She Has His Heart (US#4)

||16.||

•||Ch16: Anticipation||•

||Saim||

"Congratulations, mate. You're a married man now."

I heard Vivian's voice as I leaned against the kitchen counter. I looked up at him with a pointed gaze.

"Same to you. Congratulations on marrying Ms. Elena Wilhelm, Mr. Vivian Shaw."

He paused then nodded his head slowly, looking everywhere but me.

"Where's she?" I asked him, half expecting to see her here with him.

"A place where she should be," He answered me, opening the fridge.

My gaze paused on him for few seconds before I looked away from him, not asking any question and thought of my own future with a girl I unexpectedly and unconsciously fell for. 

"What are you thinking?" He asked me, making something for both of us to eat.

"Which property to choose for her. I want to make a paradise for her comfort."

"Why don't live here? I'll be leaving with her for New York soon and when I'll return, we'll see by then," He suggested to me, cutting all the vegetables equally.

Her, in both of our conversations, were two different her. My her was Mehrun and his her was Elena.

"No. I want a place which will be new to both of us. Making new and good memories together," He shot me a look when I said this to him.

"Let's treat this house as our family house. And whenever one of us has a fight with our other half, we will escape here till they cool down," I added with a wink.

This small villa, we both bought together and had been living here since our second year of college. The memories we created here had different meanings to me and I didn't want those memories to mix with my new life or be involved in it. 

"Anyways when are you leaving for New York?" I asked him, rubbing my forehead, knowing now I had to handle my company and workload alone till his return.

"Before mayor's elections," He answered with a shrug. 

• • •

Mom: Call her everyday. Show her your attitude regarding this marriage. She needs it. More than anything she needs her confidence back. Help her. Walk beside her in her tough time.

I read this message many times then looked out of the window wall, in my office. I knew I needed to talk to her but the thoughts of calling her and listening to her voice was driving me crazy with fear. 

Fear of her rejection which she had already done, partially. There were many what ifs in my mind, not letting focus on my work.

Last night before sleeping, I was so close to calling her and personally checking if she was alright after the havoc on the internet our marriage created. 

Many netizens were scolding Shaizum online and showing sympathy to Mehrun but there were many who were laughing and calling her out with different names.

My team had been taking care of it along with dad's and Zain mamu's team but these comments weren't stopping, even if we tried to release other news to distract those netizens.

I closed my eyes and thought about her, how beautiful she was looking at her Nikkah but later how devastated Shaizum made her with two single messages, and it hurt to think about that day.

Before I knew, my eyes opened and hand reached for my phone again subconsciously and voice-called her on WhatsApp. Holding my breath, I listened to the ringing while my heart was pounding restlessly with thoughts of her rejection.

Finally the phone answered, causing my heart to pause the beat then beat again wildly, putting all my restless thoughts at peace.

There was silence on both sides, only our breathing was sounding. But in this silence, I was feeling many emotions. Mostly her emotions. 

I let myself sink at this moment. Counting her every single breath. Remembering her breath pattern. Marking every single detail in my brain. Embedded it. 

We stayed like this for a very long time, without words. But in reality there were many unspeakable words in this silence. I didn't know about her but I understood each and every single word in her silence.

"I'll never leave a hand that holds mine halfway." 

I said what she needed at this moment and hung up quickly, feeling a bit silly. 

There were so many more things I wanted to say but there was a long time for this, I would tell everything one by one everyday. But mainly I hope she understood many things from the silence we shared.

"Don't be so filmy."

I facepalmed myself and chuckled at my ridiculous thought.

I straightened up quickly on hearing the sound of knocking. After my permission, my assistant Natasha entered.

"I have rescheduled all your meetings and added a meeting at Amore Vita at 2pm."

I nodded my head, rubbing the edge of my phone. In all the meetings today I had, I only found 'Amore Vita' meeting meaningful because it was a place I selected for a new chapter of our life. 

A chapter which we both would fill together with all new memories of ours.

• • •

"What do you think of this room?"

I asked my mom through a video call, showing her the room I personally set for Mehrun. 

………

"It's really beautiful, Saim. She'll love it. I'll send you the list of books. Make sure to buy their hard covers too, and if possible with their author's signatures," Mom told me.

I mentally noted the details she said so later I could add before I took Mehrun here. I showed mom the whole house and took notes on what needed to be added and what not. 

"Have you called her everyday, Saim?" 

………

"Yes."

Talk without words. Letting our silence talk to each other. Sharing emotions through our silence. Then after sharing a long silence, I ended up telling my emotions regarding our marriage in one line so she could rest assured from my side.

………

"That's good. Her friend Anmol is also keeping her busy with all the marriage preparations. Soon Anmol will be married. and yes! I have some good news for you too," She told me, excitedly.

And without wasting time she informed me.

"Your wedding date is also final. At the end of this month. Ramadan will arrive then Eid. We don't want to wait one more month. Right after your wedding, Mohsin and Laraib will have their wedding."

………

My heart paused and then started to beat restlessly, feeling crazy, giddy, everything but not peace.

I didn't show any emotions on my face, just hummed.

My mind was anticipating our future and reminding me to hurry up with everything here before our wedding... 

Relationship progress: Sharing silence on phone everyday. 

……….

Assalamualaikum. Hi.

A small chapter on Saim.

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Till next time.