Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Half an hour elapsed as now she sat in her new office allotted to her.

It was spacious and vast than her previous office. Had an exceptional ventilating system and it felt cozy. Through the large window you could have the view of almost the whole city. A large sofa was on the left. And the table was also huge and well organized.

It was much better than her previous one but she wasn't happy. She felt aloof of all the things. Her heart felt down and empty.

All in all she was depressed and anxious. The only thing that she wanted the most out of all was somehow get out of Shehryaar's clasps.

She couldn't talk back to him, she couldn't resist to his touches because it was engraved within her mind that what he could do if things don't go in his way. He would go to every length in order to assure of what leaving his lips comes the truth.

She vividly remember, that night she had denied to him alot of times but every time he drove that resistance out of her and by the end of night, it became her instincts. Despite wanting she couldn't pull him back. Her hands didn't have the courage. She didn't have the courage.

Busy in her thoughts when a woman entered her office.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Hamna. Shehryaar sir's Ex-PA," she said, "he had asked me to guide you,"

Sheharzaad passed her a smile which she didn't return and placed some papers almost harshly on the table.

"Look, here is the schedule. You need to follow this. Here is the schedule of his whole week that I made with lots of efforts but people just love to enjoy fruit then to work hard for it," she threw a shade at Sheharzaad.

Sheharzaad didn't reply her. She didn't want to engage in a fruitless conversation with her. It was better to stay quiet.

Hamna explained only a certain things to her so Sheharzaad would have a hard time in grasping things and in this way she would be fired from her ex-post. Hamna hated her so much. She had secured this position after so much struggle and Sheharzaad came out of nowhere and sat on her seat. Apart from that, she was too close to win her boss's heart but Sheharzaad came in middle. She wanted to marry him. She had already began to imagine herself as Shehryaar's wife.

"I don't know how women like you seduce other men to get you a job. Can't filth like you work hard enough and do it on your own effort?" she concluded her explanation with this and began to assemble the paper.

That clicked her.

"I wondered why is it said, a woman is a woman's greatest enemy. Coming across people like you made me realize this," She answered, "and FYI, I swear if I've given the job interview for this post then that would have been over for you all. You were sitting here only because I didn't give the interview for this seat, got me?" She won't fight usually but when she would the next person won't have any place to hide. Especially when she would begin talking back.

"If you have a problem with me sitting on this chair, go ask your boss not me. And about me seducing him? Who on earth do you think you are talking to. Go and say the same thing to your mother and sister, not me,"

"Mind your language, Sheharzaad!" Hamna spated.

"It hurts? It hurts when same remarks are made to your family which you made on others?"

"Well yes, you did seduce him or else how he would have given you this post?"

"Oh so that means women who seduce him manage to get this post? Then why were you here? And watch your tongue when you talk to me. Door is that way,"

"I know you are a slut!" Hamna cussed out of frustration.

"You can," she said, before holding the glass of water placed on her table and threw the water on her face, "get out of my office," Sheharzaad completed.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" Hamna shouted at her in her high pitched voice.

"Get out of my office!" Sheharzaad shouted back at her making her jaw clench.

"Watch your back," she threatened before leaving the office and shut the door violently.

Sheharzaad sat down, taking in a deep breath. She knew her anger wasn't directed at Hamna, it was vent up inside her. The anger that she just leashed now on Hamna was stored in her for him. But she knew, she won't dare, ever dare, not even in her wildest dreams talk infront him like that.

She began to work as soon as she was out. And she realized her work was more than her previous post. A bit too much. She used to think being a PA was an easy job but the amount of calls she had received made her think otherwise. When she ran her eyes on his schedule, she was apalled at his tight schedule. From the whole day, he was only free hardly for two to three hours. There were meetings going on for his upcoming project that was why, he had such a tight schedule.

He was a very workaholic person. Each time she had entered his office, she always found him working. She wondered, did he even have a social life or something?

Did he has friends or a family?

He was a mysterious person. Quiet but sharp. She didn't know much about him. Nothing in general but he was already controlling her life.

Some time passed and tired of working, she decided to get herself a cup of tea from the kitchen for office staff. Although she could easily ring a bell and get the tea but she was weary of sitting. Getting up, she walked to the kitchen and asked the cook there to make her a cup of tea as she began to talk with the maid there.

Her name was Khaleda and she told Sheharzaad she joined here recently.

Sheharzaad's  mother used to tell her that her face reading skills are good. Maybe something on Khaleda's face told her that there was something odd about her that wasn't settling well with Sheharzaad but all in all she seemed a nice person.

She had the cup of tea in the kitchen while busy talking with Khaleda and then got up to leave. She had a good time with her. She was a good company.

As she was walking out of the kitchen while scrolling through her phone when her head bumped against something.

Her eyes snapped up only to make her heart beat unrhythmic.

"Sorry sir," she immediately said, standing erect.

"Where are you coming from?"

"K-kitchen,"

He frowned, "Don't leave your office without my permission," he commanded and she gave no response to him.

Control freak! She thought

"Got me?" he asked and she just gave a small, negligible nod. She didn't want to agree to that.

He gripped her chin, pulling her face up. Boring his eyes in hers, he asked again, "got me?"

She swallowed hard noticing that serious look in his eyes.

"Yes," she whispered, instantly and he let her chin go.

"Good," he said, his eyes focusing on her shoulder making her conscious all of a sudden.

