Filler kinda chapter but hey, it's something. Hope you vote and comment.

Thanks for all the love so far!

Aaina.

There were times where I wished I could just get a degree in my hand, without studying. That could happen, ofcourse. I was the first lady after all, they could do that for me.

But studying and working hard to get something, that feeling of I did it. I wanted that.

The heating system across the room helped my shaking body as I completed another assignment.

Winters in Islamabad were quite cold this time, and with winter came the urge of laying around in bed all day and doing nothing productive.

But I couldn't hold it on any longer. I had assignments to complete and notes to study, my mid term exams were approaching soon.

So while I was home bound, I thought it was better to sit in my bedroom and complete my studies.

I was sat on the wooden floor, a fluffy mat underneath me as I sipped on my chai and typed on the laptop.

Media ethics.

What to write on media ethics when the ethics of the media in this country were absolutely pathetic?

Most stories have at least two sides. While there is no obligation to present every side in every piece, stories should be balanced and add context. Objectivity is not always possible, and may not always be desirable (in the face for example of brutality or inhumanity), but impartial reporting builds trust and confidence-

I was in the middle of typing when the I heard footsteps approaching the open door of my bedroom. I looked up and spotted Ahad standing there.

In a white shalwar kameez and his perfectly gelled hair, he glanced at me.

"Hey," He greeted, sitting on the bed.

I hadn't seen him in almost two days, he had been busy with his railway ministry work.

He had so much to prove in the first hundred days, especially when Zaydaan was going to review each and every ministry's work and sack the ministers who had not performed well.

The hundred days were going to be completed in the next two weeks, that made him work even more hard.

I smiled at him, we hadn't really talked after my coughing drama to save his ass since Zaydaan had been spending some time with me.

He wasn't very affectionate with me but he was gentle and kind, caring even.

And he had told me that he cared and that I was not nothing. I didn't know whether he had said it out of pity or anxiety, but it definitely had an affect on me.

"Hello, what's up?" I greeted Ahad back, who was staring at the pile of notes and mugs of tea around me.

"Just came back from a press conference, what are you doing?"

I shrugged, as if it wasn't obvious enough.

"Studying, I've got loads of assignments that I need to complete." I told him, he groaned.

"Oh right, home study shit. I can't imagine studying like that."

It was hard, not having your friends and class mates around, not turning important lectures into funny conversations.

"I miss my university, honestly. I don't even remember the last time that I talked to my friends." I replied.

Ahad stood up from the bed, picking up a few notes and scanning them.

"I'm glad you're still studying though. Where's bhai?" He remarked.

Zaydaan had left early in the morning, he hadn't really told me he was leaving but he did mention it last night.

"He went to karachi this morning, had left before I even woke up."

Ahad nodded, putting the notes away and pouring himself some tea from the kettle that was placed on the table.

"You're still home bound?" He questioned.

"I am. It's not like I want to go out anyway, I'm still freaked out."

Going out and interacting with people was nice but going out would mean fearing for my life. It was scary.

"But bhai has been attentive towards you, I've noticed." He said with a smile.

That was true. He would even have dinner with me. These past three to four days had been great for me.

I took a deep breath, smiling at Ahad. I felt like I could tell him anything, literally anything. He was turning out to be my best friend in this crazy world.

"He has been, like it's really nice. But he's so confusing, Ahad. Like a week ago he told me that I mean nothing to him and then he told me that he cares and I'm not nothing, it's crazy." I rambled, continuing.

"I'm literally on egg shells, like I feel one mistake and everything is gonna go back to him being rude to me. I don't want that."

Ahad sipped his tea.

"Did he ask you about Saaniya?" He enquired. I frowned for a minute, Saaniya? Oh.

"So she's called Saaniya? Yeah, he did and I said that I didn't know who the girl is." I answered.

"Which is technically not a lie." I added, he chuckled as if saying sure.

"That is true. She wants to meet you," He stated.

Meeting her would mean actually knowing her and that would mean lying to Zaydaan for real. If he somehow got to know about it, he would get mad at me yet again. I didn't want that.

