The soft morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, warming my skin. I stirred, a heavy ache settling at the back of my head, and slowly opened my eyes. The throbbing in my temples made me wince as I took in my surroundings. The dress....the one Shanaya insisted I wear...clung to my body, wrinkled and tangled. My hair was a mess, strands sticking to my face. Slowly, I sat up, my mind clouded, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of last night.

I remembered the party.... the blasting music, the unfamiliar faces, the overwhelming feeling of not belonging. It wasn't the cozy gathering Shanaya had promised. It was something else entirely... a wild, reckless scene. I had taken a glass of juice Shanaya gave me... but after that, everything blurred.

How had I gotten home? did he...?

Suddenly, flashes of the night struck me like lightning. I was in his arms... Sarfaraaz. He carried me to the car, and then...

I kissed him..

Hayee Allah, What have I done!

My heart raced as the memory flooded back with sharp clarity. I kissed Sarfaraaz. Not just kissed him... I wanted him. My fingers roamed all over his body, my lips pressed against his. I remember how badly I wanted more. Shame swelled in my chest, constricting my breath.

How could I have been so shameless? How could I lose control like that?

A muffled scream escaped me as I buried my face into the pillow. But it did nothing to ease the growing guilt, the mortifying realization of what I had done. And his scent...still lingered all over me...

My thoughts were clearer now, every moment from last night replaying vividly in my mind.

But what left me even more confused -more unsettled - was him. Sarfaraaz hadn't responded to my advances. He stopped me. He... protected me from myself.

"If I respond to you now... in the morning, you'll end up hating yourself more than you hate me. And I can't let that happen..."

His words echoed in my head, making my chest tighten.

Why, Sarfaraaz...? Why did you stop? My voice barely came out as a whisper, as though the question hung in the air between us, unanswered.

That was not the Sarfaraaz I knew. The one who loved to manipulate me. Not the one who didn't take advantage of my vulnerability...

Arrggh..

I needed to clear my head. I stumbled to the bathroom, desperate to wash away the tension clinging to my skin. The hot water poured over me, but it couldn't wash away the weight of everything... the shame, the confusion, or the strange, lingering tenderness in his voice. Every second of last night played back, forcing me to face it again and again.

Once I finished, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around my body. The steam still clung to the air as I walked back into the room, hoping to find some kind of clarity in the fresh start of the day.

But then, I froze.

He was standing there.

Sarfaraaz. He held a tray in his hands, his presence filling the room like a storm brewing just under the surface. The moment our eyes met, the air thickened, charged with an electricity I couldn't deny.

He put the tray of his hand on the side table while his eyes were on me. His gaze roamed over me, lingering on every inch of exposed skin, making me painfully aware of the towel wrapped around me - of the way it clung to my damp body, leaving very little to the imagination. My collarbone glistened with water, and I could feel the heat from his stare.

Embarrassment crashed over me, my cheeks burning as the memory of my actions last night pulsed vividly in my mind. My pulse raced as he took a step forward. Then another.

I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. My body was frozen under the weight of his gaze, each step he took pulling me further into this strange, intoxicating tension.

I instinctively took a step back as Sarfaraaz kept coming closer, my heart pounding wildly with every movement he made, my throat went dry. But he didn't stop. My back hit the wall, and the coolness of the surface sent a jolt through me, reminding me that I was trapped. He closed the gap between us in an instant, his presence overwhelming, filling every inch of space between us with this dangerous, burning heat.

His eyes moved over me slowly, lingering on the towel wrapped around my body as though, in his mind, he had already stripped it away. The intensity in his gaze made my breath catch. I felt exposed, bare, as if the towel was nothing more than a fragile shield against his all-consuming stare.

"R... Rayan..." I whispered, my voice trembling. I wasn't sure if it was from confusion or from the undeniable warmth spreading through me from how close he was.

