MY UNREQUITED LOVE (EDITED VERSION)

NINE

Meri Dua'oon Mein Tera Wajood Rehta Hai,
Is Se Badh Kar Mera Aitraf Kya Hoga.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Startled by the anger in his voice they both separated with a jerk. Eyes red, jaw stiffened, and vein on the forehead was bobbled up showcasing his enraged state. Mustafa was throwing daggers at them, looking like a wounded lion ready to fight and kill. 

“What are you two doing here, all alone ?” they both flinched, knowing his thoughts were taking a wrong route, fire in his eyes was evidence of the misunderstanding that had taken root in his mind. 

“Bhaai I was....” Hassan quickly strided towards his brother, catching the sight of Maria’s dreadful eyes. He passed her a small reassuring smile, ready to tell his brother the cheap stunt Tabassum Bashar pulled up to disgrace Maria, but before he could say something in their defense, Aaqib Ahwaan made his entry, clueless of the tension brewing between them.   

“Hassan, where were you ? I was looking everywhere….” perplexed with the entry of his father, he had no idea on how to resolve the misunderstanding and shared a helpless look to Maria who passed a smile to him telling him to go, knowing she would handle Mustafa better than him. “Come, with me, you are yet to meet some important clients.” Giving a last, sorry look to Maria, he left with his father, leaving both of them all alone.

As soon as Hassan made his exit, Mustafa stepped towards Maria with calculated steps, his eyes fixed over hers, reading her expressions which were screaming out nervousness and anxiety. 

“What were you both doing ?” his voice was low, but it was so calm that it sent shivers down her spine. She know there was big strom hiding behind that silence. 

“I asked you something…MARIA!!” she flinched at his tone, and retreated few steps back, tears welling up in her eyes. She knew he was doubting her again but kept her silence knowing if she told him the real reason of Hassan consoling her so intimately, he would create havoc and would ruin Tabassum Bashar. Not that she cared for the woman but she cared for her family. She did not want to do anything which would ruin their reputation just because of Mustafa’s anger.

Deciding to leave his enraged presence, she took a step towards the gathering, but he was quick to hold her wrist and stop her from moving forward. “You can't leave until you answer my question.” Uncaring of the curious eyes of guests he pulled her towards their house and she quietly followed him, not wanting to create a scene. 

“Start speaking now.” Locking the door of the guest room on the first floor, he sauntered towards her, like a lion towards its prey, circling her from all sides, not giving her chance to move. “I don't want to.” if it was not for him holding her chin in a vice like grip, standing close to her, he wouldn't have heard her voice as it was too low and broken.

She had her head hung down, not ready to confess the truth, nor it has the courage to lie to him on face. “Maria… speak up.” this time his voice was soft, and desperate, as if giving her a last chance to clear his thoughts. 

“W-we we-were talking. Y-yeah talking.” with a heavy heart, she lied. She knew what he was capable of doing in anger. He won't let anyone insult his family and let them go easily. When provoked he could be no less than a pawn of the devil. He could be the best man on the planet but when provoked, he turned the worst of all.

“Do you think you can lie to me ?” He laughed sinisterly, catching her lie. He knew she was lying as she wasn't able to meet his eyes. She was too bad at lying, for it was a game she didn't know how to play.

“I am not lying. We were only talking.” to make herself believable, she lifted her chin to meet his gaze. 

But she should have prepared herself because no matter how much she prepped herself to maintain her composure, one look at him and she was trapped under his unwavering gaze.