost my share of things too. And I've learned one thing: you either let it consume you or you decide to rise above it."

"I don't know what to do. I feel angry. Suffocated." Shaheer shook his head, his voice laced with bitterness.

Hunain placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's the first step. You're acknowledging it. But don't let it take over you or ruin your well established life."

He was referring to his relationship with Gule. "I called Bhabhi to let her know you're busy with work so you'll be late. She'd been calling you on your phone."

"Gule..." Shaheer's jaw tightened.

"You don't have to tell her right now," Hunain said quickly. "But don't push her away either. She deserves to know when you're ready. And you deserve her support."

After a long pause, Shaheer looked at him. "I can't let her know. If she finds out," he gulped, knowing how it would break her apart because she'd feel guilty over her father's actions all her life.

"How do I live with this truth?" He murmured feeling lost. All his life, he'd been desperate to find out how his mother died and now that he knew, the truth was much more suffocating.

"Every truth, no matter how bitter, has a purpose. Even if it breaks us first." Hunain said. For the first time in hours, Shaheer exhaled deeply.

Hunain stood up and walked to the door but turned back before leaving. "Shaheer, jo dil ke andar hai, ussko saaf rakhna." With that, he left, leaving Shaheer alone with his thoughts again.

After an hour, he held his phone from the table. It showed 8 missed calls from Gule. He got up and picking up his laptop bag left the room.

"What have you decided to do?" Hunain asked, tilting his head as he was lying on the sofa with a muted TV channel on.

"I have decided that I will let my Allah guide my way." Shaheer tightened his jaw, praying this truth wouldn't affect him or their relationship.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Shaheer steeled himself before entering the house, his exhaustion evident in his heavy steps. Gule was waiting on the sofa in the hall. She stood up as soon as she saw him.

"You're really late today," she said, concern evident in her tone.

She had returned from her father's place alone after receiving Hunain's call, even though Shaheer was originally supposed to pick her up.

"Got caught up in work," Shaheer replied shortly, avoiding her gaze as he placed his laptop bag on the table. He then headed to the open kitchen to grab a glass of water. Gule followed him, her brows furrowed with worry.

He avoided meeting her eyes. He was afraid he'd look into her eyes and not be able to hide his inner turmoil.

"Did you have dinner?" She asked gently, trying to gauge his mood. He gave a silent nod.

"How about we go out for ice cream?" She suggested, trying to lift his spirits.

He shook his head lightly, "Not today."

"Okay, then. You must be tired. Should we just relax at home? Maybe watch a movie or have coffee on the balcony?" She continued, offering him options with a hopeful smile.

But Shaheer walked past her and sank onto the sofa, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

His silence sent a pang of worry through her. He'd never not responded to her like this before. She bit her lower lip contemplating the days when he obligingly agreed to her vicarious plans, no matter how tired he was.

"Shaheer, are you okay? Does your head hurt? Should I massage it?" She asked softly, moving closer to touch his forehead. But he flinched away abruptly.

"No!" He snapped, and then took a deep breath and said more calmly, "Gule, not now. Please."

Gule froze for a moment, her chest tightening with a mix of anger and hurt. The distance in his tone was undeniable, and it stung her.

It was blatant that something was up with him and he was neither ready to share it with her nor intending to tell her anything.

"Why don't you ever tell me what's wrong?" She burst out, her voice quivering with emotion. "Why do you always keep secrets? If something is bothering you, tell me! And if you think I'm being annoying, just say it!" She turned abruptly and stormed towards their bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

Shaheer remained seated on the sofa, his eyes still shut, but Gule's outburst had cracked through his defenses. He sighed deeply, running a hand down his face before finally opening his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He wanted to follow her, to explain himself, but his turmoil weighed him down. He wasn't sure how to articulate the storm inside him without dragging her into it.

In the bedroom, Gule sat on the bed, her arms crossed, fuming but also fighting back tears. She whispered to herself, "Why does he have to be like this?"

Finally, Shaheer stood up, hesitating by the bedroom door before turning the knob. He entered the room, and slumped against the door for a moment before closing it and walking in.

Gule watched him silently, pressing her lips together as she debated on whether to say something or not. She silently kept watching him as he walked into the bathroom to freshen up for bed.

He'd come home all tired and she kept pestering him with her stupid demands. It was natural that he snapped at her like that. She could've given him some time but instead she got mad too.

It was their first ever time fighting after marriage. She'd never fought with him before because he never gave her an opportunity to fight with him on anything. It was weird, but nice to see him showing emotions now.

She laid down on her side of the bed, her back in his direction. He was out in a few minutes and lied down on his side of the bed after turning off the lights.

After two more minutes of comprehensive silence, she tossed around facing him. To her surprise, he'd been staring at her already as if waiting.

"Idher aao." He said softly. She hesitated but moved closer, guilt etched across her face.

"I'm sorry, mujhy aisy baar baar nai poochna chahiye tha." She apologised as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Tumhara haq hai poochna." He exhaled deeply, his voice calmer now. "I was just angry because of someone at work. Usska ghussa tum par nikal gaya. Sorry."

"Jis ny Shaheer ko sataya usska moun kaala." She cussed, and just like that, she managed to lighten the mood with her easy-going nature. He lightly smiled, the heaviness in his heart depleted just by being close to her.

"Gule, I don't want you to ever think you're annoying or that I don't want you around. You're the one thing that keeps me sane. Even when I don't say it." He said remembering her words from earlier. Gule smiled, hugging him.

"I love you." She whispered as his hand caressing her head momentarily froze. As usual, he responded with a forehead kiss instead of saying it back to her.

"Wesy apas ki baat hai," she mumbled while her finger traced circles over his clothed chest, "bohut hi jungli tareekon sy soty ho tum."

"Iss baat ko apas mein hi rehny dena ab." Shaheer pulled her closer with his arm around her neck, and the other around her waist, fully pressing her petite frame into his broad body as she groaned, chuckling into his chest.

//❄️❄️❄️//

The morning sunlight filtered through the windows as Gule hurried into the living room, looking for a way to send an urgent email. She'd been invited to do a talk at an arts event since her posts' captions had really motivated and moved many people.

It was her first time receiving such an offer so she'd been confused. But after talking about it with Shaheer at night she realised it was something she'd love to do. So, right after praying fajr she'd decided to respond to the mail instead of delaying it.

She had left her laptop back at her father's place, and the mail had a document of the form attached that she needed to fill out if interested.

She spotted Shaheer's laptop bag on the table near the couch, where he'd placed it last night. She grabbed it and opened it without thinking twice.

The screen lit up, and she entered the password 12345678, she'd laughed a ton when he had told her this was his password but now she felt grateful it was this simple. The first thing she saw was the paused CCTV footage. Her eyes narrowed, curiosity pulling her closer as she clicked play.

Gule froze, her heart slamming painfully against her chest as the footage played on the screen. Within seconds, the weight of what she saw crushed her. The fire, her father, Shaheer's mother. The way her hand slipped from his grasp. The realization hit her like a storm, leaving her breathless.

Her father's face, the way his grip loosened, haunted her. Her knees buckled, and tears welled up as the reality of what she saw settled in her bones.

Suddenly she was gasping for air. For her last bits of sanity. For her cut off breaths. For this to be a nightmare. An ugly joke. A petty lie.

"Once he finds out the truth, he won't tolerate you."

"He'll realise you're a huge mistake. A punishment."

"Your being, your existence will become unbearable for him."

The words replayed in her mind like a broken record. Shaking, she snapped the laptop shut. She staggered to her feet, her mind a whirlwind of agony and disbelief.

