TWO YEARS LATER
The weather was clear. The sky was almost outcast but she was glad that it was cool for a change as compared to the damp and dry weather of Islamabad, as she gazed out the window.
Well, at least its not raining. It would hard to find a rickshaw in the rain. She mused to herself and sipped her lukewarm tea. Glancing at her wrist watch, she knew that her ten minute break was almost up. She sighed and adjusted the dupatta on her head. Finishing he tea, she laid one more glance outside at the clear grey sky. She was feeling exhausted especially from her night shift and she couldn't wait to go home. She glanced at the man who was sitting across from her and with a weary expression, was examining a file in his hands. She was grateful for the silence between them because she was in no mood to talk and just wanted to savor some silence before she went back to the senior doctor who was responsible for her medical residency.
"I'm going to take ward 5, is that okay with you Anissa?" she was brought out of her trance when she saw her cousin, Haris stare at her. She passed him a small smile. "Of course, but bhai, don't you need to go home now?" she said. She knew that Haris was her senior during the night shift yet he took care of most of the heavy lifting since Anissa was still a trainee in medical specialty. "I should be telling you that but you know how this works. We still need to finish up two more hours in the pediatric ward than we are done for the day." He clarified and took his white overcoat from the back of the seat where he was sitting earlier. She nodded. "I'll be there shortly. I don't think I'm quite ready to face Sir Farooq yet especially after I got the wrong patient history yesterday." She mumbled and sighed, rubbing her forehead to keep it relieved from any ache. She couldn't get over the myriad of insults and reprimanding that her senior mentor had bestowed on her on her small mistakes. Although it's been a year since she began her training under Doctor Farooq yet she always manages to piss him off for no reason and he spares no chance to insult her on her small mistakes knowing well that a trainee will make mistakes and instead of telling them to correct them in a professional manner, her boss goes on to reprimand her on every minor error.
I don't know why that old man hates me so much. I just wish I could change my trainer but I just had to choose medical specialty and now im stuck with that insufferable man. She thought and sighed.
Haris smiled at her and gently touched her shoulder. "Of course. I understand. Sir Farooq went a little overboard but you know how these senior doctors love to treat their trainees. We only need to bear with their shit for a little while longer."
"Oh and by little more you mean three more years or if by some miracle I pass my part 1 exam in two years then maybe I can cut the torture short." She snorted sarcastically. All she needed in order to cut short her torture and complete her part one of specialization was to double her credit hours and pass the fellowship exam next year.
"I know you can do it, Ainnie, you've got a genius head on your shoulders. You don't tae anyone's bullshit but this you just have to bear with. After all, he's the best Medical specialist in the city. It's an honor to work and learn from him." He tried to pacify her.
"Easy for you to say Bhai, you got Dr. Sajid and he's so nice with his trainees." She scoffed sarcastically, earning an amused chuckle from her cousin. "I suppose that I am but he can be a real slave driver when you expect it from him in surgery." He chuckled. she looked at her cousin with envy whom she regarded as a big brother. When he left, she groaned and rubbed her face to ward off the weariness—it had been twelve hours since she last slept and that too for three hours until she was called in the ER. She wasn't complaining about her job; she loved being a doctor after all the reason she became a doctor was so that she could help out her fellow human being but sometimes those fellows weren't so nice to her especially her boss whom she was slowly beginning to despise.
"Excuse me,"
She was pulled out of her reverie by a deep voice coming from a person who was standing beside her table. She had to crane her neck up and her eyes landed on the tall, lean yet muscular frame of a man clad in an expensive black three piece suit, shoulders broad and arms looked strong as his hands were resting in his pockets but that wasn't what took the breath out of her—she stared up at his face and it was one of the most handsome faces she had ever seen—a strong jaw set in firmly with a light stubble dusted on it, a strong nose that was crooked a little but suited his sharp features along the high cheekbones but what mesmerized her most about this man was his striking grey eyes—the appeared cold and calculating as he looked at her. Her eyes got immediately locked with his grey gaze and a slow blush crept up her cheeks as she realized how handsome the man was.
His entire being exuded confidence, power and supremacy. She felt a cold shiver run down her spine and her guard was instantly on. Her guts and instinct told her that this man was dangerous even though she didn't even know who he was. Her heart began to beat fast and she was surprised at herself for her reaction towards this man.
