The sun had began to set when Arham pulled the car in front of a designers studio.

"What are we doing here ." Meher asked looking at Arham.

"I don't have anything to wear for the ball and you could pick up your outfit as well." He said getting down from the car. Meher too opened her door and got down.

"You do realise that you have an own designing line right ? One of us would have made you your -."

"No time for that, now let's go." He said taking her hand in his unconsciously and pulled her inside along with him.

"Good morning Mr. Butt and Ma'am, how may I help you." The attendant said. His eyes travelled to see Arham's hand entwined with Meher's and his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Arham was a regular customer and always brought along his wife Hooriya Butt, so who was the lady Arham had walked in hand in hand with after years of bringing only his wife to shop with him.

"We are looking in for tuxedos for myself and a dress for her." Arham said causally unaware of the spinning wheels in the attendant's mind.

"I don't need a dress Arham, I've got one already."

"You do ? When did you go get one ?"

"Uh we made one, my friends and I we-."

"Oh! Okay." Arham replied amused by her answer. "So just a tux for me." He said.

"Alright sir. Please follow me." The attendant said and made a beeline towards the premium collection.
"These are your size sir, all of them." He said pointing towards a row of expensive looking tuxedos.

"Alright thank you for." Arham said and turned towards Meher.
"Go choose." He said

"Me?" Meher replied, caught unguarded.

"Yes ? Aren't you supposed to be the better one at this between the two of us." He said cocking his eyebrow.

"Of course." Meher mentally kicked herself and went towards the rows of hung tuxedos.

She browsed a dozen, touching their fabric and inspecting them closely.
Picking out a few she showed them to Arham who tried them on and gained a thumbs up or down from Meher.

Two hours of picking the perfect tux, shirt, pant and shoes later they were finally out of the store with a couple of bags in hand.

Arham put the bags in the back seat and got into her car, Meher had already strapped herself to the seat.

"It's eight and I'm starving let's eat out." He said and Meher agreed. The last meal she had had was six hours ago and she was pretty damn hungry.

Meher and Arham were outside a pretty fancy restaurant, Meher couldn't wait for food to be inside her belly.

The two got a seat by the large window overlooking the busy market street.
After browsing through the menu they decided on what they wanted to have.

"Are you ready with your orders ?" The waiter asked them politely and Meher nodded and smiled at him.
"I'll have chicken steak with sautéed vegetables at the side and a cranberry juice please." She said.

"I'll have a sous chicken with plum sauce and water."

"Okay, will be back with your food."
The waiter took his leave.

"You love sous chicken and plum sauce don't you ?" Meher asked as it had been the dish he had ordered on both outings.

"Very much." Arham replied with a smile, he was surprised that she took notes of his liked and dislikes.

They spoke about their work and Meher told him about Arsal's confession about his feelings towards Zara, they laughed over Eira's small prank on Arsal as they waited for food.

Arham never knew that Meher was such a pleasant company until a few days ago. He looked at her, at how her eyes spoke, how her every emotion was on display on her face for the world to see, he looked at her doe eyes and her small perfect nose and her luscious plump lips, he wanted to take her home this instant and devour her.

"Your food has arrived." The waiters voice made him snap out of all his unholy thoughts.
The waiter place the plates of food in front of them and wished them bon appetite before taking his leave.

"This looks delicious ." Meher said looking at her food the way he was looking at her.

"It does." He replied not taking his eyes off her. Meher looked up at him to see him stare at her unabashed.

"Uh.. Arham the food."

"Yes the food." He said letting out a throaty chuckle which had Meher swoon.

He cut out a portion of his chicken and placed it in his mouth. He loved it.

Meher too had a bite of her food and let out a moan. "Oh my god its so good." She moaned making Arham's eyes go wide.

"Meher." Arham whispered to gain her attention. Not just Arham's she had attention of her fellow dinners due to her foodgasm.

"Do you want to have some ?" She asked unaware of what she had done. The curious eyes had gone back to their own plates and on their own company now, Arham looked at her with amusement and shrug his shoulders.

"Sure." He said picking up some chicken from her plate and putting it in his mouth.

He too controlled himself from letting out the moan, it was good.

"It's great, it's really really good." He said. "I think I have a new favourite." He said smiling at her.

"You do?" She asked her voice a few pitches higher in excitement.

"Yes I'll l-."Arham stopped abruptly. His eyes had caught something outside on the street, or rather someone.

"Stay here I'll be back." He said getting up from the seat. Without any further explanation he walked out of the restaurant leaving Meher behind.

•••

Arham stepped out and quickly made his way into the crowded street following a familiar silhouette.

