Author POV

Morning arrived gently over the Khan mansion.

Soft sunlight slipped through the curtains.

The house, which had been alive with chaos just yesterday, now felt unusually calm.

Almost too calm.

Like it was recovering from something it didn’t fully understand yet.

Roohi woke up slowly.

For a few seconds, she didn’t remember where she was.

Then reality returned.

New room.

New life.

New silence.

She sat up in bed and exhaled softly.

Her body still felt tired from the wedding exhaustion.

But her mind… was more awake than ever.

She got ready quietly.

A simple outfit today.

Nothing fancy.

Just something comfortable enough to feel like herself again.

She tied her hair neatly, fixed her dupatta, and looked at her reflection.

“Normal,” she whispered to herself.

Then nodded slightly.

“Just normal today.” she apply little lip balm to her already pink lips and walk downstairs

Downstairs, voices were already moving through the house.

Breakfast had been prepared.

The smell of food reached her before anything else.

When Roohi entered the dining area…

She slowed down.

Zayan was already there.

Sitting at the table.

Calm.

Composed.

Distant as always.

The room felt different immediately.

He didn’t look up at first.

Just slightly shifted his gaze when she entered.

Then back to his plate.

Roohi quietly sat down.

Beside him.

Not too close.

Not too far.

Just… there.

The silence at the table was heavy.

Not peaceful.

Not comfortable.

Heavy.

Rayyan broke it first.

Of course.

“So… who survived yesterday?”

Hania immediately kicked his foot under the table.

“Eat your breakfast.”

“I am eating emotionally.”

Daniyal almost smiled.

Almost.

But Roohi didn’t laugh.

Not this time.

She kept her gaze lowered.

Fingers gently holding her spoon.

And Zayan…

Didn’t speak.

Not once.

The silence between them stretched.

Longer than it should have.

Long enough for Roohi to notice it properly.

Something had changed.

Yesterday he had held her hand.

Helped her.

Looked at her.

Today…

He was just… there.

But not really there.

Before the tension could grow further…

Aleena aunty entered.

Her presence instantly shifted the atmosphere.

She looked around the table and smiled.

“I have an announcement.”

Everyone turned.

Even Zayan paused slightly.

Roohi looked up.

Curious.

Aleena Aunty’s eyes landed on her.

Warm.

Soft.

Excited.

“Today, Roohi will make lunch.”

Roohi blinked.

Then smiled.

Slowly.

Surprised.

“Me?”

Aleena nodded.

“Yes, beta.”

“This is your home too. Start feeling it like one.”

Something inside Roohi softened instantly.

The tension from morning faded slightly.

A small happiness replaced it.

“I will,” she said quickly.

A little too quickly.

Like she wanted to prove she belonged.

Zayan finally looked at her properly.

Just for a second.

Then looked away again.

Unreadable.

As always.

The day passed differently after that.

Roohi stayed busy in the kitchen.

Trying.

Learning.

Adjusting.

Hania also come s roohi call her to joined her halfway.

Rayyan tried to “supervise” and was immediately banned.

Daniyal stayed far away for safety reasons.

For the first time…

Roohi felt useful in this house.

Not just present.

Not just watching.

But part of it.

Evening

The dining table was set beautifully.

Lunch—now slightly delayed into dinner hours—was ready.

Everything was arranged carefully by Roohi herself.

She stood near the kitchen entrance, nervously fixing her dupatta.

Waiting.

“Where is Zayan?” Rayyan asked, already sitting.

“He said he’s coming,” Daniyal replied.

“Or running away,” Rayyan added.

Hania threw a cushion at him.

Roohi didn’t say anything.

But her eyes kept flicking toward the hallway.

Unconsciously.

Waiting.

Minutes passed.

Then more.

Finally, Rayyan stood up.

“I’ll call him.”

He walked toward the hallway.

A few moments later…

His voice echoed slightly.

“Zayan! Come eat!”

Pause.

Then—

“He said he has a meeting and won’t come.”

The words landed quietly.

But clearly.

Roohi froze slightly.

Her fingers tightened around her dupatta.

“Oh…”

It slipped out before she could stop it.

Soft.

Small.

Unintentional.

Hania immediately noticed.

“Roohi—”

“It’s okay,” Roohi said quickly, forcing a small smile.

“It’s fine.”

But she didn’t sit down immediately.

Not right away.

She looked at the table.

Then the food.

Then the empty space beside her from earlier that morning.

Yesterday…

He had sat there.

Today…

He didn’t even come.

A strange feeling settled in her chest again.

Not anger.

