HIS POV

I’d been waiting for her, but after our last interaction, everything had been handled by her team member, Sana.

She’d stopped taking my personal calls, a clear indication she wanted distance. So, I’d asked Zayn to reach out to her, and to my surprise, it worked.

She received the message.

I called her, feigning a need to discuss some important materials. But the truth was, I just wanted to see her, to feel the warmth of her presence, to be near her again.

I couldn’t explain why, not after all the heartache and drama we’d been through. Yet, my heart persisted in its longing, yearning for her with an intensity that defied logic and reason.

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I watched as she walked into the room, her presence instantly filling the space with a mix of tension and something else—something I couldn’t quite put into words.

She sat down across from me, her gaze steady but wary. I could tell she was bracing herself for whatever was coming.

“It’s about the new project,” I began, trying to keep my tone professional.

But the words felt heavy in my mouth, as if there was so much more I wanted to say but couldn’t find the right way to express it.

She nodded, her eyes never leaving mine.

“Go on.”

I took a deep breath, pushing aside the emotions swirling inside me.

“I need your input on the designs. Sana did a good job, but... I want your perspective.”

Her brow furrowed slightly, and for a moment, I feared she’d see right through my excuse. But she simply nodded again, her focus shifting to the documents in front of us.

As we began to discuss the project, I couldn’t help but steal glances at her, searching for any sign of what she was thinking. I wanted to know if she was still angry, if there was any hope for us to mend what had been broken.

HER POV

As we discussed the project, I forced myself to focus on the details—textures, colors, patterns. But my mind kept drifting back to last night, to the words we’d thrown at each other in anger. It was difficult to concentrate, knowing that this conversation was just a facade for the deeper issues we were avoiding.

I could feel his eyes on me, watching, searching. It made me uneasy, but I kept my gaze on the documents, refusing to let him see how unsettled I truly was.

At some point, the conversation lulled, and the silence between us grew heavy. I could feel the tension simmering beneath the surface, threatening to spill over.

“Is that all?” I asked, finally looking up at him.

He hesitated, as if he wanted to say something more, but then he nodded.

“Yes, that’s all for now.”

HIS POV

I watched her gather her things, ready to leave as if nothing had happened, as if we could continue on this way forever avoiding, deflecting.

But as she turned to go, something inside me snapped. I couldn’t let her walk out without trying, without at least saying something anything that might bridge the growing chasm between us.

“Wait,” I said, my voice betraying the calm I’d been trying to maintain.

I reached out and grabbed her wrist, desperate to keep her there for just a moment longer.

“Are you by any chance angry with me? You don’t even reply to my texts nor answer my calls,” I said, my voice tinged with sadness.

She looked down at my hand on her wrist, then back up at me, her eyes hardening.

“Mujhe nhi pta apko na mehram ladki ka haath pakadna itna pasand hai? Shohar Ji?” she said, her words making me freeze in place.

“What do you mean?” I asked, confusion washing over me.

Without another word, she removed her niqab, revealing her face. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the sight of her, the realization dawning on me with a jolt.

“Abhi bhi nhi pehchante iss shakal ko meri?” she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Didn’t you even glance at me before leaving the room this morning? Or do you live with so many women that you can’t even remember their faces?”

I stood there, stunned and at a loss for words. The truth in her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Her words cut deep, sharper than any blade. I was left speechless, the realization of my own carelessness sinking in.

How could I have been so oblivious?

“Izel...” I whispered her name, but it felt foreign on my tongue, weighed down by guilt.

She pulled her wrist from my grasp, her eyes narrowing with a mix of hurt and anger.

I felt my throat tighten, the words struggling to come out.

“Izel, I’m sorry. I know I’ve messed up, but I never wanted to make you feel this way.”

I reached out to her, but my hand faltered. My mind was spinning, struggling to find the right words.

The girl I had once dreamed of marrying, the one I had always imagined spending my life with—was now standing right in front of me as my wife.

I was shocked. How had I not realized?

I was forced into this marriage without knowing who she was. I didn’t even hear her name during the ceremony when the Maulvi was saying it.

My whole world was revolving around her at that moment.

I’ve lost her now. In a minute, I’ll become someone else’s, and I’ll be forever separated from my own life.

“Mein meri jaan se dur ho jaunga,”

“Irfaz,” she snapped her fingers in front of my face, pulling me back to reality.

I blinked, startled, her eyes locking onto mine. I could see the mix of emotions swirling within them anger, hurt, and something else, something I couldn’t quite place. But it was clear that she was waiting for me to say something, to explain myself, to be the man she deserved.

I took a deep breath, my mind racing as I tried to find the right words. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on me. I could see the pain in her eyes, and it was a stark reminder of how I had failed her.

“Izel, I know I haven’t been fair to you,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

“I know it’s not enough to just say sorry, but I want to show you that I’m committed to fixing this. To being the partner you deserve.”

She crossed her arms, her posture defensive, but her gaze still fixed on me.

“I’m not a puppet irfaz ! She said pointing herself. ” Ke joh bhi aaye aur jaise chahe waise apni baat manwa sake ! She said tears streaming down from her cheeks .

“For god sake I’m a human irfaz... I have emotions dard hota mujhe bhi takleef hoti hai mujhe bhi bura lgta hai !

“Lekin kyun sabko khelna joh hai meri feelings ke sath ! She said saidly smiling.

" It’s not like that izel ... Trust me once aur mai sb kuch thik kardunga! I stated trying to hold her but she back off .

“How do I know you mean that? How do I know this isn’t just another empty promise?”

“ek last insaan se umeed rkhi thi meine kch. woh bhi ab khtm hogya.”

“one last hope, and that’s also gone now,”

she said, tears streaming down her face.

“You’re just like everyone else,” she said, trying to hold back her tears, which were flowing uncontrollably.

I cupped her face with my hands.

“Stop crying first,” I said, kissing her wet eyes.

“jaan buch ke nhi royi hu mein” she protest. ” nhi rukh rhe h asu mein kya kru?”

Oh God, even now, she looks so cute to me.

What am I saying, Irfaz? She’s hurt, and I’m thinking about how cute she is?

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to myself, hugging her tightly.

“I’m sorry. I know I’ve let you down, and I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust back. I’ll prove it through my actions, not just my words.”

She hit my chest.

“I’m not getting any comfort from you,” she complained.

“Sorry,” I apologized again.

“Let’s go home now,” I said, and we went to the basement.

I went to open the car door for her like a gentleman, even though I’m not one.

------------TO BE COUNTINUE------------

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