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Long chapter ahead
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Author's POV.

Coming back to her shock Sofia straighten herself and held her head high before walking passed by Arshad, who was standing there stunned after hearing her threats.

Somewhere Sofia wanted to threaten isha behind his back and get rid of her but as he heard her still she didn't regret it. She didn't fear him. He the one guilty here nor her.

As her shoulder brushed Arshad he came back to reality and clenched his jaw and fist before marching toward her. She was out of isha's room when Arshad held her wrist pulling her toward him.

"I thought you were just saying because your hurt but I never thought you mean it." He said gritting his teeth while holding her by her arms. She tries to push him away pressing her hand on his chest. "How can you even think to separate me from my child? Itni nafrat karti ho mujhse ke tum mujhe hamare bacche se door karogi (do you hate me this much to separate me from our child?)" He asked with hurt laced his voice. Sofia pushed him hard making him stumbled.

"Nafrat karti to yaha tumhare saath na hoti. Kab ka tumhare muh par thook kar chali gayi hoti. (If I would've hated you then I would've to spit on your face and left you a long time ago) I was a fool that I ended up loving you enough that I'm ready to give you another chance." She shouted in anger and pain. "And one more thing I'm not thinking. I've made up my decision." She turn to go but he again held her elbow stopping her.

"Sofia you can't do this to me and our baby. What is its fault? Why are you punishing our child?." He asked in a broken tone. She shot a glare at him.

"What was my fault? Why did you punished me?." She asked, clenching her jaws

"Sofia please don't do this...."

"I will do this! Just like you betray me and cheated me without an ounce of guilt. I will take my child away from you and never going to let you see its face. I promise you if you didn't leave her then you will lose not only me but also your child. Mark my word!" With that said she jerk her arms away and strode toward her room while everyone stood there watching them with wide eyes.

Arshad stood there frozen. He never thought that things could get to this point. He had the slightest idea and feared that sofa will ask for divorce but this? Separating him from his flesh and blood, his dream, his child, was never in his mind. When he heard she was pregnant he thought she will forgive him for their child and he could mend things but this was beyond his imagination. He was torn apart. He can't let isha go neither he let Sofia go with their child. He will die if isha leaves him but he can't live without Sofia and their baby too. he felt like dying. He can't choose one. No. He can never choose one.

"Bhai!" Arshad stumbled back and was about to fall when Asam and Amar held him.

Asam just got back earlier from his honeymoon than it was planned. While leaving his wife to her house as he was aware of the current situation in his house through his mother and Amar and didn't want to let his wife face all this.

Arshad didn't hear them and turned his head to the side to see the face that held his peace. Isha stood holding the door frame as she was feeling dizzy with all the chaos. She was staring at Arshad's broken eyes and felt her heart breaking seeing a lone tear escape his eyes. The pain and the dilemma was visible in his eyes.

Arshad stare at her and saw her lips quivering and her eyes shedding tears. Her innocent eyes held tears of fear. She was shivering he can see this. She was scared to lose him. She was scared to thrown out of this house. She had no one only him, her everything was he. She was afraid if he chose Sofia then where will she go? She didn't see the life out of this house since she entered here. Other than going to college like a robot she didn't know anything.

He was sure of one thing and wanted to clear that without taking time. Standing straight and composing himself he turns to his room and walks toward there. Everyone follows him seeing the determined look on his face including isha.

"Sofia!" Arshad called her stepping inside the room. Sofia turns to him. "I love you and I will not let you and my child go."

Isha felt her heart sink. She was not disappointed that he choose his child and first wife, she was just broken. A painful smile came to her lips. Maybe this was her end. She turn to go to her room when she heard him.

"But I will not leave isha too in any circumstance. I won't leave her!" He declared loud and clear. Isha and Sofia both felt their breath hitched.

"I will leave if you.." Sofia was going to say the same thing but Arshad's next word crushed her determination.

"Do whatever you want to do. I. WILL. NEVER. LEAVE. ISHA." With every word, he made it clear that nothing will change his mind and heart. He doesn't need time to make a decision. He was always clear. When he accepted isha he promised himself that he will support her in every situation in life. He clear this to everyone only for them to know that no one can blackmail him. Not even emotionally.

He walk out of the room after declaring the decision though he just wanted to collapse as he felt drained of energy. He was feeling that someone was ripping his heart very brutally and slowly.

He didn't choose isha over them he just saved her place which she make a long time ago. He can't let this innocent soul suffer more when she had enough since her younger age. She doesn't deserve pain and he will do anything to keep her away from all the pain. This was his battle and if he lose then he will suffer alone and will accept it but he will not throw one wife of his for another. Rest will be on Sofia.

