A knock on the door grabbed my attention. Placing the pillow back on her bed I walked towards the door, opening it.

"Dad?" It wasn't suppose to come out as a question yet it did. I wasn't surprise to see him standing by my room door but I was curious enough to know what makes my dad bring to my room. 'Cause it has been almost three days since I have been discharged from the hospital and not even once also my dad has visited me like this.

Raising two mugs of coffee my dad smiled sheepishly silently asking for my permission to come inside. Opening the door a bit wider I stepped aside letting him come inside.

"I was craving coffee but wasn't looking forward to drink alone and who a better a company than you?" He said giving me my mug.

"Thanks but you didn't need to make coffee excuse to come to my room." I walked ahead of him taking seat by my window while he sat on the edge of the bed facing me.

Crossing my legs I took a sip of my coffee nodding my head in appreciation as I took a sip, "Not bad!!"

"Oh, I'm flattered!!" dad made an attempt to fake fan himself making me chuckle. "It's been long...isn't it?"

I froze for a second before nodding my head, "Indeed it has been..."

"How have you been?" He asked

"Don't you think you're a bit late to ask this question?" I looked at him.

"It's never too late, Laiba!" He replied.

"It is dad...it is!" I kept the mug beside me.

"We can always catch up, you know?" He shrugged

"Why did you left?" I was straight with my question but not ashamed.

"It was the situation demand"

"And was it the situation that restricted you from contacting your only heir? To leave her behind and never look out for her?" I asked.

"No Laiba. I never distanced myself from you it's just that I didn't came in front of you. I knew where you were? What you were doing? Whom you are with? Which subject did you took, your friends...everything!!" He leaned forward resting his hands on his knee.

"Basically you were stalking?"

"If that's how you're gonna put it than yes!"

"And you're happy with it?" I asked

"No Laiba a father can never be happy without his child" he quickly shook his head

"And what about a mother, Dad? Will she?"

"Laiba..."

"You both didn't left an ounce of space also to prick me, hurt me." My tone held accusation and yet once again I wasn't ashamed of it.

"My intention was to never hurt you, my child!"

"Yet you did!" I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry!"

"Will it bring back my childhood where I use to lock myself in the store room so that I can't hear you both arguing over petty things?"

His head snapped up after hearing me. "Yes dad, I heard everything...everything even when I was a mistake for you both!"

"Am I?" I looked dead in the eyes of her father.

"Never you are not a mistake but a beautiful creation which only bloomed our relationship more!"

"It didn't looked like that!" I chuckled bitterly.

"We both were young when we got married and had you! We didn't got the time to even know each other properly!"

"And that doesn't justify you leaving us!" I almost yelled but quickly stopped myself.

"I needed to leave Laiba whether you understand or not! To have and give all the luxuries that you both can afford now or before I had to leave because if I wouldn't have then your grandad would have thrown me out of my own company!" He tried to explain me.

"Then why didn't you took us with you? Why those late night arguments?" I asked.

"Because your Mom didn't wanted to accompany me or you can say didn't wanted to leave behind her mansion, her friend circle to just to come and stay with me back in Canada. And even if I wanted to I couldn't stay here in Chicago with you both. What do you expect me to do? I had a family, a child, a company and thousands of workers to look after to...for how long I could have ignored all those?" He questioned me.

"Leaving us was a better option isn't it?" I asked again the same question.

Sighing he shook his head, "No, It was the toughest decision of my life and trust me when I say that I wasn't in peace over there!"

"You didn't even contacted me once...it was as if you vanished all of a sudden" my shoulders slumped down as I spoke.

"I did called you even demanded to see you but your mother just didn't let me and then you moved out!" He threw his hands around himself.

"One day or the other I was suppose to move out. I just couldn't stay over there. Those brands, luxuries suffocated me." I shuddered remembering my childhood days where I was dressed up from head to toe in different brands. My mother never stopped from spoiling me but I wasn't the one who wanted to get spoiled over brands or money!

I founded happiness in my small apartment. I found love in that very apartment and I even started my family in that very same apartment. I was happy with my life.

"I did return for you, I did return for your mother-"

"Of course you both did came around but not a bit before where you both could have saved my child or me!! You were late." My eyes held accusation while my tone was soft.

"How did you even ended up with Daniyal? You were in love with Ashar, you even had Shezan..."

"Let's just say I was blinded by those luxuries!!" I said.

He scoffed, "Yeah right!"

"That chapter is closed Dad. It was done and I was over with it..."

