Episode 2: Silent Wars and Unspoken Feelings
1042 Words
Canada – The Past Walks Into the Present
The First Encounter in Three Years
The office was buzzing with morning energy—employees rushing in, papers rustling, keyboards clacking. Tara took a deep breath as she adjusted the strap of her handbag.
New beginnings. A fresh start.
That was what she had told herself before stepping into Sadiq Enterprises, Canada Branch.
But fate had other plans.
Her fingers froze mid-air as she reached for the door to her new department. On the glass wall, just a few steps away, was a nameplate that felt like a punch to the gut.
CEO – Ammar Sadiq
Her breath hitched.
And then she heard it.
A deep, familiar voice. One she hadn’t heard in three years but still haunted her dreams.
"Is there a reason you’re standing there like a statue?"
Tara turned.
And there he was.
Ammar Sadiq.
Dressed in a navy-blue suit, taller than she remembered, sharper, more powerful. He looked untouchable—except for his eyes. Those dark, piercing eyes still held something dangerous. Something she knew all too well.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The past flashed between them—the fights, the love, the night she walked away.
"Sir?" A voice interrupted.
It was Maya, one of the senior executives. Her gaze flickered between Tara and Ammar, sensing the strange tension.
Ammar’s expression changed in an instant. He turned to Maya, his voice cool and professional. "We’ll continue this later."
Tara blinked.
He wasn’t going to acknowledge her?
Not even a hello?
Fine. If he wanted to pretend, she could do it too.
She straightened, forcing herself to walk past him without a word.
But as she did, she heard it.
A quiet chuckle.
"Still stubborn, Tara," Ammar muttered under his breath, just enough for her to hear.
She stiffened.
But she didn’t turn around.
And just like that, the war had begun.
---
Haider’s Observations
A few weeks passed. The office saw Tara as a strong, confident, independent woman. She made friends easily, handled work efficiently, and kept her personal life private.
Except one person knew there was something beneath her composed exterior.
Haider.
He had known Tara from Wari Pur. He had loved her in silence. And now, here in Canada, they were colleagues.
But lately, he had noticed something strange.
Tara’s eyes lingered too long when Ammar entered a room.
Ammar’s voice carried a different edge whenever he addressed her.
It wasn’t outright hostility.
It was something deeper.
Something unresolved.
One day, Haider found Tara sitting alone in the cafeteria.
"You seem off today," he said, sitting across from her.
Tara forced a smile. "Just work stress."
Haider nodded slowly. Then, after a pause, he asked the question he had been avoiding.
"Did you know Ammar was the CEO before you joined?"
Tara’s grip on her coffee cup tightened.
For a moment, she didn’t answer.
Then she shook her head. "No. It was a coincidence."
A coincidence that had wrecked her world.
Haider studied her, his jaw clenching slightly. Ammar. Again.
---
The Corridor Encounter – Ammar Breaks the Silence
It happened when the office was nearly empty.
Tara had stayed late, finalizing a project. As she walked down the dimly lit corridor, she heard footsteps behind her.
His footsteps.
She ignored them.
But then—a strong hand caught her wrist.
She gasped, turning sharply, only to find herself pinned between Ammar and the wall.
His eyes were dark, burning with something raw.
"What are you doing, Ammar?" she whispered.
He leaned closer, his voice low but intense. "Tell me something, Tara. How is it that you’re uncomfortable with my touch when I’m the only man who’s ever touched you?"
His fingers brushed against her wrist, and she jerked her hand away as if burned.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Pain? Anger? She couldn’t tell.
"Leave me," she whispered.
Ammar didn’t move. Instead, he leaned in, his lips dangerously close to her ear.
"I was the only one who ever kissed you," he murmured.
His gaze dropped to her lips, then trailed downward.
"Here," he whispered, pointing to the spot below her ear.
"Here," his fingers brushed her collarbone.
"And here," he said softly, his hand hovering over her waist, where his touch once felt like home.
Tara’s heart pounded.
She swallowed hard and met his gaze. "That was three years ago, Ammar. Let it go."
For the first time, he looked wounded.
But he masked it quickly.
Letting out a sharp breath, he stepped back.
"You walked away, Tara," he said, his voice quieter. "Don’t act like I was the only one who lost something."
And then, he was gone.
But Haider—Haider had seen everything.
He stood at the end of the corridor, watching, listening.
And something inside him shattered.
---
The Jealousy in the Office
It didn’t take long for people to notice the tension between Ammar and Tara.
The way his voice changed when he addressed her.
The way she avoided his gaze.
And Maya, the woman who had secretly loved Ammar for years, didn’t miss it either.
"You seem close to the boss," Maya commented one day, her voice laced with fake sweetness.
Tara smiled lightly. "Not really."
"Oh? Because the way he looks at you—it’s different."
Tara’s fingers clenched around her pen. "Maybe you’re imagining things, Maya."
But Maya wasn’t.
And she wasn’t going to let Tara win.
---
The Meeting That Changed Everything
Days later, during an important meeting, a male colleague made a comment.
"Tara, you should join us for drinks. We don’t get to see this side of you."
It was harmless.
But Ammar snapped.
His voice was cold as he spoke. "Tara doesn’t need to entertain anyone outside of work."
The room fell silent.
Tara looked at him, stunned.
But Ammar wasn’t done.
He turned to her. "The file. Now."
Tara stood, grabbing the file. But when she handed it to him, his fingers brushed hers.
She jerked her hand back in shock, the file slipping from her grip.
Everyone saw it.
And then, in front of everyone, Ammar said it.
"I’m not touching you for the first time, Tara."
Silence.
Maya’s eyes widened.
Haider’s jaw clenched.
And Tara? She wanted to disappear.
- Writer
