27th June, 2019

"Ma'am, what should I make for lunch?"

No answer.

"Ma'am, what would you like for lunch?" The maid asked again but still there was no answer to her question. Eram stood stirring a spoon in her coffee which had now turned cold already, lost in her own thoughts. Eram's mind was revolving around Shumail and she thought back to everything he had done for her. Her mind was in a argument with herself and she wasn't able to decide what she should actually do. One one hand there was Shumail and on the other, there was the thing which she must do, even if it meant betraying him.

"Ma'am?" The maid walked to her and lightly shook her shoulder bringing her back to reality, startling her.

"Yeah?" Eram asked looking around trying to take note of what was happening, when she realised that she had zoned out. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she let out a sigh, before she took hold of the coffee mug and walked to stove to reheat it.

"What should I make for lunch?" The maid asked again and Eram turned her head to look at her.

"Don't make lunch. Shumail will be eating with his friends in office and I will be going out to meet a friend." She said, pouring back the hot coffee in the mug and took hold of it. She remembered that she had to deliver the papers to the person and she had to meet her in the afternoon. Eram was actually tensed about meeting the person and she was fearing about what would be the outcome of the meeting. As per the demand from that person, she had to get the papers signed from Shumail and the papers weren't something that she could casually ask Shumail to sign them. Even though Eram had placed the papers among the ones his secretary delivered the previous evening to get them signed but Eram's heart just wouldn't agree.

Giving the money to that person, which Shumail gave to her for her use, was something different. Whenever and how much ever she was asked for, she gave, but now getting the property paers signed from him, without his notice, she couldn't do that.

How much ever, she tried to convince herself that she had to do it, her heart wouldn't give permission for it. Shumail had been nothing but sweet towards her and deceiving him and getting the papers signed from him fraudulently, Eram couldn't bring herself to do that.

I can't do this to him!

She spoke to herself, almost as if finally realising that she can't betray him. That realisation made her run towars their room, as she continuously prayed that Shumail hadn't signed the papers. She had no care about anything for the time being, neither did she care about what she was going to answer to that person as to why she didn't get if signed, she just wanted to stop Shumail from signing them.

Climbing the stairs, she hurried to their room and open the door quickly, her eyes falling on Shumail who was walking out of the closet fully dressed in his office attire, buttoning his cuffs. He looked up and saw her at the door as he gave her a bright smile. She entered the room and closed the door behind her and made her way to the coffee table placed at the side, and she saw the files lied on it as she wondered if he had signed them.

She was going to ask him about it as she turned around to do so but was surprised when Shumail's left hand snaked around her waist and he placed a kiss on her temple before he walked to the coffee table and took a seat on one of the couches. Eram stood on her spot, blinking her eyes trying to get a hold of herself and thinking what was happening to her, but it wasn't time to be losing herself in her thoughts as she quickly shook her head to remove all the thoughts. Her eyes fell on Shumail who had moved forward and grabbed his pen as he pulled the file closer to him and flipped it open.

"What are you doing?" Eram questioned making Shumail to look up at her from the files.

"I need to sign these documents and fax them to my secretary so just doing that." He asnwered and went back to reading through the papers. She gave him a nod and looked around trying to see anything with which she coukd distract him, when she realised that she was holding a coffee mug, and she decided what she had to do.

"Your coffee." She said walking close to the coffee table and bent down to place it but intentionally, she gave a twist to her hand and the mug slipped out of her hand and all the coffee was spilled on the papers. "Im so sorry. I'm so sorry." Eram apologised quickly getting a towel and soaking all the coffee in it, as she showed that she was trying to clean the papers, whereas actually she was destroying the property papers as far as she could.

"It's alright! It's alright! Don't worry." Shumail said, as he quickly stood up trying not to get his clothes ruined with the coffee.

"But still. I ruined your important documents. How can I be so clumsy! I should've been craeful." Eram was actually very sorry that she ruined his documents but she had to, in order to not let him see the property papers, let alone sign them. "I'm really sorry Shumail." She apologsed again, carefully wiping his documents trying not to damage them anymore.

"It's alright Eram. I'll just tell my secretary to fax them to me again. No worries." Shumail spoke, giving her a smile as he walked towards the bed and picked up his phone, dialling his secretary's number.

"Fax me the documents again. I kinda ruined the previous ones." Shumail spoke into the phone, and Eram felt her heart move hearing him take her blame on him, as she turned her head to have a look at him and found him already looking at her. Her lips were curled down and she was feeling sorry as she looked at him but Shumail pulled his other hand towards his face and told her to smile. Her lips instantly curled up in a smile and she got back to cleaning the coffee off the table and the papers.

When Shumail wasn't looking, she quickly took the property papers with her and she collected all the other papers too as she stood up holding them in one hand and the coffee mug with the other.

"Do you need these papers now or should I throw them?" She questioned to him.

"Shred them into that machine. They're already damaged but still." Shumail spoke, pointing at a machine kept in his study and Eram nodded her head, walking towards his study. She exhaled a breath which she didn't realise she was holding as she quickly began shredding the papers into the machine.

