The morning dew drops slid down the frosty glass window. Everything felt cold. Maybe even nature was portraiting the condition of her heart; numb and cold. Sanari laid in the bed of her small room. Brought up the blanket to her chin and covered herself securely from the chilled feelings. A teardrop leaked down her eye. Sniffing in numbness she dried it off with the blanket.

Days were coming to a deliberate end of leaving Haani Villa. At that time it felt like the easiest thing to do but laying cold in bed, she realised it wasn't. Haani wasn't Behlul. Despite Haani's crude reality for the sake of need, he had cared for her in the most profound manner any man cares for the woman he loves and she had loved him back. She had fallen in love with him in the truest accords. That's what made him so different than Behlul.

She missed him but her mind wasn't bringing itself to accept that cruel reality. Sanari missed waking up to his face, his eyes intriguingly watching her, his soft smile welcoming her to begin a new day, his warmth letting her know she was safe with him, she missed it all. How she wished she could just ditch the reality of him and go back. Go back to him and tell him she had a really terrible nightmare. Ask him to hold her till even the memory of it fades away but neither was it a nightmare and nor was he going to warmly welcome her into his embrace. He had taken what he needed, there was nothing left she could offer him and beg him to keep her. There was only numbness left and empty feelings settling in the hallow of her soul.

The bell rang, bringing Sanari back from her void. Tiredly she unwrapped the blanket and stood up. Catching her balance, she wrapped the woollen shawl around her body and walked towards the door. Peering through the hole she saw Ella wave at her and she opened it for her. "Hey there!" She greeted cheerfully the moment she let her in.

Both the women seemed to have bonded in a warm relation. They found comfort with each other. Even though Ella seemed the happiest woman on earth but deep down both knew that every soul on earth faced turbulence. From her workload to her recent news of not being able to conceive another child, everything was going off around her life except for her supporting and loving husband.

She made Susan stand on the floor and walked towards the kitchenette. "I haven't had breakfast, what do you have in here?" She opened the fridge door and took out a few homemade chicken rolls, "these will do." Before she could put them to heat, Sanari came in behind her to inspect what she was about to eat.

"Don't eat them, they don't smell fine to me." Instinctively Ella smelled the food and looked at her confounded, "they smell fine." Sanari shook her head. Ella tore off a bit, chewed on it and swallowed. "They taste fine too. Maybe you aren't feeling well."

Tiredly Sanari sat on one of the stools. "I feel dizzy and cold." Ella inspected her tired stance and put the plate aside.

"We're going to visit the doctor." Sanari shook her head in disapproval.

"Don't give me that attitude young woman. I'm taking you to the doctor and that's that." Sanari knew it wasn't an option to just shrug her off anymore.

"Give me ten minutes to fix my attire." Ella nodded at her in victory.

They sat at the clinic for a couple of minutes before the doctor returned to them. Her reports were very clear.

After delivering the news she paused and look at Sanari for a brief moment. "You look quite like the artist Haani Fateen's wife you know? What a resemblance." Both of the women glared at her in utter shock.

"Wife?" They repeated in unison.

"Yes, the woman in his recent paintings is his wife. He secretly married you know and revealed it last week in an exclusive interview. It's all over the news. Though there hadn't been any public appearance yet." The doctor mused to herself.

The shock was an emotion beyond Sanari. None of them knew about any interview of Haani Fateen or his revelation of his marital status. More precise in words, they had stayed away from news and television for a good reason that didn't seem too good now.

Ella took her by the arm and collected her reports. They walked outside towards the elevator. Sanari was too absorbed in her own void to zone in on anything. The drive to her apartment and the silence only exaggerated her emotional condition. Sanari had tried to stay strong for quite a while now and Ella knew too well that it would be any moment that her strengths finally give up and she shatters like thin glass. Maybe that's how fragile women are. They only endure what their strengths allow them, they can keep strong for longer but there comes a point where it fails and everything falls into pieces. Sanari was having an inner battle to not break away for it would be the last thing she'd ever do.

