Do read the previous chapter(if you haven't read yet) before proceeding to read this one.
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Trapped in this time alone
The scars inside won't heal
They take me here
On this endless path
Where I can't breathe.
The start and the end
Have meaninglessly disappeared.
No matter how much
I try to hold onto the broken dreams
They just scatter even more.
~ Ayana
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She was getting ready for the function... the function she was eagerly waiting for.
Her dream engagement function.
Wearing the blood-red gown, she was admiring herself, imagining his possible reactions after seeing her, when she heard a sound... the sound of something hitting the window. At first, she ignored it but then the sounds repeatedly were heard. Frowning, she went towards the window and opened it.
There he was standing in the garden waving at her with his innocent smile.
'What are you doing here?'
She mouthed.
Instead of replying, he gestured to her to take out her phone. Confusedly, she took her phone out of the bed only to see his ten missed calls. Before she could call him, he called her.
"I'm so sorry. My phone was on silent mode."
Picking up the call, she said in one breath.
"Is everything alright? Why did you call so many times? Is-"
"Ayana."
Interrupting her, he called her name.
"Yes?"
"Stand by the window."
Without any protest, she stood by the window, with her phone attached to her ear.
"Twirl around."
He commanded, making her frown.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Although she was confused, she still did as she was told.
"My fiance is looking splendid, totally out of the world."
He commented, making her frown to be replaced with a full-blown smile.
"I'm The Ayana Malik."
She smugly said before bursting into laughter.
"Of course, I'll look splendid."
"But why are you here?"
Once she stopped laughing, she repeated her question. The engagement function was happening downstairs. Instead of being there, he was here.
"Because I wanted to be the first one to see you."
He said on the phone, making her blush.
"Now that I saw you, I should head back or else only God knows what your possessive brothers will do to me if they spot me here."
He said jokingly, making her chuckle.
"Did you come here just to get a glimpse of me?"
She questioned as her heart started to beat fast.
"Yes. Just to see... my sweetheart."
Her eyes widened as it was the first time he used an endearment.
"Don't be so shocked. Be familiar with the endearment because that's what I am going to call you from now on."
He added with a wink making her blush furiously.
"My sweetheart."
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By the sound of the knock on the door, Ayana was brought back to the present.
"Api!"
Reeha knocked before coming inside. Along with her, Azeen also entered.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Ayana nodded.
"Woah! You are looking so gorgeous, Ma Sha Allah!"
Azeen complimented.
Ayana was wearing a beautiful off-white dress ensembled with pearls and stone works.
"Of course, she will. After all, whose sister-in-law is she!"
Reeha butted in making others chuckle.
Today was the engagement. Engagement of her and Imraan's. As the function was held at Quraish Villa, despite not wanting, Ayana had to get dressed here, with the help of her sister-in-laws.
"If you are all done, then should we go downstairs?"
After a while, Azeen asked, making Ayana nod.
"Sure. Let's go."
Taking a breath, Ayana exited the room with the others.
♧♧♧
Standing at a corner, with a glass of soft drink, Imraan was enjoying his alone time when Fawad approached him.
"Why are you standing as if you are attending someone else's engagement party instead of yours?"
Ignoring him, Imraan took a sip from his glass.
Fawad nudged him.
"What?"
Irritatedly Imraan looked at him. He was still pissed off at Fawad for breaking his beauty sleep.
"Why are you disturbing me? Where's your wife?"
Imraan asked. Since morning, Fawad had been following Azeen like a lost puppy.
"My wife went to bring your fi-"
Spotting Azeen, Fawad said with a goofy smile.
"There she is."
Imraan's eyes went to the staircase where Ayana was descending from with Reeha and Azeen on her sides.
Noticing Imraan's frozen posture, Fawad teasingly asked, indicating Ayana.
"She is looking pretty, isn't she?"
"Beautiful. She's looking beautiful."
Imraan, whose eyes were set on Azeen, subconsciously said.
"Man! You are whipped."
Jokingly Fawad slapped Imraan's back making him come to his senses.
"You are so whipped by Ayana!"
Guiltily Imraan looked away.
It was wrong.
It was so wrong to look at her.
Especially when her husband was standing just beside him.
As soon as Ayana came downstairs, Sherebano Quraish ordered the maid to bring the ring. Once the ring was brought, without wasting any more time, the engagement ceremony began.
♧♧♧
Being close to the director of the hospital, Mr. Malik invited the director to the engagement ceremony. But unfortunately, he couldn't attend and so in his place he sent his daughter, Nila to the party. Nila, who was forced to attend the event by her father, was disinterestedly looking around when a man, wearing a mask and a hat, came to her.
"Excuse me!"
"Yes?"
Nila questionably looked at the man.
"Can you ask the organizer to play this?"