Grabbing her phone with trembling hands, she left the house without a word, her breaths short, insides ripping apart, her soul shattering into pieces, as the door slammed shut behind her.

The cold morning air felt like a sting against her tear-streaked face. She didn't know where she was going; she only knew she had to run, as far away from the truth as possible.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Gule stepped into her father's house, her heart weighed down by a whirlwind of emotions. The silence in the house was almost suffocating. She walked through the familiar hall, upstairs towards his room, stopping at the door.

After hesitating for a moment, she stepped into the room with a heavy heart. Everything was just as she had left it after his death, untouched and frozen in time. Her eyes swept over the room. The past, his memories seemed to cling to every corner, every item.

Her gaze landed on his wardrobe as she remembered the locked drawer inside it. She remembered they hadn't found the keys to the drawer even when cleaning his room after his passing. He had always guarded it, never letting her near it.

She rushed forward and opened the cupboard, pulling and tugging at the locked drawer's handle with desperation. The handle snapped off, falling to the floor with a clatter as the edge cut through her skin.

Ignoring the searing pain and the blood dripping from her fingers, she stumbled out to grab a hammer. Breathing heavily as tears poured down her eyes non-stop, she returned with a hammer in her hand.

She struck the lock repeatedly, with frantic desperation, each blow fueled by her anguish, until it finally broke open. Her breath hitched as she opened the drawer with trembling hands.

Inside laid an old diary, a bundle of letters, and fragile pages yellowed with time. She pulled them out, scattering them across the floor. Collapsing to the cold floor herself, she sifted through the papers, her vision blurry with tears as she began to read, hoping for answers to the questions.

She turned the pages of the diary, to find an old confession sitting on the pages, waiting for her to read it. She felt the emotions poured in with generosity, a lump sum amount ashamed to collect.

She skimmed through the words, an overwhelming sensation spread across the blood in her veins. The feeling of pain got tangled in the web of hopelessness. An eventual dismay to her delicate heart.

The woman her father loved. The woman her mother always mentioned when fighting with him. The woman he wrote all his poetry for.

It was his mother. It wasn't just a coincidence at the mall. Her father had known his mother since way before. They had a long history. She was his first love.

The truth further destroyed her. It took her into an abyss of hopelessness, despair and horror. She read through the letters he wrote for her, the poetry he formulated for her, how he mentioned his love for her hazel eyes.

ہے آنکھوں میں کمال اسکے

جب کلام پڑھتی ہے تو دل دھرکتے ہیں

Hai ankhon mein kamal ussky

Jab kalaam parhti hai tou dil dharakty hein

It was more painful than all of her previous pains put together. She was in such agony that for the first time she wished for death. But death is infamous for being merciless.

Each cell in her body screamed from pain. How could fate be this cruel?! She sat there on the cold floor in the darkness for hours, staring blankly at nothing.

He'd told her after losing his mother in the fire he dedicated his entire life to avenge her death, to find the person who caused it. The CCTV footage wasn't even the entire truth. What would he do if he finds out? Will he hate her?

Her father had caused the fire on purpose. He was responsible for his mother's death. She felt ashamed. She wanted to ask her father, how could he do this? How could he have been this heartless?

The scar on his hand. The one she'd always kissed with affection. Caressed with love not knowing its origin. The scar was the last imprint his mother had left of herself. She felt sick, the truth burned her on the inside.

She was still breathing when the sun decided to set and the pain was nowhere even close to subsiding. She didn't know for how much longer would the misery go on, but instinct told her each day would keep on getting worse.

The room had turned dark as she took ahold of her phone and searched for the number she'd thought of never dialling again. Rubbing her eyes as she sniffed, she put the phone on her ear.

"Hello?" The sharp voice of her mother reached her ear after a few rings. She closed her eyes, holding back a sob. How was she supposed to bring it up and ask her how much of the truth did she know?

"Speak." She said impatiently, as Gule bit her lip hard enough for it to turn red. She felt like her father was not the man she'd always known, lived with and loved wholeheartedly. Did her mother hate her father because she knew of all this?

"Mama.." Her voice was shaky, vulnerable.

"Didn't you cut all ties with your mother?" The reply that came was as usual, harsh, but it felt like a complaint.

"Bolo, Gule." Her tone was soft now as she waited for her to speak, calling her with her name like this for the first time.

"I wanted to ask-" Gule's voice cracked, unable to speak further, she cut the call, breaking down again.

The darkness in the room suffocated her as she stumbled towards the window to push it open fully. The view of the front of her house gate cut off her breath.

Under the illuminated street light, he stood with his amber eyes looking directly up at her. Staggering backwards, she closed the window again, pulling the curtains down, hoping it was just an illusion of hers.

It was getting hard for her to breathe. She didn't know if it was a panic attack or a heart attack, but she wished for darkness to consume her and it did eventually.

Her eyes opened when the sound of doorbell ringing reached her ears. She got up from the hard floor, her body aching and cold. The light radiating from the curtains indicated it was the next morning.

She heard the door opening as Neelofer baaji's loud voice reached upstairs. She had an extra pair of keys with her. But who was she letting in. She dreaded the idea of facing Shaheer. She wasn't ready to look at him.

She heard footsteps and backed away, wishing to hide, to disappear from sight. However, the person who opened the door made her slide down the wall feeling relieved and grateful.

"Gul! You scared me to death." Radwa scolded, but looking at Gule's pale and frail figure, she rushed towards her. She had gotten Shaheer's message in the morning to go check up on Gule, but she didn't expect her to be in this condition. Gule broke down, letting out everything.

The silence in her father's living room felt heavier than the weight in Gule's heart. Radwa sat across from her, watching helplessly as her best friend continued crying her heart out.

Radwa wrapped a bandage on her fingers, the blood had dried out on the wound. The agony etched on Gule's face was unbearable, and the way her hands trembled as she spoke sent a pang of pain through Radwa.

"I wanna give him a big long hug and just cry with him." She cried out, breaking down again.

"Gul, kab tak aisy rou gi. Bas karo please." Radwa pushed her hair out of her face, wiping her tears.

"I'm trying but the pain is just getting worse with time." She rubbed a fist over her chest, feeling her heart clenching inside. "It's getting worse, the pain...... is marinating, it's getting worse. I don't know what to do with myself."

"Gul, meri jaan, please. Bas." Radwa hugged her in a tight embrace as fresh tears formed in her own eyes unable to see her best friend in this much agony.

After a few minutes, her sobs subsided again and she pulled away. Radwa knew no words would help her feel better so she remained quiet and let her talk.

"I wish I could put into words just how much pain I'm in, but what's even worse is knowing he's hurting so so much more. I can't even imagine what he's feeling, what he is going through." She hid her face in her hands, shaking her head, feeling miserable.

"You're still thinking about him and his pain when you've put yourself in this condition?!" Radwa spoke in disbelief. "Just, just forget about him and all of this for now and eat something. You haven't eaten anything since yesterday."

"No," Gule whispered, shaking her head. "No, I don't want anything."

"Gul. Kyun khud ko aziat dy rahi ho?" Radwa said, gently placing a hand on Gule's knee. "You have to continue living with this truth. Zindagi aisy kisi ky liye nahi rukti."

"Shaheer ky ilawa bhi koi zindagi hai?" Gule raised her tear-filled eyes to meet Radwa's who was left speechless.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Shaheer sat in his study room, his gaze fixated on the painting she'd hung on the wall in front of him. His laptop on the desk before him remained open, the screen dimming from inactivity.

