I stood still, listening to the thick silence that painfully shrouded us. I wanted to drink away the silence, but it lingered like a poisonous draught, comforting yet deadly. Silence is holy. Silence is pure. But when adulterated with the heavy stench of desire, it was sinful.

His heated molten stare bore into mine, freezing me between the cold kitchen counter and his towering body, that radiated with sparks of warm flames; flames that threatened to render me defenceless.

Tonight his eyes spoke, spoke the unsaid, the forbidden. I stepped back, reading the unwritten words that hung suspended in those stormy honey droplets. His eyes held mine and I swallowed hard. The eloquence of his silence was frightening, because tonight his silence veiled the truth and weaved the cruelest of lies.

🖤

He lifted his head, his dark disheveled hair falling onto his forehead hiding the eyes that glowed wistfully under the glint of the warm kitchen light. He straightened slowly, his hands closing around my wrists. I felt myself shudder, a thrill of apprehension jolting through me. I could barely breath, as his eyes centred on my lips and then painstakingly trailed back, locking with my widened eyes.

I stilled, reading the naked longing in those raw orbs that disappeared as soon as his eyes met mine. He moved closer, his hold tightening around my throbbing wrists. Sensing his intent, something shifted within me, and a vulnerable gasp escaped my parted lips.

I wanted to flinch, I wanted to pull away. I should have pushed him away, yet I stood there rooted and then I did the unthinkable. I rolled my lower lip painfully between my teeth, releasing them ever so slowly, before running my tongue tortuously across them.

And in that instant something changed. We were lost. He was lost, lost like the sailors enticed by the sea nymphs. I was lost, lost like the tears in the rain.

🖤

This was wrong. All wrong. Yet there was no guilt, but it was terrifying. We were tempting fate. We were breaking rules. We were playing a perilous game, damning the consequences.

In this moment it all seemed too enticing, too charming, yet it was too dangerous like the forbidden fruit. The sweet forbidden fruit whose rotten flesh, if tasted, would only destroy and burn us into ashes. He knew it, I knew it, yet the hunger glowing in his eyes only seem to frighten me, not him.

Layla's startled grasp sounded behind us, shattering the diabolical trance, like fragile glass crashing against the hard floor, violently jolting us back to reality. We whipped our heads in the direction of the kitchen door, where a confused Layla stood staring at us with questioning eyes. However she quickly recovered, clearing her throat. "I'm sorry— the match has started, everyone is waiting outside."

Aliyaar nodded his head, "We're coming." He said solemnly, moving away from me. The lines on his face relaxed, but a hardened expression plagued his face. Layla gave us a tight lipped smile, before scurrying out of the kitchen.

I looked around, trying to calm my erratic heartbeat and rapid breathing, my flustered cheeks growing warm and red.

"Go outside." I heard him say hoarsely, his back facing me.

"Aliyaar."

I called his name out with a resigned sigh, my eyes focused on the spread of his shoulders, that flexed tightly, painfully straining his shirt. He ran his hand through his hair, lightly tugging upon the ends, before pressing his hands against the island counter. His head hung low as the veins on his neck pulsated visibly.

"Please." He uttered pleadingly. "Leave."

My heart sank, a treacherous desire to cry suddenly overwhelmed me, but I repressed it. I drew in a deep, laborious breath, it's ragged sound stirring the still air around us. I slowly walked back to the door, before turning around to see him. He was still standing against the counter, the contours of his face well hidden in the shadows, disengaged from his surroundings.

"Pakistan has won the toss. Where is Aliyaar?" Zaroon Bhai asked, as I went to sit on the empty couch next to Layla, who passed me a half smile. Was that supposed to comfort me, I did not know.

"That's good news. I hope we're batting. Chasing can be hard against India." I said trying to avoid the question.

"We're batting. Let's hope for a 300 score at least." Shahzad piqued in, munching on the bowl of chips that lay in front of us.

The match soon began, and thankfully the conversation died down as we all sat glued to the television screen, passing around the snacks and drinks, piled on the center table. The atmosphere of the room soon buzzed with wild excitement and anticipation, our noises and cheering grew louder and louder as the numbers on the scoreboard continued to rise.

