Make Me Your Villain | ✓

Chapter Seven

Hayat Azhar

Once Asra was done showing me around, we ended up in a huge, luxuriant kitchen.

"You wanna eat something?" she asked while opening one of the three refrigerators ahead.

I shook my head politely. "No, thank you."

Asra pulled her eyebrows together, seeming lost in her own thoughts. "I'm craving sweets. Let's make something." She decided as she opened the second fridge and retrieved a bottle of milk.

She glanced back at me. "You know how to make any sweet dish?"

I nodded my head. "That kheer ammi brought, I made it."

Ever since I was a young girl, as per the traditions here, ammi taught me how to cook various things. Of them all, the kheer I made was the best.

The reason was silly but it was special to me. When we were kids, Zohaib liked the kheer his mother used to make. So I perfected my kheer to win him over.

Asra's eyes lit up. "Really? The kitchen's all yours, then. I'd love to have a taste of that again."

I smiled at her words and stepped forward to begin the task.

Asra spread all the necessary ingredients on the counter and I had a hunch I wouldn't need to fret over the taste, seeing as the items were quite pricey which guaranteed a delicious taste.

"What do we have here?" A young man wearing off-white shalwar kameez and a gentle smile entered the kitchen. His hair was cut short and he had a set of warm brown eyes. "Who's cooking?"

Asra's face flushed a little and she turned to me. "We're making kheer. I mean, she's making kheer. Nani hired Hayat today."

Judging from her fidgety behavior, I figured this guy was her fiancé.

"Are you serious?! The poor girl hasn't been here for a day and you've already put her to work?" The guy covered his mouth in faux disappointment. Before Asra had the chance to retort, someone else did.

"That's what servants are for, she's just doing what she's supposed to."

My hand stopped at a hostile voice and I glanced up.

The guy and Asra turned back to look at a girl who was standing at the back of the kitchen.

She had shoulder-length ombre hair which were set in half braids, complimenting her peach blouse and black jeans. Her makeup was masterfully done and she was quite beautiful, although the scowl on her face was not attractive.

"I don't get why you praise people for what they're paid for. It's her duty, stop treating her like a guest. She's a maid," she resumed while grabbing an apple from the pile of fruits on the counter.

Asra glanced over me and despite trying to hide it, I was sure my eyes reflected the shame and embarrassment I felt at the girl's remark.

"Seriously, Laiba?" The guy shot her a warning look.

Laiba rolled her eyes. "What? I'm simply stating facts, Sohel. Stop treating servants as if they're doing you favors. We pay them. It's their job to work for us."

She threw me a last disgusted look and left the kitchen before anyone had the chance to defend me—which would've been out of pity.

Sohel gave me an apologetic smile. "Sorry about my sister. She doesn't put much thought into what comes out of her mouth sometimes."

"It's okay." I smiled tightly. She wasn't wrong though. I was basically a servant here. But then why did her words sting?

Once the kheer was done, Sohel and Asra both seemed to enjoy how it had turned out. Sohel left after having two bowls of kheer while Asra stayed behind, talking to me.