Chapter 21: Lethal Words.

'Can you just stop pacing around and tell me what happened?" A concerned expression painted on her face as she stared at Bushra walking back and forth for a long moment. Bushra halted as she stared into the blank space to reason her thoughts.
'Last night, Mahir stopped by to talk about the wedding preparations and suddenly, Sadiq showed up – making a scene and I fired back. He wanted to punch… or slap me, I don't know. Then, Mahir blocked him and punched him instead. Before Sadiq could get up and fight back, Mahir's guards held him down. And he asked me who he was, I told him. He asked me his name and where he works – to cut things short, Sadiq has lost his job… probably his entire career because of me or Mahir… I don't freaking know." Bushra narrated the story breathlessly. She took a deep breath and exhaled.
'So, why are you getting yourself worked up? I… I don't get it?" Madina asked nonchalantly. She stares at Bushra quizzically. 'Mahir has nothing to do with Sadiq losing his job, I am very sure of that." Madina testified. Bushra laughed nervously. 'Mahir has everything to do with that, Madina. You have no idea what he's capable of. If he wasn't the one, why ask for his details? Oh Ya Allah, and I foolishly gave him the deeds… I should've known what he was going to do with it." Bushra slumped on the bed beside Madina.
Madina glared at her and hissed. 'You are the one giving Sadiq room to manipulate and mistreat you. What happened to you, Bushra? You weren't such a softy before. So what if he lost his job cause Mahir somehow got him fired? He did something unacceptable and your fiancé took care of it since you won't. What's the issue? Why are you getting yourself so worked up about it?"
Bushra heaved a sigh. Possibly, she was right. The way Mahir had warned him about getting any closer to her again, she doubts if he'd try anything funny with her again. 'Maybe you're right, Madina. I just… I just want this to be over," Bushra spoke tiredly. She had had enough of the both men. If she could find the chance to get away from reality for just a month, alone with her thoughts, her books – she'd love to have that. Just to refresh her mind.
'Mark my words, I know Mahir will take good care of you and he will never let anything or anyone hurt you. I am sure of that," Madina spoke in her soothing and assuring voice. Bushra's lips curved upwards and she nodded, feeling relieved by Madina's assurance.
'Now, let's lighten up the mood. You said he gave you how much? Have you withdrawn the money?" Madina asked, her eyes sparkled in anticipation. Bushra chuckled at her expression. Madina always acts like a puppy who had been gifted with a chew toy. 'No, I haven't yet because I am still considering whether to take it or not. The money is too much, Madina. He has already done all the furnitures and everything. The only thing I have left is to get the dresses I'm using for the Nikkah and some few things."
'The few things you're referring to are all costly, so no amount of money would be ‘too much' for my best friend's wedding…" Madina's words hang when Bushra handed the cheque to her and she read the amount written on it. 'What?!" She gasped, her eyes popping out. 'If I would list the money I've spent my whole life, I doubt if it would reach half of this money. Is this how rich the Dan-musas' are? Damn," she spoke breathlessly as she gawked at the cheque and avert her gawk to Bushra.
'Now you believe me, huh? And to him he was thinking it wouldn't be enough. I'm… I'm just going to return half of the money; I can't spend it all." She concluded. Bushra needn't to hear Madina's opinion. There wasn't any way she could spend that whole money on just a dress or two and then whatnot.
'You are not returning this money, Bushra. You must get used to this kind of lifestyle. Remember the house you're going to. Never show him that you can't handle something pintsize like this. You'd downgrade yourself." Madina advised and Bushra hesitated for a moment before nodding. The last thing she'd want was Mahir to look down on her. And she should be used to it by now. She has two sets of diamond his mother gave her. A diamond ring, the Hermes bag she couldn't stop being obsessed about. So many lavish gifts in such a brief moment.
**
'Emerald green? For your wedding day? C'mon, Adda Bushra, any color but Emerald green. It could be red, white or even baby pink." Yasmin affirmed. She raised a fine-looking wine color fabric towards Bushra. 'Look at this, it's so beautiful and it will complement your skin."
Bushra furrowed her brows as she stared at the two of them trying to go against her choice. 'What's wrong with the color I chose? It's a beautiful color and I want to wear it that day. And I am never in a million years wearing white!" She settled and picked up the emerald green fabric she chose first.
Madina shrugged her shoulders. 'It's your wedding after all," she mumbled as she settled down on a vanity stool. They've been at the boutique for about an hour just to choose the fabrics Bushra would use for the wedding Nikkah. Every color or fabric they show her, she rejects it.
'Why would you choose to wear something dark on your big day? As if it's the worst day of your life." Yasmin rarely gets dismayed over petty or even vast things. But in Bushra's case, she was somewhat aggravated by how she wouldn't let them help her or even listen to their opinion before making a choice.
'My big day, exactly. So, I have every right to choose the color I'd like to wear. And green isn't a bad color. What if I chose to wear black?" She raised her brows, looking at Yasmin for her reaction. Yasmin rolled her eyes and looked away.
'Okay look, choose the fabrics you want and let's move to the next aisle. We still have to get some accessories and drop the fabric off at the tailor's shop. It's past 2pm already." Madina looks at her wrist watch. She heaved a sigh tiredly and got to her feet to call the attention of one of the workers there.
Bushra heard her phone chimed and she fetched it from her bag to check who was calling. She hissed slightly and return it back to her bag. It was Mahir, for the numberless time that day. She has been avoiding him ever since the incident with Sadiq. She couldn't grasp why she was shunning him, but her guts were telling her she needed space from him for a while – somehow, it worked and she felt relieved to be away from him. Even though he always shows up at her work place arbitrarily.