"Huh? But-"
Without waiting for her reply, the man handed a CD to Nila and then directly dashed out.
Nila annoyedly sighed. She was already irritated at being forced to come here and now she even has to play songs at this damn party.
With a frown, she went to the organizer, who was standing just beside the soundbox.
"How may I help you, ma'am?"
"A guest told me to tell you to play it."
Nila replied.
"Sure, ma'am. I'll play it after the current music ends."
The organizer said.
"Okay."
Nodding Nila went away.
♧♧♧
Once Imraan placed the ring on Ayana's finger, along with the soft background music, numerous claps were heard. Mrs. Malik came forward and handed Imraan's ring to Ayana. Now it was Ayana's turn to put the ring on Imraan's finger.
Just when Ayana was about to place the ring on Imraan's finger the background music changed. As soon as Ayana heard the familiar music, she froze in her place as she remembered a particular incident.
Flashback starts
(Five years back)
"Ayyan! Where are you taking me?"
A blindfolded Ayana asked her twin brother.
"Sabr, (patience) sis, sabr."
Ayyan replied.
"You have been repeating this like a parrot for the last five minutes."
Annoyed with her brother's dry response, Ayana said.
Instead of replying, Ayyan messaged someone.
We have reached.
Okay. Everything is ready.
Getting a message reply from the other person, Ayyan kept his phone inside the pocket before removing the blindfold from his sister's eyes.
Ayana blinked a couple of times before looking around. The whole place was pitch black making it impossible for her to look around.
"What is this place? Why is it so dark here?"
Ayana questioned but didn't get any reply. She immediately looked behind to see Ayyan missing.
"Ayyan? Ayyan?"
Just then Ayana heard a melody. Curiously she moved forward. It seemed like someone was playing the piano on the stage but it was difficult to identify who the person was in darkness. Just then a ray of light fell on the stage. It wasn't anyone else but him playing the piano.
"You..."
Astonished to see the person, Ayana stood still.
Once the person finished playing the melody, he stood up and then, taking the bouquet, walked towards her. And this time the light fell on her as he bent on his knees and forwarded the bouquet towards her.
"Wha... what are you..."
"It's been almost three and a half years since we have known each other."
He started.
"Ayana, I have been meaning to confess something for a while but I didn't because I wanted to do it after we graduated from medical college. And now that we have finally graduated, I don't want to hold back anymore."
He looked down for a while before looking at her.
"Ayana, I like you. I have liked you for a while. And I want to ask you-"
"No."
Cutting him off, Ayana said, making him look at her, hurt, at the clear rejection.
"What?"
"I... I like you... I like you a lot but..."
Ayana elaborated as her heart pained while rejecting him.
"... but I... I'm a bit old-fashioned. I... I don't believe... nor like the concept of dating. Moreover, my parents-"
"Shush!"
Keeping his hand on his lips, he indicated to her to stop speaking. Once she stopped, he clapped his hand twice in the air and then immediately the lights were turned on.
Ayana blinked her eyes several times to adjust to the light and once she adjusted her eyes fell at the persons, who were standing at the corner of the hall room with a gentle smile on their faces. Spotting the familiar faces Ayana couldn't help but gasp. On the corner, there stood her father and elder brother.
"Dad, bhai! You guys..."
"That boy has been persuading us to give him the permission to confess to you since the past month."
Rayyan said with a smile.
"I was fed up with him showing at the office every other day so I had no other option but to agree."
This time Mr. Malik added.
Touched by the gesture, Ayana, tearfully, looked at him, who embarrassedly confessed.
"Luckily I succeeded in getting approval from your father and brother but unfortunately not from your mother. But, I will succeed in persuading her if only you say yes."
"So,"
Taking a deep long breath, he nervously asked.
"Ms. Ayana Malik, would you accept my marriage proposal?"
Happy tears escaped from her pretty doe-like eyes. The man in front of her was perfect. He was exactly whom she dreamed to spend the rest of her life with.
"Just say 'yes' quickly so that I can throw these flower petals!"
From beside, holding the basket, Ayyan whined making everyone laugh out loud.
At last, taking the flower bouquet from him, she replied.
"YES!!!"
Flashback ends
Hearing the familiar music, The past bittersweet memories continued to rush on her mind. After all, it was the same melody... the melody that Zafar composed especially for her... for the proposal. She started to breathe heavily as her eyes started to get blurry.
"Are you alright?"
Noticing her, Imraan asked, making her look at him.
"I'm... I'm sorry. I... I can't."
The ring dropped to the ground as she whispered through her teary eyes before running upstairs.
♧♧♧
Assalamualaikum and hello everyone!
How was the chapter?
My midterm exams are going on and instead of studying for it, I'm giving updates. I deserve a big round of applause for being such an ideal student, don't I?
*Note the sarcasm*😅😆
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Thank you for taking out time and reading it.♥