Author pov

    Shehnaaz has almost done her unpacking because she was getting bored, she has nothing to do as her school will be resuming from Monday. Yes, right when she agreed to be his mistress, they cancelled her transfer letter within a freaking day. She was in disbelief but not surprised. Not anymore seeing how much influence and power he has

   She found her closet was already filled with clothes. Clothes she could never afford but they don't excites her, these are nothing just pieces of clothing in her eyes. They don't worth anything. Nothing worth as much as killing her self respect and being here right now. She will never forgive him! She has been saying this continuously in her mind like some mantra. She has been reminding herself to never forgive man who made her feel like this. She has judged woman like these her all life just to end up being like them

   Putting last piece of clothing inside closet, she walks outside and stopped by glass wall that show's beautiful sea behind, Karachi Seaview, she has always been mesmerised by beauty of its. So pretty and dark but not scary. She has checked which is locked like she can't find any other way to end life that made her scoffed. She's gonna live for people she loves because he is inhuman enough to unalive if she does anything to herself

   Her thought were cut off when landline phone rang. She walked towards it and answered after three rings

"Shehnaaz neche ayo!" It was Zain's excited voice through landline neche? "Jaldi krna okay!" And before she could even ask him anything he ended call in next second

  Why would he call her down? She has no idea. She thought for while if she should go or not but he sounded excited, she decided to go since he has been sweet to her. She reached lobby after taking elevator and makes her way outside nervously. Her normal expressions turn into confused when she saw many people there talking to each other what's happening? She wondered

"Hello." Aryaan greeted her

"Hi." She smiles

"Ap khelo ge na humare sath?" He asked kheloge? What? Aryaan read confusion on her face. Obviously she won't know! She's new to this building she literally shifted yesterday

"It's cricket weekend. We play these different games on weekends with our building mates." He explained pointing at others oh that's why they are all dressed in sports wears and have cricket kits. There were many girls as well

"Mujhe nahi ati." She tells him

"Koi-"

"Lol trust me Shehnaaz yahan pe kisi larki ko nahi ati they come to secure dates or keep eyes on their man." Zain cut off Aryaan with laugh following won't they think she's doing same? Like playing to secure date. That's really messed up but she's no one to judge anyone

"But some do come to play see rasheedi over there, she doesn't have to worry about her husband cheating he literally worship ground she walks on. Whole building knows." Aryaan folds his arm to start argument with his brother. She's lucky Shehnaaz looked at her beautiful neighbour in distant who was warming up with her husband staring at her like he if he looked away he will die they even have cute baby boy

"She still can't play and throw fit if gets out like it's our fault." Zain scoffed "Shehnaaz never be on her team-"

"Shehnaaz!" Here comes mrs rahseedi running towards girl with smile on her face with her husband following behind like some puppy cute Zain clears his throat and looked away like he just wasn't bitching about her

"Hum same team mein honge and ap is chaudhary ki team mein chale jao, wese bhi he loses every single time" She declares with hands on her hips confidently while looking at her husband. Three man standing and non of them protest, three of them are speechless and scared in front of this fierce woman

"Excuse me!"

"You are excused bro." Her husband couldn't help but laugh looking away he freaking loves her attitude and the way she shuts people up. Zain scoffed folding his arms like child. Shehnaaz smiles, a real one after so many days

"Just because you are Lahori mere sher ki mein jane de raha hoon." Zain rolled his eyes

"Oh thank you so much for this mercy Mr chaudhary sahab." She spoke sarcastically mimicking his expressions. Aryaan burst into laughers so did her husband, Shehnaaz covers her mouth to hide her smile

"Rasheedi should have married that maya." He smirked knowing he has caused kalesh when she glares at her husband who was like mene kya kiya ab! Now he was her target and Zain was long forgotten. She gave her husband look of apko ghar chalke dekhti hoon mein and turn to look at Aryaan instead of Zain

"Where's your hero brother?" She asked hero Shehnaaz wants to laugh. Her husband rolled his eyes. She's calling him hero because he is one who makes them win these weekend games ever since he has came back. He plays every game perfectly and they ends up wining even if she's worst at every single one of them

"You know what I'm not changing teams." Her husband said giving her fake smile "Shehnaaz can stay in Zain's team and I in yours I'm sure your hero will make us win again." He said bitterly

"Gosh drama." Zain commented

"Shut up." Mrs rahseedi glares "Fine, Shehnaaz and you stays on my team. Sid can go to Zain's team." She said

"Finally mera bhai mere pass!" Zain celebrated with little dance. Four of them looked at him like he's some manic

"Bhai's Dubai he can't be here." Aryaan said shrugging wasn't he Japan?