He walked behind her, like the rats following the pied piper. Lurking in shadows to make sure it was her before confrontation.

Hooriya had stepped out of the house to buy medicines for Bi jaan as Khala was out for her fifth date with the Sheikh.

Hooriya hardly stepped out of the house, but today had been one such rare occasion when she had to.
She walked into the main market to go to the pharmacist to pick up bi jaan's medicine and buy some street side Halwa Puri as she really craved some.

She had picked up the medicine and was waiting for the street vendor to pack the halwa Puri when she heard the voice of the man she loved.

"California se ye Puri aur halwa lene aayi ho hoor ?" (Have you come from California to buy this steer food ?)

Hooriya felt a shiver run down her frail body, this couldn't be happening. She was in the opposite part of the town from the Butt mansion, what were the odds of him finding her.

Hooriya took the packet from the vendor and paid him the money before walking fast in the direction of her house without turning back.

She knew he would catch up to her, he was hot on her heals but she prayed that by some miracle she would loose her trail.

"Stop hoor." Arham called loudly. "I said stop." He said catching up to her. They had strayed far from the busy street giving Hooriya no chance of escape.

Arham looked at her and his heart squeezed painfully, he wanted to bunch her in his arms but she looked so frail that he was afraid to even touch her.

"Hoor." Arham said looking at her lovingly. "Where were you." He said taking her hands into his.

Hooriya gulped the lump in her throat and looked away from him.

"When I found out you weren't in California or on that plane I went crazy, I tried to look for the taxi driver but I -."

"Enough." Hooriya snapped her neck to look at him and looked into his eyes with determination. "Stop your drama." She said.

"It's no drama hoor, I love you, I..I missed you, come home, come home with me, we can go back to how we were I love you my Hoor, I -."

"I said enough." Hoor said cutting on Arham's rambling. "Stop this drama Arham, I don't want you in my life don't you see." She said venomously.
"I worked so hard to get rid of you, I though getting another woman would give me my deserved freedom from you but you keep pinning over me like Majnu, then I picked up fights with you and in the end I had to orchestrate this entire leaving Pakistan drama so that you let me live in peace but no, you wouldn't, you just wouldn't let me be." She said with as much hate as she could pretend to have.

"Why are you being like this hoor, what -."

"Oh for Allah's sake stop. Go back to where you were a few minutes ago and don't trouble me. Now that you know I'm here in Pakistan I don't have to pretend to be in California, I don't have to pretend to be taking a break, nursing my heart, I don't have to pretend to be interested in you anymore."

"Hooriya why are you -."

"For fuck's sake just stop. Does you pea size brain not register the fact that I don't want anything to do with you anymore ?" Hooriya snapped shutting Arham completely.
"Give me my space Arham and if you feel generous enough then give me a divorce." She said before turning around and walking away with a broken heart and tears streaming down her cheeks

Arham stood there , her words had left him paralysed. He had loved her, he loved her still. What had he done wrong ? Where did he go wrong ? Everything was so perfect, they loved each other, he did at least.

Was she pretending to love him all this time, his heart did not believe that whatever was between them was a ruse, they had a Pak (pure) love, then what went wrong ?

•••

It had been three hours, Meher sat at the same table with the two barely eaten dishes placed in front of her. She earned pity full glances from fellow dinners and the waiter kept asking her if she wanted the check or anything else to drink or eat.

An hour after Arham's disappearance Meher decided to call him but she couldn't find her phone in her bag, she later realised that her phone was on her lap when was returning home and must have fallen on the cars floor when the brakes were applied earlier durning the day.

Meher kept staring at the door for the next hour hoping that Arham would walk in.

It was durning the third hour that she knew that he wasn't coming.

"Maam, we have to close the restaurant." The waiter serving them came to inform her. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright please bring me the bill." She said.

Meher paid the amount and got out of the restaurant. The street which had been busy a few hours back was now almost isolated.

Meher looked around but the surroundings weren't familiar to her at all. So walked down the street hoping go find a rickshaw or a cab that could take her home or any place she was familiar with.

It was close to midnight and she was walking alone on an isolated street, she clutched her bag tightly across her chest as if it was giving her some strength. She took quick steps towards the main street in order to find a source of commute.

It had been a few minutes when the beeping of horn made her jump. She turned around hopeful to find a taxi or rickshaw or even Arham at this point even though she was fuming with anger at his stunt.

She saw a motor bike stop in front of her and three young boys got down from it.

"Give us your bag." One of them said. Meher was stunned at their sudden demand.

