PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE! ;)

AREESHA'S POV:

"What did you just say?" he asked me in his deep voice, lowering me down, I stood there holding my head and looked at him, shock evident on his face,

"What?" I asked him in reply,

"You, you.... Called me Jazzy, how did you know that?" he asked,

"Oh... um.. That, okay Maaz, please be patient and listen what I want to tell you, it's really important for both of us and please don't interrupt me while I am telling you this, okay?" I said, placing my hand on his shoulder, getting afraid of his hard expressions I could see the confusion in his eyes, but I took a step towards him,

"What are you talking about Areesha?" he asked, in his authorative voice,

"Well, today I was in your closet and found some old pictures there, especially the pic of me...." I was cut short when Maaz harshly pulled me back on the wall and hold me from my shoulders that I wince from his tight hold, I am sure it was going to bruise later,

"Maaz!" I shouted, trying to wriggle free from his hold, making him tighten his hold on me,

"Why in the bloody hell you go through my things, those are personal!" he yelled, I looked up at him, watching him glaring at me with a full fury in his eyes,

"Maaz, please, calm down and listen to me for once!" I said in a weak voice, getting really scared of him right now, but I guess it was beyond my limit to control him; his gray eyes were cold as ice,

"Why the hell did you read that!" he said again through gritting teeth, ignoring my pleas, making me more confuse and scared at the same time,

"What? Read what?" I asked,

"My diary! How in the bloody hell you get it!" he asked me, coming closer to me that his breath was fanning my face, I gulp harder,

"No, you are misunderstanding everything, I didn't read anything from your diary, in fact, I have no idea where it is," I said, he tightens his grip on my shoulder again making me wince again, but this time his hold was too much to bear, I pulled back the tears in my eyes,

"You little! You thought you could get into my house and get to know my secrets, use it all against me! You manipulative liar! I should have taken precautions to this, I had no idea you could do this, I tried to trust you, but I should not have given you any chance, you are just like your bastard father! You thought you could manipulate me! Never! I repeat Never! Call me that again, understand!" he yelled at me,

"My father is not a Bastard Maaz! You are!" I shouted, and pulled his hands off me, but I guess it was the biggest mistake I did, he holds me from my neck and pulled me up, choking me,

"I dare you to say it again!" he said, anger lacing through his voice, but I just could not utter a word, I started punching him, but that all goes in vain, he did not budge,

"Never mention it again Areesha, I do not want to do anything to you, but if you again try to do it, I will not think twice, you don't want to be on my other side, count it my last warning," he said, lowering me down and remove his hand from my neck, I sat down on the floor, gasping for air,

"You monster!" I said, caressing my neck and looked up at him,

"You will regret it! You will regret each and everything! And mark my words Maaz Jaferi! I will never forgive you!" I said a loud standing up looking directly into his furious eyes.

"This is going to be the biggest regression of your life!"

"And yeah! My father is not what you called him, you don't even know him! You don't know a thing about me and I wish you will never get to know it!" I said, and turned on my heels wiping the tears from my face and walk away, leaving him standing there, but right now I didn't care I just got into my room and locked it from inside and get inside the bathroom, I look at myself in the mirror, tears were still rolling down my cheeks, I roughly puled the dupatta off my head and harshly pulled off all the jewelry and sat down on the cold floor wrapping my arms around my knees and placed my face on it,

His words didn't hurt me that much, the hate and anger laced with them scared and hurt me the most, he just makes assumptions without knowing the truth, how can he judge me like that, why didn't he just listen to me for once, I don't know why he hates Uncle Jawed, but judging me like that , comparing me with Uncle Jawed was too much.

"Baba I am sorry! I am happy that you are not here to see him like this he is not the same person we used to know, he is not my jazzy Baba, he is not my Jazzy! I have lost him Baba, I lost my jazzy! I knew that day Baba, I will never get to see him again and I was right Baba, he is not my Jazzy! My Jazzy died Baba!" I said while crying more intensely, the ache in my heart was too much to bear, the little hope for me died down today! I lost everything! I don't have anything now, just darkness, I felt like I am in some hell hole again, couldn't get out of this mess, the only light in my darkness just died, leaving me again in this deadly darkness, I don't know how I will survive it this time, I am not strong enough to survive it again, just for once I want peace in my life, just for once.

