Mehnaz stood at the mirror and combed her hair. A dreamy look on her face as she admired her reflection. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice her husband sneak from behind and hug her.

'Oh!'

'Hey, beautiful.' He whispered and rubbed the tip of his nose on her cheek. Mehnaz giggled, placing her palms over his arms.

'Atif, Alia will come.' She flushed a playful smile on her lips. Atif leaned back and exhaled then leaned towards her.

'She is with her grandfather—and finally, we are together and,' – his voice dropped, - 'alone, at last.' He held her arms and turned her to face him.

'In a few days' time,' – Atif held her arms firmly, - 'is our wedding anniversary. It is going to be 8 years since we got married. Still,' – he admired her while tugging her hair with his finger, Mehnaz lowered her gaze, - 'it feels like yesterday. Still, I am in love with you like I was in our first year of marriage.' He smiled placing his finger under her chin and lifted her face.

Mehnaz closed her eyes, a smile lingered on her lips. Atif kissed her forehead and tilted his head and leaned closer. Before they could kiss, they were startled by the dropping of a flower vase.

'Who is it?' Mehnaz said in a panic voice. Atif was irritated.

'Let it be.' He said and held her cheek but Mehnaz moved his hand away and insisted to check on the sound.

She stepped out of the room and looked around. Two maids just arrived to clean the mess. She walked to them and stood next to them. The maid kneeled, collecting the pieces of a porcelain vase. She asked them and one of the maids looked up at her. Mehnaz was surprised and worried to know it was her mother. She wondered what was troubling her so much. Quickly, she walked towards Zainab's room.

Mehnaz opened the door to her mother's room and found Zainab pacing in the room. She kept furiously murmuring something under her breath, oblivious to her daughter's presence. Mehnaz frowned and slowly entered the room. Cautiously, she closed the door behind her.

'Mom!' She called softly. Zainab stopped in her tracks and turned to look at her. Mehnaz walked towards her.

'Are you okay?' She asked while eyeing her mother. Zainab sighed and walked towards a single sofa.

'I can't tolerate that girl anymore.' She whined lifting and dropping her arms, then she rested her hand on the armchair, leaned placing one leg over the other. Mehnaz looked at her mother placed her palm on her forehead.

'Who, mom?'

'That An—Annie.' Zainab replied with her eyes closed. Mehnaz bit her smile and corrected her,

- 'Anaya.'

'Yeah, whoever.' Zainab opened her eyes and leaned forward, - 'Maaz had promised me to divorce her soon,' – she ignored her daughter's gasp and continued, - 'but why is he taking so long. I know it has been just a few weeks yet—I am running out of patience.'- she slammed her hands on the arm-chair and stood up, - 'I can't waste much time. That girl, she is very clever. Bloody gold digger—what if she is a seductress and she manipulates my poor innocent son and, and—'

'Mom! Maaz isn't a baby.' Mehnaz interrupted her. She sounded miffed. Zainab rolled her eyes and walked to her. She held her shoulders.

'My dear daughter,' – she patted her cheek, - 'you don't know these gold diggers. They know how to charm men and make them their slaves. They take all their money and ruin them.'- Zainab looked into a distance, - 'what if she leaves my son broken and depressed.' Worry lines appeared on her forehead and she looked away, her grip loosened from her daughter's shoulder.

Mehnaz sighed, - 'Mom, I think you are over-reacting.' She said calmly. Zainab shook her head waving her index finger.

'No, no, no, no. I ama mother and I know. Call it my sixth sense, but I know—there is somethingabout that girl. She is definitely planning to gulp all our money and property.And before, she does anything, I need to kick her out of my son's life.' Shesaid with full determination. Mehnaz watched her mother carefully, in her heartshe prayed whatever her mother does she doesn't mess things up and end uphurting Maa

▪⎯⎯⎯∞⎯⎯⎯▪

At night Maaz was exhausted after meeting with Simone, Imran- Head of the finance department, and the IT-department members. There was nothing much for him to do. Just sit there and hear them. He hardly participated in their discussions. Anaya was also present in the meeting, she was just jotting down points and reminding them if and when they got confused. She was an active member of the discussion. Maaz realized that she had a good experience with this.

After the meeting, Maaz and Anaya walked together to their rooms.

'Tough night, right?' Maaz asked as he loosened his tie. Anaya looked at him and shook her head.

'This is nothing. I remember,' – she smiled, - 'we had a meeting with an American hotelier and it took a week for us to finalize the deal.' – she sighed, - 'Rashid sir handled everything so well. He is so intelligent and knows how to convince and charm people.' She said. Maaz observed her with a frown. Then he looked front at the long corridor.

'Yeah. Dad is a workaholic.' – then he looked at her, she looked back, - 'but not everyone is.'

'Yeah! But you need dedication and passion. That is what is lacking in you and—' She bit her lip knowing well she might have crossed her limits. To her surprise, Maaz smiled.

'You are right.' – he stopped in his tracks and so did she, - 'but has anyone bothered to know why?' He said seriously. Anaya blinked at him. He was right. She doesn't know about his family, but she realized she judged him without knowing anything about him.

'Why?' She asked innocently. Maaz scoffed looking away for a moment and then looked back at her.

'Let it be, Anaya.' – he removed his watch, - 'you will never understand. You are very quick to judge someone.' He said with a straight face. Anaya frowned.

'You can't say that based on one statement.' She said feeling offended. Maaz smiled sadly and she was surprised to see hurt in his eyes.

'You believed in Lisa.' He said and watched her mouth slightly open in shock. He smiled sadly at her and walked from her. Anaya kept watching him.

Later that night, Anaya kept recollecting the incident from that night. She was having a feeling she shouldn't have said about Maaz's girlfriend to Rashid. Maaz was right she does jump to conclusions. Like she assumed Gabin likes her too, that Maaz really has a girlfriend, that he was a bad, perverted person and that he was not dedicated or passionate enough. But to think of it, it wasn't her fault entirely. She didn't know about Maaz and believed whatever he said. Her fault was that she had told Rashid without thinking of the repercussions and interfered with something that had nothing to do with her.

Anaya sighed moving her hand from the large windowpane and moved back closing the curtains over the night sky. As she walked towards the bed in deep thought, she hit her toe against the bed and yelped crumping on the ground. After the sting of the pain relaxed, a thought came to her. She remembered Maaz's idea of being good to each other until the time they had together. He apologized to her even when it wasn't his fault. So, she should apologize to him and make up for the insult she has caused him. Anaya smiled to herself as an idea crossed her mind.

Precap:

Anaya froze, her gazelocked with Gabin......

He smiled touching her cheek with his free hand. Gabin spoke while caressing her cheek with his palm. Anaya could feel her cheeks burn and thought if he could feel it too. Gabin leaned resting his forehead against hers. Anaya inhaled sharply closing her eyes. He closed his eyes as well.

Maaz stood at a distancewatching his wife with another man standing outside the kitchen.

Anaya felt her heartpounding in her heart as she felt Gabin's lips approach hers