- Noor's POV -

After that night at Mr. Yasir's house, I've been careful about going to his house to finish work.

He's never mentioned that day, nor has he apologized for his behaviour. But the thing is, I don't even know if he remembers.

The situation with Nadira is so bizarre that I can't wrap my head around it.

She's technically cheating on Shahid yet, Mr. Yasir lets it. It's wrong from all angles but the only person who's always angry and upset over it is Lateef.

Nadira comes by the office too frequently, bringing Mr. Yasir lunches or dinners, calling him darling, giving him kisses.

My mind itches to tell Mr. Shahid. I know it would be the right thing to do but if anyone finds out that it was me, I'm sure they could ruin me with a snap of a finger.

But, then again, Mr. Shahid is innocent in this situation. He doesn't know anything and deserves to know.

The way he looks at Nadira is so heartwarming, the way he calls her name should make her heart flutter, the way he holds her should make her never want to leave his arms.

But this is Nadira we're talking about, she must have a hidden agenda.

And Mr. Yasir is another idiot in this situation. He knows everything, obviously. Yet, he pretends he doesn't. He pretends Nadira isn't married, he pretends she doesn't belong to someone else, he pretends they're happy.

I could see him destroying himself little-by-little every single day. It's killing him inside to see someone he loves in the arms of someone else; not only that, he knows that some other man shares a bed with her.

But what he's not understanding is that he is the other man now.

Why didn't he just marry her? It looks like she likes him too. What's the deal?

"Noor!" It's Lateef.

I smile, closing my notebook. "Hey."

"Have you had lunch yet?"

I look at the time, it's almost 1 PM. "Oh my God, no! I forgot."

"Yasir has been overloading you with work recently. I heard you already did overtime 4 times this month?" He asks.

I nod. "It's fine. Work is work. Besides, my paycheque looks amazing." I grin.

He starts laughing, making my heart skip a beat. "Say... do you want to go out for lunch with me over the weekend?"

My eyes widen. "Just us?"

"You could bring others, if that makes you comfortable." He suggests.

"I'll text you to let you know?" I answer nervously.

"That's okay with me." He winks.

My high school self is screaming right now. I would pinch myself if I wasn't in front of him. I cannot believe Lateef Asad just asked me to have lunch with him over the weekend. I must be dreaming, there's no way.

"Are you trying to seduce my secretary?"

I whip my head towards the direction of Mr. Yasir's door. He's leaning against the door frame with an amused look on his face.

"I am." Lateef smirks.

"You could do better." He sighs.

Asshole!

"I'm doing better than you. At least she isn't married to someone else unlike your Nadira." Lateef rolls his eyes.

I unintentionally grab Lateef's arm out of fear. I stare at him pleadingly to not go any further.

He looks back at me in agreement and starts laughing to decrease the tension. "I'm going to show myself out—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Yasir slams the door to his office shut.

"My bad..." Lateef runs his hand through his hair. "I can't help it sometimes. I always have to comment on him and Nadira. It's just so..."

"Bizarre?" I finish his sentence.

"Exactly! So damn bizarre!" He agrees. "He needs to get his head out of the gutter and let her go before the intensity of the situation eats him alive."

I agree. I definitely agree.

The rest of the day, I finish up more paperwork. Once I finish the last batch, I stretch out a bit before starting to pack my bag.

Mr. Yasir's door opens and he's standing there, looking more exhausted than me.

"Wait," he says to me.

Please don't ask me to stay overtime, please don't asking—

"There's a few things I need you to finish tonight." He tells me.

"Sir, I already worked overtime four times this month. Is it urgent?" I groan.

"Would I ask if it wasn't supposed to be done immediately? I'll increase your overtime pay." He offers.

"You can't buy everything with money. Sometimes, I'm genuinely just tired." I explain to him.

In reality, the comment about increasing my overtime pay did perk up my ears.

"Are you coming or not?" He asks.

"Give me a minute." I sigh. "Can I drive my own car there?"

"No." He says bluntly.

"Why not?" I ask.

"No." He repeats himself.

This man is impossible.

• • •

"Water or juice?" I ask Lizzie. He had called her over tonight.

"Water is fine, thank you. We weren't too loud, were we?" She asks.

"This house is too big. I forgot there were people at home." I smile.

He brings home a different girl from time-to-time. But sometimes, he brings home the ones I've seen before.

Lizzie is the one I see a bit more often than the other girls. She's also the one I've encountered the first time I was here.

I guess sleeping around is how he deals with stress. A dangerously self-destructive behaviour but if I were to say something, he'd have my head on a platter.

I usually work on projects in the kitchen to stay close to the food, snacks and drinks. I also make sure the girls he sleeps around with are treated well afterwards because he has a tendency to not check up on them.

