Inarah's POV,
What a beautiful dream it was!

"I really do love you my Jaan....my Jahan....my Inarah.... I do... I do... I do..."

But, there is no way.... Zayaan would say that in reality.

"Inarah! Inarah please wake up!"
I heard Zayaan's voice like a distant echo. My eyelids became soo heavy as I tried to open them. As I took into my surroundings, I was on the bed in our room and he was sitting right next to me holding my hand as worry and anxiety painted his handsome face and enchanting ebony eyes.

"Oh Thank God!"

I groaned.
"Why did you wake me up Zayaan! I was having such a wonderful dream?" I said weakly as I lifted my body up and he helped me sit up holding my back and propping the pillow behind.

A small gasp escaped my lips at our dangerous closeness and he gazed into my eyes soo.... lovingly carrasing my cheek with his knuckles. A soft smile on his sexy lips.
"What dream did you see?"
He asked in a hoarse low voice.

I got lost in his eyes like always as I answered,"In my dream, you said you loved me.. but.." I chuckled camouflaging my disappointment.
"That can never be possible!"

His smile grew and he pressed his lips on my forehead.
"It wasn't a dream my Jaan."

I looked at him in disarray.

"I love you Inarah! I love you.... I Love you... I love you....I..."

I covered his mouth with my hands stoping him as my heart was on fire. Something I'd only imagine and dreamt of was finally happening!

Zayaan said he loved me?!

He very gently gripped my hand which was in his mouth, kissing every finger tip as my eyes filled with tears. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I'm sorry my Jaan....all this time I made you suffer.... I made you cry. I was wrong. I love you soo much.... I guess....it took me an awful lot time to realise that. I'm sorry Inarah. But no more.... I promise I'd never make you cry again. I'm all yours now Inarah... I'll love and cherish you all my life... I'll shower every ounce of my love on you my Jaan.... I...."

"I can't do this!"

His voice trailed off as he looked at me confused.

My heart clenched as I looked into his eyes that reflected soo much honesty, love and longing in them.

"I'm sorry too Zayaan....but that's enough! I'm exhausted!"
I breathed

"Jaan...."

"No! No more Zayaan! I'm exhausted of your changing attitude. One moment you kiss me, the other you run away. One moment you're soft, the other, you say words that slash through my soul. I'm not strong enough to bear it anymore!" My voice broke as a sob dared to escape.

"I... I promise you Inarah....no more mixed emotions. You have me now body, heart and soul. I'm all yours Inarah...and I'll love you .... always!" He said desperately cupping my face.

I shut my eyes in agony as I ripped his hands off my face.

It's soo painful....so hard!

I shook my head.
"I... can't! Please....let me go! I can't handle all this anymore! I want to free my heart from you... I..."

He hugged me tight like he was a scared little child, cutting me off.
"Inarah..."

"Zayaan..." I let my tears on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry...." I painfully pulled myself away from him as he watched me desperately trying to hold onto me.

I need to start new...away from him...from my heart...my life...

But can I?

****
I walked down the stairs as Zayaan came running behind me.

"Inarah.... please wait..." His voice was soo desperate and it was getting harder and harder every passing second to ignore him.

But luckily, I found a distraction.

"Bhabhi! Zayaan bhai! Asad bhai! Wafeeq, Raghav, everyone! Look, who's here!" Uddhav's voice echoed throughout the living room as he walked in holding hands with his beautiful girl Geeta.

"Namaste!" She said meekly joining her hands.

"Oh Geeta! How are you?!" Wafeeq said walking in the house.

"I'm good. How are you Wafeeq bhaiya?"

"Great! Now that you're here." He answered flirtily only to receive a punch in his stomach by Uddhav.

"Bhabhi bool bey! Meri mangetar hai wo! (Hey! Call her sis in law! She's my fiance!)"

"Oooo....you two are already engaged?" Raghav said jumping on his back from behind.

Uddhav grinned as his face flushed and Geeta turned crimson smiling soo brightly that it warmed my heart seeing those two. I prayed in my heart for all the happiness in the world for them as my heart pricked thinking about my own darned love story.

I really hope and pray that sweet girl wouldn't have to ever cry because of her love like me ....ever again!

"Btw, where were you 2?"
Uddhav asked and Wafeeq whispered something in his ear to which his face turned serious for a second nodding with understanding before bringing his huge smile back as he turned to his lady love.

"You 2 look soo beautiful together!" I said going down to them and hugging Geeta who was smiling at me.
"Welcome home sister!"

Her eyes sparkled with tears when I called her sister.
"Thankyou... Didi sorry....bhabhi."

Wafeeq and Raghav's face tensed seeing me. I gave them a smile with a slight nod gesturing that I was ok.

