Chapter 29: The Architect.

Love has never tempted him? Love was a liability to him?
It was the thought of the day. It has been hunting Bushra the whole day she was at work.
What does he mean by that? Women are a liability? She was a liability? Or was he trying to inform her he'd never fall for her.
Her facial expression grew long. She hissed faintly, resting her back on her office chair. She has been at work for 6 hours now and she hasn't done anything beneficial. She couldn't think straight – everything reminded her of him. And it was all due to those words he had uttered.
She should be happy about it, right? She didn't want to have anything come between them of such at the first place.
Bushra took a deep breath—it was something she shouldn't have bothered herself at the first place. But she couldn't prevent herself from not worrying. She didn't know how, but he was someone you would worry about, no matter how much you despise him.
'I have been standing by the door for about 3 or 5 minutes, knocking but you didn't answer," he said to her as he walked in. Bushra snaps her head up and heaved a sigh immediately. It was a sigh of relieve—he scared her and she breathes out the fear to get some release from the terror. If anything, she wasn't happy with his unannounced visits.
What if Mahir randomly shows up in her office?
'Muhammad, what a surprise. Please sit," she said, offering him a seat. He dropped the paper bags he brought along on her desk and settled down. 'I bought lunch, hope you're hungry—" she watched as his mouth move while he brought out the takeaways from the bags.
Imagine if her husband just walked in now – seeing them together, having lunch. Like nothing—just eating and sharing emotions. How would Muhammad react when he finds out she's married? How would Mahir react when he finds out she's still seeing Muhammad after warning her. She didn't care that he'd find out—she was more worried about Muhammad.
They specifically agreed to see other people—but he was now against it, after signing a contract!
'Bushra," he calls out worriedly. 'Is everything okay? You have been off these days. I bought all of this to cheer you up," he told her—his face chock-full with anxiety. He fell hopelessly in love with her the minute he set his eyes on her. In his eyes, her beauty is beyond compare. She's the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. She's the woman he wants to have babies with. She's the woman he wants to grow old with. He loves her today, tomorrow and for eternity.
'If it's because I told you I wanted to meet your parents, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know it's too early but I just can't risk losing you and I want to make things official without wasting time because I lo…"
'Muhammad… you didn't do anything to offend me, okay? I just have a lot on my plate and none was caused by you. Now relax… lets eat." She was finding it hard to restrain herself. When he said he wanted to marry her and when he almost told her he loves her. His words were soothing yet insensitive to her chest and juddering to her ears.
He nodded ceaselessly, 'Okay, okay." He took a deep breath and uncovered one of the takeaways. It was her favorite. 'You're the best," she told him, smiling.
They ate lunch together—despite Bushra being anxious the whole time. She couldn't focus on what to worry more; Muhammad wanting to meet her parents or Mahir showing up in her office. He was full of surprises and he was fond of showing up in her working place randomly.
She hated it when he does that.
'I have to get going now."
'And I have to get back to work." They both got to their feet. 'I have a meeting in thirty minutes," she said to him, packing the empty takeaways they ate from.
He nodded his head. 'I have a meeting with a very important client later. I might stand the chance to be the architect of his new company. Wish me luck." He adjusted his blazer—he seemed nervous. Whoever that client was, he was a big deal to Muhammad.
'I wish you all the best. I'm sure you'll ace it, so don't get too anxious, okay?" She said to him and gave him an assuring smile. It helped to calm his nerves. He bid her goodbye and left.
Bushra exhaled a long, deep breath the moment he closed the door. It felt as though she was holding her breath the whole time he was there. She packed the bags and takeaways, and trashed them into the trashcan.
It was already past 1pm. She prayed dhuhr and went back to work. She was behind schedule and she had to catch up before the end of the day. As she worked, Mahir's voice, face, eyes, lips—his whole body kept haunting her. She had cringed, hissed and zoned out uninterruptedly the rest of the day. But it didn't stop her from completing her work and getting back on schedule.
She closed thirty minutes early and decided to stay back, and speak with her sister before she heads home.
Yasmin and her husband had recently gone on vacation to New York. They've been gone for almost two-weeks and Bushra has never missed anyone like she missed Adila. That girl was full of joy and cuteness. She always lights up the room no matter how dark it was.
'Where's Adila? I called to see her, not you," Bushra said the moment Yasmin answered her video call. Yasmin rolled her eyes and moved the phone to Adila. She smiled instantly at the phone and it warmed up Bushra's heart. 'Oh Ya Allah, I've missed you so much my baby." She squealed through the phone.
She was so engulfed in speaking gibberish to Adila that she hadn't notice when he walked in. He leaned on the door; arms crossed on his chest while he stares at her—smiling.
She was sitting on the desk, her back facing him. 'I just wish I could fly to New York right just to give those chubby cheeks a kiss… or a thousand kisses. I miss you guys so much!" Bushra exclaimed. She couldn't hide her emotions at the moment. She knew they had another two or three weeks to come back, or even more. She couldn't do anything but call every day and chat with them for hours.
He cleared his throat, making her to jump off the desk and face him. 'What the hell is wrong with you?" Her chest was heaving up and down of how scared she got. She quickly ended the call, her hands were trembling.