"Yes?" she responded meekly that earned an amused look from him.
"Are you Dr. Anissa Ghalib?" he inquired his voice strong, his eyes staring at her shrewdly that she was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Clearing her throat, she carefully stood up and adjusted her white coat on her shoulders.
"Yes, I'm doctor Anissa. Do you have any scheduled appointment or would like a consult?" she said, her voice firm, not letting it give out the nervousness that she was actually feeling in the company of this handsome stranger. She was surprised though that what was a man like him doing in a place like this—it was a public hospital and from his attire, she inferred that he must come from a lot of money and a public hospital wasn't any place for the rich. In Pakistan, the rich upper class people went to private clinics or private hospitals.
Maybe he's here on business with the management or something. She thought.
His lips twitched slightly but his gaze on her was unaltered. "I'm actually here on a consult. Dr. Farooq directed me to you since he's busy and I need a quick check up on this," he claimed and brought up his fist, his knuckles were indeed injured and battered.
"Alright, please follow me." She instructed and led him out of the cafeteria and into radiology for an x-ray scan.
Why did this man find me there? Couldn't he have just waited in Dr. Farooq's office? She found it extremely weird that this stranger bothered to look for her in the cafeteria. On no other patient did that before. Perhaps he's in a hurry and after all it's tea break time. She pushed unnecessary thoughts at the back of her head and led him to the x-ray room.
"Please, take a seat." She instructed bluntly and pointed towards a stool by a table as she adjusted the x-ray machine that was aligned on top of the table. He was seated and his hand laid on the top of the table casually. She went on to adjust his hand properly on the table under the machine but a jolt of lightening burst through her when she touched his hand and involuntarily flinched her hand back. Apparently she wasn't the only one who felt it because the stranger raised a brow at her waited for her to finish her job. Sighing lowly, with her heart pacing, she went back to adjusting his hand and nodded to the radiologist at the other side of the room. All the while, she felt his gaze constantly scrutinizing her and her she felt unnerved and her heart went into over drive. She couldn't read his expression as it was blank and impassive.
What's his deal? Can't he just lower his gaze already? She was slowly beginning to feel irritated. After a few moments, the radiologist nodded to her.
"Alright, please can you wait at Dr. Farooq's office? I will return with your x-ray scan." She said. He gave her a curt nod and exited the room. She let out a breath that she didn't realize that she was holding.
After getting the scan, she headed to her Boss's office and prayed that he would also be there because she didn't feel right being alone with that stranger. But to her utter disappointment, the office was empty with only the stranger standing and gazing outside the window. Although the office wasn't shabby or anything, but she just dint approve of this man being here—it didn't suit him in the least because he didn't belong here. Clearing her throat, she caught his attention and gestured towards the desk. "Please take a seat, Mister,"
"Shehryaar. Shehryaar Ghulari." He answered. Even his name sounded powerful. "Mr. Shehryaar, please take a seat." She said and tried to calm her pacing heart. No man had ever had an effect on her like this as this man was having.
"Just Shehryaar is fine." He stated stoically, his tone robust and forward. She flinched slightly at the tone of voice he was using—it held so much authority.
She shook her head and passed him a small tight smile. "If you will please have a seat, I would like to examine your hand."
He sat down and looked at her as she examined his scan on a white light board. "Hmm, all the bones are intact," she mused and moved towards a side of the room and acquired latex gloves. Coming back to the man, she slowly took his injured hand and examined his knuckles, ignoring the tingles that she felt from contact with his skin even through her glove clad hands.
"The cuts aren't too deep and the injury doesn't look infected." She informed and carefully let go of his hand. His eyes were still trained on her she felt their intensity. Avoiding eye contact, she moved away.
"How did you get it like this?" she enquired and grabbed Dr. Farooq's prescription pad.
"I was training when it happened." He told frankly. She furrowed her brows slightly.
No wonder he looks so bulky. He must really work out. But wait, was he training just now? But by the looks of it, he looks like he's about ready to head out and go to work; whatever that is. Maybe he's a business man or something. But the injury looks so fresh like it just happened a few minutes ago. Was he in a fight? No wonder I got dangerous vibes from him.
