When he left her in the room, a maid along with a beautician came in giving her some clothes and applied concealer to cover the marks on her face. Then the driver took her to the haveli. On reaching the haveli, she found no one there. The guard informed her of today's incidents. Almost the whole family had left to the hospital except Alizey. Asma Aunty after knowing that Haseeb is in hospital had left already along with Haya and Saif and after that Dua was in her father's room when he had suddenly fallen down to the floor, his hand on his heart. Dua had immediately called Irtaza and Shehryaar and then screamed for everyone in the house. Ammara, Haroon, her grandfather and grandmother had instantly came and took him to the hospital.
Zahra was alone in the haveli. She was sitting in her room along with Alizey, who was sleeping peacefully. Zahra's head rested against the headboard, her eyes closed. She was extremely tensed. Her mind was filled with alot of horrendous thoughts. At one side it was Haseeb, the poor boy had been beaten so much because of her, the other side it was her uncle, she was continuously praying for his well being and then it was Daniyal, she was severely worried for her safety at last she was worried about her future. What it will be holding in for her? More precisely, what Irtaza will be doing with her? She had no idea. She was afraid to face the coming days of her life.
She wanted to run away and live her life to the fullest without any worry, without any tension. An year back, she had everything, her father, her mother, the person she loved but today she has no one by her side with whom she can share her sorrows with. Not even Daniyal.
She was looking at the ceiling lost in her thoughts. She had no idea whether she'll be able to meet him again and whether there love story will have a happy ending or not. The thought of leaving him made her throat clogged. There relation was based on 5 long years how it can be broken within just a month. She had loved him for last 5 years. He was in her heart for last 5 years. And just within a month everything changed in a flash. How's that possible? It all felt so surreal to her. They both had promised never to leave each other and there life had turned to a point where they're forced to stay away.
She was clueless whether Daniyal was safe or not. Haseeb had asked those men to free Daniyal but still her gut feeling was telling her that he might be in Irtaza's captivity and this thought was making her heart run a mile a minute. She was so thankful to Haseeb. She had no idea that he could be that helpful. Though Irtaza came to know about everything but still the way he tried to save her from Irtaza, he earned a very respectable place in Zahra's heart. She wished she could had saved him from Irtaza's punches but the immense fear had jammed her mind and limbs completely. She was so afraid of Irtaza at that time.
What was her fault when she was forced into this marriage?
Numerous times she had thought to tell her taya about this forced marriage and ask for his help to get her out of it but the situation always turned out like that she didnt find the chance to reveal anything to him. Today after that horrible incident in that room she determined to ask for his help but then she came to know about his heart attack, her heart had stopped beating. She didnt has enough power to see him dying like his father. She was like a second father to her because his everything was exactly like her father, the love, affection she has saw in his eye-
Her trance suddenly broke by a knock on the door.
"Come in." She said and the maid entered.
"Madam, everyone is back from hospital." she informed and left the room.
Zahra immediately caught her dupatta and ran towards the lounge. She hoped everything was fine. When she reached there, she found her uncle laying on the sofa and Haseeb on another one. Haseeb's face was bandaged. Everyone was sitting on the sofas around when her eyes fell on Irtaza who was looking at her making her pale.
She gulped with fear as she tightly fisted her shirt. The dreadful memories of today begin to run in her mind like a tape making her eyes widened as saucers. Today, he had successfully inflicted an enormous amount of hear in her heart. She was afraid to face him again alone.
"Ahh....Zahra daughter" her uncle acknowledged her presence grabbing her attention.
"Come here. Dont be worried. Your uncle is absolutely fine. It was just a minor pain in my heart which Dua took as a heart attack." Her uncle informed her, calling her towards him and she moved towards him, sitting beside him on the sofa.
"I hope you're fine taya abu. (uncle)" Zahra said, as soon as she sat down.
"I'm absolutely fine beti (daughter). It was just a sharp pain in my heart that made me fell down on the floor. The doctor has told me that there is nothing to worry about." He smiled, trying to assure her that she's fine.
