THE CONTRACT MARRIAGE

34-ALL FOR LOVE

OMNISCIENT

The smiling sun's rays cast a warm glow on the girl's face. Rather than feeling calm, goosebumps erupted on Sumaira's pale skin, the entire reaction felt like mockery to the choices she made the night before.

A new day didn't make her feel any less terrible, and being surrounded by people plagued her too. The reason why she told Aarif to drive her back to where it all started, the house in which she met the person who left an indelible mark in her heart of stone.

"Are you sure you'll be able to stay here alone?" Aarif asked for the umpteenth time as they stood in front of the oak door that led into the bungalow.

"Yes," She curtly responded and pulled out the silver key from her white tote bag then slowly, hands shaking mildly, inserted it into the keyhole.

A soft breeze swept the tall green grasses and vast expanse of floriculture surrounding the place as the birds chirped in the sunny morning.

"Alright, call me or the girls if you need anything. And don't hold yourself responsible for anything that happened, you mightn't have made the best choices, but you have everyone's interest at heart and that's the most important,"

Aarif's stern gaze told her not to argue, and she knew better than to do so. Thus, she could only nod her head and push open the door before entering the house.

A minute later, Sumaira heard the sound of a car roaring which got further away with time. Assured that he left, she locked the door and turned around to face the now-empty house.

It felt so cold so cold so cold she could swear the walls bore fangs that threatened to scratch all parts of her body to take away the warmth that once existed. The ground under her feet threatened to swallow her whole, and in her ears was the deafening sound of the ceiling's mock laughter. She wasn't welcome, and she knew it, but that didn't prevent her from taking a step forward, and another.

Sumaira passed the living room where Saif's dried blood still stained the floor, she shook her head to rid herself of the horror that moment brought. She soon found herself in the kitchen where a bulky brown book lay atop the island. Curious, she reached for it, running her hands over the soft leather cover.

Maheer's Michelin star recipes... I probably won't be here by the time you see this, so let my best recipes accompany you for life.

As usual, he had an inkling she would make that choice. Something twisted in Sumaira's chest, the book felt like fire in her hands, forcing her to place it back on the spot where she found it.

Memories of them running around the kitchen, covered in flour and stains of tomato paste on their aprons while he taught her how to cook haunted her to the point she ran out of the kitchen with no sense of direction until she found herself in a dark, soulless room. His room.

It was pristine, just as she remembered it. She switched on the iridescent fluorescent lights, inhaling sharply when the remnants of his scent hit her nostrils. Sumaira felt a warm liquid on the brink of her lips, she had no idea she was crying till that moment.

She blinked her eyes to suppress the tears and with a heavy heart, she trudged to the bed that stood proudly atop the three series of stairs.

"Happiness level, 0%. Sadness level, 100%. May I know why you're sad, Honcho's enemy?" The computerized voice that once startled her was now a much-needed company.

"I'm not sad, just tired. Thanks for your concern, Cherry," Sumaira responded, sitting at the edge of the bed and running her hands on the azure satin bed sheet.