   Shehnaaz folded her arms looking anywhere else, she's glad that he's not here to ruin her day. She squeezes her eyes to see as summer's sun was bright and hot on them, she caught sight of him in the distance. His figure stood out against the backdrop of frozen chaos those falls upon when she saw him, moving towards her with an air of determination and she wondered instantly if she's dreaming right now. Each step he took seemed deliberate, making her heart race. Dressed in sky blue dress shirt and white shorts pant. Sunglasses like he's returning from some vacation

   She watched, transfixed, as he drew nearer, his features etched with resolve. His eyes, intense and unwavering, met hers across the suspended expanse, conveying a silent message why her heart is literally pounding? As he reached her, a sense of connection pulsed between them, unspoken words hanging in the air like invisible threads. In that frozen moment, amidst the stillness of the world, they stood together, people's voice around fading slowly. Her lips parted slightly at sight of him

"Didn't know it takes 2 mins to come back from Dubai." Mrs rasheedi's sarcasm was there when she spoke "Chalo Shehnaaz mein tumhe apni tricks batao." She grabs girl by hand before anyone could even speak. Sidharth didn't interfere. He let her leave because she does not looked pleased seeing him there and he was aware why

   He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, his gaze fixated on the captivating figure in the distance as she walks away. She moved with an effortless grace, her red shalwar kameez swaying gently with each step, like flames dancing in the wind. She's mesmerisingly gorgeous

   Every curve of her silhouette, every delicate feature of her face, seemed to beguile him, drawing him in with an irresistible magnetism. He was consumed by her beauty, his thoughts consumed by the mere sight of her. He ended his businesses way too quickly to be with her, he knows she doesn't wanna see him but he's desperate one here now

   The intensity of his obsession only grew, her presence casting a spell over him that he couldn't break free from

    She glanced in his direction, her eyes meeting his. In that moment, he felt as though she could see straight through him, unraveling the depths of his obsession with a single glance. He doesn't care he wants her to see through him he wants her to see how much obsessive she has made him. How much power she has over him . For in that moment, all that mattered was her—the woman in the red who had captivated his heart and consumed his every thought. And as she continued on her way, leaving him in her wake, he knew that he would forever be entranced by her beauty, unable to escape the hold she had over him

"Bhai!" Zain called for like 5th time and that's when his brother looked at him that also with full annoyance "You weren't coming till next week?! Is deal with new ambassador done? Who killed old one any news?!"

"We will talk about it later." Sidharth said

—

    Shehnaaz regrets not tying up her hair. Sun on top was killing her. Her face has gone all red as she was doing her part in fielding. In toss they won and their captain mrs rasheedi took balling first as expected. Currently score was 200-0 in 190 balls, yes Sidharth dho raha hai inko with someone named zorawar gabool as his partner. She has came to know that he's also her neighbour and son of chief minister. Game's rules were like until everyone's out no balls limit and here first two weren't out yet! She wants to cry

  Her legs hurts and sun was giving her headache. She was also thirsty, she saw him calling zorawar and telling him something, his sleeves now rolled up and upper buttons of his shirt were undone. The way he was gesturing with hands and has serious look had her wonder if only he weren't asshole he isn't that bad. With his looks he would have done better but his ways ruin everything. She was staring at him when looked in her way, she instantly looked away from him was she staring that hard

   Smile breaks out on her face when finally he was bowled out by Mr rahseedi! Yes finally, Mrs rahseedi grins and hugs her husband more like throw herself on him aww MashaAllah! Than she runs towards her and hugs her as well. She was taken aback but chucked hugging her back

"Let her breath." Sidharth's voice made girl to pull back. She looked at him suspiciously who unseal bottle of water and passed it to Shehnaaz. Shehnaaz looked at bottle with questions and shook her head. Refusing it

"You do-"

    She was about to say something when her husband called her. Excusing herself she rushed towards him. Sidharth took a chance and grabbed hair tie out of her hair making her gasp

"Hey chaudhary!"

"Your husband is calling." He reminds her. She glares at him with dekhti hoon tumhe mein and runs to her husband

    Sidharth turns to shove bottle in Shehnaaz's hand before she refuses again and walked behind her, she slightly parted her lips so say something or ask what are you doing? But stopped when he collected her all hair smoothing them gently, his fingers brushed with her neck sending shiver down her spine. he pulls them in lose ponytail with rubber hair tie he just stole from Mrs rahseedi

"Laal hogai ho are you alright?" He touched her warm cheek with back of his hand and they were burning. She scoot away nervously

"G-garmi hai isliye."