His eyes fluttered shut, and he inhaled deeply, as if trying to steady himself. "Don't call my name like that, Hazel," he murmured, his voice rough, heavy with tension. "I'll lose what I'm holding."

The heat between us was suffocating. My skin felt like it was on fire under his gaze, my cheeks burning hotter by the second. I could feel a bead of sweat slide down my temple, my nose and then between my
breasts, pooling in the small dip of my cleavage just visible above the edge of the towel.

His eyes followed the drop, and for a moment, he froze. His jaw clenched, the muscles in his face tightening as if he was waging a war inside himself.

I could see the hunger, the barely contained need in his eyes. And yet, he was holding back.

Him holding back? That's new..

Then, with a sharp, jagged breath, he stepped away. The tension between us didn't disappear, but the space between us felt like a temporary relief from the fire threatening to consume me.

"Put on some clothes," he said, his voice gruff, as if every word cost him effort. "Then we'll talk" and then he turned around.

I stood there for a second , breathless, unable to move, the echo of his words settling into my mind.

_________________________

After standing frozen in the place for some seconds Tania rushed to her wardrobe, her heart still racing, and grabbed the first things her hands could find-a full-sleeved baggy shirt, a pair of jeans and a scarf. She hurriedly slipped them on and covered her head, as if trying to shield herself from his intense gaze, hoping the loose fabric would somehow protect her from the heat that still lingered between them. She could hear him exhale deeply, even from where she stood, as though he was trying to calm himself.

After a moment, she gathered her courage and walked toward him, her steps hesitant. Sarfaraaz turned around sharply when she got closer, his eyes narrowing, the tension from earlier replaced by something colder, more serious.

"What were you thinking going to a party like that... with Shanaya of all people?" he demanded, his voice sharp but laced with concern. "Do you have any idea what could've happened to you if I hadn't reached in time?"

His words stung, but more than that, the weight of what he was implying sent a shiver down her spine.

Tania knew what Sarfaraaz said was true, the guilt and shame rushing over her like a wave. Her head throbbed, adding to the discomfort of her emotions.

"I... I didn't want to go," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, "and she said it would be a cozy gathering." Her eyes started to mist as the reality of her recklessness settled in. "I should have been more careful."

Sarfaraaz's gaze softened, taking in her remorse. For a moment, the hard edge of his possessive nature eased.

He stepped closer, gently taking her face in his hands and making her look directly into his intense eyes. His thumbs lightly brushed her cheeks, sending a warmth through her despite the tension.

"Yeah, you should have," he agreed, his voice low but no longer harsh. "Don't you dare go anywhere without me."

He knew she was telling the truth. Because it has been many days she was here. But she didn't wish to go outside except buying her sanitary supplies that day.

His fingers continued to caress her cheeks, the touch both tender and possessive. Tania's breath hitched at the subtle intimacy of the moment.

She could feel the heaviness of his gaze, the way his eyes seemed to drink in every inch of her as if making sure she was really there, safe with him. But beneath the tenderness, she sensed the storm of emotions simmering inside him.

"You don't realize how hard I had to control myself when men tried to touch you." His jaw clenched, his voice taking on a dangerous edge again. Shame washed over her again, a familiar, sinking feeling that made her drop her gaze.

"You are mine, Hazel," he growled, the possessiveness in his voice sending a shiver down her spine making her look at his eyes. "No one should have the audacity to touch... what is mine."

His words hung in the air, heavy with dark intent. Her pulse quickened at the intensity in his eyes, eyes that seemed darker than ever, like he was wrestling with his demons.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "The hand that tried to touch you must already be floating in some drain."

The darkness in his voice made her tremble again. Tania swallowed hard, feeling both vulnerable and strangely protected by the dangerous man in front of her.

"Sarfaraaz..." she murmured, her voice shaking as she called out his name.

Her voice, soft yet pleading, broke through the storm brewing in him. The harshness faded, replaced by something gentler. His eyes softened as he responded, "Hazel..." He looked at her like she was both his salvation and his destruction.