"I'm expecting you at sharp 6 o'clock at my office. I won't spare you if you got late this time," he warned, while fixing the collar of her shirt from her shoulder as her bra strap was showing.

She turned red with embarrassment and covered her shoulder with her scarf immediately.

"Yes.. sir," she answered.

Taking the cue, she scurried off to her office hurriedly.

......

She wondered what was happening to her?

When did she begin to fear someone that much?

Every now and then her eyes would move towards the clock so she could confirm how much time was left for 6 o'clock. And as the time was getting closer and closer, she felt fear jabbing at her heart. Her anxiety was rising to new heights. Her breath struck in her throat when just an hour was left. She couldn't focus on anything as just half an hour was left behind. She stood up and began to stroll around. Raising her hands, she found her fingers shivering.

She was already looking breathless and paled. The tears which she was fighting in the morning again accumulated in her throat. She didn't want to go to his office. That particular place and him, both made her claustrophobic. She wished she could run away from him but she found herself completely cornered. He had her cornered from all the four directions. He left no option for her other than doing as he say. Her fear, fear of him was controlling her now. Not herself. He had sabotaged her mind.

She was trying to fight with her anxiety when on the cue, the door opened and Hannan entered.

Her eyes sparkled seeing him there.

"Hannan, Assalam Alaikum,"

"Wa alaikum salam, Sheharzaad," he replied, "what happened to you?"

"Me? Nothing,"

"You look pale. Have you had breakfast?"

"No I didn't,"

"Oh that's why. You should eat something. Let's go to the cafe,"

"Thank you but Sir Shehryaar has asked me to come to his office at six,"

He looked at the clock and then at her, "plenty of time for 6 o'clock. We will come back before 6,"

"No Hannan. Thank you so much,"

"I also wanted to give you treat for your new post. There's this new cafe just across the road. Please I would love to have you," he insisted, "and don't worry we will come back in time. I know how much punctual he is,"

"I'm sorry bu-"

"Please, I insist,"

She looked confused, "for just fifteen minutes. Ok?"

"Okay. Thanks for accepting my offer. I wasn't feeling so good today,"

"Why?" she asked as they both began to walk out of the office.

"I was sad so I thought to pay you a visit,"

"Why were you sad?" she asked, frowning, as they both got in the elevator.

"Nothing. Just like that,"

"You can tell me," she insisted

"It is my brother's death anniversary today. He died a few years back," He told with sudden gloominess over his face.

"I'm... sorry for your loss," she answered, somehow feeling happy that she came with him. He was there to support at her lowest so now it was her turn to cheer her up and the least she could do was to give him a company for a short amount of time.

"I've learnt to live without him. He was.... my baby," he told as they got out of the building and crossed the road and began to walk on the footpath towards the cafe.

"I know how it feels. How it kills you when somebody close to you dies but you have to survive,"

"I feel it," he gave her a nod as they reached the cafe, finding a table and placed their order.

"How did your brother die?" she asked.

"He wasn't suppose die. He didn't die of a natural death. He was killed,"

"What?"

"Yes and since then nothing has been normal in our lives,"

She didn't know what to say so she passed him an encouraging smile. "I will pray for you and your family,"

"Thank you, Sheharzaad. And hey, let's get not too emotional. Thank you for coming with me. I was feeling down,"

"That's not a problem. I feel happy that I could support you,"

He smiled at her and on the cue the order arrived as they both got engaged in a conversation.

He inquired her about Amna's health and then asked how did she manage to get the post of PA to CEO.

She laughed trying to dodge it but when he insisted she spoke, "Well you can say, ummm..." she began to think of a lie, "I asked him for money. Like as in loan. So he said it's been just three weeks. So I told him about my situation. He understood and gave me the loan. And I asked him to give me some post where I can earn more than what my previous post was paying. Then and there he asked me some questions and at last he announced, I'm his new PA," she lied and his eyes wide opened.

"Oh wow. That's great. Congratulations,"

"Thank you,"

Hannan told her about Rafay that he has gone missing and his parents filed a complaint in the police station. It was said that he came to the company last time and that too around 11 o'clock and since then nobody has a clue of him.

She gulped as she began to think what could happen to him. And was there Shehryaar's hand in it? Because she remembered, she had fainted and just Shehryaar and Rafay were left behind. She didn't know what happen after she lost consciousness.

Hannan further told that they try to investigate the CEO as well and when after some days, he had gone to that police station for some work, the officer who barged into CEO's office was nowhere to be found.

Her mouth hung open at this. She could feel her heart sinking more and more thinking of the power he held. Even police was under his control then she was nothing. His information was hard for her to digest as she became more anxious of what her future would look like and how would she escape from him?

"And the police officials were telling me he was mercilessly killed,"

When he looked up at her, he was surprised to find her face paled and lost in her thoughts.

"Sheharzaad?" he snapped his fingers infront her face and her trance broke.

"Huh? what happened?"

"To you? what happened to you?"

"Nothing,"

"Are you stressed for some reason?"

"No, I'm not. But Hannan I need your help," She said with a sudden urgency in her voice.

"Yeah sure, tell me,"

"I want to sell my house," she told.

"What? why?"

"It's very important. I will tell you the story later but how can I sell my house?"

"By giving an advertisement but where would you go if you will sell your house and your job?"

"I'll tell you later but please help me in publishing the advertisement an-" she stopped as her eyes suddenly widened.

All the colors flew from her face.

"What?" she whispered under her breath.