Once upon a time, there was a teenager who wanted to study management, get a job and live a beautiful life with her family. Love, crush and other fantasies of life never touched her, unlike all the other girls of her age. She just wanted to make her parents proud by maintaining her A+ academic scores. She was the dearest of her mother and the pride of her father. Everyone, somehow, was sure that this girl would get everything she wanted because people like her do not wait for their dreams to come true, but they work hard to convert their dreams into reality. However, one day when she came back home from school with a plan to study for the next day's exam her world was shaken. Her home sweet home was converted into a different place. She didn't get time to understand anything and she found herself going away from her home, her father and her dreams. That was the turning point in her life. The topper of the class became an average and sometimes below-average student. The dearest of teachers started losing her charm and fell into the category of least loved people. The motive of her life shifted from becoming successful to giving some relief to her mother. She had a silent desire to make a happy family with her parents and the person who would become her life partner by her parents' choice, but situations in her life gave her a clue that she wouldn't be able to achieve this dream too. Life was becoming hell for her. Dealing with her shattered girlhood, dying self-respect and destroyed dreamland wasn't enough that her mother's illness became another reason to kill her from inside. There was nothing in her life but darkness until a ray of hope bumped into her on the college premises. The person who was nothing for her still became her whole world. A person who assured her about the revival of her dream, he filled her dull dreamland with colours but never promised to bring rainbows to her real world. She was hoping and waiting for him to come one day but her dreamland was again shattered and today she was seeing the same man in front of her eyes. He was talking to a female colleague with a charming smile and small chuckles.

Is this his hobby to get girls attached to himself?

Is he flirting with her? If yes, isn't it cheating on his wife?

So what's new? Men enjoy cheating on their wives while they sit back at home waiting for them to come back and show some love. But why would men love their wives if they get flirting material everywhere?

Every man is like that only. 

Hating every man but in reality only one, she stood up with a jolt and grabbed her tab before walking towards the same man who was her dream at some point in her life. "I'm going, please check this." placing the tab in front of him she noticed the reason behind his smile and chuckles, They were watching a short telefilm on the laptop.

"Oh come on Madiha, at least take some rest today. No need to do any work." Sophia, the girl sitting with Athar told her in a friendly manner. Today the workload was less than usual, they completed their tasks before the deadline so they all were happy and free to enjoy a few hours without any worries.

"Wanna join? It's such a great comedy movie," asked Athar and Madiha rolled her eyes in her thoughts. "Thanks, but I would like to spend this extra time with my family. Parents should spend their time with kids instead of watching a worthless movie in the office." she went towards her desk after this statement, the last part was a lesson for Athar, he should go home and spend some time with his son. She knew the value of children after having many miscarriages, only she knew how many times she felt a connection between herself and the life growing inside her but every time she tolerated the pain of separation. Only she and her Almighty knew how many nights she had spent on prayer mats just to make dua for having an alive and healthy baby, either girl or boy she just wanted her kids to be alive. And now when she comes across people who already have kids but don't love them or don't give them the deserved care and time she feels enraged. 

"What happened to her? Why is she acting rude?" Sophia asked when she noticed Madiha leaving the office with another level of anger. Athar waved his hand in a careless manner  "Chhodo yaar, gusse me hogi." and clicked on the space bar to resume the movie.

(Leave it, maybe she's angry.)

"Husband se ladai kar ke aayi hai shayad, subah se gusse me bethi hui hai," Sophia muttered and Athar's smile shifted to a flat expression.

(Perhaps she has come after quarrelling with her husband, she has been sitting angrily since morning.)

"Uski personal life discuss ho gyi ho to movie dekh lo, aur agar nhi dekhni to mujhe dekhne do." This time his voice was also rude and Sophia huffed.

(If her personal life has been discussed then watch the movie, and if you don't want to then let me watch.)

"Ab tum kyu rude ho rhe ho?" Sophia asked to get a cold stare in return.

(Now why are you behaving rudely?)

"Rude nhi ho rha lekin..." he took a pause "Movie dekh lein?"

(I'm not... It's just that..) (Can we resume the movie?)

