YOU BELONG TO ME

CHAPTER THREE: FIRST ENCOUNTER

Read chapter two before reading this chapter***

After the cake cutting, Ashmaan excused himself and went to his private lobby to make an important call. As he paced the room, his mind divided between the party and the conversation on the phone, the door to the lobby creaked open. Startled, he turned to see Roohina stepping in, her hesitant movements interrupting his flow of thought.

The moment their eyes met, something shifted in the air. Her deep blue eyes, like the depths of the ocean, struck a chord within him. They were mesmerizing, pulling him into an inexplicable reverie. A flicker of recognition surged through him, accompanied by memories buried deep in his heart. He couldn't quite place where he had seen such eyes before, but the familiarity was undeniable. Her gaze mirrored a soul from his past, someone who had once held a piece of his heart.

For a moment, Ashmaan was lost. The striking resemblance sent a ripple of emotion through him. Was it mere coincidence? Or something deeper-destiny weaving its intricate web?

Clearing his throat, he tore his gaze away, forcing himself to focus. His eyes dropped to the small fire burning on the carpet between them. The flames licked at the edges of a black fabric. Realization struck like lightning-her dress was catching fire. Alarm jolted him, and he opened his mouth to warn her, but Roohina spoke first.

"Umm... I'll go and call someone to quench the f-fire," she stammered, her voice shaky. Her panic was evident, her body stiff as she turned toward the door.

He noticed her trembling hands and the sweat beading on her temple. She's terrified. The fire must have triggered something deeper-an unbearable fear. But before he could stop her, she bolted out of the room, entirely unaware that her dress was smoldering.

Grabbing a water bottle from a nearby table, Ashmaan sprinted after her. His heart thudded wildly. Ordinarily, he wouldn't have cared this much if it were someone else, but there was something about Roohina-something that intrigued him, tethered him to her in a way he couldn't explain. She had to be alive for him to figure it out. Duh!

Entering the main hall, he spotted her weaving through the crowd, the edges of her dress still aflame. The fire was dangerously close to her pumps now. How could she not realize it?

"Stop!" His deep voice boomed across the hall, freezing her mid-step.

Roohina turned to him, startled. That was when the onlookers noticed the fire on her dress. Gasps echoed around the room, but she still appeared oblivious to the danger.

Ashmaan didn't waste a second. In one fluid motion, he closed the distance between them, grabbed her by the waist, and pulled her tightly against him. Roohina froze, her breath catching in her throat. Her shock paralyzed her as she registered the warmth of his arms around her. Her mind screamed at the impropriety of the situation-how dare he hug her so publicly? And he was her non-mahram!

She tried to push away, but his grip was ironclad. Her protests died as she felt the cool liquid pouring down her back. Ashmaan had opened the water bottle and doused the flames climbing her dress. The water trickled down to her shoes, extinguishing the fire completely.

When he finally let go, she stumbled backward, her face pale with realization. She turned and caught sight of the charred fabric clinging to her legs. The thought of what could have happened-what almost happened-sent a wave of panic crashing over her.

Her mind snapped back to another fire-a past she barely remembered but one that haunted her. She had been attacked once before, her body burned by five assailants. Tears welled in her eyes, and before she knew it, they spilled over, carving silent tracks down her cheeks. The hall blurred, the murmurs of the crowd becoming background noise as she fled the room, her sobs echoing faintly behind her.