Chapter 62: Chapter 62

The next day at the dinner, the maid had entered her room, saying every one has to be at the table according to the orders given to them as an announcement has to be made. She had purposely skipped her breakfast and lunch first, because Shehryaar had come back, second, she wasn't feeling well.

She got up, showered, changed her clothes and once she was ready she went outside her room. Sometimes, it felt so surreal to her that she could walk, that she could open the handle of the room and just step out and walk. Walk as much as she could. Her feet weren't bound to anything. This little thing felt such a big blessing to her that she still to the date wasn't able to put it in her words.

Reaching the dining table, she sat quietly on the chair next to Shehryaar. His chair as usual was empty. Half of the table was empty while half was the haveli members. She could hear voices of his cousins enjoying. The servants were setting the table for dinner in a rush so the table would be set before the senor members reach the dining room.

Sheharzaad sat there, and kept her hands on her table. He came to her last night again. And she was thankful to God that the things couldn't escalate between them. His voice depicted a raw desire in him and so did his eyes. A lust. An obsession. That he wanted to eat her with his eyes alone.

She knew that lust was instigating him to take every step towards her but what surprised her was that he left. Left quietly. Yet she felt he could have ulterior motives as well. He wasn't the one to leave so quietly.

Maybe he had some plan in his mind?

Also, she was cautious of what he had said. He was asking about her absence at the dining tables so she determined to be present at breakfast, lunch and dinner before time.

She hoped no one was complaining about her to him or she'd be in a problem.

His grandmother came and sat on the table while whispering prayers as she had a rosary in her hand. Upon looking at Sheharzaad, she passed a smile to her and Sheharzaad smiled back.

Soon the other family members joined too. Irtaza and Zahra came too but Irtaza went to his grandfather's study leaving Zahra with the cousins and now they all too came to the dining table.

Haseeb. Haya. Dua. Saif. Alizeh.

And his uncle and aunt, Haroon, Asma and Ammara and his father, Haider.

Sheharzaad saw Irtaza heading towards the study and she wondered what they, which included Shehryaar, his grandfather and Irtaza would be talking about. She was able to deduce the influence the old man had over both his grandsons. An influence stronger than their father.

They were closer to their grandfather than their father. Shehryaar's father was everything unlike Shehryaar. He was a sweet, kind and a gentle man rather a fatherly figure. She could feel the warmth from him whenever he would place his hand as an elder above her head and whenever he would try including her to the other family activities. Though, she would politely deny as her social anxiety would hit her and resort to the lonliness in her room but his small gesture always left a mark on her heart. At times, she felt like telling her heart to him whenever he would be telling his stories to her. To complain what his son had done to him. To tell him that she didn't deserve all this.

But she knew his father was as helpless as anyone. The real power lied in the hands of his grandfather who controlled his father too.

Also, she had witnessed with her own eyes, the power the head of the mafia held and all that power was within Shehryaar's hand alone.

She knew she had nowhere to go. Every path of her life would lead her towards Shehryaar. He was her fate now. All she cared about at this point in her life was Shehryaar being content with her and she was not suppose to upset him because then she won't be spared.

"You look prettier day by day," Dua's voice dwindled her thoughts and she found her complimenting Zahra.

Zahra was almost three or four months pregnant. Her little baby bump was visible. As it was her first pregnancy the bump wasn't much evident.

"Does bhai take care of you?" Dua asked and gently placed her hand on Zahra's tummy. A small smile appeared on Dua's lips and Sheharzaad could see Dua's eyes glistening but she blinked in quickly to drink those tears.

"He does. Alot,"

"What has happened to you, Dua? Why are you so quiet these days?" Zahra asked Dua.

"Nothing much. But I'm sorry if I ever hurt you," Dua said.

"Why?" Zahra frowned.

"Nothing. I just felt like apologizing,"

"Aww siso," Zahra enveloped her in a hug and Sheharzaad could see Dua's hidden tears behind her sad eyes. They disengaged when his grandfather came along with Shehryaar and Irtaza.

Sheharyaar sat beside her while Irtaza next to Zahra and their grandfather on the head of the table.

As soon as Shehryaar sat next to her, her face began to pale and she almost froze. It wasn't usual when he was here, around her as most of the times he won't be present at haveli. When he would be, her hands would automatically began to shake as her body reaction to his presence. Everyone began their dinner but Sheharzaad found her hands shivering as she struggled with the utensils. Suddenly, a glass fell from her hand on the floor grabbing everyone's attention.

She profusely apologized, getting embarrassed infront of everyone. The anxiety becoming severe as she found everyone's attention on her. A servant was called to clean the mess.

