His eyes stared at hers, he was left bewildered. It was the first time in his life he was this confused. Words refuse to some out of his mouth. Her words hit her straight in his heart.
He observed the emotions floating in her brown eyes.
Fear.
Anticipation.
Anxiety.
Lack of trust.
These emotions danced in her eyes. He deduced it, she didn't trust him, she didn't want to be with him. Her words contrasted with her eyes. She meant when she said, she didn't feel safe around him.
And why would she?
After what he has done to him, no one would.
He still denied it, shifting his stare from her one iris to the other, his eyes moving between her eyes. And he felt disturbed. Her brown orbs depicted her nervousness not her comfortability around him.
This immediately caused a pang in his heart, he felt his heart beat getting escalated, his throat getting constricted.
What was that feeling?
He closed his grey eyes taking in a deep breath, as he was not able to stand that mistrust towards her in his eyes. He tried to calm his self, those feelings were making him...guilty?
Was that guilt?
Was he guilty of punishing her?
To his sadistic mind, he deserved that, even she still did, deserve his wrath for scheming behind his back, for playing games but his heart, his conscience practically screamed at him to stop inflicting atrocities on her.
Her case was really different to him. He had never felt guilty before, pained on seeing that immense amount of mistrust in someone's eyes for him. In another case, he wouldn't bother to give a bullshit but for her, he felt like killing himself.
Though, it was only a week, just a week of her imprisonment, as he couldn't anymore found enough power in himself to punish her more. But that week was still heavy on his heart.
And to him, betrayal was the ultimate crime but again her case was different. He couldn't punish her in that way as he thought. He couldn't, as if his hands were tied, his heart didn't allow it, his conscience didn't allow it.
The conscience which got activated only in her case.
He opened his eyes again, producing a soft sigh and again his eyes met with the doubt in her eyes. Her hitched breath, her uneven breathing told him all. He felt bothered, bothered alot.
He never wanted that.
He never wanted the situation to turn out like that, now Zahra didn't trust him.
He was utterly uncomfortable on seeing those emotions in her eyes and pulled back from her. As soon as he got away, she immediately gripped her dupatta and got to the farthest corner of the seat.
The whole ride then went in silence. No words were exchanged after that.
.............
"It is now fucking bothering me Shehryaar, who's that damn sheep among us!" Irtaza bellowed, his eyes fixed on the gun placed at the table, the gun with which Daniyal tried to shot Zahra.
Both of them sat in Irtaza's office. He had immediately called Shehryaar over to his place, narrating him the incident. Moosa was on the mission, of clearing the coast of the consignment from the Arabian Sea, otherwise he would've also been a part of this conversation.
"We've a few men, just a few who are very close to us and traitor is indeed one of them"
"Moosa, Amman and Yawar" Irtaza stated.
"You sure, you ain't missing anyone?" Shehryaar quirked a brow up.
"No. I discuss this mafia bullshit just with them"
"Pick out Moosa, he can't be the one"
"Yawar and Amman are left. A thousand bucks says, its one of them"
"God, why didn't I get a brain like you" Irtaza rolled his eyes makinghim chuckle, "I did give it a ponder, but still we are not certain. There could be someone else too. Let it slide for now-"
"No, its now getting on my nerves too. We should get our hands on him already"
"Shehryaar, there's always a motive behind a person's move. And if you have percieved that motive then consider you've gotten your hand on the weakest point. And one is always as stong as its weakest point. We already know the cause for which the traitor among us is making these activities and that is to cease the shipping, on which we should focus right now, whoever the person is just making mad moves without any direction and planning, if you observe. We should be dead set on to accomplish our task, everything will get blurred for us then" He stated. He had that thing, if he was into something then he'd never get out of that something until his purpose is finished. His every move was always calculated and purposeful.
"I'd agree but I expect, you are not brushing aside this matter. We should have our eyes on everything neither should we disregard the fact the enemy is present between us"
"I'm not, the reason for which my every move has became more vigilant now"
"Good"
"It is. Now I've something important to discuss with you"
"What is it?"
"You're leaving for Karachi, within a week"
"Why?"
"The third part is quite huge and last one too so we're diving it in two parts. Such a heavy amount of drugs is not possible to be smuggled through the coast alone. One part would be getting smuggled through Karachi while the other one from Lower Dir, eventually meeting the refugees camps their"
"But the Talibans are now invading that Dir area"
"I and Moosa will manage"
"Have fun then. You're playing a dangerous game, they are already after you"
"I know, but I've given my word to Alessandro. The shipment will have to somehow dispatched by the end of this week"
"I see,"
"You've to take care of the part being smuggled through Karachi. Moosa has already settled every issue at the custom their but now I need him to come with me to Dir because he has executed numerous operation their, knowing the place well. Now you've to do rest of Moosa's job by moving to Karachi at the end of this week"
"Okay. I'll be leaving for Karachi soon"
"Be careful"
"No worries"
"Who else is aware of this plan?" Shehryaar asked.
"Me, you and Moosa"
"Okay"
"How's Dua now?" Irtaza asked.
"Recovering,"
He sighed.
"She doesn't share anything with me" he stated plainly, his face nonchalant.
"You're well aware how much you scare these young haveli lads, especially Haseeb" he told chuckling.
"Ah Haseeb" he chuckled, "he's very much though. I think I might haunt him in his dreams" he said, humor lacing his tone and then they both laughed.
"But he needs that iron hand, I think"
"I agree"
"I'm leaving now brother. And yes Dadi was asking for you and Zahra"
"We'll visit soon. And where you're leaving for?" he inquired.
"To Lahore"
"Ahaan. And when are you planning to get married with that lady?"
"Aha! Atleast you stop Irtaza, Dadi is already driving me nuts. She just wants me to get married overnight."
"You made a mistake by making her meet with Dadi. By the way what's her name, I didn't quite catch it, that evening"
"Sheharzaad" Shehryaar replied with that devlish glint in his eyes which didn't go unnoticed by Irtaza.
"You're absolutely not upto something good, Shehryaar. Am I right?"
"Quiet close"
"What's going on in between you both?"
"Let it be the talk of some other day. Now I've to give time to my wife to be. I'll take my leave"
"Yeah go"
After then he left, leaving him alone with his sulking. And he really didn't want to ponder over the most disturbing occuring of the day so he grabbed the whiskey and poured into the glass gulping it down. But her distrustful eyes, still didn't leave him alone.