"Bhabhi! Thankyou soo much!" Uddhav said bringing his attention to me. He was oblivious about last night's scene or my fever this morning.
"Aren't we just picture perfect? Handsome young man like me and a breathtakingly beautiful girl like her."
He said holding the blushing Geeta closer to him.

I giggled.
"You bet!"

"Uh....bhabhi, the beautiful part was right...but, where's the handsome guy?" Raghav teased pretending to hood his eyes and look around. Uddhav smacked his head and we all got caught in a fit of laughter.

Zayaan stepped beside me and I self-consciously took a step away from him plastering a fake yet realistic smile on my lips. Wafeeq and Raghav avoided his eyes. Guess they were upset with him too for what I went through thanks to him.

"Bhai....this is my Geeta!" Uddhav seemed a bit hesitant in front of Zayaan as he was the one who beat him up soo badly the other time and he already had a cold face. Even Geeta was intimidated.

But then he out off the blue hugged Uddhav who was equally shocked like everyone else.
"Congratulations!" Zayaan said in his rough voice. Uddhav held him hesitantly and smiled.
"T... thanks bhai!"

He then patted Geeta's head smiling at her slightly.
"Welcome to the family."

She smiled nodding forgetting her hesitation.

Zayaan then turned to me opening his mouth to speak but I grabbed Geeta's hand immediately.
"Come Geeta! Let me show you around the house."

"Ji bhabhi."

"Call me Didi like before if you want!" I said abruptly as she blinked at me and when I looked at Zayaan from the corner of my eye, he looked shocked and disheartened. I ignored him.

She was then looking at Uddhav longingly.

"Looks like Geeta bhabhi can't stay away from her darling even for a second huh?" Raghav teased.

They both blushed and Uddhav gripped Raghav's neck playfully under his arm, while Wafeeq grabbed Uddhav the same way. Geeta giggled uncontrollably seeing thier antics.

****
"We're getting married."

Everyone cheered as Uddhav announced the good news.

"Way to go!" Asad grinned patting his back....a little to hard I guess seeing him wince.

"So when are we getting to dance in your barat?" Raghav asked excitedly.

"Oh God! No! If you dance even the Ghodi (mare) will run away scared seeing your alien moves." Wafeeq joked and Uddhav gave him a high five laughing with him.

"Hey! Shut up ok! I'm Michael Jackson's reincarnation." Raghav defended.

"Yeah, a very defective reincarnation!" Asad retorted and everyone laughed as Raghav pouted in response.

"When is the wedding btw?" I asked.

"Uh... mostly by next month!" Uddhav informed and my heart sank.

"As much as I'd love to attend your wedding.... I won't be able to." I said regretfully.

"Huh?....why....why not bhabhi?" The guys bombarded me with questions and shocked expressions.

"Why Didi?" Geeta looked at me with such puppy eyes. Awww!

"Next week my friend Heena and I are... moving to London for atleast 2 years for our MBA." I informed.

"What?! 2 years? Then What about Zayaan bhai?" Raghav questioned looking at me like an owl.

I looked a Asad who gave me a nonchalant face and I just shrugged.

"But....you are the reason we're together bhabhi. After everything you did for us....freeing Geeta, giving me confidence to talk to her and bring her back...if you aren't there to tie our Gathbandhan then....how will this be a meaningful wedding?" Uddhav said.

"Oh come on! What makes a wedding meaningful is your love and trust in eachother!" I said with a heavy heart.

Something that my marriage didn't have.

"Can't you not leave till after our wedding... please.." Geeta held my hand.

I sighed helplessly.
"Maybe..."

I observed everyone's eager expressions as they looked at me hopefully.
"... I can think about it."

Geeta smiled hugging me.

"Ok ok...this calls for celebration! How about I make something sweet to celebrate this happy moment?" I suggested.

"Perfect!"

"Be right back." I said getting up.

"Didi, can I help too?" Geeta asked.

"It's alright! The maids are here to help me. Why don't you rest for a while? You look a bit pale."
I leaned closer to her ear even though everyone knows about her pregnancy.
"Did you see a doctor for your ultrasound and treatment?"

"Not yet, but Uddhav is taking me tomorrow."

"Good. Now go. Lay down for a bit." I smiled.

Uddhav immediately walked towards us holding onto Geeta like she was a glass doll.
"You ok darling?" She nodded smiling at him soo lovingly that it melted my heart.

"Come I'll take you to my bedroom."

"Hey hey Uddhav bhai. You come back soon ok? No funny business before marriage." Raghav teased.

Uddhav just turned to him and winked.
"I can't promise you that." He grinned and Geeta hit his chest blushing.

Awww they're adorable!

I made my way to the kitchen and Zayaan, who was quite the whole time immediately followed me in. I tried my best to ignore him.

"Inarah.... can we talk about it...please"

He gestured the maids to give us privacy.

