A/N: So I have exams and the update for this book depends heavily on my availability so bear with me. Thank you for your love. 💕

*****

She opens the door of her hotel room when she heard the bell ringing to find no one standing there. She shrugged about to close the door when she found a box wrapped in a gift wrapping on the floor. She frowns because no one should be able to pass through the hotel security that easy to bring it in so she holds the gift throwing it in the nearby trash where it belongs.

She is not the one who gets flattered by such acts and she has had enough of these stupid things coming in at all the damn time. She was busy doing her work when it came in.

She sighs.

She hates to be distracted and now she will have to do everything all over again. She sits with her book in her lap twirling her hair on her finger as she tries to focus again on the sketch. Her show exhibition is tomorrow and everything is already set. She has the dress with her all she has to do is meet her model tomorrow and have her wear it.

Nervousness isn't something for her she has come so far believing herself and she does want to have a bouquet somewhere here. She works for hours distracting herself from any thoughts. She walks to the bed heading to sleep.

The next day she enters the venue watching the hustle and bustle happening. Finding her model she hands her the dress watching everyone else models. She heard her phone ringing so she excuses herself outside.

"Baba?". She said answering the call

"Did I disturb you, beti?". He asked softly

"No, you didn't. Is everything ok?. Are you ok?". She asked concerned

"No, I am getting old". He said lowly, "I am worried for you".

"Baba, worry about Inaya you know I can take care of myself". She said smiling

"You are my daughter too who I worry for the most. Inaya is on her own journey I am sure I have everything ready for her but what about you?. What plans do you have in future?. You know these successful days won't last forever". He said worriedly

She watches her model asking for her and she signals her to wait. But then it was her time to go to the stage so she quickly walks to her model with the phone to her ear looking at her once for any errors.

"Baba, I don't like to worry about you. Whatever you see fits you have my permission to do it for me". She said hurriedly ending the call

She looks at people giving appreciating looks at her dress and since Henry couldn't perform he was in the front row throwing daggers at her dress.

She smirks.

That night at the party he had eaten her head. First, she had to deal with hiding from Akbar then him. She shakes her head when that polished appealing beauty of his is hard to forget. She curses herself then her model coming back as they head back to their room for some touch up before heading to the stage for the final results.

Her name was announced as the winner.

She smiles looking around when they bring her award when her eyes collided with the charcoal eyes looking directly at her smirking.

Her breathing hitched.

Once they were done awarding she quickly walks backstage while her model went to change. She takes her belongings heading to the corridor to leave this place.

"Running away?". He heard his deep voice sending a shiver down her body

She turns to glare at him angrily, "What is your problem?".

He takes steps towards her, "You are good at it, right?. Running".

"And you are good at being an asshole. Leave me alone". She said taking steps to leave

He stops her in her track smirking at her, "You are not running this time, baby".

"Don't call me that". She growled pushing him

But him being well built didn't bulge a little making her even more pissed.

"You didn't react to running away instead to the name I gave you". He said chuckling amused at her attempts to leave him

"I hate everything you say, do and see". She said raged trying her best to take steps away

But in one swift moment, she was against the wall with his hands on either side.

"Stop running away from me". He said in his raspy voice with being this close and inhaling her scent

He looks right into her charming eyes which still looks the same besides the underlining anger in them but he steps back the moment he finds hurt passing through her. The pain reflects the same pain he has been living in for so long.

"Go on. But this is the last time I will allow you to leave". He said gingerly

She immediately pushes him running away from him into her car and away from here. She wanted to spend time with Inaya but she was on her trip with her favourite enemy. Zainab always knows those two have something besides hate in them and their fights were always useless.

She shakes her head thinking back to when those two used to be at each other head and the night of the party when Zafar didn't allow her to be alone at all.

She stops at a cafe entering inside to buy herself some Cappuccino shot because her headache (Akbar) can only be gone by a strong coffee. She takes her coffee with her laptop heading to the corner seat to not be in anyone view.

She sure loves drawing on paper but researching and drawing on a laptop is as much fun too. She sits there reading the history of the country because she will have her bouquet here so she needs to be sure to know things.

Also, she reads her agreement with the company who will be helping her. She needs to stay here for a year or more in order for her new shop to be in function and running smoothly. She doesn't mind besides the stupid encounter with the devil.

"Hi, is someone sitting here?". She heard a male voice

She frowns blinking her eyes because looking at the laptop for so long have her eyes blurry now when she looks away from the screen to the man in front of her waiting for her approval.

She shakes her head and without her approval, the man sits down in front of her.

"Do I know you from somewhere?". He said after a while

She didn't speak hoping he gets the signal which unfortunately he didn't.

