TWO WEEKS LATER….

AUTHOR

The office canteen was bustling with employees. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee and chocolate bread filled the air.

Everyone rushed in to grab their share of food—it was lunch break, after all.

At the counter, a girl glanced around, searching for someone. Someone who loved the chocolate bread the most. That person was usually the first to arrive, always making sure to get her share. But today, nearly all the bread was sold out, and she still hadn’t shown up.

Frowning, the girl turned to the other girl working beside her—Ritu—and asked, “Don’t you think it’s strange?”

Ritu, who was busy arranging items on the shelf, paused and looked at her. “What is?”

“Why isn’t Noor didi here yet? The lunch break is almost over.”

That struck Ritu too. She looked around, scanning the crowd. “You’re right… She's not here. Misha must’ve stopped them for extra work. Poor people.”

The counter girl nodded thoughtfully, then glanced at the last pieces of chocolate bread.

“Should I save one for Noor didi? What if she comes afterwards?”

“Yeah—and her favourite cold coffee too,” Ritu replied, still focused on her task. “Save it for her.”

✿✿

*Thud*

A bunch of files landed on Noor's desk with a thud.

Noor, who was already exhausted due to the extra work she did in the last five hours, glanced at the files with wide eyes.

“ What the hell?”

She glanced at Misha who smiled at her sweetly-which didn't reach her eyes.

“ Complete these files too,” she said, tapping on the top file with her manicured nails, “These are from that day when you disappeared saying you have a family function. Submit them to me till evening!”

Saying that she left from there with a never ending smile on her face.

Noor's jaw clenched as she looked at the stack of files around her table. Her fingers curled into fist under the table as she looked at the fading figure of Misha, but she forced herself to stay calm.

She leaned on her chair and threw her head back as she groaned, “ I wish I could kill her now,” She muttered under her breath.

“ Me too,” came two equally tried voices.

She looked at Disha and Rohan who looks as exhausted as her. Standing in front of her desk with a sympathetic expression.

“If this goes like this, I don't think I can do this anymore,” Noor Said, looking at her computer screen.

“ hmm” they both hummed.

“ I mean why is she going hard on us from the last two weeks?” She asked no one in particular, confused by Misha's sudden changed demeanor.

But the truth was—there hadn’t been a sudden change. Misha had always been like this: a thorn in their side, pushing them harder than necessary. Yet in the last two weeks, she had become even worse—as if she were on some kind of revenge mission, piling on extra tasks and unreasonable revisions just to wear them down.

Normally, the security department worked for seven hours a day, with expected increases during the first and last weeks of the month. But now, in the middle of the month—when work was typically lighter—Misha had them working overtime, citing vague complications.

For example — Noor had created a new code for their upcoming project and as an employee she took it to her team leader to show it. Misha however, saw it— though it was excellent work she sent Noor back saying that there was a mistake and she needed to do it again.

And it wasn’t a one-time thing. For two straight weeks, Misha had been making them redo work for no valid reason. It was grinding Noor’s patience thin.

Four hours had passed, it was almost the time of leaving and Noor was still nowhere near finishing the stack of files. Exhausted felt like too small a word to describe what she was feeling.

Her eyes burned, each blink a battle to stay focused on the text in front of her. But instead of clarity, tears welled up, blurring the words on the page.

She looked up, biting the inside of her cheek to hold the tears back, willing herself not to break down.

Her head throbbed from the hours of mental strain, Every file felt heavier than the last, and her body screamed for rest—but there was none in sight.

Noor closed the file, not able to take it anymore, she rested her head on the table and closed her eyes to take a quick nap before Misha came back.

Fifteen minutes later, a Grinning Misha walked in, her dress ridden up,hair Messy, her face and cheeks red, her lipstick ruined — Overall she looked wasted, Ruined and utterly fucked.

As she walked in, her eyes fell on Noor.

Misha’s grin faltered. Rage simmered beneath her skin as she spotted the untouched stack of files she’d dumped earlier. Her jaw tightened. The sight of Noor—resting, even for a moment—was enough to make her blood boil.

