TW: Mention of self-harm

"You are a liar, manipulative, and conniving man, Zayan. Just like your father."

Zayan scoffed and shrugged, - "Too bad. If your imagination is wild, what can I do?" He spoke smugly.

Manal clenched her teeth, scowling at him.

"I trusted you." Her angry tears betrayed her. Zayan repeated her lines in a mocking tone. His gang laughed in the background. Daneen walked to him, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"You seriously thought I would be interested in fa—you over hot Daneen? Newsflash. She is my girlfriend and not you. For years she had been my girlfriend." He took a step closer, pointing a finger at Manal, and snarled, - "You. You repulse me."

Manal shook with rage. He turned, taking Daneen with him. She turned her head, smirking at her.

"You are a coward, like your pathetic mother. I hope you hang yourself like she did." She shouted.

Zayan stilled. He turned and rushed to her in a flash. Everyone gasped as he gripped her throat tight. Manal looked back with fiery eyes. Undeterred, she kept the contact.

His nostrils flared, and his green eyes were bloodshot now.

"How dare you?" He gritted his teeth.

"How dare you—" Manal retorted breathlessly. He choked her harder.

"Don't you dare bring my mother into this? I will kill you."

"And you can play with a woman's heart. Am I not right—your mother was mad—"

"Manal."

Before Zayan could strangulate her, the surrounding boys saved her. Manal gasped loudly, falling back. Asim came running, dropping his bag. Another girl hurrying behind him. In time, he grabbed her, halting her fall.

The few boys held Zayan's arms, preventing him from launching on her; again. Manal huffed, tugging on the collar of her shirt, and raised her chin.

"Your parents don't love you. Your father doesn't care and your mother was over-dependent on you. And—and—you deserve to be unloved. I was a fool to give you love. You should be grateful to me." She challenged him. Zayan raged, attempting to free himself, and the boys found it difficult to restrain him. Asim pulled on Manal's hands to take with him, suggesting she stop talking.

"I swear, if I get my hands on you, I will rip your head off." Zayan dared in a booming voice. Manal spat on the ground and walked away with Asim and the other girl, calming her down.

Splashing cold water many times, he lifted his head and gripped the cold, tiled basin. In the bone-chilling weather, he shivered only so slightly. Water droplets dipped from strands of his hair falling over his forehead. He blinked his green eyes, tossed his head back, and raked his wet hair.

Why was he thinking of her? After so many years? He shook his head, looking at his reflection again.

Your parents don't love you. You deserve to be unloved.

Raesha Madam is getting married.

No one can trust any woman. Except.

His eyes turned moist, remembering his mother. Priscilla was a sweet and kind woman, but she was naïve. 

Zayan slammed his hand hard on the wash bin and winced. 

Turning around, he put on his knitted top, wrapped a muffler to cover his face and dug his palms into his lounge pants, then left his apartment. After night's walk, Zayan sat at the roadside taking deep breaths. At night, often, he remembers his mother, then he couldn't sleep. He shook his leg and stared at his shivering hands. Deciding to not aggravate this, he got back home and took his anxiety meds. Then, stood out on the balcony.

"Manal," Zayan whispered, darkly.

Manal parked her car and got down. Raza stood with his usual smile. She averted his gaze and pushed her tote bag to him.

"Good morning, Boss."

"Hmm." Manal walked before him. For the first time, Raza had to put more effort into keeping at toe with her. She got into her cabin and stopped seeing an envelope, along with her ceramic coffee cup.

"Boss, your coffee and--" Raza hurried, placed her bag, and picked the envelope. He handed it to her, - "Your and Asim sir's tickets."

Manal's gaze flickered to a bruise on the side of his fist, under his pinky finger, - "What happened to your hand?"

Raza chuckled, - "Long story, Boss. When I was jogging, some street dogs got behind me."

Manal raised her eyebrows, - "Did you bore them with your talks? Then they should have bitten your ass."

