❝ Mujhe Humsafar Bhi Mila Koi
Sitam Zareef Meri Tarhan
Kay Manzilon Ka Thaka Hua
Kayi Raston Ka Luta Hua ❞

Shehryar put his palms on his eyes, his forehead throbbing with pain. Stuck. He was stuck in a whirlpool, everything around him was pulling him into darkness. He glanced at his wife and sighed. Inaaya had given her sedatives because he couldn't stop her from going into a panic. If Inaaya hadn't arrived in time, he'd have to take her to emergency with the way her heart was beating and she could barely breathe. Zain and Inaaya had stayed with him throughout the day, but even they looked like they could use a couple of hours of sleep so he sent them home. Now here he was lonelier than he had ever been. He hadn't realized how big of a support Laila had been. The way he could always turn to her even when they were barely on speaking terms

"Find him," Shehryar spoke after Junaid updated him after he had answered the call. Even though pain camouflaged everything in his life, still the only thing he could think about was saving his wife's name. To hell with his business, he couldn't risk losing his Rapunzel. "Martin is my clue. He is the only one who can link all this to the Saeed clan." It still hurt to say that name. Like a thorn lodged in his throat, still hurting at even the thought of that family.

"I'm on to him. I have informed all the connections I have in the department and on the streets. Give me a few days, I'll drag him out of wherever the hell he is."

"Thank you, Junaid." He genuinely was thankful. Junaid had gone above and beyond to do this for him.

"I'm sorry about Laila. I wish we had gotten him sooner." Junaid sighed on the other end.

"Regrets won't get us anywhere. At least it hasn't gotten me anywhere in the last decade. We just need to get Martin. I'm going to fuck them over so bad, Saeed won't stand on his feet again."

"Don't do something that will get you in trouble with the law."

"You can't expect me to behave after seeing what happened for a decade and now that he tried to mess with Laila. I don't give a fuck about laws. It is his turn to pay and if that means I have to burn down Saeed regional, so be it."

"Shehryar-" Junaid tried to reason, but there was nothing Shehryar could see except revenge.

"He took my child away from me, Junaid. He tried for years to suppress my business contracts. I didn't care. I knew how to pull through that, but now. He hurt the woman I'm ready to die for. I'm done losing people. It is his turn so I'll do this, the right or wrong way, whatever the hell it takes. I understand if you can't find Martin. You have done more than enough. I'm beyond thankful. If you don't want to go through with the case anymore, I understand. I'll still be your older brother like I promised to be."

"Just say that all this emotional crap was for me to call you Bhai again." Junaid groaned on the other side, Shehryar let out a soft laugh. "You'll have Martin in two days." The finality in Junaid's words meant that he'd bring the hell down to earth if he had to in order to find Martin.

Shehryar put away the phone when he heard whimpers. Quietly, he walked to her side. She was shivering and let out soft sobs in her sleep. Pulling another blanket on her, he slipped under it next to her. Her body was reacting to all that the medicine was blocking. He'd seen her sad, heartbroken, anxious, angry, but he'd never seen her hopeless. This incident was chipping away her hope, her biggest strength. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her closer, plastering her to his side and she held onto him even in her sleep. I will be your hope. I won't let you drown. Kissing her forehead, he grazed his other hand gently across her back, soothing her.

She was staring at the blinds on the window when he came in with a breakfast plate. Her gaze was lost amongst the few peeking morning rays. She hadn't moved even an inch from where he had left her when he went to get breakfast.

"Good Morning." He whispered, but she didn't move, not even nodding at him. Her hand curled around the bedsheet. "Look what I have for you. Eggs with hot sauce. I didn't even burn the kitchen." Her fingers loosened around the bedsheet and then curled again. He put the plate on the bedside before opening the windows. She closed her eyes at the brightness, turning away from them to the other side. "Hey," He sat on her side of the bed, gently rubbing her arm. "Look at me." She closed her eyes, tears escaped again. Tracing his thumb under her eyes, he wiped away her tears and gently held her, urging her to sit up. She followed his actions like a rag doll, completely dependent on his actions. "I don't want you to pass out again so you are going to eat a little bit. I know you probably feel like throwing up and probably won't even taste a bit, you have to eat." He took a piece of eggs and held the fork to her. "For me." He whispered and she bent her head, another sob leaving her body. "One bite." His voice became hoarse as well as kept his pain within him. Putting his hand under her chin, he held the fork closer and she opened her mouth, taking the bite as her eyes let go of more tears. As he fed her, she let go of more and more tears. Shehryar held his within himself, there was nothing more heartbreaking than watching Laila fall apart. His Rapunzel. His Miss Laila. She wasn't supposed to go through this much pain.

