Both of them didn't say anything after that. Haider had again put the car on the road. Ishmal's silence meant her willingness. She also wanted to give this relationship a chance. They met each other again and it ignited a spark, firework, emotional attachment, and longing between them.

She turned her head and glanced at him. He was driving with his one hand. The hand of his injured left arm was placed leisurely on his thigh. Pressing his lips together in an observant way, he was looking even more handsome to her now with a few strands of his black hair was now falling on his forehead. Her eyes then lowered and when they locked with his gun holster, it made her suck in a harsh breath as it made her remember whatever happened a while ago.

Haider noticed her gaze on him and gave her a look. She almost jumped out of her place when he got her blunder.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently.

She had noticed today he was talking very politely with her. The attitude, rudeness, and intimidation that he usually used to show to her before was totally absent from his behavior now. Ishmal shook her head anyway.

"Gun is bothering you," he said, raising a brow at her.

She put a lock of her hair behind her ear and Haider followed her movement. He missed seeing her golden beautiful hair. "I was thinking that you must be in pain due to your wound. You shouldn't drive in such a state for so long, Mr. Haider."

Haider gave her a twisted smile. "The things I have survived during my training hours were a way harder, crueler, and intenser than this small wound, Ishmal."

Her jaw dropped at this. "It must be very difficult."

"Nothing seems difficult in front of passion I believe," he asserted.

Here she agreed with him. What she did also seemed very boring and hard for many but she had a passion for art and she loved letting all her thoughts come on paper in the form of wonderful paintings.

"By the way, where are we going?" She changed the topic as her attention diverted to unfamiliar roads.

"My house. To get something worth eating. I don't trust any restaurant especially when I have a fresh wound," he told her.

Ishmal stiffened. "Your house?"

She couldn't just go to his house like this. In front of his family again when she had practically disappeared without saying a word to them. Ishmal wasn't ready for it yet. And who knew how would they act with her now? Of course, red petals wouldn't be in wait for her as far as Haider's family was concerned.

"Yes." He lifted his shoulders. "My own house where I brought you on the very first night. It's very near to the place we are at right now. And we have a few maids to cook for us. So that's why."

Ishmal finally left the breath that she was holding for so long. But this evoked a question in her heart. Even if she and Haider would reconcile, would his family act to be all normal to accept her again? The reality of this contract marriage must have opened in front of them and now she would be nothing other than a girl who ran away from her house. Also, the fact that she had been deceiving them for the three months she lived with them. Would they forget it and move on?

                       _________________

Ishmal looked around her surroundings in appreciation. She had come here before as well. In fact, lived for a week or so too. But at that time, she was too terrified and emotionally drained to notice the beauty of Haider's government house. It was very magnificent, big and stunning.

Looking at the sudden change of weather in a positive way, Haider had decided to have breakfast in the garden. They were settling on small white sofas opposite to each other. The sitting area was lovely. Two couches were placed around a round glassy table. An umbrella-shaped light pink shadow was above it. A perfect area to enjoy the rain from a distance.

After a while, a maid came and arranged the different dishes on the table. Different forms of eggs, bread, flatbread, buns, cereals, fruits, juices and tea. Their sight made Ishmal hungry again.  She had been roaming like this for so many hours.

"Have breakfast, Ishmal," Haider called her.

She glanced at him who was looking at her with his most softest eyes ever. She couldn't believe she had come here on a date with him. Her working day was completely wasted by now and she was about to have breakfast with Haider.

"I need to leave," Ishmal murmured suddenly, checking the time on her wristwatch.

It was past two o'clock now. And even she managed to reach home by this time. Her mother would be getting anxious.

Haider narrowed his eyes at her as he stopped chewing. "Why the hurry?"

"Don't you know? I am living with my mother and it's been a while since I have been away from home. She would get worried for me," she explained, a matter of fact.

Haider cleared his throat before gulping a sip of the juice. "Very soon, I will be having you forever with me, Ishmal. But yes you are right. Before that though, I need to have a few words with you."

She became stunned at his words. Did he even know what was he saying?

"What if I say no?" She challenged him to actually press the words she wanted to hear out of him.

He smiled darkly and for some reason, Ishmal liked whenever he did that. "There's no space left for this to happen ever. Neither by you nor by me."

She looked away from him as she knew she must be having her cheeks heated by now. She started focusing on the cute red rose in the garden. But when she felt a sound and a moving shadow, she knew what he was going to do.

Haider came over to her side and seeing him, Ishmal had to stand up too. He stopped in front of her. But ironically, his sheer presence and intimidating body didn't make her apprehensive. Instead, it did all wrong thing with her.

"Whatever had happened between us when we were living together was something which shouldn't have happened. I know I am the only one who messed up things. Sitting on the high horse of my ego, I hurt you and humiliated your feelings and self-respect." Haider stopped to catch his breath before resuming. "Ishmal, I think so I realized most of the cause of my behavior wasn't anyone else. It was you. You took a fight with my wounded ego. By making my heart warm up to you. By making me forget every fury and anger whenever you were with me. And I wanted to make you defeated. A man like me wouldn't have liked to let himself appear to be affected by a woman. But you were constantly affecting me."

Ishmal remained quiet all this while. She didn't know what to say. With this, so many facts again became bare. His relationship with Nisha. The wounded ego he was talking about was hurt by her. The man he became, she was the reason for it.

Haider grabbed her soft hand which made her come out of her thoughts.

"My heart had been very dark for a while. Nothing goes past it. It had become so tough and unforgiving. But it had seen a light. A small flicker of light, I agree. But it's present. And it's just for you. Whatever tiny or little this heart could feel or show, that will be only for you, Ishmal. I won't promise but I will try my best to keep you happy, loved, respected, and cherished. Something which you wanted. Being cherished and adored. Will you let me do it?" He questioned in the end.

Ishmal took a deep breath. She loved him. She loved him so much that there was no coming back. By living away from him, she realized she couldn't live without him. If he wanted to try for her, then she should give him this chance. All her life, she always did what others determined for her. She never had a choice of her own. If she wanted to take this decision into her own hands, there was no harm. He was her husband. They got legally married and if she wanted, she could continue her life with him.

Ishmal nodded at last which felt like an eternity. Haider's lips spread at her response. Bridging the small gap between them, he got nearer to her. So much that her scent filled his nostrils and her breath started fanning on his face. He closed his eyes in mitigation.

God, he missed everything about her.

Placing a hand over her waist, he curled his fingers at the spot feeling her soft and delicate figure. Ishmal gasped at this.  She was driving him crazy. Bending to her level, he looked into her eyes which had a different brightness in them now. A wish, a hope, an innocent emotion. He suddenly remembered the reason for their separation. And even after everything, seeing her again putting her trust in him made his heart swell for her once more. He would not let her become hurt again. He would make her feel special.

Haider pecked her forehead. A feather-like touch made her already feel she was suspended in the air.

                   __________________

AssalamoAlaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter.

I hope you like it.

What do you think will happen next?

They finally agreed to their reunion. Are you happy?

Do you think Ishmal's fear regarding Haider's family would come true or was she overthinking?

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

Till next one, Allah Hafiz/ Bye. 💞💞💞