The Tangled Love

𝟐𝟒. 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝.

  ❝Dadi—are you alright?❞ came the shattered voice of Fayra. She hurried towards Dadi, who lay on the bed, while Aroosh and Altamash sat beside Dadi, striving to comfort her. Fayra moved closer, a lone tear sliding down her stunning gray eyes, as a wide smile spread across Dadi Zubaida's lips, her arms opening to welcome Fayra.

Fayra placed her head on Dadi's chest, clutching her arms as she sobbed silently, causing Aroosh and Altamash to smile at the beautiful bond they shared. Meanwhile, Musa stood nearby, glaring at them with outrage, yet he looked undeniably cute making those faces. It was true—he couldn't bear the sight of anyone else being close to his Dadi, but he had no choice but to endure it as Dadi wasn't feeling well.

❝Calm down, my daughter. By Allah's mercy, I am fine, alhamdulillah,❞ whispered Dadi, tucking Fayra's hair back into the hijab she wore. Fayra kissed Dadi's forehead, her lips curling into an adorable smile. She was unaware of the pair of ocean-blue eyes fixed intently on her. Even though all Musa claimed to feel was hatred, something stirred within him, and Aroosh and Altamash could see the corners of Musa's lips curl into a smile as he watched Fayra with Dadi.

❝Dadi, I'll get some soup for you,❞ said Fayra, standing up. Dadi nodded with a warm smile, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Fayra, whom she adored like a daughter. Dadi Zubaida knew Musa couldn't have found anyone as innocent as Fayra. She was the epitome of beauty and grace, a gift from God placed in the hands of a beast—her grandson.

❝Bhabhi!❞
❝Fayra!❞

The sudden voices of Aroosh and Altamash startled Fayra, who nearly stumbled but quickly regained her composure, casting a fake glare in their direction. The two chuckled at her antics, unaware of the man standing in the corner, observing every movement with a mixture of fury and something deeper. Musa's eyes burned with jealousy as he saw his best friends being close to her, even though he knew they meant no harm.

Dadi playfully slapped Altamash's arm for scaring Fayra, but the three of them giggled when they saw her standing with her hand over her heart.

❝Sorry, Bhabhi, we called you for—❞ Altamash began, but Fayra interrupted him, aware of what he was about to say.

❝Soup. I'll get some for both of you, too,❞ she said kindly, suppressing a laugh at how endearing they sounded. Both men smiled at her, while Dadi Zubaida shook her head, amused.

As Fayra turned to leave, her gray eyes met the pair of ocean-blue eyes watching her intently. There he was, standing with his arms crossed, his gaze locked on hers, making her nervous in all the reasonable ways. A throat clearing behind her made Fayra walk out quickly, hiding her blush. She knew he was a devil, but she couldn't forget what had happened earlier.

Minutes later, Dadi Zubaida sat up, resting her head against the headboard, her eyes fixed on her grandson Musa. He offered her a weak smile, avoiding eye contact, knowing well that she could read him like a book. Aroosh and Altamash remained silent, glancing at Musa, who stood motionless.

❝Deep are your eyes that hold secrets more profound than the sea, and so is your past, which will unravel itself. You'll realize you're holding animosities against the wrong person, my son,❞ Dadi whispered, her lips curving into a beautiful smile, her eyes filled with love and kindness for her grandson. Musa stared at his Dadi, swallowing hard as his heart clenched strangely. He knew all too well what her words meant, but his mind insisted that Fayra was the cause of his misery, his hideous past.

He walked out, his dreadful past resurfacing, clouding his mind as he left the room. Bitterness and anguish took hold of him, everything becoming blurry. It became difficult for him to breathe as the past began to drown him in a sea of grief and hatred toward this specific soul, who had no idea what she had done to him in the first place.

He was so consumed by his rage that he didn't notice Fayra approaching with a tray holding four bowls of hot soup. As he accidentally bumped into her, the tray fell, the sound of shattering echoing through the hallways.

❝Ahhh—my hand!❞ Fayra screamed in pain as the hot soup spilled onto her right hand. She clutched her hand, tears welling up in her eyes. Musa immediately grabbed her hand, his eyes filled with concern as he began to blow on her hand, his actions automatic, beyond his control. Aroosh and Altamash stared at him in shock, their eyes wide and mouths agape at the sight of their ruthless friend showing concern for the wife he supposedly despised.

They had come running when Fayra screamed, but the scene before them made them freeze, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Dadi's words echoed in Musa's mind as he stared at Fayra, who was equally lost in her emotions, perhaps questioning the actions of her beastly husband. Anger surged through his veins as his painful past overwhelmed him, causing him to shove her hand away and storm out in a rage, leaving the poor soul to weep in fear.

❝Fayra!❞
❝Bhabhi!❞

Both Aroosh and Altamash rushed to her side, reality sinking in as they helped her to the kitchen. The maids quickly brought a bowl of ice water, urging her to dip her hand in it, while Fayra cried silently.

She was exhausted, her heart gripped by intense pain, now shattered beyond repair. She didn't know how to mend it, so she left the scar as it was, allowing her heart to break all over again, as she had become accustomed to by now.

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