A month.
A month has been elapsed but there was no sign of Dua.
The sky fell upon the haveli after comping to know of Dua's elopement. Despite trying and utilizing their hundred percent of resources, the trio, Irtaza, Shehryaar and Haseeb couldn't find Dua.
She was gone.
Gone for good.
The day her absence and elopement was confirmed, Irtaza had straight away headed to investigate Zahra.
Flashback
Zahra was in her room, playing with her little baby girl Jaha Ara while Mujtaba played with a colorful ball somewhere in the room. A maid stood near Zahra to help her if she needed any.
Zahra's eyes were sparkling with joy as she held her daughter's little and soft hands who was giving out a toothless smile.
"Sab sei pyara kaun hai?" she asked, playfully to her daughter, who couldn't understand anything but still gave out a jolly laugh.
(Who is the most beautiful?)
"Jaha Ara hai," Zahra said, brushing the pad f her forefinger against her little nose.
(It s Jaha Ara)
When suddenly the door to her room opened and Irtaza came in.
"Take Mujtaba and Jaha Ara to another room," he ordered the maid. There was utter seriousness and gravity in his voice making a shiver passing down Zahra's spine as she stood up.
The maid took Jaha Ara from her hold and held Mujtaba's hand before leading them out of the room leaving the couple alone.
Zahra was confused regarding Irtaza's behaviour.
Irtaza closed the door of the room before turning towards her.
"Jee Irtaza," Zahra said. Her voice suddenly turning small.
(Yes, Irtaza?)
She was... afraid.
She thought he came to know about her plans she had with Dua. This thought made her heart skip a beat.
"Zahra," he said, coming closer, alleviating the distance between them so they were breaths away.
She gulped.
His voice was dark. Dark enough to remind her who her husband was.
"J-jee?" She stuttered. She was stuttering after a long, long time infront of him, again.
(Y-yes?)
"K-k-kuch huwa hai kia?" she feigned ignorance
(D-d-did something happen?)
He held her small hand and brought it near his lips, kissing her knuckles. His eyes were dark. His persona was dark in that moment.
Her hand shivered in his hold. And for a moment, she regretted of her dangerous plan with Dua.
"Zahra," he called her out again and she raised her lashes to look up at him.
Kissing her knuckles, he placed her small hand on his chest and she felt his heart beating under her palm.
"You're shivering," he stated as a matter of fact.
"N-n-nhi tw," she denied.
(N-n--no. I'm not)
"and stuttering," he completed.
"Now you tell me.... did something happen?" he asked.
She shook her head in a no.
"Nothing happened.... I actually... you came here like that.... and you... asked the kids to go in another room.... and... it is scaring me,"
"Nothing unusual. I did nothing unusual for you to get scared, meri jaan,"
(Meri jaan= my life)
He was right.
"Did you do something?" His forefinger pushes a few tresses away from her temple and travelled down her cheeks and then to her jawline as he loosely caressed her jawline with his forefinger, "hmm? something that I should know? Or something which is making you shiver right now?"
Zahra looked down and interwined fingers of her hands together and shook her head. He was reminding her of the times when he scared the shit out of her just by his angry eyes.
"I did nothing," her eyes were at his chest.
"Look at me,"
And she moved her eyes up again. "Repeat," he commanded.
She stared directly in his eyes and her breathing became slightly rapid making her take a little step back. She tightly held her hands together, "I-I-I-I....d-dd-did," she said looking in his eyes and then moved her lashes down to his chest again, "nothing," she finished.
His finger that was resting against her jawline went underneath her chin and tilted her head up as his ring-cladded thumb grasped her chin. He slowly brushed his lips against her placing a kiss on her cracky lips.
"Relax, senorita," he muttered yet his tone was still dark and his other hand moved and softly held the nape of her neck so she will look at him, "relax," he whispered. Her worried eyes look at him and she instantly hugged him tightly.
Her body slightly shivered against him as his strong arms enveloped her.
"Ap gussa hain?" she asked, her face nuzzled in his chest.
(Are you angry?)
"Hmmm," Came his conformation and her heart skipped a beat.
"Ap mje kuch....kuch...kahain gey-kahain gey tw nhi na?"
