"I'm not marrying that man!" Sumayya banged her hands on the dining table as her eyes filled with rage and fury. Her father sat across her, completely unfazed as he ate his breakfast. He behaved as if he didn't just announce her marriage with someone she hated with all her heart, like it was an everyday thing to do.
"Are you listening to me! I'm not marrying him. That stupid Irtaza. Ugh. I hate him so much. I'd rather die than marry someone like him." She couldn't believe how unaffected her father was. He was acting so cool, totally not his character. It provoked her more if anything.
"Besides I already love someone. I'll only marry Maaz! You can't do anything about it." She muttered with gritted teeth and threw the empty tea mug in frustration. Sumayya wanted a reaction and she was getting none. It made her so mad.
"I don't listen to no. You know that very well. So stop throwing tantrums, go and get ready. Irtaza will take you out for engagement ring shopping. It's very kind of him to take you out and give you a choice in things." Sohaib Mirza declared with a tight-lipped smile as he wiped around his mouth with a tissue and got up to leave.
"Choice? Are you kidding me right now? What's the use of that choice when I'm not given any rights to chose my life partner in the first place." Sumayya glared at her father, who grinned at her in response.
"What's your reason behind this no. Go on. I want some legit and valid reasons." Sohaib raised his brows. She huffed while glaring at her three elder brothers, who were having fun at her expense.
"I consider him as my brother. I call him Bhai." Sumayya lied through her teeth.
"No, you don't." Shahveer, who is five years older than her, added with an amused look.
"Yes, she doesn't call him Bhai. Good for her." Shehryaar, the twin of Shahveer muttered with a good laugh. She was throwing daggers at both of them while they grinned mischievously.
"Stop lying to me, Sumayya Mirza. You don't even have any valid reasons. Why are you saying no?" Sohaib was now all broody and serious. He had this scary aura whenever his mood changes from happy to irritated.
She sighed and looked at her family who were waiting for her answer.
"I just don't like him. No particular reason. I don't think we will be compatible with each other. And I love Maaz." She glanced at her mother for help, who was also eating her breakfast whilst enjoying the early morning drama.
She doesn't think they even believed her Maaz story or that she loved someone. Of course, they won't. And the fact that her family knows her too well is backfiring on her.
"He's my sister's son, Sumi. I've seen him grow up with my eyes, you'd be lucky to be married to him. Don't sabotage your own life because of ego." Sohaib explained calmly. Her face paled as she realised there was no running away from here.
"You can't force me into this, I'm not marrying him and that's final." She got up abruptly with teary eyes and ran towards her room. It was on the ground floor near the study room.
"Sumayya!" Different voices followed her behind but she paid attention to none.
"Sumayya!" She heard her other older brother call her name as he stood outside her bedroom door. It was an hour since she has locked herself in and began to sulk at the thought of marrying Irtaza.
"Bhai!" She opened her door and lets him in with teary eyes. He took a glance at her messed up room and shook his head in disappointment. She didn't even look guilty anymore while taking a seat on her bed.
"Are you serious about Maaz? I thought you were using that name as bait to escape from the marriage." Aadil asked while taking a seat beside her. She bit her lips while clutching onto her messed up bedspread.
"Maaz is nice. He's good to me. He's everything Irtaza is not." Sumayya sighed while taking a side glance at her brother. Aadil was nine years older than her. He was a divorcee, so she gave his opinion more importance than anyone else's in this matter. He sure has an experience with love and life. At least more than her anyway.
"You might have an infatuation for all we know." He began sceptically as though he couldn't believe there was a Maaz in the first place and her face changed colours. Of course, he's going to talk against Maaz, after all, Irtaza was his best friend.
"I don't know why am I even talking with you all. Your minds are already fixed on something against my choices. I'm not marrying Irtaza and it's final." She declared adamantly and took deep breaths. It was so early in the morning to get this angry. Her mind was going haywire just at thought of imagining herself with Irtaza. How can they even think about it?
"Who is this Maaz by the way? Does he even exist?" Aadil questioned jokingly, knowing very well that she was not the type to date. Well, he was not wrong yet not right either.
But she was happy that at least someone asked about Maaz. Otherwise, it felt like they didn't even care.
"There is a Maaz and he does exist." She scoffed feeling annoyed. Why was her family so hopeless on her?
"Are you serious? I thought you made him up or something." Her brother's surprised face took her off guard, she sighed whilst unlocking her phone and opening the gallery.