I flinched, covering my ears at Zayan and Yaar's loud scream when the umpire raised his finger towards the batsman. Yaar let out a string of curses under his breath, while Zayan buried his face in his palms, huffing frustratedly. Both of them were ardent cricket fans.

A sinking feeling lodged itself in my stomach, as a carousel of worrying thoughts began to spin in my mind. Precariously, I looked towards the door. It had been a while, yet there was no sign of him. A thousand incoherent thoughts rushed through my mind.

The glint of truth in those wild, engraving eyes scared me. This wasn't the truth I was prepared for.

It wasn't until the boys got involved in a heated discussion, that Layla finally whispered in my ear. "What happened there?"

My throat suddenly constricted and I didn't know what to tell her. I knew this question loomed over me like a darkened imminent cloud, but I still wasn't prepared to weather it. "Nothing." I replied with a feverish urgency to end the topic.

"He still hasn't come out." She said in a drawling voice, looking towards the entrance. "Did he say something?"

I shook my head. Words seemed to have deserted me tonight.

I sank into the couch. The fiends of hell bawled in my ears, wreaking havoc and chaos in my brain. Thoughts darted in and out of my mind like frightened swarms of bees, stinging me torturously.

A faint sound of footsteps rang through the corridor, and I looked around to see Aliyaar walk in. "Where were you? The match is getting exciting." Yaar said patting the space besides him.

He did not reply but came down to sit besides Yaar. For the rest of the evening he sat there with a somber expression, his eyebrows drawn together in a resting scowl. He would occasionally force out a smile and reply with chipped words, but for the most part his face was quiet, his eyes devoid of any emotion. His dispassionate gaze was intently set upon the screen, but I knew it wasn't due to his interest in the game. It was to avoid me.

"What's wrong with him?" Layla questioned after a while.

"How would I know? I'm not his girlfriend, wife or mother." I hissed. We were nearing the end of the match and he had successfully managed to religiously avoid me. This sliver of distance between us was beginning to infuriate me.

Layla chuckled, "You two are behaving like teenagers or an old married couple. You can pick which ever you prefer."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Shut up. Please."

"Seriously what happened? He seems angry."

"I would tell you if I knew. Coming here wasn't the best idea." I said sipping onto the drink in my hand, my eyes narrowed on his rigid form.

•┈┈┈••✦♥✦••┈┈┈•

"We should leave before the roads get jammed." Zaroon Bhai announced, shortly after the match was over.

"I don't think that's a good idea. You haven't bought your security details either." Aliyaar said tapping his foot against the wooden flooring.

Zayan rubbed his forehead, "Aliyaar Bhai is right, the roads would be jammed because of the celebration and you know Ibrahim Taya would kill all of us if he finds out we were on the streets without security."

Zaroon Bhai thought for a moment, "Yeah, but we can't stay here."

Yaar walked over to him, patting his back, "We have enough rooms here. Don't worry about it. Bhai has already arranged for extra security for tonight."

"Asfand lay out the dinner. You guys are staying the night." Aliyaar called out with a tone of finality, as he walked out of the room.

Zaroon Bhai turned to Layla and I, still unconvinced, "Would you two be comfortable? I didn't realise the roads would be jammed for the celebration if we won."

"I'd be comfortable wherever you are." Layla mewed in a sickeningly sweet tone, fluttering her eyelashes flirtatiously.

"Layla, stop." I cried out, scrunching my nose in disgust, while Zaroon Bhai shook his head in embarrassment.

"What have I gotten myself into." He muttered under his breath, his lips twisting into a smile. Layla let out a laugh, clearly enjoying our predicament.

"This smells delicious. You've arranged for quite a feast here." Layla chimed, as we shuffled around the huge mahogany table. Several dishes, laden with hot appetising food, lay between the two golden candelabras, that stood tall on either sides of the table.

"Today's victory called for a celebration." Yaar said, pulling out a seat for Layla and I.