And in the wider picture their child had a mother who was strong to protect her baby and herself but isha was not strong. Even parents protect that child first who was weak compared to others and in this case, he felt like that.

He stopped in front of isha who was trembling. He held her hand and dragged her to her room.

Sofia slumped on the bed. Till now she was sure that Arshad will choose her and their baby but he chose isha. Her every hope got crushed. Though she didn't want to cry silent tears started flowing through her eyes without her permission.

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Isha was sitting on the bed still shocked to the core that Arshad did that, she knew that he didn't choose her over them he just take a stand for her and made himself clear that he will never leave her.

"Arsh" she almost whispered and look toward the window where he was standing while staring out of the window. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear her even after the horrible silence in the room. She knew that what he did was something breaking him every passing second and she could literary hear the breaking sound of his heart. He didn't utter a word even after 20 minutes had passed.

She stood up and slowly walk toward him and stood just behind him before wrapping her arms around his stomach and pressing her face on his back as if that was what his tears wanted like permission to fall from his eyes. Arshad started breathing harshly as it became difficult for him to take a single breath. Isha got alert and came in front of him only to find him trying to take a breath. Her eyes widened in fear. "Arsh" she started rubbing her hands on his heart. "Arsh" her hand started shaking. His eyes met with her fearful eyes and he try to assure her by gulping and nodding his head saying he was alright but she know better. She hugged him tightly and just then she heard him hiccuping one after another and then a loud cry before he falls to his knees isha also sat with him on the floor.

"I...I don't... want to... lose... her and..and my child" isha pulled him in a hug. She was not crying even her tears got frozen. The man who was her strength was breaking like this. The man who saved her and love her unconditional was destroying himself just because of her. She never felt this much love in her entire life as she was feeling right that moment. This love was enough for the rest of her life. This love of his was enough for her to live her life without him.

"You will not lose them. I promise" isha whispered caressing his hair. Arshad was so lost in his grief that he didn't hear her determination and the decision behind her words.

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At night isha was roaming in her room feeling restless. She wanted to spend the night with him but he was not there. He said before going out of her room that he will come to her tonight. As he had decided that one night he will go to Sofia's room and the next night he will come to isha's room and last night was in Sofia's name so tonight was isha's.

Even after 11 passed at night, he didn't come isha thought to go check up on him. She was not sure whether what she was going to do was good or not. She was not sure if Arshad will forgive her for that or not. She wanted to loosen his tension not increase it. Passing time was making her weak. She was having double thoughts.

Roaming around the house she finally came out of the house to the garden and find him sitting on the bench with Asam.

"Please leave her Bhai. Or else we all will lose your child and Sofia bhabi" Arshad looks at him shaking his head.

"I will not," he declared with determination.

"Bhai..."

"Don't try to force me I will not change my decision. Isha needs me more than anyone."

"Sofia bhabi also needs you. Your child also needs you" Asam try to make him understand.

"As much as isha needs me, no one else. Why don't you guys understand she doesn't have anyone other than me? Sofia has everything other than me. She is independent and she has her parent to support her and my child has a mother but isha is weak she will shatter if I leave her. She is not strong like other girls of her age should be. And I love her way too much to let her break." Arshad tries all his ways and words to get Asam out of his back as he was constantly bugging him since evening and in the end, he had to make him see the helplessness of Isha which was his biggest mistake.

"You become his obligation more than his love" Anma jaan's words started ringing in her ears.

"....For his happiness leave him. He saved you isha and I believe you will not want to snatch this happiness from him..."

She smile painfully rising her face to the sky.

"I've taken the right decision" she assured herself before walking back to her room.

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Arshad steps I did the room only to find it in dark. He locked the door before making his way to her bed. He was already in his night suit that's why he directly went to the bed where he found her laying on the other side of the bed. He lay on his side and scooted closer to her draping his arms around her waist. snuggling in her neck he mumbled.

"Sorry for being late" and kissed her soft spot. She turns around in his arms looking into his eyes. Smiling isha touch his jaw lovingly with her soft fingers. Arshad felt everything around him blur seeing her weird but heart-touching smile with moisture in her eyes.

"It's okay. This is enough" she whispered as a lone tear escape the corner of her eyes which he wiped it instantly. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder pulling him in a hug. "How much do you love me?" She asked in a whisper making him frown. They both were laying on their sides while hugging each other.

"What?" He asked to confirm that what he heard was what she asked?

