FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

9.

Mahira Khan.

"Heeriye, aaj tere Mir ko teri behad zaroorat hai." The moment those words hit my drums, I feel light. Like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. The pent up anger, frustration, hurt, betrayal everything feels paid for. I stare back into his guilty eyes, with crossed arms and an evil glint that I refuse to hide, as I feel all my anger for him leaving my body.

I need this, I know I need this face off with this sinner. This hate I am harbouring is toxic for me, and I need to let it go. What better opportunity for it than now. Then his face falls, a pained look adorning his huge blue eyes as he realises what this is, Karma.

Karma hit him back right where it hurts the most and the bastard knows it.

This time when I look up at the projector, I see four more votes have been added, taking the tally to 51.2% . Shoot. The majority has already been formed, my eyes widen at the rising numbers. This doesn't even need my vote now.

Since the majority has been reached, the hooter goes on signalling the motion has been passed. With that, Amir Husnain is fired from his ceo position.

Just then the door bangs open, a couple of officers with three stars on their shoulders barged in with the security guards hot on their tails.

The one with a revolver and a sealed envelope in his hands speaks roughly, "Whatever is happening here needs to be stopped. The police department and the CBI received a tip that a correspondent of Rashid Zara is present here. We have an arrest warrant against Amir Husnain. Mr.Husnain, please step forward." He orders in a gruff voice and Umer steps beside me gesturing me that he was the one who sent the anonymous tip.

I nod in reassurance, though we didn't discuss this beforehand, I knew this was coming. This was not even revenge, Amir walked himself into his own destruction. I can't believe I loved this man once. Shame on your choice Hira.

What he does next earns gasps from across the room. He steps forward confidently with his hands tucked in his pockets, as he whispers something to the inspector. Then turning to look at me, he says loudly , "No need for the warrant, Sir. I am willingly going to surrender myself. Before that, all I ask is a fifteen minutes with Ms.Khan alone."

Umer growls in anger stepping forward to punch when I stop Umer. He turns to look at me, puzzled at the interruption. I nod at him, trying to communicate with him through my eyes. As difficult it is, I know I need this closure with this sucker. The officer asks my consent and I agree willingly.

I then walk towards the small room where the equipments for meetings are placed with Amir tracing my steps.

He closes the door slightly and I find myself panicking at the prospect of all the things that could go wrong here. And there is no one here that I can rely on, to save my life. Mohsin! If Mohsin was here, he wouldn't let this man even breathe in my vicinity. Shit!

Maybe excluding Mohsin from today's plan was a bad idea. The moment he turns to look at me, with the similar gaze that he once used to, I am surprised at my reaction. I don't feel the warmth of his gaze, I don't feel the  quickening of my pulse like I used to, all I feel is the absence of Mohsin's glaring eyes and the sense of protection they provided me with. In the last one month, I have come to get habituated with his hazel orbs digging holes on my face. Damn you Mohsin for spoiling my habits.

Though I can't wait to get out of this claustrophobic place, I raise my eyebrows at him commanding him to go on.

He slumped his shoulder, putting on a vulnerable front, as his eyes gloss over and I barely resist myself from rolling my eyes. He then raises his gaze, raising his hand towards me but I step back. What is wrong with this psycho? I am married for God's sake.

"Heer! Mujhe maaf karde, tere Mir ke paas koi option nai tha. Mujhe majbooran shadi chodni padi warna Ammi ka ilaaj nai ho pata." He pleads desperately. I want to bang his head for that swift lie, if I hadn't spied him for the last three years I would have almost believed his lie, that's how good he acts. His mother got ill only last year.

"Koun Heer aur koun Mir? Ye dono to usi din mar gaye the jis din tumne hazaaron ki bheed mein mujhe thukra dia tha. Us din ka har pal mujhe aaj tak kaatne ko doudta hai. Bahut aasan tha na, Amir Husnain tumhare liye meri zindagi tabaah karna. Meri mohabbat, Papa ki izzat aur Mama ka bharosa, sab mitti mein mila diya tumne. Tum gunehgaar ho Amir Husnain, mere gunehgaar! Maafi ki umeed na rakhna." I speak my heart out, letting out whatever remnants of anger that remained and I feel empty now.

I vow to myself, this is the last time I am showing vulnerability to this undeserving jerk. My breathing is ragged, as I try to control the storm of emotions that hit me as I recall that dreadful day.

Dreadful? Really Hira? How hypocritical of you! Wasn't it the same day you were tied to Mohsin? He became your knight in shining armor and still you refuse to accept him, just burning in the fire of deception. Isn't it wrong?

I kept tangling into the cobweb of my own thoughts and didn't realise when    he came closer. I gasp in shock when he puts his filthy hands on me muttering something that my brain refused to decipher. I fist my hands punching his back continuously, struggling against him to get free and God seems to answer my prayers when a pair of strong arms pull us apart throwing him against the wall.

"Hands off my woman, you criminal!"

Mohsin.

I close my eyes involuntarily, relief flooding my veins. When I open them, I am startled to see Mohsin standing beside me, but his gaze is trained on Amir who now seems ready to faint due to the anger in Mohsin's eyes.

Amir gulps, trying to stand up amidst the pain, while Mohsin takes predatory steps towards him looking ready to pounce on him like a wounded lion. He grabs Amir by the collars, banging his head against the wall and I scream in horror, shielding my eyes.

But Mohsin seems to be in a trance, hitting Amir wherever he finds place.

"Mohsin" I shout, pleading for him to come back to me, I need him right now. He freezes in his position, giving one final punch to him he hands him to the officers.

Amir looks back at me while being dragged, his eyes pleading for help. The next moment a firm back blocks my view of Amir and it's not hard to guess who that is. I quickly walk the distance between us, my feet involuntarily taking me to him as i rest my head against his back.

I don't care if the entire set of board of directors are gawking at us, or the fact that Umer is smirking. All that I care about is my heart finally coming back to it's normal pace and calm returning to me, all due to my man.

His muscles tense as I wrap my hands around his toned front from behind sticking to him as much as possible. I hear his sharp intake of breath and we stand there for what feels like an eternity. A minute or two later, he gently comes out of my hold still not turning back.

I frown because I want to see his soothing hazels with specks of golden and my frown only deepens at his next words.

"Mr. Umer, now that you have done so much of planning, plotting and executing for Ms. Khan here, I would appreciate if you also escort her back to her place. I am sure you know the way to Khan Villa."

Ms. Khan?

Khan Villa?