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MARIA ALI AHWAAN'S POV

I am going back to Delhi today. The place where I was born. The place where I lost my parents. The place where I lost my heart. The place which contains my best and worst memories.

I say I have moved on but I myself don't know whether I have or not. It's not easy to get over your first love. It's not easy to forget a person whom you wished to spend your whole life with. It's not easy to move on from the memories you created together. It's not easy. Not easy at all.

The day I moved from Delhi was the day my heart stopped beating. It stopped functioning without him, without them, my family. Yes, I shifted from Delhi but my heart and soul rested there with them.

The thought of going back is giving me chills. I don't want to go there yet at the same time I want to. I want to test myself and show him that I changed. I wanted to show him my strong side. I want to win control over my heart again and that could be done only when I face him.

I want to go back and show him that I am not the same naive girl anymore. I want to show him that I have changed, for good. I want to show him that he doesn't affect me anymore. Going back is a test for me which I want to pass with flying colors.

"Are you ready to go dove ?"

Murat's voice breaks me out of my trance. He was expectantly looking at me waiting for my answer.

"I am."

I answer him, an unknown confidence rising inside me. I hope this new found confidence of mine works well.

"Okay, then let's go."

He dropped me off on the airport and promised me that he'll join me after two days. He will finish all his work and join me for appi's wedding for ten days. He is my good friend and I need him with me.

Sitting inside the plane I sighed waiting for my destination.

Here I come Delhi.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

After spending one and a half hour inside the plane she finally reached Delhi and booked a cab for her old home. To Ahwaan villa.

She was feeling nervous to go inside and meet everyone. She was nervous of their reaction. She was afraid that they will hate her for leaving them even when Aamina and Murat assured her they won't. She knew that it was her fault to leave them without informing but she was helpless. She knew if Taya abba gets to know about what Mustafa did then he surely would had broken all his ties with him and she didn't wanted that at all. She didn't wanted him to go through the same feeling which she went through. The feeling of being an orphan. It was her fault that she fell for him and it was his choice to marry asmara.

Taking a deep breath she gathered all her courage and walked inside her home. Everyone was sitting at the breakfast table unaware of her arrival. She didn't wanted anyone to receive her, as she didn't wanted to get used to their love again because her arrival was short and she wanted it to end as soon as possible.

Everyone was sitting at the dinning table quietly having breakfast. They all looked like robots, lifeless just like Aamina described her. She was stunned to see her family like that. Ahwaan Villa's environment seemed to be gloomy and she didn't like it at all.

"Asalaamualaikum."

She whispered softly turning everyone's gazes towards her. She was patiently waiting for their reaction but everyone was blank.

Not getting any reply and constant stares she felt nervous and started looking down. She felt rejected and started crying silently.

Few seconds later she was engulfed into a huge bone crushing hug. Looking up she found Osama who was weeping quietly hugging her, not caring about anything. He was unable to believe that she was here with them.

"I missed you fatty... I missed you like hell."

His eyes were Misty but there was a huge smile on his face and kissed her temples happy seeing her.

"I-i missed you too monkey."

She again embraced him, happy to be with her family. Again.

Few seconds later he broke the hug looking at her with a big smile and tears still streaming down his face.

"Get aside osama let us meet her too."

Came Aamina's voice who slightly pushed Osama earning a loud groan from him and embraced Maria in a warm hug.

"Welcome back sister."

Aamina patted her back giving chance to her mother who was all ready to embrace her favourite girl in her arms.

"Meri guriya....Mera bacha."

Tayi ammi embraced her tightly and kissed her forehead again and again happy with her return. Then, she moved towards her dado who was smiling brightly, spreading her arms widely, ready to embrace her.

"It's so good to see you here my child after four long years. We all missed you so much. Ahwaan villa was incomplete without you. We were incomplete without you."

"I missed you all too da..."

"No you didn't."

