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Challenges were what Alizeh Yousaf had faced all her life without backing out even for once. And this time too she would do the same. She had thought of leaving it all and going back to Sakardu but that would only boost Shehryar's elephant size ego some more, and she would never let that happen. With a strong determination she entered the office premises and went straight to the receptionist to know where her work station was.

"Ma'am, Shehryar sir will himself guide you where you'll be working from today."

She frowned not knowing what he had to do with it.

"And why would he do that? Tell me where other designers are working I'll go there on my own."

"But Mam..."

"Don't argue Taniya. She won't listen to you."

Alizeh turned around with a jerk and found him giving her his trademark smirk. Taniya concentrated back on her work leaving both of them to solve the problem.

"Where my work place is?"

She asked not meeting his eyes or else she would surely lose her calm.

"In front of my cabin."

She nodded and inquiring about his cabin to Taniya rushed towards it only to be shocked on seeing a separate cabin for her.

She'll have to wok alone? Where were the tables for other designers? What was happening here?

"It's your cabin only. Rest of the designers will work from the ground floor."

"And why this special treatment?"

"Because you are not only a designer but .."

"Don't bring that here!"

"Okay! Let's do it your way. I'm leading this venture. You are working in my team. I'm the boss so technically I can decide who will work where and how. Can't I!"

Flaring her nostrils she opened the door and sat down on the chair. With a smirk etched on his lips, he opened his cabin door.

It was just the beginning.

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If he had done what he wanted in the morning then she also was one of her kind. All day she was busy working on the designs ignoring him royally. He was all the time watching her through the glass walls of his cabin. No doubt she had grown way too mature all these years. The bubbly and cheerful girl was missing whom he used to know. She was trying every possible way to keep it at a professional level. All this kept on going the way she wanted but not for long.

Finishing her work she got up to have something to eat as lunch break was on. After finishing her sandwich in few bites and relishing her tea she made her way back to her cabin. As she climbed the stairs she could hear the commotion. She had heard some people had come for some upcoming event and were here to meet Shehryar as he was not in his office today. Shrugging her shoulders she was about to turn towards her cabin when a vision in red flashed past her and the very next second clung to a surprised Shehryar who was talking with Imad on his way towards the conference room.

"Shehryar! It's been so long."

Shehryar was going to push her gently but looking at the direction of cafeteria he found a frowning Alizeh who averted her eyes and turned away. A smirk appeared on his face. So his wife was effected. Interesting.

"Was busy with stuff Liz. But how have you been?"

Alizeh rolled her eyes at his honey filled tone. Perks of running a fashion house. She huffed and with her eyes glued to them opened the door of her cabin and went inside.

She was shocked at herself. Why the hell seeing him with someone else effecting her this way? She wasn't allowed to think like that. She was going to file a case against him to demand a divorce and start a new life with Umair and here she was getting effected by seeing him with a super model. Alizeh Yousaf had completely lost it.

She rebuked herself and looked up only to find a smirking Shehryar leaning against the wall. She gulped but soon composed herself. Ignoring him she opened a random file when he stood towering her.

"You okay there wife? I can really smell the jealousy."

Glaring at him she got up with a composed aura surrounding her.

"For a businessman you really are a thick head who thinks everyone's life revolves around you. Why the hell would I feel jealous of something I left years back."

She could see his brow twitching as if he was trying hard to control his anger.

"Deny as much as you can but these eyes of yours never lie. You felt bad seeing her with me."

"You wish."

Her remaining words were on her lips when the power was suddenly cut off. The room fell into complete darkness. And to his surprise the fiery woman clung to him forgetting everything. He knew she had a mild case of nyctophobia. He had always known.

"What had happened to the light? It's...It's so dark here."

He held her form and pushed his hand inside his pocket to take the lighter out. She became calm when he lit it .

"Th...thanks."

She said not meeting his eyes. His intense orbs were telling her many untold stories. The stories she would never want to live again. Pushing his arm slightly she placed her hand on the side table only to stumble and fall on him. Both landed on the marble floor. He rolled her above him so she wouldn't get the pain by hitting the hard surface beneath. The lighter was still in his hand which he lit again.

He was this close to her after like ages. Forgetting the pain he was feeling in his back he was lost in her hazel eyes. The same eyes that used to haunt him in his dreams. He had fallen in love with these eyes the very first time he had seen her.

She didn't remember last time when they were this close. The bitter past had faded the beautiful memories. But eyes never lie and this time too his eyes were speaking volumes.

They both were so lost in their eye lock that they didn't realize when power was resumed. She looked around and pushed him standing up. With a slight shake of his head as if he was coming out of a daze, he too got up. Both were unable to have any conversation after that. But seeing the lighter in his hands a distant memory came rushing through her mind.

Had he started smoking again? May be he had. But it was none of her business now. She wasn't his friend or wife anymore. The namesake relation was soon going to have an end. He glanced at her for a last time and left from there taking long strides.

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She was deep in thoughts throughout the journey back home. The very first day at the office turned out to be quite eventful. And she wasn't liking it at all. She had to keep a difference from him. All this will take her back to her memory lane. Those memories which were painful for her to even think about them.

After getting freshen up first thing she did was calling her mother. Mehar picked up the phone at third call.

"Asslaam Alaikum amma."

Alizeh greeted her sitting on the couch.

"Wa alikum assalaam. And how how you day was."

Alizeh hadn't told her mother about the arrival of Shehryar back in her life. She couldn't start a new argument here.

"I'm good Alhumdulliah. The day was just fine. What about you. I called you in the about two hours back but you were not picking up."

"I was out with Sabeen and as usual left my phone at home."

Alizeh chuckled. Typical Amma.

