Zainab's POV

"Zainab, where is that cousin of yours?"

I look at Armaan in a baffled state. What should I tell him? That this cousin of mine has sacrificed his love, life, and everything for me. Armaan is the sole reason Shaiq has to suffer like this. If I tell him that Shaiq is my husband now, everything will be ruined and I won't be able to get what I want.

When I can't take Armaan's questionable stare for so long, I divert my eyes away. When nothing comes in my mind, I unknowingly fidget with my fingers as I close my eyes to put stress on my mind for an appropriate answer.

I open my eyes again to find Armaan looking at me with the same dubious stare. I assemble the right words in my mind. I take a sigh before opening my mouth.

"I don't know where he is. I have broken every tie with him. I am in no more contact with him."

"Why? Isn't he, your best friend?" I can decipher the stress on the word best friend by him and this just brings a smirk on my face.

He is mocking Shaiq's love as a best friend for me. Little does he know that due to this friendship, what Shaiq has gone through.

"Before being my best friend, he is a man. Do you think after being labeled as characterless by my own brother and parents, any other man will believe me?" I state.

I peek at him with my side eyes and the apologizing expressions on his face just prompt my smirk to get more pronounced.

"I am sorry, Zainab. You have to go through all of this because of me. If I had the slightest idea that your family will be this conservative, I wouldn't have done this."

"Don't be sorry. I am telling you, it's not your mistake. Why are you constantly blaming yourself?" I turn my body towards him and show him a fake smile.

"Because I am the one who should be blamed," he sighs as his eyes get locked in the supermarket, " anyways, you can't live here, in this place. Let me do something for you. I will buy you an apartment or something."

My jaw drops when he says this.

"No, not at all," I half yelled.

The narrow blue eyes which gaze at me right after, are enough to tell me that I have done a huge blunder by yelling. And if I won't do something to cover it up, then I'll be in big trouble. I bite my tongue at my own stupidity.

"What I mean to say is that I want to earn everything on my own. If you will still do things for me, the accuse of me being characterless will turn out to be right. So please, don't do anything. I am fine here," I try to persuade him by bringing tears in my eyes.

He lets out a frustrating sigh before nodding his head.

"Still, if you need anything, don't hesitate to tell me. I will be more than happy to help you out," he asserts while looking at me with concerned expressions.

Despite how much I hate you Armaan, I can't deny the fact that you have got such a big and soft heart. I never thought it will be as easy as chewing a soft chewing gum to manipulate you.

I give him a small smile before looking out. The sun is about to be set and due to this, the faint darkness is making its way to just shroud the overall area. It's soon going to be the night. Something buzzes inside me and I hit my hand on my forehead in annoyance. Shaiq may have come home and he will be looking for me. In haste, I forget to take my phone with me. He must have been calling me. He will be getting so worried due to my absence. I need to go back quickly.

"I really need to go now, Armaan. Bye," I wave my hand at him and get out of the car.

Now I have to pose to be in pain as long as Armaan is here. It will take decades for me to reach the supermarket. I roll my eyes in frustration. I fake stumble on my leg and walk towards the front of the supermarket.

As soon as Armaan has gone, I quickly bend down and remove the bandage from my leg. Thank God! Because of this bandage, my leg is feeling so heavy. I wipe the forced tears from my eyes and cheeks. I throw the bandage away as I rush on the way to the farmhouse.

Armaan's car never hit me. I have done all of this play to get his sympathies and a way for me to spend time with him so that I will be able to tell him every fake thing I have planned. A smirk appears on my face when I remember how I have stained the bandage with the donated blood in the doctor's room when he was gone.

I never thought Armaan will be this dumb to believe in everything which I have said and on top of that, on that blood-stained fake bandage.

                *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I insert the key into the lock of the main door of the farmhouse. It is really dark now as the sun has been set. As usual, the weather has turned cold with the frigid brisk air swaying around, as soon as the sunlight has gone. I hug myself with my both arms. This time, my teeth are rattling due to the cold breeze which is directly whacking against my body.