"And again you found Ashar?"

Shaking my head I replied, "Ashar found me!"

"What?!"

"Nothing Dad....not everything lasts forever and I guess me and Ashar will always be  Me And You we can never be Us"

"Is that why that guy keeps on standing at the same spot till four in the morning?"

The sentence wasn't even completed I found myself standing and turning around now facing the window. I could very clearly see the outline of his body, my heart hammered in my chest. How could I missed this? But then again I hadn't opened the curtains from the last three days.

"He really wants you back. The desperation and longing can be very well seen. Talk to him." With a slight tap on my shoulder my dad left. Immediately I took out my cell and dialed his number. On the very third ring he picked up my call our gaze clashing.

"What are you doing here at this time?" I asked

"Waiting for you!" Was his simple reply.

"Didn't I already answered you for that question?"

"I won't give up, not this time."

"Ashar you need to go!"

"Why?"

"Why are you making this tough for me?"

"It's hell for me Laiba. I want you!"

"But you don't need me!"

"Laiba-"

"Good bye, Ashar." I ended the call and even closed the curtains. Turning my cell on silent I felled down on the bed cover my face buried in the pillow.

That night I kept on tossing and turning but sleep didn't came to me. My hands were itching to slide the curtain away and take a look if he was even there or not. Right when the clock struck four I got out of the bed and walked towards the window. Sliding the curtain away I saw him getting inside the car but didn't expected that he'll look up and once again our gaze connected but this time he drove away.

Sitting on the window seat I listened to the Fajr Adhan before getting up to make wudu but then I saw the notification signal blinking.

It's not good to peek like that- Ashar.

"I hate him!!"

***

It's been five days since that night when I had first saw Ashar standing in front of my house the whole night till four in the morning and since then he has been doing this regularly. I had even asked my security guards to make him leave but he just won't budge. His gaze firm on my window.

A light migraine was making it's presence known and before it can make a full blown appearance I asked one of the house maid to prepare a strong mug of coffee for me. Anxiously waiting for my coffee, I was scrolling through my cell when my cell buzzed. Why was John calling me? Picking up his call I didn't bothered to greet him and instead came staight to the topic.

"Why did you called?"

"Can we meet?"

"No"

"Please..."

"No."

"Laiba, at least let me explain myself. Please." He almost pleaded.

"Fine, we can talk over the call...there's no need for a meet up!" I replied back to him sternly.

"You are so stubborn!"

"Why, Thank you."

"You're making this more difficult for me."

"Like you left an option for me?"

"If I wouldn't then would you have met Ashar?"

"You don't have to bring him in between this John. It was before he had come in my life. In fact way way before."

My mood suddenly turned sour and I was this close breaking my cell for once and for all!

"That is what I'm saying...if we wouldn't have broke up then how come you would have given Ashar your heart?"

"Are you seriously comparing you selfishness with me falling in love with Ashar? I can't believe this!" I raised my hand in the air.

"No, that's not what I mean-"

"You know what talking to you is making me more sick, it's better if we just leave it to where it is. It's a closed chapter John!"

"No, it's not. Actually, I'm really sorry for what I did with you back then." His voice went low all of a sudden.

"You should be." I was sarcastic in my tone.

"I know I shouldn't have used you like that for money. And, I didn't knew that you would be that serious for me." He replied.

"Guess what? I guess I wasn't that serious for you because if I was then I would have been sulking right now instead of moving on! It was just an emotional phase." I replied

"You really hate me!"

"It's not about hating John. I have really left that part of my life and have moved on. So now, it doesn't even matter to me what our opinions matter on that topic. It's good that you have realised your mistake...and that really just sums up everything." I explained to him my point in a more better way.

"Thank you."

"No John, Thank you for picking up my call that night and coming to pick me up. This is what I want from you. We were friends and I want to be friends with you forever." I said.

"C'mon now just don't go all formal with me. A friend in need is a friend indeed!" He chuckled.

"Oh, Mr.John going all mature!" I laughed. After that we talked for more five minutes and then we both hung up.

Shaking my head and letting all those thoughts fly out from my mind...I leaned my head against the headboard. But soon my little peace moment was interrupted with a knock on my door.

"Come in." I replied.

"Laiba..."

"Mom, you didn't had to bring it upstairs." I asked quickly taking my mug from her hand.

"I was coming upstairs to check you so I brought it with me." She said tucking my hair behind my ear. "So, how are you feeling now?"

"Bored out of my mind. I need to go out!"