"Mama! Why didn't I just die with you that day! Why did you ask me to leave! I should have died in that flame with you, Mama! I don't want this life, what would I do! Ya Allah please help me! Ya Allah please have mercy on me; please get me out of this, please I beg you!" I cried out and lay down on the floor, emotionally and physically drenched right now, I don't know when darkness consumed me again, but before giving myself into the darkness I felt someone lifted me from the floor.

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MAAZ'S POV:

Today was really a good day, I was happy, it was such a peaceful day, I enjoyed my time with Areesha, after all, she wasn't I thought she would be, she is really different, I should give her a chance, I should not treat her like that, she is my wife now, I should trust her with all my heart, Nani ma told me trust between man and wife is the roots for a healthy relationship.

I ordered my interior designer to prepare an art gallery for Areesha, I know she loves to paint and I want to support her and want her to paint again, she really is gifted, the painting I saw in her bedroom reminded me of Aunt Maheen, and I want Areesha to pursue it, I will help her for the exhibition as well I know some renowned artist, I am sure will help her with her talent, I know she will be happy to see her art gallery.

I wanted to show it to her when she came to me in our bedroom, I was excited to see her expressions so I just took her there, but while I was walking she called me with the name that only Areesha used to call,

I was dumbstruck at that moment, it just felt like someone hit me hard, I lowered her down and watched her, that name brings back those memories to me, the best days of my life, but how can she get to know that? Why she called me that?

But when she told me that she has gone through my things, I was beyond angry, it makes me so mad! I never allowed anyone to be near my personal things even Nani ma has never gone through them, they were my personal things, the diary which contains all my suffering and all my secrets, but it was locked up in my locker and I had set a voice password in it, just one day in this house and she just got her hands into it! I should never have trusted her! She is the daughter of Jawed! Why in the bloody hell I even think like that! they are not trust worthy!

But the purity and innocence in her hazel brown eyes just say things otherwise, my heart says that she is not what I think she is, but my mind just don't agree with it......... Argh!

She made me more furious defending her father, that moron!, I just lost control of myself, I never wanted to hurt her, but when I realize what I was doing I jerk my hands off her neck, but her outburst make me rooted to my place, why did she say like that? I was now sure that there is something that I am missing.

In Hotel, she got scared of her own father, she tried to run away from him, I was thinking about it since then, why she reacted like that. What it could be? I think I am missing a very big piece in this puzzle, and now I want to know it by any means.

I pulled out my cell phone and called Saad,but he didn't receive it , so I called Steve, my head of security to get some information on Areesha's background, I want to know everything about her now, every single detail, I didn't bother to know about her before our marriage, it was enough for me that she was the daughter of Jawed, but I think it was the mistake, I should have gotten her background checked first, but I was so involved finding Areesha and Aunt Maheen that I didn't think of it. I punched the nearby wall several times to take out my anger, and sit down on the nearby chair holding my head in my hands, what a fool I am!

I heaved a sigh and returned back to my room, but it was locked, I turned on the knob but still it was locked, I got down to the security cabin and took the keys from there and walked back to our room, I unlocked the door and stepped in, but Areesha was not there, I look around for her but couldn't find her, I knocked on the bathroom door, there was no reply, I opened the door and I guess I missed my heart beat, watching her in that vulnerable condition was another punch on my heart, the another ache I felt watching her, again the regression for treating her like that, she was lying down on the floor hugging her knees, her face was covered with her hairs, I kneeled down in front of her and pulled her hairs back, her face was stained with her tears I saw marks on her neck which made me more guilty,I caressed her cheeks when my eyes landed on the blood drops on the floor which made me panicked.

