Chapter 18: Chapter 18

She had been so nervous while sitting next to him that whatever he was explaining her went out of her mind. And now she sat infront the laptop screen, not able to understand what to do. The work he had given her was non theoretical and a bit technical. You needed to understand first in order to carry out what you would be doing.

On and on her hands would fix her hair, then she would move her fingers on her forehead trying to recall what he had been saying. But the only picture that came in her mind was his grey eyes. Out of fear, she wasn't even looking up. Almost fifteen minutes have passed and she had done nothing.

She was constantly tapping her foot against the floor and rubbing her hands together out of impatience and nervousness. She felt like sitting in some exam hall and the deadly invigilator was sitting just infront and all the while she just had to act that she knows what she has been doing. Just like now.

All the while Sheharzaad had been passing him an impression that her brain, body and soul was actually invested in work she has been given. Whenever a certain feeling would succumb her that a pair of eyes was gawking at her, instantly she would began to type something as if  too busy even to look up. Or make a pensive face as if thinking hard about something.

He was awfully quiet but his presence alone was nerve-wracking. Neither could she find it in herself to ask him about her doubts. That was a big no. The only things that was brewing in her heart was to somehow run away from here. And first thing she so wanted to do was to treat her tongue because it was hurting. She needed to apply some gel or something on it that would alleviate the burning sensation.

"Show me what've done," He suddenly said, that had her eyes bulging out as she looked up at him and found his eyes on his laptop screen.

Tongue tied she couldn't muster up any answer.

He glanced up at her for a second before moving his eyes back on whatever task he was doing while she hoped he could understand her predicament by the look on her face.

"I'm working on it,"

"Show me what you've done," This time around he closed the lid of his laptop and subjected her to his full attention. She panicked.

"I'm working..."

"Bring it," he ordered, flicking his fingers.

She didn't want to embarrass herself by showing her work to him. If he would come to know that she had done this much in whole twenty minutes then he won't spare her.

And she wanted to be spared.

"Please.... sir I'm working. I'll-'ll show you when I'm done,"

He frowned, "you're not gonna listen to me?"

"No, no. I will," Came her abrupt response with her heart skipping a beat.

"Then?" he cocked his brow.

"Please, I'm still working. I'll show you when I'm done,"

His eyes narrowed, "you're one stubborn piece Sheharzaad, aren't you?" he stood up from his chair and was about to move towards her when the door burst open making his eyes snap at the door and his hand instinctively moving towards the gun, he had in his holster.

But it came as a surprise to him as he relaxed, upon finding who was standing there

"Dua?"

"Assalam alaikum," Dua, his sister approached him and gave him a small hug.

"Did you come alone?" he asked, as soon as she detached. Dua knew how protective her brother was of her.

"No Haseeb and Alizeh came too,"

"Alizeh?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes she had been insisting to meet you,"

On the cue, Haseeb appeared on the door, holding five years old Alizeh in his arms.

"Jhooti Dua!" Haseeb bashed at her as soon as he entered the room, not looking left or right while taking deep long breaths.

(Dua you liar!)

"Mje itna bhagaya. Ab tumharay jhansay mei main aanay sei raha! Tum kitni tez hou yaar mj masoom aadmi ka koi khyaal hi nhi," he whined.

(You made me run like a mad dog. Now I'll never believe you! You're so cunning and have no care of this innocent man)

"It's intelligence. Not cunningness, Haseeb,"

Haseeb was about to answer when his eyes fell on Shehryaar and his expressions faltered and a gooofy smile appeared on his lips, "hehe sorry, Shehryaar bhai. Apko dekha nahi,"

(I didn't see you)

"Yaar bhai! Yaar bhai!" the five year old, Alizeh giggled, trying to get off of Haseeb's arms and wanting to go to his arms. Haseeb put her down on the floor and she began to rush towards her dear 'yaar bhai'

Alized still couldn't grasp his name so she used to call him' yaar' instead of 'shehryaar'.

He squatted down on his knee as Alizeh rushed towards him, throwing her little arms around and engulfed him in a hug.

A small smile sprawled on his lips.

Sheharzaad wondered who were all they to whom his highness, the mighty, cold, barbarian CEO Mr. Shehryaar Haider Syed was meeting warmly.

She never saw him smile like that. More likely, they were his family. She was surprised, he even had a family.

As everyone was standing up, she stood up too because it deemed a bit inappropriate to her and greeted to Dua and Haseeb with a smile when a pair of grey eyes glanced at her for a second.

"Taya abu (uncle) misses you alot," Alizey said as soon as she was in his arms, "and me too," she streched her arms to show how much she missed him.

