"Sana did you hear what I even said?" Annum waved her hand before a total zoned out Sanari. She shook her head as if bringing it back to reality.

"I don't know." She shrugged in frustration.

Amanda saw a distracted Sanari and a worried Annum sitting in the kitchen thought nothing much of what was troubling them both. "What up girls?" She started in her usual cheerful voice.
"Hey, Amanda!" Both the girls announced in unison.

"What's up with you both? Why such faces? " She gave them both a curt look and inquired in perturbed seriousness.

"Nothing much, just figuring out a life I guess," Annum answered with slightly shaking her head.

Amanda knew well of their inevitable situation. She even knew about Behlul's intruding and his past relationship with Sanari.

Sanari somehow formed a bond with Amanda after her father passed away. And pouring out her worries and deep scars from the past felt like a very natural thing to do. Maybe she never understood or knew how being around a motherly figure felt like and somewhere in Amanda, she quenches her thirst of compassion and emotional stability. She was the second outsider that knew about all of Sanari's secrets apart from Haani Fateen. His mere thought made her cringe in emotional pain.

The morning she told him she wanted to accept his proposal, he had walked out on her with a curt 'no' and didn't show up for three days now. He'd leave before sunrise and return after dawn, daily. The remaining time he'd trap himself in his studio and not a single soul would have any eminent clue of his existence. What kept going in that man's head was beyond intellectual understanding to Sanari. He seemed to be so projected in each criterion of life yet he seemed to go back on the proposition he laid for her.

Maybe he felt disgusted with her after she unfolded the rueful petals of her gloomy past. Maybe he was too high to accept anything that was already damaged and scratched. But then again, his reaction that morning signified otherwise to the swirling emotions within her. She read concern, disgust, anger, rage and so many other emotions through the openings of his soul; his eyes. He simply was a mysterious being but she was no less.

"Figuring out where to live? How to work it out?" Amanda answered back Annum. She nodded her head in obstructive defeat.

"We'll figure out something. Annum will move into the campus hostel and I'll try finding a suitable job I guess." But the question was where would she live even if she did find a job. Her home wasn't safe at the moment when Behlul and his people were probably out there. Amanda knew of it as well.

"You live with me while you find one." Amanda kind of ordered more than request.
"No, really I'd work someth-" She was cut mid-sentence when Amanda shook her head in a no. Now, there was no space to argue with her and she had to listen to how Amanda planned out things for them. For now, it felt right and sufficient.

Amanda was a widow with two children who left her on her own once they bloomed their ages and never once looked back. She developed a soft spot for both the girls instantly. Abdul had always talked about his daughters so fondly that his mere words made her form a connection with his girls. Their presence sort of filling gaps in her heart and she couldn't afford to see them struggle through the unjust of life anymore. She was going to take them under her protection.

Sanari had to find a job instantly. At times circumstances push you to brims where you get no option but to cross some of your own borders. Sticking to one major stream doesn't help you survive the drought, you got to wander around.

~~~~~~~

He watched the way wind made her skirt dance around her delicate body. He envied the wind's soft touches on her skin, mesmerising each fragment of her existence, breathing in the presence of her sweet scent. He wanted to be the wind but all he could do was watch her from afar.

He hardened his grip on the balcony railing of his studio. Loss and defeat weren't the kind of feelings he was used to anymore when he had everything and everyone at his feet. But man isn't an art of perfection, there's always room for innovation and unfinished strokes. His life was moulding around those incomplete strokes. And he didn't gleam about that.

She kept strolling in the natural greenery of his villa. Taking delicate steps as if not to damage the life laden beneath her feet. She was an abstraction to him, that he had admitted to himself by now.

He couldn't just let her go, but then again he didn't want to enforce the proposal on her. He didn't want to take advantage of her crucial stances. It wasn't her own deliberation to marry him and he didn't want her to believe, 'all men are beasts.'

Sorely turning away he returned back to his studio. This game he started was talking him onto a road that had no ending or turning point. It was dangerous but he had already started the rebuke.

Sanari wandered in the little nature that was left in the villa. It eased her nerves to breath in the fresh air and relax her stress. She had already decided to search for a job and made a few calls as well. Meanwhile, she had to work on finding herself a safer place to stay, she just couldn't let Amanda be burdened by her presence.

Life was tough, but then again it was life. Everyone travels their own journeys. As they say, bad stuff doesn't stick around forever. Closing her eyes she prayed that bad phase would just pass away with the blink of an eye but she knew it wouldn't. Bad phases are supposed to grant you with a few blessings, lessons at most. Maybe she still tends to learn more from life.

