Raste Ishq Ke

14💗

For my dear @suzyfirms! 

Happy birthday girl!

Author

Aaraiz entered the room, his mind heavy with the weight of the confrontation that lay ahead. The adrenaline from the rescue had worn off, replaced by a sinking dread. He had protected Aisha, pulled her from the jaws of danger, but now, he was faced with something even more daunting—the truth she had discovered.

Aisha was seated on the edge of the bed, her face pale, eyes red and swollen from tears. The room was dimly lit, casting long shadows across her features, but Aaraiz could see the devastation etched into her expression. He approached her cautiously, each step deliberate, his gaze never leaving her.

"Aisha..." he began softly, his voice laced with concern.

But before he could say another word, she stood up abruptly, her body trembling with emotion. Without warning, her hand shot up, and the sound of the slap echoed through the room, sharp and sudden. Aaraiz's head jerked to the side from the impact, his cheek stinging. 

She had slapped him!

He didn't move, didn't react, except for a slow turn of his head to meet her gaze.

"You... lied to me!" Aisha's voice cracked, but it was full of fury, her hands shaking. "All this time, you kept this from me. You're a mafia boss? A criminal? And I had no idea!" Her voice rose with every word, her chest heaving as if the weight of her discovery was too much to bear.

Aaraiz took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Aisha, please, let me explain—"

"Explain?" she interrupted, her tone incredulous. "What is there to explain, Aaraiz? You've been living a lie, and I—" Her voice broke as fresh tears filled her eyes. "I trusted you. I thought... I thought I could start to trust you."

She turned away from him, her arms wrapping around herself as though trying to hold herself together. Aaraiz took a tentative step forward, desperate to reach her, to calm her. But she flinched, her body stiffening as if his proximity made it worse.

"Max told me everything," she whispered, her voice trembling. "That you're part of the mafia. That you've been hiding this... this part of your life from me. Is that why you were so controlling? So secretive? Is that why your guards follow me everywhere? Am I just another piece in your game?"

Her words cut through him, sharper than any blade. Aaraiz ran a hand through his hair, frustration and desperation mingling in his expression. "Max was trying to turn you against me, Aisha. Yes, I'm part of this world, but it's not what you think. I would never use you like that."

"Then what is it, Aaraiz? What is it?" Her voice was rising again, the anger and betrayal clear in every word. She turned to face him, her eyes blazing. "How am I supposed to believe anything you say now? You should've told me from the start. Instead, you let me walk into this... this nightmare blind. You let me believe everything was normal when nothing was."

"I was trying to protect you," Aaraiz said firmly, his voice low but steady. "There are things you didn't need to know, things that could have put you in more danger. I did what I had to do to keep you safe."

"Safe?" Aisha laughed bitterly, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "You think keeping me in the dark is protecting me? You think lying to me is love?"

Aaraiz clenched his fists, his own frustration mounting. "It's not that simple, Aisha! This world is dangerous. The less you knew, the safer you were. I never wanted you involved in any of this."