"Okay, that means that chances of infection are low. I'll disinfect it and bandage it for you then I'll right down a prescription for an ointment that you will need to apply on it until the clotting is complete and the wound closes." She said professionally and scribbled the name of the drug on the pad and signed her name and tore off the paper.
"Why don't you have your own office, Anissa?" he asked, startling her, however, she was taken aback by his sudden informality; especially with him calling her by her first name. Furrowing her brows slightly, she kept her features composed and cleared her throat.
"I'm a trainee and thus I can't have an office of my own until I specialize in my field and pass my fellowship exam." She explained.
"And when will that happen?" he asked. She was feeling slightly irritated at his sudden interest in her but nonetheless, she answered. "Maybe next year or the year after that." If I'm lucky enough.
She went on and grabbed a cart of bandages and proceeded to treat his injured hand. She noticed that his hand was calloused and rough—indicating a hard and strenuous life. You tell a lot from a person's hands and what his told her surprised her because from his attire, she had judged that he must've had an easy life but his hands said otherwise.
Never judge a book by its cover.
She wasn't so close to him and was standing as she worked on his hand but she could easily smell his rich spicy cologne as well as his strong after shave seeing that his neck was clear from the fuzzy stubble that adorned his jaw.
Her hands were starting to shake from his constant scrutinizing and she was so close to snapping at him. Doesn't this guy have any sense of propriety? He's being so rude with all the staring. She was already so tired and weary and this guy was unnerving her to no end.
"You know, it's very rude to stare at someone." She finally vented and felt the pressure on her shoulders being lifted. However, he chuckled and suddenly his used the hand that she was dressing and grabbed her fingers in a gentle yet firm grip while the other hand snaked around her waist and she fell on his lap, earning another amused chuckle from him. She was taken aback and looked at him only to be locked into his gaze—hazel against grey. His cold yet observant eye while her eyes were in a daze. She felt something funny like tingles rise at the pit of her stomach.
He pulled her close and she was so froze in her place that she didn't realize how close they were now.
"They were right you know," he said huskily into her ear. "I had heard that Dr. Anissa was the most beautiful girl in this city. And now that I see you up close, such rumors don't do you justice—you're breathtakingly gorgeous." He rasped. Her heart skipped a beat at his words. She wasn't surprised at his words though—she knew that she was a prodigal beauty. With her hazel eyes, fair skin and light brown hair, she knew that she was beautiful owing to her Kashmiri ancestry.
She gasped when she realized the position that she was in and she immediately jumped to her feet, her cheeks heating and blushing brightly. She had seen and witnessed many types of patients; the witty ones, chatty ones and even the agitated one but never had she witnessed a patient like him before. He was the first one who was so obnoxious as to flirt and be forward with her. No, he was being beyond forward and these were the type of men that she despised the most. Who the hell does he think he is? How dare he?
She was fuming and all that he was doing was staring at her with the same intensity as before yet his eyes had grown a little soft and myriads of amusement could be seen in their depths. And that irritated her so much.
Why am I getting so worked up with this guy? Maybe I'm just letting the weariness get the better of me. But how dare he pull me up on his lap?
She was so close to snapping at him but when she saw that her dressing in his hand was left undone, she decided she better finish quickly with him, shove the prescription on his face and let him be on his merry way.
"You looked pissed off at something." He said as she continued to finish the dressing on his hand. She tried her best to ignore him but her heart almost skipped a beat when she saw him moving close to her.
"Did I piss you off just now, Anissa?" he whispered close to her ear and she jumped back and away from him. He looked amused and seemed to be reveling in her nervousness. She liked the way how her name rolled off of his tongue so smoothly yet her irritation was plummeting.
"Are you always this forward with every doctor or is it just me?" she snapped.
He gave her a small smile and stood up, his uninjured hand pushed into the pocket of his pants as he took a step towards her and she took a step away from him.
"Just you," he murmured, his eyes staring intensely at her. Her poor heart began to pace again at an abnormally fast rate. She saw something flash in his eyes and his features hardened. It scared her and cold shivers ran down her spine as he took another step in her direction, his form radiating intimidation.