On reaching the apartment, she turned in the keys, let herself in and placed her reports on the nearby table. Taking off both her shoes, she slumped tiredly onto the couch.

"I don't know why he'd make such a confession." Ella stirred the topic so she won't let her eat up at herself in worry and anxiety.

"I don't know." Sanari didn't know why he'd do that now of all the times. She didn't know why he was such a selfish crude. Maybe he did it so people could recognise her and make her life a living hell than it already was. Maybe he was planning on revenge as she left him without a word. Emotions bottled up within her. For a moment her eyes fell upon the reports and she turned towards Ella.

"What if he finds out?" Ella knew what she meant exactly by those words. She knew she was scared, her eyes deliberately gave her fears away even though her face held onto a stern look. "He'll take me away wouldn't he?" Her voice cracked.

"He won't find out and he won't take you away. You're safe here." She tried to assure her and patted her shoulder to relax a bit.

"He will find out someday. We can't hide this from him forever." Even Ella knew she was right. Haani Fateen would find out the truth someday, they couldn't keep it from him forever. Everything in Sanari's life was turning upside down and Ella no more knew if she could keep her safe. If by any source Haani got the news, he'd barge in breaking down the doors. Rejection or acceptance was something for later.

Ella made Sanari a meal, though she wasn't a good cook as her she could plate something decent enough to eat at least. She settled her food in the fridge and walked to where she was curled up on the couch. "I'll check on you in the morning. If anything happens, I'm a call away okay?" Sanari nodded at her attentively.

It was seven the evening when Ella left her apartment. Sanari covered herself in the blanket and flipped through the channels in vivid distraction. Her mind was stuck on the reports laying on her table and on the confession Haani Fateen had made. Did he actually consider her his wife or was it just a facade to get to her? What if he finds out about her condition? Would he accept it? Would he keep her? Would she want to stay with him? Was it about her anymore? It wasn't. Questions kept running through her mind like adrenaline. In weeks she had forgotten how to cry even. She reached out for her phone to call Annum, maybe by talking to her she'd somehow get her mind off the one person she was starting to despise so much but before she could even dial a number, the doorbell interrupted her attempts.

Exhausted from the day, she tried to get up and walk towards the door. It could only be the neighbour across the wall who'd disturb her at this hour. Somehow this wouldn't be her first time and Sanari was thinking of shrugging her off finally. She wanted some peace to herself.

Without much of a thought, she walked towards the main door, pulled off the security lock and opened the door in pure annoyance. Her breath froze in her lungs on seeing who was standing before her. Her eyes went wide in their sockets and her mouth left agape.

He had never seen her this shock before, it was as if she'd seen a ghost in white. He didn't tear his eyes off her. Recalculating her options, he watches her take a primitive step backwards and instantly tried to shut the door in his face but before it could close, he did something really stupid. In time he placed his hand between the door and the lock to stop it from clicking close just to end up crushing his fingers. He hissed in pain, Sanari let go of the door in a panic and moved a few feet backwards.

Taking advantage of his options, he pushed open the door wide enough to reveal him and stepped into her privacy.

Haani had tracked her down. He had followed them to her apartment and waited for Ella to leave so he could get her alone. He had waited for hours and now he was standing in front of her. After more than a month he was seeing her in bones and flesh, and not painting in carved into a blank canvas. Nothing was different about her except for the exhausted look on her face. Maybe she was tired of running away from life, from him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in a shaky voice.

"I should ask you the same question Sanari." He sternly bit back at her.

"Should you?" She challenged. Haani admired the nerves of this woman. Maybe that's one thing he fell in love with. Arguing with her would only make things worse, he concluded. He asked that one question that never left his mind.

"Why did you leave?" Sanari looked away from him with tears glazing her sea-green eyes. Haani took calculated steps towards her, he inched closer. Sanari didn't leave her spot, she didn't flinch away. He towered over her fragile body, sternly controlling his hands from touching her, he didn't want to give her any bad impressions after everything.