"Give us your bag." He shouted again and pulled out a pistol which was tucked in his jeans and placed it on Meher's head.

His other companion snatched the bag from her hand. "Remove your watch." He said and Meher who was more aware and alert of what was happening now complied.

After they had stripped Meher of all her priced possessions they got in the bike and rode off leaving a shaken Meher behind.

•••

Yusuf was going through the file again with Alia, they were flying to Islamabad with Hooriya to start Radio therapy.

Alia and Hooriya were leaving the next day while he would join them after the charity ball as he was responsible for it.

"Yusuf, I'll be honest, the chances of recovery are 3%." Alia said adjusting her specks as re read the case file.

"3% is enough for me to have a hope Alia."he said.

"This person must be important to you." Alia said. She let out a yawn and checked her watch. It was half past twelve.

"The patient is my family." Yusuf said. "I'll go get you a cup of coffee." Yusuf got up from the couch where they sat to discuss Hooriya's case and went to the kitchen to prepare them coffee.

Alia sat going through the reports again, almost the 100th time looking for details she might have missed.

She closed the file and kept it on the table removing her reading glasses and placing them on the table as well. She got up and stretched her sore muscles. They had been going through all the possibilities for hours now.

The sudden sound of the door bell  made Alia jump. She checked the clock again it was quarter to one, wondering who would come at his ungodly hour at Yusuf's place she walked towards the door and the security too did not even bother inform them made her frown deeper.

She walked towards the door padlock and entered the passcode, she knew it as she had been to Yusuf's house a couple of times recently to discuss the case with him. The door opened and she looked at the visitor.

Although she had just seen the face once in her life it was a face she would never forget.

"Meher ?" She asked and gave her way to enter the house. Meher looked distorted and broken. Her eyes were glassy and unresponsive to Alia's voice.

Alia looked at her condition and realised that something was not right.

"Yusuf, come here." Alia called loudly calling Yusuf outside.

Yusuf who was busy making coffee had miss the sound of the door bell but Alia's panicked voice had reached him. He placed the empty mug down on the counter quickly and walked outside to see Alia holding Meher by her arm, trying to talk to her.

"Nur Jahan." Yusuf whispered softly.

Hearing his voice, Meher snapped, like her trance had been broken. She turned to face him and one look at him all her emotions came down crumbling. She took quick long steps towards him and flung her body into his arms.

Yusuf held her close to himself, unaware of the reason for her distressed state but one thing he knew for sure was that Arham had messed up.

•••

Alia watched Yusuf stroke Meher's hair lovingly, calming her down. He whispered into her ear and held her close to his chest, like a dying man holding on to his last breath, she was Yusuf's last breath Alia knew that.

Alia stood in the corner as she watched Yusuf guide Meher to the couch, he made her lie down and sat beside her.

Not a word transpired between the two, and no words were needed for Yusuf to calm Meher down or for Meher to tell Yusuf about her pain.

Meher shifted herself so that her head was in Yusuf's lap, she wanted him as close to her as possible. Yusuf sat there caressing her hair with one hand while the other was in between Meher's own.

Meher had fallen asleep, the exhaustion of crying and running had caught up to her. Yusuf looked up to see Alia still standing in the coring looking at them, her face held an expression Yusuf did not want to decipher, it was the same his face held when he saw Arham and Meher together. It took one heartbroken person to know another.

He tried to move away from the couch but Meher's grip on his hand tightened making him drop the idea of leaving her.

"I'm sorry Alia." He said his words held two meaning and both were understood by the pretty doctor.

"It's alright." She smiled feebly. "I should go." She said.

"No please." He said. "I can't move from here and I can't let you go alone Alia, please stay the night." He said.

"Yusuf it's not -."

"Alia please."

Alia sighed before nodding. "You love her more than you've loved anyone don't you ?" She asked.

Yusuf looked at the sleeping figure in his arms. He looked at her and smiled before looking back at the heartbroken woman. "I love her more than love itself." He said.

"Sh..she is lucky." Alia smiled though the pain and Yusuf smiled in pain.

His love will never be known to Meher, it would be his well kept secret. His love would break her and he would rather break himself than to cause her any harm.

"There are clothes for you to change into in the guest bedroom wardrobe. I'll see you tomorrow." He said.

Alia nodded before walking into the guest bedroom locking the door and her heart away.

AN: Longest chapter ever
It's the only chapter where you get a glimpse of what all the 5 characters feel.

Secrets are coming out
Alia and Hoor are leaving
Yusuf is leaving
What is going on :/

Hang in there lovely people we are at the last leg of the story

Stay safe.
Next update at 185