It was Aaqib Ahwaan who said those words cutting her in the middle and continued having his breakfast, making her chuckle at his childish behavior. She knew he was continuously looking at her when she was busy meeting the whole family and now he was pretending that he was angry with her when his misty eyes were telling another tale.

Kissing dado on her cheeks she went towards her Taya abba and sat beside him and poked his shoulder with her finger.

"Taya Abba!!"

She again tried but he was ignoring her silently having his breakfast but she took him off guard by calling him Abba instead of Taya Abba and embraced him tightly, started crying like a small child, melting his heart.

" Abba....I am sorry for leaving without informing anyone but trust me it was important for me to leave. Please forgive me. I am so sorry."

"Shhhh... Stop crying my princess... I don't know what made you leave and I am not going to force you to know the reason but let me tell you one thing our home was not home after you left. You took our happiness with you. We all missed you so much specially Mus..."

He kissed her forehead and wiped her tears which were streaming down her face.

"Stop crying everyone now she is here. We'll talk later but feed her first. She is not my fatty. Look at her she has lost so much of weight."

Osama interrupted his father in the middle, earning himself a glare from him.

"I did lost my weight and now I have became more diet conscious just like you wanted me to be. And now you want me to get fat again. Not gonna happen monkey."

Maria got horrified hearing osama. It was difficult for her to loose weight and now she didn't wanted to go back and get fat again.

"I get it but now that you are back we will feed you enough for you look like a human because you look malnourished."

Osama mocked, giving her a small smile to which she glared at him for calling her malnourished replied him

" I am fit not malnourished and dare you call me that again and I'll hit you for teasing me."

Her eyes shined teasing him. She missed fighting with him. She missed their banter.

"Okay. Okay. I'll not call you that but I will tease you and you can't stop me cause I missed it so much."

He surrendered raising his hands to which she nodded and looked towards their family who was smiling looking at them.

"Let's have breakfast now."

She nodded and sat down beside Osama not on her usual seat which Asmara took from her, which belonged to her in the past. She was thankful that he was not there otherwise she didn't knew how she would have greeted him. It would have been awkward for both of them.

She was lost in her thoughts when Osama clicked his fingers before her getting her attention.

"What happened where are you lost ? Anyways I know you must be wondering where bhaai is and why he is not here, so I must tell you that he is there at hospital. An emergency came so he left early morning but don't you worry, he will come in the evening."

I am not worried to meet him at all. Infact I am glad he is not here.

Osama informed, making her feel relieved. She was glad he was not there and he will not be there till the evening. She also wanted to know about Asmara. She wondered about her whereabouts but decided to keep her mouth shut as it was none of her business. She was here till the wedding and decided to ignore both Mustafa and Asmara as much as she could till the wedding is over.

Breakfast was busy affair as everyone was treating her royally, with love and care.

•

In the afternoon she was climbing down the stairs for lunch when she saw a little girl sitting on Aamina's lap talking with her, making her stop on her tracks.

The girl noticed her standing and asked Aamina about her, making all colour drain from her face

"Aamina phuppo yeh kaun hai ?"

Her feet got stuck hearing the little girl and she felt numb. Somehow, she managed to put on a fake smile on her face. She smiled to hide the pain which her heart was feeling. In all these four years she mastered the art of concealing her pain with smile and now was the time to put up the show.

Damn you heart. I hate you for feeling too much. Can't you be immune to all these emotions ? Your work is to pump blood, nothing else.

Aamina noticed her features she saw her fighting with her emotions and after a few moments she saw her smiling. At that time she knew her sister grew up. She has learnt to deal with pain and has mastered to hide her pain, just like she did when she lost her husband. She saw herself in Maria and it was painful for her to see her in that position but she knew her sister is a fighter, and she can fight her own battles. It was important for her to fight her battles to move on.

"Yeh Maria aunty hai aapki. Aapke baba ki cousin."

"Really!!! Baba told me about her. He said she is his little birdie just like I am his princess."

The little girl clapped smiling and ran towards Maria asking her to pick her up. Unable to say no to her innocent beautiful face Maria picked her up with a heavy heart.

