•••

Ambling around the living room, lost in her thoughts, Hafsa Siddique once again dialled his number and the put the phone on her ear. The voice of the caller girl came from the other side, informing that the number she is dialling is switched off. Taking a deep breath in, Hafsa sat on the sofa.

Where are you? She asked in her heart, as she again looked at the wall clock. It was past midnight and he has still not returned from office.

He has never been this careless before. Whenever he had to work late, he would at least msg her. But today, no msg from his side came, nor he is receiving her calls. Hafsa was now apprehensive, all the horrible thoughts starting making place in her mind. She didn't want to think anything bad happens to him but her thoughts were getting as grimy as the night.

"Ma'am! I've found it." Maid's voice startled her.

"What?" Taking her hand away from her temple, Hafsa stood up, and asked.

"Your earring. It was laying near the shelf." The maid showed her the small golden, diamond-studded earning.

Hafsa checked her left ear. True, her earring was missing. She took it from the maid and again wore it.

"Oh and heat the food again then you can go, I'll do other thing by myself." When Hafsa saw the Maid was still standing there, she understood her hesitancy, and told her.

Nodding her head, the maid left.

Hafsa once again sat down on the sofa, and picked a magazine from the coffee table to distract herself from negative thoughts. But she couldn't focus on it.

Her heart was anxious in his thoughts.

•••

The sound of the doorbell woke her up from her slumber, she quickly ran towards the main door.

"Assalam-Alaikum!" There was he, Daniyal Malik, the reason behind her restlessness. Hafsa took a relief breath out when saw him perfectly fine.

"Walekum-Assalam!" Slowly, she answered and stand aside to let him enter.

But when he entered, she breathed in a strong fragrance that wasn't his. In the eight years of their marriage, Hafsa knows his smell very well, he only uses forest spice, and it was definitely not that. The fragrance was something feminine. Like the mixture of jasmine and roses.

In her thoughts, Hafsa didn't notice when Daniyal already left for their room.

What I am thinking. Scolding herself, Hafsa removed all the qualms from her mind and also left.

•••

"Um, Dinner?" When Hafsa entered their room, she saw him already changed and comfortable in the bed, which made her questioned.

"Have you ate?" In return, Daniyal asked her.

"I never eat without you" She reminded him with a sullen face.

How could he forget that? He knows very well that she only eats when he is present at the table.

"Then come, let's eat together." Getting down from the bed, Daniyal held her hand in his, and said.

Although, Hafsa was starving, but it died when she saw Daniyal wasn't hungry. He was playing with his food rather than eating. she understood that he must have eaten something in the office, he was a dining table just for her. This thought made her more upset.

These days, he was acting unsual.

When they returned to their room, Hafsa went to changing room to put something comfortable. Before changing her dress Hafsa looked at herself one last time, she was wearing a long white frock churidaar with golden embroidery and a simple organza dupatta.

White wasn't her favorite color, she hated wearing white or any other light shade color. She used to think it never suits her pinkish pale skin. But one week after their marriage, they had to go to a business party and Daniyal picked her to outfit. It was a white saree with red embroidery and a red blouse.

"White will really suit you." She still remembers his words. From that day she started buying more white clothes.

After her marriage, she has literally done anything to everything to make herself according to his likeness.

Shaking her head, she changes into a comfortable purple-colored nightgown.

"Didn't you work enough in the office?" Hafsa asked when she saw Daniyal was still up and working on his laptop.

"I'm sorry actually it was... Forget it, I'll do it in the study room. You must be getting disturbed by the keyboard noise and its light." Daniyal was telling her then shook his head, removing the comforter away from him, he was about to get up.

"I didn't say that." Said Hafsa, irritatedly as she lay down, her back facing Daniyal,

A soft smile fall on his face, as he shut his laptop and put it on the side table.

He also lay down, and put his hand on Hafsa's waist. He was tired, that's why he falls asleep instantly.

Feeling his tender breath on her neck, Hafsa turned to him. It has become one of her habits to look at his sleeping face. At that moment, Hafsa forgets everything. Like how restless he made her just an hour ago.

•••

The rays of the sun fall on her face, enhancing her beauty with its gleam as she stirred in her sleep. Turning to her left side, Hafsa hug the comforter more close her and reaches her arm out to hold Daniyal. But found his side of the bed empty.

Opening her eyes, she looked around to find him, but he was nowhere.

He must have left for his morning exercise. Thinking this, she sat up and put her long brown hair in a bun.

