As I opened my eyes in the morning Kaif wasn't laying beside me. I lifted my head groggy and confused. Where did he go so early in the morning? I slapped my forehead as I missed Fajr again. I got up and found my clothes from last night carelessly discarded on the floor. I quickly wore them and rushed to the bathroom as my bladder was about to explode.

I found him in the workout room. Seriously! Where does he even get this much stamina from? Just a few hours ago he was.....well.... working on me and now he's doing weightlifting and pushups. While I can hardly stand due to the fatigue.

He hadn't noticed me yet as he did pushups. Even though I had him in my arms all night I just cannot stop thinking just how yummy he looked shirtless as his muscles flexed and hips tensed up as he did those pushups on the floor. His bare back and torso was glistening with sweat.

I bit my lip excitedly as an idea clicked me. I tiptoed towards him and carefully went and sat on his back throwing my legs on either side of him.

"Whoa! Hey!" He complained maintaining his balance.

I giggled.

"Why what's wrong? Keep going, don't stop on my accord." I teased.

"A little reminder....your sitting on me." He grunted.

"Why? Is that a problem? I thought you were quite strong with those muscles and all." I said tracing them with my finger.

"You wanna see how strong I am huh? Alright then...." He said began doing his pushups again.

I giggled and seriously I was quite impressed. I started counting.

"Wow! My hubby's soo strong~" I sang.

He smiled proudly. "Keep counting!"

After 18 pushups....he sank down.

I giggled clapping.

"Bravo Mr Kaif Alam! U really are amazing!"

I got off him and he turned over his back spreading his arms and legs catching his breath.

"Too bad, you couldn't do the remaining 2." I mocked.

He darted his eyes at me making me laugh. He suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me on top of him as I clashed on his wet chest, my face just cms away from his. His warm breath hit on my lips making me swallow.

"Should I do an excercise that only me and you could do." He purred.

My face turned crimson.

"U dirty mind. Is that all you could think off? I was just playing with you. And didn't we just.....do it last night." I said getting off of him embarrassed.

"U are the dirty minded one here. I was talking about crunches where you could hold my legs in place while I did the sit ups." He said and sat up with a sinister smirk on his lips.

"Why? What did you think?" He whispered embarrassing me to the extent that I wanted to dig a hole and hide.

"N... nothing...." I murmured standing up turning away from him. I mentally facepalmed.

"Have you taken a shower?" He asked and I shook my head in response.

"Then let's take one together."

I turned to him surprised.

"Together?! Don't be silly!" I yelled like it was a taboo.

He chuckled.

"Why? It's not like I haven't seen anything before. And besides, showering together after making love is Sunnah."

I bit my lip shyly. He came forward pulling me by my waist and rubbed his nose against mine.

"Come on Jaan. I can give you one hell of a back rub....." Then he whispered with his lips on my ear,

"And much more...." As he chewed on my earlobe making my knees go weak. And..... I was off my feet.

###

I'm never showering with him EVER again! I'm soo exhausted like I would die. I sank on the bed on my face. As if last night wasn't enough for him, he even had to do it in the shower. Is he a human or a robot? Where does all this stamina come from?! I can't even feel my lower body anymore as I had to wrap my legs around his waist being slammed to the wall. Avanti was right, these gentle ones sometimes become too wild to handle. Nevertheless, I can't deny that.....it was amazing.....

I heard a knock at the bedroom door. It was the devil himself leaning to the open door sexily with a smug face.

"Wanna go for round 3." He teased.

I darted my face up in his direction.

"Don't you dare Kaif! I'll kill you!"

He chuckled enjoying my misery. Seriously! I look like 1 ran 3 miles but....how is he so fine while he does most of the action?!

"Relax. I'm just kidding. I understand by dear wife lacks a lot of stamina." He mocked. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't be soo proud ok!" I huffed.

"Mom called. She's invited us for lunch. Have some breakfast first and take a quick nap if you want. I'll wake you up in time." He said smiling.

"Ok... love you." I said like a habit

He smirked.

"Don't tempt me for round 3."

