The way this woman was glaring at him. He should be six feet under now.

The ex-bastard laughs at his words, "Last? Yeah, we all thought that. No one can handle a woman like her".

"That's the problem, you sick bastard. You were trying to handle her. Molding her to your desires and wishes. If you had just tried to be with her, it wouldn't have ended with you begging for her now".

He saw the rage in the bastard's face. It has hit him now. The reality. The fantasy of being righteous must have gone above his head in whatever scenario their marriage ended. He knows now what he did wrong.

Will he admit it? No, never. That is what the weakling of his kind always does. Never admit you are wrong. Never let anyone say you are wrong.

Ideologies that destroyed generations.

"Get out of here". He was not in the mood to dwell over how much he wished he could end these kinds of people, "Right now".

The bastard must have seen something on his face because the fear was clear in his eyes as he ran away, stumbling back to the hole he came from.

Finally. One less problem.

"Last?" He heard her soft voice as he turned around with a grin, "You wish".

"I do, actually". And surprise shows on her face at his words and then anger takes over her features

"I am not some object or competition that you want to win".

"I swear I will never objectify you or think of you as someone I will win like a trophy".

"Who are you?"

He shrugged, "A regular man". He was anything but regular in his designer clothes and shoes

Her eyes narrowed at him, "Ok, Mr. Regular. Thanks for the help".

"What's the deal with him?" He asked gesturing by his head towards the side the idiot ran off to

"That man wants me to marry him, again. According to him, I cannot raise and take care of my daughter. Apparently, he also had a friend of his volunteer to marry me for the period required".

He clenched his jaw at the words, "Why did he think he can take care of your daughter better than you?"

She didn't sense any judgment in his voice and it was too dark to find expression on his face. She did hear that his voice was sharper now.

She sighs, "My daughter is blind. She is seven and has difficulty if she is not in a closed and known environment".

"That's understandable. She is too young to understand completely how to function within tough situations".

"How would you know?"

She was curious about him. He didn't even step back or hesitate a beat before siding with her on her daughter's case.

"Exactly. I need time and effort to ensure my daughter is a capable and strong-willed woman even if I am not there or in different/harsh circumstances. However, in our society, it is hard to do so". She shrugged at the end of the words

But he can sense how much that frustrates her. To not be able to have a man who helps in building a secure environment for her daughter. To not have the support of a family with her.

He can't blame her.

Before he could have said anything he heard someone yelling his name. By the tone of it, he knows it is his mother.

"I have to go". He said softly, "I will see you again".

He was planning on that.

For her, life has been a crazy rollercoaster. As she counted the weddings she has been to just in a week, she will lose her mind.

It was impolite to decline an invitation. That forces her to be in weddings she would rather not be in.

Weddings are complicated. Maybe not weddings, but a relationship in general. As much as it makes her happy to see people marrying others. When she sees these same people in a month or few, they lost their charm. They lost their smile in the madness that comes after the small beam of sunlight that they latch onto.

She prefers relationships to be open. She found communication was the key. However, even after knowing the fact, it cannot be achieved if the efforts are from one side.

During her last three failed marriages, she had learned enough lessons for a lifetime. Her first marriage stayed for two years, with her baby girl being gifted in the second year of that marriage.

Her second marriage was after a year of that when her daughter was one year old. That stayed for a year only.

Her last marriage duration was even short than the rest of them. Six months. Six months that man, no, the boy she married couldn't keep up with his appearance.

She never lied in any of the marriages especially the second and third. Her first marriage was with her cousin and was done and decided by her parents. There wasn't much to say, which is why, it took longer to break. The base of that marriage was always sloppy. A boy who couldn't defend her even if his life depended on it.

She shakes her head, as she looks down at her bills. Finance wasn't an issue for her. She was a well-reputed businesswoman. It was hard being in the industry but she found a few good men who guided her. The environment outside of the house also taught her resilience. It taught her life.

She believes woman needs to stay outside (work) to know themselves and the world a little better before they step into another phase of life. She lost her youth because she was always in a confided box that held only the information that her parents wanted her to know. Most of which consisted of being the perfect woman for the man and his family.

Lies. Lies. Lies.

The years she spent in married life and before that, she hated the mindset, more so, she started to rebel against her religion because all these older people told her that everything they say is what religion asks us to do.

Like, serve random people for no reason.

She looks down at her hands where still the scars remain as a memory. She is not afraid of the scars that are on her body. They are never something she was embarrassed about even when everyone around told her to hide them.

