Sunlight streamed through the large French windows of the colossal hotel room and gently warmed her face, caressing her slowly into awakening. She felt weirdly peaceful, at ease of sorts, something she wasn't accustomed to. She woke up not knowing what woke her up, the sun or the peace. But she was up.

She could hear Aamir in the shower. She sat up and ran her hand through her messed hair. She was grateful Aamir wasn't here just yet, a glorious blush making itself known on her face. She didn't know how to face him after all the hugging and cuddling-to-sleep last night.

How afraid she had been! Terrified of how Aamir was going to react, almost certain that she was going to be hurt. What he did last night dispelled all her fears, at least most of them. If Aamir would not hurt her with the amount of provocation he received last night, he most probably wouldn't hurt her at all. Never before had a thought pleased her more.

Never before had she felt so hopeful.

Mayra sank back down on the soft pillows, rubbed her face and thanked God for Aamir's thoroughness. He had called home in advance and asked Zara to pack a change of clothes for last night and the morning, and a few essentials and have them sent over. That had enabled her to sleep sans makeup and in her comfy clothes. She would've hated to have to sleep in that beautiful red dress and spoil it. She was going to keep that dress forever, for the memories it held.

Memories of Aamir as he held her, as she held him. Memories of a sea of people looking up at her in awe as her husband humbled himself in front of his peers to let the light shine on her. Memories of finding her self-worth, confidence and esteem. Memories where she was Aamir's equal, not his slave.

The door opened and Mayra shot up, sitting with her spine as straight as a rod. What emerged from the bathroom had her quickly averting her gaze and blushing to the roots of her hair. She covered half her face with her hand and hoped Aamir wouldn't notice.

Aamir stood in the doorway, drying his wet hair with a towel knowing full well what he was doing to her. He had never appeared before her without a shirt. He smirked arrogantly. What male wouldn't? It stoked a man's ego when he and he alone had such an effect on his woman.

Mayra removed the hand a little from her face and squealed when she saw Aamir toss the wet towel away and saunter towards the bed. He wore blue jeans, and no shirt! Drops of water fell from his damp hair and ... no. No! She covered her eyes again.

Aamir walked to the edge of the bed and putting his knee down, crawled to where Mayra sat, her face covered. Smiling, he gently removed her hand from her face and fought the urge to laugh at her tightly shut eyes.

"Good morning, Princess."

Oh God, his voice! It was deep and husky. Almost caressing her as firmly as his hands would. She shivered a little at that but found herself unable to draw her gaze from her lap. His smoldering eyes would be as uncomfortable for her to see as would be his bare chest.

"G..G..good mor..morning."

Aamir stroked the side of her face, "Did you sleep well, my love?"

That voice! "Y..yes."

"That's nice," he said. Deliberately he pulled back and lay his wet head in her lap. She squeaked at the sudden change of position and pulled her hands away.

Aamir looked up at her face, finding her gaze and holding it. She looked even more beautiful in the morning, if that was even possible. He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek again, taking in her blush and feeling thrilled that he was the cause of it.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart."

She closed her eyes. She couldn't hide away from him, he was literally on her lap and was witnessing her obvious and apparent discomfort.

So much for being a confident woman, she thought sarcastically.

Taking his teasing to an altogether new level, buoyed by the amazing night he spent holding his wife, he gently pulled her face closer to his and whispered, "am I making you nervous, Mayra?"

She froze. Her body shut down and she couldn't move.

"Mayra. Am I making you nervous?"

Stiffly she nodded her head.

Aamir wanted to leap in joy and punch his fist in the air out of sheer happiness. She was nervous, but she wasn't scared like she used to be. She wasn't flinching at his touch, or moving away disgusted with his advances. They had come such a long way and covered so many milestones in just one night.

Last night, all his efforts had been a success.

No, he thought, looking up at her face only inches from his own. They had covered so much ground because of the patience that he had shown her since her accident. Love wasn't something that was professed by extravagant gestures, it was the little moments of care and concern that bore testimony of love.

He leaned up a little and kissed the tip of her nose. Her eyes flew open and she looked into his eyes. They both knew that it was one moment neither was going to forget ever.

What seemed an eternity later, Aamir reluctantly got up. "You must be hungry. Why don't you freshen up, love, and I'll order us some breakfast."