Today, she has to go to the office. There was an important meeting which she couldn't miss.

•••

"Huzaifa, Ayaan, Wake up." After getting ready, Hafsa went to her sons' room and shook their shoulder.

"Hmm, Mamma, please." Her Five-year-old son, Ayaan mumbled, and hide his face in his pillow.

"What, Mamma, Please? Get up, you'll get late for your school... Huzaifa, wake up." Lightly slapping Ayaan's back, Hafsa went to Huzaifa's bed and shook him too.

Huzaifa was seven years old. He woke up by his mother's shake, though still confused as he looked around and rubbed his eyes.

Hafsa laughed at his cuteness and brushed his messy hair with her hands. "Good morning," She kissed his head.

"Ayaan, get up, look Bhai has woken up." Then she again turned to her other son. It was really difficult to wake Ayaan up.

Exactly after one hour, they all were at the dining table.

"Are you sure you'll come to the office today?" Daniyal asked when she was serving him tea.

"I can not miss the board meeting, but I won't stay for long too. There is PTM at Huzaifa and Ayaan's school." Sitting on the chair, she told him and filled her bowl with milk.

Nodding his head, Daniyal focuses on his breakfast.

•••

The board meeting was done. Now, Hafsa was putting her phone in her bag and was about to leave when her P.A came there.

"Ma'am, here is the schedule of Mr. Affandi's meeting." Her assistant gave her some files and told her.

"Mr. Affandi's meeting? But wasn't that supposed to be done yesterday? Daniyal sir was in charge of it." Taking it from her, Hafsa asked.

"Sir left the office early yesterday." Her assistant informed Hafsa.

Left early? But he came home around 11:40pm, where was he yesterday? She asked herself

"Okay fine, I'll manage this meeting." Hafsa dismisses her assistant.

Her assistant left her alone, as Hafsa sat on her chair and looked at the file. But her mind wasn't on the file. She was thinking about her husband.

If he wasn't at the office then where was he yesterday?

Maybe he met his old friends so he was with them. This voice belongs to her heart, which never listens to any word against Daniyal.

But he is not that careless type of person who goes out with their friends and forgot their family. This was the sensible part of her mind, which was thinking with facts and points.

Nor he has any relatives or family member where he can go. This made Hafsa's head hurt, as she shut the file and slammed it on the table.

Hafsa didn't want to doubt him, but his action from last few months were making her.

•••

In the evening~

Hafsa was helping Huzaifa and Ayaan with their homework.

When Huzaifa was born, Hafsa took break from office because she didn't want to give her son to the maids' hand, as she doesn't trust them with her son. But after Ayaan started going to school, she again joined her office, only during their school hours. When their school ends, she also comes back home.

"Mamma, I'm hungry..." After Huzaifa completed his homework, he complained.

"I'll make something for you both, and you? Complete your maths homework before I'll come." Hafsa, who was checking Ayaan's notebook, nods her head and was about to get up, but not before telling Ayaan to complete his homework.

"I wanna eat at McDonald's. Can we go there?" Huzaifa again asked.

"Yes please! And I'm done." Ayaan said, showing Hafsa his notebook.

•••

"Mamma, do something to my hair." Hafsa was buttoning up Ayaan's shirt when Huzaifa said from behind

"Just leave it that way, beta. You know it suits you." Hafsa didn't glance at him, as she was busy with the buttons of Ayaan's shirt.

"But I don't like it that way." Sulking, Huzaifa said and sat on his bed.

"Huzaifa, it really suits, your hair is just like your father's." Turning to her eldest son, Hafsa tried to pacify him.

True, Huzaifa inherited his father's messy hair. It never got set no matter how much hair spray or gel he uses. While Ayaan had Hafsa's soft brown hair and hazel eyes.

"Don't be sad, Bhai, we are going to McDonald's" Said Ayaan throws his hands in the air in excitement.

"Yes, Bhai, don't be sad, we are going to McDonald's." Hafsa laughed a little and said in a baby voice, pinching Huzaifa's chubby cheek. A soft grin falls on Huzaifa's face.

•••

A soft rush of wind brushes her hair as it sways on her slender back. Unconsciously, she put it behind her ear, Hafsa was strolling around the lawn barefoot, the cold grass beneath her feet was giving her chills and it would have brought peace to her at any part of the day, as it was her therapy things. But not today.

Today, her mind couldn't find any peace.

"Hafsa! How are you?" When they were returning, in the parking lot, she ran into Khirad.

