Chapter 12: Roses.

Bushra woke up the next morning with the thought of the previous day event still trapped in her head. It had been eating her up, even made her to almost cry out of anger and regret. She regrets knowing him. He came into her life when she didn't need him, and just when she thought he came in for a positive reason, he destroyed everything. Shattered it and bleakly frolicked with her mental health.
She should've trusted her guts when it told her Mahir was bad news – but she chose to give him benefit of doubt and he gave her what she deserved. A lesson. She had received and learned from her mistake of letting him get too much comfortable with her. If she hadn't given him the face, he wouldn't find the nerve to downgrade her that way.
It was her fault – if she had known he was the one laid in the emergency room, fighting for his life, she would've left him to meet his creator that night. Maybe that would've been a huge favour for not only her, but many. How can someone be so brutal and full of himself? He was a jerk, Bushra affirmed. And if he dared try such insensitive act with her, she wouldn't let him get away with it like he always does.
She got off her bed, the thoughts of what she should've said to him instead rove around her mind. She should've told him to his face that he was dumb and childish, she should've told him how insignificant he was to her, she should've told him—
'Adda Bushra," Yasmin called out softly but she still jumped in horror. Bushra heaved a sigh of relief when she realized it was her sister. She smiled and scooped Adila away from her. 'My baby is up, how did she sleep?" she cooed, and gently squeezed her cheeks.
'You should be asking how I slept. Aunty had to step in and help me with her. She wouldn't stop crying all night." Yasmin sighed out of frustration.
'Oh c'mon… I doubt Adila would do that. She's too cute." She squeaked at the guise of the baby's round, chubby soft face. 'I'm sleeping in your room tonight then. You'll be the one to do everything all night."
Bushra beamed, her eyes still glued to the baby's face. She couldn't stop looking at her. This kind of day, where she'll hold her baby in her arms – look at the baby and call it hers. A day she's looking forward to experience. She rocked her sideways, as though she was crying.
'I wish I could hold her all day and night but I'm afraid I have work to go to." She sighed and handed her back to Yasmin.
'So…" Yasmin started. Bushra ambled towards her closet and opened it. She scanned her several blazers and skirts to choose the one she wants to wear for the day. 'So?" Bushra asked. Yasmin approached her. 'You came home late yesterday and you seemed upset. Is something bothering you?" Yasmin asked worriedly.
'Oh, yes. I was with Madina at Aldo's Restaurant." She answered quickly, avoiding Yasmin's deep stare. 'And then what?" Yasmin asked her. Bushra had to look at her. She sometimes wonders why Yasmin didn't become a Lawyer or a Journalist. 'And then what, Yasmin?" she returned the question calmly. She needn't to be upset over her sister being concerned about her mental health.
'You always play with Adila the moment you come home and settle. And when you're late and she's asleep, you come in kiss her good night." Bushra raised a brow as though she didn't understand what Yasmin was trying to say.
Yasmin tilted her head, a brow raised. 'You didn't last night!"
Bushra shrugged her shoulders. 'I… it was late and I didn't want to wake you up." She looked away and went ahead with scanning her closet. She brought out a black blazer with a white inner long sleeve shirt and a matching long skirt.
'Adda Bushra, if there's something bothering you, you can always tell me okay? Aunty is worried about you, so is Baba."
She jerked back at the statement. 'Baba is worried about me? I doubt that." She laughed it off as she moved back to her bed. She dropped the suit on her bed and made her way to her bathroom. 'Go now and give Adila a bath. I'll see you before I leave, okay?"
Yasmin heaved a sigh in defeat as she watched Bushra ambled into her bathroom. She also left to do her morning routine.
Bushra got ready in an hour and left after spending few minutes with her niece. She would've spent longer than just few minutes but Yasmin wouldn't quit asking her questions about what was bothering her.
She arrived shortly at the bank and made her way inside. The minute she walks in, the entire workers there lowered their voices, darting their attention to her. She breathed out – she was expecting that after the scene she made the previous day. She ignored the gawking eyes and murmurs, and made her way to her office.
She settles down -- her heart was thumping so hard she felt it would escape.
She took a couple of deep breaths to calm the panic. She wasn't going to let herself flattened up because of that ill- mannered man, Mahir. He did hurt her, more than she projected – but she was never going to show her softness and how distressed she was.
**
Mansur stares at Mahir unmoved by what he had told him. He wasn't staggered, it sounded just like what Mahir would do. And he was drained of it to the point where he wasn't going to bother himself to shout or show concern. Because Mahir never listens or cooperate. He barely even takes advise. He just does what he wants or what he feels like it's right.
Mansur sustained staring at him for several moments until he was sure Mahir was edgy. He rested his back on the chair as he cleared his throat. 'So, you called me and brought me out of my comfort zone just to tell me this, and you are arrogantly telling me that what you did wasn't wrong? After I have warned you not to do something thoughtless – you still did, Mahir!" Mansur told him with a tone of anger in his voice.
Mahir was never less than arrogant. If he could do half the stuff he thought he could, maybe ‘confidence' would have been a better word. It wasn't though. He'd been brought up with a belief that he was superior to everyone else by virtue of his birth. Perhaps without that he could have so many friends, heroic even, but that sneer made him the ugliest damn thing anyone from had ever seen.
'Why is everyone making it sound like a big deal? I rewarded her for her good work… so, why are you making it sound like I committed a suicide?" Mahir spoke nonchalantly. He still hasn't figured out why she'd overreact about it.
Mansur gawked his eyes at him and nodded. 'This was the exact reason why I never gave you her information at the first place, and if I had known you didn't know she was the one, I would have played it off and never told you."
