Anaya had just stepped out of the bar with a glass of beer when someone called her, and she turned. Gabin stood at some distance and was waving at her. She gulped. Her heart began to flutter again. His man had magic in him. He began to walk towards her while she froze. He approached her and stood in front of her.

'Hi!' He greeted her as he placed his palms in his pocket.

'Where are you off to in such a hurry?' He asked. He flashed a smile and Anaya could feel weak in her knees.

'Actually—actually, Maaz sir has asked for his beer and he hates when I get late.' She replied.

'Oh!' Gabin's expressions changed, - 'You and Maaz sir are a—couple?' He sounded uncertain.

'Huh!' Anaya frowned. Gabin apologized if he had offended her but she let it go.

He checked his watch and then looked back at her, - 'There is still time for my shift. Why don't you meet me by the hotel coffee shop after you are done?' He asked and Anaya instantly agreed. He bid her good-bye and walked away. She watched him with starry eyes.

When Anaya entered Maaz's cabin he was reading a newspaper. She frowned as she had never seen Maaz reading newspapers. She ignored it and walked towards his desk.

She cleared her throat, - 'Sir!'

Maaz panicked and hurriedly stuffed the paper under his table. Anaya shook her head slightly and placed the glass of beer on his table, taking a step back.

'Sir,' – she placed strands of her hair behind her ear and spoke uncertainly, - 'Umm, I have—some work—can I go, please.' She tried to sound polite.

'Okay.' Maaz replied. He sounded like he was happy to get rid of her. Anyway, it didn't matter to her as she was glad to get rid of him too.

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Anaya hurried to the coffee shop and found Gabin sitting there. He was scrolling through his mobile. She paused for a while to admire him. Admiring him from far was something she could do forever. Quickly, she straightened and walked towards the shop but before she could reach him, her phone rang. She glanced at it and stopped in her tracks,

- 'Papa Calling!'

'Darn it!' She cursed. She glanced at Gabin with sad eyes and turned around. She had to take this call.

By the time, Anaya completed talking on the phone, she was a puddle of tears. Her father had scolded her very badly. It was for the first time in her life that her father spoke to her for more than half an hour. The entire time, he kept screaming his lungs out. Ignoring everyone, Anaya hurried to her cabin. She locked herself in her cabin and cried her eyes out. She wondered what her fault was if the paparazzi clicked photos of her. She wondered how much more humiliation she will have to take from her own parents.

She sniffed hard and wiped her nose in her handkerchief, just then her phone rang, and she flinched. She feared if it was her father again, but it wasn't. It was Maaz calling. It was a sigh of relieve.

After the phone call, she quickly gathered herself and the notepad. As she left her tiny cabin, she realized why those people were staring strangely at her. Suddenly, she felt very conscious. She kept telling herself that nothing was her fault.

Anaya entered Maaz's cabin and found him pacing restlessly. He looked at her and urgently called her in. Maaz sat on the other side of the table and asked her to dictate today's timetable. Anaya nodded and flipped through pages until she found today's schedule. She cleared her throat. She had just begun when Maaz stopped her.

'Are you okay?' He asked looking intently at her. Anaya stopped speaking and nodded. 'Then why is your voice sounding different?' He wasn't concerned about her or her voice, it was just that her voice irritated him. Maaz paused, picked up a glass of water and forwarded it to her. Anaya was surprised by his gesture.

'Don't think otherwise. It's just that your voice is annoying.' He clarified and her expressions changed. She shook her head and looked down. She opened her mouth but before she could read Maaz leaned and pulled the notepad from her grip. Anaya was taken aback. Without looking at her, - 'I will manage.' – he waved her off, - 'you leave.' She held her pen tightly and nodded. Anyway, she was relieved that she will get some time alone. She took his leave and hurriedly left the cabin. After she had gone, Maaz looked up at the closing door.

▪⎯⎯⎯∞⎯⎯⎯▪

Maaz returned home in a grumpy mood. He unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt and sleeves. As he entered the living room, he stopped in his tracks upon seeing Anaya's parents there. Worse, Rashid and Zainab were with them and judging from Rashid's deadly glare, he had a feeling that the couple had blurted something.

'Maaz, come here.' Rashid called him sternly, like those days when he used to get low marks.

He gulped and walked towards them. Rashid placed his arms behind him and turned to face his son. Maaz looked at the couple, they, especially the father was making weird faces looking at him. Then, he looked away.

'Yes, Dad.' He tried to keep his voice normal and his posture confident. Rashid took a step and Maaz found his breath getting hitched in his throat.