After that, swallowing a small bite was becoming a task given her embarrassment and nervousness. She was just subjected to everyone's attention, including his, and attention always crumbled her confidence.

She thought of drinking water and then take her leave when she moved forward to get the jug. The jug fell from her hand and the water spilled around.

The place was full of gasps now and she was at the verge of a breakdown. Her lips got pasted and now her throat wasn't able to produce an ounce of sound as she didn't find it in herself to utter a word.

She sat back on her chair and looked around only to find everyone's eyes on her. Slowly, a tear slipped from her eye and she looked down. The tip of her nose turning red and her lips shivering.

She had never suffered from social anxiety as much as she was suffering from it now.

"S-s-sorry," she whispered and sniffled and was about to leave when Shehryaar held her hand sending an electric signal to her body and she remained on her seat.

She drifted her attention towards him when everybody on the table began to laugh.

"Itni choti c baat py kon rota?" Haseeb joked, "Ap bhi na Sheharzaad bhabhi,"

(Who cries on such a trivial matter?)

(P.s. Ap bhi na ki english nhi aa rhi mje. Hehe)

"Beta kia hogya hai. Yeh aap hi ka tw ghar hai,"  It was his grandmother.

(What happened to you, daughter? It's your house)

"You don't need to cry, Zaad,"  Shehryaar tucked her hair behind her ear before turning her face towards him and cleaned her tears with his thumb, "you're the lady of this house. The owner. So don't need to cry over petty things," His thumb slowly cleaning her face as he moved forward and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"And where do you think you were going?" he whispered against her forehead, making her heart skip a beat and he moved back. The table was cleaned again as everyone continued with their meals, when suddenly the telephone in the lounge began to ring. The lounge was connected with the dining room so the voice was loud enough.

"It might be one of my friends," Haseeb said and went to the lounge to attend the telephone but he came back.

"What happened?" Haroon, his father asked.

"Nothing baba. Again someone called and doesn't say anything. As I said 'hello' the person shut the call as if he or she abhors my voice.

"It happened with you too?" Dua suddenly said.

"Happened with me as well," Haya jumped in.

"And me too. I ignored it considering it was a wrong number or some dumb friend of Haseeb bothering us," Saif said.

"Oh and I recall too, it happened with me as well. I picked up the call, and as soon I said 'hello' the phone was hung," Asma, Haseeb's mother said.

Everyone looked at each other with surprise.

"Surprising," One of them, commented, "no one can have our house's phone number just like that,"

"Oh but I think the caller listens to Sheharzaad baji," Alizey suddenly said and their eyes darted towards her.

"Sheharzaad?" Alizey's mother asked her.

"The caller talks with her?"

"And i-"

"Why Alizey?" It was Shehryaar who interfered and asked Alizey with a frown and it was then, Sheharzaad began to feel lightheaded when she recalled the last call she had. She had made sure no one was looking.

"She was talking with that person naa. I was playing hide and seek with Haseeb, when the phone rung and Sheharzaad baji attended it and she talked too. I thought she may knew,"

"Who were you talking to?" Asma asked Sheharzaad.

"N-no one. It was actually," she glanced at Shehryaar who was staring at her too as if waiting for her explanation.

"How and when did you give our house's phone number to someone?"

"N-no... I-I w-was,"

"You were what?" Asma pressed when Shehryaar rose his hand, indicating her to stop.

"She is only answerable to me, Aunt," he told.

"Everyone continue their lunch. I will look into this matter," he announced and they all continued with their meals.

When everyone was done with the dinner, their eyes moved towards their grandfather for the announcement he had to make and for which he had asked for everyone.

"I want you all to listen to my next words with great attention." he said, getting their attention.

"Shehryaar is going to make the announcement today which you all had been anticipating," he told and Shehryaar looked over to them as now all the expectant eyes moved towards him.

"I'm now not talking you as a member of this family but as the head of this haveli and as the leader of the mafia. My statement would be a direct order and I don't want any hue or cry or any disobedience by your side after listening to my statement," he said, his words oozing authority and power.

Now everyone was sure even if they won't like what he's going to stay they'd still have to accept it.

"On the mutual understanding of Irtaza and my grandfather, we have reached to a decision. As the head, I'm announcing the wedding of Haseeb and Dua,"

The word, 'what!' was on the tip of their tongues but they couldn't utter it.

"Bhai," Dua began and Shehryaar passed him a look that instantly shut her up. That look shut everyone up.

"I won't have anyone questioning my decision," he said, looking at everyone with his lethal eyes.

"And mine's and Sheharzaad's nikkah and rukhsati is going to be a week later," he announced, stood up and grasped Sheharzaad's hand before leaving along with her