"You're telling me to marry a woman I've never seen in my whole life? Just because Mom wants to see me married? What kind of blackmail is this, Idris Bhai?" I asked as I took my seat on the flight and opened my office bag, my tone cold yet calm.

"It's not just that, Asad. They just want you to be happy, and moreover, she is beautiful," Mr. Idris took Mom's side.

"What should I do with beauty when I don't even know her name?" I asked again, opening my laptop.

"What's in a name, Asad? Just know that she is perfect for you," came his sweet voice, though he was stuttering.

"Name?" I asked sternly.

"Aleena Nasr," he said instantly.

For a few seconds, complete silence enveloped us. No one spoke a single word.

"Cancel the engagement!" I declared and was about to cut the call when he shouted my name, stopping me.

"What is wrong with you, Asad? It's absolutely not fair. Just because of that one name, you can't ignore others who, by coincidence, have the same name," Idris Bhai was trying his best to calm his nerves.

"I. HATE. THAT. NAME," I pressed each word clearly, saying that I was least interested in this engagement and this name.

"Come on, Asad, she is not who you're thinking of. The Aleena you've been searching for all these years, did you find her today? No, right? Then why are you ruining your life over one name? And the worst part is, you haven't even seen her, so I'm not interested in your drama. Just come home," Bhai scolded me, but I didn't understand one thing: why does he take out all his frustration on me when I'm the one with anger issues?

"Neither am I coming, nor am I meeting the person. I'll go directly to my house," I said and ended the call, placing the phone with a loud thud on the table.

It's the worst time to go back to India. If I didn't have a deal, I would still be in the USA, searching for her. If only she had said yes to the deal, I wouldn't be thinking about destroying her. I still can't get over that deal which happened three years ago.

A deal that was so precious to me, and that CEO named Aleena just canceled it for no reason. Her one 'no' destroyed me in many ways. I will find you and destroy you the way you destroyed my dream deal, Ms. Aleena.

I was deeply lost in my thoughts of destroying the woman when I saw another woman coming toward me-messy, to be exact, judging by her actions. I ignored her, but fate had it that she sat next to me with a loud thud, as if taking her anger out on this mere non-living thing.

I closed my eyes and faced the window to get some fresh air, but instead, a fresh fragrance filled my nose. It was the woman sitting beside me in business class. "Calm down," I said to myself, as the smell enveloped me with every breath I took.

"Yes, Ammi, I just took my seat. So, what's the important thing you wanted to talk to me about?" Her voice did something to my heart. The fragrance wasn't enough, now even the voice?

"Calm down, Asad," I assured myself once again, trying not to get distracted by this woman's presence.

"If you're kidding with me, then it's fine. But if you're serious about this, then I'll get off this flight right now since it hasn't started yet," her frustrated voice reached my ears, instantly making me open my eyes and turn towards her.

Her expression was fierce, as if she would kill anyone right now, but her voice was calm as she spoke.

"Just tell me that I'm a burden to you and Dad, and I'll never come to India," she said, her voice slightly broken but her expression as cold as ice.

Then there was complete silence. She didn't speak further and just kept the phone near her ear, maybe listening to the other person talking.

"If he looks like a psycho, I will leave India right away," she said and hung up.

"If you don't move your gaze from me, then I will take those eyes of yours," she said, looking at me with pure anger and frustration. I was so lost in her that I didn't realize I was literally staring at her.

"Excuse me? I am talking to you!" she said, flicking her finger and bringing me back to reality-a beautiful reality.

"You were talking? I thought you were threatening me?" I said calmly, not breaking eye contact with her.

"Are you for real, mister?" she said and turned around.

I straightened myself and looked out the window again, but it seemed my eyes were not interested in anything but her now. I turned towards her again to see her searching for something in her bag.

After a minute, she took out a white box and opened it. It looked like a medicine container. She seemed to be searching for a tablet. When she tilted the box, only one pill fell out. She kept trying, but it seemed there was only one tablet in it. Then she put the box back in her bag and held the tablet in her hand while staring at it.