Not sadness exactly.

Something in between.

Something confusing.

She slowly sat down anyway.

Fingers still.

Smile still in place.

Even though it didn’t feel as real anymore.

And somewhere deep inside…

She realized something she didn’t want to admit yet.

Zayan Khan didn’t stay the same for long.

One moment…

He was close enough to hold her hand.

And the next…

He was far enough to disappear completely.

And that inconsistency…

Was starting to affect her more than she expected.

Roohi POV

Dinner was served.

But I didn’t touch it.

Not even once.

Everyone around the table tried to act normal.

Hania talked too much.

Rayyan made jokes.

Daniyal stayed quiet for once.

Aleena Aunty kept glancing at me softly.

But I couldn’t focus.

Because the seat beside me stayed empty.

The entire meal.

It shouldn’t have mattered.

It was just lunch.

Just food.

Just one person missing.

But it still felt strange.

Uncomfortable.

Like something wasn’t finished properly.

After a while, I quietly stood up.

“I’m not hungry,” I said softly.

No one stopped me.

Maybe they understood.

Maybe they didn’t.

I walked upstairs slowly.

Each step felt heavier than the last.

Not because I was tired…

But because I didn’t know why I felt like this.

When I reached my room…

It was silent.

Too silent.

I sat on the bed without changing.

Still in my outfit.

Still thinking.

Still… waiting for something I didn’t want to admit.

And somehow…

I still remembered yesterday night.

When he had stood in my room.

Fixed my hair pins.

Looked at me like I wasn’t invisible.

And today…

Nothing.

I blinked quickly.

“No,” I whispered to myself.

“Don’t overthink.”

But my heart didn’t listen.

Not even a little.

Zayan Pov

Work should have distracted me.

It usually did.

Meetings.

Files.

Deadlines.

Everything was supposed to keep my mind steady.

Controlled.

But today…

It didn’t.

Every time I focused on work…

My thoughts drifted.

Annoying.

Unwanted.

Always the same direction.

Her.

I exhaled sharply.

“This is pointless.”

But it didn’t stop.

By evening, I left earlier than usual.

Not because I planned to.

But because I couldn’t stay.

The house was quiet when I returned.

Too quiet.

I walked inside slowly.

Something felt off immediately.

Not loud.

Not obvious.

Just… different.

Then I noticed.

No one downstairs.

No noise from the dining room.

No usual chaos.

I frowned slightly.

“Where is everyone?”

A servant replied softly.

“They already had dinner, sir.”

That made me pause.

“…already?”

“Yes.”

Something in my chest tightened slightly.

I didn’t understand why.

But I didn’t like it.

Roohi POV

A knock came later at night.

Soft.

Controlled.

Familiar.

I froze slightly.

Then slowly looked toward the door.

It opened.

Zayan stepped inside.

Still in his work clothes.

Tie loosened.

Hair slightly messy.

Eyes tired.

But alert.

His gaze landed on me immediately.

And stayed there.

I sat up slightly. fixing my duppata

Confused.

“You’re back late.”

He didn’t answer at first.

Just closed the door behind him.

Then—

“You didn’t eat.”

The words were simple.

But they made my chest tighten slightly.

I looked away.

“I wasn’t hungry.”

A lie.

A small one.

But still a lie.

Silence followed.

Heavy.

Familiar.

He took a step closer.

Then stopped near the edge of the bed.

Not sitting.

Not leaving.

Just… there.

“Why didn’t you eat?” he asked again.

Same tone.

Calm.

Controlled.

But quieter this time.

I finally looked at him.

And for the first time that day…

I didn’t want to smile.

“You didn’t come.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Soft.

Honest.

The room went still.

Zayan didn’t respond immediately.

Not even a blink.

Just looked at me.

Like he hadn’t expected that answer.

Like he didn’t know what to do with it.

“I had work,” he said finally.

Simple.

Flat.

I nodded slowly.

“Yes.”

Then looked away again.

“…I know.”

Silence returned.

But this time…

It felt different.

Heavier.

More real.

I hugged my knees slightly.

Not looking at him anymore.

“I just… wasn’t hungry,” I repeated quietly.

Another pause.

Longer this time.

Then I felt the mattress shift slightly.

He had sat down.

Not too close.

But close enough.

And his voice came softer than before.

“You should still eat.”

I didn’t answer.

Because I didn’t know what to say.

Not really.

And for the first time…

Zayan Khan didn’t leave immediately.

He just sat there.

Watching her.

Quietly realizing something he didn’t want to name yet.

That his absence…

Was starting to mean something.