He had deleted the video from the system completely. But what was the point now, she'd already seen it. He should've done so at that time but he was so out of it that he'd even forgotten to shut down his laptop.

His eyes were distant, unfocused. His mind replayed the moment at her father's house when he'd caught a glimpse of her standing by the window. The way she had panicked, stepped back, closed the curtains, and disappeared.

Her reaction scared him. Gule was an extremely sensitive person and he was afraid if she stayed alone for too long, she'd lose herself in the darkness.

His phone placed on the table next to the laptop started ringing. He sighed before answering the call and putting it on speakerphone.

"Jahil. Gadhay. Ullu ky bachay. Tumhari akal paani mein dupki lagany gai thi jo tumny uss laptop ko udher wesy chor diya ky aao dekh lo bohut informative video hai?!" Hunain began throwing a series of insults his way.

Shaheer had texted him three words; She saw it.

"Mujhy kya pata tha wo," Shaheer sighed, shutting his eyes in regret. When he'd woken up yesterday morning, he found his laptop on the table with no signs of Gule around. He looked at the dead screen and it didn't take him long to confirm what must've happened.

Her hair clip was on the sofa, half a glass of water on the table and the carton of milk with two eggs were placed on the kitchen shelf. She must've been planning to prepare breakfast for them. She'd left leaving everything scattered.

It must've shocked her. Broken her. Her father was the only figure she'd looked up to, truly trusted and been closest with.

He'd told her he wanted to find the person who made his mother fall to death. Maybe, if he hadn't told her about his past, she wouldn't have had to run away from him like this.

"What did she say?" Hunain's voice brought him back to reality.

"She left." He told, clenching his jaw.

"So she pulled a Shaheer." Hunain exclaimed disappointingly. "Running away is not the solution. You know, I know, we all know!"

"Yes, I know," Shaheer had lived his entire life running away from the reality, lived being stuck in the past. Of course he knew. "But she might need some time and space to accept it."

"What time?! What space?! Jojo, don't let her get stuck in the past. You pull her out before she gets the time and space to even think about it." Hunain said.

Shaheer understood what he meant, but remembering her face from yesterday made him reconsider the idea.

"Go and find her!"

"I did."

"And?"

"She looked frightened," Shaheer muttered, his voice barely audible even in the silence. He rubbed his temples, exhaustion evident in his movements. "I got the impression she wanted me to leave her alone."

"Or maybe," Hunain's voice echoed from the speaker, "she's really hoping you'd make the first move. She must be blaming herself, right? So you tell her that you don't blame her or anyone."

"It's not that simple." Shaheer replied. He knew Gule. She'd fallen apart after her father's death and it took her so much resilience to start living again, how was she to handle such a truth about their lives easily?

"We will pull through, we always do but this time isn't like all the others, it was never this bad before." He added.

Hunain sighed. "I hope you deal with it without dragging it for too long. And Shaheer," he paused for a moment before adding. "Don't get stuck in the past again."

After the call ended Shaheer was left alone in the silence with his thoughts again. When he'd been chasing the past, it didn't seem to be within his reach. Now that he'd stopped chasing it, it kept following him.

He really wanted to leave the past behind and move on already. Why did he even pay attention to his words, and what he'd said to Gule that day.

Shaheer's jaw tightened at the memory. He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his disheveled hair. The words of the drug dealer who had worked for Zarar resurfaced in his mind.

"Is there any space for her in your messed up life? Can you make her happy?"

He snapped open his eyes as the words were ringing in his ears. That low-life knew. The questions had rattled him at the time. But it didn't shake the faith in his heart.

Was there space for her in his messed up life? There was no space for her. Because she had become his entire world. Could he make her happy? He was not sure, but what's certain was that he was happy with her in that world.

In the evening, he had to attend an event as the private bodyguard of the client, who was a famous actress caught in a rumour with a politician, which led her to receive death threats. He didn't have the energy to go but he had no choice.

Shaheer robotically guided the glammed up lady in his black suit, entering the venue pushing past the media as he scanned the surrounding for any signs of threat.

He stood in a corner of the hall, his eyes on the target he was there to protect. His view was disrupted by a woman coming to stand in his way. It was a gathering for actresses, of course she was there.

"Shaheer, was it?" Her mother asked, clearly least interested in confirming if she got the name right or not. "Is Gule okay?"

Shaheer was taken aback by her question, and he definitely did not miss the slight concern in her voice. Out of a huge gathering, she'd spotted him and specially came to ask about her daughter.

Why was she showing interest after abandoning her and treating her like a stranger all these years? He clenched his fists, looking back ahead at his client.

"I'm on duty, ma'am." He professionally responded. Even though, he wanted to know the answer to the question too. Was she doing okay?

"Forget that I asked!" She walked away indifferently, but she sounded offended.

He was told to guide the actress through the backdoor where her car was waiting as there were paparazzi everywhere in the front exit. However, the backdoor didn't turn out to be safe and empty either.

A group of men were lingering by the exit, smoking cigarettes. The actress grabbed onto his arm, causing him to stiffen in unease as he fastened his steps guiding her to the car. It still managed to get their attention as they begun throwing flirtatious remarks.

He could've ignored them completely, but instead he slammed the car door shut, telling the manager to drive and leave while deliberately walking into danger. He threw a hard punch at the first man standing in the way, kicking the other man who had leaped forward to stop him.

The men in response didn't hold back, and neither did he. He allowed himself to be beaten, to feel the pain. It was as if he needed to punish himself physically to avoid the mental exhaustion.

After getting a good beating, he aimlessly laid there with a bruised face, aching ribs and bleeding knuckles. The sky darkened as heavy clouds gathered, rumbling with the signs of upcoming rain. Getting up, he started walking.

He found himself standing outside the gate of her father's house. His entire body felt raw when it started raining. For the first few minutes, it was like his body was on fire. All the wounds started burning but then it became soothing.

By the time it stopped raining, the sky had already darkened, mirroring the storm inside him as he watched the closed window of her room, reminiscing the rainy day she'd called him from there, glowing and radiant.

Something in the air had shifted that day. He missed her with every fibre of his being. Slowly, he turned around and walked away.

//❄️❄️❄️//

It had been an unbelievably long day and she was dreading the night. She'd read another confession written at the end of her father's diary. The reason why her hitler aunty had left suddenly like that.

Her eldest son had died in the fire at the mall. She'd considered the fire an accident, until she found her father's diary and read the confession. How could a mother's heart tolerate to forgive a man who'd deliberately set fire in a building which burned her son?

No wonder she couldn't bear the sight of Gule and cursed her like that when she'd gone to find her. Her father had locked the diary away in the drawer after that.

It was night when she realized she was famished and thirsty. Amongst thirst, hunger, pain, fear, helplessness and hopelessness, she didn't realize when she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

She woke up when it was still dark and she couldn't sleep again. The stillness of the night was suffocating, and she couldn't stay inside anymore. Wrapping a shawl around herself, and grabbing her father's diary, she left the house, her footsteps aimless.

She found herself at the lake view park as dawn began to break. She didn't know why she found this place so peaceful. Perhaps the serene water had always brought her solace, or maybe it was just the only place she could go to think without interruption.

She stood there, staring at the ripples on the surface, her heart heavy and her thoughts tangled. It had been four days already. For how long was she going to avoid him and run away from the truth?

At around dawn, as the first rays of sunlight painted the horizon, a faint voice calling her name broke the stillness. She stiffened, recognizing it instantly. Her hold on the diary tightened.

His presence, though unexpected, didn't frighten her today. Instead, it stirred a deep ache within her. As always, he'd found her.

