Caught

"It's done" Dua announced

"No!" Zahra denied.

"And yes it's final," Haya added

"No!" She denied again

"God! Zahra, you're going with us and that's final. I don't want any more excuses." Dua told

"I cant. Mama will not permit." Zahra said.

"Oh stupid I've already asked Aunty. She has no problem with it. And telling you the truth Ammara Aunty is so sweet." She exclaimed.

Zahra's face lightened after knowing that her mother has already allowed her to go with them. She was genuinely happy after getting cousins like Dua and Haya in her life. For an hour both of them were constantly forcing her to go to a restaurant as they were getting bored in haveli but Zahra kept on turning them down both by giving her lame excuses.

"Now do you have any problem madam?"

"No" she smiled brightly.

"Then go and get ready we do not have enough time. And here take these clothes. You will be wearing these." Haya said whilst handing her a light pink-colored Kurta and trousers along with a pink chiffon dupatta.

"Ok. Who else is going?" Zahra asked.

"It's me, you, Haya, and Haseeb. Haseeb as in our driver." Dua answered making them both laugh.

"And?"

"Do you want Irtaza Bhai to come?" Haya teased her.

"No no, it's not that. I mean there are other people as well." Zahra asked. She wanted to intermingle with all of her cousins.

"Saif Bhai's summer breaks are over today, so he is in university and Shehryaar Bhai along with Haider uncle, are on a visit to factories."

"Ok ok, I got it."

"Wallahi I'm too excited werna mein tou ghar baith baith k sarr chuki thi." Haya said excitedly.

(I'm too excited else I was dead tired by sitting at home)

"Zahra go and get ready. It's 2:00 already, we both will take an hour to get ready and the restaurant is an hour away, we have to get back before 6. Now go and get ready asap." Dua commanded.

"Ok, I'm going." She said and headed towards the washroom. She was also super excited to go with them.

............

After an hour three of them got ready. Haya wore a red-colored shirt with black pants and black sneakers, Zahra's kurta was light pink colored with minimal makeup while Dua wore a tucked-in white T-shirt along with blue jeans and white sneakers. All of them united in Zahra's room after getting ready.

"OMG!! Dua, you look so hawtttt!"

"fUCK! Haya you also look so sexy."

"And Zahra you look like a fairy."

"And Haseeb as usual looks so hot, sexy, and-" Haseeb said whilst entering the room.

"A Fairy" Dua added making them all laugh.

"That's not funny at all."

"Ok, granny. Now come on we are getting late."

They moved towards the main door in the TV lounge and found Dadi seated there.

"Where you all lads are going?" She asked.

"Grandma we were getting so bored so we made a plan to go to a restaurant today," Haya informed.

"Ok bacho. Jaldi wapis aa jana."

(Come home early)

"Ok Dado (grandmother)"

"Zahra, did you tell Irtaza that you're going out today?"

"No, I didn't"

"Daughter you should ask him first. Shabash ussey call kr k puch lou. He should be knowing about where you are going,"

"Zahra here take my phone. Iss par baat kar lena." Dua handed her phone to Zahra and she walked toward her room.

(You can talk on it)

.......................

Its been five minutes already but she could not gather enough courage to call him and ask him. She kept on walking here and there. Her priority was always to be away from him, he always scares the shit out of her. Collecting the last ounce of courage she had, she, at last, clicked the dial button which was answered after two rings.

"Hello. Assalam Alaikum" her meek voice greeted, playing as a soft tune in his ears. He was surprised. He didn't expect her to call him.

"Yes?" his deep baritone reached her from the other side of the phone, increasing the speed of her heartbeat.

"I..Irtaza ba..at kar rah...ay hain kia?" she stuttered already knowing it was he who is on the other side of the phone.

(Irtaza speaking?)

"What happened?"

"Woh mene aap sei aik baat, baat puchni thi" she tried to sound confident but still it came out as a whisper.

(I..uhh.. actually have to ask something from you?)

"Am listening,"

"Apki ijazat chaiye,"

(I want your permission)

"Kayse ijazat?"

(What permission?)

Her heartbeat palpitated again. She took a whole damn minute to think about how is she going to explain him everything. He never fails to knock the breath out of her.

