This chapter is dedicated to UnzilaSheikh ❤

Zainab's POV

"So this is about your Prince Charming?"

I glance at him only to again divert my attention back to my hands which are settling on my lap. What should I tell him? That I don't even get to talk to him for many days. That he doesn't even contact me back. That my life is on stake if he won't make a decision. Instead of saying anything, I start fidgeting with my fingers.

"So it is, " Shaiq sighs while taking a sharp turn on the left.

"So for how long will you wait for him? He has got married Zainab and you know what it means to get..."

"Can we not talk about this for now. I am not in the mood," I interrupt him. Unexpectedly, he always gets thoughtful when talking about this.

"If that asshole will think of ditching you, I won't spare him this time. He is putting you in delusive contentments for years now. "

"He is not doing anything like that and stop calling him with these stupid names, " I yell clearly knowing I shouldn't have. He is somewhat right. Shaiq doesn't really like Armaan. In his eyes, he is a playboy who is only fooling around with me. And as someone contended about me as Shaiq, it is not odd to think like that. I and Armaan have been together for two years barely a single time during this, he has visited my parents. At first, his father was not complying with it and now he is being settled into a forced marriage. 

"Okay so next time when I will come to your house, Aunty will ask me to put a sehra on Shakir's head and bring him along with me."

This time, I look at him with an alarm in my eyes. How the heck he knows about Shakir when I don't tell him that. He peeks at me with side-eyes while his head still on the front.

"How do you know about Shakir?" I ask in confusion.

"Shakir Qureshi is my Dad's friend. And Auntie didn't invite me for no reason. She has asked me to check up on Shakir."

What is this all about? When I have asked them to give me time, they permit me. Now, what is this?

"Wait, wait, wait!!" I restlessly jump the seat.

" I have already talked with my parents regarding this and this chapter is closed at least until Armaan will come back," I say.

To my least expect, now I am sitting on the seat with both of my feet on it.

"Do you think they are fools or you are genius?" Shaiq laughs a little in sarcasm.

"What do you mean?" I ask in turmoil.

"I will tell you the meaning after University," Shaiq replies while twisting the gear. I don't realize we have already reached university. What did he want to say by the way? What my parents are up to. Shaiq parks the car and about to open his door when I grab his arm.

"Tell me what were you trying to say," I ask popping my eyes.

"That Professor Wali maybe wants to kill me already but if we get more late than this, he won't think twice to kill you too." He announces and shows his wrist in front of my eyes. Oh no! We are already short of five minutes. Hurridly,  I open the door of my side and get out of the car. That stupid punk has given me more distress by not revealing what he has in his mind right now.

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Zara's POV

My eyelids slightly disturb due to the dandelion sunlight peeking through the half-opened window meddle with my face. I sit up while rubbing my eyes. Again my back is aching due to sleeping on the floor in a heavy dress. My eyes scan the entire room to find the bed empty. I fold my hair into a loose bun. My head already getting heavy maybe due to lack of sleep. I get up carefully not to trip on my dress. I am nearly to step out of the room when Armaan enters. Thank God I stop in my track at the right time otherwise this will be again an embarrassing bump.

"Get ready in five minutes. The driver is already here," he says with a poker face.

The driver is coming here means we are going back in a different car then what about my phone?

"Wait! How will we go back? " I inquire.

He glares back at me and sighs with annoyance.

"What is a driver suppose to do?" he asks back with irritation.

" No, I mean my phone was in your car and... "

"Oh yeah!" I stop when he starts searching for something in his pocket. My eyebrows furrow when he forwards me my phone. How does he get it?

"I have asked the driver to bring it along his way."

"How do you know my phone was in your car?" I ask while trying to restart the phone.

"I am getting late for my office, come out quickly," he says while walking out. So his ignore mode is again on.

I get worried to see so many miscalls and texts from Aila. I hope everything is okay. She will surely kill me that I don't pick up her calls.

"By the way thanks for this, " I shout in order for him to hear as has already reached the exit door.

He doesn't look back or stops walking. Arrogant much.
    
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Zainab's POV

"How can they do that? They have lied to me," I yell right after listening to whatever Shaiq has to say. My family is making a fool of me and here I am all relaxed. According to him, my family has already said yes to Shakir for my proposal and are just waiting for a month unless Armaan will take to them. Shakir Qureshi has offered them heavy money and I know my family won't think twice before marrying me off to him.

"To be honest, they have done the right thing. If I were in their place, I would've done the same. Since that asshole is nowhere to be seen." He says while sipping the lemonade through the straw.