The clanking of the silverware against the porcelain plates and easy conversation dominated the rest of our evening. I kept my eyes trained at the plate in front of me, my fingers fiddling with the fork in my hand. I had hazarded my gaze at him twice, but every time I looked up, it seemed like my appetite would dwindle away, leaving behind a hollow feeling gnawing at my stomach.

"When are you announcing the wedding, Aliyaar?" I heard Zaroon Bhai's voice ring through the room, enveloping it with an eerie silence. My heart sank at his words, as a wild pain slashed through my chest. I tersely looked up, to see Yaar's face haunted with a look of despair, his eyes stilled upon me.

There was no sound, as silence painted the canvas of the room with a heavy cloud of disquiet. None of us dared to utter a word, as our eyes darted between the two men seated on either sides of the table facing each other.

"When the time is right." Aliyaar said, his eyes fixed upon the glass in front of him, while his finger slowly skimmed along the diameter of its mouth.

"And when would that time be?" Zaroon Bhai asked testily. "You need to give us a date or a reason for your delay."

I looked up and Aliyaar's eyes clashed with mine, every muscle on his face hardened, "I don't give explanations, Zaroon." His eyes were wreaked with a solemn expression, yet their warmth was the envy of any setting sun.

He looked away, before our eyes could engage in yet another sinful battle. "It would do you well to trust me."

"Of course I trust you. That's why we're sitting here. But I do not want my sister getting hurt any more."

"Trust me. The last thing I'd want is to hurt my fiancé any more than I already have." The silence that ensued made my blood run cold like those biting winter winds, his words freezing me with their frosty wilderness.

"This pasta here is really good. Have you tried it?" Layla asked, trying to dispel the tension in the room.

Yaar smiled at her graciously, thankful for the loud interruption.

•┈┈┈••✦♥✦••┈┈┈•

Wild gunshots cracked through the still air with violent booms, reverberating through the fields of the grand estate. My heart leapt at the sudden explosion, but it steadied hearing a light chuckle from behind me.

"It's just Bhai and Zayan shooting." I saw Yaar walk up to me with two cups of tea in his hand, a pleasant smile playing on his lips. "Here." He said, passing me the cup.

"What's gotten into them at this hour of the night?" I said taking the cup from his hand.

"They're all night owls, what else do you expect." Yaar smiled. We sat together in a comfortable silence, sipping on to our tea. It was after a while Yaar finally spoke. "I'm sorry."

I looked at him, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Whatever for?"

"For everything that's happening really. I really feel I owe you an apology. Had it not been for my suggestion, we all wouldn't have been in this messed up position." I looked at him with pursed lips, urging him to continue, "When I came back from England, I found out your family needed support for the elections and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to catapult Bhai's career in the right direction. We had the money and your family had the political infrastructure. It seemed like the best arrangement for both of us."

I nod, taking in a gulp of the tea, the hot liquid burning through my throat. "You did all of this for your brother?"

Yaar looked at me apologetically. "Yes, you know I'd do anything for him."

"So, I was nothing but a means to an end?" My gaze set upon the cup in my hand.

"You know that's not true. Your happiness is as important to me as my brother's, but I had no right to intrude in your life like I did. I should have talked to you before talking to your family."

"Then why didn't you?" I looked up to meet his pallid eyes, while mine burnt with strings of scarlet as my petulance began to take root. The fury and indignation of the past week stirring within me like a bitter memory.

"I assumed you wouldn't have a problem. I had an idea how you felt about me, and even if I was wrong I felt our friendship would be enough for you to not reject my proposal. I could give you the life you wanted, a life away from here."

"You're right. I wouldn't have rejected your proposal, but you should have told me. I was informed at a point, when I had no time or chance left to make my choice." I put the cup away. "You are my friend, but you had no right to control my life like you did. It's another thing, the proposal turned out to be Aliyaar's."

"Trust me, none of this is Bhai's fault. It was all my idea. I didn't think things would take a turn the way they did." He looked at me with doleful eyes.

"Have you talked to him?"

