She never wither
She shines even more in the darkness
In my cold heart, in my tired day
She is the love that passed through eternity
All the times I spent with her
Was like a miracle to me.
Our memories are so precious.
Maybe they'll always be precious.
But now I don't want to hold onto those memories.
I want to move on.
I want to move past those memories
I want to move on from her.
~ Imraan.
■■■
The next morning
Forgetting about his files and work, the first thing Rayyan did after waking up was to knock on his sister's door.
Ayana didn't open so he again knocked without calling her by name or else she would never open the door knowing he is the one knocking from the other side. A smile curved his lips when Ayana opened the door and sternly looked at him.
"I'm here to apologize."
With an apologetic look, Rayyan said quietly.
"You are going to jail!"
Ayana choked out trying to close the door.
Chuckling Rayyan swiftly entered his sister's room much to Ayana's annoyance. Sighing in frustration, Ayana sat on the bed.
Inhaling deeply, Rayyan sat beside her on the bed.
"You can slap me back if that makes you feel a bit better."
Ayana gave him a bored expression before looking at the ground.
"I'm sorry. For hitting you. I really am sorry."
Rayyan spoke looking at her.
"I couldn't sleep these last two nights. My actions didn't let me sleep. I'm ashamed of lashing out like that."
Instead of looking at him, Ayana simply listened to him silently.
"You should have told us. Instead of keeping quiet and listening to the scoldings, you should have told us the truth. You should have told us what that bastard, Zaid and his mother said to you."
After a while, Rayyan said,
"If you told us beforehand, then none of this happened. You didn't have to listen to mom's yellings nor would I have..."
Rayyan stopped before continuing.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being the elder brother I was supposed to be. I'm sorry."
Ayana breathed erratically, controlling a sob while glancing at her brother. Her eyes filled up when Rayyan gave her an awkward smile.
"The offer for hitting me back is still open."
He reminded her, making her let out a chuckle.
"I hate you."
Hitting his arm, Ayana teared up.
Rayyan smiled as his eyes also teared up.
"I know."
"You know, Ayana, there's a saying that says good people give you happiness, bad people give you experience, worst people give you lessons and the best people give you memories."
Once the siblings wiped their tears, Rayyan spoke.
"Think of this incident as a bad experience and forget about it. Close that bastard Zaid's chapter."
Ayana nodded before looking at him.
"What did you do to him?"
"Him? Who?"
Rayyan feigned innocence.
"You know whom I'm talking about. Zaid... what did you do to him?"
Giving him a bored expression, Ayana asked.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Bhai!"
Rolling her eyes, Ayana said.
"I read newspapers. That bribe headline."
"It wasn't me. It was Ayyan."
Being defensive, Rayyan said.
"I know it's him. But I want to know what you did."
At first, Rayyan thought to lie but then seeing Ayana glaring at him, he looked down before murmuring.
"I just pinched him."
"Pinch?"
Narrowing her eyes, Ayana questioned.
"Or punch?"
"Aren't they the same?"
Rayyan joked, making Ayana glare at him hard.
"Bhai!"
"Fine. I punched him. So? What's the big deal?"
At last, Rayyan admitted.
"That bastard shouldn't have crossed his limits in the first place."
"He can sue you, you know that right?"
"Of course I know that's why I intentionally didn't punch him hard."
Rayyan confessed as if he did a marvelous job.
"And?"
Not believing her brother just stopped after only punching Zaid, Ayana raised an eyebrow at him.
"What else did you do?"
"That's it I didn't do anything else."
Seeing Ayana's doubt-filled eyes, Rayyan added.
"I swear I didn't do anything else. My part was just to punch him."
"Your part?"
Ayana's eyes widened.
"What do you mean by that? What else did you guys do?"
Rayyan gulped.
"Reeha might've scratched that bastard a bit."
"What?!!"
Ayana frowned. So that was the reason for Zaid's sudden call asking for forgiveness.
"Gosh!"
"This is the exact reason I didn't want to tell anyone."
Seeing Rayyan not meeting her eyes, Ayana suspiciously looked at him.
"Please tell me you guys didn't do anything else."
"Myra might have drawn a couple of things on his car."
Hesitantly Rayyan said.
"Myra bhabi? Please tell me Rosh wasn't there."
Ridiculously Ayana looked at her brother who nervously chuckled.
"Allah! You guys are crazy!"
Ayana exclaimed before both siblings burst into laughter.
"So..."
Calming down, Rayyan looked at his sister.
"Am I forgiven?"
Ayana was about to nod but then hearing his next sentence stopped.