Putting the plate away after feeding her, he picked up the hairbrush and sat behind her. Laila sighed when he ran the brush through her hair tenderly.

"Do you want to go to Malka's?" He collected those auburn locks in one hand while brushing them with the other. She shook her head. "What if I bring her here?" She shook her head again. "What about Inaaya?" No again. "Zeeniya?" Nope. "Amma and Hadia, they'll keep you company." She refused again, just staring at the slightly cloudy sky. "Malka is worried about you. She has been calling since last night." Her body sagged a little with the soothing strokes of the brush. "Junaid is looking for Martin. I promise we will find him." He leaned forward kissing the crown of her head, before tying that fiery hair in a loose ponytail. "I hung your clothes in the bathroom. Come on, get up." He held her hand and got off the bed, lightly tugging on her arm. "Shower before your Jin runs away from you for being smelly." Her eyes snapped open at him. Maybe a little surprised at how he was so calm. She tilted her head a little at him. "You are my world, Rapunzel." He cupped her face in his hands, staring into those glassy eyes. "I will do everything to protect my world. Everything." Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss on her wavering lips before pulling her up and leading her towards the shower.

He put his forehead on the door after he heard the shower turn on. The courageous facade he built in front of her, shattered quietly around him as a sob climbed up his throat. He covered his mouth with his hand, falling to his knees. My Laila. He'd do everything to turn back time and run away with her somewhere where no one could touch them. Where he could break away from his past and just breathe in peace with her. Where he could hold her without doom hanging above their heads. His silent tears fell on the cold floor as he cried.

Laila's gaze followed him across the room as he gathered his essentials and got ready. The silver watch always on the left, one of the numerous black suits he was obsessed with, and the cologne that spread across the room, making her breathe with ease. He stuffed the tie in his pocket as always. There was a crease on the left side of his suit jacket, but she couldn't move. The ache in her bones made her feel as if her bones weighed a ton and she'd never be able to move from that bed ever again, but he had helped her eat. He had even remembered that she liked to brush her hair before the shower and then stayed outside the door calling her name every few minutes.

"I have to be there. I don't want to go, but I don't have a choice." He leaned down. She blinked at him as her brain processed the words, but nothing would come out of her lips. The pain has her choking, barely giving her space to breathe. "Trust me, Laila." He held his hand as if almost pleading. How could she tell him that since the news, she had been breathing through his words, through his touch, through his strength. He was the reason she had a thread of sanity left. She threaded her fingers through his and gave him a gentle squeeze. He sighed, almost gasping in relief at her touch. Pressing his lips to her forehead, he lingered there for a few more moments before leaving.

I'm sorry for failing you. I'm sorry for becoming a burden. I'm sorry you have to worry so much. I'm sorry for ruining everything for you. I'm sorry for all the money you trusted me with. I'm sorry for breaking your dreams.

God knew how long she had been in her thoughts when the front door clicked, pulling her out of her trance. For a second she shivered at someone breaking in, but the apartment was the most secure place. She waited for other sounds, but the footsteps were quiet as they climbed the stairs. She shivered and curled in the blanket more, closing her eyes. What can be worse than this?

"Laila." The soft voice wrapped around her like a blanket on a cold night. Laila whipped her head around. Malka stood there, wrapped in her long shawl, almost as lost as Laila. A soft cry left Laila's lips as she saw Malka. "Meri Jaan," Malka crossed the room to her side and Laila sat up and wrapped her arms around her mother before Malka even sat down.

"Dekho tumhari Laila phir se bhikar gayi." Laila put her head on Malka's shoulder like a baby. Malka held her in a protective embrace, constantly kissing the side of her head. "Iss dafa to meri qismat ne Shehryar ko bhi mere saath tor diya. Meri wajah se uski zindagi, uska business, sab kuch khatre mein. Sab kuch chala gaya, Malka. Sirf meri wajah se. Meine sab kuch barbaad kar diya. Mujhe nahi aana chahiye tha dobra uski zindagi mein. Mujhe us se shaadi hi nahi karni chahiye thi. Mujhe yeh job nahi leni chahiye thi. Mein janti thi meri qismat mujhe le doobe gi tou meine yeh kaisay maan liya ke mein uske saath khush rahoon gi." Laila let out the words she had been holding since the night before as she tightly held on to Laila.

