One night with Ex-Husband

Home alone

I told you she is not what she portrays to be.

Stop it.

Denying the truth will not help you anyway, Abram.

I love her.

Does she?

I want her to be happy, even if it means I have to stay away from her.

Abram drove his car back to his apartment, "Why do you have to come back to my life, Maira?"

"Wasn't it enough that I let you go once, why are you making it difficult for me?" his trail of thoughts was interrupted by a song playing on the radio. It was the song which he sang and dedicated to Maira when he proposed to her before their wedding.

When Maira stepped into her house, she saw her father waiting for her.

"Dadda, why aren't you asleep?"

"Ah, nothing, I thought of having a warm tea with my daughter, it's been a long time that I could spend time with her," Rayan said.

"You made tea for me? Why did you? I would have made for you," Maira smiled and said.

It was one of the things her dad used to do for her and she missed them. With her divorce proceedings, there was a lot that was missing from their life. Although Maira had 4 more siblings, her parents chose to stay with her during her difficult times.

"Now, now can't I make tea for my favorite daughter?" He said.

"Don't say that in front of Rhea, she will explode," Maira said.

Meanwhile, Rayan noticed the change in Maira's clothing and he raised an eyebrow making her nervous. Maira was raised by a liberal father, however, when it comes to modesty, it was an utmost priority for him.

"Dadda, I will go and change first," she made an excuse but was stopped by Rayan.

"Maira, is there anything you want to say to your dadda?" Rayan had to stop her from running away when he saw her bandaged wrist.

"No, nothing Dadda, why do you feel like that?" she stammered.

"Look at me Maira and then say the same thing you said before."

Rayan knew when his daughter was lying and he became anxious to see her wrist. It was covered in a gauze which was unusual.

Having faced Abram sometime ago, Maira was already in emotional turmoil and now her father. In the morning she left early to avoid her parent's gaze but now she was in front of her father's scrutinizing eyes.

"Dadda, it's just a small scratch, nothing serious."

"Okay, go, and change. I will warm the tea."

Just like her mother, doesn't want to share her pain, Rayan thought.

Maira made sure to wear a full sleeve loose t-shirt and her pajamas. While they were sipping tea Maira kept glancing at her father who was lost in his thoughts.

"Dadda, you ok? You look lost," Maira breaks the silence.

"Maira, you know that you are our favorite child, never said no to us, even when we arranged a marriage for you, unlike your siblings who had a love marriage."

"Yes, I know, you always love me more."

"Rhea is expecting," Rayyan said.

Rhea was Maira's younger sister who got married last year and stays in a different city, unlike her other sisters. Being rebellious of all, she never takes no for an answer.

"Oh my God, that's so great. I am so happy," Maira squealed with excitement.

"You won't be too happy when you hear the other part of the conversation," Rayan said.

"Which is?"

"She wants us to stay with her since it's her first delivery," Rayan revealed.

"Oh!," was all Maira said.

Rayan was looking at his daughter's face for her reply. Since both of his daughters were going through a hard time, it was difficult for him to choose between them. Observing her father's uneasiness over her silence, she said, "It's ok dadda, you stayed with me for 2 years, you even missed out preparing for Rhea's wedding for me. I can't make you stay with me knowing well that she is pregnant. You should go to her and also it's just for a few months' '.

When Rayan noticed a genuine smile on his daughter's face, he realized she was confident to stay alone. He was surprised to see her confidence, but his smile vanished when his gaze fell on her wrist. Maira followed his gaze and understood what her father would be thinking.

"Dadda, you always tell me, we fall so that we can rise again, I'd my share of fall, now it's time for me to rise. I won't disappoint you."

"That's my baby girl, we're always there for you."

"I know," with that, she hugged her father for long knowing well that it will be long when she can hug him again.

Maira had to take 1 week of leaves to help her parents with packing and also dropping them at her sister's place since Rhea demanded her to come along with her parents and stay with her in her happy times.

"You seem to change," Rhea said while walking towards Maira, who was busy in the kitchen.

" What? Am I looking fat?" Maira jokes.

"You wish, even if you eat a complete turkey you would not gain even an ounce of weight," Rhea mocked her sister.

"You sure to stay alone since being the most obedient child, you never stay away from Mum and Dadda except for your...," Rhea stopped and mentally slapped herself for reminding Maira of her marriage.

"You know Rhea, dadda loves me more than you," Maira said while diverting the topic.

"What!," she roared." Did Dadda tell you that himself?"

"Why don't you ask Dadda," Maira grinned, looking at her sister's flushed face. With that Rhea started throwing her tantrums while Maira was enjoying her father's pitiful appearance.

"My, my look who's back," Sharon smirked when Maira came back to the office.

"Well, someone was restless in your absence," Sharon added while filing her nails.

"Who?" Maira asked.

Before Sharon could reply, Maira was notified to meet Abram. "Think of the devil," Sharon snorted.

"What does he want with me in the early hours?"Maira was already annoyed with the travel.

"Mr. Ali, you were looking for me," Maira said when she entered the cabin.

Today she was wearing a maroon top with black pants, her hair loosely pinned mid of her head. Her diamond studs sparkling and branded watch. Everything about her was beautiful.

Abram was mesmerized by her, but masked his emotions and said, "Ms. Noor, good morning to you too."

Asshole, she cursed.

"Thank you," Abram said again. Maira was confused about whether he said thank you as a continuation to his speech or he heard her calling him an asshole.

"Good morning, Mr. Ali, now, do you have something for me, or I can leave?" Maira said with no emotions.

"You seem to be in a hurry, did I disturb your meeting with someone special?" Abram smirked at her uneasiness.

Maira was fuming, having to meet him when all she was trying to do was to be invisible to him. While Abram thought she was eager to meet Elijah.

"No Sir, unless you want to chit chat with me, I can stay here for all-day," she replied with a mock smile.

"Even if I had to I won't waste my time chit-chatting with you, now get your laptop and finish your work."

"Excuse me? Which work?" Maira said with a frown.

"Before you took your unplanned leave, you were supposed to create a report for me. I must say I am disappointed with your commitments," Abram said while stressing on commitment.

"Mr. Ali, as far as I remembered, you asked me to get out of your cabin, how does that make me guilty of unfinished work?" Maira retorted.

Her heart skips a beat when she sees Abram smiling, deepening his dimples.

Focus Maira, Focus

"Well, you were supposed to inform us that you won't be coming for a week, Is that my problem?" Abram replied with a smirk.

Asshole. Maira was glaring at him.

"You should learn new words, don't you get bored of using the same word?"

Maira chose to ignore him and said, "I was on a leave, not the entire team, you could have asked someone else to create the report, and as far as I remembered you said it was urgent."

"Looks like Ms. Noor is the boss and not the other way round," Abram was losing his composure on her retaliation.

She never used to argue before, he thought.

"I'll get going then and email you the report before lunch," Maira felt the conversation was going nowhere and it's just a report, she'll get it done and probably he'll stop pestering her.

"Ms. Noor this will be my first and last time informing you, just follow the damn orders. You will be working with me in the cabin" with that, he waves her off.

She is getting on my nerves, what's the big deal to just sit with me and finish a damn report, Abram was fuming.