preference delights

Oblivion

Chapter 14

Warda's voice cut through the air like a dream morphing into a nightmare. Leena felt her senses blur, her mind slipping into a dazed fog. Her body weakened, unable to hold itself steady. The thought of being caught red-handed in Salaar's room flashed through her mind, jolting her back to reality.

Summoning the last of her strength, she quickly hid inside the cupboard in the bathroom. Her fingers fumbled as she texted Nazli:
"I'm in Salaar's room. Do something-Aunty Warda is about to catch me."

After sending the message, she switched her phone to silent and waited, leaving it in Nazli's hands to rescue her.
Outside, Zubair stood firm, addressing Warda with calm resolve.

"No one's been here since yesterday, ma'am. Sir Salaar has been asleep all morning; he had a rough night due to a bad headache," Zubair lied smoothly. He knew it was his duty to protect Salaar at all costs. If Warda found out Leena had been in Salaar's room, no one would be left in peace.

From her cramped hiding spot, Leena could hear every word.

Meanwhile, Nazli stretched lazily in her bed, yawning as she pulled her lacy nightgown tighter. She had been hoping for a little more sleep, but the beep of her phone dragged her back to reality. Squinting at the screen, she opened Leena's message, and suddenly, her eyes shot open. Any remnants of drowsiness vanished.

Nazli bolted out of her room, rushing toward the dining area where Taimur was seated, home for lunch. He always made time to come home for lunch since Leena rarely joined him for breakfast.

"Leena, hurry up. I don't have much time before I need to head to my meeting," Taimur said, pulling out a chair for her.

Nazli caught his hand, her voice unusually sweet. "Taimur," she said, her voice laced with affection.

He raised an eyebrow, surprised at her tone-normally, Leena was grumpy at this hour, still groggy from sleep.
"I want to invite your parents for dinner tonight. Can you tell your mom before she makes any plans?" Nazli asked, her voice pleading with extra sweetness.

Taimur frowned. "Sure, but let's eat first." He dragged a chair for himself this time.

"No, please, go now," Nazli insisted, the urgency in her voice sharpening. "The maid said your mom is already in Salaar's section of the house." She needed Taimur to reach there so Aunty Warda's search mission could be halted.

Reluctantly, Taimur gave in. "As you wish, my beautiful wife," he said with a smile, then headed out to see his mother.
The moment he was gone, Nazli quickly changed into fresh clothes and texted Leena:
"Don't worry. Taimur will be there soon."

Leena, in the darkness, looked at the shining screen of her phone where Nazli's message popped up and felt a bit more relaxed.

Within moments, Taimur arrived at Salaar's room.
"Mom, what are you doing here?" he asked, amazed to find Warda and Zubair standing by Salaar's bed while Salaar slept.

"I just wanted to check on Salaar. He had a terrible headache last night," Warda explained, concealing her true intentions and repeating Zubair's words.
Salaar stirred awake, blinking groggily. "Why is everyone here?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Mom was worried about your headache, and I wanted to invite her and Dad for dinner," Taimur explained.

Salaar rubbed his eyes, clearly exhausted. "I was up all night. Can you all just let me sleep?" he collapsed again, grabbing his pillow in a cuddle.

Warda nodded at Taimur's invite but added, "We'll come for dinner tomorrow. Tonight, we're invited by the Gondals. They want us to meet their daughter for Salaar." She said it casually, but the words struck Salaar like a blow, and Leena shifted nervously in her hiding spot.

"Mom, I told you not to rush this," Salaar groaned, sitting up in frustration.

Warda wagged her finger at him. "I'm not forcing you into marriage. We're only meeting them. Don't forget, you already agreed to get married," Warda reminded him of his approval.

Salaar sighed heavily. "You'll never let me have peace, will you? It's always about what you want." He lay back down, sulking.
"Now, can you all leave so I can get some sleep?" Salaar didn't want to argue on this topic anymore.

"Alright, alright," Warda said, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Zubair, make sure no one disturbs him," she instructed, keeping Salaar away from Leena.
As she and Taimur left the room, Zubair turned off the lights and quietly closed the door behind them.

Meanwhile, Zarmeena sped through the hospital parking lot, panic tightening her chest. She sprinted toward the reception desk, silently pleading for her grandmother's health.
"Please, God, not yet... not now. Keep our Dadi safe," she prayed under her breath. After getting directions, she rushed to the ICU, where she found her mother in a corner, hands clasped in prayer, tears streaming down her face.

Zarmeena rushed to her side, wrapping her arms around her. "Amma, don't worry. Dadi will be alright. Our prayers won't go unanswered," she whispered, though her own voice felt distant, as if echoing from another place.

Her mother, Zareena, managed a weak smile through her tears. "Your Dadi was hiding her illness to spare us more pain. Now it's our turn to be strong for her." Zarmeena nodded, forcing a brave smile.

"Where's Ahmad?" Zarmeena asked after wiping her eyes.

"I left him with your Majida Aunty. I asked her to break the news gently, but..." Zareena trailed off.

Zarmeena knew what her mother wasn't saying. "Amma, he won't stay there. I'll go get him myself," she said, turning to leave-only to see Ahmad standing there, tears glistening in his eyes.

Zarmeena's heart sank. She ran to him, and the three of them embraced, their tears flowing freely.

"Amma, how is Dadi?" Ahmad asked, his voice breaking. He looked completely disheveled.

Back in Salaar's room, Leena was still hiding in the cupboard, her heart racing as she heard footsteps approach the bathroom door. Her breath caught in her throat, terror gripping her as the door creaked open. She clenched the cupboard door tighter, waiting.

Then, she heard a soft whisper. "Madam Leena, it's me, Zubair. No one's around-come out, quickly."

Leena exhaled in relief. She hurriedly opened the cupboard, and Zubair helped her slip out unnoticed through the bathroom's back door. They moved swiftly, and it wasn't until they had put some distance between them and Salaar's quarters that Leena finally let herself breathe normally again.