LET ME HATE YOU

Asmaira's Wish

To Fariya, Amaan was giving one surprise after another. With the afternoon incident with him at that pent- house, she was still in dazed when again he surprised her with his presence at the dinner table much to the amazement of the family. It was a complete family dinner with Amaan and Mehwish sitting beside each other talking happily. However Fariya noticed Asmaira's absence and when Ishaal inquired, Amaan replied that she was not well and would skip the dinner.

Except Fariya rest all believed him and why not seeing him in a happy mood after a long time didn't create any doubt. She wasn't sure what her son was up to and hence asked Maya about Asmaira's whereabouts. It turned out that since evening she was sitting in the garden area or rather hiding. First Mehwish and now Amaan how will she take care of Kabir. So far everybody in the family was good to her and she didn't find it difficult to fulfill her duty but now she was helpless.

After dinner, Fariya went to meet Asmaira who was lost in her own thoughts. When Fariya noticed her swollen face and hand print mark on her face, she understood what happened the previous night. Though she didn't ask Asmaira not to embarrass her. She couldn't believe her kind son would raise his hand on a woman. This was it!. 'I have to talk to Salar'.

"This is great, the presentation you prepared is exceptional, with this strategy the Singhania's will definitely agree for the contract", Salar said beaming at Amaan and could not be more proud.

'My son is back!', Salar thought proudly.

When Fariya went to Salar to talk about Amaan's behavior, he was already cheerful. However, when she tried to raise concern over Amaan's marital life, Salar quickly retorted.

"It's between them. We can force them to marry, but we can't dictate them how to live their marriage".

Seeing his wife's dissent he added, "he is doing well at the office now, give him some time to adjust to his marriage too. Didn't you notice he was happy at the dinner".

"But Salar his behavior towards Asmaira is not good, he tried.....", before she could talk about Amaan slapping Asmaira, Salar interrupted her irritated, "She is nowhere like Raina, do you think he will adjust to her so easily, if it was not for Kabir I wouldn't have agreed for her in the first place".

Fariya was disheartened to see Salar's disdain towards Asmaira. She felt helpless for her. Amaan had already taken his father on his side and it won't be easy to persuade him either.

When everybody retorted to their room, Maya helped Asmaira with her dinner. She ate and cried silently. She always felt as an outsider and today it proved her right.

'Poor soul', Maya sighed.

Asmaira again loiters around the garden as Amaan was in the mansion and she didn't want another encounter with him. She waited till midnight and reluctantly went to the room, assuming Amaan would have slept. She cautiously stepped in the room, tiptoeing in the darkness and she saw the silhouette of someone sleeping on the bed. She sighed and moved to the closet, for her mattress. The moment she stepped into the closet light flickered, startling her. She froze when she saw Amaan sitting on the bed staring at her. Her breathing stopped and she went numb.

'Why does this devil not sleep yet? What did I do now to make him angry?', she cried inside.

"Where were you?". He said indifferently.

Not hearing her response again, he stood up making her take a step back.

"G... Garden", was all she could manage, looking at the flooring fidgeting with her fingers.

"Do you remember I told you before, one word goes out of this room, the consequences will be dire?", he said while walking towards her. Sensing his movement, Asmaira starts walking backwards stammering, "ye.......yes".