Believe! [Completed]

Chapter 4

Minaal came to her parents' room accompanied by Faiz. Nervousness, fear and everything else related to the possibility of being disowned was scaring her to the core. But she had made up her mind. She was not going to marry Usman. Not when she knows she will get nothing but more misery than she already experiences. Shahnawaaz had watched the two enter carefully while Zahra just silently watched what was to unfold.

"Baba Jaan meine aap se kuch kehna hai."

"Kaho."

"Mein Usman se shaadi nahi karoongi."

Six words and that's it. She announced her decision not knowing what sort of consequence she would be faced with, but she had said it. Zahra looked her way and then towards Shahnawaz and then switched her eyes to Faiz who was calm as the sea. He assured his mother with his eyes as if he was confident that Minaal would manage the situation really well.

With a thudding heart, she watched her father and the stern and enraged look on his face. Her fear of losing everything was still there but she was human too. For how long she would suffer like this and allow her life to be dictated and controlled. There is only so much you can do. And there is always a limit to one's patience. When it's pushed to its limit, one can no longer submit to what's presented to them.

"Shaadi toh tumhe wahan hi karni hai. Tumhare paas koi aur raasta nai hai."

"Raasta khuda dikhata hai Baba Jaan. Insaan ki kia majal. Aur is shaadi ke ilawa aur buhat se raastey hain ju khul sakte hain."

Shahnawaz had felt someone stripped him off all his power without him realising. He felt he was emasculated just by one defiant word of his own daughter whom he never believed would challenge him like this.

"Yeh baaghi ravaiyah tumhe kahin ka nahi chorega! Mere ghar rehna hai toh meri marzi se chalna hoga. Aur mein apni marzi baar baar nai duhrata."

"Meine bhi apni marzi bata di hai, Baba jaan. Mein bhi baar baar ek hi baat repeat nai karungi."

Fury had taken over Shahnawaaz in all its peak. Faiz had began to sense that this showdown wouldn't end well but he knew his father was wrong, so he was not going to stop Minaal from protesting over something which is her basic right.

"Toh agar aisa hai toh aisa hi sahi. Tumhari is ghar mein koi jagah nahi hai. Chali jao yahan se, tumhare paas sirf ek ghanta hai. Mein aisi nafarman aulad ko apne ghar bardasht nai karunga. Marr gai ho tum mere liye."

Zahra panicked hearing to everything he was saying. With tears in her eyes, she tried to explain to Minaal to ask for Shahnawaz's forgiveness but just as she was explaining, Faiz stopped her.

"Maa nahi. Woh theek kar rahi hai. Agar aj bhi na boli toh sari zindagi qaid katay gi."

Zahra just shook her head in denial while Shahnawaz's eyes flared with even more anger. His son was against his father too. He was also challenging his power and authority in the house. This was even worse.

"Toh tumne dimagh kharab kia hai iska! Warna yeh toh mere agay bolne ki jurrat nai karti thi. Aj mere samne aa khari hui hai."

"Yeh ek jeeti jaagti insaan hai. Jiska dimagh aur dil chalta hai, Baba Jaan. Sari zindagi apki marzi ke mutabiq guzar di isney aur aj agar woh aap k eek faisle ko radd kar rai hai toh aap usey bedakhal kar rae hain. Agar Minaal yahan nahi reh sakti toh mein bhi yahan nai rahunga. Le jaounga apni behen ko apne sath. Sambhal loonga usey. Jis jis cheez se apne isey mehroom rakha hai, mein apni behen woh sab doonga."