I quickly lifted her up in my arms, lay her down on the bed, and searched for any injury and saw blood oozing out from the cut behind her ear. I took out the wipe and softly dabbed it over the cut and clean the blood from her neck, she didn't even flinch for once, after cleaning her wound, I stood up from the bed and cover her with the blanket and took a seat next to her, watching her sleep, but she had these painful expressions on her face, her breathing was hard that reminded me of my time when I was with Uncle Jamshed, the pain and suffering I has been through was not easy to bear, I had nightmares and still sometimes I have them, watching her suffering like me, made me think again about her pain, I never talked about her life, never asked about herself, never share her happiness or sorrows, she must have a big secret hidden inside of her, I should have listen to her, for once I should just forget that she is the daughter of my biggest enemy, maybe she is the broken soul like me, maybe I can help her, just like Areesha tried to help me out, but I lost my light in darkness, maybe I could be the light for her, but how can that happen? Will she ever forgive me? No, May be I am being delusional, she said it earlier, she will not forgive me, remembering her words made me more miserable for my act earlier, How many times I would I hurt her and keep asking for an apology, why can't I control myself? Why I have to let my anger out on her all the time? Why she had to suffer what her father did? She doesn't deserve this, I have to keep my demons away from her, I guess I have to stay away from her in order to keep her safe from myself, but what she was talking about earlier? What she wanted to tell me? What if this is another plan of Jawed to use her against me? Damn! Why the life is so hard! May be Adil could help me with it, I should ask him.

"No, No, Mama Please No, I can't leave you here, I will save you mama, please don't die on me mama please! I need you, Adil need you Mama Please open your eyes!" I snapped out of my thoughts by her screaming, she was having a nightmare, I leaned forward and gathered her in my arms, gently caressing her back, "Shh... Areesha, there is nothing to be worry about, it's just a nightmare," I whispered into her ear, I felt her relax in my arms, the pain on her face subsided as I hold her more closely and kissed her head inhaling her sweet scent, which always had this impact on me, I tighten my grip on her and lay her head on my chest and tangled our legs and drifted to sleep, keeping her close and secure in my embrace.

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Areesha's pov:

I woke with this massive headache, I slowly opened my eyes and look around me, I was in my bedroom, but I remember myself lying down on the bathroom floor after what that monster did to me last night, I shook my head and try to focus on something else, I took a deep breath in and was amazed by the beautiful scent of roses, I glance around and find beautiful red roses arranged in a vase set on the table in front of the bed, they were so fresh that I just wanted to touch them, I got down from the bed and gently caressed the petals of those gorgeous roses, there was a soft knock on the door,

"Come in," I said still sitting on the table, a maid enters the room holding a tray with a cup on it,

"Good Morning Ma'am, I brought your coffee, do you want anything else?" she asked, handing me a cup of coffee, I smiled at her and took it from her hands, thanking her, I really needed this coffee for my headache,

"No, thank you so much, so kind of you," I said, taking a sip from my coffee,

"Sir Maaz ordered me to bring you your coffee when you woke up, he even pick these roses from the garden for you, Ma'am, I have never seen him like this before, he never did this for anyone," she told me, but I just ignored it taking sips from my coffee,

"Where is Adil?" I asked,

"He was with Sir Maaz, in stables, do you want anything else Ma'am?" she asked,

"No, thank you," I replied with a small smile, she left with a nod, I finished my coffee and stretch my legs and hands and stood up, I saw my reflection in mirror when I enter closet and notice, I was in simple long shirt with my pink pajamas, I shook my head again and took a shower and quickly got ready to go meet Adil, I really don't want him to spend time with Maaz now, I have to start looking for a school for him, I walked down the stairs and stopped near the main doors, I have no idea where the stables are, I waited for a maid to come but there was no one so I stepped out of the doors and saw a man standing there,

"Excuse me, can you please tell me where the stable is?" I asked, he nodded and give me directions to the stables, I thanked him and started walking on the track which lead to the stables, on my way I saw the beautiful bed of roses and other flowers arranged beautifully near the huge fountain in the grounds, I admire this beauty and inhaled again deeply, I heard Adil's laugh, I turned around and saw him riding a horse with Maaz, they were coming towards me, Maaz pull the reins of the horse and stopped it right in front of me, and let Adil down from this beautiful horse I was busy watching, it was a black stallion, it was my biggest wish to ride a black stallion when I was younger, I loved the horses when I was young, but now so many things have changed, but watching this magnificent stallion in front of me reminded me of my childhood wish, I slowly caressed his head with my hand, feeling his soft hairs under my touch.

"Api! You won't believe it! I was riding a horse! It was so much fun!" Adil said, holding my hand,

"Yes, I saw you were enjoying the ride, but let's go inside now, it's cold out here and you are not wearing any sweater or jumper, you might catch cold," I said, he pouted,

"No, please Api! One more ride please!" he asked, looking at me with those big eyes,

"Adil, you should listen to your sister, she is right, it's cold out here, and we will ride sometime later, okay?" Maaz said, tapping Adil's head, I did not look up to him, or bother to look at him.

