Hired Bride

CHAPTER - 10

He wanted to kill someone.

The way Zara was silent and sad the whole time after Nikah had made it

clear to him that she wasn't happy with this nikah either.

After everyone was gone he thought to make his intentions clear to her and bring out her from the misery but the way she reacted was unexpected.

But he thought she was pitying him that's why she was angry.

He didn't want to see pity for him in anyone's eye, so he stood up and went to his room.

He wanted to cry at his cruel fate.

"Mr. Hammad Ali, I'm not going to let you do as you said. "He heard her shouting.

'This girl is never gonna act wisely.' He thought and clutched his hair in frustration.

It's been five days of their nikah. Hammad was glad that Zara didn't said or did anything stupid these past days. She used to go to her college early morning and returned in the evening.

He was busy working in his home office. After the accident he was working from home because the doctor had strictly ordered him to not use his injured leg much and to avoid walking unnecessarily, he thought to do his work from home.

He was engrossed in his file when he heard a knock and before he could say anything the door opened wide and Zara entered with a trolley.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her strictly.

"You need to have your breakfast properly so that you can take your medicines." She said and started taking out dishes on his work table, keeping

aside his files and laptop.

"What the hell Zara? Where is Ahsan?" He angrily asked about his cook.

"I sent him to his home." She calmly informed him whilst pouring orange juice in his glass.

"And why so?" Hammad was annoyed.

"Have your breakfast." She said and sat in front of him with her own plate.

He didn't want to argue with her anymore so he dug in his breakfast.

They were done with breakfast and finally she was gone.

Hammad sighed in relief and again engrossed himself in his work.

"Your medicine." Few minutes later, she again barged inside, this time without any knock.

"I will take it after I'm done with my work." He said whilst trying his best to keep his calm.

He never liked disturbance in his work and Zara was one hell of a disturbing ailments.

"You are taking it now. I've met with your doctor and he strictly said that you have to take these medicines on time, not according to your mood." She said and extended her hand with medicine towards him.

"You met my doctor? Why?" Hammad couldn't believe his ears.

"Yes."She answered with a confidence ignoring his second question.

"Why didn't you go to your college?" He asked her after taking his medicines.

"I've taken leave for a few days." She answered him whilst closing his medicine box.

"Why?" He asked her confusingly, as to why she was on leave when she doesn't need one.

"I had to rein one social animal, called husband." She mumbled under her breath.

"What?" Hammad couldn't understand her.

Ah... Ummm... I'm just tired these days. You know post wedding affect." She answered him, batting her eyelashes innocently and sprang out of his office before he could ask her anymore questions.

"Post wedding effect? I have never heard about it." Hammad shrugged his shoulder before focusing his gaze on his laptop screen.

Zara had promised herself that she will make her place in Hammad's heart.

She wanted to help him with his leg, so she met his doctor and she was happy to hear that there was ten to thirteen percent chances of him walking again, perfectly.

She promised herself to make him believe that what she feel about him wasn't any pity, it was something else. Something she would always hold upon. Something which suddenly gave her strength and confidence to face Hammad, of whom she was intimidated and scared before.

"What the hell is this Zara?" Hammad shouted from the top of his lungs.

"I can't tell about hell because I've never been there." Zara calmly replied, tugging her wild hair strand behind her ear.

"Don't act smart." Hammad pointed his finger towards her, furious at her behavior.

"I don't need to act smart. I was born smart." She again calmly replied and lit the last candle on the table.

"Zara, you are getting on my nerves." Hammad said, this time annoyed and helpless at the same time.

"That's fine if those nerves will send

helpless at the same time.

"That's fine if those nerves will send me to your heart." Zara's reply caused havoc in Hammad's head.

"What? You have been acting strange these past days because you have this stupid thing going in your head and this candle light dinner is part of it." Hammad asked her as if expecting her to deny his doubt.

"Yes, and for your kind information you don't have any right to call my genuine feelings 'stupid thing." Zara was angry now.

She has been trying for so many days to deliver her feelings with her every act but the dumb man was acting all oblivious to it. So she thought to arrange a candle light dinner and she thought he will get her point but instead of it he started to play question answer game.

"Listen Zara, you are a teenager and I should not blame you. It happens in your age. We develop sort of infatuation...." Hammad was trying to explain kindly his teenager theory when Zara stopped him on the middle of his speech.

"Hammad, what I feel for you is not infatuation neither a pity. It's more than that. I love you Hammad." Saying that she hugged him tightly.

She thought it was now or never.

"Zara, have you lost your mind?" Hammad shouted angrily and pushed her.

She stumbled back and tripped on her long dupatta and fell down, hitting her head on the corner of the table.