"I will come to the haveli soon,"

"You are lying. You always say that but you don't," she complained and held his ear, "mama does this to me when I lie,"

Sheharzaad's eyes jutted out. That girl was literally holding his ear! Her mouth hung open.

"And you are lying to me," Alizeh complained, and began to rub her hand on his ear trying to recall how her mouth would pull her ear.

That had Sheharzaad chortle.

He slightly turned his head towards Sheharzaad, so he could see her through his peripheral view making her breath stop for a second.

"Look now my secretary is laughing at me. You want that?"

Alizey placed her hand on her lips forming an O shape. "No,"

"Then stop what you're doing,"

She nodded her head before retrieving her hands back.

"You will come to the haveli soon na?" she forwarded her pinky finger to take promise from her cousin brother.

"I will," he said, locking her pinky finger with his.

Sheharzaad sought it as an opportunity to get out of his office.

"Sir, may I leave?" she asked, grasping his attention.

"No. Sit over there and continue working," he pointed at the sofa.

"But I-"

He glared at her and she gave him a nod.

Taking her laptop, she strolled towards the sofa and settled herself down there.

...

"Baba (father) is not fine bhai," Dua apprised him while sipping on her coffee.

Haseeb and Alizey sat somewhere playing a game. Apparently, it was Haseeb loosing and Alizey winning.

"He misses you. Keeps on asking for you too especially after the recent attack he got,"

He gave no response to it. Very well aware who was the actual reason behind his deteriorating health and his lifeless life.

"I will come. Ask him to don't worry," he assured her. "What brings you here, Dua?" he asked.

And he noticed the panic in her eyes. "Nothing," she said haphazardly.

"Don't lie," he stated making her eyes widen.

"I'm not bhai. Just came here to meet....meet you, can't I?"

"You can but to meet me. Understood?"

She quietly gave him a nod, knowing how possessive his brother had gotten after that particular incident. She knew he would never ever let her get closer to man again after what she did the last time. Despite her condition, she wasn't saved from his wrath.

"Yes bhai," she gave him a verbal response when he demanded it through his eyes.

"Good for you," he said, sipping in his coffee. His hawk like eyes noticing how his sister was trying not to match his eyes.

Some time elapsed as they all were still busy talking. Alizeh was now sitting on Shehryaar's lap and Haseeb who was prior playing some game with Alizeh now sat a little distance away from Sheharzaad. Dua and Shehryaar, busy in some conversation.

Sheharzaad was surprised when Alizeh had came towards her, smiling and shook her hand. Alizeh talked for a few minutes and during those minutes she kept on blabbering how pretty Sheharzaad nd telling her about her doll houses and her oh so dear brother, Shehryaar. Once she was done talking to her lot she ran towards Shehryaar before settling herself in his lap and now playing a video game on his phone.

Sheharaad's eyes moved up and found him smiling. Again.

This was the second time in the day he smiled.

By now she had established this fact in her mind that Shehryaar Haider Syed did not know how to smile, but he proved her wrong.

"Tw yeh jallad hasta bhi hai," she said.

(So this hangman laugh as well?)

"Jallad!" Haseeb, who was sitting just a few distance away from her suddenly said loudly and looked towards Sheharzaad with his bulging eyes.

(Hangman?!)

She closed her eyes, she thought he had ear pods in his ears so he wasn't listening.

"Huh what were you saying Haseeb?" Dua asked, turning towards Haseeb.

"Please keep quiet or he will kill me," She muttered under her breath while picking a pen from the floor that she had purposely thrown so they won't see her giving Haseeb signals.

"What were you saying?" Dua asked again when Haseeb looked at Sheharzaad with his peripheral view who looked as if not concerned with anything happening and had her eyes on the laptop screen but she slightly shook her head.

"Ah nothing. Was watching something on my phone and what is it you whatever I say, huh?"

"Whatever Haseeb," she said and turned towards his brother.

As soon as few moments passed, Sheharzaad looked towards Haseeb voicing out a thank you.

"Never mind," he replied and came closer as he sat next to her.

"Thank you," she said this time around loudly.

"No problem. Are you my brother's secretary?"

"Yes. I'm," she answered.

"Oh good. He must give you a tough time,"

"Very. Are you his brother?"

"Kind of. His cousin brother,"

"I never knew my boss had a family,"

"Even our family doesn't know that we have Shehryaar bhai," he said and she laughed.

"What?"

"You don't know and you're his secretary. Unbelieveable. You know he is a private person. Very private person. He lives here mostly but sometimes come to haveli for...for meeting us all and that too when we all insist so much then he comes,"

"Doesn't his mother ask for him?"

A gloomy look came over his face, "she is no more," he shortly answered.

