Ahmed's POV:

Experience is remoulding us every moment and our reaction to everything. It is resultant of our experience from the past till up to the day. Our experiences also overlapped by new and from this point, the change begins. That's what exactly happening to me.

I looked at my wife sleeping face and place a kiss on her forehead. Yesterday she was holding me in her arms, protecting me from my fears. Like she always does, at such moments I really wished to put my ego as a man on a side and cry out all my pain, but I can't... even knowing that she will never take advantage of my state. But... I want to be a protector, instead of being protected.

I moved aside to take a proper look if her face but once again she comes forward and snuggled into my chest.

She is really strange ...

I chuckled and squeezed her tight into my arms.

Let's see what she does on waking up!

I close my eyes fell asleep again before I know it.

~*~

Sandal's POV:

Before opening my eyes I took a deep breath and felt Ahmed shuffle a little. Slowly I opened my eyes and push him to get up but my hands come in contact with the warm skin of his chest instead of fabric.

He is sleeping without a shirt again...

I gasped and start pushing him harder.

Aaaah! Why he has to be so strong??

"Suniye, wake up." I shook him.

"No." He said, pulling me more closely.

"C-cant breathe." I managed to utter and he loses his grip.

Taking advantage of this I quickly sits up. I frowned at him, I don't like when he sleeps half-naked.

Liar, you are afraid to be caught on drooling over him...

My inner voice said.

My eyes roamed over his broad shoulder and muscles but quickly averted my eyes. Uff! Whom am I kidding? He really looks so... hot? I guess.

But I can't tell him.

"Mr Ahmed Wali how many tim-" Before I could complete the sentence, I was pulled by arm and pinned down on the bed with Ahmed hovering over me.

Heat start rushing to my face and I found myself unable to meet his gaze, but I was also too embarrassed to watch his naked chest. So I do the first thing that came to my mind, I close my eyes tightly. I heard a deep chuckle and I mentally facepalm myself for my stupidity.

"Open your eyes, Sandal." His voice held amusement. I shook my head in negative.

"Open them." He whispered close to my face and I didn't budge.

"Sandal!" His voice had a warning tone, which I ignore and felt his lips on mine the next moment. I felt my breath hitched at the contact but didn't find the strength to open my eyes. The warmth stayed there for a while before start travelling to the neck, leaving me breathless.

"I-I need to go to the bathroom." I blurted, as he reached to my neckline. He lifted his head and look at me in disbelief.

"Move please, hurry up." I know if I wavered a little he will catch my lie. He sighed, giving me space to leave and without wasting a second I rushed into the bathroom.

I glanced at my tomato colour face in the vanity mirror and facepalm myself. Whenever I run away from Ahmed I find myself sitting on an old Urdu idiom 'Bakre ki maa kab tak khair manaye gi. Kabhi to churi kay neechaye aye gi.' (One day or another the goat will be the victim of butcher's knife.)

In my case, Ahmed was a butcher and I was the goat. I know I cannot run like this forever and I also feel horrible rejecting him every time. He had every right over me legally and religiously. But I am...

I shook my head violently and step outside after brushing my teeth and taking a bath. Ahmed was standing near the dressing table facing the mirror with a distant look in his eyes and he still didn't wear a shirt.

I was about to yell at him but stopped when I found a frown forming on his forehead.

"Ahmed?" He snapped out of his thoughts and look at me in the mirror.

"Hm?"

"Something wrong?"

"No, not anymore I guess." He said shaking his head slowly.

His answer had two meanings, which means he was thinking something bothersome. So, I walked over to him instead of going to the kitchen.

"What bothering you?" I inquired.

"Nothing special. Just thinking about the days when I was scared to take off my shirt." He sighed, "And when I do to take bath I refused to look at my body." He said facing me and lean against the table.

"Why?" I frowned.

"I had burn marks all over my body. It was a gift... from my Chachi." I gasped covering my mouth with my hand.

No way...

"She used to take me with her after dinner for a walk and throws me into the empty servant quarter. Where a man, probably her lover gave me those marks. My Chachi especially engraved her favorite crest on my chest by hot iron... Right here." He pointed to a place near his ribs.

"D-didn't your mother-"

"No one knew because I was taking care of Aani instantly. She was our maid but for me, a second mother... she was too victimized by her. His son was in their custody, so she kept quiet and so does I... She threatened me to kill my sisters if I said a word to anyone... the man who gave me those marks use to wear black clothes and never lit the room with bright lights... slowly a fear built in me... Every man wearing black was him and every place held darkness is the place where I am going to burn... now when I think about it. It was foolishness but for a child, it was something more than any adult can understand... that fear, those painful days stuck in my mind... and make me how I am now. I become overly protective of my sisters, I failed to trust you at first, even I am in love with you..." He stopped for a moment and looked at me. On the other hand, I was sobbing silently the whole time. When he saw me crying he reached out a hand to me, which I accepted and was pulled by him.

"Sssh! It was all in past. Everything is fine now." He cooed wiping my tears but my tears won't stop.

"Hey, I said I am fine na? Look at me, I am in front of you all set and hot." He smiled and winked at me.

I hit on his arm and hugged him.

"Woah! You don't have any problem me being shirtless now?" I shook my head in negative burring my face into his neck.

"Haa! I should have told you earlier." He said with a dramatic sigh and hugged me back.

"Ahmed?" I asked after a while.

"Hm?"

"How did those scars healed?"

"Aani treated those scars secretly after leaving the Saifi House and in my college days I had a plastic surgery."

"But why did she do that?"

"For some reason, police got suspicious after my grandparents' death and start looking at their death as murder... if I died during that time a natural or unnatural death it would fasten police inquiry. So she tortured me, thinking that at some point I might end my life... the thorn in her way."

I slowly traced my fingers from his shoulders to his torso to hug him tight.

"Hey, it tickles." He said with a light laugh.

"Sorry!... who else knows about it?"

"Only my friends know about the surgery but I never tell them the story behind it... I guess there wasn't any need. They are not stupid."

"You never tell anyone about what she did to you?"

"You're the first one and the last." He said, sliding his hands to my waist, pulling me closer.

"Thanks." I breathed out and unconsciously placed a kiss on his shoulder. He quickly apart himself and hold my both arms.

"Who are you and what did you do to my Sandal?" He asked looking into my eyes.

"Huh?"

"My wife is surely not that bold to kiss me like this."

Realizing what he was talking about my face heat up and I abruptly averted my gaze. Then something pops up in my mind and I looked back at him.

"Why cannot be your wife be bold?" I asked raising my chin a little.

"Because she is not... it's not her character." He answered with an amused smile.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know her more than herself."

"What if she proves you wrong?"

"She can't." He mocked.

"I can."

"Fine, then kiss me."

"Huh?"

"Kiss me and prove me wrong." His smile turned into a mischievous one. I was taken aback by his dare and didn't respond to him.

"See I told you."

"Fine!" I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Hm?"

"I will do it."

"Well, I am waiting." His hands leave my body and his smiling eyes are glued to my face.

Great! I dig my own grave...

"Close your eyes." I ordered.

"Fine." He chuckled and closes his eyes.

I took a step near him, biting my inner lip.

Do it, Sandal... do it. He is your husband after all...

I leaned closer to his lips but ended up kissing his cheek and hid my face in his neck.

I am such an idiot...

He let out a loud laugh, making my heart flutter and encircled his arms around me.

"Well, she is certainly my Sandal."

A smile appeared on my face hearing the word 'my Sandal' from his mouth. I also hugged him back whispering, 'My Ahmed....'

I thought falling in love is hard but now I am glad I did...

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