It had been almost a month since Ishmal started teaching at Hiba's school. Haider despite disliking it couldn't intervene in this matter because his parents were parents were involved in this. Secondly, his dear sister Hiba was also one of the hurdles. She started to love her new sister-in-law way too much. At first, it was just Unaiza and his mother, now it seemed everyone was warming up to Ishmal's presence in their house.

Ishmal was still very unresponsive to him. She seldom talked to him. Perhaps for her, he was invisible. Yet she was doing everything opposite to what he told her. She was testing Haider's patience. She was breaking his walls of ego. Something which he had made around himself since Nisha left him. But it wasn't affecting him on the level that he always thought. He wanted to teach her a lesson but he knew he would be the one to get impacted in it.

It was a nice evening in August and everyone except Haider and his father was sitting in the garden. Suddenly a plan to eat ice cream popped up out of nowhere. Aqia also asked Ishmal to go with the rest of the kids. Promptly her mind went back to what Haider said to her to not to mingle with his family this much. This made her pause to agree to refuse to her mother-in-law. Should she really go? But of course, Haider would get furious if he would get to this. But the next moment, she remembered how he gave her orders as someone who was under his rule.

"Go Ishmal. Have fun with everyone else," Aqia again said on which she couldn't decline her because she was indeed saying it with so much love.

She then recalled how Haider had last made her seem like some of the culprits who just had to listen to him without questioning him anything. He wanted to blame being a reason for the failure of this marriage on her shoulders. This caused her to change her mind and go with them for the outing.

"So Bhabi tell us about your first meeting with Hitler." it was Huzaifa who asked her this.

Ishmal was so engrossed in her tasty double chocolate ice cream that she couldn't understand what he was saying.

"Hitler?" She whispered in confusion.

Hiba chuckled at this while lightly punching her brother's bicep. A smile struck at Unaiza's lips.

"Oh, I see. He wouldn't have been a Hilter for you, isn't he? He is a Hitler for the rest of the world. For me, he is someone who brings sweetness out of his mouth. Huh?" Huzaifa smirked earning a glare from Hiba. While Unaiza did was to get her cheeks blanched because of how he was talking about Haider.

Ishmal quickly understood what he was saying.

The first meeting. She still remembered it and she wished it wouldn't have happened. At least she would have been spared of a person like Haider who was really a Hitler. Huzaifa wasn't wrong to say it.

"It was normal." That was all Ishmal could say.

Huzaifa narrowed his eyes. "Just normal? Don't hide it,  Bhabi. Just tell me when you guys first saw each other, there would have been imaginary flowers falling from the sky all around you. And just tell me how did you manage to make Hitler fall in love with you? I mean against all the odds it happened."

Ishmal's jaw dropped. What the hell was he saying? Haider said right this guy would surely give her a hard time. "I don't know. Ask your brother. For me, I think we were meant to be together that's why it happened."

"Ohhhh..." He exclaimed. "By the way Bhabi, tell me one thing," Huzaifa placed a hand under his chin. "What did you like the most in Hitler to choose him as your husband?"

"He was my brother's friend and he liked him for me that's why," Ishmal mumbled, rubbing her fingers together.

She licked her lips in dismay. Perhaps that was the reason why Haider warned her not to mingle with his family.

"So you only said yes because your brother wanted this?" Huzaifa was at it again.

Ishmal shook her head. "Of course, I like him too."

Huzaifa smiled. "That's what I wanted to hear."

Hiba glared at her brother. "You are so shameless."

Huzaifa only laughed at this while Ishmal returned her focus to the ice cream so he wouldn't question anything else.

This guy was such a rascal.

When they reached home, Haider was already there. His eyes scanned her from bottom to up until they rested on her face. They became hard. Ishmal gulped but quickly excused herself for the room.

She shouldn't fear anything because she had nothing to lose here.

When Haider reached home after duty, from Aqia he was informed that Ishmal had gone out with his siblings for some partying. The fact that she was again negating his words by getting unrestricted so much with his family didn't bother him at that time. It was the thing that she had gone out without him and almost alone when she left her house due to her father being after her in the first place. Possibly he might be after her again and wanted her back. And Ishmal shouldn't walk alone like this without him or guards with her.

