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In the night, Ishmal was squatting in front of the dressing table removing her golden bangles from her wrists. Tonight was Haider's turn to use the bed. He was currently half lying on it, his back was pressed against the headrest and he was working on his laptop. Yesterday he got to know a really important progress in a crucial case of drug smuggling and right now he has many files opened in his tab to let the dots make a fine line.

His eyes momentarily went towards Ishmal and they lingered there. Her golden hair was falling on her back and she was looking stunning in this extra amount of embellishment she did every day. She was now fumbling with her earrings. He wouldn't she was playing a perfect wife in front of his family by acting and appearing like this. However, he didn't want them to get attached to Ishmal this much which was probably happening these days.

He gazed at her more meticulously. It wasn't only his family who was getting attached to her, even he was getting attracted to her. But there was a huge difference between the two emotions. There was just adoration in the former case while he was desiring her. Something which was wrong and shouldn't have happened. He should have hated her considering she was a woman yet that was not the case here. There was anything but anger here. There was curiosity, craving, and many more which Haider didn't want to recall right now.

How could this happen? Was he again preparing himself to get ditched by a woman again? He couldn't be that stupid.

He diverted his stare from her and regarded his laptop again. But that wasn't where his focus fell because the soothing smell of the perfume Ishmal applied on herself was hovering in the whole room.

She was so near, so approachable to him yet he couldn't get her. Wasn't it very ironic?  Or maybe he could but no. There was a big full stop after that. Ishmal didn't deserve the darkness of his soul and life.

Even though she was a girl. Something which he always thought he would be giving to this gender whenever they would come across him but somehow Ishmal didn't provoke such reaction in it. It was totally different and not what he expected.

Ishmal turned around and glanced at Haider who was busy with his work. She coughed to clear her throat.

"I need a security of my future," she started, causing Haider to pause his typing.

He remained still in his position, trying to contemplate the meaning of her words before looking back at her.

"What does that mean?" He questioned, with a slight tilt of his shoulder.

He remembered in the morning he gave her the money she required but with a strict order that she shouldn't buy any gift for his sister by herself and he would do it himself by giving her from the side of both of them. He didn't want her to make a space in the hearts of his family. However, Ishmal didn't take it from him. He hated when someone disobeyed him and didn't listen to him but when that girl left the money he gave her on the table before walking away, the anger was close to almost nothing at that moment. It was something else. Something unusual and again a feeling of not being able to get what was meant to be his. 

Ishmal got up and walked towards him. She stood at a few meters distance from the bed. "After this marriage ends, you will still get the benefit from it while I will be at a loss because I will be left with practically nothing."

Haider placed the laptop beside him and folded his arms on his chest. "Be precise. I am not a mind reader, Ishmal."

"I want to do a job from now on to make a living for myself when I will be freed from this contract," she finally let out.

Haider's jaw unknowingly clenched at the way she talked about their marriage.

She wasn't wrong. It was a contract. What the hell happening to him?

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