"Gule." He called out again. Her name from his lips carried a strange tone of pleading.

She looked up and saw Shaheer standing a few feet away. He looked like he hadn't slept for days and his face was bruised. She wanted to look away, but her gaze betrayed her, lingering on him longer than she intended, concerned and worried. How did he get hurt?

She wanted to run into his arms. Scold him for getting hurt again. But the internal chaos she'd been experiencing overpowered all other thoughts. She looked away.

"You saw the video?" He knew, but he was still confirming. She nodded at him still not meeting his eyes. He walked closer towards her, standing one step away.

"Gule," he whispered her name again, as she refused to meet his gaze. He gently held her chin, turning her face upwards.

"Sar ooncha, ankhein uper," Shaheer urged, his tone gentle.

She exhaled shakily, finally raising her gaze to meet his. There was a vulnerability in his eyes as his expression softened, and for a moment, she forgot the chasm that had grown between them.

But as quickly as the thought came, it was overtaken by the weight of her father's betrayal and the truths she now had to live with.

She wanted to hug him, to let his embrace wash away the hurt, but the weight of the past still loomed between them.

"Shaheer," she whispered, her voice trembling. "You were planning to hide it from me, weren't you?" She said accusingly.

"Yes." He confirmed without a doubt. "Dekho, jaan kar kya haal kar liya hai tumny apna."

She closed her eyes, the floodgates of her emotions threatening to burst. When she opened them again, there was a quiet determination in her gaze.

"You know I'm not good at keeping secrets like you." She said before holding the diary out towards him as he took it, unaware of its contents. "I found this in his drawer," her voice was shaky, but she continued.

"I don't know how much of the truth you know, but.....even after reading this...if you....you," her voice cracked, and she turned away, gripping the edges of her shawl as though it could hold her breaking heart together.

She did not have the strength in her to witness his reaction. He flipped the diary open, taking in every word on the pages as his grip on it tightened with every word he read. His hard grasp crumbled the pages just like his heart was crumbling with its content. When he finally closed it, his knuckles whitened as he clutched it tightly.

There was dead silence between them for a long time. Utterly peaceful and painful. Gule turned back to him, her eyes filled with unspeakable anguish. Shaheer stared at her, the pain in his eyes mirroring her own.

She remembered how she'd thought her father would have jumped into a burning fire for Ruman without hesitation. And how she could do the same for Shaheer.

'I have blind trust in him. Aag mein koodny ko kahy ga, kood jaun gi.'

She had once joked, little did she know the reality of it would be her undoing. Irony was cruel. And fate, even crueler.

Her lips parted to speak, but the words got caught in her throat. She didn't trust her voice, afraid it would betray the emotions she'd fought so hard to suppress.

Shaheer stared at the diary for a long time, before looking straight ahead at the water and swinging his arm, he tossed it into the lake. The sound of its splash echoed through the quiet as the water consumed the book of secrets as a whole.

And just like that, it was gone. It should've been gone long ago. Buried with their incomplete love story and dead bodies.

His action shocked Gule as she stared ahead, wide-eyed. The diary floated farther away from them, into nothingness, but the truth was instilled into their mind and heart.

He was standing there with clenched fists, his expressions hard. Gule couldn't tell if he was angry or regretful.

"Tum mery baba ki jagah mujhy saza dy do." Her lips quivered as she whispered in a pleading tone. Shaheer's chest tightened hearing her words, and without thinking, he stepped closer towards her.

The memories of the last four days, the dejection, the sleepless nights, and the bruising blows he had willingly endured, all surged through his mind, but none of it compared to the anguish etched on her face now.

"These four days," he said in a low voice, "were darker, lonelier, and longer than my four years in jail." Her throat tightened at his confession, but she remained silent, allowing him to continue.

"Meri dunya ab tumhary gird revolve karti hai," Shaheer stepped closer again, standing only a breath away. "Tum mery paas nahi hogi tou sab," his voice was heavy, so vulnerable, "sab khatam ho jaye ga."

Her breath hitched at his words as she looked up at him. He reached for her hand, holding it tightly as if afraid she would slip away.

"With you by my side, the world is a better place, Gulunu."

Gule looked at him, the pain in her eyes glistening with unshed tears, and for a moment, it seemed as though the world had stilled.

"You think the world is a better place with me?" She repeated his words, her voice trembling. "What about my father, and your mother, h-he did it on purpose, the f-fire, he-," she shook her hand, tears streaming down her face.

"Doesn't it change the way you look at me?" She asked, her tone unsteady.

"No, it doesn't. Gule, the past doesn't define us. What matters is the present we're building together now." He gently cupped her face, his gaze unwavering. She searched his eyes for doubt but found none.

"But this truth," she sobbed.

"I won't let the past take away what we have." He interrupted softly. "Don't let this push us apart, Gule."

"How can you be so sure that it won't affect us later?" She questioned, unsure. What if seeing her would remind him of the terrible thing her father did again and again?

"There are four things Allah has pre-planned for us," he said softly. "And no matter what we do, we can't change them."

"Birth. Death. Marriage. And rizq." He stated them before continuing. "We can't choose our parents. The time of our death is predetermined. The person we marry is part of Allah's decree. It's our qadr."

"Questioning them is stupidity and I realised that after meeting you. I'm not going to commit the same mistake again." He affirmed as Gule closed her eyes.

"We have three choices," he stated in his calm voice. "We can let this ruin what we have, stay trapped in the past and live in misery, or we can accept it and move on, stronger than before." Her gaze lifted hesitantly, meeting his.

"So who do you want to be? Leftist, rightist or in the middle?" He asked, raising both his hands the same way she had back then, with a small smile on his lips which she had grown familiar with.

Gule could only stare at him in astonishment. Without hesitation, she held onto his right hand with her cold one.

Shaheer was like a rubber band. He'd go into his cave, hiding away all the emotions and pain from her, to prevent her from worrying, only to come back stronger after sorting out his feelings. Just like now, he was here, ready to pull them both out of the darkness.

Her shoulders sagged under the weight of the overwhelming emotions as he pulled her into his arms, his hold steady and reassuring. She leaned into his touch, burying her head in his chest, her heart finally starting to feel lighter after days.

"Let's let the past go," he whispered.

//❄️❄️❄️//

As they entered the living room, the feeling of being at home engulfed her. Gule sat on the sofa, her fingers fidgeting in her lap, the cut had started to heal. Shaheer lingered for a moment before joining her. As he sat down next to her, he lightly winced at the pain surging through his ribs.

"Kya hua?" She worriedly turned to him, "Did you not get yourself treated? Kitni zyada chot lagi hai." Concern laced her voice as she rushed to grab ahold of the first aid kit. Soon, she was applying antiseptic to his wounds as he watched her closely with admiration.

"Mujhy maaf kar do." She said suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Kis cheez ky liye?" He asked, startled.

"Jo hua..." Her eyes held a vulnerability that pierced him. She didn't know how many things to apologise for and he hated the fact that she felt the need to apologise to him for anything.

"Phir tou bohut lambi list hai mery zakhmon ki. Sab ki maafi tum maango gi kya?" His tone was light, his lips curving into a faint smile.

The pain in that smile was going to haunt her for a long, long time.

"Han, tum kaho gy tou sau dafa maang lun gi." She affirmed in all seriousness. Shaheer stared at her for a moment, feeling the guilt she carried behind her statement. He never wanted her to feel guilty or responsible for his pain.

"Kanjoos kahin ki. Tum value barhany ky liye million dafa bhi keh sakti thi." He repeated her old words, jokingly, despite himself just to lighten her mood.