"He is Maaz. Maaz Khan. My ex-boss. I worked under him for my internship." She handed him over her phone as her palms began to sweat due to jittery nervousness. It was a selfie of their team taken on her last day at the internship. She pointed to the guy in black shirt.
"What the heck? You're interested in your boss? That's so unprofessional Sumayya. I didn't expect this from you." Aadil snapped at her as expected and she sighed inwardly while snatching her phone back.
"Well, now that you know there is a Maaz and that he exists. Ask our father to stop dreaming about mine and Irtaza's marriage. It's not happening." She muttered bitterly.
"Are you sure about that?"
The two Mirza siblings turned their heads towards the familiar voice. Aadil's eyes lit up excitedly as he got up and pulled that annoying Irtaza into a brotherly hug. While Sumayya threw daggers at his handsome face.
Her heartbeats increased its pace as she began to sweat nervously. How much did he hear? She wondered worriedly but looking at his calm expression, she has understood that he didn't hear the Maaz part. It made her feel relieved somehow.
"Get out of my room." Sumayya gritted her teeth, feeling utterly self-conscious. Her room was such a mess and Irtaza was going to taunt her about this for the whole day.
Suddenly, she wanted to check if her hair was neat or if she had any paint on her dress. She hoped that she was pretty.
Why does she care anyway?
She can't stand him! That annoying, insufferable, self-righteous guy, who always gets on her nerves, who also has the most dreamy hazel brown eyes.
But still, his opinion of her mattered so much to her that it was so annoying.
"You call this room? I thought it was a dumpster or something." He took a glance at her room and smirked at her judgmentally. Her cheeks flared with embarrassment. She felt like throwing something at him and did exactly that.
Taking a handful of throw pillows into her hand, she aimed them at his face and her target was very much successful, except a two which he managed to dodge.
Irtaza was never the one to back off without a challenge and her eyes widened as he threw them all back at her and every single one hit her right on her face.
She stomped on her feet as her eyes turned red.
"You! I am not leaving you. Ugh!" Scooping all those pillows in her hands once again, she began to chase him as he smiled smugly and ran out of her room but Sumayya was in no mood to sit back down without a fight today.
"Both of you are such kids!" Aadil added as he walked out of her room. It was getting difficult to run behind him in her state. But still, she didn't want to back off. She wanted to throw all these pillows at his annoying yet handsome face and she will.
"Bhai! Help me." She thrust a few in his hands while he gave her an amused look, "he's my best friend. Why do you think I'd beat him?" He asked her with a grin.
"Because I'm your sister," she told in a duh tone but a screech escaped her lips as the living room's cushions were thrown on her face.
"Irtaza!" She yelled at him angrily as she aimed all her throw pillows at him, she managed to hit a few but he dodged most of them. It infuriated her if anything.
"Sumayya." He used the same tone as her just to rile her up, she huffed while glaring at him.
Aadil used the distracted moment to aim the pillows right at her, she stumbled on her steps and picked the pillows feeling betrayed and annoyed.
"Bhai. I told you to beat him." She whined while throwing them on Aadil which he successfully dodged.
Irtaza and Aadil laughed at her expense. She was lost in that infuriating man's laughter. Why does he look so handsome when he laughs? How can he be so annoying yet so good looking?
She was going to throw some pillows at him but stopped as she saw another unfamiliar figure walk into their messed up living room. Thanks to all the pillows which was scattered everywhere.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Irtaza asked the person in disbelief while Sumayya noticed how the atmosphere was suddenly very tense. There was no laughter anymore.
Aadil looked very uncomfortable as he walked upstairs, why she assumed was to call the elders. But there was no one in the house. So where he going?
Suddenly, her cheeks heated up knowing why was Maaz, her ex-boss standing in her living room.
Maaz was nearly six feet tall, but Irtaza was just an inch taller, not that it matters. But anyway, he was a piece of art. She'd be lucky to be married to him.
But her eyes widened when she realised who else was also present in her living room.
Irtaza Riaz!
How can she forget about him?
"Stop looking at her like that. I'm asking you something." Irtaza snapped at Maaz as she noticed his fond eyes upon her for more than a few seconds.
Sumayya didn't know if she should blush at Maaz's appreciative glance or feel annoyed at Irtaza for breaking their moment.
"I should be asking that question to you. What are you doing in my fiance's house?" Maaz asked Irtaza smugly and then the hell broke loose.