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𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓜𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓘𝓷 𝓟𝓱𝓪𝓼𝓮 𝓞𝓯 𝓛𝓲𝓯𝓮

T H I R D - P E R S O N

The sunrays were peeking through the windows, fighting through the curtains that stood tall in the Patel Mansion. The sound of clinking the spoons and forks could be heard as the clock hit nine and the whole family were having breakfast.

Laiba glanced up and down towards her father Fawaz twice and continued to stuff the apple inside her lips. Fear gripped her stomach with every morsel. It was her last exam of the last semester. She gulped the mango juice quickly and stood up slowly without making any noise.

"It's my last exam today, Dad. Can I leave because the exams starts at ten," she stuttered a little holding the strap of her bag tightly. She glanced up towards the table. Her brothers stared towards her. No one dared to say anything not even her mother, Lyana.

Fawaz gulped the toast and gazed at her. Watching her keenly, he began, "Come to the mansion straight from your college. No need to go anywhere with your friends. We can't get late for the feast this evening. Patel family's daughter doesn't roam around."

Laiba nodded quickly with her eyes staring down. She glanced up when she felt her brothers' smile giving her a thumps up for her last examination. She bid goodbye to them and left to her college.

After her exam was finished, she momentarily strolled towards her car which waited for her from the past half and hour before time. She sighed as she was about to enter the car. She knew it was the last time she got out of the Patel Mansion as she knew her father wouldn't let her go out independently. Even though she was always driven to the college, she sensed some kind of happiness in being alone but Fawaz never gave her independence.

Her best friend, Kashaf called her through the entrance of the college. She stopped and stood holding the head of the car's door. Kashaf neared Laiba and spoke, "Let's go and have lunch in a restaurant. What say?"

"There is no chance I can come to a restaurant now. My dad strictly warned me about it." She stated keeping the bag inside the car. She knew how limited her life's decisions were. There was no means to drag it.

The driver, Aziz Chacha looked up at her. With a slightest amount of hope, he stated, "We will escort you, Bibi. It's your last day after all." Laiba stared ta the bodyguard.

Her bodyguard Azad gazed back a little hesitant. "It's alright, Laiba Bibi. We will take you," After thinking for a while Azad answered.

Fear ran through her veins when Kashaf sat beside her in her car. A twitching sense of uneasiness gripped her from the pit of her stomach. She stared at the flowers as the car passed by the main road. "Don't worry, Laiba. No one will get to know our visit," Kashaf's voice could be heard soothingly yet her heart felt fear.

"Don't be scared so much."

What can she do if her heart always makes sure to make her feel jolts of fear? She took a deep breath as she saw the car passed by another lane, leaving the area of their vast residence. "Kashaf?" Her voice came out like a mere whisper. Kashaf's head snapped towards Laiba. "I guess, I should at least inform Mom."

"Lyana Aunty will truly understand and it's alright if you don't inform her but for your contentment please do so. I don't want this scared Laiba," Kashaf giggled drastically making Laiba hit her in her arms. Chanting a few prayers, she dialled the number of her mother. Few rings passed when the receiver attended the phone with a Salam. After reciprocating the greet, Laiba glanced towards Kashaf.

Her encouraging beam didn't helped either. Tightly holding the strap of her backpack, she began inaudibly, "Mom, Can I go out with Kashaf to a restaurant?"

"Okay! Take care and be quick."

Lyana always wanted Laiba to fly. Fly higher every time her father caged her in his dungeon. Lyana was a brave woman but once she entered the Patel family, all her confidence flew away.

Laiba was the only daughter of the Patel house. Fawaz was the only son in the Patel family. He was blessed with three sons; Fawad, Fahad and Faayaq and one daughter. He distances himself from Laiba, though he is close to his sons. Maintaining a strict bond towards her, he never shared how he felt about his only daughter.

She was pampered by her brothers and her mother but due to her father's strict demeanor towards her, she began to grow a trauma, fear of stranger men.

The car stopped near the entrance of the large restaurant. Peeping through the windows, her lips streched into a beautiful smile. The world outside seemed prettier for her.

The sound of the door opening made her gawk at the person standing outside, her bodyguard. She noticed him for the first time, keenly. His appearance could be comprehended as he looked nearly in the age of late thirties, pale skin, eyes always staring down or towards the place she was about to enter. He always informs about Laiba's current location to Fawaz.

"Why would he lie to Dad, today? Perhaps he would have felt pity towards me," She brushed her thoughts walking out of the car. Staring beside their car, she stood sighing at how their were two more cars. One in front and another in back following Laiba's car in the middle. She was secured.

It was not a new thing for her, alas she couldn't do anything about it either. Her phone rang making her come back from world of delusion.

Fawad Bhai

A smile played in her lips when she turned towards the entrance of the restaurant, with Kashaf besides and her bodyguard, Azad behind. Fawad is her eldest brother, he was the carbon copy of his father in looks but his heart was made of pure gold. Even though he was possessive and protective about his sister like his father but he never tried to cage her.

When she had escaped from her college to restaurants like this time, her bodyguard always informed Fawad about it and he never complained to his father. She attended the call, "Salam Bhai!"

"Wa Salam, Laiba! How was your exam?"

"It went pretty good, Allhamdulillah!" She entered the restaurant. The folks who sat munching their meals, gawked at her. They knew her, afterall she is the only daughter of one of the top businessmen in the city of Bangalore, she is Laiba Fawaz Patel.

"Listen, don't go anywhere after the lunch. Come home quickly. I will make up a good reason for the delay to Dad and make sure to drop Kashaf before heading towards the Mansion, if the security team sees that you have entered with her, they'd inform right away."