She finally let out a low chuckle, her eyes misting at the familiar words. The humor in his tone tugged at her heart.

"You have the best laugh," he said, relieved to hear her laugh. Gule looked into his amber eyes, his gaze was soft and held no hardness or anger.

"Tum mujhsy kuch nahi kehna chahty?" She asked, tilting her head. Shaheer cupped her face in his hands.

"If there is one thing I'd like you to know today, it is that I feel really blessed that you're a part of my life." He leaned forward, joining their foreheads together. Gule closed her eyes, the lone tear sliding down to his hand on her cheek.

"Kya haal kar liya hai tumny apna." He murmured as he took in her exhausted appearance, wiping the tear away.

"Meri Gulunu mujhy hasty huye sab sy achi lagti hai." He caressed the corner of her lip with his thumb.

"Tumhy mein achi lagti hun?" Her lips parted slightly, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"Yeh kesa sawal hai?" He asked, his brows furrowing.

"You've never even confessed to me." She admitted hesitantly.

"What do you mean?" He was genuinely confused.

"You never said I love you." Her words hung in the air, her gaze searching his. Shaheer stared at her, shaking his head.

"God, Gulunu. My precious Gulunu. The queen of my heart."

Before she could react, he scooped her up in his arms, lifting her up in bridal style. She let out a surprised gasp, her arms automatically encircling around his neck for support.

"I don't need to confess my love for you with words, when I can show it to you and experience it with you every single day." He said, his voice low and sincere.

Her cheeks tinted pink as her lips turned up into a shy smile. For the first time in days, Gule felt a flicker of peace. In his arms, she realized that while the road ahead was uncertain, they still had each other and that was all that mattered.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Gule stepped inside the familiar yet distant house of her mother, the cold feeling engulfed her but this time with the anxiety of unfolding answers to the past questions.

She was guided to the living room and told to wait there, just like the last time. The huge glass window gave a view of the front garden and garage, where Shaheer stood next to the car, waiting for her.

This time, he hadn't let her come alone. She felt her insides relax at the sight of him. I told him to wait in the car. She shook her head, watching him kick the ground, hands tied behind his back.

They'd spent the entire night talking, opening up about their feelings, lives, emotions, fears. It mostly included Gule ranting and rambling and him clearing out all her doubts.

Until she'd mentioned her mother and he told her about his interaction with her at the event. Her mother had called her back three times after she'd abruptly ended the call that day. It was surprising that she'd even approached Shaheer to ask about her.

This attention from her mother caused a stir in her heart. Her mother definitely knew about her father's past, but she'd never ever spoken about it. Knowing her nature, Gule wondered how she kept it inside.

Was it because, deep down, she cared about Gule? Then why did she abandon her like that? Why did she treat her like that? So she decided to meet her and clear things up by getting certain answers.

Her mother didn't make her wait for long. She entered wearing a silk gown with a shawl draped over her shoulders, hair in a loose bun. Her face was void of any make-up and Gule noticed the wrinkles forming around her eyes.

Sitting across from her, she carefully observed Gule's face. Gule realised she'd been doing the same so she looked away, clearing her throat to break the silence.

"Why didn't you get along with Baba?" She asked, getting to the point straight away. They had never been on greeting terms anyway. "Was it because of his past? Is that why you left?"

Her mother looked startled at first but then sighed, her shoulders slumping under the shawl. "Did you finally find the diary?" She asked, like she'd been expecting for her to discover it.

"I told him to burn that diary and get rid of it so many times. But he refused saying he needed to keep it close so it would keep reminding him of his sins." She let out a sarcastic chuckle, shaking her head.

"To answer your question," she looked back at Gule, "Yes. I knew everything about your father's past. But that was not why I left him." Gule stared at her in slight disbelief.

"He told me about her right after our marriage. How could I live with a man whose heart belonged to another woman? No matter how much time passed, I was never enough. He couldn't leave her memories behind." She disclosed, sounding just as displeased as she always did when arguing with her father.

Sitara Gul was a beautiful woman and the fact that she couldn't win over her own husband's heart after years of marriage was like a big slap to her beauty. It made her insecure. It made her hate herself, that woman and Shah Nawaz.

"Especially after that incident. His behaviour began to affect me and my daily life. Everyday was like a torturous hell in that house. I dreaded going home after a tiring day at work. I couldn't stand being in the same house as him." Their daily fights had gotten intense after Shah Nawaz stopped working and stayed at home all day, growing agitated day by day as his mental condition worsened.

"And me?" Gule's voice wavered. "Did you hate me too? Was that why you abandoned me?" She finally asked the question that had haunted her for years.

"Never." Her mother shook her head firmly. "You're my only daughter, and my love for you has always been there." She confessed and Gule almost let out a laugh at how fake it sounded to her.

"I let the resentment I had for your father affect my relationship with you, and I do regret it." Her mother continued as Gule cut her off with a scoff.

"No, you don't." Gule refused to believe her lies. "You were lost in chasing fame, you never wanted me." The only times she wanted to see her were at events where she could show Gule off as a trophy to let people know she gets along with her, but she treated her nothing like a daughter.

"It's true that I wanted to make a name for myself. But I thought you were happy with your father. You're so much like him." Her mother said. "I used the events as an excuse to see you, but you looked upset to see me every time. I thought," she paused, her voice wavered with heaviness, "just like your father, I wouldn't be able to win your heart as well."

Gule was surprised upon hearing the confession. She sounded so genuine, it made her wonder why had she never seen this side of her mother before?

"It made me defensive every time. I felt incensed because I thought you hate me and only want your father. That's why I treated you like that." She admitted. "And if I could go back, I'd still do the same if that meant that I get to see you."

Gule shook her head as she felt her head swirling and heart clenching at her words. Even after finding out the truth, she wasn't able to hate her father. The same way she'd never been able to hate her mother.

Everyone's love looked different. Maybe, her mother had been supporting her all along in her own way. After her father's passing, her mother had given her special attention by posting about her in her public account.

It gave her more exposure. It gave her work more attention. It gave her a distraction. A reason to live doing what she loved. She had the thought that maybe she did it for her,

but she'd shrugged that absurd thought away.

"You're selfish till the end," Gule spat, tears brimming her eyes. Why did she let Gule live in pain if she cared about her?

"I am selfish," her mother agreed with a small smile. "So yes, my love for you is selfish too."

"You could've asked me what I wanted. For once." Gule let out in a shaky voice, thinking how her relationship with her mother could've been different only if they'd communicated with each other in a different way.

"I can't undo the past, but I want to try. I can try to be the mother you've been searching for." Her mother smiled, offering what she'd been craving her entire childhood.

"I'm no longer the little girl who's desperate for your love." Gule stood up, the emotions of the moment almost overwhelming her. Yet, for the first time in years, she felt a glimmer of hope. She'd seen a side of her mother she never imagined could exist.

"I'd like it if you visit me like this. If not often, then sometimes." Her mother said expectantly, getting up as well. Her gaze drifted outside, landing on Shaheer waiting there. "And I'd appreciate if you don't bring him along."

"If I come, he comes too." Gule immediately countered, frowning. Her mother stepped forward, placing her hand over Gule's shoulder with a light smile. "You stubborn little girl."

Leaving her mother's house, she felt lighter. Not because everything was resolved, but because the love she'd craved and the answers she'd sought were finally hers.

Perhaps, it could be the beginning of a chance to mend what was broken. The love she had yearned for was finally offered, though imperfectly, but that was enough for now.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Her red heels clicked against the tiled floor as she stormed into Shaheer's office, not stopping to greet the teammates who gave each other concerned glances.

