He was stopped in his track when someone appeared in front of him and it made all the shopping bags from that person's hands to fall. Haider looked ahead with irritation. It was a young boy probably a teenager. The guy huffed and crouched down to grab his things which came out of the shoppers. Haider decided to ignore him and walk ahead when a woman approached them.

She looked at the boy. "Ayyan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Mama. I am just coming," he mumbled.

His mother glanced at Haider with apologetic eyes. At this, he flipped a hand to show it was nothing. "Walk carefully, beta."

Just when Haider was about to leave for real, his eyes unknowingly went towards the floor and something made him pause. It was something peculiar peeking through one of the shopping bags. Perhaps a picture of someone very familiar to Haider but he couldn't remember it. It was half hidden by the bag but the golden hair which he could only see was very typical for him. He narrowed his eyes at it. But the boy soon placed it back in its original state and stood up.

Haider shrugged his shoulders as he didn't really have time for anything and stepped away. Sitting in his car, he pushed the race and out of habit, touched the under pocket of his shirt to check his phone but there was nothing. He again tried to search but to no avail. Where it did go? Maybe he had left it in the jeweler's shop. Haider again headed towards the mall and reached the same shop.

The first thing he noticed there made him still. It was after such a long time and technically it shouldn't affect him now as many years had passed but it again made those scars of hurt ego come alive. Nisha was sitting there with that guy, trying different kinds of rings and asking for his opinion on each one of them. While her husband's whole focus wasn't the jewelry, it was the happy face of his wife. He had a smile on his lips and a warm expression in his eyes that even though Haider hated to admit, everything was speaking of love and just the love he had for Nisha.

Their backs were towards him so they couldn't see him. They were regardless lost in their own worlds anyway to even notice anything around them.

"How's this looking, Ruhaan?" Nisha asked him, bringing her hand in front of his eyes. Her finger had a beautiful diamond ring around it.

Her husband touched the delicate ring and then looked back at her. "Breathtaking. Because it's in your gorgeous finger."

Nisha giggled and then shook her head. "So I am going to get it done."

Haider didn't hear what he said in the response. There was a havoc building in his whole body. A noise which was so loud that he couldn't make out any other sound. All this made him recall those instances when this woman humiliated him in front of everyone by cheating on him. How could he even forget it? Its wounds were still hurting him while she was happily enjoying her life after ruining his with all her might.

Haider curled his fingers in a fist as he looked away from the scene. He asked for his phone from the shopkeeper who fortunately had kept it to himself in wait that whoever it belonged to, would come himself in its search.

"I think you shouldn't take suggestions from me. Because whatever you will wear, I will like it no matter what." As Haider held his phone, he heard Nisha's husband.

"Be serious Ruhaan. Tell me properly. This one or this?" Nisha chimed, her voice laced with love and adoration.

Haider's jaw clenched in hatred and then he ambled out of the shop. Then he didn't know how did he reached his car and then drove back to home. He was fuming with fury, loathe, and resentment.

The day, when he found Nisha coming out of that guy's car, became vivid in his memory. He dealt with the same emotions at that time as well. When Nisha mortified their commitment and engagement by maintaining an affair with that guy and when she again blatantly again rejected him, all was playing in front of his eyes.

Even though he didn't have any soft feelings attached to her anymore but the ego was something that would never allow anything to die. The hurt to his own ego was burning all those scars once again and he was suffering from the aftereffects once again.

When he reached home, it was already evening. The sun was all set and the sky was giving shade of black. The stars were twinkling while the moon was also showing its head. The coldness also increased in the atmosphere but Haider was unable to feel it because of the lava boiling in his insides. He came out of the car with a jerk and took hurried steps inside.

When he reached the lounge, he was met with his siblings as usual causing chaos there. But there was one addition and that was Ishmal. They were probably playing some useless game again. Haider's gaze fell on her who was laughing at something Huzaifa had said to her. For a moment, he was dumbfounded by looking at her glowing face. He never saw Ishmal smiling like this in front of him ever.

But it was brief. Soon it was replaced by anger. It made him remember what he saw at the jeweler's shop. Ishmal was also a woman. She would also do the same as Nisha did. Because all those women just knew how to misuse a man's love and trust and nothing else. She would also see other men while being his wife since that was what they did. The resentment rose so much that he felt he wouldn't be able to control himself. He had to end this all before he would be confronted with the same outcome again. He had to let Ishmal go before she would also make him fall in love with him as Nisha did.  

When their eyes locked, the smile dropped off Ishmal's face and she she stood up. Perhaps her lovely and caring wife mode would get on now.

"Should I bring water for you?" She asked after greeting him.

Haider looked at her gleaming face. She was looking so innocent. But he knew all of this was a deception. A lie. He knew he wouldn't be able to control himself hence he wanted to leave from there before he lashed out his anger at any of them.

"No. I am going to grab a shower," he said, gently even though nothing in his insides was gentle as his tone.

After that, he didn't stand there for even a second. Coming into the room, he directly headed for the washroom. The wrath bursting in his body even didn't lessen after he relaxed himself out of his dress and attained the shower. Instead, it increased more.

Whatever was happening shouldn't be happening. Nisha was gone. From his life, from his heart, from his good books. But why wasn't she leaving his pride? Why the wound from eight years ago wasn't healing? He angrily applied shampoo on his head and made a lather.

Now Ishmal's silhouette appeared in the back of his mind. At one time, he wanted to possess this girl and mark her as his, and at the other instance, he didn't want to fall prey to her supposed innocence and charm again. It shouldn't occur anymore. He should divorce her now by making any excuse he could make for his family not to force him again for marriage. He couldn't let the same thing happen again.

Ending the shower, he arrived back in the room in only his sweatpants. He was rubbing his hair with a towel when the door got knocked slightly and then Ishmal entered. Her eyes fled from from his face to his bare chest and her cheeks reddened. She gulped and looked away. Why did she come at this time when he would be just out of his bath?

Haider nostrils flared looking at her. That primal emotion again rose in him. She was his and he didn't even yet claim her as his own. Why would he leave her? There was a difference between wife and fiance. And Ishmal was his wife and he would never ever send her away from him even if his ego would scream. This girl only belonged to him. Her heart, mind, soul, and body should only be known as his and no one else.

"Ammi was saying that the dinner is ready. Come for the meal," she informed him.

Haider gritted his brows and walked small strides towards her. Ishmal's eyes widened and she tried to take a step back but she was late. Her wrist was caught by Haider's steely hand and then he pushed her against the wall.

"Why do you keep calling her that when this marriage means nothing to you?" He whispered sternly against her ear.

                 _______________________

AssalamoAlaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter.

How is it?

Who do you think were the mother and son in the beginning?

Do you think Haider's reaction is justified upon seeing Nisha and Ruhaan?

What do you think he will do with Ishmal now?

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

Till next one, Allah Hafiz/ Bye. ❤❤❤