Chapter 33
Author's POV:
The morning sun filtered softly through the glass windows of Khan Enterprises, where Aayat sat in her cabin, completely immersed in her laptop.
Her fingers moved swiftly on the keyboard, her expressions calm yet sharp, as if nothing around her could distract her.
But the storm she had sensed yesterday in Rayyan’s eyes was about to barge into her perfectly drawn boundary.
Without knocking, the door swung open.
Rayyan walked in, tall, dominating, anger simmering in his eyes.
Aayat slowly lifted her gaze from the laptop, her lips curving into a teasing smile.
Aayat (smirking): “Ap ka yahan kaise ana hua, Mr. Malik?”
Rayyan frowned.
"Tumhara dimagh theek hai?”
Aayat tilted her head, eyes glinting.
“Haan, Mashallah… bilkul theek hai. Aur zaroorat se zyada tezz bhi chal raha hai. Aap kyu pooch rahay hain, Mr. Malik? Kya apka chalna band ho gaya hai?”
Rayyan clenched his jaw.
“Apna mazak band karo. Main serious hoon.”
Aayat leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.
Aayat (mock serious): “Toh main bhi serious hoon, Mr. Malik. Kya main apko maskhari nazar aati hoon?”
Her words stung. Rayyan slammed his palm lightly on her desk.
Rayyan (angrily): “Aayat!”
But Aayat didn’t flinch. Her smile widened, her tone sharper.
“Waise bhi jis ghar mein sab k sir khali ho andar se… us ghar mein insaan normal kaise reh sakta hai, Mr. Malik? Isliye main apki humdardi mein apse pooch rahi thi. Kya kuch galat kaha?”
Rayyan’s eyes burned with frustration.
“Mera dimagh tum kharab kar rahi ho. Tum us shaks ke saath uske ghar mein akeli kaise reh sakti ho?”
Aayat laughed softly, shaking her head.
“Uff foo, Mr. Malik… main yahi bethi hoon, chilao mat. Waise bhi… wo ghar na uska hai aur na mera… Sameer Khan ka hai. Hum dono unke ghar mein hain. Okay?”
Rayyan closed his eyes tightly, trying to control his anger, then opened them again.
“Jiska bhi ho… tum uske saath kaise reh sakti ho?”
Aayat’s expression turned serious. Her voice dropped low, carrying pain beneath sarcasm.
“Toh phir main kaha jaa kar rehti, mr. Malik? Hotel mein? Ya phir Mr. Rashid Malik ke ghar… jinke liye unki beti already mar chuki hai? Kaha jaati main, bolo?”
Rayyan stepped closer, his tone soft but firm.
“Mere paas aati. Hamare ghar mein.”
Those words hit Aayat’s heart like an arrow. She blinked once, her chest tightening.
Inside, she whispered to herself: Ye laga na teer nishanay per.
She chuckled bitterly, shaking her head.
“Hamara ghar? … Wo mera ghar hai kya? Tumhari bewi mujhe wahan rehne degi? Tumhare ghar wale mujhe us ghar mein kadam rakhne denge?”
Rayyan’s voice thundered.
“Tum meri bewi ho. Koi tumhe us ghar se nahi nikal sakta.”
Aayat stared at him, her smile fading.
Aayat (calmly): “Hmmm… pr phir bhi, main wahan nahi aana chahti.”
She returned to her laptop. But Rayyan’s patience had snapped. He strode forward, shut the laptop screen, and leaned closer.
Rayyan (low, furious): “Kyun nahi aana chahti?”
Aayat rose from her chair, her voice rising with restrained hurt.
Aayat: “Kyunki wahan koi bhi mujhe bardasht nahi karega. Har koi mujhe nikalne ke peeche pad jayega. Aur tum… tum bhi unki baaton mein aa jaoge. Jab mujhe wahan se nikalna hi hai, toh wahan wapas kyun jaun?”
Rayyan’s tone was determined.
Rayyan: “Koi tumhe kuch nahi kahega. Agar kaha… toh unhe jawab main dunga.”
Aayat exhaled deeply, shaking her head.
“Theek hai… phir main sochungi.”
She tried sitting back down, but Rayyan caught her arm firmly, pulling her up again.
His grip was strong, his voice heavy with possession.
“Tumhe seriously lagta hai… main tumhe wahan ek aur raat rehne dunga? Tum meri bewi ho. Aur meri bewi kisi gair mard ke ghar mein rahe… mujhe ye bardasht nahi.”
Aayat yanked her arm free, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, her voice cracking yet fierce.
“8 saal se usi gair mard ke ghar mein reh rahi hoon. Jab mere apno ne mere sir se chhat cheen li thi, tab usi gair mard ne mujhe chhat di. Jab mere apno ne mujh par bharosa nahi kiya, mere kirdar par ungli uthayi… tab usi gair mard ne mujh par bharosa kiya. Mujhe itna qabil banaya… ke aaj main tumhare samne khadi hoon!”
Her words pierced Rayyan’s chest like knives. His fists clenched, but his voice softened.