"Ander jao phir hmm" He turned her around to meet her eyes. She looks at him through lashes as he bring his hand to caress her cheek while other hand in pockets of his shorts

"Nahi mein theek hoon." She says not removing his hand just looked away. "Ap jao mujhe fielding krni hai she's now glaring." She said eyeing towards mrs rasheedi who's looking at them with hands on her hips scary sidharth turn his head to look over his shoulder with smirk

"Koi zarorat nahi let her do rest of fielding "

    He grabs her hand to pull her along towards shelters. She tried to protest because of mrs rasheedi's glares but she's literally exhausting and sun has drank her whole energy. She was in heaven as soon as they gets inside. Cool air of ac sends her there, she can still see match through glass wall in front of them. All players of Zain's name were sitting waiting for their turn

"Nice game chaudhary sahab." Girl said in flirty tone. He ignored her

"Lol doub maru mein agar esi bezaati ho meri." Zorawar chuckled throwing himself in sofa. People there chuckled doesn't know because he's funny or because he's chief minister's son maybe both

"Same dude." Zain agreed

"Mujhe agar batting na de tou?" Shehnaaz asked innocently as he has dragged her in what if her captain refuses to give her batting? She couldn't help but pout at such misery. Sidharth's eyes fell on her pout and his eyes lit up she's damn cute, for some reasons there were envied eyes on Shehnaaz. Because the way he was looking at her was so beautiful. Like he has been bewitched by her

"Yeh game na khatam karwa den." Zain mumbled to himself

"Don't worry meri jaan mil jayegi." He patted her cheeks gently. She was still in thoughts about it when he pulled her in three seater sofa beside him, she looked at match through glass wall meanwhile he has his eyes on her. He didn't even realise another girl sitting in same sofa he was seated in

"How was dubai's weather?" She tried to make conversation. He ignored her, she didn't lose hope and tried again "I though you went-"

"Do you think I have fucking interest in speaking to you?" He spoke harshly in low voice

    She was taken aback by his tone. He looked at her for seconds before looking back at Shehnaaz who's eyes were on game, she didn't even realise him talking to someone else even if she does. She doesn't care and that gets him mad for what? He can't force her to feel things for him. He can't force her to care and that rise anger within him

   His gaze harden and fist clenched, she smiles widely when another player got out, a single, gentle smile. It was like a ray of sunshine breaking through storm clouds, instantly disarming him. All the tension drained from his body as he found himself unable to hold onto his anger in the face of her radiant warmth. Her smile is beautiful and when she looked at him it slowly disappeared with her eyes back on game to find reason to smile again

   He reached out with tender fingers, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. His touch was feather-light, his gaze soft and focused as he delicately tucked lock behind her ear. With each gentle movement, her heart race and breath hitched as she kept her eyes ahead trying not to get fazed by his touch but her body betrayed her like always. Traitor she clutched fabric of kameez tightly. He pulled her back against him

—

   Shehnaaz wiped sweat with back of her sleeve as she gripped bat tightly in her hands. Mrs rahseedi giving her thumbs up from other side for playing good game till now. They both were last and targeted score was 290 and they were on 287. One sixer and they would be good to go. Zorawar who was balling have her lookout look Shehnaaz scoffed and gave him bring it on look

"Remember I look like your mother, you wouldn't want your mother to lose today's match." Mrs rasheedi emotional backmailed him who was standing beside him reading to ball

"You can't blackmail me like this."

"I'm just saying." She shrugged "Thought you loved your mother." She added looking ahead. Zorawar scoffed feeling pressured

"Okay I'll ball slow." He agreed under her pressure.

   And once he balled slow he regretted because Shehnaaz went for six. Fucking six, but he sighed of relief when it went towards Sidharth he will definitely catch it easily he heard groan from Mrs rahseedi and smirked because if he did they will lose and if didn't they will win. Shehnaaz looked in anticipation and nervousness with mouth slightly open. They all looked hooked and froze at their places, some has already accepted defeat as it was useless to hope he will drop such a easy catc-He dropped it

  Wide smile spread across Shehnaaz's face. She did yahh and jumped out of happiness. Her and Mrs rasheedi did hug thing meanwhile zorawar and Zain looked at him with hands on theirs hips. Aryaan has smirk on face that says I knew it, Sidharth ignored all of them because he has his eyes on her who's jumping and smiling in joy