(Will you do something to me?) / (Will you get angry at me?)
He caressed her hair at the back of her head, "I can never hurt you, Zahra," he uttered with a solemn voice.
"Even if there is a reason?" She asked, innocently and he chuckled.
"Even if there is a reason,"
Getting his conformation, she slightly broke the hug and faced him.
"Now tell me Zahra.... where is Dua?" he asked, coming to the question he came here for.
"Dua?" Zahra frowned. She must be in the haveli. According to the plan she was to run away next week. She was only scared because she thought that Irtaza came to know about her plan.
"I...I don't know," she told, confusion evident on her face.
"You told me that you will help her get out of her marriage with Haseeb. Do you've a hand in it?"
Haseeb's and Dua's marriage was coming in the next month. The preparations had began. Even one of the closest friends of Irtaza's grandfather, Agha Hassan also came to attend the function and decided to be at the haveli for the whole month. The haveli inhabitants will call him Agha. He had been his grandfather's friend since decades and was a secret keeper to many of his deeds since Shabbir had put in the roots of the mafia in this soil.
"No," she replied.
"Zahra. Please, tell me the truth. What has been going on between you and Dua?"
"I and she planned it together.... of her escape. And it would be a month before so not many people would be aware of the marriage and it won't put family's status in question. She was to run away next week according to what we decided... but I don't know what happened.... that she escaped earlier," She narrated the truth.
Irtaza closed his eyes for a second. His perfectly curled lashes coming in her vision before he opened his eye lids again revealing his grey eyes to her.
And she saw fire in those orbs.
"Tell me the details of your plan. Where did you both plan to make her stay. Tell me everything,"
Zahra shut her lips. She didn't want to. What if Dua was there? She can't back off.
"I won't," She replied, "what if she is there?"
Irtaza listened to his little stubborn wife carefully. "You really like to test me, senorita. Don't you?"
Zahra just stared at him, quietly. He looked angry. But she promised to help Dua and she can't back off now.
On the cue, the door knocked and after getting permission, a worried Haseeb walked in. He came back from London two weeks ago.
"Irtaza Bhai? Any progress?" he asked. His voice had genuine worry and Zahra pitied him for a second.
"My wife refuses to give me any details,"
Haseeb's attention diverted towards her.
"Please, Zahra," he said, desperately, "please, I'm really worried for her. Please do something if you can,"
"She does not want to marry you Haseeb, so why are you people forcing her into this marriage?!" her voice became louder in the end. "Why? Only because she is a woman so you can make decisions regarding her life? Why?!"
"Zahra, we will talk about this later. For now, please somehow contact her if you can. Atleast for her safety and for Haider uncle. We all are really worried," Haseeb said.
"So this is what you will be doing, senorita," Irtaza said, giving her, his attention, "confirm at the location about Dua's presence. If she has reached there, we will stop her search. She can stay there as long as she wants. If she hasn't then we all are in trouble,"
Zahra did.
She did follow his word.
And came to know that Dua never reached the location.
She never came there.
And now even Zahra was clueless as them about Dua's presence, her sudden elopement, that was not according to what they've planned.
Flashback ends
Where was Dua?
And why did she suddenly disappeared.
One month passed and they were still in her search. But they couldn't find her. They hunted the entire country just to find Dua but they all came empty handed. They all slowly lost hope of Dua's return.
They all.
But Haseeb.
....
Two months later
Zahra was in the haveli. Irtaza had gone abroad for some work. Mujtaba and Jaha Ara slept. It was night already but her thoughts were not letting her sleep so she decided to walk in the garden under the moonlight.
She was still thinking that where Dua could go.
It was worrying her.
Dua did not even inform her about the change of the plan she had. Two months passed and she still did not contact her and inform her about her safety and location.
She was walking when Haseeb joined her.
"How are you?" she asked.
The family had been particularly worried about Haseeb since Dua was gone.
"I'm fine," he told.
"You don't look so Haseeb," Zahra muttered the truth. "I'm sorry if I hurt you.. but it wasn't intentional. I was forced in a marriage. Doesn't matter I found my peace with Irtaza now but I'd never want any girl to be forced in marriage again, Haseeb,"
"Zahra.... I love her. I've always loved her," he admitted, "I could never harm her. Never. And she needs love more than anything. I know I can give her the love she always strived for. Due to which she had tried taking her life. Twice," Haseeb responded.
