I returned back to work the next day when Nawal was completely satisfied that I was well enough to work. She didn't say but she had definitely been on edge the next few days as she called a lot when I was at work but kept the conversation short and limited to asking how I was and if I was feeling good or not so she didn't take much of my time at work. It didn't bother me, not at all, in fact I found it adorable how she took care of me. She insisted that I take my medicine regularly because she couldn't handle seeing me like that again as she had a mini heart attack that day when I lay so lifelessly in her lap. I repeatedly apologized for scaring her but she said that it wasn't my fault and all she wanted was for me to not skip my medication. The truth was that I was sick and tired of the medicines because I had been taking them for the past few years now but I decided not to skip any for her sake.

At midnight yesterday, she had wished me a happy birthday and only let me kiss her before we went back to bed. She made me think that that was how much she cared about my birthday but knowing her, she was probably planning a whole party for me right now as I worked the day away. As the years passed, my interest in my birthday lessened but that didn't stop my family from at least cutting one cake every year on my birthday. Mom and dad video-called earlier as they both wished me and said that they weren't going to call me to meet them today because my wife would do the celebration for them. Zoha and Rumi separately called me and wished me a happy birthday and so did Sameer bhai. All of them treated like my birthday as a national holiday.

I was going over the blueprints for the hotel when my phone rang and I smiled at the caller ID– meri jaan.

"Ahad, please come home a little early today if possible." She pleaded and I just knew she had her puppy eyes out even when I couldn't see her.

"Okay, I will." I softly smiled and she cut the call to not take my time so I could wrap up quicker. The call just confirmed that she was, indeed, planning something for my birthday.

In the morning, when I was leaving for work, Nawal had picked out my suit for the day which was the same grey suit I wore for our engagement and I wore the same black dress shirt underneath. By the end of the day, I ended up removing my jacket anyway and my sleeves were rolled up as I hung my jacket on my forearm and walked to my car. It would be a lie if I said I wasn't excited to see whatever Nawal had in mind but I also planned to give her a surprise.

I rang the bell as I usually did but when she didn't open the door herself, I fetched out my set of keys and went in. The house looked perfectly normal and my wife was nowhere to be seen. I tossed my suit jacket on the sofa and looked around. I walked to the dining table and my eyes widened when I saw the minimal set up. A chocolate cake, definitely home baked, was placed on the table and 'HBD Ahad' was written on top, not as clean as a professional would write but still beautiful. A pot of something was sitting on the table too with two sets of plates for Nawal and I. A few balloons had been tied to ribbons that were knotted to the chairs around the table but Nawal was still not here.

"Nawal?" I yelled to call her.

"Here." She softly said from behind me as I turned around but immediately froze as my breath got caught in my throat. She was wearing a western dress, something very different from how she usually dressed up. Her dress was black as it hugged her figure and ended right above her knees. The dress had a straight neckline and was held by thin spaghetti straps that sat perfectly on her shoulders. In her neck was the pendant I gave her and her hair were down in their natural form and silver chandelier earrings hung from her ears. Her make up was simple too except some dark eyeliner. She was wearing black heels that made her a little taller than she actually was. I knew she would never wear such dresses in public as it was too revealing so she specially got it for me only.

Definitely a very lucky man.

"Thought I'd dress up a little for my husband's birthday. You like it?" She spun around so I could see the dress from all angles.

"Yes, you look very pretty." I wanted to say more but I couldn't so she just grabbed my arm and led me to the table.

"Come on, cut your cake." She mindlessly said as she inserted three candles in the cake and lit them up before handing me the knife. I think I was still lost because I couldn't get over how she looked and that dress... I shook my head slightly to shake off my trance and grabbed the knife and cut the cake as Nawal sang the birthday song for me and clapped. When I cut the cake, she reached forward and took out a small slice and fed me.

"How is it?" She hopefully looked at me as she bit her lip.

"Really good." Before I could react, she swiped her thumb on my bottom lip before putting it in her mouth.

"You had some cake over there. Let's have dinner then we can eat the cake." As she was about to walk off, I grabbed her wrist and tugged her close to me where I put my hands on her waist.

"Nawal, I love you. So much." I told her as I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and she smacked my chest.

"What was that for?" I asked as she angrily turned away and crossed her arms.

"I had to say it first!" What?

"You...wanted to tell me you love me?" I raised an eyebrow as I turned her around to face me again by gripping her arm.

"Yes, I love you too, Ahad." She confessed, wrapping her arms around my neck and I leaned down to kiss her but she put a hand in between us to stop me.

"Not now, let's have dinner first? I'm starving then you can do whatever you like." She took my hand and guided me to a chair before sitting down in front of me.

"Whatever I like?" I lifted an eyebrow challenging, knowing she would shy away.

"Yes, whatever you like." She leaned forward on her forearms and smirked before serving the pasta she had made for dinner to us both.

Even the way she was eating was a turn-on right now or maybe it was just what she was wearing. Her shoulders and arms were completely bare and her dress rode up higher on her legs as she sat down in front of me.

"I'll put these away then we can eat the cake." She carried both of our plates to the kitchen but I didn't have an ounce of patience as I followed after her. Her back was turned to me as she put the plates in the sink and I briskly walked to her in long strides before she turned around and put my hands on her hips.

"Ahad..." She shut her eyes as I trailed my finger from her fingertips to her neck as goosebumps rose on her skin under my touch.

"It's funny how it's always you in black that makes me lose all control though this dress is so much better than that night suit." I turned her around and stroked her cheek with the back of my hand as I looked at her, lovingly and she returned my gaze.

MATURE SCENE

"Can we go to our room?" I didn't want to do anything in the kitchen and she slowly nodded. That was all the validation I needed to lift her off her feet and carry her in my arms to our room.

The lights were off but the moon shone through the large window, casting a dim light in the entire room and I didn't bother turning on the lights. I lay her down on the bed and leaned over her, my hands on either sides of her head.

"Ahad, I'm ready to take the next step in our marriage. I've loved you for a long time and I can't wait anymore now that I know you love me." She admitted as she placed her hands over my shoulders and pulled me down onto her, connecting our lips for the first time tonight.

"I'm honored to know you trust me enough." I muttered in between kisses. As I kissed her, I could see that she was still scared that there might be a repeat of that night we spent in Murree but I was stupid to have walked off like that and I wasn't going to repeat the same mistake. My lips went down to her neck as her hands quickly got to work with the buttons on my shirt as she unbuttoned half of it and trailed her hands over my body before unbuttoning the rest of it and sliding it down my shoulders and discarding it somewhere on the floor. I stopped.

"Not again..."  Her voice was a pained whisper and her eyes clenched tight as her hands fell limp to her side.

"Jaan, open your eyes. I'm not going anywhere." I placed my hand over her cheek and brushed my thumb on the skin there. My other hand was massaging her thigh, under the dress.

"I need you to be completely sure before we do this." I hooked my finger underneath the thin strap of her dress and pulled the strap down as she nodded.

"There's a zipper in the back, Ahad." She gently told me as she kissed the corner of my mouth and I reached my hand behind her back, sliding the zipper down before tugging the dress off her until she lay bare under me, only in her black undergarments.

"You're beautiful inside and outside. Never forget that and I'm sorry if I ever made you doubt yourself." I kissed her again and she removed the belt on my pants as we became one under the moonlight.

I repeatedly told her how beautiful she is and how much I love her as we spend the night together then slept in each other's arms.

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(A.N): Please vote and comment if you liked the chapter, thank you <3