~~~~~~

Haani didn't see her or her sister the entire week. Yes, he was avoiding a confrontation but he did observe her from afar. Though now she seemed to have dissolved somewhere within the huge house like the rest of his material things decorating and filling his house.

He chewed his dinner in silence. Never had such silence stolen his peace but today it seemed to be like a chasm between his life and mental stability. A void that had been left to devour all the remaining light of his life. He needed to talk to her.

Putting down his fork and spoon, he cleaned his face with the napkin. Taking a few moments before speaking, "Send Sanari to my office, I need to talk to her." He ordered the maid who served him his dinner before getting out of his seat and preparing to leave.

"But Sir-" The maid tried to speak and was cut short by his curt look in her direction. She lowered her head to speak again, "she's not here." She finished.

"What do you mean?" Astonishment was crystal clear in his voice.

"Did she go back to her house?" He asked again, concern reeking his voice. Behlul was out of police custody since Sanari wasn't willing to give a statement against him. If she went back to her house, she was being unsafe. Anything could happen to her, he could do anything to her. That mere thought sickened him to the stomach. He didn't even want to imagine about it.

"No, she's staying with Amanda for the time being." She stated from the conversation she had heard between them before Sanari left.

Relief shot up in his blood. Sighing heavily he flickered his fingers and dismissed the maid.

Throwing away the wet towel he had used to dry up after a shower, he seated heavily on the bed. For a strictly organised guy like Hanni Fateen, such an act was simply a prove to say he was frustrated.

He couldn't bring himself to accept the reality of never being able to see her again. And most of all Behlul being out there he couldn't ease his concern on how much she was putting herself at stake. The image of her laid unconscious on the cold ground covered in bruises couldn't leave his mind.

By the ticking of the clock, each passing minute raised his anxiety. He felt nothing towards her other than the need to boost his inspiration and get him back on track. He was an artist and his drought was making him impatiently crude.

Bringing his hands to his face, he rubbed his face red. Getting up he started strolling within his room trying to focus on his plans.

Firstly, he didn't want Sanari to be a part of the sick game he started; she had been damaged enough. Secondly, he didn't want her to be out in the wild waiting for the demon to chase her down to her deathbed. He certainly didn't want history to repeat itself. Maybe this time his heart wasn't involved but he still couldn't imagine his past being reborn. He just couldn't afford it at any primitive costs.

He wanted his drought to be over and for that he wanted her. He also wanted her safety and at the same time wanted Behlul behind the bars. Everything seemed to fall into place suddenly. The puzzle sorted out in fragments.