"I understand if you are still angry at me. I promise I'll do anything you want to gain your forgiveness."
'It was an opportunity. A golden opportunity for her to convince him to help her.'
Ayana thought.
"Will you do anything I want?"
Ayana asked hopefully.
"Anything."
Rayyan nodded with a smile.
"Then help me."
Ayana elaborated, making Rayyan's smile cease.
"Help me to convince mom and dad."
Yesterday after coming from the hospital, Ayana expressed that she wants to get married as soon as possible. Surprising everyone, she told her mother to resume her search for the perfect alliance. Even more surprising was her mother's, Mrs. Malik's response, who directly said no.
Till now, Mrs. Malik had no idea about Ayana's nightmare. She, including everyone in the family, thought Ayana stopped getting those nightmares. But the night before yesterday, witnessing her daughter in the same state like that of three years back, Mrs. Malik decided not to look for any more alliance. Because instead of getting married, Ayana needed to see a doctor. A psychologist.
"No!"
Sternly Rayyan said.
"Why?"
Ayana whined.
"You said you'd do anything."
"Yes. Anything but this."
Rayyan said.
"Why are you suddenly being so stubborn to get married?"
Ayana looked away.
"Is it because of that ridiculous promise you made to that bastard?"
As soon as Rayyan said it, Ayana looked at him clearly surprised.
"How... how did you know... about it?"
Instead of replying, Rayyan said.
"Just forget about getting married. Concentrate on your job, hospital and the rest, we'll take care of it."
"I don't get it. What is wrong with all of you?"
Unable to hold onto her frustration, at last Ayana spoke up.
"You guys wanted me to get married, to move on. And now when I want to, you guys are telling me to forget about the whole marriage thing."
"Nothing is wrong with us. If anything is wrong with anyone, then it's you."
Rayyan yelled back.
"You lied to us. You lied that you stopped getting those nightmares. You lied and we foolishly believed you."
"If we knew then we... Mom would have never forced you to get married. If you didn't lie in the first place, then none of this would have happened."
Rayyan fumed, making Ayana look down.
It was true. Every time she was asked about those nightmares, she lied. She lied so that she didn't have to see the psychiatrist. She lied because she didn't want to worry her family. She lied because she hoped... she prayed that she eventually would stop getting those nightmares but they didn't stop. Instead, they got worse.
"Why? Why can't you trust us? Why can't you open up to us?"
Rayyan semi yelled both in frustration and agony.
"We are your own damn family! Why can't you share your problems, sufferings, and pains with us? Why?"
"Bhai, I-"
"Bhai I What? Huh? What?"
Cutting her off, Rayyan said.
"I admit. I admit that I act without thinking. I can't control my temper and maybe that's why you can't... don't want to open up to me. And it's alright. I understand. But Ayyan,"
"Ayyan isn't like me. He is calm and knows how to deal with problems rationally. You can open up to him. Also, there are mom, dad, Myra, Reeha... all of us are here but you, you never open up to anyone. You always try to deal with your problems alone."
"You did the same thing. Three years back... you tried to deal with the problems alone."
Pausing a bit, Rayyan continued making Ayana clench her fist.
"And the result... you saw what happened right? We almost lost you!"
"Don't. Don't repeat it."
Holding her hand, Rayyan softly said.
"Don't repeat the same mistake. Don't ruin your life because of your stubbornness. We don't have the courage nor the energy to see you destroying your life."
Rayyan was about to stand up when Ayana spoke.
"It's not... only about that promise. I... I'm tired."
At last, Ayana opened up.
"I'm tired of being taunted by strangers. I'm tired of being labeled as the cursed woman who has everything... beauty, brains, money... everything except a settled life. A woman who's almost in her 30s but still unmarried. I'm tired! I'm so damn tired!"
Ayana cried out, making Rayyan hold her.
"I'm not being stubborn, I just want to lead a life free from chaos... taunting. I just want to lead a normal life."
Detaching herself, Ayana spoke.
"Ayana..."
Rayyan took a breath, trying to control his tears from falling out. Once he was able to compose himself, he looked at her,
"I... I'll talk with mom. But I won't force her to change her mind."
Ayana nodded.
"Tell me. What kind of person would you like to have as your life partner?"
Wanting to change the distressing atmosphere, Rayyan asked his sister with a small smile.
Ayana thought for a while. She never really thought about it until Rayyan asked her.
"Someone who's sometimes like water and sometimes like fire. Someone mature and hard-working. Someone who cares about the little things."
"I don't expect that person to love me. No, I don't but I want someone who has cried over heartbreak at least once."