"Do you even know what your leaving did to me? Did you even for once think of me? I searched everywhere for you like a mad man. Why Sanari?" Sanari turned her face to him and looked him dead in the eye, giving away a disgusted look. "Cut the lies." She commented furiously.

Haani stared at her face confused. "I'm not lying." His face gave away his innocence but Sanari wasn't a fool anymore. She pushed him hard against his chest till he stumbled a few feet back. Sanari walked away. He towed behind her to stop her. He caught her by the arm and turned her towards him. Placing both his hands on her shoulder, he tightened his grip on her "I'm not lying Sanari. Your leaving killed me. You have no idea how these weeks had been for me. You know nothing." She tried to get out of his hold but his fingers dug into her arms.

"Why were you searching for me? Didn't your exhibition go a success? That's the only thing you wanted from me right? That's exactly what you married me for and you got it then why can't you just leave me alone now. Why do I matter anymore?" Haani looked at her confused.

"I-" he opened his mouth to answer her but Sanari beat him to it.

"I read your journal Haani Fateen. I know everything. I know the reality of the marriage, the reality of you, everything. You're a demon, a monster. All of you are. You're all the same. He was right, he was right when he told me you only want one thing from me, I was merely your lust, your obsession. I was so stupid to not listen to him and trust you-" her voice cracked with hurtful emotions. She revised Behlul's predictions to him. Haani blinked at her, with words going dry in his mouth. A stinging pain spread across his chest. He felt her hurt, her heartbreak and understood her pain at once. It was as if their souls were connected now. That's what love can do.

"Things have changed Sanari." Was his only defensive reply. His mind couldn't work as to how he'd tell her otherwise, confess his feelings to her, tell her she meant the world to him, tell her he didn't ever want her to leave again, tell her just so much but words didn't seem to suffice her anymore.

"Nothing has changed." She shot back.

"I'm not him Sanari." He innocently stated. With a force, she let his grip loose on her and stepped back from his presence.

"You're right, you're not him." A tear rolled down her cheek and she aggressively wiped it away. "You're worse than him. He only abused my emotions and body. And you?" Her heart heaved with the hurt, "you abused my soul, you abused my being and I don't know what can be worse than that." He heard the muffled cry in her voice and his heart stopped at it. He was helpless.

In years of success and high status, Haani Fateen was helpless. It felt like losing everything all over again. He was losing something so dear to him once again. The heaviness of the meaning of her words wounded his heart.

"Leave!" She almost cried at him.

Without words, staring at her defeated emotions, her heartbroken expression, he turned around and walked towards the door. He had lost once again. He was a failure once again. He shut the door on himself and walked towards his car. Seated himself in and stared at a void. Love is oblivion. No one ever reached a good ending, it's always about misunderstandings, heartbreaks, hurt, disappointments and everything that can prick your heart. Haani could feel the pricking at his heart.

His glance fell upon the tiny box situated atop his car's dashboard. He picked it and twisted around in his hands. Staring at it and recalling Laila's words, he started pondering. Was he going to give up that easily? He was Haani Fateen, nothing could ever stop him from getting what he wanted. If he could get her as his obsession then he could also get her as his love. He loved her and he wasn't going to give up this easily on her.

Haani got out of his car, locked it and walked towards the building again.

Sanari couldn't make sense of what happened. She securely locked back the door. Her eyes fell on the report and quickly she hid it away. She wanted to call Marcus but she knew too well that if Haani found out Marcus had helped her all along, it would put him in hot water. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She heard the doorbell again.

Peering through the hole, she saw him standing in his proud attire once again. "What do you want?"

"Open the door and I'll tell you."

Sanari knew that being rebellious against Haani won't do her any good. She opened the door and he stepped in again. The expressions on his face had changed and were replaced by a smug look. He walked into the apartment and entered the kitchenette. Sanari followed him.

He opened the fridge and took out the food Ella had left there. "What do you think you're doing?" Sanari asked agitatedly.

Haani gave her an innocent look, "I'm trying to feed myself after a long and tiring journey, which my lovely wife here doesn't seem to notice." He seated himself on the stool and began eating.