Zahra was aware of Dua's past. She told it herself to Zahra. And after hearing her story, she felt the same. Dua needed love. And she tried finding love in those people who just used her for her family's name and then left her.
"Haseeb... I can't let a girl be forced in a marriage,"
"I would have convinced her... in my own ways," he replied. "Nevertheless, will you not come and see me off at airport?"
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes, I'm going back to London. Next week," he told when his mother, Asma called him inside and he went.
Zahra felt bad. Really bad for him.
When you love someone and they show you this much of unimportance, it hurts. Hurts and tears away the strings of your heart.
Haseeb had changed. Changed so much. He wasn't that goofy Haseeb anymore. He became quiet and day and night kept on ordering his men to find Dua... but they all failed.
....
The next morning in the haveli was full of goodbyes and sadness as their grandfather's friend, Agha was leaving the haveli. The whole family bid him farewell and asked him to come back soon and they will miss him. Agha left with a smile. His stay here was prolonged because of cancellation of wedding and Dua's escape. He was here on the basis to emotionally support the family.
For some reason, that man didn't settle well with Zahra.
He had that aura which often people related to mafia or under world would carry around themselves.
Definitely he would, since, Agha.... was the secret keeper.
Secret keeper of Shabbir Haider Syed.
....
Not just that, in the same week, Haseeb too left for London. It saddened Zahra so much. Haseeb just told his family that he was going, didn't ask anyone to see him off, hugged his family and left with a friend to airport.
He left the country.
And never came back again.
They all knew.... he was broken.
They all knew.... he truly loved Dua.
....
Zahra had grown weary of everything. Her heart just couldn't find any peace. As every moment she missed Irtaza so much. Especially after Haseeb's flight back to London. Whenever she would miss him, she would call him. And he will pick it up, didn't matter he was sleeping or not. Despite his sleepiness, he would still talk with her. But Zahra preferred cutting the call rather than prolonging it because she was aware that Irtaza needed rest.
And atlast the moments of waiting elapsed and Irtaza was coming home today. In the morning, she received a call from Irtaza about his return and he asked her to shift back to the mansion. And she did, bidding goodbyes to everyone in the haveli.
She had learnt a dish from her mother Ammara and prepared it for Irtaza. Both her children had slept since it was 12. The driver was going to drop him to the home.
She heard the metal doors clanking and cars entering, wheels screeching, engines shutting down, doors opening and then closing.
Irtaza was here.
Her heart beated fast in her chest. It did somersaults in her stomach. It seemed to her as if he was coming back after decades. Every second without him was so dull and bleak.
She had dressed up for him. Fixing her lipstick shade, she stared in the reflection in her mirror when the handle turned down and the door opened. A tired looking Irtaza stepped inside. Their eyes connected in the mirror as he stopped, leaning against the wall. His eyes just looking at her. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest.
Zahra smiled at her through the mirror, "Assalam alaikum," she greeted.
"Wsalam," he replied and walked inside, while loosening the buttons of his while shirt as he came near her and stood infront of her.
"Jaan-e-Irtaza,"
(Irtaza's life)
"Meray liye kia laaye?" she asked, blinking her eyes.
(What did you bring for me?)
"Abhi dekhna zruri hai?" he asked with a smirk playing on his lips as Zahra frowned.
(Is it important to see it now?)
"Kiun? Abhi nhi dekh skti?"
(Why? I can't see it now?)
"Yes, exactly," he uttered, inching closer as his both his hands rested on either sides of her waist.
"Why?" she whined.
"Because I intent to make baby number three with you," he said and suddenly she was in air as he held her from her waist and placed her on the plush mattress.
She laid underneath him.
His thumb caressed her chin as he placed a chaste kiss on her lips.
"I missed you, Zahra,"
"I missed you more, Irtaza," she said when their eyes connected.
And a fire ignited inside them. The urge they kept to themselves while being far away from each other surfaced.
Making both souls one.
'Guess baby number three is on its way,' Was what Zahra thought.