I'll Hold On

CHAPTER 54

Lutfi walked into Aahil's office, 'Congratulations on bagging the billion dollar contract, brother.' Lutfi said as he sat down on the chair before Aahil's desk. Aahil was seated in his chair, 'Why aren't you at your company doing your work?' Aahil asked his friend, 'You are wasting you time asking that.' Lutfi said, going through his mobile. Aahil nodded his head and went back to work. A knock was heard and Aahil asked them to enter, 'Sir, You have a visi..' before his secretary could finish that sentence, someone barged in, 'I'll take it from here.' Aahil and Lutfi immediately looked at the voice and saw Saliha Asad entering in with a sly look. With a motion of his hand, Aahil dismissed his secretary.

'What?' Aahil asked, giving Saliha a death glare. 'I was expecting a warm welcome but never mind.' Saliha walked forward and placed her hands on the desk and looked dead straight into Aahil's eyes, 'Let go of the contract.' Aahil smirked at her, 'Oh, Saliha. When will you ever get over your obsession over your married brother.' Aahil said, as he saw her eyes go dry for second before she smirked back and said, 'After I tell your wife the truth.' Aahil gave her a death glare before he said, 'I dare you to try something funny, Saliha. You will face the consequences.' Saliha smirked wider, 'Depends on your actions, Babe.' Saying that, Saliha turned around and walked out the door and saw Rayna standing.

After Rayna left, Aahil sat back on his chair with his head held in his hands, 'I really can't loose her, man. And more than that, I definitely can't hurt her.' Aahil looked at Lutfi with such vulnerability in his eyes. His friend gave him a strong look and said, 'You'll hurt her more by not telling and worse, if she finds out from someone else, like Saliha. God knows, how she will twist the matter in her own way and tell Rayna.' Aahil nodded his head and said, 'Tonight.'

Aahil went home early and had dinner early and went straight up to his room. Salma bi could sense the tension but she didn't know what it was about. Rayna would be home after having dinner with Afina's family. Aahil patiently waited for Rayna to come home while he worked on his laptop. Aahil was typing on his laptop sitting on his bed when the door to the bedroom clicked. He stopped mid motion and looked at the door as it opened wide showcasing his beautiful wife. Rayna greeted him with all smiles as he entered before she excused herself to go change. Aahil slammed his laptop shut and stood up as he ran his hands over his face. He started walking back and forth in his room as his hands began to sweat.

The door to the bathroom opened and out walked his wife dressed in an all white Kurti and bottom. Aahil felt peace flood through his body as he looked at his wife. Rayna looked at Aahil and frowned, 'Are you okay, Aahil?' Aahil came out of his trance and looked at his wife and nodded. He walked towards her, held her hands and bought her towards their bed and made her sit on it while Aahil sat down and placed his head on her lap, his arm around her wait and one resting on her ankle. Rayna was stunned by his actions and didn't know what to say but Aahil had a lot to.

After a moment of silence, 'I have a confession to make but you have to promise me, that you won't leave me.' Aahil spoke. Rayna frowned and asked, 'What happened, Aahil?' Aahil didn't say a word and Rayna got worried, 'You don't need to tell me anything if you don't want.' Rayna said. 'Please say you won't, please.' Rayna felt vulnerability in his voice as well as a grip on her ankle where his hand was, 'I won't.' Rayna said, 'Promise?' Aahil asked, 'Promise.' Rayna replied.

Aahil toom a deep breath and began, 'I was in my peak Adolescent age when Ammi passed away. Abba also had indulged himself in work, my family was gone. I wasn't able to cope up with any of it. Years had passed and I still felt lonely and unwanted.' Rayna listened quietly. But during final years of college, everything changed cause that's when I met Saliha.' Rayna recalled Saliha and nodded her head, 'She was a good friend but later it became more. Maybe I was at a vulnerable stage or what, I don't know. But she made me feel wanted and loved, the love that I longed for. We fell in love, or that's what I thought and wanted to get married immediately but my father denied. But Saliha convinced me that if we get married, Abbu can't do anything about and that's why.....'