He took a step back, his hand reluctantly leaving her face. "Take your medicine after you eat," he said pointing towards the tray he brought, his voice quieter now, the tension between them easing though it lingered just beneath the surface. "You must have a headache." He turned to leave, pausing at the doorway for a second longer than necessary, as if he didn't want to go, before finally walking out.

Tania stood there for a moment, her heart pounding in her chest, the space he'd just left feeling suddenly too big.

His presence, his touch, and his words....all of it weighed heavily on her, making her feel emotions she didn't want to admit, not even to herself.

The shame and the strange sense of security clashed within her, leaving her breathless and confused.
________________________

Two days later

Tania woke abruptly at 3 a.m., her heart racing and her breath coming in shallow gasps. The same nightmare had returned...the accident.

The image of the crash, the sound of metal twisting and the car flipping violently, played out in her mind as if it had just happened. It was too vivid, too real.

She sat up, her chest pounding as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her body trembled, the intensity of the nightmare making her feel as if she were suffocating. She tried to shake off the lingering terror, but the scene of Sarfaraaz's car colliding, then toppling over, haunted her. Her hands were shaking. She needed air, anything to escape the tightness in her chest.

Slipping out of bed, she considered going outside for some fresh air to calm her nerves. But then a thought crept into her mind... would he react if she went outside?

Her chest tightened further as she recalled that horrible day when he had thrown her out of the house, despite the moments of warmth he had shown recently.

With a sigh, she went to the balcony instead. The cool breeze brushed against her skin, offering a brief relief from the panic still coursing through her. But just as she began to relax, a loud splash echoed from the direction of the swimming pool.

Her eyes snapped to the pool area. It was late... far too late for someone to be swimming. She squinted into the darkness, trying to make out who it was, but the figure remained a blur in the dim light. A nagging sense of worry crept into her mind.

Is that... Sarfaraaz? she wondered.
Is he... okay?

Without thinking, her body moved on its own. Before she knew it, she had opened the main door and was walking toward the pool. Her hands trembled as she approached, her heart thundering in her chest, the vivid memories of the accident mixing with the unease of the moment.

As she drew closer, she could see him more clearly. He was floating, face down, motionless in the water. His back was exposed, completely still, as if he had lost all control of his body.

Panic shot through her veins. Oh my God... did he...?

She didn't hesitate. Without a second thought, she leaped into the pool, her body cutting through the water as she swam toward him. The coldness of the water stung her skin, but she didn't care. She felt she had to reach him.

The splash from her jump seemed to jolt him. He stirred, slowly turning to face her, his expression unreadable as their eyes met.

_________________________________

I was shocked to see her.

What is she doing here?

"Are you mad? Who floats like that in a swimming pool this late?" Tania's voice was louder than usual, her chest heaving as she caught her breath from the jump into the water. Her face was flushed with a mix of panic and anger, droplets of water clinging to her skin as she stared at me, her hazel eyes sharp with concern.

I stood, slowly rising from my floating position, my eyes never leaving her. Something in her expression made my heart skip a beat.

Concern...? Was it my imagination? How could she be worried about me, after everything I had put her through?

My pulse quickened at the thought, but I shook it off, trying to drown the rising emotion. Before I could stop myself, I reached for her, my hand sliding around her waist. I pulled her closer, her wet body pressing against mine bare one, the sudden proximity making her gasp. Her wide hazel eyes locked with mine, her lips parting in surprise as her face turned a deep shade of red.

She always reacted like this to my touch. And I love seeing that.

Her breath hitched as I tightened my grip, her body trembling slightly. "Why are you here, Hazel?" I asked, my voice low, thick with the tension between us.

She blinked, her chest still rising and falling rapidly, and for a moment, it seemed like she couldn't find her words. Then, her voice came out, softer than before, filled with a mix of hesitation and vulnerability. "You... okay?" she managed to ask.