"Hmn?" He questioned grabbing her attention again.

"I..uh...wo," she whispered, stuttering, and tightly gripped the cellphone. She was afraid of his anger. She was a fragile girl who gets afraid even if someone angrily glares at her and her life has landed her in the hands of a man who can make her stutter just by his dark and strong voice.

"Meinhh...wohh" she stuttered again. No words were coming out of her mouth. Her mind was being hysterical. She knew this was not going to end well for her. She does not why she was afraid but whenever she feels his presence around her, her body always reacts like that. Her face gets paled and her lips turn white, her heart shudders in her chest, her hands begin to shiver and waves of goosebumps continuously washes over her body. His dark and petrifying personality had created this impact on her body. She can't help but act like that in his presence.

(I...uh)

He was listening to her small fearful whimpers and whispers on the other side of the phone. He knew he had scared her too much. His mere voice was giving her goosebumps. But this was he, and he can't help but be that a hair-raising and terrifying mafia don. And according to him, she has not yet seen the real side of him, the side with which he deals with his enemies and subordinates. The real fear was what the people working under him had for him, her fear was nothing compared to their fear.

"Zahra," he called out

"Jee...jee?" She abruptly replied.

(Yes...yes?)

"Calm down. Relax first then speak." He commanded. His voice was unexpectedly soft.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her breaths which were being irregular were back again in their symmetry. Her heartbeat normalized. The wave of goosebumps that she was having was gone. Her shoulders slumped down and she visibly relaxed. She could not hear her heartbeat in her ears anymore.

"Actually Dua and Haya are forcing me to come along with them to a nearby restaurant and grandma is asking me to take permission from you. If you don't mind.... can I go with them?" She asked after normalizing herself. She was sure this day will also not be ending well for her.

"You are not going anyw-"

"But why?" She argued back cutting him off.

"Zahra, think a thousand time before cutting me off, next time." He said slowly, letting each syllable sink in, and leaned his elbows onto the desk.

"And when, I am saying you are not going anywhere, then what does it mean? Hmm?" he urged her to answer.

She didn't answer. Her nervousness was back again.

"What does it means wife?" He asked again.

"But....I-" she again tried to argue but he stopped her.

"The fuck does it means?!" His voice getting octaves high.

"That I...I am... not going....anywhere" she stuttered breathlessly. In a minute he can calm her down and the very next minute he can make her breathless

"Good. And you are exactly doing that." He said and hung the call-up.

She was baffled. She could not understand the reason for which he didn't permit her to go, unaware to her, it was because of his possessive nature toward her. He didn't want to share her with ANYONE! He wanted himself to be the center of her thoughts. He wanted every moment of her life to be filled with his memories. He was extremely possessive of her. He desired to imprint this in her mind that she is his and no one else. And this was his mission until there rukhsati to make her completely his.

This was his possession which he misunderstood as his love for her.

Furthermore, the mafia issues going on these days also hindered him from letting her outside the haveli. In the mafia, your family is your weakest point and the enemy will always strike at your weakest point so he didn't want to take any chance on any of his family members. And if he won't allow Zahra to go then automatically Dua and Haya won't go. That was also why he didn't allow her.

Zahra stood alone in her room staring at the phone. A lone tear made its way out of her eye. She was feeling restrained and caged. There was a time when she only had to inform her baba of her plans with her friends to go outside. She was free then. She had no restrictions. She had the freedom to do anything she wanted to. But today she is bound to someone against her consent and for even stepping out of this haveli she had to take his permission. She had to be by his side forcefully. She was tied to him in every way. Now she cannot do anything without his consent. Is this her life now?

"Zahra, what happened?" Haya asked.

Zahra turned around and saw Dua and Haya standing near the door of her room.

"Zahra, why are you crying? What happened meri Jaan?!" Dua asked worriedly and approached her.

"It's nothing. You all might be getting late I'm not going with you people. You should go now." she informed while wiping her tears.

"Why are you not coming with us?" Haya questioned.

"Because I don't want to go."

"Or because Irtaza bhai didn't allow you to go," Dua stated, striking on the exact point.

