The tall building of the Butt corps. glistened with the sun rays falling on its glass surface. The CEO of the company sat in his chair, his eyes skimming each line in the file cautiously looking for loopholes and mistakes.

"These are fine, get it looked over once by the legal team and then send it for processing." Arham said and handed over the file to his PA.

Pinching his eyes close, he leaned back in his chair and rest his head against the backrest as his PA walked out of the doors.

What had he done ?

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning when he felt a warm body wrapped with his and felt a foreign touch, he knew he had messed up. He slowly untangled himself from her, throwing the duvet off himself he slipped out of bed and walked into the shower.

"Do not think about it Arham." He said to himself and got under the spray of cold water.

He kept his mind busy, thinking out his meeting and the recent project he had taken up.

Finishing everything up in under twenty minutes he dressed up in his fine three piece olive green suit and walked out into the bedroom.

His eyes unknowingly travelled to the petite figure sprawled across the bed. He walked towards the bed and picked his phone from the bed side table and pocketed it.

His eyes again landing on the sleeping figure, he looked at her, at her beautiful face, her hair were sprawled on the pillow, she looked calm and serene but a small smile lingered on the stoic face.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered and walked out of the room.

•••

The loud noise of the telephone ringing brought him back from the flashback. Arham picked up the black phone which had helped him break the guilt from washing over completely.

"Sorry sir, Mr. Chaudhary is here to see you." Nancy his PA said over the intercom.

"It's Dr. Chaudhary pretty girl." He could hear Yusuf's voice from the other side.

"Please let him in Nancy, thank you." Arham said and kept the phone down.

Arham got up from his chair and poured two shots of espresso from the French-press.

The door of his office opened unceremoniously and he knew only one person had the audacity to do so - his best friend.

"Arham butty. Kithey gaya?" (Where are you)

"Stop calling me Butty please Yusuf." Arham said handing him a cup.

"It's been years try to appreciate my creativity, there maybe so many who call you buddy, but Butty toh tenu eko he insaan boleyga." (But only one will call you butty)

"What brings you here Yusuf ?" Arham asked him rolling his eyes at his best friends stupid theory.

"Nothing particular, just came down because I missed you, I know you have a new wife and an old wife but I was there before them."

"Yusuf, khuda ke liye please not today." Arham bellowed. (For gods sake not today)

"Are you fine Arham ?" Yusuf asked, all the playfulness missing from his face.

"I'm not, I should have never married her. I don't deserve this, she doesn't either." He said gulping the bitter shot of coffee from his cup.

"You should have asked me once before just running off to Hyderabad, I was just a phone call away Arham. I would have come to Pakistan in the very next flight."

"Ho gayi galti, ab kya ?" (What's done is done, now what do I do )

"Ab kya toh Nahi patta but I know she doesn't deserve this." Yusuf said bitterly. "She deserves better, better than all of you." (I don't know what happens further)

"I don't deserve this either Yusuf."

"You had a choice Arham, she doesn't know what she has got herself into." The pitch of Yusuf's voice increased with every word. "Sorry she didn't even get herself into this, you guys dragged her."

"Yusuf I'm not in a mood to argue please can we not -."

"Oh great, I'm not in a mood to talk to you anymore. I'll take my leave." He said getting up from the chair and walked towards the door. "Thanks for that cup of coffee." He said before closing the door shut and walking out.

Arham leaned back in his chair and sighed. He was stuck, he loved his Hoor and couldn't love another woman but yesterday night, if he would say that he wasn't completely aware of her not being Hoor, he would lie to himself.
He wanted it to be his wife, his first wife, but he couldn't deny the physical attraction he felt towards her in his intoxicated state, he tricked his mind at times to make him believe that it was hoor but he knew, he knew that it wasn't her.

•••

Hooriya's heart broke, the shards of her heart were piercing her from within. She excused herself from the kitchen and dashed outside to bump into a solid human wall.

"Do you want to get hurt Hoor ? Where are you even going at this speed ?"

"I'm sorry." She sniffed and said meekly. "I wasn't looking."

"Sab theek hai na meri jaan ?" Kulsum Khala asked as she held need by her arms and pushed Hoor's chin up to meet her eyes. (Is everything alright love)

"All good khala." Hoor said pushing the lump down but the treacherous tear fell from her eye.