"Begone you demon!" I said dramatically. He left laughing wickedly.

###

As usual, the food made by Mom was delicious. Although, she was too quite today. Dad talked a bit about work with Kaif....but it was too formal. Mom wasn't even talking to me at all. She seemed a bit sad too.

"Um.... mom, can you teach me how to make this mutton gravy next time?" I said trying to make conversation.

She smiled weakly moving her hand through my head with a sad look on her face.

"If you say so."

Kaif and I shared a confused look. He was sitting right in front of me so at times we were distracting playing footsie or flirting with our eyes.

"Naila beta..." Mom said.

"Ji Mom." I said abruptly....a bit jumpy.

"Can we talk in private after lunch?"

"Of course Mom." I said. I wonder what it is that's got her soo worried.

###

Mom took me to the terrace garden. A smile naturally came on my lips. It's been soo long since I'd been here.

"Oh wow! New flowers have been planted. They're beautiful." I said entranced as I examined and smelled them.

"Do you like them? Would you like to have one of those plants in your garden?" She said taking her seat on the chair.

"I would love to." I said sitting beside her.

She smiled. "I'll inform the gardener."

The sad smile was back again as she took my hand in hers.

"Is everything ok Mom. You look upset ." I asked worried.

She sighed.

"I feel like a mother who's about to send away her daughter." She said.

"Send away?" I asked confused. Where is this conversation going? It was scaring me now.

"Our agreement for your marriage with Kaif was just till the time he became Chairman and took over the company. Now that's it finally happened, you can finally be free from this obligation." She said.

My smile disappeared.

"It breaks my heart to let you go who I learnt to love like daughter. Any mother in law would be happy to have a daughter in law like you, alas, I can't have that happiness. You must've suffered soo much my bacchi. Now you can finally be free. I'll keep my promise to you now, tell me, where would you like to...."

"I love him!" I announced cutting her off.

"Sorry?" She asked confused.

"I love Kaif Mom. And, I don't think I can live without him anymore." I said smiling.

She looked at me with disbelief.

"Naila! What are you saying?!"

"It's true Mom. I really.... really love him. Yes, at the beginning I was scared and confused about him because of what I'd heard about him. But, being with him, getting to know him, I learnt to trust him and I found out that he's not what everyone thinks he is. He's kind, gentle, loving, caring....and he loves me as much as I love him."

"He's a rapist!" She snapped angrily

I shook my head closing my eyes at the painstaking reality.

"No Mom. He's not. My Kaif is not a rapist. You, dad and everyone have got him all wrong."

"How can you say that?! Do you have any idea what my dear friend Ridhima had to go through? She treated him like her own son and now she's all alone after the loss of her husband. It breaks my heart to see her." Mom said almost in tears.

"And it breaks my heart to see Kaif being shunned for the crime he hasn't committed. Mom, believe me, there's more to the story than you know. Please, you have to know the truth. You can't hate your son like that....he has suffered more than you can imagine. He doesn't deserve it Mom." I begged her with tears.

"My bacchi! Why are you so innocent? Just because he said a few sweet words to you, you believed him? Such men are manipulative, monsters, they don't...."

"Mom please!" I fell on my knees in front of her unable to hear something like that from his own mother. He was the victim yet he's been accused soo filthily by his own mother!

"Please don't hate him soo much. He doesn't deserve it. He needs you! Please Mom, if you don't believe me, then....then I'll prove it to you. I'll.... I'll do anything to get the truth out. Just give me a chance and please..... don't hate your son much. He loves you and Dad a lot. Please, just give him a chance. Please...."

I cried resting my head on her hands.

"Can I .....trust you?" She said after a while. I lifted my head up and I saw a glint of hope in her eyes. I wiped my tears and nodded desperately.

"I want to believe you.... I want to believe my son....my Kaif won't do such a thing, but what I saw and heard is overpowering the voice of my motherhood. I feel like I felt behind in my teachings....can you really prove it that he's innocent? Can I really hold on to the little hope you're giving me?" She said desperately.

I nodded eagerly.

"Yes Mom..... I'll prove it that our Kaif is innocent. I promise you on my life."