He looked out of the window to inspect the dark sky. No star seemed to glisten in the depths of the dark firmament. It seemed like even the sky was imitating his dark soul where no hopes of illumination seemed to exist. He had started a new game and this time victory was his.

~~~~~~

The consistent loud bell woke up Sanari from her deep slumber. She rolled over to check the time by the clock standing upon the nightstand. It said seven in the morning. Amanda hadn't informed her of any visitor at such an early hour of the day.

She groaned in frustration since the person outside seemed too impatient. She ran downstairs in a rush, picking her hijaab from the living area sofa and wrapping it loosely around her head. "Coming..." She yelled out.

Bear foot she ran towards the entrance door, struggling to unlock it in a haste. Finally, the lock opened and she pulled open the door to reveal the impatient person behind it.

"Hi!" Haani stood tall and cheerfully smiled at a wide-eyed Sanari. She forgot to even blink. Haani was in a good mood today, as rare as the blue moon but today he believed he was already a triumph.

Her body didn't seem to respond, he could judge by the looks of her that she had just been out of bed. "Did I wake you? I sincerely apologise. I thought you were an early riser so I..." He never apologised for anything but this one was an exception. Her stance didn't change much.

"Can I come in?" She shook her head in a clear no. Her eyes blinking at him and forming a frown. She seemed to have forgotten the habit of speech at the moment.

Sighing, Haani pushed open the door wider for him to enter. Before he could step further into the house, Sanari grabbed him by his arm. The intimate act seemed to freeze them both and they stared down at her clasped hands around his muscular bare arm. He had folded up the sleeves of his casual T-shirt and regretted ever doing so after feeling chills run up his spine at her mere touch. Sanari was a woman who had a good understanding of his reaction and immediately removed her hands off him.

"I'm sorry. But Amanda isn't home, she's at work." She tried to sound as confident as she could.

He entered into Amanda's house without permission. He certainly didn't need one.

"I know." He looked at her over his shoulder, walking further into the house and entering the living area. She trailed behind him.

"Then why are you here?" She questioned him in frustration. This man set her nerves on fire. His bossy attitude ignited her to brims.

"I wanted to talk to you." He casually informed her.

"What do you want?"

"Are you bad about listening or what? I already told you what I want, I want to talk to you." He waved his hand in the air to prove how dumb she was behaving.

Sighing inwardly, "Do I have any other option left but to deal with you right now?" She asked in visible annoyance.

He gave her a smirk to prove who was the dominant specie among both, "No!" He smiled at her sweetly.

"Fine then, make yourself at home if you haven't already by practically barging inside like you own the place. I'll have a few of my human minutes since you just dragged me out of bed." She added sarcastically and walked out of his brooding presence.

Splashing water over and over her face, she kept staring back at the mirror reflection of hers. Amanda was at work and Anum was at her university. That left her all alone with him. Men are dangerous beings, when it comes to taking what they want, they can be cruel than animals even.

She felt panic creeping up her spine. Drying her face and securing back her hijaab, she slowly descended downstairs.

His eyes glued on her, he waited patiently for her to return back. "I'm hungry" he announced once she stepped down.

Sanari felt the sudden urge to roll her eyes at him. First, he dismissed her from the villa, didn't let her have the job and now he was at her door wanting a breakfast. For a grown-up man, he sure had a childish bone.

Without a word she walked into Amanda's small kitchen, with him trailing behind her. Making himself at home more than her, he took a seat by the nearby stool.

Sanari inspected the fridge, "Will pancakes do?" That was her favourite breakfast and she felt her own hunger rising.

"Will do," he answered back.

"Tea or coffee?"

"Coffee," he answered short. He was getting impatient by each ticking second. He wanted to get to the point with her already but first, he wanted to give her her space of comfort with him. He wanted her to trust him, that was his most lenient tool to use on her.