The question caught me off guard. My grip on her waist loosened, but I didn't let go. The concern was real....no trace of the anger or fear I had come to expect from her.

She had jumped into the pool for ME. Despite all the pain and confusion, she had still chosen to come.

For a split second, I forgot who I was supposed to be - the man who gave her so much pain thinking it would be justified to hurt her for the life long trauma his father gave me.

Yet here she was, standing in front of me, her body close enough that I could feel the rapid beating of her heart. That closeness was dangerous, stirring feelings I wasn't ready to admit to.

"I was trying to calm my nerves. But do you really care, Hazel?" I murmured, my thumb tracing slow, deliberate circles against her skin where I held her. "After everything I've done?"

Her eyes darted away, uncertainty flickering in them, but she didn't pull away from me. That hesitation, that small crack in her resolve, sent a jolt of something electric through my veins.

"Answer me," I whispered, leaning closer until our breaths mingled, the air thick with unspoken emotions.

Tania's eyes flickered with something unspoken, her lips parting slightly as she hesitated, clearly grappling with her emotions. For a moment, she said nothing, just gazing at me with that same unreadable expression, her chest still heaving against mine.

Then, her gaze hardened slightly, and she looked away, as if trying to pull back from the raw intensity between us."Don't flatter yourself. I just don't want the nightmare of your dead body haunting me. Your living state is already bad enough."

My lips curved into a slow smirk, though her response only deepened the tension. "Right," I whispered, my voice dripping with irony, "I said once that I 'll be your nightmare. A dead body would be more haunting."

I leaned in a little closer, my lips hovering just beside her ear.

Gosh I love teasing my Édesem.

"But you didn't answer the question, Hazel," I murmured, my voice low and deliberate. "You do care for your monster, don't you? You'd be free if I died, right? So why did you jump?"

The air between us crackled with tension, her silence betraying more than she wanted to admit.

"Well. I'm a philanthropist and I wasn't going to stand by and let you... do something stupid," she finally muttered, her voice softer now, but still guarded. "That's all.

She shifted in my hold, her hands pressing against my chest. "Okay, now you're alive, so let me go." Her struggle was weak, her words defiant, but the way her body trembled against mine told me another story. She was trying to mask her concern with a sarcastic reply.

But I understood everything and my stone heart fluttered at this thought.

So, without teasing her more I let her go. "Ok, Let's go up." I said freeing her.

She nodded, releasing a deep breath, and the sound made the corner of my mouth twitch into a smirk.

As she went up, her body trembled as the cold air hit her, her wet nightwear cling to her like a second skin.

My eyes darkened as I realized she wasn't wearing any underwear. Her hardened nipples were clearly visible through the soaked fabric, and the outline of her precious treasure was unmistakable.

My thoughts went wild at the intoxicating sight of it.

How would it feel to have those hardened peaks in my mouth? To lick that...?

Damn it, Sarfaraz!

I clenched my jaw, fighting against the images flooding my mind. Don't think of something that shouldn't happen. You promised to save her from your darkness.

Maybe she sensed my struggle because she quickly tried to cover herself with her hands, her eyes avoiding mine.

I closed my eyes for a moment, drawing in a sharp breath, trying to calm the desire coursing through me. Without another word, I got up from the pool and before she could protest, I scooped her into my arms.

I couldn't bear to see her standing in front of me like this. I started to go inside despite her struggling.

I carried her to my room, the shock in her wide eyes unmistakable.

"Why are you taking me there?" she asked, panic creeping into her voice.

"Shut up, woman," I snapped, my voice harsher than I intended. "I'm not going to do anything to you. If I wanted to... you'd already be under me, right there on the grass by the pool, fucked until you're breathless and senseless."

God, did I really just say that to her?

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson at my words, the heat rising between us.

Without another glance, I grabbed one of my oversized hoodies and tossed it to her. "Wear it. You jumped in the pool for me, so I need to make sure you don't get sick because of it," I muttered, my voice softer this time, though the tension still hung in the air.