She nodded. I happily kissed her hand.

"Thankyou Mom....soo much."

Naila left her phone on the dining table. I took it and waited in my old room for her to come back. Her phone was buzzing a lot as there were messages coming on her class' Whatsapp group. She has extra class tomorrow. This girl doesn't have a password lock! What if someone sees our conversations? Dummy.

I was casually checking out her gallary and it made me smile that there were a lot of pictures of us and some of her friends. From our Dubai honeymoon, our impromptu dates to our sneaky rendezvous. All those memories were captured in her phone. It's astonishing, we hated eachother soo much before that even the other person breathing was frustrating, we fought all the time....and now, even if we don't see eachother for a few hours we go crazy, we crave for eachother's touch whenever we're near.

My finger accidentally went on her contacts. Oh well, I casually surfed through it. I smiled as I saw the name 'Babe' on the list.

Ah, so that's how she's saved my number huh. She never calls me that though.

But, when I checked the number I realised.....it wasn't mine.

What the hell! Who can she call babe accept for her own husband?! A person flashed through my head but I ignored him.

No way! She hates him....she would never!

My curiosity was getting the best of me and I was getting a bit jealous and frustrated....so I decided to call the number.

After a 3 rings the call was answered. I braced myself.

"Hello Naila babe!"

I chuckled to myself at the familer female voice.

"Hello Mrs Avanti how are you?" I said.

"Oh, Hello Jiju. I'm fine. How are you? Uh, this is Naila's number right?" She said.

"Uh, yes, actually I accidentally dialled your number. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Of course not. It was nice to speak to you after so long. BTW Jiju, was it an accident or....were you jealous to see how who she's saved her name as 'Babe' in her contact list?"

I felt flustered now that I was busted.

"Uh....not at all...."

She giggled.

"It's ok. It happens. We have both saved eachother's numbers like that. Don't worry... it's none other than me."

"Have a good day Mrs Avanti."

"You too Jiju. Bye." I hung up.

I let out a breath. That was.... embarrassing.

I found another interesting contact.

'Old Grandpa'.

Now this was my number. My annoyance reached it's peak. Here, I've saved her number as 'Jaan' in my phone and this is how she's saved mine?! This girl!!!

Let me get my hands on her..... I'll show her who's Old Grandpa!

I saw her coming in but before I could say anything she just rushed to me and hugged me tightly like she was afraid I might slip away.

"Hey, what's wrong? Did anything happen?" Forgetting my anger, I asked moving my hand gently through her hair trying to placate her.

"I love you Kaif! I don't ever wanna leave your side.... I want to be with you until my old and ugly and all my teeth fall off and our grandchildren get married off. I want to be with you till I die. " She said in a desperate tone

I sighed as I got the idea of the situation.

"Did Mom tell you about completing the agreement and leaving too?"

She looked at me blinking.

"How did you know?"

I smiled a little carasing her innocent face.

"Before the AGM I had the same talk with Dad. But I believed in my love....and look at us now."

She smiled.

"You're right. We are different than before. We are in love."

"Hm...so tell me Mrs Naila Alam, who's this Old Grandpa in your contact list?" I raised an eyebrow at her.

She bit her tongue and tried to get away from me but I trapped her with my arms to my body.

"Running won't help you." I said through grunted teeth.

Uh oh! I was caught.

I held my ears.

"Sorry?" I acted cute.

He narrowed his eyes. "no!" He said sternly.

I wrapped my arms around him to placate him

"Jaan....baby.....Kaifu..."

He chuckled. It worked.

"Kaifu baby....."

"Stop calling me that?" He that in a hopeless attempt to suppress his laugh.

"Kaifu....." I sang pouting my lips.

"Shut up." He laughed letting me go.

It made me giggle too. He turned away from me but I cutely followed him around singing Kaifu.... Kaifu and he just kept laughing like it was the funniest joke in the world.

It made my heart swell with pleasure to see him soo happy. Just you wait Kaif, I'm going to make this smile permanent on your face. I'll bring back your lost happiness.

I promise!