'Looks like you're done for today. C'mon, we're going somewhere now." He was standing close to her by the time he finished talking. 'I'm not going." She eyed him from head to toe. She knew what she had said was a lie. She was going whether she liked it or not. Mahir had his ways with things, without even uttering a word.
'You do know that you're not heavy, right? And I don't have a single shame in carrying you across the whole crowd out there." He said in a threatening way but still maintained to look nonchalant. She gasped faintly—he was so relaxed; he acts as if he didn't just stun her into silence.
'You have five minutes to round up and meet me in the car." He smirked and turned to leave. She glared at his retreating back as he walked out of her office. She sighed defeatedly and picked her handbag before locking up for the day.
He had his full escort in the parking lot, waiting for her. 'What about my car?" She asked him. 'Your car keys," he inquired. She gave him without arguing. She knew he'd have one of his men take it home while they head to wherever he was taking her.
'Where are we going?" She asked him on their way. He had his attention on his phone but he heard her, and decided to ignore. She took a glimpse at him for a moment and set her eyes out the busy street. It was past 6pm—everyone out trying to close for the day and head home, while some were just starting their day at the time.
The journey to their destination took them half an hour. On their way, Mahir have answered multiple phone calls and by her empathetic—they were going to a construction site. Why would he take her with him?
'Come out," he told her as the car doors swing open. 'Why do I have to—" he had left the car before she could finish her sentence. She heaved a sigh of defeat and hoped out of the car.
He had already walked ahead and entered a building. 'What a jerk," she mouthed to herself but it was loud enough for his guard to hear her. They exchanged look but she briskly took her eyes away, and withered away with guilt.
Bushra looked around the place—it was a plain site cleared out. Possibly, Mahir bought the land for something. Whatever it was, it was going to be massive.
It made her imagine if she was the one that bought that kind of land; she would've built a shopping mall or a huge spa or even better—orphanage home. It would've been amazing to have her own orphanage home. She'd build a huge playground at the back of the building. They'd have a mini park, swings, fountain, benches to sit on…
It would be amazing…
'I promise you Mr. Adam, you would not regret working with our company…"
Bushra gaped her eyes as they approached her. She turned her back on them, her heart pounding like a jackhammer. 'Muhammad…" she whispered to herself. Mahir was the significant client he was talking about? This is the site for Mahir's new company branch? How didn't she saw that coming?
She paced towards the car before they could notice.
'Bushra?"
Her heart tugged as she halted. 'Why are you standing there? I thought you were behind me." Mahir approached her. He placed his hand on her back and stroked it. Somehow—she felt less stressed. She looks up at him and their eyes met. 'Why didn't you follow me in? You should've gone back to the car—didn't you see all these men standing around?" He whispered to her; his voice had lowered a few octaves.
'Bushra?" He said out of tremor. Muhammad looked at her to Mahir's hand that was still stroking her back.
She quickly stepped back, stuttering. 'Muhammad… I…" Her voice falters.
'You work for him or something?" He asked; his voice was hard to be described at the moment.
'Work for me? She's my wife," Mahir retorted proudly. 'You know him—wait… Muhammad Ahmad… He's the guy you've been talking to, right?"
'You're married?" Muhammad asked, his voice breaking. He stared at her, a splitting pain erupting through his throat and chest.
Bushra looked at Mahir to Muhammad. She couldn't think straight; was she going to defend herself and tell Muhammad they signed a contract or give it to him straight that she was married to Mahir? There was no way he'd believe that it was a marriage contract. There was no way he'd marry her even when she comes out.
It has been only a few weeks—but she loves him, more than she had ever loved any man in her life. He had made things better and easier for her. He always knows how to silence the hurricane in her heart without even knowing what she's going through. And now—she'd watch him walk away. She'd watch as he leaves, hating her for the rest of his life.
'Muhammad, listen… I can explain—"
'Explain what? Look, Mr. Ahmad, Bushra Mansur is my wife and we have been married for eleven weeks now. I don't know what she told you or how she manipulated you into having an affair—"
'I didn't have an affair with your wife, sir. And if I knew that she was married, I wouldn't have approached her—never." Muhammad cuts in. He was so hurt—his eyes welled up with tears. He should've seen that coming. Her colleagues have warned him about Bushra but he disregarded the rumor, thinking it was out of envy or abhorrence. Seeing how she doesn't hang out with any of them—he believed they were against her.
He has seen how suspicious she always was, how she didn't want him to meet her parents or come to see her at her place. The red flags were there; she wasn't comfortable talking to him on phone in the night. She was afraid to be seen with him in public.
Why would she do that? What was her reason for all of this?
'Muhammad I—" her words faltered when he raised a hand at her. He smiled bitterly and nodded. 'I'll see you on Monday, Sir. That's if you're still interested to work with our company." He could feel a searing pain in his heart. The tears were threatening to fall—he didn't fight them. He turned and left. He never stopped even when she called out his name.
'What do you get in ruining my life, huh?" She bellowed angrily as she hit his chest. She didn't care his men were around or there were workers, watching them. She didn't care who saw them or knew what was happening. Heck, she didn't care if she mortified him or effect his occupation.
Mahir stood still, looking at her. The blank, emotionless expression swept over his face as the realization of the moment gradually seeped in. He didn't know exactly how to react or what to worry about. The fact that he breached the contract they signed or he was hurting her.
One thing he had in mind; he was never going to let any man have her. Even if they were going to split up.