"She can't come here and I can't go out. So it will have to wait." I stalled him.

"Yeah,"

"So why is bhai in karachi?"

"You don't know? Aren't you a minister? You should know this better than anyone." I said accusingly, he raised his eyes.

"He had to go visit Lahore when the attack on you happened but karachi was just a surprise. He called the cabinet but I couldn't attend." He informed me.

"I heard him telling me that some party was willing to ally with the government and it would take the pressure off them since opposition has been kind of crazy."

"Which party?"

"Republic party, I think."

His face broke into a huge smile upon hearing the news.

"Fuck, really? Oh yeah, that's why he called the cabinet meeting, maybe he's there for that. That would be so great."

What was the big deal? I didn't know. They were in the government. Why did they need more allies?

I was about to ask Ahad this very question when he stood up, putting his tea away and looking at his phone which was buzzing in his hand.

"I have to take this." He informed.

"It's her, hmm?" I questioned playfully.

The smile on his face was enough to tell me that he was madly in love.

"Yeah, it's her."

He left the room and I, once again went back to completing my assignments.

--

What even was love for me? What did I know about love that had made me fall so deeply with Zaydaan? Was it the fact that I had never loved someone before him? Was it because I didn't have any decent male figure in my life and Zaydaan's early affection had made me love him?

Or was it his beautiful brown eyes? Or his hair? Or the way he said my name, or the way he stood when he was focused on something, or the way he passed around orders.

Or was it the fact that he was older than me, so I respected him enough to love him?

Why did I love a man that didn't love me? And how had I fallen in love with him?

Putting my laptop away, I picked up my phone. I scrolled through it, contemplating on whether I had the right to call him or not.

I did have the right, but I didn't have the heart to hear him tell me to not call him, or worse, not pick up my call at all.

I sighed.

Should I? Okay fuck it, I'm going to.

The phone rang a few times, my cheeks heating up at the thought of him hanging up on me.

It rang for a few seconds.

He almost never responded to my texts, what was I thinking while calling him? What the fuck was I god damn thinking?

He picked it up.

"What is it, Aaina?" Was the first thing I heard the moment he picked up the phone.

By the voices around him, I realised that I had called at a very inconvenient time. It seemed like he was around a hell lot of people.

I gulped, staring at myself in the mirror feeling like a complete idiot.

"Hey, uh, sorry, are you busy?" I asked, wincing. Why would I even ask that?

Ugh, why did I call?

"Yes, extremely." He replied in a monotone voice.

Alright, Aaina. Tell him to care and hang up. Save yourself the embarrassment.

As if you haven't been completely humiliated and embarrassed by him before. It's not the first time, Aaina. He told you you're nothing and humiliated you, and you went back to acting like nothing had happened.

My mind was so conflicted.

"Okay, I'll-" I tried to say something but he interrupted me.

"Are you alright?"

The tenderness in his tone made me gasp just a little. God, why did it sound like he really cared?

Zaydaan Ziagil was screwing with my head, how could he snap at me first and then ask me if I was okay?

"I'm okay, I'm fine." I replied anyway.

"Okay, I'll see you at home."

I bit my lip, a small smile escaping my mouth as I realised that his tone was in no sense rude or cold, infact it was quite kind.

"Right, goodbye." I bid him off.

"Khuda hafiz."

I hung up the phone call. I didn't expect much from him, even him asking about my health was enough to make my day.

--

As I finished my dinner and finally put away the laptop for good, Raima entered my bedroom.

It had been a long day for me, a day where all I had done was study. All I wanted to do right now was relax, or sleep or spend time with Zaydaan.

Anything but studying.

I yawned, standing up from my spot.

"How are your assignments going?" She questioned randomly.

I groaned.

"So hectic, I'm so tired already."

"That's what happens when you have to start balancing things."

"I know right, come sit," I offered her to sit by my side as I switched on the television.

"only if you don't have any work for me." I added.

I was in no mood to do any first lady duties tonight, I had done enough studying.

Raima chuckled at me, putting the notebook she held in her hand, away as she sat by me.

