|| S H A N Z E ||

“Surprise to see me? You both should be and why not? After all, I am a great avenger by hook or crook. Weren't those videos deleted because of you two and look how beautifully this little whore has gotten away,” He looked at us with threatening eyes, like any second and we would be killed by him.

Mahira held my hand tremblingly as he stepped closer to us. I tried my best to hold my ground and be ready to scream if he pulled any dangerous move.

“Don't think by marrying that man you are safe. Neither of you save. Soon I will have my hands on you. And Shanze, get ready to see the destruction of your husband's company,” He whispered the last sentence beside my ear.

“Get lost before I gather the people with an excuse of being molesting by you," I warned him, squeezing Mahira's hand and hiding her behind me.

He gave me a sinister smile with an evil glint in his eyes and glanced at my sister with his filthy eyes.

“You both just wait.”

With this last warning, he went away.

I patted the hand of Mahira that I was holding and breathed out. When I turned around, I saw Mahira pale and trembling in fear.

"I swear I didn't call him. I swear I am not even in contact with him,” She stuttered, holding my both hands with her trembling ones.

“Stop, Mahira. Stop. Let's go there," I tried to calm but seeing that we were getting the attention of passersby due to her tears, I pulled to the other side, which was a little isolated.

“I know you didn't. Please don't cry,” I rubbed her trembling hand.

It took half an hour to finally calm her down. Along with her, I was feeling afraid of Mazhar. I took deep breaths silently and put the fear away. It wasn't time to fear him or anything.

“Let's quickly get things and go back home. I'll drop you on the way," I told her, holding her hand and not wanting her to go back alone.

What if he tried a stunt on her when she was alone on her way home. I shuddered at the thought of this then quickly bought all the things on the list.

»»»●«««

|| T H I R D • P E R S O N ||

Hasan was playing golf with his friends and when he went to sit aside to drink water, he met someone there. Someone he hated to the core. If not for him, nothing like this would ever happen.

He clenched his both fists on either side and tried his best to ignore that person, and passed by without any attraction.

“Isn't it the man whose woman I had once? By God she tasted so good in b–”

Before this sentence was completed, Hasan threw his fist at the speaker and punched him many times.

"Try to take her name once more and I'll kill you right here,” With bloodshot eyes, he held Mazhar's collar whose face was now swollen.

“Huh! What'll you do? Can you bring back her innocence?"

Before Mazhar spoke more, Hasan threw more fists at him but Mazhar tried to dodge. This commotion attracted the passersby and also Hasan's friends but that didn't stop Hasan from speaking.

“Just wait until I ruin everything,” Mazhar told him with a smirk in between grunts.

Hasan's friends came quickly and separated both of them. Some guards also came and stood between them in fear they would fight again as Hasan was throwing daggers at Mazhar and Mazhar was just staring at Hasan like he would retaliate back.

“Sirs, please calm down. We can solve it with peace talk," The manager came and tried to have a peace talk with them.

“Sorry but I am calling the police here,” Mazhar straightened his clothes by jerking his blazer down and adjusting his collar.

“Sure, call them," Hasan gritted and was ready to punch him more.

Hasan's friends held him tightly and took him a little distance. One of them called his father while Mazhar made a call to the police in front of them. The manager was trying their best to calm the situation but seeing it was getting out of control, he made a call to the owner.

In fifteen minutes police arrived but knowing both parties were strong they couldn't touch any of them and Hasan's one friend was a lawyer. So even though Hasan seemed to be at fault, police couldn't touch him either.

“I know, Mr. Fahad. But Mr. Hasan touched Mr. Mazhar first so…,” Police tried again with the lawyer friend, Fahad.

Soon Hasan's father arrived and due to his status police gave him a face and settled the case by asking them to pay a fine. The owner also came and banned Hasan from entering their golf club.

After settling everything down and apologizing to the owner, Hasan and his party made their way out, separating from Mazhar. Mazhar had an evil smile on his face as he got in his car. The pain on his face was worth it for what small dispute he created.

“It's just a beginning for what you stole from me,” He whispered to himself then looked at his face in the rear mirror.

On the other side, Hasan's father didn't ask him any questions nor did he give his father any explanation. He knew his father was angry with what happened today and this incident would affect him in future but he couldn't do anything about this. He just closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the car seat. If he could, he would have killed Mazhar on the spot. His blood was still boiling in anger.

As he entered the house behind his father and the first thing he saw was his wife sitting beside his mother, talking about something. Seeing Hasan and his father, both ladies stood in surprise. Yusma noticed the anger in her husband's eyes and glanced at Hasan. She didn't know what he did now that made his father angry.

