As Qirat slept soundly, Taimoor sat by her side listening to her calm breaths. Qirat snuggled into his side and Taimoor couldn't help but feel the warmth of her tiny body. His moment of calm with his precious daughter was broken by a voice, his wife's.

"Taimoor! She is sleeping. Come have your dinner. You haven't eaten anything."

Taimoor nodded and got up to leave but not before leaving a kiss on his bud's forehead, a gesture of his adoration for her.

"I'm sorry, I worried you."

Nayab served him dinner and took out a chair beside him to sit. Taimoor kept and started munching on the piece of heaven kept in front of him, too hungry to utter a reply. Nayab sighed and also started having her meal.

•••

Next morning

Taimoor woke up to noises in the kitchen. After getting ready, he went downstairs. Breakfast was already served and Nayab was helping Qirat finish her French toast. Taimoor sat on the comfy chair of the dining table and looked at Nayab.

"I am going to marry Daneen." He sighed.

Nayab felt as if a huge rock had been dropped on her and she was stuck beneath it, suffocated and no way out. But she somehow felt this coming.

She wanted to question him but did she the strength to do so? She felt drained. Having spent her life loving the man known as her husband, she had realized that his heart would always beat for someone else and that someone wasn't her. She had compromised with it. She had even grown to like Daneen, the house wrecker. All because she loved Taimoor.

Muhib ko Mehboob ki har Mehboob cheez se mohabbat hoti hai, her heart whispered.

She chinned up and gave the only reply that would have felt sensible at that time. "As you wish! But Qirat and I won't stay here anymore. I'll go back to my mother's house."

Taimoor choked on his food and looked up at Nayab, as if to confirm what she had just said. One glance was enough to make him aware of the I-am-not-kidding look on her face.

She breathed out a cold sigh and stood up to leave. Taimoor looked at Nayab's disappearing back. She returned with Qirat's school bag and water bottle. Placing them on the table, she disappeared once again without sparing him a sight while he sat there bewildered.

"Papa!" Qirat broke his chain of thoughts. Picking his precious daughter in his arms, he exited the house.

He dropped Qirat at her playschool.

Seeing Qirat leave, he felt a pang in his chest. Once again, Nayab's words reverberated in his mind. Qirat was his flesh and he needed her to stay with him for his sanity.

The whole day, his head was filled with the thoughts of Nayab leaving him. He didn't want to believe that she would really abandon him but he couldn't help but wallow in the valley of fear and dread.

•••

Taimoor was on cloud nine. The woman he had lived for, will finally be his. His happiness knew no bounds.

As he drove his car, his pupils kept focusing on the shopping bag which lay on the passenger seat.

He stopped the car and took out a small box from the shopper. There was a beautiful rose-cut diamond ring resting on top of the silk. He bought this for Daneen and he imagined Daneen sitting next to him on the passenger seat as he made her, his forever.

But forever didn't exist. At least not for his and Daneen's relationship.

A horn brought him back to reality. A car had stopped behind his and the driver was so annoyed for he didn't find a way to move his car. When the other person kept on honking, he put the box aside and turned the ignition to relieve the impatient fellow. He just applied the gear and was about to move but before he could do so, a fast-moving truck came colliding with his car and smashing it.

Taimoor only heard the noise of a crash and then he was enveloped by the darkness.

2 MONTHS LATER

Taimoor felt like he was tied and was unable to move. He tried kicking his legs but he couldn't feel them. He opened his eyes and was immediately welcomed by the sharp rays beaming through the large window pane of the room and he groaned. Wait. His room didn't have large windows? He looked around to see the white walls and the machinery and it was then he realized he was in a hospital. The nurse on duty called the doctor to check him up.

"I can't move my legs!!"

"Mr, Taimoor, your muscles have been temporarily paralyzed." The Doctor told him.

A few weeks later, when he was finally discharged from the hospital, he tried to contact Daneen, but didn't receive any response. It was days later, he found out that Daneen had left the country to move back to the UK. His heart shattered into a million pieces and he drowned himself in despair. Ending his contact with everyone, he started to live like a zombie.

His parents, who loved him endlessly, couldn't bear seeing their only son on the verge of destruction. They believed that Nayab was the only one who could bring him back to life. After endless efforts and pleasing, they finally managed to convince Nayab's mother.

After marriage, despite his hatred, she took good care of him and also his business. But how long can you hate someone if they can sacrifice everything for you? Constant dripping wears away a stone and this was just a matter of a heart. Taimoor's hate for Nayab slowly melted away, the image of Daneen also started fading away from his mind. But he never confessed.

He started walking onto his feet. And even he knew that the selfless care, unconditional love, and constant support of one person made it possible.

•••

The continuous ringing of his phone irked him. When he took a look at the screen, his blood boiled.

Daneen Calling...

He received the call and made a quite sensible demand.

"I want to meet you."

"Okay, I am going to Santa Cruz for some work. If you want, we can meet in CCD."

•••

Nayab packed her stuff, trying hard not to let her tears burst. But she was a woman after all. She broke down and sat on the bed, crying.

He never loved you, the mind dropped a bucket of ice on her.

