Possession by Laila Ali (young adult books to read .txt) 📗

"Look, this painting I made in sixth grade and won the first prize. Baba was so proud that he got it framed the same day and hung it here and wouldn't stop telling this to any guest who came to our house." she said, chuckling as she pointed towards the painting hanging by the window.

All the way she just told all her stories, related to this house while he listened them keenly.

"Lets move downstairs" she said and they both went downstairs into the lounge.

They both sat on the sofa as she observed her house again, without a blink. As if a blink would take her house away from her eyes. She had never appreciated this place as much as she did now. 

There was a comfortable silence between them. He watched her keenly as she was the best sight ever. The sparkle of her eyes made her smile.

"I would hide right behind the central sofa right there whenever mom would compel me to drink milk and she would act long and try to find me" she smiled, trying hard to control her tears.

"Are you happy Zahra?" he held her hand, grabbing her attention.

"I'm so much. Thankyou Irtaza. I'm out of words now. I now have no words to thank you. Thank you for bringing me here, its just that this all feels so surreal, like I have come here after ages. I feel like a different person altogether coming back here. I don't think that I am the same Zahra" she said looking around. "Thank you for bringing me here"

"But I want to ask you something" she said.

"You'll return the favour" he said with a smile and she smiled back.

"Okay but I'll go first" she said like a child.

"Sure" he chuckled at her tactics.

"First promise, you'll answer my question"

"I don't back off of my promise. Now ask but-" he stated already having an idea what she was goona ask.

"But what?" she frowned.

"My answer to your question would be didvided in two parts. The rest of it you'll know when I'll come back from KPK" he completed.

She was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going to tell you only the half truth over here"

"But you didn't listen to my question yet?"

"Didn't I tell you, I know you more than you do. Now ask" he said and she nodded.

"Umm.... my house was taken away by those goons, that day. That was the sole reason we had to leave our house but how did you manage to take me here. And everything here is at its place. How's that possible? How everything is still intact? Do you know those goons? Haven't those goons taken away my house?" She questioned, frowning.

"The day you came to the haveli, I sent my men here to look into the matter. And then those men were killed, who took this house from you. I appointed some workers here to look after your house so when you wish to visit here, its all spick and span" he told but as he said, it was half truth. The rest of it was that he knew, it was his mafia who had loaned his uncle and pressurized him so much that at the end he died. 

Yawar was the one who used to deal with all the loans and shit. He didn't interfere in his duty much, just going through the files which were present him at the end. He never bothered to check the family details and it was mistake. If he had, then his uncle might be alive. 

"Is that all?"

"I told you, the rest of the story you'll know when I'll come back" he replied. He had his reasons for keeping the rest of story to himself yet.

"Okay, but you've tell me and if you got back my house then why didn't you send us back?"

"Because I have already planned to marry you, Zahra. Even if you haven't came to haveli, I'd still have married you. The decision of marrying you wasn't abrupt, it was in my heart since years. I only wanted to marry you. Now its my turn to ask you, Zahra" he said.

"Okay"

Irtaza came closer to her, held her chin delicately and looked into her eyes. A few seconds passed but his gaze was unwavered, neither changing nor becoming weaker. It was steady and constant as if trying to predict her answer, looking into her brown orbs which keenly observed his instense grey ones. The question he was going to ask was like a do or die situation for him. Her answer meant the world to him. It would either send him back to darkness or the slight ray of hope he had, would brighten more.

 "Will you be able to love me ever?" He asked.

Different emotions swirl in his eyes as he asked it. But most prominent of them was all a deep sincerity and intensity. His eyes were even more than the intense heat of sun. He was now lost in her brown orbs, trying to find answer to his question. Just like the sunlight would reflect on the crystal clear sea water, his grey metallic shards for the first time open their gates and reflected all the guilt which was piled up inside him.

She was stunned. Suddenly at loss of words. Her mind was a mess. Everything became ambiguos and felt like an enigma to her. The guilt was vanquished and eminent out of all the emotions.

She was confused, the future looked unclear and promises like these now abound in every corner of her bleak , nothing could be back to normal. He can't forget her betrayal and she can't forgive his actions so how can they heal and move on.

"Its not in my hands, Irtaza" her eyes reflected her sincerity with her words too. "If love was in the hand of humans then that I'd never have ran away with Daniyal. I'd have erased my love for him on that very day when you married me. It was my love for him, which made me do all those actions otherwise I wasn't stupid to outrun you. Love connect souls. Love is love. Love sprouts from heart. It's not in my power to love you, Irtaza. I can only love you if you can make my heart fall for you, if you can win my trust. But I can't erase those horrific days from my mind"

He sighed.

"I understand"