“Take care of your son and make sure he doesn't appear in front of my eyes for two weeks. He is grounded to reflect on his today's behavior," His father told Yusma in anger then strode towards his room.

"You… what you did now?" Yusma asked Hasan, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Nothing. I'm going to my room," He answered and went to his room.

Mahira also followed after him in concern as she noticed his hand. After entering the room, he sat on the bed and had his eyes closed, gripping the bed sheet tightly. Seeing him like this, she quietly found the medicine kit and approached him. He seemed so lost in his thoughts that he didn't feel her near him.

Holding her breath, she crouched down in front of him and took the hold of his wounded hand carefully and softly. Her gentle touch startled him and made him turn his eyes towards her. Silently she applied medicine then got up to put the kit away back to its place. During this whole time, she didn't even ask him what happened.

“Why didn't you go to university?" He asked her with a frown, putting his anger back.

“I took a leave due to headache," She lied but he saw through it.

“Are you sure? Isn't today your presentation?" He asked her, remembering how she had been preparing for it every day.

She hummed softly then turned to leave the room but her wrist was held from behind.

“Truth, Mahira," He asked her again, pulling her towards him and making her sit beside him.

“I.. yesterday at the mall.. Mazhar threatened us there,” She told him the truth with her head down then explained in detail what happened.

He felt the anger re-instigated and hated himself for giving Mazhar more punches.

“Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?"

“I was scared," She whispered, trembling slightly.

He sighed and closed his eyes then opened again, “Next time, no matter what, don't hide things like this."

“Sorry."

“You don't need to be scared of him. We have gathered almost every evidence and are just waiting for him to make a single mistake that will lead everything to him," Hasan told her softly.

• • •

“I have called you many times. Why can't you hear me? Didn't I tell you not to touch my things yesterday!”

Zeeshan entered the kitchen in anger and scolded Shanze in front of the two servants present. She was standing in front of the stove with a ladle in her hand and an apron tied around her, cooking dinner for everyone. Hearing him, she looked at him in confusion.

“I didn't hear you calling. What's wrong?" She asked him in concern calmly in contrast to his anger.

“Where have you put the documents I brought home? I can't even find them,” There was a frown on his face as he asked her again.

She untied her apron and handed the ladle to the servant then moved out of the kitchen to help him find the papers. She searched every place but couldn't find them. She clearly remembered where she put them but now they weren't there.

“They aren't there…,” She whispered with furrowed brows then looked once again.

"It's all my mistake. I shouldn't have let you touch them,” He mumbled, running his hand in his hair.

Shanze pressed her lips tightly and searched here and there but still the same result. In defeat, she looked at him with a guilty expression.

“I–”

"Leave it,” He just stared at her then went away in frustration, leaving her alone in the room.

The next day, there was a huge problem in the company and he lost an important USB that contained many things related to the core projects. This problem dragged on for a week and the whole company had to do overwork.

“Chop tomatoes too. In small pieces,” Shanze instructed the new servant that was helping her in the kitchen.

Zeeshan had been frustrated for many days and always had a frown on his face, and easily became irritated. So for him, she was cooking his favorite dishes as a surprise.

“Eat a few bites with us. He will come and how long will you stay hungry?” Her Taiama tried to make her eat.

Under her Taiama’s constant urging, she ate quarter half with her in-laws. After dinner, everyone went to their room but Shanze stayed at the dining table and watched a drama on her phone until Zeeshan arrived.

It was 1 am and she was nodding off in sleep when footsteps of someone entering the house sounded. She quickly blinked her sleep away and sat straight and with a smile stood up.

“Why are you up at this time?" Zeeshan asked her, glancing at the time on his watch.

“For you. Aren't you hung–”

"No, I am not.”

His response put a cold bucket on her enthusiasm. She cooked dinner for him with so much love and hoped to decrease his stress but he just went away after a cold response.

With a heavy heart, she put the leftover dinner back in the fridge, then turned off the lights and went back to the room. She looked around but didn't find him in their bedroom. Deep down her heart was hurt but she knew he was really busy and wasn't caring about anything other than his work.

As she laid on the bed to sleep, on the other side, Zeeshan pinched the middle of his eyebrows while sitting in the study and looking at his laptop. Instead of lessening, the problems kept increasing. So much so that he couldn't even control his anger at anyone.

“Whoever is the culprit I will not leave them so easily," He whispered to himself coldly as buried himself in work.

“When you get older, remember to put rein on her.”

"Even if you have to break her, don't hesitate to do it.”

"She is just for you to play and play with her till your heart’s content.”