"Oh. I didn't know that. My condolences,"

"Never ask him about his mother," Haseeb said, "never,"

She frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"Just don't do that," he said, "how long have you been working here," he tried to change the topic.

"Just a few weeks,"

"And you're already calling him names?"

"Umm I'm not. Please don't tell him,"

"Certainly won't. Else you're done,"

"Thanks for that,"

"What are you doing?"

"Just digging up my grave," she answered, helplessly, looking at her laptop.

"Why so?"

"He gave me work and I wasn't paying attention when he was explaining so I don't know what to do when he would ask for work,"

"Oh dang. Girl you're in trouble,"

"I don't know what to do. Can you help me?"

"Did he allow you to take someone's help?" he asked.

"I don't know. I just want to submit my work and go home,"

"Well, I'll take this risk. He is talking to Dua so I'll try to help you meanwhile. I hope so we don't catch his attention,"

He tried to sneakily read what was on her laptop screen trying to recall the method of how to do that task. He remembered, Irtaza teaching him something like that.

"I know how to do it,"

Her eyes sparkled. "What?"

"And what the hell have you written over here. It's rubbish. He will fire you,"

Oh how much I wish that

"You first need to delete this stuff because if he had his eyes on it, you'll receive a mouthful from him. You don't know how good he is at scolding others. By the end you'd have tears. So it's better you have nothing for now instead of this something that you wrote. Delete it all,"

She gave a quick nod before removing all the work she had done.

"Ok so listen. First open the file of year-1 and there must be highlighted points or highlight them where the net profit and annual incomes must be mentioned. You need to-"

"Haseeb, let's go," Dua said, standing on his head and Alizeh held her hand.

"You go. I don't wanna go,"

"What are you doing Haseeb?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him and moved her eyes between Haseeb and Sheharzaad. "Let the girl do her work. What are you whispering in her ears about incomes and do this and do that? I heard it all,"

They both were tongue-tied as if a deer caught in headlights.

"I wasn't telling her anything about her assigned task," he denied and Sheharzaad nearly held her forehead. He just made it clear.

When she glanced up at Shehryaar, he was typing something on his phone. She wasn't sure whether he listened or not.

"Let's go, Haseeb,"

"Ok. Ok," he agreed, getting up.

"We are going bhai. Bye," she said, and as they were going to leave, when Alizey came near Shehryaar and asked him to bring closer his ear so he bent down to her level.

"She is very pretty," she whispered in her ears.

"Who?"

"The girl who was laughing at you. Bring her haveli too,"

A smirk appeared on his lips.

"Deal?" she forwarded her little hand when he joined it.

"Deal," he uttered.

"Thank youuu. Now I'm going and bring me lots of chocolates too,"

"Okay," he replied, straightening up and soon they left his office. Dua sent Haseeb to retrieve the car while she stood at the porch. She dialed a number and it was picked up two rings later.

"Yes? Are you fine?" the other person answered.

"I feel like, he suspects us. We need to do something,"

There was a moment of silence between them, when he spoke, "Next week. Come to my home. I have a plan. We can't live like that anymore,"

She contemplated and then answered, "Okay," and cut the call when Haseeb brought the car and she sat in along with Alizey and drove away.

......

Silence prevailed between them, as soon as the door was closed. She looked at him and after a few seconds, his eyes detached from his phone and he looked at her.

"Come here," he said ever so  darkly.

A series of goosebumps rose on her skin. Her chest suddenly rising up and down.

Up and down.

"Me?" her voice got wavered.

"Come here," he said again that had her stand up and move towards him. "With that laptop,"

A sigh of relief escaped her throat. She thought, he was calling her for some other reason but thankfully it was related to work. She was thinking that she might had done something which didn't settle well with him.

Retreating her steps, she picked her laptop and brought it to him

Her hands tightly fisting by her sides as she stood near him.

"Where is your work?" he asked as a frown appeared on his forehead.

"I was actually... couldn't understand what you-you-you were telling," she began to explain. Her toes curled inwards. She felt like she had gotten caught doing something illegal.

"Almost an hour and this is what you've done?"

She looked down, feeling embarrassed.

"Let me make this thing clear to you, you're not going anywhere unless you will finish your work. Are you getting me?"

"Yes," her head was hung low. She never liked to be scolded.

"Look up and answer properly,"

"Yes.. sir," she replied, now looking up at him.

"What's the problem?" he asked

"I... I forgot what you told me,"

"Where was your mind?"

How come she was suppose to focus on anything when he, himself was sitting next to her. The nervousness had the full control over her mind.

