Make Me Your Villain | ✓

Chapter Forty

Hayat Azhar

I stood frozen in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat as I watched Zohaib's expression shift from relief to something darker—something colder.

His jaw tightened, a muscle jumping in his cheek. He didn't say anything at first, just watched the scene in front of him with an intensity that made my heart stutter.

"So, you finally made it home after spending the night with another man?"

The words sliced through me, sharper than any blade. Hearing them from the man I had loved since childhood made it so much worse.

Mother and aunty Uzma turned towards me, their faces frozen in shock. Their gazes then drifted to the person standing beside me.

It was at that moment, I realized my mistake. I thought bringing Sameer would be wiser since he could explain things on my behalf. I didn't stop to think how it could complicate my situation.

Like me, even Sameer seemed taken aback by Zohaib's harsh allegation. But unlike me, he was quicker to react, his voice laced with disgust.

"What the hell? Do you hear the nonsense you're saying?"

"You shut up!" Zohaib's voice thundered and he threw a finger at Sameer. "You stay out of this! I'm not interested in anything you have to say. I can see everything with my own eyes and that's all I need to know!"

I flinched at the accusation in his tone, my eyes pleading with him to understand, but I could see the wall he was building up—brick by brick, shutting me out.

I knew I needed to stay calm, to keep control. But something inside me snapped and my composure started slipping.

"Zohaib, you're completely misunderstanding the situation. I'd never do something like- what are you even saying?" I rushed towards him, grabbing his arm, wanting him to believe me.

For a moment, he stared at me with cold, unrecognizable eyes before he yanked his arm away.

"You can do anything, Hayat."

His words were like a dagger to my heart.

The man who once looked at me with nothing but love now glared at me with distrust.

But with the scene in front of him, I could see why he was struggling to believe anything else. The lie seemed too real.

I wanted to scream, to rip my hair out and cry, but I fought to keep it together. I needed to stay calm. Please, Hayat, stay calm.

"No, no," I shook my head, my heart pounding. "Listen, I- I was getting ready, but the door got stuck. The staff told me to use the backdoor, okay? But when I got to the parking lot, someone- there was someone—"

"Enough with your lies, Hayat!" Zohaib shouted, cutting me off. "Stop making excuses."

"They're not excuses! Just hear me out!" I begged, desperate for him to understand. "Sameer saved me. Someone knocked me out and when I woke up, it was late and raining. Sameer's car coincidentally broke down on his way back from the hospital."

"It could've been anyone. Anyone at all," Zohaib's face pinched. "So why him?"

"I don't know. It was just a coincidence!" I cried out, holding my shaking hands in front of me. "You- you trust me, Zohaib." Tears had gathered in my eyes as I waited for him to respond, praying he'd say he believed in me, that he knew me better than anyone.

"I would never trust you."

His voice was a knife twisting in my chest, tearing my heart into shreds. My vision blurred and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. Everything around me faded away and all I could focus on was the man standing before me.