"Haani I want you to leave right now."

"I didn't book a suit, so I clearly can't leave at this hour since I have nowhere else to go."

"You can go to Marcus's." Haani dropped his fork.

"How do you know he lives here? Wait, how did you get here?" Sanari panicked.

"That's none of your business."

"This is my business Mrs Sanari Haani Fateen. You're my wife, you go missing, you're nowhere to be found in the country and then I find you here?" She blinked at him.

"How did you find me?"

"Don't answer my question with a question Sanari. He helped you didn't he?" His smug look and playfulness dropped and he asked her all serious. "I can sue him for kidnapping my wife."

"No, you won't." He gave her a look as if to say 'try me'. "What do you want from me Haani?" She almost cried.

"A chance to let me explain myself to you, confess the truth right from the beginning to now, honestly. Then you can decide and whatever you decide, I'll accept your decision. No more games. I promise." Sanari could read his honesty. "For a good time's sake." He emphasised. He was right, she did have a good time with him. She closed her eyes and nodded him.

Women are very insecure beings. Once you question and challenge their feelings and morals, they'll never look at you the same again. Keeping his proposition's reality aside, Haani had never treated her badly. He had always cared, genuine or not but it was enough for Sanari to reconsider.

~~~~~

Sanari took a shower and changed into her nightgown. She brushed her tangled hair down. Placing the brush over her dresser, she touched the hijaab and looked at herself in the mirror. She was his wife, he had already seen more than just her hair, what good a headscarf would do her now. Recoiling back her hand she walked out of the room and saw Haani busily typing away on his phone. Trying to ignore his presence, she sat across him and switched through the channels.

Haani felt her presence and reluctantly looked up at where she was. His breath hitched. Seeing her so deliberate after such a long time was nothing but cruelty when he knew he couldn't touch her. His heart sped up, his hands inched to touch her but right now he was on many important notations than to spoil the silent comfort they had between them.

"There's only one room, you'll have to sleep on the couch." She announced while turning to him and noticing his dilated pupils already staring back at her. She felt self-conscious.

"I won't fit." And he was right. Sanari got up in irritation and turned towards him, "fine but please keep your hands to yourself. Don't you dare touch me." Was a sleek warning.

As she turned to walk away, redemptive darkness invaded her vision and her head felt dizzy. Before she could hit the ground Haani caught her authoritatively in reflex. "Easy easy..." he settled her on the couch. She clung to him for support. Maybe fate was favouring Haani after everything fate had done to him, maybe now it was letting him grasp those little fragments of happiness. He held her securely in his warm embrace until she gained back her consciousness. He carefully helped her sit down, not entirely letting go of her. She felt light-headed and placed her cheek over his warm chest, trying to regain her strength.

"Are you okay?" Haani asked her concerned. Sanari nodded her head.

"I think I haven't slept well or had anything to eat either." Haani could tell it from her exhausted face that she was being honest. If only he knew.

Carefully placing her back on the couch, he got up with difficulty. He went into the kitchen and fetched her a glass of water and food. "Sanari, for a moment forgot what's happened, please. Relax your mind and eat dinner. I'm putting you to bed after this." Sanari could note the genuine concern in his voice. Maybe she had been wrong about him, maybe she had misunderstood him, insecurities started running in her blood.

Haani fed her in utter silence and she didn't have the strenght left to protest. Suddenly her phone rang and caught their attention. He signalled her to not move and fetched it for her. The name on the caller ID made him sour. He handed her the phone, "put it on speaker." He commanded. Sanari knew how serious he was on this particular notation. She didn't argue and hit the speaker.

"Hi, Marcus!"

"Hi, Marcus? Really? I'm worried sick here, Ella told me about you. If she hadn't dragged you up to the clinic we'd have never known. Why would you jeopardise your health like that Sanari?" He went in one go. Sanari's eyes widened and inwardly she prayed he wouldn't feed more information to Haani. Haani looked at her with a confused expression to which she just shook her head as if to say 'it's nothing'.