"Maaz Bhai! Come on, please one more!" Adil said,

"Hey! I am feeling really hungry right now why not we go and have breakfast, after that I will teach you how to ride and you can ride your own horse," Maaz said, ruffling Adil's hairs.

"My horse!" Adil exclaimed with excitement

"You will get me my Horse! Oh boy! I cannot wait for it! Thank you Maaz Bhai!" Adil said, hugging his legs, Maaz smiled and looked at me, I lower my gaze and look back at the horse, and I slightly patted him again.

"Api! Come on!" Adil said, pulling me with him, "Wait a minute Adil, just calm down! Don't believe what people told you, you should not trust anyone!" I said, he looked at me with confusion,

"What are you talking about Api?" he asked, "Nothing, let's go," I said, dismissing the topic and hold his hand and started walking to the main door,

"Areesha!" I heard Maaz calling me, but I ignored it and continue my walk, I led him to the dining hall where the maids were arranging the cutlery on the table, I thanked them and took a seat right next to Adil, who was sitting with his arms crossed on his chest,

"What is it?" I asked him,

"Api, why you are not talking to Maaz Bhai? Are you angry with him? But you never get angry," he asked, I was taken by his words,

"Why are you asking me that?" I questioned him,

"Maaz Bhai tried to talk to you but you ignored him, you told me we should never ignore anyone like that it's rude and bad manners, then why did you do that?" he asked me, I groaned,

"Adil, I am not angry with him, and I will apologize later, okay," I replied, he kissed his cheek, "That's my Api, I really don't want you to be angry with Maaz Bhai, he is so good, I just want to be like him when I will grow up!" he said and I instantly put my hand over his mouth,

"Whoa! Stop that thought buddy! You are not going to be like him, I won't let that happen," I said, as I felt chills run down my spine listening to him,

"Why?" he asked me again,

"Let's just eat, afterwards I was thinking to take you to the school for admission, would you like to go with me?" I asked him, he nodded,

"I will love to go, I will have more friends and no one will try to hurt me there right?" he asked me, " Yes, now just finish your breakfast,"

"Api, Papa will not come here? He won't hurt us anymore right?" he asked again taking a big bite from his sandwich, I nodded, "Yes, he won't come here and I promise Adil, he will never lay his hand on you ever again," I said, kissing his cheeks, He grins looking at me, "I will be back" I said to him and walked to the my room in search for my cell phone, I dialed Aliyaan's number but disconnect the call later, he was still in Turkey, it's been a week since he left and we didn't talk much, I really want to talk to him, I tried to call Alex but again his phone was powered off, I have been trying to call him for last three days and his phone is still switched off, what is he upto now? I thought and watched the beautiful garden spread across the whole land from my terrace when I saw Maaz riding his horse with a speed, he had taken off his shirt and I could see his muscular body from here as well, the way he was riding the horse made me feel something but quickly I stop my thoughts and get back into the room trying to remove his earlier image from my mind. I sat down on the nearby chair thinking about Adil, may be it is better to send him to a boarding school, he will be much safe out there, Uncle Jawed is planning something, now a days he is silent and I think it's the silence before the storm, he might try to hurt Adil again in order to gain what he wants from me, he know Adil is my weakness, so maybe it will better for me to send him, but how I will live without him, he has never been away from me, but I have to be tough and stronger to get what I want, I have to make some hard decisions of my life from now on, I will not let these men decide for me, it's enough now.