"I have told you many times, don't call him by names. And he is in New York as I have told you," I smack on his arm again causing him to yelp in pain again.

"Hey! Stop hitting me, " he yells while patting his arm.

"New York my foot!" He mumbles before taking another sip.

"Look Zainab, just take a deep breath and try to understand the situation, " he thrashes the empty glass aside and walks over to my side. He sits at the chair beside me.

"Just confront him. Grab his collar and make him visit your parents, " he instructs.

"That was my plan already but you have just crashed it," I pout while looking at my bare lap.

"You are even calling my parents right even they are clearly lying to me. I know he loves me, why you people are not understanding? "

"Look, my dear friend! You are really naive. He has married a rich girl. Rich girls are beautiful by hook or by crook. Men are attracted to beauty and when that beauty is lawfully permissible to men then....ouch!!"

Once again this guy is speaking utter crap. If it weren't for a situation like this, I would have laughed at his hook or crook philosophy. This time I have hit him hard when tears start delving in my eyes making my vision blurry. He is frightening the hell out of me right now. But he isn't wrong, that thing is urging my eyes to pool out all the fluid on my cheeks.

"I have told you thousands of times to not hit me. You will make my arms fall out one day, you brutal girl!" He spats while still stroking his arm.

"You are scaring me, stupid!" I wipe the tears off my eyes. His eyes soften and he glances at me with a pitied stare.

"I am not scaring you, I am telling you to think more carefully. Simply go and ask him to meet your parents now," he says.

"Here,"  he pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket and gives it to me.

"How can I go to New York?" I let out a soft sob while dabbing wet eyes with the white handkerchief.

"Of course, you can't go to New York. Even you won't be able to get there in ten decades, idiot!" He pats my head playfully.

" Ewww what are you doing?" He shouts when he watches me wiping my runny nose with his handkerchief.

"You have done dirty to my beloved handkerchief, silly girl!" He makes a crying face while settling his hand on the left side of his chest dramatically.

I chuckle at his act. He can easily pass off as a comedian. My gaze diverts from Shaiq to my phone when it starts ringing which is laying on the plastic table in my of us. My eyes glisten to glance at the caller id. I throw the handkerchief at Shaiq while picking the phone.

"Who is it?" As I am about to answer the call when Shaiq asks.

"Armaan, " I reply smiling ear to ear.

"Put the call on the loudspeaker then, " he orders while accubating comfortably on the chair with his arms crossed on his chest. I glare at him before doing what he wants. I put the phone on the table afterward.

'Hell...'

'First of all, tell me why were you ignoring my calls for a while damn day. You know how worried I am!'

I see Shaiq rolls his eyes at this.

'Hey, hey! Take a breath. My phone's battery got died yesterday so I couldn't able to talk to you. Sorry about that.'

'By the way, when are you coming back? I have to talk something urgent to you then. Just tell me to be a thing, when are you gonna meet my family?'

'I am coming back most probably next week. And regarding that, I was already thinking of doing it as soon as possible. I will meet your parents once I will get to Pakistan. Now you are no more mad at me, right?'

I sigh a breath a relief on this.

'I am still mad at you. Although my mood has been alleviated by Shaiq.'

I wink at Shaiq at which he puts his hand over his heart giving me a cheeky smile.

'You are with that stupid?'

I hardly control my laughter at this. I glance at Shaiq who has his jaw clenched. After that, he mutters an 'asshole' making sure it will come as a whisper.

'Don't call him like that.'

'A stupid should be call as stupid, Zainab!'

I look back at Shaiq who is biting his lower lip to control his tongue to curse out loud. It's enough for me to break into a big laugher.

They both have met once. It was me who have taken Shaiq to meet Armaan. Shaiq has disliked Armaan because he has come out as rude and snob to him. On the other hand, Armaan didn't like Shaiq's possessiveness and extra care towards me.

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"I swear if he was in front of me at that time, I would have crushed his nose."

Shaiq is simmering in anger, making it harder for me to pull a straight face.

We are walking side by side on our way back home.

"Just say you are jealous of his money and his looks," I nudge on his arm playfully.

"First of all I am not jealous of him and secondly he may have upper hand in status than me but looks-Nah!" he declares.

"Down to earth, Mister Shaiq!"
    
               
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I know, I know this chapter is boring. Sorry about that. But this chapter is necessary for the flow of the story. Many new twists and big reveals are going to appear in upcoming chapters. So pleased stay tuned for more updates. And please don't forget to vote and comment on this chapter.

Again thank you much for everyone who votes on my story. This book has approximately 500+ votes thanks to these sweet people. Love y'll.😘