Observing him not making any raw move, Sanari started dissolving her early concerns. Haani didn't seem to be as evil as she thought, after all, he did save her life and hadn't taken any advantage of her circumstances.

"Roasted?" She asked. He seemed to be puzzled for a bit. She pointed towards the coffee maker and he nodded with a slight smile.

She prepared for making them both breakfast and placed the coffee to brew.

He watched her cook silently. Once again he had the pleasure of watching her delicate moves. For the next few weeks or days or even a year, this is what he wanted to see and observe. And imprint it into his barren canvas. The thought made him happy inwardly.

After a few minutes, she placed a pot with steaming coffee and a plate with hot pancakes before him on the small kitchen island. She brought a stool to the other side of it and put down her own breakfast as well. She fetched the sauce and poured it over his pile of pancakes without asking him his consent.

Brown sauce dripped down his pancakes. Taking a fork full of sliced pancakes he thrust it into his mouth and closed his eyes to devour the pleasant taste of it. "Mmmmm this tastes heaven." He kept chewing on it.

"Yet you kicked me out," Sanari stated in a slow voice, difficult for him to listen.

Watching him devour his food with such a passion, her mind wondered about the amount of concentration and compassion he would have in the making of his paintings. It made her feel envious. Man is a crazy creation. They devalue breathing living beings and kill for objects that can't even show emotions. Materialistic beings they are, Sanari mused.

"You wanted to talk." Sanari stated sternly.

His fork stopped midway to his mouth and he dropped it with a bang.

"Propositions," He looked directly into her. The word startled her a bit and she stared back at him, searching his eyes for an explanation. She didn't find any.

"What games are you playing again Mr Fateen?" She felt her temper taking an ignition.

"I don't need to play games when I'm the one making them." He replied in a dangerous voice, a challenge clear in his voice.

"Call me Haani and let's ditch all these formalities, shall we?" He tried to ease her a bit. For what he was about to offer her next, he wanted to achieve her comfort zone first.

"What propositions?"

"New ones and better ones." He smiled at her but didn't seem to flatter her at all. For one thing he was sure by now, Sanari wasn't a woman who got enchanted by status or money. She was a satisfied woman in such a materialistic world.

"If you're playing games with me I'm war-"

"I'm not playing games with you because I don't need to." He cut her mid-sentence.

"Listen to me first and listen carefully before you get that little head of yours wrapped around false assumptions." He cautioned her and she nodded.

"I remember offering you a proposition of marrying me, you accepted it." In the past few days, she had entirely forgotten about his proposition or even the reality that she had accepted it. But she could refuse and she should refuse, she thought to herself.

Haani raised a finger to stop her train of thoughts from invading reckless boundaries of new assumptions, "The proposition still stands but with a few amendments." He talked further.

"What amendments?"

"You marry me, I look after you and your sister financially and every other way that you may need me to. I keep you safe. It will be a real marriage in all it's meanings, a real companionship in every kind of sense. But..." He paused to calculate her reaction, she stared back wide-eyed at him.

"But?" Every kind of evil thought invaded her mind.

"But before I marry you, you've got to do something for me first. Accepting this proposal is benefitting you in every possible way only but I'm a businessman Sanari and I tend to think of my welfare as well in such a proposition." He didn't want to tell her about the huge profit this marriage would do him. With a single arrow, he was going to hit two targets.
"That would be?" Panic started forming within her body.

"That would be you giving a statement against Behlul in the court because I want that man behind bars, rotting for the rest of his miserable life." He almost snarled on his last words.

"I won't do that..."

"Yes, you would. As a responsible citizen, it is your duty to do that. You do realise the amount of damage he's caused and can cause in future to different people. Do you really want him out there targeting more people? Do you really want other women to go through whatever you went through?" He was playing his best cards. Emotional blackmailing is what always works with women. They stand upon emotional fundaments.