"Yeh sab likha huwa tha. Isko koi taal nahi sakta tha. Iss mein tumhara koi qasoor nahi. Tumne apni mehnat ki hai. Uska sila mile ga. Mujhe yaqeen hai Apne Rab pr. Woh sab theek kar dega." Malka grazed her hand over Laila's head, only if she had the power to protect Laila from the onslaught of pain.

"Aur nahi saha jata. Bohat dard hai, Malka." Laila whispered between her heavy breaths.

"Imtihan aur sabr he to hme is zindagi ki qadar krna sikhate hain. Jise sab asaani se mil jae wo nashukra ho jata ha. Wo smjhta ha k zindagi khel tamasha ha. Imtihan hme mazboot bnate hain, zindagi jeena sikhate hain, zindagi ki khoobsurati dikhate hain. Bus ek aur imtihan hai yeh, aur mujhe pura yaqeen hai tum isse guzar ke aur mazboot hogi. Allah hai ne hamare saath. Jab hamare paas kuch nahi tha, tab Allah ne he tou hame rasta dikhaya aur hamara saath diya. Iss baar tou tumhare saath itne log hai." Malka lifted Laila's head and wiped her tears with a caress. "Iss baar toh Allah ne tumhe ek aesay insaan ka saath diya hai jo tumhare liye kuch bhi kar guzre ga. Itna bharosa khud pe, Allah pe, aur Shehryar pe rakho, ke jo bhi hoga tumhei sambhaalne ke liye log hai. Mujhe pata tha tum akele rehna chahti ho aur mein dar bhi rahi thi ke kaisay yahan aaongi. Subah mein uthi tou bahir gari khari huwi thi. Shehryar khud lene aaya tha. Woh hai ab tumhare saath aur mujhe ab koi fikr nahi. Woh saath dega chahe kuch bhi ho." Malka kissed her forehead and smiled at her. Laila nodded, thinking, what the hell did she do in her life to deserve a man like that. She ruined his entire business and he was still standing by her, making sure she was okay.

By the time Shehryar had reached home, it had been past midnight. He had spent the day fighting the board members, dodging media, listening to PR, and worst of all dealing with the financial hit they were going to take. Zain and Junaid had been there to carry half the weight, but he missed her. As someone who'd have given him support as his wife, but more so as his business partner. He felt her loss throughout the day. She had been sound asleep when he came back home. After changing quietly, he fixed the blanket on her before leaving a chaste kiss on her forehead. He wanted to share the news of Martin's arrest with her, but she was at peace and he couldn't bring himself to wake her up. Malka was probably in Laila's old room. Sighing he headed to the home office. Sleep was miles away and there was so much on his shoulders that he couldn't even blink.

He stared at the screen as emails poured even at that point of the night. Shehryar took a long breath before diving into the crisis that had been brewing more and more. At least Junaid had his hands on Martin. Even Shehryar knew that there was no way Junaid had caught the culprit without dwelling into the illegal ways. A part of Shehryar sank into guilt. Something about him had people toying with their morals. Or was it that humans were able to bend their morals for their loved ones? Minutes swiped by and his shoulders became heavier.

The rustle in the doorway made him glance up. He could barely make out her figure in the door as she walked in slowly. He had been working in utter darkness except for the light of the screen.

"You haven't eaten anything at all, right?" She spoke as she turned on the dim lights. He shook his head, leaning back in the chair. The sore muscles in his shoulders screamed for rest, but he ignored it as always. "I knew it." She walked to him with a warm plate of food. Part of his heart relaxed a bit. She seemed well-rested. Sleep still stuck into her eyes and the slightly raspy voice, but she had changed into a yellow cotton pair of shalwar kameez, dupatta was probably forgotten in her room. Some wisps of hair escaped the bun. He smiled at her, holding his arm out.

"I'll eat in a bit." He took the plate from her, only to put it aside. "I just have to read through a few more emails." He pulled her into his arms.

"Shehryar." She glanced at the screen and her name was all over the emails and reports.

