Damsel In Distress (COMPLETED✓)

BONUS CHAPTER: 1 | ZEESHAN AND SARAH'S STORY

After dinner, everyone started to leave. Urooba's family left first, followed by Areesha and Rehaan. Burhaan, Habeeba, and Maha left with Shah. Sarah and Zeeshan also said their goodbyes to Aariz and Laiba respectively, joining everyone in the parking lot. But just as Zeeshan was about to hop into his car, Sarah intercepted him.

"You can go around fooling everyone with your goody-two-shoes act, but I don't buy it," she said, leaning on his car door.

Zeeshan sighed, "Not this again." He thought he had dodged her judgmental stares and comments throughout the party, but here she was, just as he was about to leave.

"I don't want to be here either," Sarah admitted, her tone dripping with disdain, "but a customer left something at my boutique that I think belongs to you."

Zeeshan closed the car door and folded his arms, raising an eyebrow. "A customer?" he questioned.

"Your girlfriend," she pointed out, her tone accusing.

Zeeshan snorted, "You're mistaken. I don't have time for women. Now, if you'll excuse me," he began to leave, but Sarah stopped him once more.

"You might not have time for women, but you certainly have money to spend on them," she commented.

Zeeshan closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to face her again. "I don't know what your deal is, but leave me alone," he said, sounding exasperated.

Sarah shook her head, "Don't flatter yourself. I'm just here to return this to you," she said, pulling a card from her purse and handing it to him.

Zeeshan took the card and realized it was his. He had given it to-

Shit.

"Noor," he mentally slapped his forehead, recalling giving it to her when he took her shopping. He had forgotten to retrieve it, and she hadn't returned it either. However, she had been bombarding him with messages and calls over the past week, but he had neither opened her texts nor answered her calls, hopping she would get hint and leave him alone.

"Do you remember your girlfriend now?" Sarah remarked, interrupting his thoughts.

"First of all," Zeeshan pocketed the card, "It's none of your business, and for the last time, she is not my girlfriend."

"Whatever," Sarah replied, pushing a loose strand of hair under her hijab.

That's when he saw it.

The ring on her finger.

His eyes widened in shock as he recognized it.

"What?" Sarah asked, noticing his intense stare at her hand.

"That ring," Zeeshan pointed out, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Sarah glanced down at her hand, then back up at him, confusion evident on her face. "This?" she said, raising her hand slightly, showcasing the exquisite emerald ring.

"Where did you get that from?" Zeeshan demanded, his tone urgent and serious.

Sarah furrowed her brow, taken aback by his sudden intensity. "It's a gift," she replied cautiously, "from your mother."

"When did she give this to you?" Zeeshan's expression turned grave, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Recently," Sarah answered, still puzzled by his reaction. "Why? What's wrong?"

But Zeeshan was too stunned to respond.

One second he was standing before her, and the next, he was getting into the car and starting the engine.