"He'll kill me." She looked at him intensely as if he were some madman.

"He won't. Once you give a statement against him, he'll be behind bars. You'll marry me and become my wife. If Behlul has connections, you'll be amazed to find out what a powerful status I hold in the society. No one can hurt you if I don't let them, that's a promise, you'll be safe with me." He wanted her to believe him. He would protect her against everyone but himself.

"No, I can't give a statement." She shook her head in clear disagreement. This man was insane, how could such an agreement benefit him? Why was he doing this to her, she kept staring at him in search of an answer.

"You don't get to marry me." He casually shrugged at her. He seemed so confident in himself. Why did he even think she was that desperate to marry him? She wasn't.

"I refuse the proposition." She folded her arms in vibrant annoyance. If he could make the game, she could for sure play it and even win it.

He smiled sarcastically at her and shifted in his seat, "Did I talk about choices? No, I didn't. You don't have a choice of refusing the proposition."

"Excuse me? I don't work for you, so I'm not liable to agree to every vile thing you utter." Her temper started building up.

"Then what are you planning for your survival further because I don't see getting anywhere without getting killed at the hands of that ex-husband of yours since you've set him free already by not giving a statement against him. Can you even afford a safe place to live in." He stated facts at her that hit her like bricks, he was mocking most certainly.

"I'll get a job and find a safe place, you need not to concern yourself about me." She arrogantly replied to him.

With a laugh he carried on, "Sanari Sanari Sanari, such a foolish woman you are. I am a man with power. When I want something I get it. When I said you don't get a choice to refuse, I meant my words." He twisted his head to get a better view of her ignition.

"The university you graduated from, I fund it. With a flicker of my fingers, I can stamp your CV with incompetence and believe me when I say no company or rather any place in this country will appoint you as an employee. I can ruin your entire career within seconds actually. I can practically bring you to begging on the streets but you know what? I'm not that cruel. So, you're marrying me and giving a statement against that ex-husband of yours." He finished so casually as if he wasn't being arrogantly disputed in his commands rather inviting her to some brunch party.

"You devil!" She accused him. She hated how full of himself he was "I would never and ever agree to your disgraceful games Haani Fateen." She called him by his full name for the first time.

"Do not test me Sanari, because I hate it when I'm taken for granted and underestimated. Then I tend to do anything and everything to prove myself." He growled at her in rising temper, getting up from his seat and bending down at her level to stare directly into her bare existence.

"I give you one day to restrain your mind and wrap it around valid facts. You've got no option but to agree to whatever I say. Don't make me go hard on you because I might not be a man to cause physical damage to a woman but I for sure can make your life a living hell than it already is. One day Sanari and then either you're going on your own consent or I'm dragging you to the cops to fill in a statement." His breath felt hot on her face and smelt of mint and coffee.
"Why are you doing this?" She asked in a broken voice.

"I have my reasons which you won't understand. I just wish I was able to do it before, for someone who mattered once. I don't want another regret up my throat strangling me every wakeful night for the rest of my life, knowing that I could save you but I chose not to. I wouldn't be able to live with that in peace..." his voice broke. Hurt was quite prominent from his face.

Sanari stared at him, trying to pry the meaning behind his words but before she could speak anything, he beat her to it. "And know that I'm only doing this for my own demons, for my own reasons and my own gains. Do not ever attach any kind of intimate feelings to my proposal or my propositions. I want you but I don't love you and I never will. A feeling like such I'm completely incapable of ever feeling, for anyone. Always keep that in mind."

Shutting his eyes to a past defeat, he walked out of the kitchen and left the house. He was gone, leaving behind a startled Sanari.

