They reached the restaurant.
Haseeb had been smiling and talking the entire drive, his voice light and playful, trying to keep the mood easy. But Maliha could only respond with short replies.She was strangely nervous.
Her fingers kept playing with the edge of her dupatta as she sat beside him in the car.Haseeb noticed.

Of course he did.

But instead of pointing it out, he hid the knowing smile forming on his lips. When they entered the restaurant and sat across from each other, the soft golden lights reflected over the glass table between them. After placing their order, Haseeb rested his hands on the table and looked at her briefly.

“You’re nervous?” he asked calmly.

Maliha looked up at him. She wore a simple dress tonight not something fancy. Her dupatta rested gently over one shoulder. Small earrings sparkled beside her cheeks, and her eyes, softly lined with makeup, lifted toward him. For a moment Haseeb forgot what he was about to say. His heart skipped.

“I’m… just a bit,” she admitted quietly, lowering her gaze.

Haseeb leaned back slightly.

“It’s me,” he said softly. “Your friend.”
She looked up again.

“Why are you nervous?”

His words were meant to relax her.
But somehow they made her heartbeat even faster.

“You’re my husband too…” she whispered so faintly that he didn’t hear it.

“Maliha.”

She looked up when he called her name.

“It’s okay,” he said gently. “It’s just dinner.”

“Is it?” she asked quietly.

Then she looked away toward the large glass window beside them, tangled with the strange feelings rising in her heart.

“I know… it’s just dinner,” she murmured again.
Haseeb studied her expression.

“Or do you want it to be something else?” he asked.

The question made her instantly avoid his gaze.

“What would I want?” she replied quickly. “I’m just… waiting for dinner.”

A small smile appeared on her lips, but she could hardly control her racing heart. Because of the way he was looking at her. But Haseeb only smiled.

“I’m waiting for something else.”
She looked up again.
“What?”

“Your smile,” he said.

And without realizing it, she smiled. Soon their dinner arrived. They began eating, talking more comfortably now. Haseeb kept the conversation light, teasing her, asking about random things. Slowly, the nervousness melted away.Maliha began talking more freely, laughing occasionally.
Haseeb watched her with quiet satisfaction.
His plan had worked. She was finally relaxed.
After dinner they stepped outside.The car started moving again along the quiet roads of Rome.
Soon Haseeb stopped near a small ice-cream stand.

He bought ice cream for both of them before they stepped out of the car again and walked along the same quiet road they often visited.

“Is it safe here?” Maliha asked suddenly, remembering the night Haseeb had once been attacked there.

“It is,” he replied calmly, eating his ice cream while walking beside her, positioning himself closer to the road protectively.

“You like this place so much?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said, looking around.

“There’s silence. No rush, no traffic, no crowd.”
Then he glanced at her.

“This place has felt special since the day I walked here with you.”

She looked at him.

“So when you were gone,” he continued softly, “I used to sit here at night… thinking about you.”
He lightly brushed his finger against her nose.
She froze in surprise.

“You weren’t scared?” she asked. “It’s scary here. So quiet.”

Only a few street lamps were glowing. The empty road stretched ahead. The old Roman streets were silent. While she nervously looked around, Haseeb was watching her. Admiring her. Suddenly his arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

“Haseeb!” she whispered in shock.

She hadn’t even seen it coming.

“Try listening to my heartbeat,” he murmured softly.

“Then there will be no silence around you.”
Her palm rested unknowingly against his chest.

She felt it immediately. His heartbeat was fast.
Just like hers.

“You… seem… not in your senses,” she stuttered, trying to look away.

But it was impossible to escape his gaze.
“When you’re this beautiful… standing this close to me,” he whispered, leaning slightly nearer, “how can I stay in my senses?”

Her breath caught.Suddenly she pushed him back slightly, breaking his hold.Her face was flushed.

“I’m older than you,” she said nervously. “You should behave.”

Haseeb scratched the back of his head with a small smile. Then he took another step closer.

“You think I can behave when I’m with you?” he asked.

Before she could react, he gently pulled her back into his arms. Her fingers unconsciously played with the fabric of his coat.

“What?” she asked softly.

“Nothing,” he replied, still looking at her.

“Don’t… look at me,” she said avoiding to look at him, turning his face away.

He chuckled.
“Are you shy?”

“I’m… not…”

“You are,” he whispered.

"No." She insisted.

"You're blushing." He whispered caressing her flushed cheeks.

He cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing against her cheek. Her nervousness only grew.

“We… should head back,” she said quietly.

“Can I get a hug?” he asked suddenly.

Before she could answer, he pulled her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest. Slowly her arms wrapped around him too. Both of them smiled softly.

“I love you,” Haseeb whispered.
“So, so much.”

Her heartbeat increased at his words. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the quiet closeness. Then suddenly, Haseeb’s phone rang.
He frowned but ignored it. The phone kept ringing. Maliha moved back slightly.

“Take the call,” she said.

He made a face, making her giggle.

Still holding her with one arm, he answered.

“Dad, why are you disturbing us?”

But his father’s voice was tense.
“Hurry back to home. He’s out of jail.”

Haseeb’s expression changed instantly.
“He escaped,” his father continued. “He might try to harm you.”

A chill ran through Haseeb. Not for himself but For Maliha. What if they were already nearby?

“We’re coming,” he said quickly and ended the call.

He grabbed Maliha’s hand and hurried toward the car.

“What happened?” she asked anxiously.

But he didn’t answer. He opened the car door and made her sit quickly. Just as he was about to get inside,  Gunshots exploded in the air.

“Get down!” he shouted.

He jumped into the driver’s seat and started the car immediately. The engine roared as the car sped forward down the road. Behind them, two cars suddenly appeared. Following them. Maliha turned toward him in panic.

“Haseeb…”

“Nothing will happen,” he said firmly while gripping the steering wheel.

The car raced through the dark Roman streets And the chase had begun.
-------

The night had settled softly around them.
The room was dim, only the soft bedside lamp casting a warm glow across the quiet space. Outside the window, the distant city lights of Istanbul flickered gently.

Roshaane and Aarib lay on the bed, side by side.
The evening they had spent together still lingered between them like a sweet memory neither of them wanted to disturb. Words felt unnecessary tonight. The silence was comfortable… warm.
For a while they simply stared at the ceiling.
Lost in their own thoughts.

Then Aarib turned his head toward her.
His hand slid under his cheek as he rested his head on the pillow, watching her quietly.
Roshaane felt his gaze. Slowly she turned her face toward him too. Their eyes met.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
There was something shy in that silence… something new that still made her heart flutter.

“You really wanted to go to Zainab’s?” he finally asked softly.

A small smile touched her lips. She shook her head.

“I was just teasing you.”

Aarib’s lips curved slightly.
“I knew it,” he murmured
.
They stayed looking at each other for another moment before Roshaane spoke again.

“When are we going to Pakistan?” she asked, her voice soft as her eyes searched his.

“Pakistan…” Aarib repeated thoughtfully.
He paused, thinking about it.

Just then his phone rang. The sudden sound broke the quiet moment. Aarib turned slightly and reached for the mobile from the side table. The screen lit up. His brows lifted slightly.

“Aabia?”

He immediately sat up a little and answered the call.

“Assalam-o-Alaikum.”

“Walikumassalam, Aarib bhai! How are you?” Aabia’s cheerful voice came through.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m fine,” he replied, though a slight worry appeared on his face. “Is everything okay? You called at this hour.”

Roshaane had also sat up slightly now, watching him curiously. Aabia laughed lightly from the other side.

“Everything is perfectly fine. Why do you sound worried?”

Aarib relaxed a little.

“How’s Roshaane?” Aabia asked next.

Aarib glanced at Roshaane, who was already watching him with questioning eyes.

“She’s fine too. Do you want to talk to her?” he asked, already moving the phone toward her.

“No, no wait!” Aabia quickly said.

“I called for something else.”
Aarib paused.

“What happened?”
For a second Aabia stayed silent.

”It's my wedding. With Shahmir." She said softly with a light smile.

"But you both are already married?" Aarib asked confused, making her giggle.

"I'll tell you when you both come. We've a little time. Mir wants it to happened tomorrow. " sshe giggled and Aarib could feel her happiness.

"But we still have few days. So be here in two to three days." She said and paused waited for his reply.

"Three days? It's so soon." Aarib said looking at Roshaane who was listening to everything.

“Yes  three days." she repeated, laughing. “And you both have to come. No excuses.”
Roshaane instantly sat straighter.

“What happened?” she mouthed silently.

Aarib covered the mouthpiece slightly and whispered,
“Aabia’s wedding.”

Roshaane’s eyes widened in surprise.
"But?” she whispered back, clearly shocked.