'What is this I am hearing, Maaz Nawab Ali?' – He paused, - 'You said there was nothing between you and Anaya then why did you give this silly statement to the media?' – Maaz's eyes widened and Zainab looked away angrily, - 'Have you no shame. Even though there was nothing, yet you defamed her in public?' Rashid blasted him. He tossed him the mobile. Maaz was stunned by reading the gossip about his interview. They added spice and minced his words. He looked at the Hussains and looked back at his father.

Maaz took a moment and then replied, - 'It is not true, Dad. Neither I am having an affair with their daughter nor I slept with her. Come on, Dad most the time I am here at home in front of you or in office. How can I sleep with her there or in front of you.' He said seriously.

'I am talking about last night.' Mr. Hussain interrupted and Maaz clenched his fist. Rashid looked at him and then placed his hands on his hips and looked at Maaz.

Maaz sighed, - 'Last night my car broke down and so I had to take shelter at her apartment. We were sleeping separately. Since my clothes were wet so I was sleeping naked. Just that.' He explained. Zainab nodded and walked towards Maaz. She placed her palm on his shoulder and looked at the Hussains with pride.

'I knew my son will never do any such thing.' – She looked menacingly at the Hussains, - 'he has class and common sense to not run behind a Middle-class girl.'

'Please keep quiet, Zainab.' Rashid interrupted angrily. Zainab made a face and quietened. Maaz was relieved his mother shut up.

Rashid turned to the Hussains, - 'See, there was a misunderstanding.' He said politely.

'Your son had said with his own mouth that he is Anaya's boyfriend. Now, he is lying to escape.' Mr. Hussain retorted angrily. Maaz held his forehead.

'Yes. If he has the guts to ruin my daughter's life, then he should have the guts to accept her.' Mr. Hussain added. All three Alis were shocked.

'What?' They said in unison.

Mr. Hussain nodded and spoke angrily, - 'My daughter was engaged to a very decent man, but your son misled her and—and—my Anaya isn't like that. Now, her engagement is over. And now, everyone in India—all our relatives will know what happened and—and, we are very decent people and because of your son's reckless behavior. This happened.' He finished and took a deep breath.

Maaz, Rashid and Zainab just gaped at the couple. After a moment of composing herself, Zainab spoke,

'What nonsense. The problem is with your daughter. She must have seduced my son. And what can he do, he is a man after all.' She said bitterly. Rashid looked sharply at her while she kept looking at the Hussains.

'No Mom,' – Maaz interrupted and everyone's gaze fell on him, - 'No one seduced anyone. Nothing happened that night. If there was a test, then I would have proved to you that I am a virgin.' Maaz was beyond irritated now.

Mr. and Mrs. Hussain blinked at him. They were speechless. Rashid sighed massaging his forehead.

'Look, Mr. and Mrs. Hussain. Being a father of a daughter, I know what you are feeling. But it was all a misunderstanding. Still, as a compensation, I will make Maaz speak to Anaya's fiancé and I, personally will take care of all these rubbish rumors. Rest assured.'

He looked seriously at them. Mr. Hussain took a moment and then said, - 'No point, Mr. Ali. Sheeraz has left.'

'So, what you want me to do?' Maaz said, frustratingly. Rashid stuck out his palm asking him to remain silent, then he looked back at the couple.

Mr. Hussain bit his lip and then said, - 'Your son should take the responsibility of what he has done,' – He paused and looked at Maaz, - 'He should marry our Anaya.'

'WHAT?' Maaz and Zainab nearly screamed. Rashid was shocked as well.

'Look, Mr. Hussain. I can understand your state of my mind, but this is not the solution.' Rashid said calmly.

'I am not ready for marriage.'

'My son won't marry that LS girl.'

'Shut up both of you.' Rashid interrupted them, and the mother-son quietened. After that Rashid spent fifteen minutes reasoning with the Hussains but Mr. Hussain was very stubborn. He kept whining about his daughter's reputation and her future. Soon, the argument became heated. Maaz had to be held by Rashid to stop him from pouncing on Mr. Hussain.

Rashid sighed, - 'If Anaya agrees to marry Maaz, then I will think about this.' He said. He sounded defeated.

'Dad.' Maaz interrupted angrily but Rashid ignored him, he also ignored Zainab and her angry threats. Mr. Hussain didn't look pleased either, but they didn't argue and simply walked out.

Once they had left, Zainab and Maaz began bombarding Rashid about his decision. But Rashid doesn't reply to them and instead left the room. Maaz and Zainab both were now terribly frustrated.

'Anaya will never say yes.' Maaz spoke confidently.

Zainab twisted her lips, - 'She will say yes, you see. Bloody gold diggers.' She commented. Maaz looked at his mother and in his heart prayed that she refuses. Somewhere he had a positive feeling.

Rashid was being sensible and relatively calmer than everyone in the lot, but these Hussains are suspicious, aren't they!?

So, guys how was the chapter? Drop your thoughts in the comments, please *smiles* *lots of love*