~~~~~~

"Have you got your marriage contract with you?" Haani paused to look at her in the passenger seat of his car and then back at the road.

Thinking through the entire night, Sanari had come to the conclusion that taming Haani Fateen was of no use at all. He'd get what he want by hook or crook. He knew how to manipulate significant causes into discriminating realities. That's what the problem with men was. Their natural dominance gave them cruel powers. And the men she was surrounded by, for sure knew how to mould her according to their own chasms.

Haani already knew she couldn't refuse this time. He didn't even have to wait for a phone call of confirmation and rather drove the very next morning to Amanda's house to fetch her.

Amanda didn't seem happy about the decisions Sanari was taking but she knew all too well that Haani was too inclined on always getting his ways. It was far better for Sanari to agree willingly to his terms than be brutally sprained by his arrogant consequences. He could damage her a lot. But at the same time, she also knew that Haani did possess emotions. Why he wanted Sanari was a question not quite renown to her but for certain, there was something more to it.

But how he wanted Behlul behind the bars proved his genuine concern towards her and that eased Amanda a bit.

He tightened his grip over the staring wheel in frustration on seeing her shaking her head in a 'no'.

"How could you not have your marriage contract?" He asked irritated.

"He has it." Was her simple reply.

"And you think we can prove that you're his ex-wife by not possessing single evidence to it. Wow just wow." He started shaking his head. Bringing up his hand to loose open the first two buttons of his dress shirt, he needed more air to breath.

"Turn left!" She ordered him without giving in much. He pushed his foot over the breaks.

"I asked you to turn left not stop the car." Being this close to him was suffocating her.

"I'm warning you-" She shut him up before he could even finish, by raising her hand in a stop.

"I've got divorce papers with his sign and name on it. At home. I mean Abu's house." It wasn't her home anymore. That thought almost brought tears to her eyes. He had taken everything away from her. She couldn't even return to the place that was possessed by so many memories of her family.

Maybe giving a statement against him and marrying Haani Fateen would be the best thing to do. He deserved to be punished for the torture he'd caused her. And if the payment to make him suffer was marrying Haani Fateen, she was ready to accept the deal. Nothing ever comes for free.

The police took her statement and took the divorce papers into account. They captured Behlul within a week and filed a sever case against him. She was questioned too many times repeatedly but she didn't give a dime worth care as long as it was meant to end in her favour. She stayed patient and so did Haani.

They found many other cases of drug supplying and kidnapping on him. This wasn't something he could ever charge free of now. Haani made sure of that. In addition to physically assaulting and abusing his ex-wife Sanari and even charging on her and almost suffocating her to death, he had many other crimes to deal with.

Finally, the case was almost over within two weeks and Behlul was behind the bars. On his last stance, he demanded to talk to Sanari one last time.

Haani stood beside her as she entered the glass room. She flinched on seeing him on the other side of the glass. He kept tapping his fingers on the desk, something he always did when his patience would worn out. He motioned for her to pick the phone.

She looked at Haani and he nodded at her. Coming closer to the glass she took her seat and picked the phone.

"Long time eh?" His rough voice barged into the earpiece. She didn't reply and kept staring back at him in disgust.

"You found yourself fine links, didn't you? This man got power and my men can't reach you anymore. The solid score you've made, I'm impressed." She smiled inwardly at her triumph but her happiness was short-lived on what he said next.

"My precious Sanari, I didn't think you'd turn out to be such a fool. You see men recognise men and a beast recognise a beast. In your haste of getting rid of one, you fell into the trap of another.
Don't tell me he did all this out of pure generosity. No one gets involved with the underworld with pure intentions. People go to such extends only when it benefits their own demon desires. Are you this dumb to believe he actually wouldn't be getting something in return out of all this."

She shook her head in disbelief. His words clung to her mind heavily. It was something she repeatedly asked herself, what was Haani getting out of all that he was doing.

"You can rot in here for all I care." She refused to accept her thoughts and spoke out her venom for him.

He gave out a sarcastic laugh, "You'll never understand men. Men are enslaved to their desires. And a slave tends to do anything and everything his master commands. Lust is a powerful master and it can break any man to do the most awful deeds ever on the face of the earth. It will take him this little to break you apart and quench his thirst. Don't live in a delusion that you concern him. I've seen the way he looks at you, the hunger burns in his pretty eyes. The only thing that concerns him is his lust for you. The need can make any nightmare turn into reality." He paused to twist his head to the side.

"You're wrong. Not everyone is you." She didn't know if she was defending Haani Fateen or making herself believe he had good intentions.

"You'll know I'm not when you find yourself in his bed soon, with him wrapped around your little fragile self." She stepped back in disgust.

"Watch out!" He spoke his last words to her and got up to leave. Her eyes trailed behind his route. His words had left her thoughts brittle. But she had no escape route now even if his words measured truth.

******

Finally an update!
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