Wiping her tears, she added,
"I want someone who doesn't get attached to the idea of marriage. But also a person who tries his best to work on it even when things get hard."
"That's the kind of person I would like to have as my partner."
Ayana concluded.
♧♧♧
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"
Entering the conference hall, Imraan greeted everyone. His eyes were tired and heavy from the strenuous effects of excessive agitation.
"Thank you for coming over on such short notice."
"Till now all of you must have got the news of Mr. Hakim Quraish's sudden collapse. Even a couple of baseless rumors were spread."
Imraan started.
The day before yesterday after Mr. Quraish was taken to the hospital, Imraan was with him unaware of the ridiculous rumors spread around the office. As soon as he was informed about it by Adil, he immediately held a meeting with the investors.
"In today's meeting, I will answer all of your questions and will verify the truth of the rumors."
"It's true that the day before yesterday Mr. Quraish suddenly collapsed. And since then, I have been with him in the hospital."
Imraan explained.
"He had to undergo surgery. Nothing to worry, because, by the grace of Allah, the surgery became successful and Alhamdulillah, now his condition is stable than before."
"If his condition is stable, then why didn't he attend today's meeting?"
One of the lady investors asked.
"As I said, he underwent surgery just yesterday so now he needs complete bed rest. If everything goes well then within the next week he will be with all of us."
Imraan replied.
"Good to know. We almost thought we lost Mr. Hakim."
Another investor who from the start never supported Imraan joining the Quraish Enterprise said.
"In Sha Allah, that's not gonna happen anytime soon."
"In Sha Allah! Because I,"
Looking at the other investors, the man continued.
"We neither want nor are convinced that you'd be capable of handling the company."
"Excuse me!"
"We got to know about the company's shares. Sixty-one percent of the company's share solely belongs to you."
The man said whereas the others nodded.
"What about it?"
Not understanding what they were implying, Imraan asked.
"We don't understand one thing. Instead of making his only daughter the major shareholder, why did Mr. Quraish make you the major shareholder?"
"Are you trying to imply that I forced my uncle to make me the major shareholder?"
Imraan frowned.
"We don't mean to question Mr. Quraish's decision but a capable and intelligent man like Mr. Quraish made you, an incompetent man, the major shareholder, is something which we can't really understand."
"Incompetent?"
Imraan gritted his teeth.
"If you forget, Mr. Rehim, then let me remind you. It was I, who cracked the biggest deals. I'm the reason behind the company's drastic positive economical change. Even after witnessing everything, how could you say that I'm incompetent?"
From the very start, Imraan did everything to prove his competence, to get approval and praise from his dear uncle which Mr. Hakim definitely acknowledged but a couple of shareholders never liked it. Why? Simply because Imraan was Badar Quraish's son instead of Hakim Quraish's.
"Of course. Of course, I know what you have achieved in your professional life. But I'm not talking about it. I'm talking about your personal life."
The man, Rehim, smirked.
"My apologies if I'm being rude but didn't your fiance run away just a week before the wedding? I wonder why she, the girl who practically grew up with you, ran away suddenly? Was it because she found someone more competent than you?"
Imraan snapped at him.
"My personal life has nothing to do with any of you."
"If it affects the business then it does."
This time another investor commented, making Imraan fume.
"I heard we lost a couple of deals with other companies because they backed out at the last moment saying they don't want to do business with a man who can't even save his marriage."
It was true. In the last three months, the company lost a couple of deals for this ridiculous reason.
"Was this the reason behind rejecting my proposal?"
Clenching his fist, Imraan asked in his dark voice about the new project proposal.
"Yes. Didn't Mr. Hakim tell you?"
One of the lady investors replied.
"The meeting is adjourned."
Without saying anything else, Imraan angrily dashed out of the conference hall.
♧♧♧
"Good Morning-"
Stella was rudely cut off by her boss.
"Send Adil to my cabin. NOW!"
Saying Imraan went into his cabin.
A couple of seconds later, Adil entered.
"Sir, did you call-"
"Did you know about it?"
Imraan snapped at Adil who confusedly looked at him.
"The project... the main reason behind its rejection... did you know about it?"
Adil's eyes widened. Mr. Hakim Quraish personally told Adil to make sure that Imraan doesn't know about it. He knew how hurt Imraan would be after hearing it.
"Sir, I..."
"You knew!"
Cutting him off, Imraan shouted as he threw the glass from the table on the floor breaking it into pieces.
"Uncle and you... both of you knew!"
"Sir, let me-"
"Just shut up!"