"Are those drug tablets?" My mind instantly asked, seeing her holding the white pill. Then, in an instant, she swallowed the tablet and drank some water. I closed my mouth in shock.

"What now?" she asked, looking at me with a furious tone.

"You take drugs?" I asked, removing my hand from my mouth, my voice filled with curiosity for no reason.

"Does it look like a drug to you, Mr. Psycho?" she asked, showing me the tablet container.

"Do I look like a psycho to you, Ms. Furious Woman?" I asked her instantly without replying to her question.

"Am I furious?" she asked.

"Am I a psycho?" I asked back.

"Yes," she said and turned towards the screen.

But my eyes refused to look away from her. Why? Just turn around, Asad! I said to myself, but my eyes were in no hurry to look elsewhere. It felt like they had found their view.

While watching the movie, she glanced at me-eyes that could kill anyone, a fragrance that could make anyone swoon, and a voice that could destroy everything.

"What's your problem?" she asked, turning off the screen and giving me her full attention.

"You," I said instantly.

"So, should I change my seat now?" she asked.

"No," I said again instantly.

"Then?" she asked, confused.

"Just put your hair back; it's disturbing me from seeing your eyes properly," I said calmly. But I was literally cursing myself for saying this. What is happening to me? Why did I say this, and why on earth am I even talking to her?

"Are you for real?" she asked, absolutely done with me, and here I am, done with myself too.

I knew I should apologize, but my inner ego refused to do it. So, I just ignored her question and finally looked out the window.

She didn't say anything, but even after turning away, I couldn't focus on anything else. Her fragrance continued to fill my nose with each breath I took. Her eyes and voice weren't enough-now her fragrance too.

After a while, the plane took off, and I sensed her movement. What happened to her now?

"Excuse me, can I change my seat?" she asked. I instantly turned towards her to see her talking to one of the flight attendants.

"Why?" Before the flight attendant could say anything, I asked her.

"None of your business," she said calmly and looked at the flight attendant.

"It is, because I am comfortable with you," I said, but again, I didn't want to say this. Yet, I did it again.

"This is the reason I want to change my seat," she said, looking at the flight attendant.

The flight attendant looked at me, and I gave her a sharp look, indicating her to go. Without saying a single word, the flight attendant left, and this furious woman turned to me, giving absolutely death glares, confused expressions, and curiosity for an explanation.

"I own this plane," I said in a calm voice.

"I don't care if you own this plane or not, just tell me what is wrong with you, Mr?" she asked, but it was more like a taunt than a question.

"First, you tell me, why do you want to change the seat?" I asked her instead of answering her taunt.

"Because I am not comfortable with you," she said.

"But I am," I said back without wasting a second.

"I am already frustrated here, so don't you dare frustrate me even more, or I will punch you right on your beautiful face," she said with great restraint, but I don't know what happened to my heart when she called my face beautiful. Suddenly, my heartbeat quickened. But why?

Many people have praised me, but there was something about this woman's praise. It felt more like a taunt than a compliment, and the strangest part was that my heart was fluttering because of her taunt.

"You can tell me your problem if you're comfortable," I said softly this time.

"I mean, it's a long journey, so what's the harm in sharing your problem? It's your benefit. Either your heart will feel lighter, or maybe I can help you," I said calmly.

"I don't trust you," she said and turned on the screen again.

"Your loss," I said, looking at her, then moved my gaze towards the window.

One minute, two minutes, three minutes, five minutes. She really doesn't trust me? I thought to myself as she literally ignored my advice.

"Great," I taunted myself.

"Will you listen?" I heard her calm voice for the first time.

"I'm listening," I said, turning to her and giving her my full attention.

"Are you sure? Can you help me, Mr.?" she asked, her voice full of confusion.

"You never know," I said casually, not daring to take my eyes off her black eyes.

"My parents have arranged my engagement with someone I don't even know, and my mom just informed me. I don't know what to do now," she began explaining her issue.

"Do you love someone else?" I asked the most basic question anyone could ask.

"No, I'm not that lucky, but that's a different story. I do want to experience that feeling," she started sharing her dreams, and I noticed her mood was better than before.

"Then what's the issue?" I asked her.