I guess Shaiq has still not reached home considering I haven't seen his car. The door gets open with a bang and darkness welcomes my eyes. I narrow my eyes in an attempt to at least able to see something but nothing helps. I walk inside and waver my hands aimlessly on the wall in order to get the lights on. I let out a sigh of relief when my hand touches the switchboard. I am about to press a button when a hand brushes against mine and before I can push the button, the light gets open by itself, illuminating the whole lounge.

I rub my nape in a baffled state seeing Shaiq standing in front of me with a scowl on his face and his both arms cross on his chest. Why he was not turning the lights on?

"From where are you coming from?" He asks.

"I went to the grocery store for buying salt. There wasn't any salt and I was cooking so I needed to go and buy, " I tell him.

"Oh..." he stretches the word oh and stares at my both empty hands, "where is the salt, by the way?"

I hit my forehead in irritation. I forget to buy salt for which purpose I have gone out. How can I be so dumb?

"Shaiq, why are you questioning me like suspicious husbands? I can go anywhere I want, isn't it?" I huff in anger.

"You can, Zainab but at least you can do me a little favor by telling where are you going and taking my calls. I was worried that something happens to you. It is been two hours since I have got home and since then, I am searching for you and calling you like idiots, " he spews in a loud voice.

I flinch at how loud he is right now. Fury is evident from his red eyes and creased forehead.  This is the first time he has talked to me like this. Perhaps it's the first time, he even has raised his voice. I can feel my eyes watering. It's my mistake. I am annoying the hell out of him. First, I have costed his happiness by forcibly marrying him and now I am making him mad every single day.

"I...I am sorry. I didn't plan to go out. It's just happened all of a sudden that's why I didn't take my phone with me as well. I am really sorry for making you worried. I won't do it again." I can feel my voice getting muffled due to the tears. Despite me being pursing my lips tightly, still a sob my mouth.

Shaiq sighs and comes towards me. He softly grabs my both arms and pulls me closer to him. He places his one hand on the side of my face, "I am sorry for yelling at you. It's just that I panicked when I didn't see you at home. I didn't mean to burst out on you like this."

"It's okay. It was my mistake after all," I show him a faint smile.

"No, it wasn't your mistake. Don't be sorry," he whispers as he caresses the side of my face.

I glance at Shaiq's face. How pure and sweet this guy is! I should have told him everything.

"It is, Shaiq. I have done a mistake by hiding things from you, " I assert.

"What do you mean?" He raises a brow In confusion.

"I have met Armaan. He lives here with his wife, just a few houses away from us."

Shaiq removes his hand from my face as his eyes get wide in shock.

"What?" He almost yells.

I nod my head, "I have seen him the day we have reached here but I didn't tell you that you will get angry but now," I pause for a moment to peek at Shaiq who is also looking at me without blinking his eyes.

"Now I want him to get a perfect lesson for what he has done to me. I want him to suffer just like I did and I want him to get ruined just like I have got. I want to take revenge from him," I explain.

"Zainab, are you in your senses? I have told you not to waste your time on him." Shaiq shakes both hands.

"And what about my life which has got wasted due to him. And what about you? He is the reason for what we are today. Because of him, not only mine but your life has also got ruined. And after all of this, do you really think I should let that guy live happily with his wife?" I semi- yell while jerking his hands off my arms.

"What are you really going to do?" He asks in a stupor.

"I will make his life hell. The love for which he is really proud, I will snatch it from him just like he did, " I smirk.

"But Zainab-"

"Oh please Shaiq, let me do what I want to do. Just this will cool the rage which is burning inside of me," I interrupt him and walks away without listening to him anymore.

Before I can make my way towards the kitchen, I turn on my heels and stare at Shaiq, "I am going to make tea for myself. Do you want some?"

He looks at me with a blank stare. I can see how baffled he is right now. He doesn't say anything, just keep on gazing at me.

"This means yes," I smile as I point my index finger at him.

I shake my head sideways as I walk into the kitchen.

      
                *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

I head towards the terrace when I spot Shaiq there. He is standing there with him being deep in thoughts. His back is taking support from the railing as he has both arms cross on his chest. He hasn't even moved a little bit as I have come and stood beside him. Perhaps he hasn't noticed me.

"Your tea, Shaiq, " I assert while pulling my hand having a cup in it, towards him.

He still doesn't even budge a little. Is he really here?

"Shaiq," I shake his arm with my hand which finally prompts him to look at me.