Imraan yelled.
"If I didn't hold the conference then I would have never known how incompetent I'm."
"Sir, please. Don't take their words to heart. They are just a bunch of ignorant people. They are none to judge you."
Adil tried to calm Imraan down but it was just a futile attempt.
"Get out!"
"Sir-"
"Get the fuck out of my cabin."
Imraan shouted but Adil didn't move an inch.
"Fine. You stay. I'm going."
Seeing Adil not moving, Imraan took his car keys before marching out of the office despite Adil's desperate attempt to stop him.
Once Imraan started to drive at full speed, all the memories of the past few days including today's started to flash into his mind.
'You think you love me but the truth is you are just infatuated with me.'
'You mistook your infatuation with love.'
"Stop!"
'Your feelings... They make me uncomfortable.'
'You are no one. A nobody.'
"Stop it!"
'Why did he make an incompetent man like you the major shareholder?'
'I wonder why she, the girl who practically grew up with you, ran away suddenly? Was it because she found someone more competent than you?'
"Stop! Stop! Stop! STOP!!!"
Abruptly pressing the brake, he hit the steering wheel continuously while shouting.
"FUCKING STOP!!!"
He was tired... exhausted... frustrated.
Both physically and mentally.
Taking a deep breath, he restarted the car and then drove to the place where he could let out all his frustration, anger and agony. He drove to the club.
The rifle shooting club.
♧♧♧
At night
As soon as Sherebano Quraish spotted her son entering the Quraish Villa, she went to him worriedly.
"Where were you? And where's your phone? Do you know how many times I called you today?"
Sitting on the couch, Imraan tiredly sighed.
"It was in silent mode."
"Did something happen?"
Noticing her son's tired and gloomy face, Mrs. Quraish asked.
"Nothing. Just... office pressure."
Softly running her hand on her son's head, Mrs. Quraish said.
"Go to your room and freshen up. I'll bring the dinner."
Saying Mrs. Quraish was about to go when Imraan called her.
"Maa..."
Mrs. Quraish looked at her son.
"I'm ready."
'Get married. Be happy in your life and prove me wrong.'
Recalling Azeen's words for the last time, Imraan looked at his mother.
"I'm ready for marriage."
At last, he said,
"You can start to look for alliances."
"Really?"
Sherebano Quraish's eyes beamed in joy but with the next second, the joy was replaced with doubt.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
Imraan weirdly looked at his mother.
"I mean till yesterday you didn't even want to hear the letter 'm' of marriage and today suddenly you are interested in it?"
Suspiciously Sherebano Quraish eyed her son making Imraan look away.
"Your sudden change of heart doesn't have anything to do with Azeen, right?"
Thinking Azeen might have said something to Imraan after she confronted her yesterday, Sherebano Quraish asked.
"N-No!"
At first, Imraan stammered a bit at getting caught but then composing himself he replied.
"No. Of course not. I just..."
Taking a breath, he added.
"... thought it's high time that I... forget about the past and..."
"Move on?"
Sherebano Quraish completed her son's sentence who meekly nodded.
"Alhamdulillah!!"
Mrs. Quraish exclaimed in joy.
"You have made the best decision. I'm so happy. I'll tell the lady..."
Indicating the lady who brings proposals, Sherebano Quraish excitedly said,
"...to bring the best alliances for you."
Giving her a fake smile Imraan nodded.
"Maa, I'm a bit tired so can I go to my room?"
"Oh my! Silly me!"
Sherebano Quraish hit her head at her silliness.
"Of course, you must be tired. Go. Go upstairs. I'm sending the dinner."
"Okay."
Nodding, Imraan went upstairs all the time feeling guilty for lying to his mother.
♧♧♧
A couple of days later
"Zida! Prepare a cup of coffee for me!"
Going to the kitchen, Imraan said to the housekeeper. As it was the weekend, he woke up late.
"Okay, sir."
The housekeeper nodded before starting to prepare his coffee.
Going out of the kitchen, Imraan was about to climb the stairs to go inside his room when he heard his mother calling him.
"Imraan!"
Groaning, he looked back.
"Yes, maa?"
"Come here."
Once Imraan went into the living room, Sherebano Quraish ordered him.
"Greet her."
It was the matchmaker lady. For the past three days, the lady brought almost 12 alliances which Imraan gracefully rejected.
"Assalamualaikum! Good Morning!"
Imraan greeted with a fake smile. He was annoyed to see the lady's face almost every day.
"Waalaikumussalam!"
The lady beamed.