She walked over to the side table, grabbed a half-full water bottle, and walked back to Noor’s desk. Without a second thought, she uncapped the bottle, raising it over Noor’s head—ready to drench her.

But just as the water was about to fall, a hand gripped her wrist tightly and yanked her back with a sudden jerk.

Misha stumbled slightly and turned around, seething.

Her eyes met Disha’s—calm, yet blazing with anger. Disha’s gaze flicked over Misha’s appearance, and a flash of disgust crossed her face.

“What do you think you’re doing, Misha?” Disha asked coldly,

“Can’t you see? I’m waking her up!” Misha snapped, trying to free her hand. “She’s sleeping during work hours!”

She lifted the bottle again, but Disha caught her wrist firmly, stopping her once more.

“I know you're a crackhead, but this isn’t how you wake someone up,” Disha said,“This is assault.”

She left her hand and pushed her back,

“ And it's not the work hours, it's past the work hours. All of the employees left except for us” Disha said as she walked to her table to pack her bag.

“ What?” Misha asked in disbelief. Her eyes darted to the wall clock and sure enough it was time to leave.

Disha didn't look at her as she slung her back on her shoulder, “ oh my. How can you know, after all you were busy whoring around.”

She paused, then threw Misha a sideways glance, lips curling. “It’s okay, you must be tired after all that... extracurricular work.”

Saying that, Disha walked over to Noor’s desk and knelt beside her chair.

“Noor?” she called gently, brushing a few loose strands of hair from Noor’s forehead. “Baby, wake up. It’s time to leave.”

She tapped Noor’s cheeks softly, her voice tender, concerned. “Come on, sweetheart. You’ve worked enough for ten people today.”

Noor stirred at the sound, her brows scrunching before her tired eyes fluttered open. She blinked.

“Disha?” she mumbled.

“Yes, it’s me,” Disha smiled, stroking her hair gently. “It’s over for today. Let’s get you out of here.”

Noor slowly sat up, rubbing her temples as the dull ache in her head throbbed again. Disha helped her straighten, brushing off her shoulders and offering her a bottle of water.

As Noor was about to stand up, they heard footsteps approaching in the almost empty office.

Piyush.

Dressed in formals, with a smug look, he walked in as if he owned the building. Noor's face hardened, the moment her eyes landed on him and she looked away as if he was a disgusting thing she had seen in the whole world.

“ Hey babe, let's go we are getting late,” He approached Misha and circled his hands around her waist, as he kissed her slowly on lips.

Noor and Disha looked away feeling disgusted, as they broke the kiss, Misha's lips curled up in a smrink.

She circled her hands around his neck and hugged him as she murmured on his chest.

“ Good work, Noor and Disha. You both can go home now, it will take time for me,” Piyush’s eyes widened hearing her and his eyes snapped in Noor's direction.

His face paled, when his eyes met her blank, emotionless ones.

Noor picked up her bag and slung it on her shoulder,

“ Even if you say so, we are not going to stay and see that filthy thing you both are going to do,”

Misha fisted her hand, her eyes blazing but she didn't let her guard down, “ oh Noor, come on. Don't be jealous of someone you can't have!”

Noor stopped in her tracks, her hand still on her bag strap, she turned around, her voice calm but sharp like a blade, “ jealous?” she scoffed.

“ Jealous of what Misha? Of something I threw to you?Of the man who didn't treasure my loyalty but cheated on me?”

Piyush's jaw tensed but he didn't say anything.

Noor took a step, as she stood tall and unshaken,

“ You Misha, you must be thinking that he left me and Came to you. No honey, he cheated on Me because I let him, because somewhere in all those years I know that this day will come.—” she paused and smiled at her,

“ if you think that You won, then you are wrong, he is the trash I threw away and you happen to pick it up with ease thinking that it was a lottery.”

“ You worked so hard to get him. And I threw him to you- on a silver plate. I hope you like second hand things.”

Misha's nostrils flared, rahe filled in her eyes, she took a step forward, her voice raising, “ say that again, you bit—”

“ Don't” Disha warned, stepping in.

But Misha wasn’t backing down. She shoved Disha aside and grabbed Noor’s collar. “Still playing miss righteous? You never gave him what he needed! You were too Scared, always acting like some saint!”