"Hmm?" He asks confusedly.

I sigh in frustration. What has happened to him?

"Tea," I again pull my hand before him.

"Oh thanks," he mumbles while taking the cup from my hand.

"Where are you lost, Shaiq?" I ask as I take a sip of my tea.

"In whatever you have told me a while ago," he stops and turns his body towards me, "Zainab, it's risky. I am not understanding why are you doing this."

"Shaiq, he has made me homeless, he has caused me to not believe in love anymore and because of him, I have ruined my best friend's life. And you are still not understanding?" I say in a loud voice.

Why is he thinking so much about it? I glare at him before turning my gaze away from him.

"I know Zainab but still-"

My jaw drops when my eyes land in Armaan's house and again seeing him in his terrace panics me. What should I do now? Shaiq is standing there too and if Armaan notices him then my plan is destroyed.

Without thinking twice, I grab Shaiq's arm and pull him along with me to the opposite side. I make him stand against the wall leading to the terrace and I myself stand in front of him.

"What happened?" Shaiq asks in confusion.

"Shh, don't speak please," I put a finger on my lips, in order to tell him to just shut up.

I peek behind with my side-eyes to find Armaan still there. Oh God, what the hell?

"Zainab, what are you doing?" Shaiq yells.

I glare at him. Can he just shut up? Why the actual fudge he has taken my name?

"Zai-"

Before he can complete, I put my hand on his mouth tightly. I again look behind to find Armaan still there. Why isn't he going? Armaan just go!

I sigh a puff of relief when Armaan goes back inside. I stare back at Shaiq and this is when it hit me; my hand is still on his lips. He is looking at me with popping eyes with having a hint of shock, confusion, and panic in them.

My gaze falls from his face to his body. I am standing so close to him that my body is almost pressed against his. In a hurry, I don't even realize this thing. Shaiq grabs my hand and slides it from his mouth. His eyes are still digging in mine. This is what makes me come out of the haze I am in. This is so embarrassing. But what more embarrassing is how he is looking at me.  I drag myself away from him.

I don't even give him a single glance as I move my feet in order to just run away from here as soon as possible. But before I can take even a step, Shaiq grabs my arm and pulls me towards him which causes my both hands to land on his chest. Being flabbergasted by his sudden act, I stare at his face with confusion. Suddenly I remember about my hands and my gaze goes to his chest where my hands are laying. His muscular chest in this black T-shirt is heaping up and down due to heavy breathing. I can still picture his bare chest vividly. How his muscles are feeling so rock solid against my hands.

"What was that?"

I come out of my thoughts when Shaiq's voice comes into my hearing. I abruptly look from his chest to his face.

What am I thinking? What was that? Was I ogling over his chest? No, no, never. Have you gone insane, Zainab?

I shake my head vigorously to get away any pervert thought. What the heck I was doing? I pull away from him and maintain a distance.

"I am asking you something, " he again says.

"No, I wasn't doing anything. It just happened instinctively. I seriously..."

"So your instinct has told you to pull me all the way here and shut my mouth? What rubbish!"

I stop talking and look at him. So he is talking about why I take him here. And I thought he catches me staring at his chest.

"Oh that...It's actually Armaan has come and I haven't told him that we are together so it might cause a problem for me to execute my plan," I tell him.

"So you are still on the same thing?" He sighs.

"Yes Shaiq, I am not going to change my plan."

I stare at him in confusion when he smiles and puts his both hands on my shoulder. What's with him all of a sudden.

"You want to take revenge from him?" He asks.

"Yeah, haven't I told you?" I shrug my shoulders.

"I'll help you," he mumbles.

"What do you mean?"

He slightly strokes my cheek as his smile gets deeper, "he may have forgotten that punch, but I haven't."

At first, I don't understand what he is saying but then I get to know and this causes my lips to curl up in a smirk. So he is talking about the time Armaan has punched him in front of my house and then I have stopped him from punching him back.

I turn around and look at Armaan's house.

You wait and watch, Armaan!

                 *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Salam guys!

This is the longest chapter that I have ever written with 2.9K+ words.

I think you ppl will gonna hate Zainab and Shaiq for the next few chapters lol.

What do you think they will do?

If you like this chapter, don't forget to vote and comment.