"Oh, no no...you will not! You need to rest for few more days."

"Mom, I'm going to fall sick if you all keep on making me stay like this."

"Why don't you call your friends over here?"

"Not in the mood."

"Something's up?" She asked.

"I miss Shezan" I replied.

"Then why don't you talk to him or better call him here? We can also meet him." She suggested

"No, mom. He won't." I nodded my head.

"Laiba, speak to Ashar."

"I will just not now."

"Okay, do what you think is best for you. But remember this time you aren't alone. Me and your Dad is with you." She kissed my forehead.

After chit chatting for sometime she left and only then I decided to call Nafisa and ask about Shezan.

"Assalamualaikum, Laiba."

"Walekumasalam. How are you?"

"Allahamdulilah and you?"

"Much better. How's Shezan?"

There was a long sigh on the other end before she replied to my question. "He's become quiet. Doesn't play, doesn't eat properly...just stays in his room."

My heart clenched at her words.

"Where's Mom and Dad? Shezan loves to spend time with them. He ain't listening to them also?" I asked.

"If they would have been here then surely they would have tried to cheer up Shezan."

"What do you mean?"

"The very day when you were discharged from the hospital, Ashar Sir asked them to leave." She said.

"What??!!"

"Lots of things have happened, Laiba. And now they both have gone silent."

"Isn't Ashar taking care of himself?" I asked

"For that he needs to stay at home. He only comes at Fajr time and then after an hour or two he leaves."

"Is he spending all his time in his office?"

"Wish I could say Yes."

"Nafisa, I'm not understanding."

"I did called his office but Faiz said that he is not coming to office."

"Then where is he?"

"I don't know Laiba. I just can't see both of them suffering. Please, do something."

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Shezan."

"Please." With that we hung up.

Tapping my cell on my hand, my eyes grew wide, getting up from my bed I rushed towards my window pulling apart the curtains.

And there he was standing against his car, his gaze fixed on my window.

Allah, why are you making this more difficult for me?

***

The next morning I was really not in the mood to stay inside the house and do nothing so after coaxing and promising my parents finally allowed me to join office from today. Although, I would have joined back sooner or later but right now office seemed the best place for my diversion.

Not contemplating much on what to wear, I picked out a random black jeans and a white full sleeved blouse with a teal pink hijab. Quickly freshening up and and getting ready I walked out to my car. Once settled inside I wheeled out of the garage only to be stopped at the same spot where Ashar was standing last night.

He hasn't slept at all last night or since the last whole week as per Dad say; which'll surely make him grumpy and grumpy Ashar is the last thing that his employees would be willing to meet today!! Did he ate or skipped his breakfast? What about Shezan? Is he giving him time or has immersed in paper work?

That brings me to think does his mom knows that he's not staying at home at night? I guess not because if she would have then I would have gotten her call with an extra dose of verbal abusing and accusation!!

This guy is hell bent on humiliating me!!

Driving away in full speed I let my thoughts flow out of the window and into the wind.

Stepping inside my office not many of them knew why was I on leave from so many days so no one bothered me with unnecessary questions and fake concern that is until my group decided to barge inside my cabin making me almost fall down from my chair with the way they entered and almost bone crushed me in a very very tight hug.

Squeezing out myself, I just gave them a good questioning look to which all three of them shrugged making me groan!

Now, perched on the sofa with the coffee mugs in our hands while Shahid swirled in my chair.

"So what do you have thought now?" Jess asked.

"I don't know!" I shrugged.

"C'mon Laiba this is not the answer!" Laila said.

"I really don't know guys. I don't know." I looked up.

"Is this your way of punishing him?" Jess asked.

I rolled my eyes before keeping my mug on the table. "To be honest I never thought of it as a punishment. And why would I even punish him? He did what he was suppose to do. I was bound to get a reaction from him and this was suppose to happen sooner or later but-"

"But?" Laila prompted

"But the thing that hurted me most is the way he judged me. He didn't even listened to my side of the story but just randomly made up his mind that I'm at fault. And moreover, I don't even know that why is it bothering him this much? I wasn't with him when I got pregnant. We were divorced at that time. So how come he judge me? For a fact I didn't cheated him. Yes, I betrayed his emotions when I ran away leaving Shezan and him behind but after signing off the papers, we were both strangers! And for God sake didn't I apologized to him? Didn't I was enduring his way of punishing me from the last two years?" I breathed out after my little outburst. Jess and Laila was quick enough to rub my arm for a soothing effect.