On the phone Aabia continued speaking excitedly.
“And I want my sister here. Roshaane has to come. I won’t get married without her.”
Aarib chuckled softly.

“Your husband won't wait for us.” He said making her laugh too.

“I’m serious, Aarib bhai!” Aabia insisted. “You both have to come early too. There’s so much preparation and I want Roshaane with me.”
Aarib looked at Roshaane again.

Her eyes were already shining with excitement.
“Did you hear that?” he asked quietly.
She nodded eagerly.

A smile slowly spread across Aarib’s face.
“Alright,” he said back into the phone. “We’ll come.”

“Really?” Aabia gasped happily.
“Yes. We’ll definitely come.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

On the other side Aabia sounded thrilled.

“I can’t wait to see you both! Tell Roshaane I’m already counting the days.”

“I will,” Aarib replied with a soft laugh before ending the call.

The room fell quiet again.

But the atmosphere had completely changed.
Roshaane was staring at him with wide, excited eyes.

“Aabia aapi's wedding?” she asked.
Aarib nodded.

“In three days”
For a second she simply stared at him in disbelief.
Then suddenly she smiled.

A real, bright smile.
“We’re going to Pakistan, right?”

Aarib leaned back against the headboard, watching her happiness.

“Yes,” he said softly.

“We are.”

Roshaane suddenly threw herself toward him, wrapping her arms around him in an excited hug.
The sudden movement startled Aarib so much that he almost lost his balance and fell completely back on the bed.

“I’m so happy!” she said, hugging him tightly.

“And I’m stuck,” he whispered.

His words made her suddenly realize their position. Before she could pull away, his arms wrapped firmly around her.

“In your fragrance,” he murmured softly near her ear.

He inhaled deeply, snuggling closer to the side of her neck. His face disappeared into her hair as he slowly leaned back onto the bed, taking her along with him in his arms. Roshaane panicked and instinctively clutched him tighter.

“Aarib…” she called softly, trying to free herself, but he had no intention of letting her go.

After a moment she managed to shift slightly, moving back just enough to face him. Her hair slipped forward, falling around her face. Aarib looked up at her quietly. He lifted his hand and gently tucked the loose strands behind her ear.
Her eyes trembled under his steady gaze.

“It seems your confidence slowly disappears when it comes to our closeness,” he said softly.

His fingers traced lightly along her cheek and jaw while she continued trying to move away, though he still held her close.

“No… it’s… not like that,” she said, shaking her head nervously.

“Really?” he asked, pulling her a little closer.

“I… I can prove it,” she replied, though her nervousness was clearly written all over her face.

Aarib raised an eyebrow slightly.
“What will you prove?”

His thumb slowly traced along the side of her neck. Roshaane’s eyes shut tightly for a moment as a rush of butterflies filled her stomach at his touch.

“You’re not shy?” he whispered.

“Not nervous?”

His voice lowered further as he leaned forward until his lips lightly touched her throat. A soft gasp escaped her lips. Immediately she pushed him back, freeing herself from his arms, going down from top of him, and quickly turning to lie on her side, facing the other direction. Aarib chuckled quietly behind her.

Watching her back for a moment, he slowly moved closer. His arm slipped around her again as he gently pulled her toward him. Then he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head.

"So you're not shy." He teased close to her ear.

Roshaane hid her flushed face in her palms.
“Good night,” he whispered softly.

Then he closed his eyes, a faint smile still resting on his lips as he thought about her shy reactions.
Behind her hands, Roshaane could feel her heart still racing.

---‐-

The car sped through the narrow streets of Rome.
Haseeb’s hands tightened around the steering wheel as he pressed harder on the accelerator. The engine roared while the headlights cut through the dimly lit road ahead. Behind them, the two cars were still following.

Relentlessly.

Maliha’s fingers clutched the edge of her seat as she looked back through the rear window. The distant headlights of the pursuing cars flashed dangerously closer.

“Haseeb…” her voice trembled.

“I’m here,” he replied calmly, though his eyes remained fixed on the road.

“But they’re still behind us.”

“I know.”

He took a sharp turn into another street, the tires screeching against the pavement. Maliha grabbed the dashboard to steady herself. The car shot forward again. Her heart was pounding wildly.

“Haseeb… who are they?” she whispered.

His jaw tightened slightly.

“The same person i had put behind the bars.”
Another turn.

