Chapter 48
This chapter isn't edited so read at your own risk.
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Author's Pov
The black SUV rolled to a smooth halt outside the banquet hall in Safiya's neighbourhood. The moment the engine died, Zaviyar stepped out.
His polished shoes met the ground as he adjusted the cuff of his sleeve, lifting his gaze towards the brightly lit building. The building where the grand celebration was going on.
For a brief second, he simply stood there scanning the building before he walked ahead. He walked the pavement to the porch of the banquet hall. His eyes overlooking the entrance, but then they stopped.
His eyes landed on the balcony. On, Adeel and a girls back turned to him. He could see Adeels face clearly.
He was standing on the balcony, talking to a woman. The distance was too great to make out her face clearly. But something inside him knew.
Safiya.
Neither of them noticed him standing below. Neither of them knew he had seen them. A frown tugged at the corner of his lips, as his jaw tightened ever so slightly.
What were they talking about?
Before the thought could settle, footsteps approached him.
"Sir."
A few of his men gathered around him immediately, lowering their voices as they updated him on everything inside. The guests had all arrived. The ceremony was underway. Security was in place.
Zaviyar listened without interrupting, though his eyes remained on the two people speaking.
" What was the work i assigned you with? ", he asked fixing his cufflinks.
" to look after ma'am's safety... ", one of them replied, and immediately lowered his head when he saw Zaviyar's hawk-like eyes settled on him.
" And? ", his voice darkened ever so slightly.
" To inform you about her whereabouts. ", the man said trying not to stutter.
" Yet, random men are able to approach her. You all are bloody useless. ", Zaviyar's voice dropped as he gritted his teeth. He gestured them to go back, before glancing towards the balcony one last moment. Safiya had brushed past Adeel.
Zaviyar turned to Waqas, " Keep an eye on him. ", he then walked into the hall. He trusted Safiya but he hated her interaction with men who had clearly no business being so close to his wife.
The heavy doors of the banquet hall were opened by the man standing outside. Music echoed through the grand hall. He expected to find a completely lit hallroom.
But his steps came to an effortless halt, his form frozen as his eyes captured his wife's figure twirling in the middle of the hall. The spotlight on the middle of the banquet hall, focussed on a figure, twirling under the chandelier.
Safiya.
She stood in the centre of the floor, dancing. Her outfit shimmered beneath the crystal chandelier as every graceful movement blended perfectly with the rhythm.
Her dupatta floated with every turn. The payal he had gifted her, and the waist chain she was wearing only made him more mesmerized.
It was the first time he was seeing her dance like this, so gracefully. He wondered why she never danced. Her hair flowed with every move and he wanted nothing more than to be close to her.
The entire hall watched her. But Zaviyar saw no one else. For a moment, he didn't move. He simply watched. There was something about seeing her like this that stole every thought from his mind.
Beautiful and Untouchable.so close yet so far away.
She looked almost unreal. Then his gaze hardened just a fraction.
The balcony, the girl wearing the off white lehenga talking to Adeel. He had been right. It really was Safiya. His eyes followed her every movement as one question echoed in his mind.
What were they talking about? The song slowly neared its end. The music softened.
The dancers spread apart for the final sequence. That was when Zaviyar finally began walking towards her.
Slow, his steps were measured. He didn't want to disrupt the song, or her dance. Just walk close enough to watch her more closely.
Safiya completed one final spin. The applause was already beginning.
However, he suddenly caught the slight stagger in her step. He didn't wait for a second, just moved forward. A soft gasp escaped her lips as she stumbled forward. Everything happened within a heartbeat.
He closed the distance in quick strides. Just before she could hit the floor, his arm wrapped firmly around her waist. The force of her fall brought her straight against him. One hand held her securely while the other, wrapped around her waist, steading her trembling frame
The hall fell silent. The music continued to play, yet no one heard it anymore. The circling around them stopped and looked at them shocked.
Safiya slowly opened her eyes. The first thing that entered her blurred vision was a familiar, unmistakable fragrance of expensive oud, rich, warm and intoxicating.
A scent she would recognize anywhere. Before she even gathered the courage to lift her gaze. Her heart already knew.
Zaviyar.
The music continued somewhere in the distance, but neither of them could hear it anymore. The music, the relentless whispers that had followed Safiya all evening disappeared.