I sighed turning to him but not daring to make eye contact.
"I already told you everything and now I have nothing to hear or tell you anymore Mr Hashmi!"

He got me cornered near the cabinets as his one hand rested on my waist and the other on my cheek as he gazed into my eyes soo desperately and longingly. My will power was getting weaker every second his skin was on mine and his eyes bore into mine.

"Didn't you say we were made for eachother? How can we be apart when we're one already?"

He took my hand placing it on his heart while his hand rested on mine
"Even our hearts beat as one Inarah!"

My eyes pricked with the dread of tears.
How can I ever be away from this man? Loving him is all I've known?

I shook my head pushing him back.

"And you've made a fool of this heart more times than I can count!" I snapped turning away.

"I know....and I'm an idiot....a fool to do that! The worst! But can't you give your worst Zayaan a chance? You've always believed in me my Jaan... I ask for 1 last chance.... please...." He was saying desperately playing with my hair from behind.

"Hey Inarah!" Just then, Asad came barging in.

"Asad get out! We're talking!" Zayaan grunted

"You can talk later....right now I need to talk to her!" He snapped back and came and stood beside me as I was busy collecting ingredients for the firni.

"What?" I turned to Asad completely ignoring my jealous husband ...who was about to be my ex-husband.

"Is Heena really going to London with you for 2 freaking years?!" He sounded anxious.

"Why do you care?"

His face changed and he cleared his throat.
"Um...no reason! Just curious." He showed his teeth. Then he got serious again.
"Is she really?!"

"Of course!"

"Hell! Why?!"

I snapped my head at his anxiously annoyed face skeptically.
"Don't tell me something's going on between you two!"

His eyes widened for a spilt second before he cleared his throat.
"Btw, is your fever down now?" He asked touching my forehead.

"Hey don't touch my wife!"

Ignored!

"Yeah, I'm good now. Thanks to you." I smiled as he smiled back.

"I'm right here!"

Ignored again!

"Oh and Asad, I want to sleep in your room from tonight." I said.

"WHAT?!"

Asad shifted his wide gaze on both of us. "No problem beautiful! I can be a good body pillow!" He winked.

"Asad I'll kill you!" Zayaan grumbled getting between us and grabbing his collar.

He chuckled.

I leaned to the side as Zayaan was blocking him.
"No thanks! Body pillows are soo overrated!"

"Huh?!" Zayaan turned to me shocked leaving Asad. I ignored him. Ain't gonna deny it, it was soo cute and funny to have him all riled up like that.

"Ok, but can I ask why?"

"Ah, that's because Zayaan and I are getting divorced so we can't share the same room anymore."

"Inarah....."

"Whoahoho! Dude! The divorce bomb! You're screwed!" Asad said amused patting Zayaan's back only to receive a death glare.
He ignored him like always and brought his attention to me.
"Alright, I'll move my stuff and you can shift there. I'll move into my original apartment in the building until the wedding."

"Thanks."

"What kind of a buddy are you?! Instead of explaining her to reconcile with me.... you're encouraging her more you unfaithful bastard!"

Asad shrugged.
"You brought this upon yourself!"

Zayaan was about to retort but I pushed both the guys out.

"Get out now both of you. I'm busy! Ladies come in. The firni won't magically appear itself." I said aloud and the maids sheepishly walked in as Zayaan kept glaring at Asad.

****
He was smiling like a fool glueing his eyes on me while I just glared daggers at him as we all sat together in the living room with the bowls of firni being distributed around by the maids. I sat far away from him near Geeta who was looking at both of us like a confused bunny.

"Didi, is everything ok with you and Zayaan bhaiya?" She whispered.

I just smiled at her.

"Um...is it just me or is your cooking improving more and more day by day?" Raghav said eating hungrily.

I smiled opening my mouth to speak but...

"Of course it's good because my Jaan made it with all her love!" Zayaan said abruptly and all shocked stares rested at him.... accompanied with dropped jaws.

I gave him a mocking smile.
"Well, I spitted in your bowl." I snapped.

"Ugh...ew...." Were the responses I could hear around.

He smiled showing his teeth.
"No wonder why it's extra delicious!" He said taking a big spoonful.

Forget about others, even I gagged at his response.

****
So finally, Heenu and I decided we'll postponed moving out for a month and help cater to the wedding. I did suggest appointing a professional wedding planner but the bride insisted she wanted a simple wedding with just friends.
So we took it on ourselves to give this couple the best wedding they could ever imagine.

However, in this entire month, no matter how much I tried to ignore Zayaan and keep myself busy.... everyday he would try one thing or another to voo me. Like sending flowers, my favourite chocolates, bringing movie tickets that I use to tear and through away, and much more. He even almost took a guitar and started singing harrassing my ears with his awful guitar playing one day.