Another narrow street. The city lights blurred past them as the car raced forward. Behind them the pursuing vehicles accelerated too, refusing to give up. One of the cars suddenly pulled closer.
Too close. Haseeb noticed immediately through the mirror.

“Hold on,” he warned.

Before Maliha could react,
BANG!

Another gunshot rang through the night.

The bullet shattered the back window of their car.
Glass scattered across the back seat. Maliha gasped and ducked instinctively.

“Haseeb!”

“I’m okay,” he said quickly. “Stay down.”

He swerved sharply into another lane, trying to shake them off. But the black car remained stubbornly behind. Haseeb’s mind was working rapidly. He knew these streets well by now.
And he knew something the men chasing them probably didn’t. He suddenly turned the car into a narrow side street barely wide enough for two vehicles. The tires screeched loudly.
The sudden turn forced the car behind them to slow down.

“Almost there…” he murmured under his breath.
Maliha looked at him anxiously.

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere crowded.”

Another turn.
Then suddenly the quiet streets opened into a brighter, busier road.
Cars.
Motorcycles.

People walking on the sidewalks. Haseeb merged quickly into the moving traffic. The headlights behind them hesitated. The pursuing cars slowed down. Blending into the traffic made shooting impossible without drawing attention. For a few seconds they remained behind them. Then slowly, they disappeared into another road. Haseeb kept driving for several more minutes before finally slowing the car.

Only then did Maliha dare to breathe properly again. Her hands were still shaking.

“Haseeb…” she whispered.

He pulled the car to the side of the road under a streetlight. The engine remained running as he turned toward her.

“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head quickly.

“No… but you…”
Her eyes widened suddenly.

Blood.
His sleeve was darkened with it.

“Haseeb!” she cried.

Only now did he notice the burning pain spreading through his arm. The earlier gunshot had grazed him.

“It’s nothing,” he said, trying to brush it off.

But Maliha had already grabbed his arm, her eyes filling with fear.

“You’re bleeding!”

“It’s just a scratch.”

“Haseeb this is not a scratch!”

Her hands trembled as she tried to check the wound. For a moment neither of them spoke.
Then slowly Haseeb exhaled and leaned his head back against the seat. His eyes closed briefly.
Not from weakness. But from the realization that the danger had returned.
And this time, it wasn’t just about him anymore. He was not alone. He was not afraid for himself but for the one sitting next to him. Maliha looked at him, her voice barely steady.

“Whoever they are… they won’t stop, will they?”
Haseeb opened his eyes.

His gaze turned serious.
“No,” he said quietly.

“They won’t.”

And somewhere in the dark streets of Rome, The same black car that had chased them disappeared into the shadows,
waiting for the next move.

"“Hey… why are you crying? I’m fine,” he said, cupping her face gently.

“You’re not,” she replied, her eyes immediately drifting to his arm and then back to his face, which was now covered with a thin layer of sweat.

Her heart sank.

Without thinking, she placed her hands on his cheeks, feeling the heat of his skin. His body felt warmer than before, and his breathing had become heavier. His condition was getting worse with every passing second. The bullet had actually hit his arm… and it was still inside.

“You’re not fine,” she said again, her voice trembling as she wiped the sweat from his forehead. “You need treatment.”

Haseeb clenched his jaw, trying to steady himself.

“We… need to go home,” he said, forcing himself to sit straight in the seat as he took a deep breath.

“I need you… to be safe.”

Maliha looked at him with tear-filled eyes. Despite the pain, despite the blood slowly soaking into his sleeve, he was still thinking about her safety. Her chest tightened painfully.

But before she could say anything more, he had already started the car. The engine roared to life.

Haseeb gripped the steering wheel firmly and drove the car onto the road, heading straight toward home while Maliha sat beside him, watching him anxiously, her hands trembling in her lap.

Assalam-o-Alaikum, dear readers!
How are you all?

So… you were waiting for an update, and here it is!
I know many of you want daily and quick updates, but honestly, it’s not that easy. I hardly get enough time to write, but I truly try my best to bring you updates on time.

Now coming to the story how is it going so far? I’ve been receiving very few comments lately, and I’d really love to hear from you all. Are you excited about the upcoming tracks?

Aabia and Aarib are heading to Pakistan, and their closeness is slowly growing…
At the same time, danger has started circling around Haseeb again. Will this make Maliha realize his true place in her life?

Let me know your thoughts, I’m waiting!
Next update will be on Eid day, Insha’Allah.

Till then, Allah Hafiz 🤍