Aahil stopped as his grip on Rayna's waist got tighter and he pulled her closer, '.....We got married in court.' Aahil said the words and closed his eyes and a tear dropped from his eyes. Rayna didn't say anything and Aahil didn't have the guts to look at her, 'Abbu still didn't approve of us yet, we started living as a married couple. Salma bi and Fazil Chacha were also not happy with my actions but what was done was done. I was genuinely very happy but that was all a lie. And that I found out a month later. Salma bi started noticing how Saliha was good only when I was home and not when I was not and she would always be inside the study when I'm gone. Salma bi tried to tell me but I didn't listen to her. One day, I came home early when I saw Saliha miss treating Salma bi. I grew even suspicious when I saw that the files in my study were misplaced.'

Aahil spoke while his heart was beating a mile, 'So, one day, I pretended to go to work but sneaked back in to only find Saliha searching something in my study. She got a call later and that conversation was enough for me to know the truth, her brother fetish. She was searching for a Billion Dollar contract that we had gotten so she can give it to her brother and he can reign top.' Aahil let out scoff, 'I should have known it the moment she told me that her family was out of the country and would be back in 3 months but in reality, they were chilling at home thinking their daughter is on a vacation with friends. I filed a divorce the next day and kicked her out.' Aahil released a deep breath. He felt somewhat light getting that all out but it soon vanished when even after minutes of done talking, he couldn't get a reply from Rayna.

He took the courage and got up and looked at Rayna to only go pale. Rayna was in clear shock. She was motionless and only started ahead. Aahil got incredibly worried and got up on his knees and wiped his tears and held Rayna by her arm, 'Rayna, please look at me, please say something.' Aahil was looking for emotions on his wife's face, any emotion but he saw none. He was starting to panic, 'Rayna, I....' 'Did you two....by any chance....I mean, Did you.....after marriage....night time.....' broken sentences came out of Rayna's mouth but Aahil understood what she was asking. Aahil's hands dropped from her sides as he looked down ashamed, 'Yes.' Rayna closed her eyes on hearing that word as a tear fell down her cheek.

Aahil's panic came back as he saw the tear and immediately held onto Rayna and started rambling, 'Just once, Rayna, I swear. Only on the night after our marriage, that's all. And that to Saliha insisted we do, I didn't initiate it but .... besides that one time we never ever, I swear, Rayna. Please, believe me, don't.... don't leave me. I know, I should have told you this earlier but trust me I didn't wanna hurt you, and loose you...I love you. Not what I felt for Saliha but something more, something precious. I know these words might seem empty now but...' Aahil felt Rayna's hand on his cheek and he looked up at her with tears in his eyes. She was wearing a calm smile, 'Shhhh, Calm down, Aahil.' Aahil was stunned, 'But...' he tried to begin something but he saw Rayna's smile go wider as he stroked his face with her thumb, 'What's done is done. It cannot be redone so let's just let it go.' Rayna said in a calm voice, 'You aren't mad at me?' Aahil asked in low voice, 'Right now, I don't think so.' Rayna said and stood up and pulled Aahil to stand up aswell.

She wiped his tears and pulled him to bed as they both lay down staring at eachother, 'Please don't leave me.' Aahil said as he moved closer and rested his head on her chest. Rayna shook her head and pulled him closer and stroked his hair and as fell into deep slumber. Next morning, Aahil opened his eyes and expected to be greeted by his beautiful wife's sleepy face but no. Rayna was not in bed. Aahil immediately jolted up and looked around the room to find it empty. He opened the bathroom and found it empty aswell. His heartbeat picked up as he went out his room and opened Rayna's old room as he called her out. She wasn't there aswell. Aaho kept calling out for her as he ran down the stairs looking for her. Salma bi stopped him and said, 'What's the matter, Aahil. Calm down.' But Aahil didn't listen and went into the kitchen looking for her, 'Salma bi, where is Rayna?' He asked anxiously. 'She got up early and left in a hurry. She didn't tell me where.' Aahil's entire world came crashing down as he sat on the dining chair dumbfounded.

She left.