"You didn't....explain it well," The last part came out as a whisper. She blamed it all at him rather than accepting about her nervousness. She won't say it on his face the fear that she had within her of him. She hated being fearful of others but his was a different case. The glare, the glare alone would buckle her knees now.

"So it's my fault?"

A small nod was her response. It wasn't his fault though that she couldn't pay attention.

"It's my fault you that you were acting to pay attention but all the time your mind was somewhere else," he stated while opening the lid of his laptop, his eyes not on her.

'Itna dara k rakho gey tw kaam kesay karu gi,' She thought.

(If you'll have me so scared then how would I work)

"You need to move your tongue and ask me whenever you don't get anything," he said without looking at her, "No one else. My cousin included," he turned his head towards her. A warning glimmering in his eyes.

"Okay," she gave him a quiet nod.

"This time around I must have your full attention," he stated and began to explain her from the very beginning.

During the whole couse of converstaion, she now tried her best to have a control over her heart that was beating so fast while sitting just next to him on a sofa.

One thing she learnt about him that he was a quick-witted man. Calculative. Apt.

As if business wasn't his niche as much as psychology was. By the end of the session, she had concluded, that man knew how to read minds.

He was manipulative. So manipulative. She had gauged out the fact when he was telling about the two business deals of his that had his struggling company from the depth of nowhere and darkness to new heights.

And the work he gave her was related to his new upcoming project and that was why he had her warned that she needed to be very careful.

"I'll submit the work tomorrow. It's 8 sir," she requested.

He didn't response rather stared at her, longer than usual that had her breath hitched.

Slowly, his eyes rolled down and landed on her lips. She gulped, feeling utterly conscious so she held her lower lips between her teeth, squirming under his intense gaze.

His thumb, cladded with a ring, moved and released her lips from her teeth. The pads of his thumb stroked her soft flesh as he tapped at her lips.

"The amount of time you've bit them," he uttered in a whispery tone.

She froze. Like all other times.

"Actu-actually," she tried to divert the topic but already his lips preceded towards her as his lips connected with hers.

He didn't proceed it much. Just gave her a chaste kiss before retrieving himself back.

Instinctively, she bit her lips again, taking in the area that his lips captured when she noticed his eyes on her lips again and she immediately released them.

Staring in her eyes, he held her delicate neck and brought her closer to him.

Her heart shivered.

"Apart from being a hangman, I can be a good kisser too," he muttered, just near her mouth before captivating them with his, again. But this time around longer.

He didn't prolong it much as he pulled back from her and found her face flustered and red.

"You can't..." she muttered, looking down.

"I can't?" he frowned, urging her to continue.

She shook her head, not wanting to complete her sentence. Afraid he might do something with her as he did that night.

"I can't what?" he asked, gripping her chin before bobbing her head up.

She moved her lashes up, revealing him her teary-red eyes.

"I know what....will you..you do to-to me if I-I completed my sentence," she whispered.

He stroked his thumb along her neck and placed it on her the space between her shoulders, feeling her accelerated heart beat. "And you don't want me to do it?"

"Please. I don't know...what to answer," she fidgeted with her fingers. If she said yes, then that would mean she would be denying him. And she had tried denying him before, she never liked the consequences.

Her lashes moved up when a tear rolled down her eye, "can I say-say something?" she cleared the tear.

"Say," he uttered, quietly.

Her hands shivered as her eyes moved up and down between the floor and him, hesitating to say what was on her mind.

"Promise me, you won't h-hurt me,"

His grey shards bore in hers and found her utterly helpless yet beautiful pair of eyes staring at him.

"I promise," the word released out of his mouth while staring deep in her enigmatic eyes.

"I don't want you.... to t-touch me," she atlast gathered every ounce of courage and told him, "our d-deal was j..just for that ni-night. I d-on't wa-nt a non-mahram to to-touch me," She stuttered.

"I'm-I'm not provoking you or-" she whimpered when he pulled her face up, making her look at him. She thought he had set him off. She couldn't afford that as the terror thundered down on her.

"I-I," she tried to explain herself further so it would save her from him.

"Shhh," he hushed her stopping her to explain herself further to him. "Shhh quiet," he placed his forehead against her, closing his eyes. "Keep quiet," he muttered under his breath, holding her close.

A sense of tranquillity encompassing him.

It was weird.

The emotion that gurgled up within his dead heart. That emotion. It was weird. Very odd.

After a few moments he pulled away from her, "I'm going home," he said as he stood up.

"Am I free to go?" she asked.

"Have you done your work?"

"No,"

"You will come with me to my house and there you would be completing all your work,"

Her eyes wide opened and the word no was on the tip of her tongue when he stood up and said, "let's go,"

And that meant she had to spend a night with him.

Alone again.

......