She quickly disappeared into the washroom to change, her movements hurried as if she needed to escape the intensity of the moment.

While she was inside, I changed out of my wet pants right there, the cool air biting at my skin. I threw on a t-shirt over me, knowing staying half-naked around her would only make things worse. The last thing I needed was to stir up the tension that already crackled between us like an electric storm.
______________________

She changed into his hoodie, cursing herself for ever going near him.

"Why did I care? I thought he was going to..." she muttered under her breath, she was really scared in the thought of something bad happening to the man who turned her life upside down.

And now.... here she was, tangled in his proximity again, soaked in his scent as if wearing his clothes was the most natural thing in the world. But what nagged in her mind was why he did it..

Did his nightmares haunted him that much?

Due to their close proximity she forgot to ask it. And the devil never missed a chance to make her heart pound faster.

Once she had composed herself, she stepped out of the washroom, trying to maintain a sense of calm, even if her insides were still rattled.

"So... are you going to tell me why you jumped into the pool in the middle of the night?" she asked carefully, her voice soft, hoping not to push him too hard. "Is it because of your nightmare?"

To her surprise, his usual sharpness faded, replaced by something much more fragile. His gaze dropped to the ground, his shoulders sagging slightly as he exhaled.

"Yeah," he admitted, his voice low and rough. "I couldn't sleep... felt suffocated. So I thought maybe the water would help."

The brokenness in his tone made her chest tighten, the vulnerability catching her off guard. For a moment, he wasn't the Sarfaraaz who tormented her, but a man haunted by his own darkness.

"Safina.. my princess... I still haven't found the person who ran over our car and fled that day. I feel like a useless creature on this earth...someone who failed to deliver justice for my sister's death."

Tania's heart sank for him, surprising herself with the depth of her empathy. Finally, she spoke, her voice steady but laced with urgency. "Your car didn't just face a hit-and-run. It was a murder attempt."

His shock was palpable as he gripped her shoulders, his eyes searching hers for clarity. "What are you saying?"

"I saw the whole incident," she confessed, her breath hitching. "I didn't just find you after the accident, but I was there... on the field and it happens in front of my eyes."

The weight of her words hung heavily in the air between them, a shared pain echoing in the silence that followed.

"Did you see the person who was driving the truck?" he asked, his voice low and urgent.

Tania nodded, her heart racing at the memory. "I still dream about that scene every now and then. Even today. At first, it was just fragments, but for the last few days, I've seen the whole thing."

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts. "The man had a beard. Sorry I didn't remember it clearly as it was at a distance. But my phone may have the picture as I was clicking photos on the field."

Sarfaraaz's grip on her shoulders tightened, a mix of determination and anger flickering in his eyes. "A photo means a proof" he repeated, his mind racing as he processed the information. "That could be a lead."

"You still have my phone, right? Or did you burn that too, like my clothes?" she asked, the memory of his earlier cruelty biting at her.

His jaw clenched. "My men have it," he said, his voice quieter now. He had given it to them for another purpose entirely...to send their wedding photos to her family, to shame her, to tarnish her reputation.

Guilt washed over him like a tidal wave. She had given him a chance at life, saved him, and in return, he had used that gift to break her. Even today she jumped into the cold pool to save him thinking he was dying.

How the Almighty created her... How can a person be....so selfless!

She was the light he never knew he needed, and yet all he had done was drag her into his darkness.

The weight of that truth crushed him.

In that moment, all thoughts of revenge seemed like a mockery of everything he once believed. The rage, the vendetta...it all felt hollow now.

All he could think about was not hurting the woman standing in front of him anymore. Even if protecting her meant destroying himself in the process, he didn't care. Not anymore.

He was willing to risk everything for her except letting her go. She was already a part of him, deeply embedded under his skin and in his heart, no matter how hard he had tried to deny it.

He moved closer to her, pressing a soft kiss on her temple, the warmth of the gesture startling her.

