Damsel In Distress (COMPLETED✓)

CHAPTER: 81 | THE ECLIPSE (PART-6)

"Laiba?" Hayat Hussain barged into the house, his shoes left haphazardly on the foyer floor. Handal and her mother stood, startled, as he entered.

In the kitchen, Laiba heard his call and rushed out, bewildered by his sudden summons. They hadn't spoken in weeks, and she usually avoided him altogether.

Heart pounding, Laiba entered the main hall, clutching her dupatta tightly.

Hayat Hussain stood in the center, his eyes alight with an unsettling glee. Handal and her mother watched from the corner, just as confused as Laiba.

He thrust his phone in front of her. "Look at this!"

Laiba squinted at the screen, freezing when she saw the images. Her body went rigid, breath caught in her throat.

"Do you see this?" he exclaimed. "Do you see what your so-called husband is doing?"

Laiba mechanically took the phone, her grip tightening as she zoomed in on the pictures. Aariz was with Veronica in most of them, and in others, with his mother. The location seemed to be Melbourne, where Veronica and Zainab Othman were from. Despite his impassive expression, Veronica and his mother appeared to be enjoying his company.

"He's on vacation, having the time of his life without you," Hayat Hussain jeered. "He's already moved on with other girls."

Laiba's blood boiled at her father's assumptions. She gritted her teeth, jaw clenched, hands trembling.

"And look at you!" he continued. "Is this the man you're crying for? Is this who you're sad for leaving? He doesn't care. Rich bastards like him never do. Why did you expect anything different? Did you think he'd be devastated without you? What a fool you are to wait for him!"

Laiba's anger surged, her heart pounding. She turned away, walking purposefully toward Handal.

Handal looked fearful, clutching her mother's arm for support. Laiba's gaze was intense as she demanded, "Give me your phone."

"What?" Handal stammered, taken aback.

"Give me your phone," Laiba repeated, her tone firm.

Handal exchanged a worried glance with her mother before leading Laiba to their room. Retrieving her phone from under the mattress, Handal hesitantly handed it over.

"Please, don't do anything to get us in trouble," she pleaded.

Laiba's glare silenced her. Feeling uncomfortable under her threatening gaze, she left the room.

Alone in the room, Laiba logged into her Instagram account. She paused when the app displayed her profile picture, feeling a lump form in her throat at the sight of him on the screen. Running her thumb over the picture, she felt her chest tighten and her eyes burn, overwhelmed with a thousand emotions. She shook her head and completed the login process, only to discover that he wasn't on her following or followers list. She searched his name repeatedly but couldn't find it. Laiba knew what it meant, but she refused to believe it. Tears began to fall freely from her eyes as she realized he had blocked her. Aariz had blocked her, confirming his father's words. He had moved on, unaffected. Although she had given him the freedom to do as he pleased, it still hurt.

★★★

Aariz's footsteps echoed through the quiet streets of the city as he pounded the pavement on his morning run. The crisp air filled his lungs, clearing his mind until his phone pierced the tranquility with Shah's urgent voice.

"I'm afraid you are being stalked," his words cut through Aariz's concentration, causing him to slow to a halt, his brow furrowing with concern.

"We underestimated Hayat Hussain. He's up to something. There's someone working for him. He's being notified about your activity in Melbourne," Shah's voice crackled over the line.