Dizzy with the feelings he aroused in her Mayra could only nod as she got up and grabbed whatever clothing and essentials she needed before heading to the bathroom.

She let the warm water cascade over her and in that moment she decided that she was ready to move on. The desperation with which she had clung to the denial that her life would never change was slowly slipping away. It was happening and it was beyond her control. Aamir had eased his way into her heart despite all the walls she had erected to keep him away. She couldn't deny it any further.

Aamir had really, truly changed and she was falling in love with him.

She smiled widely at that. The nightmare was over. Her life wasn't going to be miserable anymore. She was going to have a normal and joyful life. With Aamir.

Quickly she dressed. She felt the need to be around Aamir. She needed to be close to him. She didn't even know how her life had changed so very completely. The same Aamir who she ran from was the person whose company she craved.

She walked out and into their room but Aamir wasn't there. She looked for him and felt a moment of panic when she moved around but couldn't spot him. Finally she turned to the balcony and found him on the phone.

"I understand Irfan. Please relax, you'll make it worse - "

Aamir sighed and listened as Irfan cut him short.

"I told you," Aamir tried to explain. "We were just talking. We weren't trying to cause her any stress."

Again, Aamir stopped.

"Fine."

He cut the call and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He turned to find Mayra watching him.

"Come," he said to her gently. "Breakfast is here."

Mayra sat down quietly. She didn't know what to say to him.

Aamir served their breakfast in two plates and handed Mayra her's before settling down in his chair. "It was Irfan," he said, "apparently, Faiza's blood pressure has shot up."

"Oh no!" Mayra exclaimed. "How is she? The baby?"

"Irfan rushed her to the hospital this morning after she complained of a severe headache. Her gynaecologist has advised complete bed rest. Irfan is furious, he's angry with me. He thinks I've done something which caused her to stress and her blood pressure to rise."

Mayra reached out to touch his hand and said, "he's just worried about her. I'm sure he didn't mean to upset you."

Internally revelling at her touch, initiated by her own free will, Aamir smiled, "I understand. I would've reacted the same way, I guess."

Mayra thanked God in that moment for the change in Aamir. He wasn't losing his temper even when he was getting yelled at for no mistake of his. She felt so happy that she could barely eat.

A surge of pride rushed through her, a sensation so foreign to her that she actually put her fork aside and thought about it. Aamir claimed that it was his love for her that forced him to change. How powerful then must have his love been that the change was so dramatic and so forceful! How deep must Aamir's love for her be for him to be born anew!

For that, she prided herself and felt humbled at the same time. Somehow, some way, she had made Aamir fall in love with her! She had actually done it!

"I would give anything right now," Aamir said, eyeing her suspiciously, "to know what's going on in that head if yours. Why are you smiling?"

For the first time in two years, Mayra laughed, carefree. Aamir watched mesmerised.

"I was just thinking," Mayra replied, "that you've changed so much."

Aamir smiled at her, "yes, I have. For you."

Before Mayra could reply Aamir's phone lit up with a message. "Zaheer wants to meet me. After we finish, I'll drop you home and head to his office."

"Okay."

"And Mayra," Aamir said, seriously. "Keep contact with Faiza at a minimum. Until this problem is resolved, lets not worry her unnecessarily and harm the baby."

"Of course."

They finished their meal in a hurry but threw appreciative smiles at each other throughout. Aamir helped her pack and soon they made their way to the hotel lobby to check out.

As soon as they were outside, they were swarmed by paparazzi.

"Aamir Hassan! Aamir Hassan! Is it true that you gifted the shares to your wife to evade taxes?"

"Aamir Hassan! Why were you in the hotel until morning?"

"Is Hassan Industries buying this hotel?"

"Mayra Hassan, people are calling you a gold-digger! Can you please - "

Before the reporter could finish and before Aamir could unleash his wrath upon the man for asking something like that, Mayra turned to him with a smile and said, "the saying that 'behind every successful man is a woman' is wrong. It should be 'the success of every successful man is a woman'. That would be correct. I am as much my husband's success as he is mine. Thank you."

Mayra linked her arm through Aamir's and bestowed upon his stunned yet insanely proud face, a breathtaking smile of her own as the world around them watched the couple madly in love.

*****