“Toh aisa hai… theek hai phir. Main uska shukriya ada kar dunga. Lekin tum mere saath chal rahi ho.”
Aayat’s lips trembled. She looked into his eyes, searching, then finally said:
“Theek hai. Aaj shaam Khan Mansion se pick kar lena mujhe. Main tumhare saath jane ke liye ready rahungi.”
Rayyan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“Tum maan gayi?”
Aayat smiled faintly.
“Haan… kyunke ek baat toh sach hai. Main tumhari bewi hoon. Aur main nahi chahti Sameer Khan ki beti par koi ungli uthaye… ke wo apne rishton se bhag gayi. Isliye main ready hoon. Jab tak kay mein tumhare nikah mein hoon.”
Rayyan couldn’t hold back. He pulled her into a sudden hug, his arms wrapping her tight, his breath trembling.
“Thank you… tum nahi jaanti tumne mujhe kitni badi khushi di hai aayat. Tum aj be meri aayat ho, wohi aayat , kuch nahi badla.”
But Aayat’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. Inside, she whispered: Khushi toh tumne mujhe di hai, Rayyan Malik… is bar Aayat Malik nahi, A.K. ja rahi hai tumhare saath. Ab dekho hota kya hai.
The sun had dipped, painting the sky in orange hues. Inside, Aayat carefully folded clothes, placing them into her suitcase. Her movements were steady, but her heart pounded. Across the room, Ayaan sat quietly, his eyes fixed on her, his mind swirling.
Aayat… tumhe jaate dekh kar aisa lag raha hai jaise tum mujhse hamesha ke liye door ja rahi ho…
When Aayat turned and caught him lost in thought, she laughed lightly. Picking up her dupatta, she playfully tossed it at him.
“Aisa mood bana kar kyun baithe ho? Jaise mujhse dubara kabhi Milo gay hi nhin.”
Ayaan sighed, his voice heavy.
“Sach kahun… yahi feel ho raha hai mujhe. Jaise tum mujhse hamesha ke liye door ja rahi ho.”
Aayat chuckled, shaking her head.
“Don’t worry. Main kahin nahi jaane wali. Jahan bhi jaungi… wapas yahi aungi.”
Ayaan leaned forward, eyes serious.
“Ek kaam karo… mujhe bhi saath le chalo.”
Aayat’s brows shot up.
“Tumhara dimagh apni jagah par hai kya? Aur tumhein kya bol kar le kr jaun? Jahez mein laaye hoon mein tumhein?”
Ayaan burst into laughter.
“Haan! Bol dena. Ye Khans ka ruksati ka style hai.”
They both laughed. The heaviness in the air momentarily lifted.
Aayat stood before him, arms crossed.
“Main tumse roz milti rahungi. Pareshan mat ho.”
Ayaan smirked.
“Wo toh tum na bhi aayi… main khud aa jaunga. Beshaq Malik Mansion aana pade. Mujhe koi nahi rok sakta. Ayaan Khan naam hai mera.”
Aayat rolled her eyes, swatting the air.
“Bada aaya… Ayaan Khan. Hutt mere samne se.”
Ayaan leaned back, grinning stylishly.
“Madam… ye soft side sirf tumhare liye hai. Warna baki sab ka kya hashar karta hoon… wo sab jante hain.”
Before Aayat could reply, Shazia entered.
Shazia: “Ma’am… bahir Rayyan sahab aaye hain.”
Aayat straightened, quickly grabbing her bag.
“Unhe bahar hi roko. Main aa rahi hoon.”
As she bent to lift the bag, Ayaan was quicker. He snatched it up.
“Main le chalta hoon neeche tak.”
They walked out together. Outside, Rayyan leaned against his car, waiting. His gaze instantly fixed on Aayat, softening unconsciously.
Ayaan placed the bag in the car’s trunk, then turned, standing tall before Rayyan.
His eyes blazed, voice steel.
Ayaan: “Aayat ka khayal rakhna. Agar uske upar ek kharoch bhi aayi… ya tumhari bewi ne uske saath kuch galat karne ka socha bhi… toh phir mere azaab se tum sabko koi nahi bacha payega. Khud Aayat bhi nahi.”
Before Rayyan could respond, Ayaan walked back into the house.
Rayyan slipped into the driver’s seat. Aayat looked at him, curious.
“Kya hua?”
Rayyan shook his head.
“Kuch nahi.”
He started the engine.
The car halted before the grand gates of Malik Mansion. The air was heavier here, charged with old memories.
Aayat stepped out, her eyes lifting slowly toward the towering house where she had spent her childhood. Her heart squeezed painfully. She turned toward Rayyan, who was pulling her bag from the trunk.
“Kya sab jante hain ke main a rahi hoon?”
Rayyan shook his head.
“Nahi… koi nahi janta. Main office ke kaam mein busy tha. Batane ka time nahi mila.”
Aayat stared back at the house, her lips curving faintly.
Aayat (to herself): “Toh phir chalo… sabko surprise dete hain aayat.”
And with that, she took her first step toward the house that had once been her everything.