"Lagta hai aaj aar ya paar."

"Rest in peace, jojo." Hunain made a peace sign, before continuing to type in the code on his laptop.

Shaheer was seated at his desk, focused in his work with the sleeves of his tight-fitted black shirt rolled up to his elbows. Before he could look up, she grabbed his arm and bit down on it, hard.

Shaheer hissed, but did not exert any effort to pull his arm away from her. She let go as his frown deepened upon seeing the red marks her teeth left there, but she felt satisfied with her work.

"What was this for?"

"I caught you cheating on me! How else am I supposed to react?" She snapped, pulling out her phone and thrusting it in his face.

The screen displayed a picture of Shaheer in his bodyguard attire, the actress he had been guarding clutching his arm from behind. The angle of the photo made it look as if they were walking arm-in-arm together.

Azka Khan with her young bodyguard.

Shaheer opened his mouth to clarify but Gule cut him off, reading aloud from the comments under the post.

"Did you even look at the comments?! 'OMFG are they dating? She's pretty and he's handsome, they look so good together?! They make such a good couple! The chemistry is insane!? Their chemistry, fire emoji, heart emoji, on top!'?"

Shaheer groaned, snatching the phone and getting up from his chair. He dumped it on the table as Gule folded her arms, sulking. Grabbing her by the waist, he pulled her close, catching her slightly off guard, but the frown remained intact on her face.

"They're saying all that because they haven't seen my beautiful wife," he said, his voice low while he bent his neck to bring his face closer to hers.

"I'm not convinced," Gule sulked, even as his arms wrapped tighter around her waist, her folded arms coming undone to rest on his hard chest.

She began muttering complaints, but he interrupted each word with soft kisses against her neck.

"You can't get away with—ah, Shaheer!" She gasped, unable to stop herself as he found a sensitive spot.

"We're at your office!" She smacked his chest. "Behave!"

Shaheer smirked, raising a brow. "You look extra beautiful today." His eyes traveled down to her lips before landing back to stare into her eyes again.

She rolled her eyes but the compliment made her blush as always. She was wearing a red maxi, paired with red jhumkas and had spent an hour on her make-up.

"I dressed up because I have an important talk today," she replied, still pretending to be annoyed. "And I'm here to get my bodyguard, whose focus is clearly not on me anymore." Her lips, adorned with red lipstick looked extremely plump.

Shaheer chuckled, brushing his lips over hers with a light peck. "You're my only focus. I've been waiting eagerly to hear you speak." He said, rubbing her back.

Her nerves settled slightly as he took her hand, guiding her out of the office to set off for the event. On the way, she felt all giddy and nervous as it was her first time making an appearance in front of a crowd to talk.

Will she be able to do good? How will the crowd react? What if they don't react at all? What if she messes up? All sorts of questions but he had reassurance for all of them.

The stage was bathed in warm light as Gule stepped on it. The hall quieted down as she stood behind the podium, her hands resting lightly on its edge. Shaheer stood right next to the stage, his sole focus: her.

She began her speech with a steady voice, the tremor in her hands long gone as she dug her nails in her palms to subdue it with pain.

"How many times have you been flooded with the urge to deviate? From life. From principles. From values. From stigmas. From self. It is a never ending battle with self, when one tries to find their self worth and internal peace as they lead on their lives with no real safety valve. No centre of guidance." Her eyes swept over the audience, stopping for a moment when they landed on her mother sitting in the crowd.

"We feel worthless when we are mistreated, we feel hopeless when we are gaslighted, we feel restless when we are ignored. As if nothing works for us. As if our emotions are not in our hands." Her voice thickened slightly, but she steadied herself.

"In order to gain that power we try ways to function on our own principles. We try to make our own values. Our own rules. So that no one ever steps over the boundaries to make us feel a certain way.  We as emotional human beings always feel directed by our set of emotions. And this is where the rationality comes into question. But it is important to understand that every emotion comes from a place of depth. Depth of what you love, what you hate and what you want to change. Trust the emotions to guide you, but use your rationality to make the judgment and the decisions shaping those circumstances. And trust me you'll soon find yourself on the right path."

When Gule finished, the applause that followed was overwhelming, a sea of appreciation for her words. She let her eyes linger on her mother in the crowd again, whose eyes were glistening with emotions she tried to conceal.

She passed her an acknowledging smile, thanking the crowd once more as she stepped down from the podium, her heart pounding from both the impact of her speech and the weight of her mother's presence.

Shaheer stood waiting at the edge of the stage, his unwavering gaze fixed on her. As she approached, he extended his hand towards her and she gratefully took it, steadying herself.

"You were brilliant," he said softly.

"I always am." She replied, her lips curving into a proud smile.

"True that." He agreed.

//❄️❄️❄️//

Shaheer adjusted the earpiece in his ear, as he drove the jeep towards the site. On the other side of the line, Gule's warm voice reached his ear that made him wish he could teleport back home.

"Yeh bohut zyada long-distance nai ho gaya? It's like you live in another city." She complained, but kept her tone light.

This was his third business trip in the third week of the month. All because of the actress; Azka Khan. Initially, Shaheer was told she'd gotten involved with a politician and was getting death threats.

Later, they disclosed that she'd gotten involved with him in a bar and he had some inappropriate videos of her. She had discovered about his secret funds and now he was threatening her to keep her mouth shut.

Both parties were at losing ends, but he was a strong politician who couldn't risk his own reputation by leaking her video with him. So, he wanted to get rid of her for good.

She wasn't safe anywhere. He had been following her for her shoots everywhere, while Hunain was trying to locate the secret fund account with the four digit figure she'd captured. After locating it with his hacking skills, they just had to expose him and it'll be his end.

However, the actress wanted to secure her video first. So, they drew up a plan to call him to a secluded area. He'd taken the bait and was probably planning to come with his men to kill her, but they'd attack first.

The meeting time was in the morning, but Shaheer wanted to ensure everyone's safety at the location and mark the territories for each gunman.

Thus, he was on the way to the danger site with the equipments i.e weapons hidden behind ice boxes. They used this method when going on secret operations in ISI.

The equipment in the back rattled with every bump in the road, but his focus remained steady, his hand gripping the wheel as he maneuvered through the bumpy road.

"Chaly bhi aao ky gulshan ka karobaar chaly." She teasingly added.

"Meri gulshan ka tou koi karobaar hai hi nai jo ruka ho." Shaheer couldn't help but lightly smile.

"Barry makholiyan hein aap." She said shaking her head. Shaheer increased the brightness of the headlights as the road ahead got darker.

"Tum duty py ho?" She asked, turning her attention from the book in her lap towards the night sky. The view from their house terrace was beautiful.

"Aur kahan hona chahiye?"

"Mery paas." Her reply came instantly.

"Stop distracting me, Gule Shah Junejo."

"Wapis kab aao gy?" She asked at the same time as he questioned, "Kya kar rahi ho?"

"Mein terrace sy latak kar wait kar rahi hun aap ka." She replied with mock seriousness, making him chuckle.

"Change of plans. I'm going to drive back to the residence, pack my bags and fly my way back to the queen of my heart." He quipped, his voice calm despite the tension of the upcoming operation.

"Dekho, ab blush kar rahi hoon mein." Gule giggled.

"I'm planning to book the next flight tomorrow." He informed, assuring her.

"Aap har cheez ki bohut planning nai karte wesy notice kiya hai meiny. Sonay ki planning, uthnay ki planning, shower lainy ki planning, like damn." Gule's teasing returned.