"I don't,"

"Okay, then." I changed the channels hoping to find some good old movie to watch, instead all I got was Zaydaan's face on multiple news channels.

I didn't pay much attention since he was the Prime Minister and was on the news all the time, but Raima find something of interest as she deeply frowned and patted my leg.

"Hey turn it up," She said, telling me to go back but using the wrong words.

I went back to the previous channel.

"The opposition's sudden claim that Prime Minister Zaydaan is planning to ally with the Republic party has put the government's position in slight array. Ofcourse, this is the same Republic party that campaigned against the government just a few months ago. Is Prime Minister Zaydaan really not different after all?"

Raima raised her eyes at me, the news not really a surprise to her but the leakage of it was clearly a surprise.

Did Zaydaan not say that it was supposed to be secretive?

"Wasn't this supposed to be secretive?" I put my thoughts out loud.

Raima sighed, nodding.

"Yes, it was."

"Then who leaked it?" She rolled her eyes at me, standing up.

"God, I wish I was on the PM's advisory Council. So much good stuff, instead I'm stuck with you." I looked at her in amusement.

She had been quite friendly these days but these jabs at me for being boring were getting out of hand.

"Wow, thanks alot." I mumbled with sarcasm.

She shot me a look.

"You're boring, admit it."

"And you're ju-"

So what if I was? She still got paid the same, did she not? I was about to come up with a good response when the door opened with a loud thud.

I knew Zaydaan was going to be home soon but I had no idea that he was going to be home before twelve. Usually, he came around three or four at night.

In an off white shalwar kameez, just like his brother, Zaydaan looked half tired, half pissed.

I gulped.

Raima, on the other hand took a few deep breaths. She knew Zaydaan didn't like her much, while he admired her husband, he didn't think so highly of her. So she was always pretty much scared of him.

"Good evening, sir. How ar-" Zaydaan shot her a look, that shut her up and then looked away.

"Sami is waiting outside, you should go." He murmured, she picked up her stuff and left as if she was going to burn if she stayed here any longer.

That only left Zaydaan and I in the bedroom. I forced my lips into a smile even though I was a little scared of his straight face.

"Assalam alaikum. You're back early."

I stated. He nodded.

"I am," He picked up a glass of water, his eyes glancing at the television and then looking away. Ofcourse, he already knew that it had been leaked.

"I saw the news, I-" He finished drinking his water and his eyes stayed still on me as I stopped mid sentence.

"I only told you and my cabinet. Did you talk to anyone about it?"

I shook her head.

"Um, not really. I only talked to Ahad about it but I figured he already knows since he's a part of your cabinet." I told him honestly.

He didn't seem pissed at me, he just seemed pissed in general. That was a good thing, ofcourse.

My husband sighed out loud, and I looked at his tired face, actually feeling bad for him.

"All I wanted was to come home and sleep, now I'll have to call a meeting and do damage control."

Zaydaan hardly ever expressed himself or how he was feeling, so this, coming from him felt like a big deal.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, he shook his head.

"It's not your fault, I'll find whoever leaked it but it honestly does not matter." He admitted.

Ofcourse, it didn't matter. What mattered was the fact that he was going to go away again instead of staying with me.

"Why don't you rest for a while and then go back, or eat something atleast." I suggested, knowing that he needed to rest a little as well.

Or maybe, I was being selfish and only wanted him with me so I could spend more time with him.

Zaydaan shook his head.

"No, I'll have to go. Don't wait up." He told me instead, almost ready to walk out of the bedroom.

"I'll wait." I said before he could leave.

He turned around, and cracked a smile at me. I could die for that damn smile.

"I'd rather have you asleep." He said back.

"If you truly wanted me asleep, you wouldn't have been home. Yes?"

I didn't know whether the sudden confidence had come from but it felt like the right thing to say, so I said it. Without feeling embarrassed or ashamed.

My husband straight up chuckled.

"You better be awake when I come back then."

He replied, then he walked out of the door, leaving me smiling.

---

Okay, here's your update.
Make sure to vote and comment. Thoughts? What's up with Zaydaan tho?