Flashbacks are in bold*

He drove through Lahore roads as rashly as he could. It was his old habit. Whenever he got mad at something a long drive would be needed to calm his mind but today not even this wasn't working. He had no plans of going back home as for now. He wanted to be alone and only one place was coming in his mind.

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"This ain't done Alizeh!"

Nemrah was furious to know what happened in the restaurant. Alizeh lay down on the bed sighing. The phone rested on her ear.

"I haven't seen such an egoistic person all my life. Honestly speaking your idea of coming here and asking him for a divorce was entirely wrong."

"I guess it was. But I thought he would agree. He would be willing to end this relation. But he became mad seeing me with Umair. what I do now Nemrah?"

"I really can't understand this! You left him and he didn't do anything to mend this relation. then why he is making an issue if you want to marry Umair? Such a weirdo."

"That he is. But my plan failed Nemrah! I got nothing by coming here. And on top I challenged him in a fit of anger. How I'll arrange a lawyer? A lawyer who can fight The Shehryar Hussain! This is turning out to be real difficult."

"Don't lose hope. There would be a way. I'm sure."

"I really don't know if there is a way to come out of this mess. Amma is eager to start the divorce process. She doesn't know what hell happened here. What would I tell her now?"

Nemrah was silent. Why her friend's life was turning this complicated.

"I guess I should divert this topic for a while. So I can think of a way to do something."

"Yup that's right. now take a deep breath and sleep. All this is disturbing you so much Alizeh. You'll fall sick."

Alizeh nodded as she could feel hear head spinning due to too much thinking. Saying a good bye to Nemrah she placed the phone on the side table and closed her eyes.

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***

Stopping the car in front of his family farm house he ignored the security and entered inside. Climbing up the stairs he pushed open the only room he used and sat down near the wall.

His mind was flashing the image of Alizeh with that guy who wanted to marry her. She needed a divorce so she could marry again. The fact was making him restless. How easy it was for her to move on. To accept someone else in her life at his place but hell he wasn't able to do this. He knew after Alizeh he wouldn't be able to give someone else the place of his wife. After all Alizeh Yousaf was the first girl that ever mattered to Shehryar Hussain.

The memories of past were burning his heart. How could she think of giving someone else his place. Was it easy? To forget everything they shared in the past. Painful memories were intact at their place but what about the beautiful time they had together? Their blooming love, if it was love in first place. The care, The feelings they had started developing for each other. Did she forget everything?

His eyes went towards the king sized bed. The same place where he made love to her for the very first time. The night that changed everything. The night which started everything.

He could never forget how a certain bespectacled girl entered his life and turned it upside down. Each moment spent with her was fresh in his mind. She was in his memories and getting over those memories was painful for him but was it for her?

He wanted to know the reason for which she needed a divorce but now there won't be any divorce. He wouldn't let her be someone else's that easily.

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He opened the main door of Hussain residence and looked around. The lights were off which meant everyone had gone to sleep. Taking a sigh of relief he started walking towards the stairs when the lamps of living room lit up telling him his number one lady was waiting for him. Like Always.

"I think you know what the time is."

He looked at the wall clock. 2 AM. He was late again.

"Now care to tell me where you were?"

He smiled or tried to, and pulled her wheelchair towards her room.

"Was busy in work. Had to attend an event and then Some files were needed to be studies and signed in office. So I stayed back."

"Liar! You left office at 7 and then you had dinner with some delegates after which nobody knows where you have been."

"The first thing I'm going to do tomorrow morning is firing Shaheer."

"Don't you dare. He told me because I asked him to. Now will you tell me where you went."

"Just for a drive."

A drive for six hours? She knew something was utterly wrong but she also knew he wouldn't tell her. Her son knew how to bottle up his emotions. He'd always known.

"Where is Farhat ? Why she isn't with you?"

"She is warming the dinner for you."

"She is your caregiver not mine. And I'm not hungry."

"But I'm."

"Seriously? Don't tell me you again didn't have you dinner! How many time do I have to tell you don't wait for me Mama!"

"Easy Boy! I had my dinner with everyone else but what to do if I'm hungry again? Can't I eat with you?"

He smiled at her and opened the door of her room.

"You have a reason for everything. Ask Farhat to bring dinner here. I'll be back soon."

He kissed her forehead and left upstairs to his room. Rodaba kept on looking at his retreating figure. No matter how much he tried to hide his feelings she knew he was worried over something. She was his mother after all. She knew when he was upset and since last five years she had always seen him upset. He had closed himself in his shell and tried to give business all his attention but the hollowness in his life wasn't hidden from her. He wasn't the same after Alizeh. But her ever stubborn boy was always in denial of his feelings. He missed his wife. He wasn't sure of his future but still he posed everything was fine.