"What's your name sweetie ?"

"Noor Mustafa Ahwaan."

The girl replied pricking Maria's heart. Noor could have been her daughter but it was not in her fate to be with him and she was okay with it. It was written and it could not be changed. He was Asmara's not hers but she herself didn't knew why it was bothering her so much. She prepared herself for everything before coming back but it still pained her a little.

"Nice name just like you baby."

Maria answered Noor with a genuine smile and in return she kissed her cheeks, thanking her.

"Noorie your Osama uncle is calling you."

Aamina took Noor from Maria, asking her to join Osama to which she nodded and ran towards him.

"Are you okay ?"

Aamina asked her to which Maria nodded with a small smile.

"I knew this was bound to happen and it doesn't matter what I feel or not. It can't change the fact that she is his daughter."

"She..."

"It's okay aapi I don't want to talk about anything related to him. I am okay with everything."

Maria cut her off in the middle and held her hand, taking her towards the dinning room and sat down beside Osama eating her lunch quietly.

•

"Maria....psttt.... Fatty.... Wake up, have your dinner."

Osama whispered shaking her shoulder to wake her up for dinner but she was not ready to get up, knowing she has to face Mustafa if she goes down. Maybe tommorow but not today. She was happy and she didn't wanted to spoil her happiness seeing him.

"I don't want to eat anything Osama. I just want to sleep. I am very tired."

She acted faking exhaustion waiting for osama to leave but he tried again

"Bhaai is here... We haven't told him about your arrival as we wanted to surprise him. Please come down and meet him. He will be so happy to see you."

Hearing he was here quickened her heartbeats. He was just a few steps away from her but now she didn't want to meet him, not even look at his face.

"Go away Osama. I'll meet him in the morning. Let me sleep now. Please I request you."

She pleaded Osama who sighed, leaving her alone.

At night she got up seeing her phone ring. It was Murat who was calling her. Unable to talk with him due to poor network connection, she went towards the lawn after wearing her shawl covering herself.

"I am so angry with you, dove. You forgot to call me after you had reached. I was so tensed for you."

Murat scolded her making her feel guilty of not informing him about her whereabouts.

"I am sorry. Forgive me please. It will not happen again."

"I will make sure it doesn't happen again. By the way tell me is everything fine ? Is everyone treating you well ?"

He sounded concerned about her. He knew how much nervous she was about meeting her family.

"Everything's good Murat. I am good."

She smiled recalling the day she spent with her family and how well they treated her.

"I am glad everything's fine. You know Suresh Sharma called me asking me to send you to work under him for our next project but I declined him and cancelled the deal after knowing about his playboy image. I know this could have been a big break for your career but he wasn't a good man. You don't have any problem that I declined him. Do you ?"

Murat sounded hesitant. He declined Suresh Sharma knowing his character. He didn't wanted him to harm Maria but at the same time was afraid of her response after knowing that he declined an important contract without her permission.

"I work under you Murat. And I know you'll make right decisions regarding company. You don't have to ask me about it. I know you would never wish bad for me. You are too good to wish bad for anyone."

She replied honestly making Murat smile but she was unaware of the intense dark brown eyes who were busy looking at her, hearing her conversation.

"I know I am awesome but you don't have to be so emotional about it."

Murat joked making her laugh.

"Yeah you got awesome after meeting me idiot."

"Stop taking my credits dove...."

Maria heard him talking with someone on the line, probably Rahul his assistant.

"I am so sorry but I have to go for an important meeting now... Take care. Allah Hafiz."

"It's okay... You take care if yourself too. Allah Hafiz."

She smiled cutting the call and turned to go back to her room when she looked up and froze seeing him standing two meters away from her.

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Salam everyone,

Yaaayyyy!!!!Double update. 🥳🥳

Look who's being generous.🤭

I did my work and now you all make me happy with beautiful comments, so that I would be motivated to write more.

Andd don't forget to vote.

PS. Murat above.

Till next time,

Allah Hafiz ❤️