The Stake.

31

Dur e Shahwar stood outside her workplace and kept on staring at the door, not going inside. She'd been standing there, her eyes at the door knob since last twenty minutes. Her mind wouldn't be able to work, she knew her hands couldn't function to go and start chopping vegetables or cook or take orders from the chef when she was basically wrecked up inside.

She saw her manager looking through the transparent window as he spotted her standing there and not entering. When she saw him coming towards her, she turned and started walking on the paved side of the road away from the restaurant. The driver tried to follow her but lost her in the heavy crowds of people who had been walking to cross the roads at the signal.

She walked for a long time till she was somewhere far away from everything that was known to her. Her feelings on the contrary were still very known to her and were glued in her mind. She'd not had breakfast and had left before Rehaan could see her. Her husband was obviously never out of love with the woman from his past. It all made sense now. The reason why he never wanted to say that he loved her was that.

She kept on contemplating about how much she lacked as a person that her feelings never could make him love her back. But of course it wasn't even her lacking, love was unconditional and uncontrollable and she knew all about it. No one ever got to choose who they would love. Of course it was the same for her husband too. He couldn't just force himself to love her right? But he could've told her that too. He could've said— then she did remember what he had said right in the beginning of it all.

'I don't want any nonsense like love to be mentioned ever.'

He had already been honest about it right? There was no doubt about it. He never promised her love. He hadn't. He'd never said it. The least he could've done was stay loyal in their marriage. If not for love then for the sake of consideration or respect for her? Why? She was crying now sitting on a bench somewhere in the city. She was so pitiful. Yet Rehaan had not even pitied her before going back to a woman who was already married too.

Crying for almost more than half an hour she saw her phone ringing. Her husband was calling her. She answered gathering some composure, "Yes?"

"Where are you? Shahwar you didn't go to work and didn't even tell me if you wanted to go somewhere else today." His words made her realize that he had called her because he had told her to always keep him informed about everything. So that his paper wife wouldn't go sinking his reputation around.

"I am going back home." Her voice was more like a straight line drawn on a paper with a ruler. There was no emotion in it.

"You won't go by yourself, wait for the driver. I'm coming back too." Right. Of course the driver would have to inform him of all her whereabouts. Everything should be monitored for the Rehaan Kazmi. Everything in place and order.

"Okay." She disconnected before her lungs gave up all the stamina for her to breathe and not collapse.

Soon the driver had found her and she got inside the car. When she got back to the house she sat in the lounge waiting for him to come. Rehaan came almost five minutes later. He walked towards her and sat down next to her on the sofa. "Are you not feeling well sweetheart?" Why? There was no need for this then why? She wondered looking at him.

"Shahwar? Has something happened?" He was tensing up thinking what if the rotten man who had been asked to keep his mouth shut at the cafe had slipped the truth about him selling the place to Shahwar.

"I didn't want to go to work." She finally said trying to build up strength to tell herself how she would deal with it all.

"That's okay. Is there a reason for it?" Her face was making him feel like he needed to kill that idiot of a man who had one job, keeping his mouth shut. She looked so disturbed it was making him furious.

"I don't feel well." She still was not courageous enough to say the truth to him.

"Let's go to the doctor." He stood up with a relief that she still didn't know about him buying her workplace out, though her condition had put pressure on his heart.

Shahwar kept on sitting and looked at him, "I think I'll get my period. There's no need for the doctor."

"Oh. Should I get you something then?" He knelt down on the floor in front her and held both her hands. She was starting to feel like maybe she, she needed to think from his perspective. Maybe he didn't truly think of her as a complete burden. Maybe he cared a little?

"No. I'm okay." Shahwar suddenly forgot about everything when she looked at his worried eyes. "I'm okay." She was trying to tell herself more than him.

"How about something sweet? Cupcakes? Brownies? Tarts?" She knew he didn't have to go himself and get any of those for her, there were so many other people who could get those because he was paying them for it, he could even get the chef at home to prepare those for her. Still, Rehaan got up and started to leave to get things for her himself without waiting further.

"Rehaan." She didn't want him to leave. Her mind would start talking to her whenever she was alone.

"Yes?" The moment he turned around and held her hand again she felt like such a needy person who didn't have any self respect for herself and was dependent on him for her to feel better.

"I just want to sleep a little." She got up before he could respond and slid her hand out of his then started walking towards the bedroom.

Rehaan was unable to understand her behavior right now. He knew that there was something very wrong going on in her mind. What if she was missing her father? But he wanted to throw out anything in her life that was bothering her, it was not bearable for him to see her like this. He stood there looking at her back as she strode up the stairs.

Inside the room Shahwar felt worse. This was where he'd touch her or hold her without feeling like there were people watching him, judging him for choosing her as his wife. He hadn't chosen her though. She had been forced upon him to be taken with him.

The door opened and Rehaan came inside, "Shahwar. I just—" His phone started ringing and he took it out. Rehaan declined the call at once and looked at her, "Yeah, sorry about that jaan. What would you like to eat? You didn't have breakfast today."

"Send some fruits." She didn't have an appetite but she didn't want to have more conversations with him furthermore.

"Okay." He left his blazer and phone on the bed and went out of the room.

Shahwar sat down on the bed and saw the phone screen brighten at the message notification. The message was from Beena. Since the phone was still locked because of face recognition she didn't see what the message said nor she wanted to read. The name was enough for her to understand everything.

Kazmi. Wake up. Please.
(I love Kazmi the most though)
😭