A cold glint flashed in his eyes as his great grandfather's words echoed in his ears.

He lowered his eyes and with a small smile, he whispered quietly, "This is just a beginning."

He was now ready to erase..

• • •

"Palwasha, have you handed everything to the rider?” Shanze asked the new servant while reading a fashion magazine.

Today her in-laws went out to meet some relatives in another city and wouldn't be back till late. In the whole house, she was alone along with some servants.

“Yes, madam."

Palwasha answered her then quickly went away.

Shanze had sent some things to Mahira through the rider's hands. She was deeply concerned about Mahira because after that day in the mall, Mahira had been afraid of stepping outside home. Today Mahira called her and asked her to send some underpants and pads through a rider's.

One because Mahira was shy of asking this from Hasan.

Two because she didn't want her in-laws to suspect anything.

Three due to fear of Mazhar’s threat.

Shanze sighed helplessly and closed the magazine, feeling restless in her heart. She was craving chocolate so she went to her room and took the chocolate from the side drawer.

The main benefit she found in her marriage was this drawer that was always full for her and the mini freezer that Zeeshan installed in their room just for her.

While she was in the room, the main gate opened and Zeeshan drove his car home. Today he came early to surprise her but as he stepped out of his car, in return he was surprised. He found a small black rectangular object on the ground.

With furrowed brows, he approached it and picked it. On inspecting he realized that it was the same USB he lost. He held it tightly in his hand then looked towards the house. His anger raged inside as he strode towards the door.

“Listen," On seeing a servant, he stopped her and called her.

“Who went outside last time?" He asked her, narrowing his eyes at her.

“M-me," She answered nervously, adjusting her dupatta.

"Why and for what?” His question came out coldly and with no expression on his face.

"Wo– woh.. Choti madam asked me to deliver something to a strange man outside,” She answered him in fear and stepped back.

"She was very secretive about it,” She added in a quiet voice.

His eyes snapped up to the staircase towards their bedroom. He breathed out heavily then went to his room.

“You came back early," Shanze spoke excitedly on seeing him entering the room.

But soon her excitement was pushed away as she noticed his facial expressions. He stood in front of her and looked at her calmly.

“Did you have the servant hand something to a man outside?" He asked her in a calm voice, expressionlessly.

“Why are yo–”

"Just answer, yes or no.”

She stared at his face for a minute then whispered with her heartbeat quickened. Her answer made him narrow his eyes at her and his chest heaved.

“For what?" He asked again in a calm voice, fisting the USB tightly in his hand.

But instead of answering, her face paled.

“Why are you asking?" Instead of answering, she asked a question back.

She looked at him dumbfoundedly as he went to the washroom and closed the door behind him. Inside the washroom, he held the washbasin with both hands as remnants of his childhood memories flashed.

“Break her at whatever point you'll find."

“Don't let her mistake her position. Remind her again and again that she is a sacrifice. A sacrificed bride. Just like sacrificing animals, she will also have days of enjoyment and then a day of her fully sacrificed. And when it comes, promise me. Promise me, my son, you will throw her away like broken garbage that can never be repaired.”

His great-grandfather’s reflection reflected on the mirror with a smirk.

"The day is here for you. Take this opportunity and break her. She is already in love now. Other than this you will not find a way to throw her away soon.”

"Break her heart, son.”

"Tear it harshly.”

"Sacrifice her today.”

"Kill her slowly.”

"Torture her.”

Soon he found that he couldn't breath and the words of his grandfather jumbled together in his ears. He closed his eyes briefly to stop this all and when the noises stopped, he opened his bloodshot eyes and looked at the mirror.

“End this today."

He punched the mirror, making his knuckles wounded and torn with blood dripping down.

Outside, hearing the sound of his punch to the mirror, Shanze gasped and flinched. She stood up abruptly with her blood running cold in fear. Seconds later, Zeeshan emerged from the washroom and strode towards her.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of their room. She looked at his cold face and his wounded hand that had blood on it. His grip was tight like it was going to leave a handprint on her wrist.

"Zeeshan! You are hurting me," She spoke with her trembling lips.

But it was like he didn't hear her and pulled her with him. She tried to pull her hand out of his dead grip but all in vain. He pulled her downstairs to the door then opened it and threw her out. She balanced herself and turned to look at him in shock.

His eyes were bloodshot red. Like they were ready to kill anyone.

"Get out of my house. And never. I am repeating myself. Never try to come back here. Ever again," He said in a loud and cold voice.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She tried to blink the tears away but she failed to stop them.

He didn't wait for her to defend herself and closed the doors on her face.

. . . . . . . . . .

There's nothing I wanna say🥹

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