"Just stay." He pulled her in his lap and went back to work. How could he tell her that her presence and her touch brought so much calm to him? It was as if she was his anchor in this sea of crisis. Wrapping her arm around his torso, she put her head on his shoulder. Subconsciously, he leaned his head more towards her, taking a sniff of the fading fragrance of the floral shampoo. She was his fucking home. His damn world. He read through the emails, scrolling with one hand while his other hand found its way into her hair. Removing the hair tie, he let those fall and carded his fingers through her hair. Fuck Morals. He'd kill for her. He'd set the rest of the world on fire if it meant he'd keep his home safe.

Shehryar's arm became heavy, at some point, going numb. He blinked at the screen again and then looked down at the delicate body of his wife. She had fallen asleep, curled up in his arm, breathing in his warmth. He hadn't even realized that he had been going through the reports merely with one arm as he held her against him with the other. Turning his head, he watched the way her body calmly took deep breaths. That fiery auburn hair fell all over his shoulder and her face was pressed into the crook of his neck, breathing against his skin. Closing his laptop, he wrapped both his arms around her as if he couldn't get any closer and buried his face in her hair. They were cramped in that spacious office chair, but this had been the most comfortable he had been in the past few days. This had been the safest he had felt since the incident.

"Shehryar." Her raspy whisper barely reached her when his movement woke her up. "Can I tell you something?" Her hand moved from his torso, up to his chest, and she threaded her fingers through the stubble he hadn't bothered with in the past couple of days.

"Anything, Rapunzel." He pressed his lips to the crown of her head, closing his eyes. She moved in his arms, moving back a little as she cupped his face in her hands.

"Thank you." She grazed her thumb across his jaw.

"Rapunzel-" He opened his eyes, looking into hers that were a bit darker in the dim light.

"No. You have to listen. You have to hear me out. Thank you for holding me together. Thank you for being my spine. I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know how we are going to pull through this. I don't even know if the board will let me back." He opened his mouth to counter her, but she shook her head and continued. "I want you to know that I'm here because of you. I'm able to breathe without the pain caving into my heart because you held me. Because you saved me. I'm so damn thankful for you, Shehryar Ali, you don't even know. You need to know that I'm the luckiest woman on this earth because I fell in love with you. So thank you for fulfilling your promise. Thank you for holding up your words. Thank you for being there. Thank you for showing me that no matter what happens there is one person who will always be in my corner.  Thank you for showing up for me when I couldn't even show up for myself. Thank you for being you, Shehryar Ali. Thank you for existing." She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. They were fucking stuck, but at least they were together.

"I needed that, Rapunzel." He tightened his arms around her, pressing her entirely against her. God, she fit so perfectly in the ridges of his body. She was sent to this earth for him and today he believed that. She made him believe that. "I so fucking needed that, baby." He pressed his lips on hers. And he knew he'd fight for her, even if it meant fighting her to save her from herself.

"I need you to get ready." Laila's eyes had been closed when his words reached her. It hurt to look at him in the mornings when he was getting ready for the office. A dark cloud of envy would cover her for those few minutes. She missed her office. She missed her desk. The way she didn't have time some days to even eat, but at the end, she'd still have that smile of triumph.

"For what?" Her words stayed quiet. There wasn't much to look forward to these days. She had even sent Malka home. The kids were missing their lessons and she could see the restlessness on Malka's face.

"Martin wants to talk to you." She turned around as her eyes shot open. He was fixing the lapel of his jacket in the mirror. A chill slithered down her spine. This couldn't be good. "He won't talk to anyone else."

"Shehryar," She pleaded. Fear clutched her heart. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to move from that bed.

"Get the hell out of that bed, Laila." He turned around as he seethed. "You have fifteen minutes to get ready before I drag you out to meet him like the way you are right now. If you won't get out of that bed, I will put Sher Khan in a blender. I will remove the security from the orphanage. I will also tell Malka to never see you again." What the fuck! She sat up straight in her bed, staring at him with wide eyes. "Zeeniya will never step in this house again."

"This hurts. I'm hurt. This is unfair." She retorted in return.