"And are you always like this with you patients?" he said through clenched teeth, earning a confused frown from Anissa. "What do you mean?" she whispered and he pulled up his bandaged hand and waved it at her.
"Do you touch all you patients like that?" he enquired, a sharp edge to his voice. She was flabbergasted by his question. This man was beyond confusing.
Is that even a question? What's wrong with this guy? He's not making any sense.
"Excuse me Mr. Ghulari but,"
"I told you to call me Shehryaar. Is that too difficult to say?" he said crossly, and raised a thick brow at her, challenging her to say otherwise. His eyes were so intense on her that she felt like they could see right through him.
However, her mouth was hanging open at his bluntness and anger replacing the irritation. She couldn't believe how obnoxious this stranger was being. In all her career, she had never faced such a patient before. The nerve of this man! Who does he think he is? Sure he looks like a bog shot with his expensive attire and godly looks but who cares, he can't come here and ask me things like this and make such demands.
Her thoughts were in a chaos as her anger was skyrocketing at his repugnant and domineering attitude. However, being the composed woman that she was, she jerked her chin up defiantly and squared her shoulder. "You're done. You may leave now." She said in a hard tone.
"I asked you something. Actually, I asked you two things. And I want an answer." He demanded instead. She just couldn't believe how imprudent this man was.
"I'm a doctor, touching a patient for examination is mandatory. As for your other question, no I will not address you with your name, Mr. Shehryaar," she emphasized to make her point. "Since you are my patient and I am your attending physician. So I would like to kindly request you to stop behaving this informally and leave now." She finished, feeling pleased at herself for giving him a piece of her mind and tore the latex gloves from her hands and threw them in a waste bin.
She was about to exit the room when all of a sudden, a hand slammed on the door near her face and a hand cramped around her wrist and she was turned around abruptly with her back and wrist slamming against the door, her breath knocked out of her and when she opened her eyes, she saw a fuming Shehryaar standing within close proximity of her that his heated breath fanned her face—his grey smoldering eyes ablaze with fury. His hold on her wrist increased and she winced when she felt pain radiate from her wrist and her heart beat quickened again as fear swept through her and her knees began to shake.
However, on instinct, her sympathetic nervous system kicked in and she went into fight mode, her muscles tensing and her feet rooted firmly in her spot. Her eyes scrutinized him, anticipating his next move carefully. Her mind flashed into trauma but she ignored the haze and concentrated on the man in front of her. All her senses were heightened; the hair on the back of her neck raised and goosebumps ran from the place where he was touching her.
When he saw her sudden change in demeanor, he immediately released her wrist and his hand fell to his side.
She began to shake in fear as she saw the hand by his side clench and unclench. But she wasn't about to let this man know that she was afraid of him and remained steadfast. If he tried anything then she knew what she had to do. For the time being, he wasn't doing anything to her but the moment he tried anything, she knew exactly what needed to be done. Never in a million years had she thought that she would face such a situation at her work place. She just couldn't understand what she had gotten herself into—clearly this man had issues. Now she wished more than anything that he boss was present during this consult, than maybe she wouldn't have ended up in this situation. Her stomach knotted in dread as she thought of the possibilities but she knew that he wouldn't try anything especially in a hospital.
What have I gotten myself into? I was right when I felt that this man was dangerous.
However, she was surprised to see his eyes become cold and detached as his lips contorted into a self satisfied smirk. "You're feisty. I like that." He stated and removed his hand from the door. She breathed a sigh of relief as he back off and pulled his hands into his pockets.
"Thank you for the first aid. I'll take my leave now," he said and she did a little happy dance in her head. Good riddance.
"But I'll be seeing you real soon," he stated and winked. She huffed and backed away from the door to give space to leave. He forwarded a thing white card towards her and she eyed it suspiciously.
"My card." He said and she reluctantly took it just so that he could go away. His lips twitched with a ghost of smile but his gaze was still intense on her and she diverted her eyes away, fearing that she would blush again if she looked at his grey depths.
She heard the door open and close. She sighed with relief, her legs giving up and she collapsed at one of the chairs near the desk. With trembling hands, she examined the card that he had given her.
Shehryaar Ghulari
CEO, Indus Enterprises
Sighing, she tore the card in two and threw it away.
I hope I never see that horrible man again.
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