I let out an audible sigh and turned around and saw Maaz entering the room still not wearing his shirt, I just closed my eyes and tried to walk away from him when he grab my hand from behind, "Areesha, I know you are angry with me and you have full right for that, I know what I did....." I cut him in mid sentence and jerk my hand from his grip,

"Don't ever try to talk to me, Mr.Jafferi and please stay away from my brother, I don't want him to be like you, just stay out of my life," I said and exited the room, I search around for Adil, spotted him standing near the theatre room, watching the closed door, "What's in there Api?" he asked, pointing towards the door,

"It's a theatre room, to watch movies" I told him,

"Can I watch a movie in there?" he asked again, "yeah, sure, but take a shower first, there is mud on your clothes," I said and took him back to his room, after the shower, he changed into his clothes which I laid on his bed and walked out of the room pulling me with him, "Api! Come on! I can't wait to watch a movie, which one we should see?" he asked, "Adil, I don't know how to use it," I said pointing towards the huge screen, "Oh, wait, I will go call Maaz Bhai, he knows everything!" he said and ran out of the room, and come back really quickly with Maaz with him, "Maaz Bhai Please!" he said looking him with a cute pout, Maaz smiled and ruffled his hairs and move towards the screen.

"Come on Api! Sit" Adil said, "No, Adil, I have some work to do, maybe next time," I said and walked out before he could say anything.

I entered into the kitchen and started preparing some snacks for Adil, when a maid came in holding a box in her hand, "Ma'am, is this yours?" she asked me, showing that same black velvet box, which I kept in my drawer, "Oh Yes! I have been looking for it everywhere, Where did you find it?" I asked, opening the box and saw my locket in it," I found it while I was cleaning Adil's room, I thought it might be yours," she said, "Thank you so much for finding it," I said, she smiled and left the kitchen, I looked back at the locket, I guess I don't need it anymore, I thought and put it back into my room and came back to the kitchen and continued my cooking.

I guess it was just a half an hour passed when I heard Adil's screaming, quickly I ran towards the staircase and up to the theatre room when Adil came screaming and hugged my legs tightly and started crying, "Hey! What happened?" I asked, picking him up in my arms, his little body was shaking and he was continuously crying, wrapping his small hands around my neck, "There is a clown in there Api and he ate that child's hand! He was so scary!" he said between hiccups, I caressed his back and enter the room, "No, Api please! Don't want to go in there!" he cried, "Hey, calm down buddy, it's nothing to be scared of," I said and kissed his head.

"Adil! Come on little one! I told you we should not watch that movie," Maaz said, walking to us, I watched the screen where the movie was paused on the clown's face;
"You let him watch IT? I asked him,

"He insisted on it, I tried to...."

"I don't care what you tried; he is just five years old, like I said before, please stay away from my brother!" I said and was about to turn when he caught me from my elbows, "This is my house Areesha, I have given you permission to keep him with you and if I want, I will send him away, so don't talk to me like that," he said with little anger lacing through his voice and walked out before I could say something.

I took Adil back to his room and laid him on his bed, he was still crying, I read him a story book to divert his mind and while listening he drifted to sleep, I gently caressed his cheeks and kissed his forehead, How I will let him go, he is just too close to me, I thought and hugged him, lying beside him and closed my eyes.

It has been two days since Adil was with me and I was searching for the better boarding school for him, the school which I could afford easily, but they were way to expensive, but I kept my search for it, I was now getting worried for Alex as there was no sign of him yet and thankfully Uncle Jawed has not talked to us after the reception, but the thing which was bothering me a lot was Maaz's presence, he didn't go to his office for last three days and was staying at home, I saw him working in his home office, but why he is not going to his office, I haven't talked to him since, he tried a few times, but I still ignored him.

I was sitting on the prayer mat after offering my prayers and reciting some verses when Adil came running to me,

"Api! You won't believe it!" he said, hugging me from behind,

"Why? What happened?" I asked, getting up from my place and folded the prayer mat,

"I am going to the school from tomorrow!" he told me and I was shocked to hear him,

"What? How?" I asked,

"Maaz Bhai told me he has enrolled me in the school he went to and he said it is the school for me, oh boy! I cannot wait to go where Maaz Bhai studied! I will study hard and be a business man like him," he said again with excitement.