She noticed something from the corner of her eyes. She scanned the room as if looking for someone. She felt edgy as if the room was filled with people watching her. The room was filled with chic ladies, contentedly chatting as they examine the gorgeous materials displayed there. She heaved a sigh and looked at the fabrics she chose. She gulped hard – she chose three beautiful fabrics; the first one was the emerald green which she'd wear in the morning till the wedding Fatiha, and the second one was a fine turquoise blue lace with darker shade of blue flower patterns on it. Just by the looks of it, it screamed lavishness and beauty. The last one was a pink Atamfa with golden flower patterns on it. She picked it up; it shimmers when she moved it. After the emerald green fabric, it was her second favorite, and she'd be taken to Mahir's house wearing it. A sickening feeling ran down her feet and she dropped it to the side. The thought about getting married to the man she hates the most sickens her.
How was she even going to live with him—she doesn't know. They were always on each other's throat as if they were some co-wives or two different countries having a war. She dislikes him even more after finding out about their wedding date. Why was he in a rush? Why didn't he even ask for her opinion before going ahead to plead with her father to fix the date that close. If it was up to her, she would've preferred the wedding as far as it could be. She would've loved that. Now, she was left with dealing with anxiety and panic attacks of getting married to the most overbearing man she has ever came across.
'Done choosing what you want ladies?" The worker asked politely, interrupting Bushra's deep thoughts. Bushra looks at her and smiled back. 'Yes, yes we are done with this aisle. Could you please wrap these up and show us where the accessories are?" Madina spoke courteously. The worker nodded as she smiled. 'You'll find what you're looking for in aisle 7," she responded and picked up all the fabrics they've chosen.
They moved to the Aisle and began searching for the perfect jewelries for Bushra. 'I don't think they sell gold, do they? You should wear gold for the last outfit, and diamond for the wedding Fatiha outfit, what do you think?" Yasmin suggested despite how Bushra frustrated them at the first place. Surprisingly, Bushra nodded in agreement. 'Why don't we buy one or two sets for the second outfit, call Aunty's gold vendor and wear one of the diamonds his mother gave me?" Bushra spoke, unsure if it will make sense.
'Ladies, good afternoon."
Turning quickly, her eyes locked with his, and there were no words that could sum up the intense wave of emotion.
'The latest groom in town, good afternoon," Yasmin spoke cheerfully. He took his eyes off Bushra and looked at the two ladies. They exchanged pleasantries, Bushra staring at him intensely. She knew something was off when she spotted a man with suit, and white curly wire hanging behind his ear.
'Could you excuse us for a minute please?" He implored, his eyes darted to Bushra. He gave her a sly smile, knowing she wasn't happy about his appearance.
Yasmin and Madina excused them, leaving only the two of them in the Aisle. Both entrance blocked by his guards.
She heaved a sigh as her brows draw together.
'Why are you avoiding me?"
'Why wouldn't I, after what you did to my cousin?" She spoke, as though she was waiting for him to ask her that.
'I didn't do anything horrific. What I did was a warning to him. He deserves to know what I am capable of doing. He should be grateful I didn't end his whole career." He spoke coolly, chipping away at self-confidence.
She folded her arms, looking at him in disbelief. It will never seize to amaze her of how confident he gets over doing something outrageous and act as though it was nothing. She wouldn't be astonished if she did something erroneous to him and he gets her fired also. 'What do you want now? Why are you here? You're wasting my time and I have a lot to do."
'I also have more important things to do but I chose to be here," he hollered yet calm. He despised the fact that he left all his work just to look for her and find out why she was ignoring him but she chose to act as though her time was priceless he doesn't deserve to have it. If she had known he was only being composed and easy-going with her for some untold reasons, she wouldn't be acting as if she's the most priceless woman in the world. He couldn't wait to find his factual wife and split ways with Bushra. She was a burden in his life.
'Then leave." She brush-passed him and left the Aisle. If she stayed a minute longer, it might turn into a huge fight they'd both regret – possibly she'd get embarrassed knowing they're in public but in Mahir's case, he might not care if thousands of people were watching them.
'Get back here, right now, Bushra! If you step one more foot forward, you won't like my next deed," he bellowed angrily in a thick, threatening accent.
She paused same time a livid laughter escaped her. She turned and gaped at him – the audacity he had, to think he could control her. How stupid it was of her to even think of not making a scene, even though no one was there but his two safeguards that kept a slight distance from them.
His long strides easily brought him to her, his brows were drawn together. 'Why are you behaving like a child? I am trying to make us work till after the contract expires but you're making things hard for the both of us. Do you think I really care about you? Whatever I'm doing is because I don't have a choice or I just have to. Listen closely, if you're doing all these just so I could hate you or whatever it is you have in mind. Rest your case because I will never love you, not one bit and I will never let anything come between us. Stick that in your air head and focus." He gave her a deadly look before walking away without a back glance.
Bushra stared at his retreating back, his venous words sinking into her heart and causing a stabbing pain. She hated him but for so many reasons, she was hurt by his words. His words shouldn't bother her—it shouldn't hurt as much as it does now.
She swallowed a lump that didn't bother to go away and blinked back the tears. She clenched her fist angrily. It was a game that he has brought upon himself.
From Aisle 6, she heard everything they had said and happily find her way out of the boutique as she dialed a number from her. She has finally found a way to have her revenge after what Mahir has done to her.