But as he thought about it. Shouldn't it make him happy? He would be getting rid of her before time and even without trying. If she would be getting in her father's hand, it would strengthen his case. He could easily make up this story in front of his parents that Ishmal wasn't a good girl and she ran away with someone. But it wasn't it. His worry wasn't about it. He wanted her safe and near to him.

Maybe for a lifetime. For forever.

She had finally broken those walls of contempt around him. Haider now didn't feel any hatred for her. Instead, he begins to like her. Maybe it was the effect of the words of nikkah. Or perhaps the anger wasn't there from the very start and Ishmal only became a catalyst to make him realize it.

Seeing her face, he couldn't say anything at that time. She was looking very happy. But as soon as she locked her gaze on him, her expressions became flat and a hard look came in her eyes. Why was it like this? Why Ishmal was fine with everything one but not him?

But the answer was clear. He didn't leave a single thing for her to feel goodness from him. 

When he came into the room in the night, he found Ishmal in front of the dressing table. She was removing rings from her fingers. He looked at her slim fingers and delicate hands. How soothing it would be to hold them and place them on his heart so that the dense resentment could melt away by the heat of them.

Ishmal gazed at him for a moment before taking a deep breath and standing up.

"You didn't tell me you were going out with everyone," Haider complained.

"I didn't feel the need to," she shrugged.

"Ishmal." Haider raised a brow. "Don't forget you are my wife."

"But we don't owe our lives to one another. That agreement never stated that we would follow other's commands during this period. Do you inform me before going anywhere?" She questioned back in the end, leaving Haider stunned.

He would have answered her but at that time, his phone rang. Haider hissed before taking it out of his pocket. Ishmal took the opportunity and left for the bed where today it was her take to sleep.

When Haider got done with his call, his eyes followed her. She was now lying down on the bed and her eyes were closed. Why she didn't react? Why didn't she seem affected by all of this? Why did she never stop talking about that contract? Why did she never show any shade of the women he hated the most?

But why did his stupid heart draw towards her?

That day Haider didn't say anything to her but today it was another thing. It was a sunny day on Sunday. Everyone was at home including Haider. And all the young gang of course except him were playing cricket. Somehow Huzaifa and Hiba persuaded Ishmal to play as well. After breakfast, Haider went to his room to work on some of his important case files. While everyone else gathered in the garden. Aqia and Mr. Tashfeen were relishing the sweet rays of the sun while watching their children enjoying the life to the fullest.

"I am so happy to see Haider's wife at last. It was my wish to see him happy in his life and Thank God, it happened," Aqia confessed.

Mr. Tashfeen smiled. "You are right. Ishmal and Haider look so happy with each other. And I feel like someone like Ishmal was the only one who could have handled him. Haider seems good now. He spends time at home as well unlike before."

Aqia nodded and looked at Ishmal who was now giggling at something Huzaifa had said. "You are right."

She liked all this. This life was beautiful. It was without any fear and with genuine people all around. Yet sometimes she missed her mother. And this always made her teared up thinking about what she would be doing. Would she really be remembering Ishmal or not? How she would have tackled her fleeing away? Would she be hating her now? But no. Why would she? She knew her husband was behind Ishmal all the time. She would have never done that.

It was her turn to bat now. Ishmal tied her dupatta around her shoulder to her waist and grabbed the bat. She wasn't a very good player but she liked all this. After playing a few dot balls in the beginning, the ball finally hit her bat. But it was so strong that it reached the skies. Ishmal who wanted to celebrate it, couldn't do so because this made her jump in fear as the ball hit the open window of their bedroom and landed inside.

Everyone's eyes followed the journey of the ball and their reactions weren't different than hers.

"Oh God, the Hitler mode will get on now," Huzaifa asserted and Ishmal bit her lower lip in anxiety because it was true perhaps.

                 _____________________

AssalamoAlaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter for you.

How is it?

What do you think Haider will do now?

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

Till next one, Allah Hafiz/ Bye. ❤❤