Mahir looked at him quizzically. 'Can you just elaborate already." He was getting out of patience.
Mansur adjusted his sitting position as he cleared his throat. 'I am sorry to say this but you are entitled, egoistic, arrogant… what else? Bossy?" Mahir furrowed his brows at the comment. He cleared his throat and simply ignored the comment. That wasn't the first time he was hearing that from Mansur but it was the first time he felt upset about it.
'I don't know where you got the idea of people that help you always want something in return. Not all people want your money or attention or whatever you think they want from you. Especially Bushra, she did it out of kindness. She freaking did it without even knowing who the patient was but you're jumping into conclusions and making stupid decisions. Look, hear it or not, but you better go and apologize for such disrespect else, you're going to hate yourself." With that, Mansur scrambled up and walks out of Mahir's office.
Mahir stared at the door naively – if he thought about it thoroughly, maybe he shouldn't have done what he did to her, maybe he shouldn't have uttered those mind-numbing words to her. He should've known her reason for helping him first before taking a further step.
He should've at least thanked her in another way – not how he did it. Now she may hate him or liked him less. Whichever one it was, he'd try and make things better – even if it meant she wouldn't want him anywhere near her again.
He picked up his phone and made some calls before closing early and leaving the office.
The next day, Bushra was on her break and she decided to spend the hour with Madina. They had lunch together and sat to chat about nothing and everything.
'I never knew he was like this," Madina mouthed horrifically.
'I have been telling you, this guy is bad news… He's unwise and self-centred. If not, why would he think that I helped him because I wanted something in return. And he thinks that I planned everything – from being his father's account manager to the meetings, just to get close to him." Bushra got more infuriated the more she thought about it. She had so many things to say to him and if she could see him at the moment, she would've said it to his face.
'okay… calm down now. I know he messed up big time, but you see…" Madina let her words to trail off. She wasn't sure of her words when she wanted to say it out loud.
'I know what you want to say, Madina. And no! I will not give him any benefit of doubt, and I will not give him a chance to come near me ever again. I have had enough of his foolishness!" She had her eyes closed as she shrieked out of anger.
Madina heaved a sigh defeatedly. She has no right to stop Bushra from fuming over it. Yes, what he had done was unacceptable and she has the right to vent it out. But on the other hand, Bushra has no right to just sit there and insult him – in her opinion.
'Well… whatever decision you make, I will always be your best friend and stay here to support you… except you decide to murder him then I have no choice but to dump you." Both of them laughed out stridently. 'Actually, killing him has been crossing my mind lately." She smirked when the thought crossed her mind again. Just stab him with a sharp object or push him down the cliff – she wished.
They heard a soft knock at the door. Bushra looked at the door, wondering who it could be. Before she could give permission, the door swings open and the intruder walks in. Bushra furrowed her eyes as he approached them.
'Ladies. Good afternoon, Madina," he greeted as he looked at her. Madina smiled at him and nodded. She was too stunned to speak. Sadiq turns his head to Bushra. 'I bought lunch," he said softly and dropped the paper-bag on her desk. She glared at him to the food he kept on her desk. 'What are you doing here?" She questioned irritatingly. Madina nudged her with her leg but Bushra pretended as though she doesn't know what Madina was doing.
Madina got to her feet and took her handbag. She cleared her throat self-consciously. 'Okay… I'll leave you two to your thing!" She waved at Bushra and tiptoed out of the office.
The whole time, Bushra had her eyes on Sadiq, waiting for him to answer. 'Do I have to call the security on you?" She told him in an intimidating way. Sadiq wasn't moved by her attitude. He finds it attractive even – not until she vexes him.
He settled down on the seat Madina was sitting on before she left, facing her. 'I came to apologize," he started and she scoffed instantaneously. 'You have been avoiding me ever since the incident and… I feel bad about it." He bored his eyes into hers and she couldn't see a single remorse in them. 'I shouldn't have… done that to you. Please forgive me, okay?" He lowered his brows as though he was rueful.
She didn't know specifically what to be angry of – the fact that it happened weeks ago and he was just apologizing or he what he just said were all lies. She stared at him for a moment. 'Tell me exactly, what do you want from me?" She knew what his answer would be, but she still questioned him.
'I want to marry you. That's what I want from you."
They heard the sound of the knocking at the door before she could respond to his cheesy respond. Sadiq scrambled up wrathfully to open the door. With anger, he opened the door and set his eyes on a large rose bouquet greeting him.
The man walked in and dropped the gifts on her desk. Bushra looked at the man to the gifts horrifically. 'Uh – delivery for Miss. Mansur?" He said to her, more like a question. 'Y—yes, that's me. From who, if you don't mind?" She asked politely.
'From Mr. Adam. Have a nice day." He bowed his head and walked out. Her small crimson lips parted into an O shape. She looked at the bouquet and box – 'Roses," she murmured and smiled. It was her favourite. For a second, she stood quite still, staring at the roses and box.
'What is between you and this Mr. Adam? It's that stupid guy Mahir, right? So you're going to choose a stranger over your family, right? What does he possibly have that I don't?" Adam roared at her. He balled his fingers to a fist, irritation surging up inside him.
She glanced at him and eyed him from head to toe before hissing and turning her head away. She walked over to her desk and opened the box. It was filled with many varieties of chocolates, and a note on top – her heart tugged before she could read what it was written inside. With a shaky breath and trembling hand, she opened it same time she heard Sadiq blew open the door and stormed out.
‘Whatever happened was because of me. I was a fool to not see. I really repent from my heart. Let's make a brand-new start. I am so sorry. Please forgive me.'