The house was quiet after dinner. Muneeb had retreated to his study, and Aira, not in the mood for sleep, wandered aimlessly through the halls.
She wasn't sure why she felt restless. Maybe it was the lingering heat of their argument, or maybe it was that irritating smirk of his still playing in her mind.
But then, as she passed by his study, voices reached her ears. Low, tense—an argument.
She froze.
Muneeb's voice was sharp, edged with irritation. His mother's tone was calmer but laced with something unmistakable—challenge.
Aira took a hesitant step closer, her fingers curling against the wooden frame of the door.
"—I don't want to hear it again, Ammi." Muneeb's voice was firm, unyielding.
"You're getting too soft, Muneeb," his mother countered. "I only said what needed to be said. She should know what kind of life she's walked into."
Aira's breath caught.
Muneeb let out a humorless laugh. "What kind of life? One where you feed her lies just to see how much she can take?"
His mother sighed. "You're too sentimental about this."
Muneeb scoffed. "Sentimental? No, Ammi. I just don't like unnecessary games."
Aira's chest tightened.
"She's my wife." Muneeb's voice dropped lower, sharper. "She's here now. That's all that matters."
His mother didn't speak for a moment. Then, with quiet amusement, she said, "You care about her."
Aira stiffened.
Muneeb's response came instantly. "I don't. I just don't want you causing problems for no reason."
His mother hummed, unconvinced. "You've never argued with me over a woman before."
Silence.
Aira's fingers clenched against the doorframe, her heart pounding.
Muneeb exhaled, slow and deliberate. "Just don't repeat what you did today."
"And if I do?"
His voice was ice. "Then I'll make sure you regret it."
Aira's breath hitched.
His mother chuckled softly. "You're just like your father. Stubborn to a fault."
"Goodnight, Ammi." His tone left no room for argument.
Aira quickly stepped back, retreating down the hall before the door could open. Her mind was spinning.
Muneeb had defended her.
Not just casually, not just as a formality—he had argued for her.
Yet, even when confronted, he refused to admit he cared. I don't.
Liar.
Aira bit her lip, her heart beating too fast.
Muneeb was impossible. He was arrogant, frustrating, and insufferable. But beneath all of it—
He wasn't indifferent.
And that realization unsettled her more than anything else