Hooreen also came out and, smiling, addressed Kayan in her mind:
"You are very clever, Kayan. You wanted to make me say what I am to you or what is in my heart...? But I am also your wife; I won't say it that easily either...!"
Seeing her smiling set Natasha on fire. She couldn't help but ask:
"What did Sir say that has you smiling so much...?"
Hooreen looked at her and spoke tauntingly:
"Sir is saying you can come to the office as you please; no one will say anything to you. And anyone who questions you, send them to me. So Natasha, should I send you to Sir? You can ask him yourself...!"
At this, the color drained from Natasha's face. She immediately spoke:
"No, no... why would I ask you any questions? And you come whenever you want. What is it to me? I'm going, there's lots of work...!"
Saying this, she immediately ran away while Hooreen burst out laughing. Kayan, standing by the office window, also heard her words. He smiled as well as being surprised by her answer. He also understood why Hooreen hadn't said anything. He spoke to himself:
"You're messing with me, wifey... playing games with me. But perhaps you don't realize that no one can beat me in anything. And where it concerns you, even the impossible becomes possible for me. You just get ready to express your love...!"
Mr. Jilani had built a special cabin for her right next to his office, with a shared window between them. Sitting in her chair, she could easily see Kayan working, and he could see her. She had been staring at Kayan intently for a continuous two hours while he worked on his laptop. He had been feeling Hooreen's gaze on him for a long time—she had abandoned all her work and was looking at him with complete absorption. He was becoming extremely disturbed by her staring; he felt that if she continued for a few more moments, he would forget everything, pull her into his arms, and commit some act of audacity. Therefore, he called her via the intercom and spoke in a cold tone when she picked up.
"Will you please stop staring at me and focus on your work...?"
"Why does it matter to you if an employee looks at you...? And even if it does matter, what should I do...?"
At her bold reply, he remained silent for a few seconds, but he was Kayan after all. To tease Hooreen, he kept his tone serious and spoke meaningfully:
"You don't do anything. I'll come to you, and then you can look at me to your heart's content. But when I do something, it will definitely matter to you, and it will matter quite a lot."
"You know what I mean to say...!"
Hearing his words, Hooreen's heartbeat began to race, to which Kayan spoke again:
"Your heart is racing just by hearing my words; what will happen to you when I actually do something...?"
"You...!"
Trying to compose herself, she could only manage that much because she was unable to speak further. Kayan's worshipping gaze was fixed on her. She now realized what it feels like when someone who loves you stares at you continuously. Kayan had only looked at her for two minutes, and her condition was already faltering.
"Me, what...?"
"I don't even want to talk to you...!"
When she couldn't come up with a retort, she hung up the phone, grabbed her bag, and immediately left for home. Meanwhile, he burst into a loud laugh.
She was waiting for a car outside the office when a car stopped near her. Kayan stepped out, approached her, and said:
"Come, let me drop you home."
Looking at him, she spoke with annoyance:
"I don't want to go anywhere with you. Just go now, the same way you left me this morning."
Suppressing a smile at her words, he spoke:
"Fine, as you wish...!"
Having said his piece, he started to move forward but stopped when his name was called.
Natasha had left the office to go home. Seeing Kayan standing near Hooreen outside, she felt a fire of jealousy within her. Putting a smile on her face as she saw him walking away, she called out to Kayan.
"Kayan Sir...!"
He stopped in his tracks. Natasha approached him and said:
"Sir, the driver isn't coming to pick me up today, and my mother isn't feeling well, so I have to get home urgently. Will you please drop me...?"
Kayan was about to give her a piece of his mind—firstly for calling him by his name, and secondly for asking for a ride—but he went quiet upon hearing about her mother's health. No matter how he was, he was somewhat sensitive in such matters. Meanwhile, hearing Natasha's blatant lie, Hooreen looked at her with surprise and anger because just a while ago, Natasha was telling her friends that her mother wasn't home and had gone to a function at her sister's place. Hooreen understood exactly what Natasha was trying to do. She continued to glare at her in anger.
Kayan took his phone out of his pocket to call the driver and ask him to drop Natasha home, but seeing the anger on Hooreen's face, he put the phone back in his coat pocket and spoke:
"Fine, come, I'll drop you."
Hearing this, Natasha was overjoyed, while this time Hooreen looked at Kayan with anger and disbelief as he ignored her and sat in the car. Natasha opened the front door. Before Kayan could forbid her and send her to the back, or before she could sit down, Hooreen rushed in and sat in the front seat. Natasha stood there stunned, holding the car door. Kayan was also shocked because he hadn't expected Hooreen to do such a thing. Natasha spoke angrily:
"What is this misbehavior, Hooreen? I was about to sit here. Get up from here!"
Kayan found Natasha's tone with Hooreen very offensive and restrained himself with great difficulty. Hooreen, putting a heart-burning smile on her face while looking at Natasha, spoke:
"What misbehavior...? I am only doing what Jilani Sir said—that Kayan will drop me off and pick me up every day. Anyway, I am already sitting here; this is my place, you are late."
