ISHQ-E-IBAADAT

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Author's POV

"For one day I hope my this plea is approved in your court, my honor, my wife, and my everything. The only favor your man can demand is having the pleasure of filling your hairline with the vermillion of my name later tonight. Until then, every step you take is an effort to pull you to me ~ Anvi's Shaan" The note read, confusing the hell out of Sanvi. His every sweet word brought a twinge of happiness to her soul while the suspense grilled her heart in the syrup of excitement.

Clutching his note to her chest she stepped up to keep it on the dressing table when her gaze landed on an antique wooden box. Curiosity got the best of her as she opened it carefully. The enchanting fragrance of old letters filled the room, wrapped in the musky scent of her husband. It felt as if the wooden box had been buried inside his perfume corner for a long time. Taking out the first fading sheet she knew she would need to sit down for this. The first letter was written on the date of their marriage and was addressed to her name. He was right there beside her but couldn't spell out what he wanted to say considering the distance tearing them apart. He wasn't quiet, he wasn't the only one hiding because every emotion written on that sheet of paper was confessed by his eyes.

"Behind my crippled wings, my aching heart, and broken walls yearning for revenge, just looking at you has been my safe haven. I won't meet your eyes, Sanvi, or else I'd forget my oath of destroying your family for your sake. Or else I would forget our marriage was made on my father's deathbed" She silently folded the note with emotions taking over her heart. Her Shaan had wanted to say so much, but she gave him enough reasons to hold back.

"Just don't look at me like that or my ripped pieces would rely on the comfort of your love. I am afraid if I look at you properly, I won't see a broken man looking back through your irises. It would be the man you are slowly fixing with your silent care. After Dad, I am scared of relying on people. They leave a gaping hole behind." His steps towards her stopped because he was scared of heartbreak. Wasn't this also one of her reasons for not taking bold steps? Guess what? They both were equally responsible for the damage they caused.

"Fuck! This room suffocates me in your absence. I am going to sue your father first for inviting you home and then for everything else. I cooked your favorite food and now I am going to donate it because my stomach refuses to eat unless I see you eating," A tear flew out of her eye seeing her Shaan care so much about her.

She frowned, seeing another note of the same date. That was new.

"I am standing outside your house like a creepy stalker, waiting for just one glimpse of you. Come out to the balcony, Anvi. It's been 15 hours and 39 minutes since I last saw you. You like to gaze at stars as you fall asleep, so I assured you that the portion of the bed above our heads had transparent toughened glass convertible features and you could admire them as you please but I sincerely hope your room doesn't have that feature and you keep the window open. I will go crazy without looking at you," She was too busy thinking whether she should call him or not while he was eagerly waiting for a glimpse of her. She smiled, thinking she had gone to the balcony that night to save a potted plant from the upcoming storm. He stood there in the storm to see her. Oh god, how much she loved her man and the way his silence reciprocated was heartwarming. She thought.

"Why love? Why does it feel that you are suddenly slipping from my embrace? Whenever I walk to you, you change the direction of your steps. Whenever I try to talk to you, you take up extra shifts and keep hurting yourself until I retreat to ensure you don't hurt yourself in the process of avoiding me. Every time I call you these days, you drop a text in response. I am sure you have a resolve made of steel, but your man has the fire of love burning so furiously inside him that you have to melt. I am just giving you time until this project is done. I am craving to see more of your smiles, to hug you a little longer, but whenever I try to say something, you just close off like you'd rather run. I am done keeping mum. Just a few months more and nothing would be holding my devotion except you" Clutching the notes to her heart, she didn't even realize she was shivering and crying until a sob escaped her throat. He was trying. He was trying so hard while she was busy running. She thought he wanted to speed up the divorce process, and he was trying to make confessions. Oh god! She was a fool and then when he finally realized their time was up he was forced to resort to loud ways.