"Don't say like that--Boss." He caressed his bruise. Then she recollected their fall in the bathtub.

"Um," Manal licked her lips, sitting behind the table, - "How is your other hand--?"

Raza thought for a moment and then rolled up the sleeves of his green striped white sweater and showed the faded bruise on his forearm, - "Healing." He said. Manal nodded, switching on her PC.

He smiled, blinking softly at her, - "Thank you for asking." 

Raza walked to his cubicle and sat in his chair. Bending, he opened the desk and took out a gift-wrapped box. He fiddled with it, contemplating.

"Give it to her."

Raza jolted, grabbing the box before it fell from his hands.
'Hi, Mini."

The young girl leaned against the cubicle with her hands on the top. She wriggled her eyebrows.

Raza shook his head and sighed, placing the box on his table. "She got so many expensive gifts. What is my two cents gift going to do?"

Mini observed him, - "You like her, don't you?"

Raza's head shot up; he blinked, surprised at her. She continued to grin. Dismissing her, he rose from his chair and excused himself. Mini had a naughty thought, and she grabbed his gift.

Manal walked out of her cabin when a huffing young woman in Knitted Kurtha and Jeans hurried to her. She screeched to a stop. Manal took a step back.

"Ma'am. This is for you." Mini panted, forwarding a gift-wrapped box. Manal glared at her and then at the box.

"What is this? And who are you?"

"Mini. Mini Sharma. I am--forget about me. Please take this."

Keeping a suspicious look, Manal took it from her. She got back inside.

The sticky note on the box read: Happy Birthday, Boss.

Curiously, she unwrapped it, threw the paper into the dustbin, and then opened the box.

There was a delicate plain gold bracelet with a tiny golden heart

You are the best boss. Strong, independent, and intelligent woman. You inspire me, and I admire you for your work ethic and talent.

This isn't much, but it is my token of adoration.

Manal placed the open box and stared at it, tapping her French manicured nails on the glass table. He had been working for so long, yet he had never gifted her anything before. And now, he gifted her expensive gold jewellery. 

Raza worked on scheduling his Boss' meeting on his computer. His phone beeped with a message from one of their clients. Just as he picked up his phone, a voice interrupted him. He looked up and smiled.

"Good morning, Asim sir."

"Good morning, Raza. Where is Manal?"

"Cabin. Come with me, sir." Raza pushed the wheeled office chair back and got up. He and Asim chatted on the way. At the door, Raza stopped and knocked at the door. After she permitted, Asim and he got inside.

"Hi, Asim. You are here?"

"Yeah, Raza informed us about our tickets. Before going to the office, I thought of checking it out."

Manal got up, and they shared a brief hug. She opened her desk and handed the tickets to her fiancé. Raza paused, noticing his bracelet along with her vintage golden Casio watch. He blinked, gobsmacked.

How did she get this? And she was wearing it. His heart skipped a beat.

So, my lovelies, how was the Chapter? 

Aww, Manal wore Raza's gift. 

And our Pookie Raza thought his gift was meaningless. 

𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚙

"Who are you?" A woman in her strong American accent screamed at her from the balcony. Manal flinched, dropping her books. Swiftly, she bend gathering her book but looked up.

"Um, Aunty. I brought--" Before she could say anything more, the beautiful blonde woman with dazzling green eyes, threw a stone at her. She winced, holding her forehead. Feeling warm liquid in her hand. Manal gasped, noticing blood. The pain was excruciating.

"Get lost, B**ch. You can't steal my son like that wretched woman stole my husband."

Manal blinked, and blooddroplets fell on her eyelids. As her head spun, she saw a blurry vision of a youngman running towards her. 

******

Remember this scene from the previous chapter (the part when Raza saved Manal from drowning)

"Boss,Boss." He kneeled next to her, pushing behind her hair. His fingers brushedover a tiny scar at the side of her head, near her hairline. Manal pulledherself up.

Please my lovelies, drop lots and lots and lots of comments. And vote and share with others, so we can all enjoy the book *_*