Kayan looked at her in amazement at her reply. A smile appeared on his face, which he hid with great skill. Natasha had no other choice; she just wanted to go with Kayan. Therefore, stomping her feet in anger, she sat in the back because she could neither do nor say anything in front of Kayan. As soon as they were seated, he drove the car forward.
"Kayan Sir, by the way, how long do you intend to stay in Karachi...?"
"As long as I am here, she is also here...!"
Hooreen answered in his place. Kayan was thoroughly impressed. This was not the Hooreen who used to stay scared and quiet; she had changed a lot, and Kayan was loving it. This was all new to him and a source of happiness—that his Hoor was claiming her right over him and getting jealous. This style of a beloved is the most unique and a source of peace.
At her answer, Natasha spoke in a surprised tone:
"Meaning...?"
Turning toward her and looking at her, she said:
"Meaning, you won't understand... You tell me, when did your mother return from the function...? Because half an hour ago, you were saying you are alone at home today and your mother is in Lahore at your aunt's house...!"
She was flustered by the question, while Kayan also understood the whole situation. He cast an angry glance at her through the rearview mirror. She spoke, stammering:
"That... her health got bad there... so that's why she is coming back home now...!"
Silence prevailed in the car for a while, after which Natasha addressed Kayan again.
"Sir, when are you getting married...?"
Kayan was furious at her absurd and personal question. He hadn't given any employee enough freedom to talk about irrelevant things, and here Natasha was questioning him. He was about to give a harsh reply but stopped when he saw the smile on Hooreen's face. Putting a smile on his own face, he spoke:
"I will share this good news with everyone very soon!"
Hooreen wanted to know what Kayan's answer would be, and she also knew that Natasha was in for it now, but contrary to that, seeing Kayan smile and reply made her turn red with rage. He was enjoying all of this; he didn't know that his talking to another girl like this could bring Hooreen even closer to him.
Natasha kept talking to Kayan throughout the journey, and Kayan laughed and replied to her words. Hooreen had been enduring it for a long time, but when it became unbearable, she played songs and turned the volume to full. Natasha was forced to fall silent. Kayan burst out laughing at this act, at which Hooreen glared at him as if to eat him alive, because she thought he was laughing at something Natasha said, while in reality, he was laughing at his wife's antics.
When they reached home after dropping Natasha, Hooreen got out of the car without a word, slammed the car door hard, and went to her room. Meanwhile, Kayan was doubled over with laughter. He had understood how he would make Hooreen express her love. Just as Hooreen was his weakness, he was also hers. This was exactly what he wanted to see in Hooreen—that she speaks, fights, and raises her voice for her rights. That she doesn't let anyone take what is hers. That she doesn't live in fear of anyone but faces every kind of situation.
Kayan had to go to Islamabad for two days for a meeting. He was so busy with work that he didn't call Hooreen, nor did they speak. Hooreen called him two or three times, but since he was busy, he couldn't pick up, so later she didn't call out of anger. He returned today and was quite exhausted because he had been working continuously for two days without sleep, so he went straight to his room. When Hooreen saw him arriving, a smile spread across her face, but she felt hurt and angry that he went to his room without even looking at her. She followed him and began waiting for him because he was taking a shower. When he came out, he found Hooreen waiting for him. Seeing her, his withered face lit up. At that moment, he wanted to gather Hooreen into his arms because she was his peace, but this time he didn't want to impose his will on her. He wanted her to come to him of her own accord, which seemed impossible right now. Therefore, he became irritable and thought it best to ignore her. If he didn't, he would be compelled by his heart to commit some audacity, and Hoor would distance herself from him. But his ignoring her was very offensive to Hooreen. She stepped in front of him and spoke:
"Where were you...???? You didn't even pick up my call or inform me...!"
Ignoring her, he began drying his hair with a towel. She spoke again:
"Kayan, I am asking you something! And why did Natasha go with you...? You could have taken anyone; why did you take her?"
Kayan gave no answer. He was shocked to hear that his wife was doubting him. He remained silent as he was in no mood for an argument. Hooreen called him again, but receiving no response from him, she began to lose her mind with anger. She picked up a knife from the fruit basket and made a large cut on the palm of her left hand. He was jolted by this act and, leaving everything, rushed toward her. There were tears in his eyes while she was smiling. She had become addicted to Kayan, to his love, and to the madness of his passion, and that was why she couldn't tolerate Kayan ignoring her. She was smiling at having regained Kayan's attention.
"Hoor...!"
Blood was flowing like water from her palm. Seeing this, Kayan was panicking. He immediately placed his nearby shirt over it and then began bandaging her wound. He, who kept everyone bowed before him, was now sitting on the carpet near Hooreen's knees with moist eyes and pressed lips, bandaging her. Then she leaned a bit closer to him and spoke:
"What is mine is only mine. I will not share it with anyone."
He said nothing at her clear confession. After bandaging her, he went toward his room without a word. Before leaving, Kayan just cast one look at her. What was not in his eyes? Grief, anger, strangeness, disbelief... That single look made Hooreen realize what a huge mistake she had made. But now the time had passed; she had harmed herself, for which Kayan would never forgive her. Earlier, they were both pretending to be angry to tease each other, but now the matter had become very serious. By harming herself, she had truly made Kayan angry and had also hurt him. If she had done this, then she was the one who had to win him back now.