But she never thought he would leave her for Daneen. Once again!

•••

His heart was restless. But Daneen had knocked some sense into his stupid brain. He stopped his car in front of the florist's shop and bought a beautiful rose bouquet, a symbol of never-ending love.

He had finally realized his mistake. He was about to lose the most beautiful thing in his life, because of his ignorance.

After so many years of oblivion, he was finally going to confess his feelings.

Getting inside the car, he put the bouquet on the passenger seat and tuned in to a radio station. He felt giddy somehow.

Nayab was packing her suitcase. When she opened the drawer to take out her stuff, she came across a red velvet box kept in it. It was her Munh-Dikhai from Taimoor. She recalled her so-called wedding night.

•••

The room was decorated with rose petals and scented candles made the room fragrant. She sat in the middle of the bed, like a typical bride, her dress resting around her. She was already nervous and when Taimoor entered the room, she felt as if her heart would jump out of her ribs. But He didn't spare her a glance.

"This is for you." He placed a box on the bed and didn't even bother giving it in her hands. Nayab felt like it was his way of telling 'khud hi lelo, khud hi pehen lo.' And she did, she picked from the bed.

"Thank you," she mumbled, her voice a mere whisper. He nodded and exited the room, leaving the newly-wed bride to mourn over her ruined wedding night.

•••

Taimoor quickly got down from his car and went inside. When he entered, a queer silence was prevailing in the house.

He was about to call for her, but decided otherwise. He went to their room and found her packing her suitcase. He was shocked to see the sight in front of him and he cleared his throat to gain her attention.

Nayab was startled and after knowing that her dear husband was the owner of the voice, she turned to her suitcase

"Nayab. " A soft silk-like voice was heard.

"Kya Kar rahi ho?" Added the voice.

"Dikh nahi raha?"

"Dikh raha Hai lekin iska koi fayda nahi hai. Kyun ke tum aur Qirat kahi nahi ja rahe ho." He held her hand to stop her.

"Aur yahi rahe? With your second wife? Taimoor I can't do that. I can bear your hatred happily but I can not see you with someone else... I just can't."

She freed her hand from his grip and zipped her suitcase close.

"Then, oppose." he went after her, who was now in front of the dressing table to collect her things.

"You can't snatch away the happiness of the one you claim to love."

"How can I be happy without you and Qirat?" He asked her reflection in the mirror.

"Sometimes you have got to lose something to gain what you want."

"You and Qirat are my everything. I don't want anything else."

"And Daneen?"

"There was a time when I thought I loved her. But when I got married to you, I understood the true meaning of love. Mohabbat bilkul tumhare jaisi hai, paak and bey-gharz aur bohot masoom. Mohabbat mein hum apne bare mein kuch nahi sochte humare liye sirf samne wale ki khushi ehm hoti Hai."

"You are only saying this because you don't want me to separate you and Qirat. I'm not that heartless. You can meet Qirat every day. I won't stop you."

"I'm only saying this because it is the truth."

"When I got married to you trust me I never thought about Daneen not even once. She recently got divorced and she needed support that's why I thought........... Forget it. Nothing is more important to me than you and Qirat." Gently grabbing her arms, he pulled her in his arms.

"Nayab! Tumhe shayad Meri baat ka yaqeen na ho lekin Mein waqai tumse mohabbat karta hoon."

"Mohabbat?" She raised her head to make eye contact with him.

"I thought you knew that?"

"How can I know when you've never voiced it out ever?"

"You also never said it before, but I know." Her eyes lowered of shyness.

"Mujhe chorr ke mat jao." He embraced her and mumbled in her hair. His voice sounded more like a plea.

"Ek shart pe." Her face was hidden in his chest. Breaking the embrace he raised his eyebrow

"Get on your knees and apologize."

"Now you are taking advantage of my love."

"Like you were a saint."

"Only because I love you." Saying this, he kneeled before her.

"I'm really sorry from the bottom of my heart please don't leave me. I beg you. Now am I forgiven?" He only got up when Nayab nodded her head. Her eyes gleaming with khushi ke aansu.

"Now unpack this." He turned to her suitcase and started throwing her things out of it.

"Taimoor!" She almost yelled seeing her increased work.

"Are yeh toh wahi gift haina Jo maine tumhe wedding night pe diya tha. Tumne Kabhi pehna nahi isse?" He saw the velvet box. Picking it up, he turned to her.

"Kaise diya tha woh bhi yaad ker lein." She mumbled. His chest vibrated with a laugh.

"Chalo ab theek se de deta hoon." Taking the pendant out from the box, he made Nayab wear it. He moved beside her but not before giving a kiss on her shoulder. He hugged her and grasped her hands in his.

"Waise wedding night se yaad aya humari wedding night adhoori reh gai thi." He kissed her ear lobe.

"Tai.....Taimoor mujhe saman cupboard mein wapas rakhna Hai." Nayab was flustered. She came across this new side of Taimoor for the first time. But she liked it.

"Not so fast Mrs. Taimoor." He pulled her towards himself and made sure she was drowned fully in his love.

•••

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