"Your hair is beautiful. All the colour like a rainbow". He said flirtatiously

Worse line ever. She mused

She shakes her head at his poor attempt.

"You are hard to speak to honestly you are too intimidating". He said smirking, "I like such girls".

She rolls her eyes deciding to throw him away when someone holds his hand pulling him off his car.

"You shouldn't be speaking to her anyway". She heard Akbar's roaring voice booming through the cafe which fell silent

She looks around to woman admiring him and men glaring at him which is usual with the shine he has around him. She allows her eyes to move over him to find him in his three pieces Armani suit which gives him the perfect look for everyone and his divine eyes which gives him a striking appearance. The subtle almond beard and hair only add to make his appearance even more worthy. However, what remains the main attraction is his dark chocolate eyes that at the moment held a very fierce look in them narrowed at the man who is shaking in front of him.

"Leave him alone". She said after a while of appreciating him

His dark eyes turn to him darkening even more at her words.

"He is leaving". Akbar said each word slowly and darkly

She gulped clenching her hand under the table while her eyes narrow at him but before she has a chance to speak the man runs away from there. She rolls her eyes at Akbar who smirks at her sitting in front of her.

"Why were you taking his side?". He asked sulking making himself comfortable on his seat like some King

She looks around narrow her eyes to all the woman who is making him act even more.

She huffed.

She feels something inside her as he gulped down her burning coffee which is absolutely tasteless now but the burning and feeling inside of her remains the same. However, the moment her eyes meet his and she finds his attention solely trained on her brings some fluttering feelings inside of her replacing the earlier feelings completely.

She smiles satisfied.

"Why are you smiling at me?. What do you have in plan?". Akbar said looking around to find danger, "Don't tell me you are throwing that coffee at me. I am wearing an expensive suit".

"Now that you told it looks like a great idea". She said smirking titling her coffee cup

"My ideas are always great, baby. Believe me". He said smirking, "And I know for a fact that you won't ever throw it on me".

"You shouldn't have said that". She said throwing her coffee on him watching how his eyes look at her in disbelief

She watches him leaving from there thanking heaven for the idea because that is exactly what she wanted. Deciding to go buy herself and treat herself a little she enters into her car heading towards the mall this time.

She roams around the shops looking at different designs in some of the best-branded shops. She holds a piece of cloth looking at the craftsmanship done on it with such diligence that left her in awe. She feels something cold pouring over her making her squeal and some of it's content falling on the pricey piece that she was holding.

She gasped so does the other watching the masterpiece being covered in orange juice that she hates. She turns around to find the culprit to find Akbar smirking at her.

"How can you do that?. Do you even know how much that cost?. Probably your whole life will go in paying back for it. You lowlife". One of the workers say to her

She looks down at her clothes and since she has decided on something comfortable before leaving the event and changing into she does look like a different person with less branded clothes on her.

She feels her anger rising at her words but before she can speak he did.

"Mind your tongue before you say another word. I don't take anyone saying words to my woman". Akbar said dangerously

This is the second time she has witnessed him changing into a raging lion and to be honest it is overwhelming now. She decided to end this here and buy this piece herself.

"I will take it. Here is my card". She said passing her gold card that was a reward from one of the banker's wife dress she made

The worker takes her card and the moment she finds her name her eyes widen and she opens her mouth to apologise but she shuts it, "Don't. Don't even think about saying sorry just because now I belong to a class who can buy this stupid piece. Just because you work here doesn't mean you can discriminate and reduqulie between people. Pay it fast".

She closes her eyes after a moment that the worker went away trying to calm her anger. Once the piece was in her hands she throws it right outside of the shop bin walking away. She purchases another dress from a shop entering into the washroom to change and clean herself. Luckily her hair was in a bun so the juice only stays on her body still the stickiness of it disgusted her.

Deciding to just change and head back home as quickly as possible for a shower. She walks out of the washroom after adjusting everything.

He leans against the wall tapping his feet waiting for her to come out as his eyes remain on the floor. He heard whispering going around him making him raise his head and his heart stopped.

There she walks in all her glory looking as gorgeous as ever. Her fitted clothes make her looks exquisite for everyone. The familiar burning rise in his chest as he looks most of the men eyeing her hungrily making his anger spike even more.

He strode towards her blocking her path from the man who was going to approach her. She places her glasses on her eyes looking at him indifferent.

She can swear this man just doesn't get the hint.

"What?". She asked rudely

"What are you wearing?". He asked controlling himself

"Why do you care?". She asked turning to walk away because had enough of him already

"I said not to run away from me". He said blocking her path

She stops.

For a long moment.

She removes her glasses looking directly into his eyes feeling the pain in her chest, "What do you want, Akbar?".