"I don't know. It's just that I haven't met the person. I just know his name, and they haven't even sent me a photo of him yet. I'm just not interested," she finished.

"Then run from the engagement," I suggested normally.

"What? She was shocked yet done.

And how?" After a minute she asked curiously.

"I will help you," I said further.

"And how will you do it, Mr.? As much as I know, only a kidnapper or a lover can do this, not someone like you," she said, frustration clearly visible on her face. But this furious woman didn't know I was literally capable of doing it.

"I am more than that," I said calmly.

"Interesting," she exclaimed with a slight smile.

And for a second, my mind went blank at the sight of that smile.

"What's your occupation?" she asked after a while.

I leaned closer to her and inhaled her fragrance.

"I am a mafia," I whispered softly in her ear and sat back straight.

"Okay," she said.

Okay? I mean, seriously, just okay? I was expecting hesitation, stuttering, or, more than that- fear! . But this woman just proved me wrong. She didn't even stutter or show any fearful expression when I told her my real identity.

"Interesting," I said at her 'okay' response.

"So will you help me, Mr. Mafia?" she asked with a hint of taunt.

And once again, something happened to me seeing her smile.

"I will, Ms. Furious," I responded.

"Give me your contact number," I asked, bringing my phone towards her.

She typed her number and handed it back to me. I saved it as 'Ms. Furious' and put it back in my pocket.

"Now it's your turn. Do you have something to share?" she asked curiously, giving me her full attention.

"Kind of," I said casually.

"Spill it," she said excitedly.

"Why are you excited?" I asked, more like taunting her.

"Just curious to know what in the world is troubling Mr. Mafia," she said, laughing.

"Similar to your issue," I said when she finished laughing.

"Oh really, what is it?" she asked, even more curious now.

"My parents have arranged my engagement with someone I don't know," I explained, and she fell into deep thought.

"Oh, the case is so similar. So, are you in love with someone else, Mr. Mafia?" she asked after a while.

"I'm not interested in anyone, moreover, this is not the actual issue," I said.

"Then what's the real issue?" she asked instantly.

"I need to focus on someone else now," I started.

"Who?" she interrupted.

"Someone I badly want to destroy," I said, looking at her.

She nodded.

"Tell me everything. I'm literally curious to know," she said excitedly as if it were gossip to discuss.

"Just tell that, you're enjoying it?" I taunted her.

"It's interesting actually," she smiled and responded.

"There is a person who declined my offer, which badly affected my profits. And the worst part is, she didn't even dare to give a reason for declining such a profitable offer," I said, but only I knew how broken and destroyed my heart was while talking about that particular person.

"Is it a woman?" she asked.

"Yes," I said.

"Name?" she asked instantly.

"Aleena Nasr," I said after a few minutes.

She didn't say anything.

"Interesting," she replied with a smile.

"Do you know her?" she asked after a few seconds.

"I'm still searching for her," I said and turned towards the window again.

"All the best," she said, turning on the screen.

The rest of the journey was filled with her laughter as she watched a comedy movie, while I listened to her laughter, inhaling her perfume, and taking small glances at her.

Her movie ended, and we landed in India. She took her bag and stood up to leave. I was still sitting when she stood. While walking, she stopped and turned towards me.

"Well, there's someone who knows about her," she said in a calm tone and with a slight smile.

"Who?" I stood up immediately and asked instantly, being incredibly curious to know about the woman I had been searching for years.

She smiled at my response, then started coming towards me.

"Me!" She came closer to me and whispered in my ear.

"I am Aleena Nasr, the woman who declined your offer, Mr. Mafia," she whispered. And here my mind stopped functioning because she was so close to me, and on top of that, her fragrance was continuously hitting my nose, making it even harder to breathe.

After a few seconds, she backed away and looked at me. She gave an innocent smile and started walking away.

Before I could think, I got a notification. It was from Idris Bhai, he sent me a picture of my arranged fiancee. I looked at the photo, and an instant mischievous smile spread across my lips.

I called Idris Bhai after seeing the photo.

"Don't cancel the engagement, Bhai," I said and hung up, watching Ms. Furious's disappearing figure.

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