Shumail walked in the study and headed toward the fax machine while she excused herself after she was done and quickly walked out of the room, hiding the property papers from Shumail's eyes.

"I'll go get you another coffee." Eram said and headed out of the room.

This time I saved Shumail from signing them but will I be able to protect him again?

She questioned herself as she descended the stairs and walked to the kitchen, a heavy feeling settling in her heart. She felt worry grip her whole being thinking about what she was ging to answer to the person, but more than that she was worried for Shumail who was unaware of all the dangers in his life. She was having mixed thoughts about everything that was on her mind. One part of her told her what she was doing to Shumail was wrong but another reminded her of her weakness, because of which she was compelled to do it.

You're such a selfish person Eram!

Her heart accused her.

Don't let your emotions overpower you. Remember that you don't have a choice. You're compelled to do what you're asked of.

Her mind reasoned.

Tell Shumail about everything. It's not too late. I'm sure he will definitely understand your situation and help uou out of it.

Her heart tried to make her understand.

You think he will listen to a single word of yours if he comes to know that you're here to betray him?

Her mind played its game putting forth a tricky question.

Whatever it will be, at least tell him. He's such a nice person and he had been so nice with you from the very beginning, if you'll tell him about what problems you're going through, he'll definitely understand.

Her heart tried to remind her of his behaviour which had always been good towards her, and she felt herself smile remembering how he had been a caring and loving person from the very start.

Oh don't be such a fool! Once he hears that you're working for the person he hates the most in this world, you'll find yourself on the streets the very moment. Don't feed yourself with lies!

Her mind mocked at her, and unable to imagine the scenario, her eyes pinched tight shut, a shiver running down her spine thinking about his reaction.

Eram held her head in her hands and she felt like crying. The problems which she felt were going to end once and for all, once she gets the paper signed, seemed to have increaced ten fold with the realisation that Shumail was too good to be betrayed like that. Before taking up this job she hadn't imagined in her wildest dreams that the person she was going to betray would be such a wonderful and amazing human being at heart, but that realisation hit her very late.

"Eram." Came a shout for her, bringing her out of her thoughts. "My coffee?" Shumail called out, and she felt his vocie coming from the living room.

"Just a moment." Putting aside all the thoughts for the time being, she hurried to make another cup of coffee, and quickly pipouring it in a mug she took it with her and headed out of the kitchen towards the living room. She saw him sitting on the couch scrolling through his ipad, his reading glasses giving him a serious look. As he saw her coming, he put aside his ipad and took the mug from her hands, taking in a sip of the hot beverage.

Eram kept standing and looking at his innocent face which had a smile as he enjoyed his drink and she wondered to herself, how it would have felt if she had met and married him in normal conditions. Unknowingly her hands went to his face as she cupped his cheek, and he looked at her with a surprised look, trying to study her expressions. She kept blinking her eyes and looking at him, holding his cheeks in her palms, and his hand slowly went up as he held her hand in his.

"Is everything alright Eram?" Shumail asked, suddenly getting worried but she just shook her head.

"Why are you so sweet Shumail? How can someone be so loving and caring?" Eram questioned but it sounded as if she was asking the question more to herself. Shumail's eyebrows furrowed and he slowly stood up, placing the mug on the table in front of him and matched her level, her hands still cupping his cheeks. His hand went to her face and he cupped one of her cheeks.

"You sound upset. What is the matter?" Shumail asked, his thumb caressing her cheek. She tried to avoid meeting his gaze but he made her look at him again and urged her to speak.

"Just overwhelmed." She answered and he gave her a suspicious look but let it slide. He pulled her in a hug and wrapped his hands around her form, caressing her head. In his embrace, she felt a strong sense of protection and if she was asked, she didn't wanted to pull apart. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she exhaled a harsh breath, a lump forming in her throat and she wanted to burst into tears and cry her heart out in his embrace but she couldn't.

She wrapped her hands around his back tightly, suddenly getting afraid.

In this moment, with him, being in his arms, she forgot how she ruined the papers but her subconscious mind brought back all the things  to her as her eyes opened wide, and her heartbeat increased. She had almost forgotten that she had to meet with that person in the afternoonbut as that thought returnd to her, she wondered how that person going to react knowing that the papers were ruined.

Her grip on him subconsciously tightened more and Shumail felt it too as he pulled back to have a look at her.

"You fine now?" He asked and to avoid further questions from him, she nodded her head in answer and he gave her a bright smile, and moved forward to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I'm getting late so I'll take your leave now. Fi Amanillah." Shumail said, grabbing his mobile, ipad and jacket and headed towards the door, with Eram walking behind him.

Shumail stopped suddenly in his track and turned to her. "Be ready tonight. We'll have dinner outside." He said giving her a wink and before she could say anything, he had already descended the small of a stairs and entered his awaiting car.

Assalamaualaikum!

Oh my! What is going on? What papers? And with whom is Eram meeting?

So many questions and so much hatred for Eram?

But as said 'Don't judge a book by its cover' so have patience and let the story unfold.

Share the story with your friends and help it get discovered by many ^_^

Until next time...Tam biêt!
(Vietnamese)