"Khirad? I'm fine, how are you?" Hafsa faked a smile and asked. Khirad was her distant relative, who Hafsa didn't like that much.

"Main bhi theek hi hoon. Bas Allah ka shukar hai. Par tum dono miya biwi ka kya hai?" Khirab pinched Huzaifa's cheek and asked, laughingly. Ayaan quickly hides his cheeks with his palm.

Her question made Hafsa confused as her brows knitted.

"Dono akele akele ghoomte ho? Kabhi ek dusre ke sath nahi dikhte?" Khirad understood her silent question and elucidated.

"Huh! Matlab?" Asked Hafsa, still being confused.

"I saw him yesterday in the city center Mall, he was with some girl that I thought was you. But when I went near I didn't recognize, her maybe she was his cousin or something, so I didn't stop to say hello to Daniyal." Khirad told her.

Daniyal didn't had any cousin, or any relative for the matter of fact. Then with whom he was at the mall? Whom did Khirad saw him with? Who was that girl?

Was Daniyal hiding something from her?

That night, he came late and said it was office work when in reality he left the office early that evening. Where was he that evening?

Many questions came in her mind, but answer was none.

And who was that girl Khirad saw him with?

Was Khirad telling truth? Hafsa asked herself.

No! Of course not, Hafsa knows Khirad very well. Khirad was the kind of girl who loves talking about unnecessary things and spreading rumors was her hobby. That's why Hafsa never got along with her.

Hafsa heart was really stubborn, or maybe madly in love, it never listens anything against Daniyal.

Maybe Khirad had mistaken someone else as Daniyal and now just wanted to see some drama in Hafsa's life.

Hafsa was arguing with her own self, she didn't know when Daniyal came there in the lawn and bumped into him.

"I'm so sorry! are you okay?" Daniyal holds her hand, helping her to maintain her balance, and asked.

"Huh? Yea, I'm fine." Hafsa was first confused, then composed herself and said.

"You came early today?" Tucking her hair locks behind her ear, she inquired.

"We have to go to Shafiq's daughter's nikkah, Remember?" How Hafsa wished he has said he came earlier to spend time with her, but he never does that.

"Yeah! It completely slipped away from my mind." Hafsa lightly smacked her forehead.

Shafiq was their old driver whose daughter's nikkah was today.

•••

Hafsa father has always taught her never think of anyone as inferior, everyone is equal and everyone should be treated with respect. When he was alive, he used to attend his employees' functions or weddings, he always treated his employees as a second family, that's the nature of her father's Hafsa got. And she was lucky that Daniyal thinking was the same as her father's

•••

When Hafsa was removing hairpins from her hair, she feels Daniyal's gaze at her, turning to the bed to look at him, she found him busy in t.v, watching highlights of a cricket match. Feeling disheartened, she again turns to mirror.

Her long and silky hair was free from hairpins, picking her hairbrush, she started untangling them.

Today, she looked breathtaking in her pink churidaar frock and everyone complimented her. But the person whom compliment she wanted didn't.

Before leaving, she did go in front of him and asked for his opinion, on which, Daniyal just nods his head after sparing a single glance at her, he was busy on his phone.

But even if he wasn't on his phone, he wouldn't have complimented her. He never had.

From a very young age, Hafsa started receiving praises from everyone, whether it was her beauty or her intelligence. She also started receiving marriage proposals from an early age. Even when she is married now, and a mother of two, people were never getting tired of praising her.

But she didn't want people's compliments, she only wants her husband, who was her everything, to adore her. But it never happened.

It wasn't like Daniyal doesn't respect her, or treat her bitterly. In fact, he was very nice and kind. In the eight years of their marriage, he had never once raised his voice on her, they rarely had any kind of argument. He would always agree with her wish. But still, there was some kind of hesitation from his side.

•••

"Hafsa! Hafsa!" Hafsa was peacefully sleeping when someone pats her shoulder to wake her up.

Slowly, she opens her eyes and saw Daniyal leaning towards her. Startling at the fact that he woke up before her, Hafsa tried to sit up but felt dizzy as she held her forehead and leaned on the headboard of the bed.

"Are you okay?" This made Daniyal sat down and asked her while holding her hand.

Hafsa has opened her lips to speak when Daniyal asked. "You have fever?" Her hand felt like its burning against his cold palm.

Taking his free hand to her forehead, he checked her temperature.

"It's nothing, I am fine.." Hafsa tried to protest but Daniyal silenced her.