REMARKABLE

7

❇❇❇❇❇

'Ardashir!' Hamza called out, stepping out of his office. His White strands glimmering silver in the sunlight as he pinned his steel gray eyes on Ardashir, beckoning him.

'You are going to the wedding?' Hamza questioned pulling a file from the inside of his charcoal suit blazer. Ardashir nodded, he didn't know what was happening as Hamza thrust the file into his hands.

'What's this?' Ardashir asked flipping through the pages of the file. He didn't have to properly see what it was but his eyes did catch 5% and NC. If it was anything to go by the words, his father had just handed what was supposed to be the bride's dowry and he expected Ardashir to demand it. Ardashir realized too late that he was screwed.

'You'll need this.'

'I am not going, baba.' Ardashir uttered calmly, looking into his father's eyes. If Junaid needed the money so badly, he could do it himself. Ardashir was done playing puppet and ruining lives. He wouldn't do this, especially to her.

'I have something that'll change your mind, betay.' Hamza simpered and smirked as he showed him a few more papers.
'A sign is all it will take.'
Hamza's eyes shifted from the paper in his hands to the ones in Ardashir's hands.

Ardashir's eyes widened and then he nodded, his eyes squeezing shut as if in pain, his heart thumping furiously in his chest, Hamza's threat wasn't lost on him.

'Come on, hurry up, my boy. You have a wedding to attend.' Hamza patted his son's shoulder and gave him a light shove to get him going, turning to his assistant.

'Is the board here?' Ahsan had been nothing but a block in his path which he had so efficiently removed and he was proud of it.

❇❇❇❇❇

The moment Ardashir entered the house, he knew something was wrong. There was a lull in the air, it didn't look like there was a wedding despite the fairy lights on the wall, the flower decorations or the sweet fragrance that wafted in his nose.

'The groom has run away.'

Ardashir wanted to pull his hair out and yell that his father was the culprit. Not Armineh, not Ahsan as much as he didn't like the man who had managed to grate on his nerves without even having to open his mouth.

'May I please know where I can find Armineh-' He paused as the woman's jaw unhinged, her eyes the size of saucers. Apparently, it had been a wrong thing to say so he modified his statement.' -Armineh's mother?'
It was unheard of a strange man coming to meet the bride whose groom was on the run.

'Second room down the corridor.' The woman instructed as she saw the man take hesitant steps forward in the direction.

'Call me back, Sani. You told me you were waiting for this day desperately and now when it's here, where are you? Where are you! Where are you, Ahsan? Call me back, please. I am waiting.' He heard Armineh's broken voice before he opened the door only to find 4 set of eyes fixed on his person.

He took a step backward and turned his head sideways to avoid meeting their piercing gaze.

'Mr. Ardashir?' Her low whisper brought him out of his reverie as he stared right ahead, his gaze fixed on the bride. He couldn't deny that she looked ethereal even when her Kohl-rimmed intense eyes were bloodshot. His heart softened as his eyes trailed down the sleek slope of her red nose to her flushed cheeks and the dried tears. Her pouty lips wobbled as she tried to reign in her tears.