And after a short while they both were done eating there food. Irtaza and Zahra both were leaving the resturaunt when her eyes fell on a young boy sitting on the footpath mending shoes.
He was a cobbler.
Zahra asked Irtaza to buy some food for him and give him some money while Irtaza called his men from the 'curbing child labour' agency and ordered them to support the boy along with his family.
Irtaza's heart swelled with pride when Zahra asked to buy the boy food as well.
She wasnt like other. She was different and really special to him.
While Zahra was surprised that Irtaza had opened centres to support the poor people. She was really impressed.
Despite being a heartless mafia don, Irtaza had opened various agencies and centres to help and support the needy and poor people. He knew how miserably poor people are living in this country so he decided to do something for them.
They both reached the haveli and he stopped the car infront of the haveli gates.
He had spent a good quality time with her today.
Zahra was about to leave the car when he suddenly held her hand and jerked her back so that her lips collided with hers.
And he took her lips in a fervent kiss making her breathless.
He pulled away breathing heavily and carassed her cheeks, looking deeply into her eyes.
"Never break my trust on you, Zahra." His voice soft
But the sudden dilation of her brown pupils didnt go unnoticed by him, followed by a fearful expression on her face.
A lie!
He figured it out from her facial expressions, making him confused.
............
Zahra left the car and on reaching her room, she was a mess within seconds as she begin to cry.
She didnt want Irtaza to turst her. She wanted to scream it on his face that she'll soon be running away. Her heart was clenching with guilt and remorse.
She called Daniyal and confronted her the whole situation, who reveled in joy and told her that its a very good thing that he had begun to trust her. And she should carry on to put up a charade.
But all of this didn't settle well with her.
She was drowning in guilt.
But she cant leave Daniyal.
............
The whole week passed. She had a lot of fun with her cousins specially when all of them were having a water fight in the lawn and from somewhere Irtaza popped up, eyeing Haseeb out dangerously, making his heart stop.
"Bhai I havent done anything" Haseeb had said as soon Irtaza grabbed his collar.
"Ok I see then I've eaten 5 fucking kgs of loaded french fries." Irtaza gritted and Haseeb's face paled.
Irtaza didnt like his non-serious attitude. He wanted him to grow up and to stop acting like a child. His acts were really childish while Irtaza was so damn serious.
"Who told you this?" He had asked with widened eyes.
"I've my resources" he had answered and for a millisecond his eyes flashed to Zahra who held a water baloon in her hands with her mouth hung open.
And after that he was taken somewhere by Irtaza and then all of them had laughed so hard, rolling on the floor to get over the funny predicament of Haseeb. They continued to add on situations while making Haseeb's fun and there jaws were literally hurting by the end.
That day was really fun.
During the whole week Zahra was in contact with Daniyal who was continuously forcing her and emotionally blackmailing her to put up a facade infront of Irtaza and she did, with a heavy heart.
She used to cry every night. She had no idea why her tears kept flowing down her eyes. Her heart used to become suddenly heavy, constricting her throat as a sudden anxiety and depression encages her, whenever she used to think about Irtaza.
The university went fine as well. Sometimes Irtaza used to pick her up and then they both would go for her horse riding sessions.
A week passed in a blur and today was the 40th of her father. She still couldn't get over the fact that her father is no more and 40 days had already passed since his death.
The haveli's inhabitants wore a mourning face today as there hearts deeply grieved with the death of there member. Many people came and gave there condolences to them. And it was evening already when all of the guests left.
After the small yet big gathering of the people, for conveying rewards to the deceased, concluded, there grandfather, Shabbir Haider Syed, went into his room and locked himself in.
He was alone, sitting on the chair, indulge in the thoughts of Mujtaba. He learnt his lesson that very day when Irtaza's mother was caught with a man.
Jahan ara was the part of his family and still she was involved with someone else despite married to his son. While Ammara wasnt the part of his family yet she stayed loyal to his son.
He knew that he did wrong by not accepting Ammara as his daughter in law. In his arrogance, he lost his son.
When that day Ammara came here with Zahra he wanted to hug them both and ask for forgiveness from them but he knew it was too late for him to say a sorry to them.
Furthermore, Irtaza wanted to marry Zahra, so he decided to play along, wearing his stoic, expression less mask and somehow convince Zahra to marry Irtaza.
Yet his heart wrenched for them.
And his jeart clenched for his self.
His son, her husband, her father, Mujtaba had already died.
He had lost his son.
And he cannot even love his grand daughter whole heartedly knowing that she will never forgive him.
A lone tear escaped his eye but he wiped it off and took a deep breath.
.................
Zahra was alone in her room when her grandmother entered her room. Her grandma thought that Zahra might be feeling depressed today so she went to her room to provide a shoulder to Zahra.
She laid her head on her lap and Zahra cried her heart out. She told her every feeling she had felt and which she still feel since her father had left her and then her grandma cried with her as well.
After that Zahra went to her mother's room and slept in her warm embrace until her eyes opened by the isha's azaan.
Her mother was praying but she slept again thinking that Allah would never listen to her even if she prays.
It was 11 pm when she woke up again. The sky was dark outside and she was still in her mother's room. Ammara had already slept.
She stood up and walked towards her room. Entering, she sat on her bed. Her eyes fell on the ceiling fan as she begin to gawk at it.
Thousands of thoughts consumed her mind. She was feelimg depressed.
Extremely depressed
The night was making her depressed.
The feeling that she has been left alone was making her depressed.
The constant bugging of the night bugs was making her depressed.
She wanted to die at the moment.
As of she had no will to live anymore.
Constantly, the image of her father, wrapped in a white shroud laying dead infront of her was flashing in her mind.
Her throat clogged up and she begin to cry.
She wanted someone now, here by her side, to cheer her up mood, someone with whom she can talk with and thats when Irtaza entered her room.
Irtaza knew that Zahra will be too depressed and emotional today. So he decided to go and check up on her and he saw her crying which made him to embrace her in a warm hug.
He knew she was depressed and to cheer her up, he took her to an ice cream parlour where she had alot of ice creams. Then they both talked and talked. Mostly she did as she incessantly told him her father's stories.
The whole night they wandered on streets here and there as Zahra told him she didnt want to go home.
It was 4 am already and Irtaza was driving towards the haveli. Zahra had already slept an hour ago. Her small snorting sounds resonating in the silent atmosphere of the car.
He reached the haveli and softly took her up in her arms and followed to her room. He placed her on her bed and kissed on her forehead.
"I love you." He murmured and left the room.
............
The next morning Zahra woke up by the ringing sound of a phone call. She checked the caller ID it was Daniyal and she picked it up immediately.
"Zahra where were you? I've been making you calls since morning"
Zahra checked the time and it was 1 pm.
"Oh sorry. What happened?"
"Listen carefully Zahra. I've made every arrangement. We're running exactly after four days!"