"How much do you love me?" She paused looking up into his eyes. "I want to hear. I want to hear, how much do you love me and what my existence meant to you?" She again asked with pleading eyes making him want to obligated and his one sentence give her the strength she needed that time.

"Tum mera sukoon ho. (Your my peace)"

She hugged him tightly snuggling into his neck. Arshad was still for a few minutes and try to ignore the alarm his heart was giving him as he was tired and wanted peaceful sleep to calm his nerves.

Arshad was slept after a few minutes while isha pulled back a little to stare at his face. She tries to memorise his features and savour the moment as much as she could.

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Arshad stirred in his sleep and try to move his arms but felt a weight on his arms. He opens his eyes and found isha staring at his face. He was startled for a second but then calm himself down and asked.

"When did you woke up? And what's the time it is?"

She get away from his embrace and sat on the bed and mumbled."It's 8:30"

"Oh, I had a long sleep" Arshad mumbled to himself. "When did you woke up? And why were you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?" She asked frowning.

"Like you are watching me for the last time" he chuckled shaking his head.

"Maybe I was" she whispered which he didn't comprehend.

"What?"

"Nothing" she scooted closer to him until she was almost on his lap. Wrapping her arms around his head she pulled him closer until her nose brushes his. "Good morning" isha whispered. Pecking his lips before abruptly getting out of the bed.

Arshad was surprised by her actions. She was behaving weirdly but not thinking too much he also stood up and went to the washroom not before giving her a peck on her cheeks.

Isha smiled sitting on the bed. She was feeling depressed as much as she think about her decision. All night she did was stare at his face and try to convince her heart that it was enough to live the rest of her life with his beautiful memories.

She surely knew that he will be devastated after she will leave but she also knew that his child and Sofia will fill his life with happiness and he will learn to live without her. She knew she was being selfish but she didn't want him to forget her. Their love, their kisses, their beautiful love-making sessions, their every lovable moment, she wants him to remember all his life as she will do. She wants them to be alive in their memories.

"Isha, can you please prepare my breakfast I'm going to my room to get ready for the office."

With that, he walks out of the room in hurry.

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Sofia was still asleep when he entered the room. He went to the bed and sat beside her. Kissing her temple he mumbled "I love you and I believe in my love that I will get you back" with that he got ready hastily and went to the kitchen. He still had hope for him and Sofia. He knew sofia might be angry but she loves him. She will come back to him after some time. She just needs time to accept the reality.

Isha was placing the plate on that small table in the kitchen where they often had their meals.
"Thank you," he said before sitting on the chair and starting to have his breakfast.

"I will make coffee," she said and went to make coffee for him till he had his breakfast

After she was done she sat in front of him staring at him while he was busy with his food.A lumpp formed in her throat as she was doing her best to control her tears.

"Isha, Open your mouth," Arshad said bringing a morsel in front of her mouth. She gulp it with her tears and told him to have it as she could eat later and he was getting late.

After he was done he went to the sink and wash his hands and turn to isha.

"Bye," he smiled touching her cheeks and was about to leave she held his wrist stopping him.

"Wait"

He turns to her puzzled. While she walk closer to him and began removing the imaginary dust from his shoulder.

"Can you give me a goodbye kiss?" She asked in a whisper feeling afraid that he will catch her intention.

"I would love to" he replied making her sign in relief. He wrapped one arm around her waist while with the other he held her face.

Arshad connected their lips and Isha lead the kiss as this was her goodbye kiss to him. She held his back of the head kissing him passionately making him lose his control. He groaned biting her lips while pressing her body between him and on the counter.

"Isha, you don't want me to go to the office?" He mumbled against her lips making her pull back.

"No, you should leave," she said pulling away. He sighed nodding his head. Holding his face she tiptoes before pecking his forehead and moving away.

"Bye. Take care of yourself. I love you.
And I will miss you" her voice cracked but she tried her hard not to let him know still a lone stubborn tear fell.

Arshad frowns but thinking she was upset and worried about everything that was happening in the house he shrugged off. Wiping her tear he said.

"Don't worry, I will come back soon."

But I will not. Isha thought to herself.

He kissed her forehead and walk out of the kitchen ignoring the uneasy feeling in his heart.

And unaware that this might be the last time he was seeing his peace in front of him.

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How was it?

What do you think is Isha doing the right thing? Tell me your thoughts.

I've updated His Selfish Love's first chapter. If you have not checked it out yet then go check it and Share you thoughts there.

Remember me and my family in your prayers.

Love angel💞