"Mrs. Quraish! Ma Sha Allah, your son! I never get tired of seeing his handsome face."
"But I get exhausted whenever I get a glimpse of your face."
Imraan murmured before smiling back at the lady.
"Come here. Sit with us."
Mrs. Quraish said.
"Maa, I have a couple of wor-"
"It's the weekend."
Mrs. Quraish pointed out making Imraan groan inwardly. Without arguing much, he sat beside his mother.
"So... tell me more about the alliance."
Once Imraan sat, Mrs. Quraish asked the lady.
"So as I was saying, the girl's family is one of the most respectable families in the city."
The lady started.
"The girl's father is a renowned businessman. And the girl's mother is an ex-lecturer of KS university."
Imraan, who thanked Zida after taking his coffee, simply nodded whereas Mrs. Quraish curiously listened to the lady.
"The girl has two brothers. Ma Sha Allah both are independent and married. The elder one is running his father's business. Your son must know him."
The lady looked at Imraan who again nodded.
"Sure, I know him."
Sarcastically, he muttered. He just wanted to go to his room.
"And her younger brother, Ma Sha Allah, he is so famous that all day only his face is shown on television."
The lady bragged.
"Why? Is he an actor?"
While drinking his coffee, Imraan asked. Then looking at his mother he said,
"Maa, I don't want to get married in an actor's family."
"No. No. He's not an actor."
The lady shook her head.
"Then?"
Mrs. Quraish looked at the lady.
"He is a reporter. That's why he comes on TV."
The lady clarified.
"Oh!"
Disinterestedly, Imraan listened.
"Enough about the family. Tell me about the girl."
Curiously Mrs. Quraish looked at the lady.
"The girl..."
Smiling, the lady drank her tea before saying.
"... Ma Sha Allah! Ma Sha Allah! She is so beautiful, so beautiful that at first when I saw her, I thought an angel descended from the sky."
The lady giggled, making Imraan roll his eyes.
"Why didn't the angel stay in the sky then? What was the need to come on the earth?"
Imraan murmured.
"Really?"
Mrs. Quraish listened to the lady attentively.
"Yes. Wallahi! I'm not lying. Along with being beautiful, Ma Sha Allah, the girl is also polite and sophisticated. I bet once your son sees her, he is gonna fall in love with her."
The lady added.
"Then it's better if I never see her face."
Imraan whispered, making Mrs. Quraish glare at him.
"Anyways, what does she do?"
Mrs. Quraish asked.
"Her job... Ma Sha Allah! Ma Sha Allah!"
The lady said exaggerating.
"Her job is such a noble profession. She saves the people of the country."
"Huh? She's a soldier?"
Confusedly Imraan asked.
The lady shook her head.
"Then a police officer?"
"No. No. She-"
Cutting the lady off, Imraan semi yelled.
"She is the second version of Mother Teresa?!"
"Uffu, no!"
This time the lady shouted being annoyed at Imraan's continuous interruption.
"She's a doctor!!"
"Ohh! You should have told that earlier instead of exaggerating."
Innocently Imraan said then looking at his mother he whispered,
"My coffee is finished, so is my patience. I'm going upstairs."
"But-"
Without waiting for his mother's reply, Imraan swiftly got up and left the room before anyone could stop him.
"You!"
Once Imraan went away, Mrs. Quraish glared at the lady.
"Why did you have to exaggerate so much? You totally pissed him off."
The lady gulped before mumbling,
"I wasn't exaggerating."
"Anyways, as I was saying, the girl is really good."
The lady continued to praise.
"You won't find someone like her again. She is really a gem but..."
The lady stopped.
"But?"
Mrs. Quraish attentively listened to the lady.
"Her luck... isn't that good. Poor girl."
The lady sighed sadly.
"Why?"
Curiously Mrs. Quraish looked at the lady.
"I won't lie to you. The girl was previously engaged."
"Engaged?"
"Hmm. Her fiance turned out to be a bad fellow."
The lady elaborated.
"And after that the proposals she got were..."
"Let's say all of them were greedy and nasty."
The lady stopped for a while before continuing.
'It must be tough for her.'
Sherebano Quraish thought as she felt bad for the unknown girl.
"Poor girl!"
"What's the name of the girl?"
After a while, Mrs. Quraish asked.
"Didn't I tell you her name?"
The lady slapped her forehead. She gave the whole biodata of the girl but forgot to mention the girl's name.
"Oh my! Pardon my forgetfulness."
"The girl's name is..."
At last, the lady uttered the name.
"... Ayana Malik."
♧♧♧
Assalamualaikum and hello everyone!
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