He would never accept but Alizeh was an important part of his life which he wasn't able to forget. Rodaba wished things were different, Alizeh and Shehryar didn't have to fall apart but destiny has its own ways. In her opinion what happened in the past wasn't both of their fault but how they faced the circumstances wasn't right.

His ego and her self respect made everything messy. And both were equally stubborn. They refused to listen to anything and here they were today. In between of nowhere. Neither they were trying to mend the things nor they were finishing it all. She didn't know about Alizeh but her son had made a wall around himself and nobody was allowed to break it.

Not even Rodaba.

But how long all this was going to be? They both were playing with their lives and destroyed it big time but had no regret.

Only Allah knew how things will settle between them

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"How was Nemrah's Apartment?"

Mehar placed the breakfast in front of Alizeh who was busy reading a file.

"It was nice. And everything there is White! The curtains , Bed covers and blankets. Her favorite color is all you can see in her room and rest of the house."

"You know her craze for white color don't you. I'm happy for her. She finally fulfilled her dream of having her own apartment in Lahore. Zubaida was also happy. Her daughter became a doctor and now she is independent. What else you want for your child."

Alizeh nodded writing something on the paper. Many things were pending at work due to her leave for two days and she knew it was going to be one hell of a busy day at office today.

"Zubaida was also telling me There is a very good Proposal for Nemrah. They are from Lahore and the guy is a businessman. His mother saw Nemrah at hospital during one of her visits and immediately sent the proposal for her after knowing her family resides here in Sakardu. How lucky Nemrah is."

Alizeh had placed the file in her bag. She knew where this conversation was leading to now.

"If things were normal you would also be receiving proposals just like Nemrah. isn't it?"

Alizeh took a deep breath. Her mother had always mourned over the abnormality of her daughter's life.

"Amma! I'm going."

She was in no mood of taking a part in the conversation as she knew her mother would come up with the same divorce discussion where she certainly didn't want to tell her what happened in Lahore between her and Shehryar.

"One second Alizeh. Umair was telling me about some lawyer. Should we go and meet him?"

"Not now please!"

"Then when?"

She released a shuddering breath. How messy life had become. Her mother was concerned about her future and wanted everything to settle down in a blink but that wasn't possible. Not at all.

"Amma! Try to understand. These court matters are not easy. what do you expect? We will go to the lawyer and he will help us without any money? From where all this money will come? I'm a simple designer in a small firm. Your pension has stopped coming. Be realistic! I can't afford all this."

"But you can try. There will be a way. Umair was saying he will help us with money issues."

"He will help me find a lawyer, Will give me the money, Will go to court with me, Will help me getting this divorce, and will marry me as well. Why he would do all this? Aren't we expecting too much out of him? Who is he? A billionaire? He is my colleague. His salary is just like mine. From where he will get the money?"

Mehar sat on the chair defeated. Her daughter had made her life a complicated confusion nothing less or more.

"This isn't the life I wanted for you Alizeh. This isn't the life... You took every decision of your life without consulting me. Married without telling me, Tolerated everything without letting me know and then left it all of a sudden! You made a mockery of your life. What I do now? I don't know how to fix this mess you have created in your life."

Alizeh wiped her tears and sat down placing her head in her mother's lap.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for troubling you like this. I'm sorry for everything. I can't make up to you in this lifetime. I'm trying Amma. I'll try every possible way to do this but I need your support. Please! I just need some time to think straight. I promise I'll make everything alright."

Mehar patted her head and kissed her forehead. When her daughter's life will be on track? When?

___________________________

Alizeh placed the towel on the bed and stood in front of her small closet. As expected the day was extremely hectic at office. She had to make up for the two day leave she had taken and it really exhausted her. She took out her simple nightwear out that when her eyes fell on a box. Her heart suddenly became heavy. She knew what was inside. The wedding document. Few photographs and a jar full of memories.

She closed her eyes. She could still feel his hands grasping hers when Mufti Sahab declared that the Nikkah was done. Him cupping her face and telling her everything was going to be okay. Them spending hours in campus halls talking. The memories were intact on her mind. And she would remember them for a lifetime.

The document comprising of few papers was lost in a far corner of her closet. A persistent reminder of what she'd had. What slipped from her fingers. What was destined and what was never meant to be.

"Stop it, Alizeh. Why to think about the things which have no importance in your life anymore?"

She left her closet shaking her head.

"But why to keep the things still close to you which have no importance in your life anymore?"

Her heart raised a question which she ignored royally.

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