"Were you out for grocery? But I stocked everything just two days back. Wait a second! Were you not feeling well? Amma?"

"Hold on! Stop worrying. I wasn't out for grocery or for a medical check up. I actually went to meet Mr Khan. You know that jeweler in the main market."

"A jeweler? Why, Amma?"

Mehar took a deep breath.

"I wanted to find the actual value of my jewelry so I can sell it accordingly."

"Sell? but why Amma? Should I send some money? If you want something then tell me."

Mehar rolled her eyes. Why her daughter was neglecting this issue so much.

"Yes! I want! I want your happiness. That's why I visited Sibgat Khan so we can talk and he would give me enough cash and I would be able to hire a good lawyer for you. You'll be free of this relation and will start a new life with Umair!"

"Amma please!"

Alizeh knew her Mother was desperate to get her married to Umair but this was something she would never accept.

"This is not right. Why you aren't understanding? I have told you I'll find a way. Just wait for some time."

"How much time will you take Alizeh? I can't wait like this when I know you are doing nothing! I want you out of this relation and its clutches! Why can't you understand..."

Mehar choked on her words due to her breathlessness and dropped herself on the nearby chair. Alizeh immediately got alert sitting upright on the couch.

"Amma! Are you okay?"

Mehar replied with a weak yes. Alizeh closed yer eyes regretfully and then spoke.

"I have told you before and I'm telling you again. I'll take care of this matter myself. You don't have to worry about this. Just take care of yourself. I was the one who brought all this to my life and I'll be the one sorting this out. Don't ruin yourself for me Please!"

Sabeen who was silently listening to the mother daughter conversation pulled the phone out of Mehar's hand and helped her standing Up. Alizeh's voice was reverberating in the silent room through the phone.

"Hello? Amma? Are you there?"

After making Mehar lay down on the bed, Sabeen closed the door behind and pushed the phone on her ear.

"I pray to Allah that no one ever get a daughter like you Alizeh. You've destroyed not only your life but my sister's peace as well. Don't try to talk to her for at least few hours. Let her rest. That's the least you can do."

Sabeen pushed the end button not knowing her words had torn an already shattered soul more.

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"What the hell is going on here?"

Shehryar shouted on top of his voice. He was already tired both mentally and physically and to his annoyance his grandmother had invited some guests and he knew the reason too well. Her never ending efforts to get him married.

"Shehryar behave!"

She faked a smile at the guests and warned him through her eyes but he wasn't the one to calm down so easily.

"You haven't answered me yet! What is happening here?"

Naseem ignored his question again and got up to introduce him to her guests. Rodaba looked at her Mother in law helplessly. An other drama was going to unfold in Hussain residence tonight. The cold war between Shehryar and grandmother on this topic would never end. He would never get married again and she would never stop trying.

"She is Hina and her parents Mr and Mrs Siddiqui. And he is my grandson Shehryar."

Shehryar rolled his eyes. Why people were testing his patience today?

"They both can talk if they want Mrs Siddiqui. Meantime we..."

"Mr and Mrs Siddiqui."

He ignored his grandma's warning glare and came to them.

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience but I'm not interested in this proposal at all."

"But Mrs Hussain herself invited us here!"

"And I'm asking you to leave. Sorry for everything."

He politely took the situation in his hand and soon the guests left. But Rodaba knew what storm was going to hit them. An other heated argument between Shehryar And Naseem was going to start.

"How many times do I have to tell you Dado stop doing all this?"

"And how many times do I have to tell you don't interfere in my matters!"

"I have to! When that matter is regarding me! I'm telling you for the last time! Stop doing all this please. I'm tired of this. Just stop it!"

"Then tell me what should be done here? You are ruining your life as if you haven't done it already! Your life is a big question mark for me. Why are you playing with it?"

"I'm not. It just I'm no more interested in this marriage thing anymore."

"And the reason must be that characterless girl.."

"ENOUGH!"

He hissed and controlling his anger left from there. Naseem slumped down and covered her face with her palms.

"All this is because that girl! That mistake of my grandson's life! He isn't getting over her Rodaba! He will destroy himself for her."

Rodaba glanced at Samia who was looking very displeased with all this. They were tired of this bitterness their life had filled with. Rodaba wheeled towards her mother in law to console her while Samia turned towards the stairs. She had to knock some sense in her brother's pea size brain.

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He was as usual standing in the attached garden in his room, deep in thoughts. Samia sat down beside him without making a noise. He kept on staring at night sky and then spoke softly.

"Aapa I'm sorry. I lost my calm ..."

"Again"

She completed his sentence who shook his head.

"Dado isn't at fault here Shehri. She wants you to start afresh. She wants you to get over your past. She wants you to move on."

He didn't say anything. Moving on. The word this world was so found of but only he knew how difficult it was for him. Forgetting Alizeh, giving her place to someone else and seeing her with someone else was not possible for him.

"Life is offering you a second chance. Not everyone gets this. Look at me! My broken relationship had left me with nothing, that even life would never offer me anything. But you have a chance. Don't let it go."

She cupped his face and looked right in his eyes.

"Tell me one thing Shehri. Is this all because Of Alizeh? Is she still there somewhere in your heart?"

He didn't know what to reply. He had never figured this out. Alizeh was someone he would never be able to erase from his mind. Not replying her anything he tried to get up when she held his hand.

"If it is, I would only say one thing .Forget her!"

He whipped his head towards her.

"When you have cut down this thread five years ago why you are still thinking about it. And don't forget what she did with all of us!"

"She wasn't at fault!"

"She was ! She hid so much from us. If she had told you, we would be in a much better state today. You would be happy in your life so would I! And most important my baby would be with me!"

He averted his eyes from her. This topic was something he would always tried to divert. His sister's pain would always cause him distress.