Piyush flinched. “Misha—” he tried to stop her, but she was not listening.

Noor didn’t react. She stared right into Misha’s furious eyes, calm as ever, until—

Her nuptial chain slipped out.

For a second, everything stilled.

Misha’s grip loosened, her mouth parting in confusion. Her eyes fell on the thin gold mangalsutra resting against Noor’s skin.

“What the—”

“You’re married?” Piyush asked,his voice cracking with disbelief.

Noor gently freed herself from Misha’s grip, brushing off the wrinkles from her clothes like she was dusting off dirt. “Yes,” she said plainly.

“To who?” Piyush demanded, his voice rising with shock and something darker—regret.

“ To whom, Noor?” He repeated, his voice raising,

Noor glanced at him, her eyes blazing at his raised voice, “ To someone, better. No— Someone more perfect and knows My worth. Someone who doesn't betray me even if I ask to.”

Piyush's face turned red in rage and jealous, “ you didn't let me touch you for all those years because of your stupid Past or whatever! I waited for you all those years and now you got married?”

“ And That's the difference!” Noor cut him off,

“ He doesn't need to ask, nor does he think like that. He respects my privacy and not like you who replaced me like I was a toy”

Tears trimmed in her eyes but she didn't let them fall.

As she turned and was about to Walk away , she heard Misha saying, “ See baby, I told you. I was better than her. See she got married the moment you left her. Told you she is trash!”

Anger rushed in Noor's veins, she turned back her eyes blazing, she took a step towards Misha and Her hand met Misha's cheek in a tight slap.

Misha's face jerked to the side, her hand on cheek. Piyush looked at Noor in shock, his eyes too blazed seeing Misha in that state.

“ How dare you touch her??!” He gripped Noor's shoulders, Noor hissed at the pain but didn't back off.

“ How dare she say that??” she snapped

“ Zubaan hai, iska matlab ye nahi ki voh kuch bhi bol sakti hai!!”

“ Toh tumne konsa acha kaam kiya hai, you too got married behind my back!” he yelled at her.

Noor chuckled sarcastically, “behind your back?? Hello mister, Remember that morning, that I came there to tell you about my marriage but instead i got a beautiful gift. So now you don't have any right to ask me any questions”

Noor hissed when his grip on her shoulder tightened,

“ Leave me, you lost the right to touch me long ago. Leave me you Bastard!!” Noor shouted and pushed him.

Piyush fell down on his butt, he hissed in pain, Disha bit her lip, from smiling seeing him in pain.

“ You deserve it, motherfucker,” she thought.

“ Don't ever try to touch me again,” Noor yelled at him and kicked him in his balls.

Piyush shouted in pain, as he laid in agony.

“ Piyush!!!!” Misha ran to him.

Noor turned away, and was about to leave again but stopped hearing his words,

“ Do you think doing this to me will change everything? You may have gotten married. But who will love a person like you? A person who can never satisfy a man's needs and a person who is a Scar on her own family and has a body full of scars?” His words hit her like a slap.

“ Do you think your husband will love you?” He laughed, tears welled up in Noor's eyes, “ Remember Noor he is a man too and a Man Can love you to an extent until you satisfy his needs. And you don't even let anyone near you. Why do you think he will stay with someone as useless as you?”

Noor couldn't take it anymore and she walked away no — ran away.

Disha turned to them, her eyes blazing, “ You both think you have hurt her? What a joke, just wait until tomorrow, you will be finished.”

Saying that she ran after Noor who was already out of the company.

Piyush laid there, there His heart beating fast and in pain. He knew he shouldn't have said that, he shouldn't have touched that nerve but The moment his eyes laid on her mangalsutra, something in him Burned and that's when he felt it — jealous, broken and that's when he realised he lost her — someone who love him with all of her will and heart.

He lost her.

He lost Noor.

He lost the person who loved him truly .

He lost her.

And now he is regretting it but it was too late.

Because she has already left.

But in all this, there was a person — standing in the shadows was hearing everything — every word, every phrase and every sentence and every action.

Ashrit.

And he vowed to destroy that person who Hurted his dear wife.