She was proud of them. They remind her every day to avoid and not bend for things are she doesn't believe it. Especially those that religion doesn't want her to do.

Yes, after a rebellious phase, Islam came back to her when she held her daughter. When she looked at the small life that was granted to her. She understood why Islam said daughters are blessings. Because her daughter was her blessing and her saving grace.

Her daughter pulled her out of the darkness she found her home in. Her daughter reminded her why she needs only Allah in her life and no one else. Her daughter taught her that choosing a partner that never supports her ends that. It will carry on with her daughter's life too.

Her Sudur (heart). Sudur was seven years old. However, her intelligence was beyond her. Even when she was able to build a business without much knowledge of the field. She can never surpass how clever her daughter is.

Sudur has taken advanced-level classes in maths. She went to multiple competitions (with high schoolers too) and won.

At this point, she doesn't even know how she can help her daughter more. Besides the mathematical skills and educational knowledge she has. There is still a wide gap in societal knowledge. Though, she teaches her daughter at every chance and every day about religion. To operate in the world is something completely different. She is trying to reach people who can help provide a better image so she can work on that.

She went to the doctor for help. However, the doctor here is also filled with pity for her daughter's future. She will never believe that just because her daughter is blind, her future will be the same way. She remembers when someone asked her to just kill her daughter, the day she died a little.

The only issue besides her daughter's future is her saving. She has no savings, none. She had saved at least a year ago. Now, she doesn't.

She hates that.

"Hi, sunshine". She heard her secretary (Henna) brag like a ray of light she is

"Can you handle these?" She said as she passes the bills to her since her secretary has access to her bank account for these occasional

"It's already taken care of. Not a dent in your wealth to worry about". Henna said with a beaming smile

"Oh, joy". She said sighing

"Be a little happier about it". Henna nudges her and she rolls her eyes, "I believe last night was terrible".

"It was beyond terrible".

"Zafar didn't stop". Henna's voice was low, "Even a restraining order is not stopping him".

She rolls her eyes, "How can it? Our law system is a joke. They don't even believe in restraining orders, to begin with".

"That bastard is reaching a new low every day". Henna growled, "I can't believe a man can ever ask his ex-wife to marry his friend and have a relationship just to get divorced later. How can he live that down?"

"Not to forget that getting married, and not being physical with each other or getting married to get a divorce as an end goal makes it haram".

"That bastard has no sense of halal or haram anyways". Henna rolls her eyes, "All he cares about is the money he needs for the extracurricular expenses that he can't work for".

"Easy money is the best money".

"For a bastard like him. I swear one day a real man will see the gem you truly are".

"A man is not my endgame".

"Maybe". Henna said slyly, "But you will find someone you deserve. You deserve to be cherished and loved. You deserve to be spoiled rotten".

"IN shaa Allah". (If Allah will), "Until my prince charming arrives I need to figure out how to get the best exposure for our business. I feel like we need to take an extra step now".

"The board suggested that too".

She nodded, "It's good that those men never underestimate or oversee me. I need to keep that trust with them. Can you find the best possible options? I will ask our team to work on it too. Arrange a quick minute with them this week".

After a quick nod, her secretary informed her of the schedule for the day. For another few months, she jiggled with everything. There wasn't anything exciting in her daily life.

She decided to conduct a meeting with the Raja Sahab that owns some of the Prestige places in the area. It would make everything so much easy if she scores this deal. In the future, she wouldn't have to constantly worry about income. With a steady flow, which may take time, it can lead to the most profitable deal of the year.

Unfortunately, her second ex-husband decided it was the day he will show himself to her. Well, she was an idiot who forgot to mark today in the calendar.

The day, her ex is released from prison.

"Syed". She said, hesitant as she looks at the bastard standing in her way to her car

The only thing she was happy about was that her daughter wasn't with her. And she was standing just under her office building.

"You wasted all my years". Syed snapped as he marches towards her placing a hand over her neck as he pushed her body on the car behind her, "You bitch destroyed my years just because of one thing".

She felt the familiar pricking fear coursing through her body as black dots started to appear in front of her eyes. She couldn't even hear what he was saying because her brain was out of order now.

Before she could have felt the fear envelope her. The man was pushed off her. She gasped for air as she fall to her knees.

"How dare you touch her with your filthy hands?"

She can recognize his voice from anywhere.

The man she met a few months ago.