"Athar ek baat kahu?" Sophia, being a good friend of Athar asked and he paused the movie before shifting his gaze towards this girl. "Nahi, Bilkul na kaho, kyuki main jaanta hu tum kuch ulta puchhne se pehle hi ijazat leti ho."

(Athar, may I say something?)

(No, don't say anything at all, because I know you always take permission before asking something bizarre.)

"Phir to ye bhi jaante hoge ki ijazat mile ya na mile main wo baat bool hi deti hu." she raised her left brow with a smile and he sighed. 

(Then you must know that whether I get permission or not, I will say that thing.)

"Bolo." it was an order but it seemed like an angry statement.

(Say.)

"Just tell me one thing Athar, do you like Madiha or dislike her?" Sophia asked because everyone had been noticing Athar's behaviour. The man who never paid attention to any intern was taking time to correct her mistakes but at the same time, he always showed some kind of dislike towards her. Sometimes he behaved so nicely to Madiha and the very next moment he ignored her as if she never existed! His behaviour confuses people, some consider that his nice behaviour was the result of belonging to the same community but what about the reason behind his ignorance? No one knew!

"What? Neither do I like her nor dislike her... She's just a colleague I don't have to like or dislike her." Said Athar with a bit of rudeness and Sophia rolled her eyes at his reply but before she could say something both of them noticed Madiha coming back to the office. She opened the drawers of her desk one by one then checked something under the table and then under the chair but couldn't find what she was trying to get.

"What is she doing?" Sophia whispered and around the desk but Athar rolled his eyes. "Just ask her, why are you asking me?" he replied and started giving his eyes to the laptop screen which was showing the same movie but this time it wasn't sounding funny in any way. "Excuse me, can you please check if my wallet is here..." Coming towards both of them Madiha asked in a hurry and Sophia shook her head.

"Have you lost your money?" Asked Sophia but Madiha shook her head while her eyes were still searching for her wallet. "not money but my wallet, it has my metro card and Debit card." She replied and Athar shrugged.

"I haven't seen any wallet here." He muttered before resuming watching the movie without bothering to glance at Madiha while she kept searching for her wallet for the next ten minutes but found nothing. "Are you sure you left it in the office? Maybe you lost it somewhere on the road." Sophia noted a possibility and Madiha thought for a moment.

"I don't think so, I was holding my bag carefully but when I opened it in the metro station my wallet was nowhere," Madiha explained and Sophia narrowed her eyes as if she were thinking something.

"Don't worry, housekeeping will return you if it's inside the office but..."

"But what?"

"But if you lose it somewhere then block your debit card immediately and go to the police for FIR." Sophia's advice was valid but Madiha's heart was scared after listening to the world Police. For her Police directly resembled Danish and police station was another name humiliation for. How could she forget her character assassination at the police station?

Athar glanced at Madiha and shut her laptop with a jolt. "What's wrong?" asked Sophia and Athar mumbled something, both the ladies were unable to understand what he was saying but he packed his laptop and picked up other accessories. Madiha did not wait for a single moment and walked towards the exit. 

The sky was unexpectedly cloudy and dark. "Oh no," Madiha muttered and sped up towards the metro station which was a ten-minute walk from the office but the rain was faster than her. Having no umbrella she walked on the sides of the road trying her best to save herself from drenching but she failed. Instead of going to the metro station, she decided to stay under the shade of a bus stand and wait for an auto rickshaw but with every passing second only rain came at a higher speed, no auto or bus arrived. Drawing out her mobile she tried to call Mohsin but found the mobile dead due to the bath it took in the heavy rain.

"Taxiiiii..." She waved her hand to stop a taxi but it passed without stopping. By now she was feeling scared because the road was empty and the sky was full of thunderclaps. The rain was so harsh that she was completely drenched and shivering with cold. Rubbing her arms she looked at her mobile but again it was not in working condition. Meanwhile, an auto-rickshaw stopped in front of her and she looked up. 