If we were normal, I'd have showered a hundred kisses on him for his every romantic surprise but....in our current situation, it's just soo.... painful.

What was more terrible, was that, everything he did felt soo sincere. And whenever I rejected him, his heartache was vivid in his eyes yet he smiled promising something even more amazing the next day.

"I challenge you Inarah Zayaan Hashmi! I will win your heart back no matter what! I Love you and I'll prove it you!"

You already own my heart my Love, but the biggest challenge for me is.... removing you from it.
****

Heena's POV,
It's amusing and annoying at the same time seeing Zayaan running around like a love sick idiot around Inarah as she keeps running away from him. I'd never seen this side of him...nor did I ever imagine to see.

I hate him with the every cell in my body because Inarah always loved him more than me yet he never failed to show his attitude to our angel, but now... I'm kinda rooting for that man. Inarah really loves him and I know she's fighting a battle with herself to stay away from his advances. Why wouldn't she? He gave her soo much pain for over a decade.

That day, Zayaan was busy in his call in the yard outside while my babe kept gazing longingly at him through the window while I was showing her the pictures of various haldi function decoration ideas.
My heart ached seeing her. There's no way this girl could ever find peace by getting a divorce.

"Inu..."

"Hm" she said absent mindedly.

"Inarah Zayaan Hashmi!"

She gasped snapping her attention at me.
"Don't call me that!"

"Then what should I call you? Who are you fooling babe? I know you better than you know yourself!" I snapped back.

She bit her lip dropping her head down as she played with her fingers.

"Admit it! You can never stop loving him. Inarah's heart can never be separated from Zayaan!"

She shook her head blinking back her tears.
"But it's time...that Inarah must take her heart back!"

"Why? Because he's an asshole. Well, that's the understatement of the year....no, century! I know that but... he's your life partner....the love of your life!"

She laid down placing her head on my lap as I carased her hair.
"I don't know anymore if it was ever meant to be Heenu. I'm just soo scared."

"Inu, you could've never even gotten together this far if it wasn't meant to be. You 2 are eachother's destiny. Weren't you the one who always said that?" I asked.

"He hated me Heenu, enough to conjure up such a lie all this years of sleeping around. Now suddenly he comes and says he loves me? I'm too scared to believe him again. What if I get hurt again? I won't be able to bear another blow anymore!"

I sighed. I couldn't argue with that one either.
"Did you talk to him about why he created such a lie?"

She shook her head. Then there was a minute of silence between us.

"Inu, this divorce will take a bigger toll on you than him and don't even get started about Nagma aunty, she'll be furious! She was against yours and Zayaan's marriage in the first place if you tell her you're getting divorce already....what will happen? It will be a huge shock to her too and what about it's effect on the company?"

Her eyes widened momentarily. Good! She's getting my point.

"And you know the consequences of divorce don't you? After it's all done, even if you want to, you can't get together soo easily. You'll need Nikah Halala, another man to marry you and..." I sighed.
"...will you be ok with another man... touching you?"

She shut her eyes as if in pain. I carased her forehead
"Exactly! Why don't you do this... instead of taking such a horrible step of divorce, why don't you take a break?"

She blinked at me cutely.

"Take some time off, get your thoughts and feelings together. Tell you what..., after Uddhav and Geeta's wedding, come with me to London. There you can take a long enough break and put yourself straight. Be it 2 weeks or even 2 months. Take your time, relax, travel around and rejuvenate yourself babe. Don't make any rash decisions yet. Stay away from him for a while and then think over it again with a calm mind if you really want divorce or not! It will also give your idiotic husband some time to look back at himself. Although, don't tell him about the break, keep the lose sword if divorce hanging over his head for a while. Let him suffer a bit too. What's say?"

She thought for a while sitting up and her gaze traveled back to her...love.

"Not a bad idea." She murmured.

"Perfect! So, 2 weeks?"

"Months! 2 months!" She said sternly.

"2 months it is!" I beamed not arguing any further.

She smiled hugging me.
"I love you sis! You're the best!"

"I love you too!"

****
Zayaan's POV,
Uddhav gathered the gang for an emergency meeting. We all sat around him as he stood in between us.

"Zayaan bhai, Asad bhai...and everyone...

I want to quit the gang!"

_____________________________________

Assalamualaikum Everyone!

How are my dearest readers?

I hope you enjoyed today's chapter too.

What do you think? Was Inarah's reaction right?
And what about Heena's suggestion?

Zayaan does need to suffer a bit, however, he was already hurting himself too when he was hurting Inarah.

Do you really thinking it's ok for ZayRah to split 😢

What about Asad? He's one mysterious character huh?
His real intensions will be revealed soon enough.

BTW, get ready for some party sharty and masti tomorrow
😘