Arif left the country in anger.
He was only a young man when he was married to a girl who was barely nine years old. The marriage felt like a cage to him, a decision forced by family, tradition, and expectations he never accepted. Carrying resentment and guilt, Arif chose distance instead of responsibility.
Fifteen years passed.
He built a new life abroad.
A respected professor.
A calm face hiding an unsettled past.
What he never expected was this—
To meet her again.
Not in his hometown.
Not at a family gathering.
But in a foreign country… inside his own university classroom.
Arif stood at the entrance of the lecture hall, his eyes casually scanning the students. Suddenly, his gaze froze on one corner of the room.
Time stopped.
Impossible.
The girl sitting there looked exactly like the face he had tried to forget. The same eyes. The same quiet presence. For a moment, Arif wondered if his mind was playing cruel tricks on him.
Across the room, Maya was staring back at him.
She hadn't expected this either.
Out of all the universities in the world, out of all the professors—
him?
They recognized each other instantly.
Though they were cousins and had lived separate lives for years, they had seen each other's photos countless times. Distance hadn't erased familiarity.
Shock silenced them both.
Arif forced himself to breathe and started the lecture, hiding the storm raging inside him. Maya sat still, barely hearing a word, her heart pounding painfully against her chest.
When the class ended, Arif spoke in a firm, professional tone—
"Miss Maya, please meet me in the office."
The classroom erupted instantly.
"Ohhh!"
"Whaaaat?"
Professor Arif was known throughout the university. Handsome. Strict. Unapproachable. Nearly seventy percent of the female students had a crush on him. Seeing him call a single girl personally was enough to spark excitement, jokes, and jealousy all at once.
Maya felt every pair of eyes on her.
After class, she stood outside the office door for a long moment, gathering courage. If her family knew she would meet Arif like this, they might never have allowed her to come abroad.
She knocked softly.
"May I come in, sir?"
"Yes. Come in."
Inside, Arif gestured toward a chair.
"Sit."
Maya sat, uneasy and tense.
Arif removed his glasses and placed them on the desk.
"Do you recognize me?"
She answered honestly, without hesitation.
"You're the face I recognize the most in this world, Mr. Khan."
He put his glasses back on, his voice hardening.
"Why are you here?"
Maya stayed silent.
His patience snapped.
"Why did you come here?"
Her voice trembled.
"For my studies… I received a scholarship."
"Where are you staying?"
"University hostel."
Arif's tone turned final.
"From today, you'll stay at my house."
Maya froze.
The man who had abandoned everything… was now ordering her to live under his roof?
Before she could respond, his voice rose—
"Didn't you hear me?"
Fear paralyzed her. She stood up to leave, but his next words stopped her.
"No need to pack. Come as you are."
Her heart raced. This made no sense.
"I still have two more classes today…"
Arif stepped closer, his authority unmistakable.
"I'm your professor. Disobey me, and I'll make sure you fail this year."
That threat shattered her resistance.
She whispered,
"Please… I'll come."
After classes, Maya tried to leave quietly—only to crash straight into him outside.
"I told you to come with me. Where were you going?"
Caught, she lied clumsily.
"I was looking for you."
She raised her hand toward his head instinctively, but he stepped back sharply.
"Move your hand. I have no desire to die."
Her lie was exposed.
He opened the car door.
"Get in."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
"I said—get in."
Maya hesitated.
And unknowingly, stepped back into a life she had never chosen—
Yet could never escape.
To be continued…