EDITED

" Love is a serious mental illness "

* Plato *

I made quick investigations by ordering my assistant aka my brother to find out who was behind the patricide.

Within an hour I had made several calls to inspection teams and best detectives in the town , to my dismay she called me I was just being insatiable to God, as she believed that God had His own ways to punish those who wronged.

I couldn't deny anymore that she also seemed attracted towards me, as per her exuberance showcased.

" Yes, make sure the woman is safe and caught red handed. She seems to be a dangerous woman, so I prescribe you better avoid her. "

" No, you don't have to carve indications for her to get the clue. Simply ask her for what I've told you, and when you're done with her lock her up in the warehouse of our office. I'm marrying my girl today, and I don't want any mess. Understand? "

And then I cut off the call, sighing exasperated.

" Bellarina, pls wipe off your tears. You look beautiful while your eyes are smudged with that kajal and so don't intimate my feelings to go beyond what's not allowed. "

She was still seated at the kitchen counter, her face stuffed with ugly trails of that salty water... I so wished to drink away her tears.

Looking away from her to avoid any awkwardness, I removed my coat and started undoing first two buttons of my linen shirt.

' What are you doing Azfar? Pls behave! Okay, I'll stop crying! But don't show me your wittiness and that arrogant cum bossy cum grumpy cum stubble... '

I neared her with strides, and placed my forefinger over her lips.

" I'm not planning to have a romantic episode over here, I was feeling suffocated in that coat and I like my buttons closed till the top collar, so... Get your mind straight honey! And oh you think I'm stubble? "

' Umm.. N.. No.. I didn't mean that. I meant to say that ... Pfffft... Do you have a personality disorder or something?? You act so strange at times! One minute you're fire & the other you're ice. '

She released a breath she was holding for God knows how long, and that did really intimate me. Her breathes are so sexy...

Well, err. What if our thoughts had audibility?

Crap, no.

' Haha! I hit at the right place, Mr.Bell '

She clicked her tongue and then realizing what she had said covered her mouth and then jumped off the counter- more like running.

Hmm, I like that name. Is it her first step towards her confession?

' Where are you lost Mr.BellNuts ? '

She now was waving her hand in front of my eyes to find out if I was lost or zoning out, but I was too busy to get lost some where else than her.

" Umm, yeah.. I mean no... And wait are you giving me sweet names?? Bell in short for Bellarina's partner? And what's that nuts for? "

I was wondering what had caused her to add nuts to that Bell-arina's beauteous repute. Well, it was all a bolt from the blue. Maybe it was because her father's demise, and that she had no one else to rely upon. Was she getting attached to me in hopes of finding a fatherly man?
The one who protects,cares and showers affection on his daughter like a King treats his princess.

' I can't marry you, Azfar. '

She sobbed lightly. Then continued.

' It has been four hours only after baba was killed, how do you expect me to marry you or anyone so early? Don't you have any respect for him? Don't you feel how it is to have lost a father? No, because you... '

I held her arm tightly and pressed her to the wall beside the kitchen. I needed to cut her off, she was striking me pain unknowingly.

" Yes because it's been ages since I lost my father! He left us when I was quite young. My mother was left all alone. "

I realized my fingers were dug deep so I quickly loosened my grip, and looked into her eyes. Our wounds were similar and so the pain was mutual, we were interrelated, interconnected.

' I'm sorry Azfar... But... But I don't think yet, that I'm in love with you... And about my baba, I won't marry anyone unless his criminal gets arrested. '

" You don't have to worry Zahra Tabassum, your father was like my father. I'll make sure the one behind this faces hell on earth. You can take time to think about your decision as well, I won't ever force you "

With that, I picked up my coat which was lying on the sofa and hanging it on either side of my shoulder,I left without saying any more words.

~~~

It was 7pm. Everything had been cleared by now but a lady constable was assigned a duty to stay here tonight to guard me. He was protecting me now.

I had my eyes glued to the place where the marks of my father's body had been drawn, and was staring it as if I'm still assuming my father to be there.

Why did my amma did this?

Did she want my Father's wealth?

Or she had teamed up with someone else to destroy Azfar... But what would she get destroying Azfar? Money!

I dialled his number which he had left on the table while going, and I needed to inform him this.

" I think I know who is behind all this "

After a short noisy silence, I gathered all my effort to speak up against my mom- that woman who failed to be my mom, despite she never was, she never tried.

" I think my brother is involved in this all too, I don't know why but I suspect it. He never loved me like a sister. My only family was my father, and now I've lost him too! "

' Calm down Bellarina, who do you think the suspect is. Don't worry, I'm there for you and will always be. Though this is not a promise, because, somehow the promises are broken. This is a negotiation. If I ever break my promise, you can take my life and I'll forgive you my blood. '

" ... Ah, What're you talking about! Pls don't say like that, I know I've not accepted you but that doesn't mean you blackmail me mentally in this way! ''

I glared in anger particularly in the air.

' Okay, sorry. Now tell me who do you think he is? '

" I think the one behind all this has something to do with you. That's why since you started calling me Bellarina, these unusual things are happening. The lift getting stuck of your company, getting kidnapped, and the goons, and now my baba... "

Tears once again made their way through my eyes, I was feeling lonely. I had no guardian, no parent.

' Stop crying Mrs.Bellnuts... '

I cut him off by ,

" Shut up pls! I'm not going to marry you, I've said once and I think that should be enough. "

' Uh, well. You think someone is trying to hurt you because of me? But how will someone other than us know that I've fallen for you. '

" Oh really? The way you looked at me when I was in your office, that hurted look on your face when you hurted me, when you rescued me from those bad guys, and when you played along my drama... "

' What drama ? The one about your memory loss? But why did you have to do that? '

" Because my mother wanted to change the will written by my father. So in this way I could stay in my room, lying in the bed most of the time as baba was worried about me. The will was hidden somewhere in my room but I didn't knew the exact place. "

' Oh.. And what about Farhan? I saw in your room, different stuff was hanging on your wall and I saw a picture of you and... Someone resembling me... '

" Umm.. Can we talk about this some other time pls? "

' No! I want to know that now! Pls? '

" Except those who repent, and righteously work, Allah converts his evil deeds to good ones.Allah is forgiving, merciful. ''

( AL-QURAN 25:70 )