Shaheer shifted his attention briefly to the GPS, its flashing route leading him closer to what he knew was the danger zone. A man in traffic police jacket put up his hand to stop his car ahead.

She strained to hear the mumbles on the other side when she caught a string of words in between muffled sentences. He was complaining about a leakage from the car.

"Yeh kon jahil tha?" She asked, her brows furrowed.

"Traffic policeman. Apparently, water has been leaking out of the jeep." Shaheer shut the engine.

"Tou usska bill aa raha tha? Tumny lagani thi ek."  She jokingly said as he got out of the car to check.

"God, the ice." Everything was dripping wet. The bumpy road might've caused the ice box to fall open and the ice had been melting along the way.

"Kya hua ice ko?" Gule asked, confused as to why was he even transporting ice in the first place.

"Wo pigal gai." He told, getting back in the driving seat.

"Aap ki hotness sy?" Her tone was teasing, but his flustered silence on the other end made her laugh again. "My bad. I didn't mean to be this straight-forward." She wished she could see the expression he carried.

"Mujhy bohut yaad aa rahi hai." She longingly added.

"Kiski?" Shaheer replied, his tone distracted as the car neared its destination.

"Tumhari! Aur kon hoga?" She retorted, rolling her eyes even though he couldn't see.

"Mujhy laga Azka-"

"Phone band karo." She snapped.

"Acha acha, mazaq tha." Shaheer shook his head, amused.

"Aisi fazool baat karny ka tumhara koi maqsad nai tha." She grumbled on the other end.

"Bass joke tha yarr."

"Yeh joke tha?"

"Tha tou?"

"I don't like jokes."

"I've arrived so we need to shut the call." His tone grew serious as he stepped out of the jeep. He had gotten a bad gut feeling after running into the traffic policeman.

"Nai." She retorted.

"Acha, batao, kis ko miss kar rahi thi?" Shaheer softened, diverting his attention back to her.

"YOU YARR YES YOU!" She exclaimed, straightening her posture as the book in her lap flipped to the last page, her eyes falling on the closing line.

"And if life is repeated a thousand times, still you, you and again you." She read it out aloud with a smile, but a sudden crack of a shot echoed through the night, cutting through their conversation.

Shaheer gasped, a horrible stinging sensation blooming in his side. Gule froze, gripping the phone tighter as her heart raced. She had heard the gun shot, loud and clear.

"Sh-Shaheer?" Gule's voice cracked with panic, but he didn't reply. The earpiece slipped out from his ear, her voice fading as his world began to blur, the pain throbbing and moving.

"Shaheer?" She called out again, her voice trembling. The line fell eerily silent. Her breaths quickened, panic taking hold as her mind raced to the worst possible scenarios.

//❄︎❄︎❄︎//

/author's note\

so is he shot dead or no ?

guess we'll never know 😔

this marks us to the end of their story 😔

yes it's an open ending & i'm leaving y'all hanging on a cliff while y'all throw me off.

okok im KIDDING. I HATE OPEN ENDINGS. BSS JOKA THA GUYS. CHILL.

mujhy hearts puncture karny mein barra maza aata hai hihihi 😭💀

anyways, getting back at it.

//❄︎❄︎❄︎//

Her heart screamed in despair as she dialled his number again. Every ring, every second, every breath felt torturous. When the call wasn't answered, she felt the world around her vanishing into nothingness.

Getting a hold of her last bits of sanity and senses, she dialled Hunain's number with shaky hands and teary eyes. Gratefully, he answered right away and Gule cried out to him to check up on Shaheer.

Hunain and the team were already on their way to the site. He calmed her down and told her to wait till he calls back. Her throat felt dry and the outside world suddenly seemed darker, scarier.

She went inside, walking to the main entrance to leave the house. He was in another city on the other side of the county. She'd have to book a flight. She couldn't do anything other than wait for his call.

Gule paced in the living room, chanting prayers for his safety and well-being in her heart. She was running out of patience. Time had stopped for her the moment she'd heard the cracking sound of- No.

The uncertainty was killing her. Why did he have to go so far away? She wished she could just fly over to him. Her phone finally rung breaking her out of the misery. With her breath stuck in her lungs and hands trembling, she received the call.

"He's shot. We're rushing him to the hospital."

Her ears throbbed, heart dropped, mind numbed upon understanding the words she had just heard. She collapsed onto the floor of the living room with tears forming in her eyes.

"Bhabhi, get a hold of yourself!" Hunain tried to calm her down from the other end of the line. "The bullet hit his arm, he is fine."

He was shot, how could he be fine?! The words felt like false consolation and Gule refused to believe him. She burst out in tears, sniffing like a child. She shouldn't have let him go.

"I'm..fine, Gulunu." Gule's relief stung her back to reality when she heard his low voice. Her tensed chest relaxed. He was conscious. He just talked to her. They were taking him to the nearest hospital.

She still couldn't feel at ease without seeing him so she booked the first available flight, which was early in the morning.

Luckily, the bullet had only grazed Shaheer's upper arm, tearing through muscle tissue, not any major artery or bone. It was a clean wound and the injury was stitched up. He could fully recover with proper rest and care for a few weeks and there was no permanent damage to worry about.

Coincidentally, Radwa was appointed in the same hospital for her house job after completing her five-year degree. They'd gone berserk when she'd gotten the news of being appointed so far away, but everything, indeed, happens for a reason.

Gule adjured her to keep an eye on Shaheer and she kept updating her soul sister of his every move. Radwa glanced nervously inside the ward, keeping her phone in hand as she sent texts to Gule.

He's discussing the attack again.

She typed, biting her lip.

They think men were stationed deliberately to shoot him.

Hunain's promising to expose the politician behind this with some information he's gathered.

Gule's replies flooded her screen.

DON'T LET HIM WORK!

WHAT KIND OF A DOCTOR ARE YOU?!

THE PATIENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE RESTING!

Radwa sighed. "Easier said than done, Gul." She muttered as she got called by her supervisor and rushed to do her actual duty.

Gule couldn't sleep a blink and arrived at the airport way before her departure time. After what felt like days long flight, she reached the hospital straight from the airport.

Radwa was waiting for her in the reception area and she barely managed to properly greet her, eager to see him. She led her to his room. He was sitting on the hospital bed, in his usual upright posture, talking with Hunain.

Surprised, he looked at Gule as she sprinted inside, settling on the bed to hug him. He was not expecting her to show up this early.

"Be careful with the arm, Gul." Radwa cleared her throat, as Gule separated herself from him to look at him properly.

"I'm completely fine." Shaheer assured her.

"It feels like someone has shot me in my arm." Gule said with a worried expression etched on her face looking at his bandaged arm. Shaheer let out a soft chuckle, caressing her cheek.

"Tumhy hassi aa rahi hai? Wahan mera dil ruk gaya tha." She swatted his unharmed arm away.

"Aur mera bahar aa gaya tha." Hunain jutted in.

"Saansein atak gai thi meri!" Gule argued.

"Meri band ho gai thi!" Hunain replied dramatically.

"Han, sab kuch tum dono ko hi tou hua hai." Radwa interrupted dryly while flipping through Shaheer's chart.

"He can get discharged by tonight. Just don't move the arm around. Rest a lot." She gave the guidance.

"You should keep patients like him till the wound is healed enough to move around. Warna issko sakoon nai hai." Hunain suggested.

"Hum bhi yahan wound pakar kar nai bethy rehty ky hilna nai hai." Radwa shot back.

"Hospital mein lait kar hilta hi kon hai? Kal discharge karna issko." Hunain insisted as she stared at him silently. He looked back with raised brows.

