Chapter 101: A Mere Piece Of Obsession

"J-jee?" She tried to feign ignorance. Her hands had turned clammy.

(What?)

"Where is your ring?" He placed the pen on the table, and the tick-tick sound was gone.

She began to fidget with her fingers, unable to produce a response. Her tongue suddenly

weighed tons. Her eyes found the table where he had placed that pen. There was his

MacBook, some files, papers, and pen holders. It was large and neat. To the left of his laptop

was a cup of coffee that he had maybe forgotten to drink as the cup was still untouched, and

the coffee appeared to have turned cold as no steam was rising. In the glass of the table, she

could see his reflection. His eyes were on her face, yet hers were on the table. Then her eyes

moved towards her reflection. Her face, exposed to the broad daylight, as she stood in front

of the window. Her face looked pale. Her fingers fidgeting with each other. Above her head,

she could see the LED light, and suddenly the reflection of it was distorted as she saw water

—a tear drop landing on it.

She didn't even realize when she had started crying. This had become a thing recently for

her, since what had happened with her in Dubai. Whenever she would find herself in a tight

corner with him, the first thing that would happen would be her eyes turning watery

without her realization. She was never a cry-baby. But it seemed like she became one now.

She sniffed, cleaning her nose with the cuff of her shirt, all the while, looking at her

reflection in the glass—not looking up at him or even at his reflection. Her tied tongue

couldn't utter a word. Not even any apologies.

"Sheharzaad," he snapped his fingers, making her jolt in her place, and she looked up.

"Where is your ring?" he asked again, and she could already see a subtle frown drawn on his

forehead.

Now, she held her hands tightly. "Sorry," she whispered at last. "I f-forgot to wear it."

"You are testing my patience."

She curled her toes inward. This situation wasn't getting any better than this.

"Sorry," she uttered again and immediately cleared the tear of terror that escaped her eye.

At this, he stood up, and her head jolted up at him as her eyes broadened. On its own accord,

her feet began to take multiple steps away from him. "This won't happen again, I promise."

"Go back to your home, get your ring, and only then appear in front of my eyes," he ordered,

and she abruptly nodded her head and quickly rushed out of his office.

And she wondered what kind of a relationship this was. He just wanted his mark on her

finger. There was no love for her in his heart. There was just a want of her.

It just made more tears spill out of her eyes as she went back to her room just to get that

ring.

....

He had demanded her presence for a day to assist him, and she did as she had no other

option. True to his words, he didn't come closer to her. As if there was a strict professional

relation between them. He had called a meeting of the heads of different departments. He

seemed to be winding up things as if he had to go somewhere.

They had just finished the meeting, and they were in the elevator. Her eyes landed on the

ring that lay proudly on her finger as if it owned her more than she did, and again the

thought of engagement hit her.

Throughout her whole life, she had always imagined a loving and caring husband for her.

One who would love her to the end of the world. One tear from her eye, and he would burn

the world. Calm her. Soothe her. The want grew more when her parents were gone, as the

wish to be loved, cherished, and wanted increased by leaps and bounds. Apart from setting

her career, she always imagined her life with a man who would love in the true sense.

But the point where her life was standing was nothing like she imagined.

Shehryaar was completely opposite from the man of her dreams. A dark and grey character.

He wasn't a vanilla guy. He just cared about his want.

The incident of this morning reminded her of what she meant to him. She was just a thing.

Nothing more than a thing for him that he wanted.

All he cared about was the ring on her finger?

All he cared about was his mark on her?

But what about her feelings?

If he was so serious about marrying her, then why was there no love? Why was he marrying

her? Once this infatuation with her was over, would he throw her away? Or would he make

her reach the same state as that of that woman?

All these thoughts constricted her throat.

And given how much her life was encaged and controlled by him, she couldn't do anything.

She was so helpless. Her status was alleviated from a human to just a thing of obsession. It

shredded her heart into pieces. It reminded her of all those dreams that she had woven

while thinking about her future husband.

The dreams shattered. Along with her heart.

She didn't realize when the elevator had dinged open. He had stepped out and was now

looking at her. But her eyes were still struck on the ring on her finger.

A hand came across her vision, holding her hand and now leading them both.

She looked up in realization only to find them at their floor. Her eyes cursorily landing on

Maria, his ex-secretary. And the daggers in her eyes were quite visible as she was throwing

them towards Sheharzaad.

He led her to his office, opened the door, and once they were both alone, he shut it and then

gently pinned her against the wall. Her back touched a button, and the lights in the room

dimmed.

"What's going on in this head?" he asked, tapping his forefinger on her forehead.