All the guests stood motionless, their gazes locked on the couple standing at the very centre of the hall.
Safiya slowly looked up, her heart skipping a beat as she simply stared at him. She watched him shocked, not knowing what to say. Before she could say anything, thousands of rose petals cascaded from the ceiling slowly.
Safiya's hands were placed on Zaviyar's chest, which only made his smile widen. He pulled her closer, making her eyes widen.
Still holding her securely against him, Zaviyar lowered his gaze. Only then did he notice the broken silver payal caught beneath the heel of her sandal. His expression softened almost imperceptibly.
Without the slightest hesitation, he bent down, right there, in front of everyone.
A stunned silence swept across the hall. He reached for the broken anklet. With slow, careful fingers, he freed it from beneath her sandal, making sure not to tug at her foot.
The tiny silver beads and scattered payal were gently brushed aside so they wouldn't prick her feet. Every movement was patient and unexpectedly tender, as though shielding her from even the smallest discomfort came as naturally to him as breathing.
His fingers grazed across her ankle, making her shudder as goosebumps erupted across her arms. He pulled away the payal softly.
Only after satisfying himself that she was standing comfortably did he straighten to his full height once again.
A lone crimson rose petal rested against the shoulder of his black coat. Another had woven itself into the soft strands of Safiya's hair.
For a long moment, he simply looked at her.
His eyes, usually unreadable and commanding, held a quiet warmth that she had never seen so openly before.
A faint smile touched the corners of his lips.
Then, in a calm voice that carried effortlessly through the pin-drop silence of the hall, he said,
"Assalamualaikum, biwi."
[ Peace be upon you, my wife. ]
She was his. And he had never been ashamed of it.
The hall remained wrapped in silence long after Zaviyar's quiet greeting. Safiya could still feel the warmth of Zaviyar's hand where he had steadied her only moments ago.
"T-Tum... yahan?" Safiya's eyes widened in utter disbelief before the surprise melted into pure excitement. For a brief second, she simply stared at him, almost as if she was afraid he would disappear if she blinked.
(Y-you... here?)
"What happened to your meeting?" she questioned, still trying to convince herself that he was actually standing in front of her.
(What happened to your meeting?)
"Meetings toh hoti rahengi. Biwi naraaz ho gayi toh phir?" he answered effortlessly, as though skipping an important meeting was the most obvious decision in the world.
(Meetings can always happen. But what if my wife gets upset?)
"I'm already upset."
(I'm already upset.)
"Achha? Aur wajah jaan sakta hoon?" he asked gently, his voice carrying the patience of someone who already knew he was guilty.
(Really? May I know the reason?)
"You lied to me. You told me you weren't coming. Dekho... meri mehendi ka rang bhi kitna pheeka aaya hai." She held out both her palms dramatically for him to inspect.
(You lied to me. You said you weren't coming. Look... my mehendi turned out so light.)
"Yeh aapko pheeka lag raha hai?" he questioned, taking her hands into his own. His thumb absent-mindedly brushed over the intricate patterns decorating her palms as he examined them with mock seriousness.
(This looks light to you?)
Safiya's brows furrowed before she gasped softly. The colour looked noticeably darker now, the once soft brown appearing much deeper than she remembered.
"Arre... sach mein! Pehle toh itna dark nahi tha."
(Wait... seriously! It wasn't this dark before.)
"Kyuki aap mujhse door thi," he replied with absolute confidence, as though he had just presented a revolutionary scientific discovery. "Ab mere paas hain. Aapka body temperature badh gaya hai... aur isi liye mehendi bhi dark ho gayi."
(Because you were away from me. Now you're standing next to me. Your body temperature has increased... that's why your mehendi became darker.)
Safiya stared at him without blinking, her expression as unimpressed as it could possibly get.
"Bas kijiye. Warna aapki bakwaas sunke mere kaanon se khoon nikalna shuru ho jayega. Yeh kaunsi science hai? Agar koi scientist sun leta na... wahi behosh ho jaata."
(Please stop. Otherwise my ears are going to start bleeding after hearing this nonsense. What kind of science is that? If an actual scientist heard you, they'd probably faint on the spot.)
She couldn't even finish her sentence before laughter escaped her lips anyway.
A smile tugged at Zaviyar's lips the moment he heard her laugh.
"Chaliye... kam se kam hasa toh diya."
(Well... at least I managed to make you laugh.)