"Not arguing with a man with beard. Whatever you say, handsome." She agreed with a cheeky smile.

"Besharam. Hospital mein bhi flirt kar rahi ho." Gule passed her a stinky look. She'd played the cupid in pairing them up and this was what she was getting in return.

"She's flirting with her fiancé, there's nothing wrong with that." Hunain said, winking at Radwa.

Gule and Shaheer had gone with Hunain's rishta for Radwa to her place. It did take some effort and lots of convincing, but in the end, her parents agreed when Radwa insisted she wanted to marry Hunain.

Their wedding date was arranged on the third of the next month. The soon-to-be-married couple left, letting Gule and Shaheer have some privacy.

"I'm sorry. Mujhy call nai karni chahiye thi. Phir tum distract na hoty." She apologised, feeling guilty.

"Aisy tou mujhy baat nai karni chahiye thi while on duty. I knew it was a danger site." Shaheer said softly.

"Nai, it's my fault. I always end up bringing troubles for you."

"That's true," he teasingly agreed, "your presence brings me troubles and adventures and lots of happiness." He smiled, holding her hand in his as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles in a soothing manner. He always had something to say that would leave her speechless.

"Aisa dangerous kaam karna zaroori hai?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She couldn't even imagine what she'd have done if something had happened to him.

"Kisi ko tou karna ho ga na." He replied. "Tum hi ny kaha tha, that we should start an organization to expose such bad people who misuse their power. Someone needs to fight against injustice in the world."

He remembered her words from that long ago, repeating them word to word. He always listened to her carefully. Why did she have to say that? She couldn't help but notice how his amber eyes burned with fiery passion when talking about his work.

"Tum har baar aisy nahi kar sakty." She whispered in a small voice, looking at him with a frown.

"Bohut samajhdaar ho tum." He told her with a serene smile.

"Aur tum bohut bewaqoof ho." She retorted. "Ajeeb bhi."

"Jesa bhi hun, tumhara hun." He whispered pecking her hand. Her eyes glistened, momentarily forgetting about the world as she sat by his side, staring into his amber eyes as warmth spread across her face.

//❄️❄️❄️//

The scorching summer sun bore down on Gule as she stood in the garden of their home covered in paints. She had completed her incomplete painting and it felt like a huge achievement. It took her months to finish it. She'd poured everything into this painting.

She put away her brush as she stared at it with a tired face yet happy heart and hopeful eyes. It felt incomplete yet so complete. Imperfect yet so perfect. It represented her life.

"Perfect!" Shaheer commented, walking over to her.

"Me or my work?" Gule joked.

"Both of you." He replied seriously.

Gule giggled, smacking his arm. They took the painting inside to dry, while Shaheer cleaned up the mess she'd created in the garden as she went to take a shower and get the paint off herself.

After taking a quick shower, she was back in the garden. Letting her wet hair to dry under the sunlight, she stood there staring at nothing in particular with a lost look on her face.

"What are you thinking?" He asked, hugging her from the back.

"That we're crazy." She said, smiling softly.

"Crazy?" He tilted his head.

"Crazy. From strangers to crime partners to life partners. We have come a long way." She turned to look at his face directly, hugging his torso. "I want to spend a crazy and exciting life with you in this world, like this, until we meet in next, forever."

Shaheer gazed at her, adoration in his amber eyes, shining bright like the sun. They were no more lifeless. They felt alive, his emotions reflecting in them for her to openly read.

"I'm eternally grateful. Always." He placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Thank you for being the guiding light in my life." He hugged her and the warmth spread through her filling her with contentment.

Life is so unpredictable.

One of the lines that she grew up listening to. Something that's just a part of the world. In that moment as she begun contemplating her entire life, nothing seemed truer than this oldest cliche in the book.

Every single time she thought she knew where her life was headed, it took a completely different turn. It was funny to her now. It's funny how unpredictable life actually is.

Maybe that's what keeps it from being boring.

Maybe that's why 'life is so unpredictable' was the oldest cliche in the books.

Life was about acceptance. She'd learn to accept that things change. That there's new things out there, waiting for her to discover them. There's an unknown future ahead of her, waiting for her to live on through it.

She'd lived moments wishing for death. She got hurt and unknowingly hurt people. She'd experienced heartache worse than any pain. It made her believe that it was the end of the world and the pain would never get better.

But it did, it does, it happens eventually.

Time heals all wounds. With time, she learnt, grew, accepted and lived on with all her baggage. Despite losing pieces of herself along the way, she'd been blessed to meet people who helped her rediscover who she was. Like him.

Him who had given up on letting new people in. Until, one day, she came barging into his life. She tore down those walls. She forced her way into his heart.

No bad times last forever; sorrow prepares you for joy. When the universe takes something or someone out of your life, it often makes space for something better. Even if we can't immediately see how it benefits us, in time, it always does.

"Chai mil sakti hai aap ky haathon ki?" He requested with a smile that made her heart weak.

"Tum mujhy miss karty ho ya mery haath ki chai ko?" She complained, raising her brows.

"Ek hi baat nai hai?"

This man and his clever habit of answering with a question still remained unchanged. Gule rolled her eyes, but in a matter of minutes they were seated in the garden with two warm mugs of hot chai in their hands.

"Your birthday is close. Tell me, what do you want?" She asked excitedly. His birthday was a special day for another reason too; their nikkah date was fixed that day.

Shaheer hesitated. He had to leave for a business trip to suspicious areas soon, and their anniversary was just around the corner. But now was the perfect opportunity to bring it up.

"Yeh ky jab mein tumhy bataun ky mera next trip two weeks ka hai, tou tum aisy hasty huye mujhy bhej do, with love." He said, half-teasing, half-serious.

"Tenu te mein love dekhawan gi." She responded, irritated. She got up to grab his arm and bite him harder this time, but he dodged her in time, speeding away.

Her annoyance flared when he caught her wrists and held them behind her back so she won't be able to accomplish in her plan. She wiggled in his hold before pushing downward as they both landed on the grass. Shaheer rolled her over, tickling her as she giggled.

"You're impossible!" Gule huffed, trying to set herself free as he continued to tease her. "Okay! I give in. Shaheer!" He stopped and tucked his face into her neck making her shriek again.

And just like that, with their laughter echoing into the summer evening, they raced through their new life together. Both of them basking in their happiness, love, and the promise of a lifetime together.

The End.

//❄︎❄︎❄︎//

/author's crying\

(real)

if you've managed to reach the end, you're a warrior. a fighter. a keeper.

ANYWAYS

mery dil ky tukray 💞

cutoo's copying the exact same expressions i had while writing this chapter ☹️

^ me while writing the phone call scene

did i have y'all in the first half tho ? & with the gunshot scene ? 😌

well, lucky for y'all, sad tragic endings aren't for soft-hearted souls like me 😕

( i actually want to try writing one though 👀 maybe soon you never know )

no but as always the storyline kinda went zig zag from how i had originally planned it but we move 🧚‍♀️

i'm actually satisfied w the way it has come out to be 💌

shaheer & gule have grown onto me & idk how i'm gonna move forward without thinking of cute scenes & dialogues of them at any random time & getting excited about writing their scenes out ☹️💓

yes they've become my absolute favourites out of anything i've ever written 😫♥️

*receives gasps & glares & chappals from the rest*

acha anyways , my next laraka babies are ready to be represented too but i'll take a short break for a while till i introduce them to y'all ,, so lets have a break time pls 👯‍♀️

Till we meet again w another thrilling ride , take care , eat lots , spread love , share happiness , see y'all , mwah ! 💗

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