"Come with me ." Kulsum said and dragged her to the guest bedroom she had occupied.

"Sit." She pushed Hooriya on the bed and sat next to her, her body facing Hooriya's. "Now tell me what's wrong ? Did Aapa tell you something should I - ?"

"No. No it wasn't her. It's me." Hoor said holding Kulsum's hand in hers. "I'm failing. I knew what getting him married to another woman meant. I knew I'd have to share him, bus ab jab bathne ka mauka aaya hai toh dil kambkat khudgarz banna chahta hai." Hooriya said with a sad chukkle as tears ran down her cheek. (Now that I have to share what's mine with her, I want to be selfish and keep him to myself)

"Hoori no baccha." Kulsum said embracing Hooriya as she broke down.

"I want to go away from here Khala, I want to just stay away for some time, I ca..I can't." She cried letting her pain out in tears.

"Na beta, please. Don't cry meri jaan." Kulsum coaxed her rocking her in her arms.

"I can't stay here Khala I can't."

"Then come with me and Amma, stay with us." Kulsum suggested. "We'll shift in the new house in two days, come stay with us."

•••

Yusuf parked his car in the drive way of Butt mansion and walked inside.
He knew what he was about to do would stir a storm in his friendship but he couldn't just sit at the side lines and see the Butt's ruin Meher's life.

He walked in with confident steps, he knew he had to do this.

"Bhaijaan ? Arham bhai toh ghar pe Nahi hai." Gul said as she saw Yusuf enter the house. (Arham bhai isn't home)

"I know, where is Nur Jahan ?"

"Kon ?" (Who)

"Mehrunisa ?"

"Meher bibi is in the kitchen ."

Yusuf told big bold steps towards the kitchen. The soft melody of an old Bollywood song reached his ear as he neared.

"Abhi na jao chhod kar ke dil abi bhara nahi
Abhi na jao chhod kar ke dil abi bhara nahi
Abhi abhi to aayi ho, abhi abhi to
Abhi abhi to aayi ho, bahar banke chhayi ho
Hawa zara mehak to le, nazar zara behak to le
Yeh shaam dhal to le zara
Yeh shaam dhal to le zara
Yeh dil sambhal to le zara
Main thodi deir jee to loon
Nashe ke ghoont pee to loon
Nashe ke ghoont pee to loon
Abhi to kuchh kaha nahi
Abhi to kuchh sun nahi
Abhi na jao chhod kar ke dil abi bhara nahi"

He peeped in to see Meher humming with a broad smile on her face as she poured tea into the ceramic tea pot.

In that moment she looked so happy, exactly how she should be, happy.
He stood there listening to her sing her heart out in her melodious voice, unaware of the injustice life was doing to her.

"Yusuf ?" Meher chirped bringing him out of his thoughts. "Yusuf." Meher clicked her fingers in front of his face and laughed.

"Kiske khayalo me ho janaab." (In whose thoughts are you lost)

"Aapke." He said winking at her making her blush red. (Yours)
"What are you doing ?" He asked her causally.

"Nothing really. I had taken a break, Hooriya baaji is having a headache so I thought I'd make her some tea." Meher replied.

"Bann gayi na ? Toh Chalo mere saath." He said holding her wrist and pulled her out along with him. (You've made it right ? Now come with me)

"Where ?"

"I don't know, let's go out have ice cream ?" He asked.

"Itni thand me ?" (In this cold weather ?)

"Fine, let's go have coffee." He said.

"I can make you coffee here too Yusuf." Meher whined.

"Meher please, I want to go out and you have to come with me."

"Fine fine, hold on a second." She said and then called out for Gulnaz who came down the stairs.

"Gul I've made tea for baaji please take it for her, also give her medicine I've kept on the counter as well okay." She said instructing gulnaz. "Agar koi mera puche toh bol dena I've gone with Yusuf." (If someone asks for me)

"Ji Bibi."

"Now let's go Nur." Yusuf said impatiently tapping his foot.

"Chalo." Meher said rolling her eyes.

AN: since my little heart was pleased about the votes on the previous chapter, here is a chapter for you kind people.

Keep voting
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Lots of love
xoxo