"Aa jao." she was surprised to see Athar but how could she go with him? "Main dusri auto mein jaungi." saying that she looked away and waved her hand to an auto rickshaw that passed by her. Athar saw her for a long moment then told the driver to move ahead, and in no time he was gone leaving this woman alone in the middle of the road. 

(come.)

(I will take another auto.)

The rain was so heavy that the roads looked like a river so walking to the metro station was impossible and there was no auto or taxi available at this time. Her eyes filled with tears when fear clenched her in his arms and another bright light in the sky followed by a loud noise made her jump. A gush of cold wind hit her already-drenched frame to send chills down her spine and this time she felt her teeth shivering with god knows chilly or anxiety.

An auto came on the wrong side of the road and stopped in front of her. The passenger said nothing and just kept watching her. "Aa... Aap chale jaiye main taxi ya auto le lungi."

(Yo...You go, I will take another taxi or auto.)

"Ek anjaan taxi wale par bharosa kar sakti ho lekin mujh par nhi kar sakti?" Athar's voice came out like a whisper but she listened. There was something in his eyes that reflected the past. Madiha kept watching his face which was turning blurry due to the water present in her eyes. Rubbing her eyes with the already-drenched sleeve of her abaya and took her seat in the auto-rickshaw

(You can trust an unknown taxi driver but you can't trust me?)

Athar asked the driver to resume the drive and then looked at Madiha. "Kaha jana hai?" he asked in a hushed tone and she somehow managed to utter the name of the area but the auto driver shook his head and refused to go to that area as it was opposite to the area where Athar was going.

(where do you have to go?)

"Don't worry, main apne bhai se tumhe tumhare ghar drop kara dunga," Athar told her without waiting for a question from her side but she kept watching him without saying any words. He was the same man with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life but destiny wanted something else...

(Don't worry, I'll ask my brother to drop you at your home.)

The auto was moving at a moderate speed but Madiha's heart was racing faster than the usual pace.

"Kya ye possible hai ki koi kisi ko aese bhul jaye jese wo insaan kabhi exist hi nhi karta tha?" Her voice shivered and tears begged to arrive but she controlled herself. For a moment she wanted to tell Athar that she was the same girl with whom he used to talk for many hours but couldn't gather the courage.

(Is it possible to forget someone as if that person never existed?)

Athar kept his eyes on her niqab, only her eyes were visible but he could sense that her lips were pursed before crying. "Bhulta koi nhi hai Madam ji, bas zindagi ke halaat yaad rakhna mushkil bana dete hain." Madiha's heart skipped a beat after listening to the word 'Madam ji', he was Athar... The same Athar whom she loved somewhere deep in her heart. He called her Madam Ji, the signature word he had used for her for many years. Madiha kept watching him and her tears gave up, they fell and Athar passed his handkerchief which she grabbed and wiped her tears.

(No one forgets, Madam Ji, it's just that life's circumstances make it difficult to remember.)

For the very first time in her life, she wanted to hug this man tight and cry while telling him everything she had faced in these four years, she wanted to tell him how many times she missed him, how many times she remembered him in these years but she stopped herself.

He's married. He has a child.

He has a family. 

With this thought Madiha held back all her wishes and looked at Athar, he was looking outside not towards her. Maybe he did not want to see her.

I don't suggest you take a cab in this situation the half-hour journey ended in front of a big building and Athar paid the auto driver before gesturing for Madiha to follow him. They walked from the road to the apartment building. In covering this small distance Athar's clothes were half wet but Madiha was shivering badly due to cold winds and was completely drenched clothes.

"Athar... " she didn't follow him when he was about to take the stairs, "Hmm?"

"Mere liye cab book kar dijiye please, mera mobile geela hone se kharab ho kya hai."

(Please book a cab for me, my mobile is not working after drenching.)

"Upar aa jao, Arif chood kar aa jayega tumhe lekin is halat mein main tumhe akela nhi bhejunga." Without looking at her Athar told her and Madiha found no other way besides accepting what he was saying. 

(Come upstairs, I'll ask Aarif to drop you. I won't suggest you take a cab in this situation and go alone.)