"I have. And I don't understand what's going on in that mind of his, and I'm afraid he might do something rash. Honestly, I'd do anything to get you and him out of this, but I can't risk your safety and his career."

"I understand your position."

"He is challenging your family. It's a big risk. They can destroy his whole career. You know well, your grandfather wouldn't take the humiliation lightly. Your family is politically much more stronger than us." Yaar said rubbing his temples. Tonight his face was sagged, his usual liveliness drooped with worry and frustration.

"I feel terrible for putting him in this position. He doesn't deserve this."

"It's not your fault." He gave me a sullen smile. "Is there no way we can convince your family? It is important they agree, because I can't let Bhai risk everything he has ever worked for. If this alliance doesn't go through both parties would suffer the consequences." I nod, looking away.

A heavy silence pressed upon us, cold and jarring, like a thick blanket of snow. Our shifty eyes glanced at each other awkwardly, trying to bury the several questions that lay bare before us. Jumbled thoughts, hidden motives, questionable morality had all paved a tremendous distance between us.

Yet this silence didn't drown me, nor this distance irk me.

I looked down and my gaze settled upon the ring Aliyaar had given me on our engagement; the ring that marked the start of a new journey, a promise, a commitment. A biting numbness spread through me as I felt the ominous stare of the rock nip me, silently mocking me. A bitter reminder of our changed dynamics.

"How long do you plan on staying here?" I asked trying to change the topic.

"I'm here for the elections. I'd go back to London after that. Dad wanted me to stay and contest from Karachi, but you know how I've always felt about politics. It brings out the inner devil."

"Do you never intend on coming back?"

"Politics takes up most of Bhai's time. I have to take care of the business, I'd be dividing my time between Pakistan and the rest of the countries. But I don't think I'd settle in Pakistan permanently."

"They really need to stop firing." I chuckled at the sound of another gunshot. "It's almost midnight."

"No one can hear them. The land around the farmhouse is ours as well. We've managed to keep this area private."

"Of course. Why am I not surprised." Yaar shrugged sheepishly. "I should head to sleep. Good night Yaar."

"Good Night Shanzae." He smiled, getting up to leave.

•┈┈┈••✦♥✦••┈┈┈•

The sky shone under the lurid rays of the cool summer moon. I stood by the door watching the billowy clouds sail like wayward dreams, playing hide and seek with their nocturnal friends, that sparkled like pixie dust against the dark inky curtain of the sky.

In this darkness, I swirled my toe against the cold floor tile, looking up at the glittering stars, praying for some magic and miracles. It seemed to me, my life was slipping away like loose grains of sand, washed away by the tide of reality. But I still hoped the sandcastle of my dreams would stand strong against this tide.

I felt a presence stir the stillness of the atmosphere. I turned around to see Aliyaar standing behind me. His arresting face shone under the dim moonlight, his deep brooding eyes danced wilfully with a cool recklessness. "You're awake."

"Is that a statement or a question?" I asked.

"I'm not quite sure myself." He said slipping his hands in his pocket. "You should sleep. It's late." He said after a while, turning around to leave.

"Aliyaar." I leapt forward, grasping his hand pulling them out of his pocket. He stopped, turning around, his eyes locked on our hands. I moved forward taking his hand in mine. The warmth of his hand seeped through me, silently comforting me. "You're upset."

"Is that a statement or a question?" He asked with a half smile. "I just needed a moment. I'm fine." I moved forward, my eyes imploring him to talk to me.

"You've been avoiding me all evening."

"Maybe." He said thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's best if we both avoid each other."

"Why?" The word left my mouth before I could think. I knew his answer, but I don't think I was prepared to hear it.

He smiled as he moved forward. His knuckles softly caressed my cheek, before he looked into my eyes and said, "You have the power to corrupt saints and bring kings to their knees, then I'm just a man."

Sorry for the late update but I haven't been keeping well, because of which the updates will be a little slow.

Thoughts on today's update.

Also, I have a surprise coming your way.
A new story. 🤩
Check out the mood board of the book and let me know what you think of it.
Any guess what the story is about?

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