Mystery: Unspoken truth

Chapter 16

Ali was standing in the lawn with a cigarette in his one hand. While his other hand was in his pocket. I haven't seen him smoking anytime before so it was a shock to me. Rain had almost stopped but the thick clouds were still there in the sky. I looked at Ali and he seemed to be in deep thoughts. First i decided to leave him be as i was hurt at his words but then i decided against it. I went to him and said
"Smoking is injurious for health mister"
He startled at my sudden voice and i suppressed my laugh.
"I'm sorry i forgot that I'm standing in the house of a lawyer where i have to follow all the rules" he replied playfully and i giggled.
"Seriously though i didnt know you smoke. You should leave it" saying that i snatched the cigarette from his hand and smashed it under my shoe. He looked at me with his mouth wide opened and i laughed at him.
"You're something else" he grumbled
"I don't usually smoke. Only when I'm worried or stressed" he told me seriously.
"Hmm so you're stressed now" i asked him altough i already knew what turmoil he was going through.
"You can say" he replied back in same manner.
"Are we okay Ayeza?" He asked me after some minutes.
"Guess so. I was so angry that I didn't wanted to see your face or hear your voice but I can't say that i don't understand you because i really do" i replied honestly.
He seemed surprised to hear that but then I added "It doesn't mean I'll allow you to do that"
He sighed and we went silent for some minutes then I remembered something i wanted to ask him
"You never told me about your family" i asked him
He tensed visibly and then gulped and looked at me "what about them?"he asked me his voice was barely a whisper.
"Whatever you told me was always about your friends and Rehman and so much persons but you never told me about your family,your parents or your siblings if you have any" i asked looking at him.
I always wondered why he never spoke about his family if he has any
"My parents live in Pakistan and i only have one sibling my little sister" he swallowed hard and then continued
"My family is a bit complicated and i don't really talk about them"
"Why? What's so complicated?" I asked him out of curiosity i really wanted to know about his family.
He sighed and then said "Ok I'll tell you from start if you really want to know about them"
"It's ok if you don't wanna talk about it" i told him as I didn't wanted him to be stressed.
He looked at me and then said" I was hardly twelve years old when my father sent me here. He always wanted me to be perfect in everything. He wanted me to be at top in the university,in buisness, in everything but he never knew how to be a perfect father for me. My parents provided me with everything anyone can desire what he couldn't give me was what i desired the most 'love and affection'. To make me perfect in everything he became so strict that he didn't realized anything. He sent me here to study. I was barely twelve. I didn't know how to take care of myself. I got bullied in school. I always told my mother that i wanted to come back to them but they never listened. I used to cry everyday when i was in school. Gradually, i lost all my hopes. I became what my father wanted me to be a cold, arrogant yet perfect businessman who had no feelings or care for anyone. At that time i met Rehman. He was really an angel for me. He guided me towards Islam taught me what emotions are though he was younger to me. He became more to me than my family could ever be and Kashaf always reminded me of my lil sister. I always wanted to work as a private investigator while my father wanted me to take care of his business and for the first time in my life i became rebellious. I followed my passion and started my own company. My father when got to know about it told me to leave it but I didn't listen as It was my passion. We didn't talk for four years. My mother sometimes talked to me but my father didn't even wanted to know if I'm alive or not. I know he loved me but buisness and money was more important to him or maybe his ego. I still remember that when I did my bachelor in A grades I waited whole day for my father to congratulate me maybe hug me or say that he's proud of me but it didn't happen. That day i lost all my hopes of him being passionate towards me. When my company became top ten company of the country i recieved a call from my father after four years. He congratulated me and asked me to come home. I was shocked whether it was my mother's pleadings to him or his heart has turned soft. I went home after twelve years. He's not a passionate person but i know he loves me. We're on speaking terms and it's more than enough for me. I love him despite how he is. I'm very close to my lil princess my sister. We daily talk on social media. I love her a lot. She always say to come back to her to my family but i know now it's not possible. I can never return. It's my home now i feel peaceful here"
I was shocked to the core hearing his words. I looked at him and his blue eyes were slightly wet. He was trying to control his tears. I always thought that he wasn't the emotional type person but guess i was wrong. He was very sensitive and complicated. Today i was seeing his different yet emotional side. He felt so much vulnerable. Don't know why but i never wanted to see him like that.
We share an unexplainable bond. We're more than friends. Maybe that's because we understand eachother or whatever the reason but i really felt pain when he told me about his family.
"That's why I feel guilty when i think about Rehman. It was my and Feroz fight. Rehman wasn't involved and he got caught up in my mess.I hate myself for it. He has done so much for me Ayeza. I can't ever thank him enough for that. And if I didn't save him I don't know if i ever be able to forgive myself" Ali continued looking at me.
"I know Ali you feel responsible for whatever happened to him but it wasn't your fault and you do know that. We need to tread carefully. You can't think clearly when you're too much emotionally involved with it. It's not a joke to handover your business, your lifetime achievement to anyone especially the person whom we don't trust. Feroz is involved in drugs dealing, illegal property dealings, murder and God knows what and here you're ready to handover your hardwork to him just because he said he would help getting Rehman out while he himself put him there. Listen to yourself Ali. You're not thinking clearly rather you're falling in his plan which he made to trap you. Don't make him win" i said in hard voice all the while him looking at me.
He swallowed and looked at me "ok i suppose If you're right than what's the plan?" Ali croaked out.
"Here's our brave hero. Let's save the world or in our case let's save Rehman" I teased to lighten environment and it worked because he chuckled and i smiled at him.
"You wore it" Ali said touching my wrist which has the braclet he gave me.
"Yes. Didn't you wanted me to?" I asked him.
"Of course. I would like you to wear it always" he said replying cheekily.
"Hmm. Thanks for it though I didn't knew you had such a good taste in jewellery" I said teasing him again.
He chuckled and said "Yeah.Yeah. You don't know my talents yet" I too chuckled and shook my head at his cheekiness.