He went to the washroom and came back with a hairdryer.

Without hesitation, he lifted her into his arms, gently placing her on the bed.

She watched him, still trying to grasp his sudden shift in behavior.

He turned on the dryer and started to dry her hair, his movements careful and focused.

"Give it to me. I can do it myself," she protested, her hand reaching out.

"Sshh," he gently hushed her, his tone soft. "I told you, I'm making sure you don't get sick."

There was no teasing or tension, just a quiet act of care that left her speechless.

"Go to sleep, Hazel," he whispered once he was done.

She stood there for a moment, as if caught between staying and leaving, before finally turning and walking out of the room.

As he watched her go, a realization struck him, harder than any blow he had ever taken:

Maybe you were sent to me as an angel, and all I've done is hurt you. But not anymore. I'll protect you...even from myself. I won't let my darkness consume you.
_________________________

Three days later

Morning sunlight streamed softly into the room, but Tania hardly noticed. She moved around the house like she always did..quietly, carefully..doing her morning chores, then settling down in the study. The room had become a sort of sanctuary for her, a place where she could bury herself in books and forget, if only for a little while, the weight of her life.

But today, the usual solace of her routine felt distant. There was a heaviness she couldn't shake. As she sat at the desk, flipping through the pages of a medical journal, a sudden realization hit her...

Today was her mother's death anniversary.

Her breath caught in her throat. It had been so long, but the ache remained. She couldn't even remember her mother's face clearly...she'd been so young when she passed... but the absence was something she carried with her every day. A hole that never truly healed.

Tania pressed her head against the desk, her shoulders shaking as sobs broke free. She tried to quiet herself, not wanting anyone to hear, but the floodgates had opened, and it was too late to stop the tide of grief.

Unknown to her, Sarfaraaz had just entered the study. He was scanning over documents, fully immersed in his own world, when the faint sound of her crying reached his ears. He frowned, looking around the room until his gaze landed on her, hunched over at the far corner of the study.

For a moment, he just stood there, unsure. He wasn't used to this...comforting someone, especially not Tania.

But the sight of his angel, so small and broken in her sorrow, stirred something deep within him.

He approached cautiously, his usual cold demeanor softened by concern.

"Hazel...?" His voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "Are you alright?"

Her sobbing grew louder in response, as if hearing his voice unlocked even more of her pain. Sarfaraaz tensed, his fists clenching at the thought of what might have hurt her.

"Did I... upset you...again? Are you unwell?" He struggled to find the right words. When she didn't respond, he took a breath and asked, "Is it... your family?"

Her body trembled as she finally whispered through her tears, "Ma..." The single word made him freeze.

"I miss her... it's her... her day of demise..."

Sarfaraaz stiffened. He wasn't good at this...he had no idea how to console someone, much less someone as fragile as Tania at this moment.

He hesitated, but then, almost instinctively, he placed a hand on her back, rubbing it gently.

"Cry... let it out," he murmured, his voice rough yet soft at the same time. "You'll feel better if you do."

At first, she seemed unsure, but the tenderness in his touch, the strange comfort in his presence, broke down the walls she had built.

Slowly, she leaned into him, her sobs muffled against his chest. Sarfaraaz felt her tears soaking through his shirt, but he didn't move away. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her closer.

For a long moment, they stayed like that, her grief pouring out, his silent support grounding her.

When her sobs finally subsided, Sarfaraaz gently stroked her hair, his fingers brushing through the strands with a tenderness that surprised even him. He took a deep breath, unsure how to proceed, but knowing he needed to offer something more.

"Do you want to go?" he asked softly.

Tania lifted her head slightly, her tear-filled eyes wide in confusion. "W-Where?"

"To see your mother... in the graveyard?"

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she couldn't speak. She hadn't expected him to understand, much less offer this.

Her lips trembled as she blinked up at him, searching his face for any sign of cruelty, but all she saw was sincerity.

_____________________

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