The Moon and Her Stars

Ch. 28: Greatest Year

Ayaara's P.O.V.

I was waiting for Yasir to come home one evening, but my calls kept eventually going to voicemail. I was growing worried. It was past dinner time and he still wasn't home.

At 11 PM, my phone finally rang. It was his assistant. He explained that Yasir suddenly went out of town to Belgium today for an urgent business meeting and that it was running long, so he couldn't attend his phone. He had told him to inform me so I wouldn't be waiting for him. I requested to speak to him just for a second, but his assistant couldn't give him the phone. He told me that Yasir would be back most likely tomorrow.

He had gone out of town?! And, that too, until "most likely" tomorrow and without telling me beforehand?! He hadn't even taken any luggage! Why couldn't he have called me before leaving?! I dried my flowing tears while thinking about these questions as I struggled to fall asleep without his warm presence in our bed.

Yasir's P.O.V.

The men standing before me with their weapons drawn at me fell on to the floor, revealing Armaan behind them.

He lowered his arm and approached me. After he cut the rope around my wrists that tied my arms above my head, I followed him to his car. An ache spread through my shoulders, back, and arms, having been able to finally lower my arms after hours.

Armaan handed me a shirt to cover my bare upper half.

I glanced at the clock above the car radio. 2:47 AM. I'm glad I told my assistant to get in touch with her if he didn't hear from me. It was too late to call her now myself. She must be sleeping.

Armaan began, "Yasir, had I not reached for this deal in time, they would've finished you off. You've been openly making comments about him and disobeying him and his orders. It's evident to everyone that you aren't loyal to any of the groups anymore. I'm lucky that those who fell under my hands tonight were not from one of us, otherwise my time would be up. They clearly held him and the new alliance in higher regards than you considering they didn't give a f*ck about who you are. I know what you have been trying to do, but we saw tonight that not everyone is going to be as lenient as our group. They're more tolerant because of him even though you're doing all of this to spite him, which Dad says he, when he asked him about it, finds it entertaining."

"But do you see it now?" I wiped the trail of blood from the corner of my mouth, "The reason he got me into all of this is gone. Being who he is, he could let me go if he wants. Yet, he's still holding me responsible."

"I don't see it ever changing because there's no scope for closure or reconciliation anymore... I once suggested to you that maybe making Ayaara known to our world wouldn't be as your expecting it, but now... What can I say, Yasir? I don't see a f*cking solution. I don't know if doing what you've been doing will get you anywhere. Just be more careful. Try to make the most of things. Your wife didn't marry you to become a widow."

I scoffed dejectedly, "Exactly. She didn't marry me to become a widow, but more importantly, she didn't marry me to f*cking have death looming over her head. I won't rest until we're both away from this."

Ayaara's P.O.V.

"Jaan." Yasir greeted me over the phone the next morning.

I kept silent while a mix of angry and sad tears flooded my eyes.

"Ayaara."

"Baat nahin karni mujhe aap se. Aap jayein, meetings attend karein. (I don't want to talk to you. You go, attend meetings.)"

"I-"

I hung up, not bothering to answer his further calls.

At night, I was in the middle of baking out of frustration in the kitchen when I heard Burton opening the doors. I could hear Yasir's voice. I refrained from going to the foyer to greet him.