"It is supposed to hurt. It is supposed to fucking render you speechless due to pain and it is going to get worse. You will be dragged across the meetings. Your name will be maligned." He walked towards her, bending a little as he wrapped his hand around the side of her neck, making her look dead into his eyes. "You want to be a basket case, Rapunzel. Then be a fucking basket case, but as my wife not as my project manager. Not as the woman I hired. Not as the woman who won this fucking project for my company. As your husband I will hold you at night, I will catch you when you are falling apart. I will wipe your tears and I will let you be whoever you want to be and I will be there as whatever the fuck you need me as. But not as your boss. Not as your partner in the company. I told you years ago that you are my equal. I gave you that respect and I need you to give that back to me. As Miss Laila I need you to get the fuck out of here and fight for yourself. Fight for this damn project and fight for that fucking dream you spent your entire life acheiving. I need you to fight for that name you carried around proudly even when you had nothing. So get up and fight and don't make me regret trusting you with my company." He held her chin and pressed his lips on those frozen lips of hers once again before turning around. "Fifteen minutes, Miss Laila. Choose your fate."

He walked away with a faded smile that she couldn't see because he knew she'd be with him in less than five minutes.

Laila twiddled her thumbs as the car stopped in front of the police station. After so long she had dressed up as Miss Laila in her creaseless black kameez and matching cigarette pants. The dupatta as usual had fallen from her head onto her shoulders. The ballerina bun unable to hold it in place like the way her heart couldn't hold her still. She fidgeted with the end of her dupatta. His hand engulfed hers as he held her, intertwining his fingers with her. She turned her head a little.

"You got this." He brought their hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

"He terrifies me." She tightened the hold on his hand, holding on to him with her dear life.

"You are stronger than him. You have won against all odds. It's okay to be scared, but don't let him see that. Be the woman you are when you stand in front of a room full of arrogant men. You deserve to fight for yourself. You have the courage to stand in front of him and tell him to fuck off."

"And if I fail?" Her eyes stared at him with the threads of fear he had never seen before. She didn't realize that she was more terrified of failing herself than facing Martin.

"I will be right there to hold you and protect you, but I need you to fight for yourself without me. I need you to know that you can. I need you to tell yourself that you can. I need you to believe in yourself before believing in me." He traced the three beauty marks under her eye and smiled at her. She nodded before stepping out of the car as he followed her.

Maybe it was the room that was cold or maybe it was fear coursing through her veins, making her shiver. Shehryar sat by her. The way he gazed at her, he was there as her husband, but the way he sat there next to her with no personal touch, he was there as her boss. The man who was there to salvage his project. Laila's heart stopped for a few seconds when Junaid entered the room with Martin. Her first thought was to flee as the memories flashed around her. The cold metal against her temple. The way he stalked her on the bike. Her legs shook and she was about to flee the room when a warm hand wrapped around her thigh, holding her still.

Laila almost got whiplash the way she turned towards Shehryar, but his eyes were on Martin. Yet, his hand stayed firmly placed around her thigh. He pressed slightly into her skin, reminding her to breathe. She let out a shaky breath.

"Oh if it isn't the abandoned little rat," Martin smirked at her. Junaid sneered at him, but Martin, as arrogant as he was, threw an evil smile his way too. "Nice to see you, Laila."

Oh, God! She was going to throw up. Her throat clogged. She couldn't breathe. She needed to run.

"Laila." The stern voice next to her grounded her again. His thumb grazed the side of her thigh, the grip of his hand was going to leave marks on her leg, but she knew the moment he loosened his hand, she was going to fly out the damn window.

"What do you want?" Laila swallowed between her shaky breaths.

"No formalities? Well, it's okay. I'll get to the point because I'm tired of this shithole anyways." He sat across from her and Laila leaned back in her chair, putting more distance between them. "Give me the orphanage."

"What?" Laila didn't even realize she had said that out loud. "No." A bit of anger surged in her, reminding her to fight. To remember the little ones in that orphanage.

"I'm asking you nicely the very last time. I won't ask again. Give me the orphanage land."

"And if I don't?" Laila held her breath.

"I will have my resources to sue you on behalf of the government and I will testify against you that you bribed different companies to use the faulty and cheap material in the hospital. I will make sure everyone knows the fire was your fault. The cameras have me on the site and we have a long history. I will make it believable. Before you ask how, it isn't hard to formulate papers to be part of construction companies and that you bribed me so I will leave the orphanage alone. I will also advertise you as the biggest corrupt and how you climbed your way to the top." Martin glanced at Shehryar and it was Laila's turn to put a firm hand on his because she knew her husband was two seconds away from committing a murder. "Not just with him but other places too. So it's all on you. Orphanage or the Hospital and your reputation... The choice is yours, Laila. Which one will you save?"