The door was opened by a beautiful young lady who was almost the same as Madiha's age. She looked at Athar then her eyes fell on the lady in the black abaya. "Aa jao Madiha." Athar's voice was like a whisper and he looked at the lady standing in front of him.

(Come in Madiha.)

"Rosie, she's my colleague, Madiha," Athar said in a whisper, Madiha hesitated but couldn't gather words to say anything. "Help her... Give her your clothes." Saying that Athar turned towards a door but he was stopped by a voice.

"Ye wo hi Madiha hai?" asked Rosie with a pale face, her expression said that she was surprised, Athar's expression changed he clenched his jaws to suppress his anger and glared at Rosie. "Ye meri colleague hai, kapde de do use aur Arif se kehna aa ke meri baat sun le." Still glaring at Rosie Athar said in a hushed tone and walked towards a room, he slammed the door with a loud thud which was enough to make Madiha and Rosie jump at their spot.  

(Is she the same Madiha?)

(This is my colleague, give her clothes and tell Arif to come and listen to me.)

"Inka dimaag thoda kharab hai aap mind mat kijiyega, ye kabhi bhi pagal ho jate hain," Rosie told Madiha who was standing like a dummy, she slowly removed her niqab (veil) and tugged it in the side of the purse.

(His mind is a little disturbed, don't take it seriously, he goes mad any time.)

"Aap mere sath aaiye, and please be comfortable, don't hesitate. " Rosie walked towards a room followed by Madiha. She was silently seeing this beautiful lady drawing out clothes from the wardrobe then she came near Madiha and passed them to her. 

(You come with me, and please be comfortable, don't hesitate.)

"Thank you so much." Madiha smiled a little and Rosie smiled more, a small boy, who was sleeping till a few moments ago, woke up. "Mumma." his voice echoed in the room and Rosie almost ran towards him.

"Yeah, my baby?"

"Ye ayan hai na? How is he now?" it wasn't difficult for Madiha to recognise this small boy having a bandage on his head and Rosie furrowed. 

(he's ayan. Right?)

"Aapko kese pta ye Ayan hai?"

(How do you know that he's Ayan?)

"Umm... Wo... Actually... Athar..." Madiha was trying to get some words to express what she wanted to say but Rosie smiled and nodded as if she understood everything but in reality, she did not know anything. 

"Hmm... I understand... Ayan to bhai ki jaan hai. Ise ek scratch bhi lag jata hai to bhai mujhe dantne lagte hain." Rosie's words gave a big jolt to Madiha's heart. She picked her son in her arms and kissed his cheeks lovingly.

(Hmm... I understand... Ayan is bhai's dearest. If he even gets a scratch, bhai starts scolding me.)

"Bhai? Kon bhai (who bhai)?" asked Madiha with confusion and Rosie shrugged... "Athar bhai... He just loves Ayan Madly." Madiha blinked blankly. 

"What's your name?" Madiha asked in a hushed voice "Aliya,"

"But... Rosie?" Madiha muttered; confused.

"Oh... Rosie is my byname... Bhai has called me Rosie since childhood." Saying that the beautiful lady walked towards the nightstand and Madiha captured a detailed look of her. She was looking like a beautiful rose, with rosy cheeks and a pinkish-white complexion.

"You seem like a rose." Smiling wholeheartedly Madiha caressed Ayan's head and kissed his cheek.

"Go and change your clothes after taking a hot shower, otherwise you'll catch a cold," Rosie said while gesturing towards the bathroom door but she didn't know what information she had given to

Madiha.

"Madiha, come fast... Ammi will be happy to meet you, right now she's praying Namaz." Rosie left the room with this statement and Madiha took a deep breath. Was that a dream?

.....

After changing her clothes she dried her hair with a towel, tied it neatly in a bun and covered her head with the dupatta properly. With a thought of asking Athar to send her home with his brother she stepped out of the room but seeing an old yet beautiful lady she was frozen.

The old lady was also shocked to see this young woman in her home. "Madiha." the old lady muttered.

"Ammi, you know her?" Rosie asked and Madiha shivered with fear. She was the same lady whom she met at Badi Masjid. But the question was... How did she knew Madiha's name? How?

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