"And you are crying because he didn't allow you, Am I right?"

"Yes," Zahra whispered. She was already so emotionally disturbed and now everything was magnified in front of her.

"Come with me, Zahra."

"Dua now I don't want to go anywhere."

"You are coming with us, Zahra."

"No, I'm sorry I'm not coming."

"Zahra he won't know about anything I assure you. I promise. Now come with me," she said and took her to the lounge where her dadi was waiting for them.

"Irtaza Bhai told her that there is no need to take permission from him for these small things. His fiance can go anywhere she wants to." Dua proudly said and Zahra faked a smile while Haya was getting worried. She knew if Irtaza came to know about sneaking out of Zahra, then she has to see his worst side, which no one cant afford.

"Ok beta. You all can go and don't be late. Take special care of Zahra. Do whatever she says. OK, Dua and Haya? And You Haseeb don't over speed the car. Meri Zahra ko kahin darr na lagay."

"Ok, Dadi." All three of them said unitedly and left the lounge.

"Dua what if he came to know about this?" Zahra stated her assumption while entering the car.

"He won't, I assure you. We will be back before he gets back to haveli. Don't worry. Neither does he visits restaurants during his office hours then how would he know? And if anything like that happens I will cover the situation. Now go and get into the car. And haan don't tell Haseeb about anything. Dang these boys are super afraid of Irtaza Bhai." Dua assured her and both of them entered into the car, which drifted off the garage leaving for the poshest and most lavish restaurant in the area.

............

"Sir the meeting has been arranged at El Diablo. The Qureshi's will be there within an hour." Irtaza's secretary informed her of the venue.

"We will be leaving within half an hour. You may leave." He ordered without looking at her, fully concentrated on whatever he was doing.

"Sure sir." She replied and left the room but not before eyeing his handsome boss lustfully.

"Hungry whores." he whispered when she got out of his office, already knowing about her desirous stare on him.

Only one woman keeps on lingering on his mind these days and she was his beautiful wife. He had already made up his mind to get back to haveli soon today and take her to wherever she wants to go.

But with him only

This was the last meeting he had to attend and then he will be leaving for haveli.

..............

Haseeb parked the car in the parking area of the restaurant. The ride was fun with full-blown music, jokes, stories, etc, etc. Zahra hadn't laughed like that for ages. For a moment, she forgot about everything and breathed freely. The haveli was eating her from inside and she was more than happy to get out of it and enjoy some fun time with her cousins.

"Haseeb you and Zahra go, book the table, and order something. Haya and I have to meet a friend, she lives nearby, we will be right back." Dua informed and they both left.

Zahra and Haseeb booked a table for 4 and ordered their food.

Now she was getting worried, the thought of Irtaza once again clicked in her mind making her trepidatious. A series of 'what ifs' ran into her brain causing her heartbeat erratic. She was getting afraid and she seriously needed someone to relax her.

"What are you thinking Zahra?" Haseeb asked.

"Haseeb what will happen if Irtaza didn't allow me to come with you guys but still I came with you people?"

"What will happen to you will be nothing compared to what will happen with me then. He will ask me not you guys and he always has his reasons if he does not allow us to do anything."

Anticipation grew more inside her after listening to his answer.

"Haseeb actually," her voice now breathless

"What?"

"Actually,"

"What happened Zahra?"

"Haseeb, actually, Irtaza didn't allow me to come with you people." She said worriedly.

"You are joking," he said playfully taking it as a mere joke.

"No I'm not." she seriously said.

His eyes got widened.

"Are you even serious? Then why did you leave the haveli?" he asked, his voice getting troublesome.

"I didn't want to but-"

"Dua coerced you to."

"No. It's not that."

"Zahra we are leaving for haveli now. If Irtaza Bhai came to know that I've brought you all here without his permission then you can't imagine what he will be doing with me. Not with you people but with me." He said and hurriedly stood up.

"Haseeb wait. Let them both come first."

"I'm not waiting for anyone Zahra and you are coming with me." He turned around to leave and the very next second his eyes widened with surprise and fear.

And she froze at her place.

"Ir..ta..za Bh..ai," he croaked out.

He knew he was done for.

And she knew she was devastated.