Salar justified that he would repay the rest of the amount around 7 lakhs odd to her over time. Imama was surprised but she sarcastically asked what he would do if she asked for one arab (1 hundred crore)?

He did not fail to impress her and said that he would have spent a lifetime earning to pay her Mehr. She knew he was a weird person. As a matter of co-incidence, he told her that the figure she's jotted was the exact amount lying in his bank account. Since it was all hers anyway, he wanted to give it to her as a gift. He laughed and said that it was her amanah (trust) with him.

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They decided to go to Islamabad for a day and she was nervous. They boarded a flight and was introduced to new people as his wife. They went to a 5 star hotel, and the plan was to meet Anita and her family. It was a family dinner invite for the new couple.

They were at the ocean's side and she wanted to go near the water to take in the view. She looked a bit scared to go alone, asking him to come along. He refused and asked her to go alone, looking at her from a distance. She seemed different and was not the same person who had crossed the wall to his home and signed the Nikah papers with him and vanished at night.

Anita shook him out of his reverie and asked him to focus on the people around. Imama felt safe with Salar, which is why she had not resumed hiding her face anymore. He appreciated that she looked nice that night and she blushed.

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When they returned to his apartment and city, she was in a trance. He did not understand but she liked how free she felt while visiting the city, and that made her ecstatic.

She felt cold, underestimating the cold weather before packing her coat. Thankfully, Salar offered her one and gave her a shock. He told her that it was not Sikandar Usman who had invited them, it was a volunteer decision.

Imama felt like no ground under her feet. She had only appeared in Islamabad because he'd lied that it was Sikandar Usman who had called them. She returned the jacket to him. They did not speak until they reached Salar's home.

Sikandar Usman was angry when he saw Salar and Imama. He only scolded Salar, expecting that this son of his, was a mischievous and dangerous person from the very beginning. He did not want to have any issues with Hashim Mubeen, since he was their neighbour and could have easily spotted Imama.

In the bedroom from Salar's home, Imama stood near the window and watched her house. She saw the lights of her old bedroom turn on and off, and she guessed if there was some relative residing as her replacement. She was oblivious to Salar's presence or the lights in the present bedroom.

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Imama saw her old house and cried when she saw some changes in the lawn. Salar informed her that he would be going to the village but she was absent-minded. He let her be, and did not disturb her line of thoughts.

Salar and Imama left that evening by road to Lahore. He warned the watchman not to inform his father and had called his father's cellphone to keep it engaged, knowing the watchman's loyalty. He recalled their journey that was shared a very long time ago, but for her, it was a bad memory.

They stopped at the same gas station like before. The room that she had used earlier to pray Fajr was changed. They had a chicken burger and a cup of tea and he asked her about her pistol. She said that it was with Dr. Sibt-e-Ali. He asked if she really knew how to use a gun and she nodded confirming that it had no bullets whatsoever.

Salar was not sure if that day, it was Allah that had saved him that day or Imama. If by any chance, he knew that the pistol had no bullets, he would make sure Imama was arrested by the police.

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Imama was not scared of Islamabad anymore. Instead, she wanted to stay there as she spoke a lot about whatever she had seen, standing near the window for hours. She even proposed that she would rather stay in Islamabad and he could visit her whenever he got time. She even reasoned that she would be happier there in Islamabad and also take care of his parents. He justified that there was no need for her to take care of her parents as they were quite social.

Imama argued more and Salar scolded her for her baseless argument. She returned to the bedroom and then to the lounge after sometime. She sat with him on the couch and put her head on his shoulder, disturbing him from his work. Even though she had to apologise, he could not make her do so. He was the one who apologised instead.

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Syeda Amma was speaking about another proposal that had come for Imama. This time, Imama interrupted her a few times with random excuses, but could not stop her narration. It was quite uncomfortable for Salar to hear and Imama noticed it.

For sometime, Salar laid down on the cot and placed his jacket for the neck support. He felt content under the sun, realising that it was his life that was content. She was indeed a blessing.

Salar saw blood on his palms in his dream. It was a very long time since he had a bad dream. Imama woke him up and he saw his palms again. They were clean. She told him that it was time for prayer and he left.

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Note: Please drop by your views or suggestions or feedback. Also, comment if any mistakes!
Jazaki Allahu Khair.