"I will, Bhai. Thank you!"

"Have fun, Lily!" Only her brother's called her by the name, Lily. She lived in their hearts. They would buy soo many gifts for her within a month.

Azad opened the door of the VIP section of the restaurant for her, the built and huge structure of his body always made sure to startle Laiba. She stood a little startled for a moment and entered inside right after, Kashaf giggled at her response from behind.

"What's there to laugh?" Laiba questioned annoyed after cutting the call. "You're too fragile, Laiba."

Kashaf entered inside before Laiba could, laughing. Kashaf belonged to a royal and rich family. If Laiba had a weird bond with her father then Kashaf had a step mother, who'd be nice to her but at times she would cliché for some reason. Kashaf's mother had died years ago and she had two step brothers, younger to her which makes her step mother Hafsa adore Kashaf.

• ° • ° •

Life is dramatic not unpredictable.

For Izhaan, it gave him pain and the fruit of the pain too. At times, he was would wonder about where it leaded. He was standing at the same path even after years. Plastering a smile on his face, he would look up at opportunities that made him feel better.

His feelings towards her childhood love, his cousin, Sahar had died the moment he made her wed with her cousin, Shahveer but there was this unrecognised pain in his heart. It has been six years to their marriage.

He felt lonely.

He never felt anything towards his cousin anymore except friendliness but he felt alone because she sticked with him all his life and now he head changed; changed soo much that sometimes his family wondered if he was Izhaan anymore.

Though, he had moved on, achieved much things for his age, built superior buildings. His company achieved soo much of power, profit and projects over the last years. He was thankful for the little amount of pain he had left in his heart which made him to do things.

He turned the pain into his power.

Izhaan Hashir Ali was not another bachelor lad, who did 9 to 5 job and earned well now. He was one of the millionaire in the country.

Sweat beads dropped down his forehead. Wiping it off with his towel, he glanced at the clock of his private gym in his mansion.

One o'clock.

It was a holiday to his employees, for him because of the huge successful project they completed. Being an architect was tiring but the hardwork it had made him feel better every other night.

He came out of the wooden room and strolled through the corridors after completing his workout. Staring at the preparations going on downwards.

Izhaan had decided to throw a party for the success of his projects. A lot of people around the city were invited. They were not just random people, they were known faces with hard pasts. The managers and the department heads including the general employees were also invited. Big names of the city included. They were invited with family.

He came out of the shower and his phone buzzed. The ID in his phone displayed,

Rayed.

Rayed is Shahveer's bestfriend, who became Izhaan friend too these years. Rayed, Shahveer, Meesha, Sahar and Izhaan had grew soo much like friend's squad. Moments of pure joy spent together whenever they decide to meet.

"Hello?"

"Come to All Hales to the Meal hotel in Shivaji nagar by half and hour. We will be having a lunch together there."

"I am busy," his voice sounded sore. "I know you are but can't you make sometime for us? Is this all, Izhaan?"

"Acha, Shut up buddy! I'll come," he hand up before Rayed could start again. Getting ready within half and hour was not tough for him. Messy hair, a grey tshirt and a black trackpant. Nothing extraordinary for being such a huge celebrity.

He walked out towards the hall when his mother Anam called him, "Where are you going, Izhaan? The stylists are here. You haven't chosen a suit yet, beta."

Her sweet voice stopped in his tracks, he turned towards her. "Anything you like Ammi. I have no time today. There's a lunch my friends outside that I need to go."

He drove towards the location with some of his office' files that were needed to be checked by him, he got the files from one of the employees on the way. He met his friends there, after having a pretty well time. They congratulated him for his success but happiness for material things was far away from him. Meesha, Shahveer's sister is married to Rayed.

"Why is there soo many cars standing outside?" He questioned, munching the fries. "I guess some VIP is here," Meesha stated munching her fries.

Izhaan started to check the files as he had to return it to the employee on his way back. A moment later, they were done and decided to depart from the restaurant. Izhaan was the first one to stand up and walking out, without noticing someone's presence on the way, he bumped into her and all the papers inside the file flew to the ground.

Pissed, he sighed not trying to losing his temper. He took the papers from the floor and glanced at the person who kept apologizing, soothing his ears with melodious voice, "I am so sorry! I should have been careful."

She was busy piling up the papers whereas he was busy staring at her.

Little almond eyes, sharp pointed nose, smooth lips which seemed fine yet plumpy. Her voice wasn't a flaw either. Her head tightly wrapped up in the hijab of black making her complexion stand out, her abaya made her prettier She was perfect!

She passed him the papers apologizing for the last time when the whole of Izhaan's squad sat jolted as they stared at the scene in front. Izhaan was lost in her beauty. They never left a chance to set him up with any girl and this looked like a clichéd scene that walked out of a bollywood movie. She stood up making him realise that he was ogling at her.

Quickly standing up, "It's alright. It was my fault too. I should have seen you coming," she nodded with a small smile, well it was fake because as soon as she realised he was a stranger, she knew her fear will bump up. Having a tighter hold at her heart, she stared at him as he said those words.

"Laiba, be quick. Azad bhai is calling!"

Kashaf's voice broke out in the exit side of the VIP section. She glanced towards the door and nodded, "Coming!" She ran towards her friend.

He gazed at everything, the way she turned towards the door and the way she talked, her smile which was pulled out fake yet beautiful. He was drowned towards her and he felt like his heart would never let him be at peace after this.

"Laiba," He whispered.

° • ° • °

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