"Laiba..." We all turned to look at Shahid who was now looking at me with an expression that I just wanted to avoid atleast for now.

"Shahid-"

"No, I'm not taking his side in fact not in the mood to take either of your sides but what I want to say is at least sit down and talk. Sort out...just don't left hanging out. It's high time now...you both need some peace in your marital status. And, don't even let me get started on the emotions that you both share. The love, the bond that you both share is way old and strong. The part where you both signed is solely your foolishness, Laiba and the way Ashar treated you is his way of foolishness!!" Shahid said.

"We have lost the spark, Shahid. Nothing's like before!" I muttered.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you wearing that chain?" He raised his eyebrows while I looked left to right. The chain which he's talking about is of utmost important and cherishable memory. It was of course given to me by my Ashar. He had given to me the very day when I had shared with him the news of my pregnancy which was right after a month of our marriage. He was so happy that he had literally opened the windows of our room and had shouted that he was going to become a Dad. It was that day when we both had decided that we will name Shezan if it'll a boy and Aisha if it'll be a girl...just like that night when we had shared the time in his very balcony when I was just an annoying neighbour of him.

Those nine months that we had shared together was the period where everything started changing for us. Where I changed!! Where I became this heartless monster...!!

"It hurts na Laiba? Just imagine the pain that he would have felt when he must have been forced to believe what he was being shown and said. Imagine how he would have felt to know that the woman whom he was mad for had once shared her day and night with some other man. Would you have taken that easily if the situation would have been reversed? No, na? Then how come he can take, Laiba? For how long I've known him he had only been in love with you whether he has shown or not! I'm not taking his side or neither I'm justifying his actions when he judged you or called you names but here, all I'm saying is that Ashar is also in pain if not more." Shahid was now sitting beside me holding my hand trying to put things out in different lights.

"Shahid, there are just so many things to say, so many things to make him understand to make myself understand. My Shezan hates me...he hates me!!" I sobbed.

"Lai, he's an innocent child. How have you been expecting him to react when he would have come to know about all this sooner or later. Have you not even once thought that when you re maried Ashar, he was big enough to look at the blanks but was clueless to fill in the blanks. Not having a mother from so long and to have a mother suddenly whose a carbon copy of him is a heart wretching thing, Lai. It must have been his innocence or the love and warmth of a mother that he must have missed which had made the many questions of you and Ashar relation pushed at the back of his mind. He's only a child, Lai. Try to think from his side, he doesn't hates you he's just confused and moreover if someone deserves to know then it is Shezan who needs to know the hell that is going on with you both and where does he stand." It was Jess who shared her view.

"Lai, we're not blind nor we're deaf that we can't heart your heart bleeding but still pounding for Ashar. All we're saying is that it's not about You and Him, it's way beyond that. Try sorting out it with yourself first and then with Ashar, I'm sure this time he'll surely listen to you but for that you also have to listen to his side. Just don't let this storm come and wash everything away, Lai." Laila said holding my hand in between hers.

"And you know what Laib?" Shahid said all of a sudden now standing against the window of my cabin.

We all looked at him.

"If this is not love, If this is not guilt, If this is not a way to show how sorry a person is, If this is not called waiting for one look from your loved one then I don't what love is?" Shahid said.

"What do you mean?" Laila asked standing up.

"Laiba, your guy is sitting on the hood of his car, his gaze solely focused on this window...and we use to know him as a workaholic who rarely use to do "I'll call you tomorrow" and that guy is waiting just for your one look." Shahid said turning around.

Shocked from his words I stood up. Laila and Jess both standing up with me.

"This guy loves you more than you have ever loved him Laiba. And this time he won't back down!"

Taking small shaking steps I walked towards my window and there he was sitting on the hood of his car. His eyes slightly widening at my presence but it was his gaze that made me glued to stare back at him. His gaze held so much longing.

Assalamualaikum My beautiful readers. How are you all?

I hope you all liked the chapter?

Any doubts any questions for Laiba and Ashar you can ask because the next chapter will be the last chapter before the epilogue.

And everything will come clean in the next chapter In Sha Allah.

So please drop down all your queries or questions. You all can even DM me.

Those who wants to follow me on Instagram can follow me on this id-ahmedwarisha.

Till then keep voting, commenting and sharing my story.

And one more thing the blurb and prologue of my very new story titled “Fragile Hearts” will be up with the next chapter of this book.

I hope you all will be there to support and love my new book, too.

Love you all...