"Wait a minute! What are you talking? In which school he has enrolled your name?" I asked him, he told me the name of same boarding school in which Baba has sent Maaz in his request. It was really one of the most expensive schools, I felt myself relax only for a second, who give him the right to make decisions for Adil? He is my brother, then why Maaz is getting so much involve with him, he was not even giving me permission to keep him with me first, then why he is acting like this possessive and caring brother to him? I thought,

"Adil, why don't you go into your room and I will come later ad help you with your packing, just go and change your clothes and brush your teeth okay, I will be there shortly," I said, "Api! Maaz Bhai have already told Sam to pack my clothes and other things, you don't have to worry about it," he said, grinning at me, "Okay, go to your room, I will be there," I said and sauntered towards Maaz's library, I was sure he might be in here, I knocked on the door and after his reply I opened it, he was sitting on the armchair comfortably and typing something on his laptop which sipping his coffee, when he saw me enter he frowned and stood up from his place, "What is it?" he asked,

"Who give you the right to take decisions for my brother?" I asked him, he stared me for a long time before replying, "He is my house and I have every right to do what I want,"

"But he is my brother! He is my responsibility!" I said,

"I know, but when he is living with me, you both are my responsibilities, I just don't want to talk about it anymore, is there anything else you want to talk about?" he asked,

"Why didn't you talk to me first?" I asked, "Well, you were just trying to ignore me for last three days, so how come I would have told you about it?" he asked with a smirk,

"And I know how it was hard for you to keep ignoring me," he continued, I just roll my eyes and walked out of the library listening to his laugh.

I came back to Adil's room where I found him sitting on the bed watching outside the windows,

"Hey, What is it Buddy?" I asked, sitting beside him,

"I will be going tomorrow Api, I am happy to go there, but I don't want to leave you, I just cannot live without you," he said in a hoarse voice, "Hey! There is nothing to be sad about it Adil, I will come visit you every weekend, we will have fun together, but this is really important for you, I know it is really hard for both of us, but we have to do this Adil, we both have to be strong," I said, cupping is face with my hands and looked at his teary eyes,

"Would Mama and Baba will be proud of me Api?" he asked, making me cry, "Yes Adil, they would so proud of you," I said, hugging him, we both cried remembering our parents and pray for them, I sleep there with Adil that night.

The next day he left with Maaz, I stayed at home, Maaz insisted me to go with him, but I denied, I knew I would not control myself out there, it was really difficult for me to send Adil away from me, so I just stayed in my room when they both left, I roughly wipe my tears from my cheek and answer my cell phone.

"Areesha! Listen to me carefully, Dad is taking me back to Haweli, he said there is something wrong, I have to look into the matter, so we are just leaving in an hour, I will leave the keys under the mat of the main door, you can come and get your documents from Dad's room, I have got the keyword of his locker, I am texting it to you, so be quick and take all your things from here," he said,

"Okay, but where have you been? I tried to call you several times," I asked,

"It's not the time or this Areesha, I will tell you later, but be here in an hour, Dad has called his men to look after the house when we leave, he has ordered them not to let anyone here till we are gone, they will be here shortly so you just have this hour, Okay, got to go, Dad is coming" he said and cut the call.

I quickly changed my clothes and took my bag from the closet and left the room, when I stepped out of the main door, two men came in front of me,

"Ma'am, are you going anywhere?" they inquired,

"Yes, I have to go somewhere really important, will you please call a cab for me," I said,

"I will call the driver Ma'am, you can go with him, and those body guards will also accompany you," one of them said, "But before that we have to tell Sir Maaz," he said,

"No, I just talked to him and told him where I am going so he will be there shortly and please I don't want to go with the driver, just call me the cab and I don't want any bodyguards with me," I lied,

"But Ma'am, it's important, Sir Maaz has strictly given us orders for this, we can't let you go alone," he argued again,

"I told him already and he agreed, he told me it's okay to go on my own, so please don't argue with me anymore and call a cab, or I will go get it myself," I said, they both talked to each other for a minute then nodded and left, I heaved an audible sigh and waited for the cab to arrive.

When I reached Uncle Javed's house, there was no one, it was very quiet out there, I pay the driver and move towards the main door and found the key under the mat, quickly I unlocked the door and ran upstairs to the Uncle's room and took all my documents from there, all my certificates, my degree and some other important things I needed, stuffing all things in my bag I ran down the stairs and opened the door, but in the next moment I was rooted to my place watching Uzair standing in front of me with an evil smirk on his lips,

"Hello, Beautiful! Missed me?" he asked.

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Sorry guys! I couldn't reply to any of your comments, I don't know what is wrong with it, I tried several times to reply, but can't get it posted,  I can reply your private messages or the messages you left on my board, but can't reply the comments on the chapter, if anyone know how to solve it, please let me know!

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Iraj

Date: 22-12-17