I usually offer something to drink and eat before they leave; I sometimes even ask them to let Mr. Yasir or I know when they reach home safely.

They almost always text me.

Women have to look out for each other, even in the oddest or circumstances... like this one.

"Thanks again, Noor!" Lizzie says before leaving.

I hear Mr. Yasir's footsteps coming towards the kitchen and I take this opportunity to blast the song I Just Had Sex by The Lonely Island.

I quickly look down on at the papers on the counter, trying to stifle my laughter.

"Very mature." Mr. Yasir stands against the door frame of the kitchen. "What are you? 5?"

He's in grey sweatpants and a tight white t-shirt.

My eyes couldn't help but wander... something about men in grey sweatpants is just mind boggling. What kind of sorcery is that combination?

Astagfirullah! Noor, look somewhere else.

I start laughing really loudly because his expression is priceless. He looks annoyed and almost embarrassed as if I haven't known.

"Is it a lie though?" I try to stop laughing as I pause the song.

"No, no, it's not..." He slowly reaches over and grabs my phone.

"Sir! Please give that back!" I jump out of my seat to go after him but he slides over to the other side of the counter, opposite to me.

"Oh? It's not fun anymore?" He smirks.

"Please!" I plead.

"First, I'd like to know why you keep feeding everyone contents from my fridge without my permission." He frowns.

"Because you forget about them right after finishing up with them. They're women, not objects. I make sure they get home in good shape." I explain.

"I use them as objects of my own desire. That's their job the second they're in my room. You don't need to take care of them. They know why they're here." He rolls his eyes.

"This is exactly why I take care of them. You treat them like they aren't people." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Why does it matter to you?" He asks.

"I'm just trying to be a good person!" I yell out as I extend my arm out for him to give me back my phone. "Now, can I please have my phone back?"

"Only under one condition." There's a playful look in his eyes.

"Name it." I raise a brow.

"Have dinner with me on Saturday evening." He says.

You've got to be joking me.

"I have... plans." I say carefully.

"Then, you'll get this back after your plans." He waves my phone in front of my face.

"Sir, please. I promised to spend the day with someone else on Saturday." I try for him to understand.

He only waves my phone in front of me again.

"Fine! I'll go!" I huff.

"How do I know you aren't going to bail?" He questions me.

"You can fire me if I don't show up." I sigh.

"I'll pick you up at 6 on Saturday, then." He states.

"What are your motives?" I raise a brow.

"I just want to go out to eat with you." He's bluffing. I know it.

"You're lying." I say.

He only chuckles and walks towards the fridge after placing my phone back on the counter.

I go back to reading over documents, but my focus is now completely distorted.

"Could you please look over this highlighted sentence? It isn't making any sense." I ask him.

Instead of just looking at it like a normal person, he places his hand over my shoulders onto the counter so that he's hovering right behind me.

He leans down to look at the paper, his face is right beside mine.

If I make any sudden movements, I'll end up right against his chest or against his chest.

I try to not react but my heart starts doing that thing where it beats too fast and I feel like I'm about to have a heart attack.

"There's a typo in it. He used the word commerce in the wrong context." He explains but I can't hear anything. "Just switch the word to the correct form and it should be fine, okay?"

"Ms. Malik?" He calls out but I couldn't answer.

I only stare at the side of his face... God, he's attractive. It's like God spent an extra few minutes moulding him into perfection.

He turns to look at me, his face so close that my breath gets caught in my throat. His eyes go from staring into mine to lingering at my lips. He slowly inclines towards me and that's when the situation dawns on me.

I yelp, my body jerks backwards and I slip off of the barstool onto the cold, hard floor.

He didn't even have the decency to grab me. That, or his instincts suck. Either way, it feels like broke a bone or three because the pain of hitting the floor vibrates through my whole body.

Must be Allah Mian punishing me for acting out inappropriately.

Mr. Yasir bursts into laughter so loud that he's holding onto his stomach. I haven't seen him laugh, let alone smile, in the whole month I've been working here.

Tears subconsciously slide down my face from the aching pain but I'm not legitimately crying.

He stops laughing when he sees the tears. "Shit, are you seriously hurt?" 

"I'll be okay..." I try to get up and he grabs my elbow to help me up, "once I sue you for personal injury of an employee."

"Alright, Ms. Clumsy. Let me grab an ice pack." He says once he helps me take a seat on the couch.

- - -

- A/N -

• What do y'all think Yasir is planning for Saturday's dinner? 👀

• Also, Noor is a little different than most of the female leads I have, whatchu think? 🤪

Next Update: Every Friday and Saturday, Insha'Allah!

Please vote and comment and let me know how y'all feel!!