"Aaaaah....." A painful shriek escaped from her throat.

"Zaraaaa." Hammad came towards her as fast as he could and sat beside her.

"I'm sorry." Hammad mumbled whilst examining her forehead.

It wasn't a big injury but the way Zara was twisting her face in pain, he knew it was painful.

He called his family doctor and hours later, Zara was bandaged and now she was laying on her bed.

"I'm sorry Zara. I really didn't mean it." Hammad was ashamed of his act.

"Hammad, please leave my room." She said and turned her back towards him.

The way Hammad had pushed her away from him, she couldn't erase that moment.

It was more painful for her than the apparent injury.

She was strong willed girl, she has always been but she was scared to lose him. She was scared, she might not be able to save her marriage.

Hammad came out of her room and unintentionally, his feet moved towards the dining, where a beautiful candle light dinner was arranged.

It's been almost twenty five days of their marriage.

Zara has been acting strangely around him from almost twenty days.

She was giving him healthy food, his medicines on time. She was even bearing his mood swings without complaining.

He didn't know before that she could be that responsible and would know how to cook, clean or other household chores. He witnessed a completely different person within these twenty days, unlike her old tomboy type image.

He was confused as to why she changed so much but today's incident cleared his all confusion.

The way she hugged him and confessed her feelings, for a second he thought to embrace her back and the thought made his reflex action work and he pushed her before he loses control on his emotions.

He didn't know why that feeling arose in him because as far as he remembers, he always considered her as a small kid, even after nikah.

What happened suddenly that he thought to accept her as his wife.

There was chaos inside his head.

"Where are you going?" Hammad asked her politely when he saw her going towards the main door.

"College." She answered, without looking at him.

"You are not well Zara. You need to rest." Hammad sounded helpless.

"I'm fine and you don't have to worry about me because at the end of the day we are supposed to be strangers." She bitterly stated the truth and resumed her walk.

"We need to talk." Hammad came near her.

"About what? Divorce?" Zara was determined today to speak as harshly as possible.

"No." Hammad whispered.

"What?" Zara turned on her heel, surprised.

"Can we talk?" He asked her, ignoring her question.

She nodded and followed him to the living room.

"Zara, I have thought about it the whole night. I guess we can work on our marriage, but I still think you deserve better." Hammad was so hesitant but the last part was confidently said.

"Hammad, I love you. I can't be happy with anyone but you. What do you think? You will divorce me and I'll marry some so called perfect man and live happily ever after." She paused a little and then continued.

"I wouldn't marry anyone else. I'm married and this is my first and last marriage of my life." She stopped and breathed deeply.

"You are so stubborn." Hammad smiled making Zara giggle with happiness.

"That I am." She said confidently.

"I'm sorry for....." Hammad was about to apologize again for pushing her but Zara cut him in the middle.

"Can we just forget everything and start over again?"

Hammad nodded in agreement.

"So can we start as friends?" Hammad held out his hand.

"Of course." Zara said enthusiastically and held his hand.

Their hands perfectly fit with each other and Hammad couldn't help but notice it.

A smile broke on his lips.

Zara noticed his beautiful smile for the first and she couldn't help but think that his smile was most enchanting smile she had ever seen.

"I just can't believe, you missed so many lectures." Hammad was furious at her again.

"I was on leave and you know after that I had a head injury as well." She showed him her puppy dog eyes.

"If you fail in your upcoming test, I swear Zara I will hang you upside-down till you promise me to take your studies seriously." Hammad threatened her whilst his gaze was fixed on the paper in his hand, which showed Zara's extraordinary test performance.

"Next test is on tuesday. I can't prepare within a week." Zara informed him carelessly and plopped down on the sofa.

"Get your books now. I'll teach you." Hammad being an extraordinary

student couldn't stand Zara's lack of interest in her studies.

"I'm tired and sleepy as well. My demon class teacher had made me stand for hours and scolded me mercilessly." She whined and pressed her face on the cushion.

"Okay, sleep for an hour. I'll wake you up after an hour and you will study till you finish almost 14 percent of your whole syllabus." Hammad said and stood up.

"14 percent? Are you even serious?" Zara sprang out of the sofa in shock.

"Actually it's 14.285714286 percent and I'm more than serious. You have seven days for your test and dividing your 100 percent syllabus by seven days you have to cover 14.285714286 percent of it, on a daily basis." He said strictly and moved towards his room.

"I'm going to lock my room then sleep.

You can't bug me now." She murmured and locked herself inside her room, an evil smile playing on her lips.

"I will study only for passing marks. That is enough for me." She conversed with herself before closing her eyes.