Tears brimmed in her eyes immediately making her throat clogged. She thought she will lose her uncle today like her father
"Mje laga.....aap...ko..bhi... kuch...hogya....meray baba....ki tarah" She stuttered in her shaky voice. Her tears at bay.
(I thought something happened to you like my father)
"Nahi mera bacha. Mje kuch nahi huwa. Ap k baba ney apki zimeydaari mje di thi tw mein apni beti ko kesay chor kar.....ja.. sak...ta hun." He answered, his voice shaking at the end of his sentence remembering the last call he had with his younger brother, Mujtaba. His words words still linger in his ears.
'Haider Bhai if I'll go away somewhere far then please protect Ammara and Zahra. I'll be leaving there responsibility on you.' His brother had said to him
(No my daughter. Nothing happened to me. Your father entrusted me, your responsibility then how can I leave my daughter like that)
"Do you promise me you'll not leave me?" Zahra asked innocently, her tears flowing. She felt as if she's talking to her father.
"I promise. Now stop crying else I'll also cry with you." He promised making her smile and then laugh. She laughed like a 5 year old child unaware of the eye keenly observing her.
"Thankyou taya abu" She replied clearing her tears.
"Now please stop being emotional everyone, otherwise I'll also cry. Just look at this young boy who's been brutally beaten." Haya said, averting everyone's eyes towards Haseeb, who was yawning like a cat.
"What? What I have done? Why are y'all looking at me like that?"
"First you tell us mister whom did you fight with?" Dua asked, placing her hand on her waist.
"Hn tell us beta Haseeb. What happened to your face? Why is it blue and red?" His grandmother asked, worriedly.
"It was actually, umm.....I was in university...when..it rained....and then....I fell....and then....boys...Yeah that's the story I guess." He replied trying to shrug off the situation otherwise the whole incident will be revealed infront of the family.
"What are you saying brother? Say it clearly." Saif told.
"Although brother, everyday you have some kind of fight but you never got hit so hard. Who were they?"Haya asked.
"Who dared to beat the mighty Haseeb Haroon Syed? Hein?" Dua teased him.
"No one. I fell from stairs. Ahhh...mama, my face hurts stop them from questioning me." He faked a painful pace, trying to divert there attention.
"Okay. But first tell who had beaten you so bad?" Her mother questioned.
"Mama no one. It was....I-"
"I had" Irtaza's strikingly dominant voice answered and all the heads whipped towards him. While Zahra was the one whose eyes were kissing the floor now. She knew he will now disclose everything infront of the family to humiliate her and then everyone will see her as a characterless woman who was involved with some other guy despite being engaged to someone else.
"Why beta?" His grandmother asked worriedly.
"He lied to me." He answered shortly and everyone zipped up there mouth.
After all he was the head of haveli. Who could question him?
That's when a maid came in and informed them of the dinner, making everyone leave the lounge and head towards the dining table.
Everyone was seated now at there respective places and having the dinner, talking and enjoying themselves.
Zahra was already having cold sweats. She was sitting beside Irtaza. She didn't have the courage to look up. Her eyes were fixed on the plate infront of her.
"Only two weeks are left for the marriage." There grandmother informed and her heart begin to beat fast.
'Only two weeks?' She thought with dismay.
"On Thursday, mehndi will happen, on Friday nikkah an-" her grandmother was telling about the days when Irtaza cut in.
"The nikkah is done." Irtaza informed making each and every single person gasp with shock other than his younger brother, Shehryaar.
"Nikkah?" His grandmother asked confusedly.
"When did it happen?" His father questioned.
"Month back."
"Why you both didn't inform us?" His uncle, Haroon, asked.
"I had refrained Zahra from doing so. I was waiting for the right time." He answered shortly.
"Hmm....but it's not settling well with me that you married Zahra without the involvement of family."
"The nikkah was to be done in every case. It doesn't matter that the family was involved or not. Also its Irtaza's life and he wanted his nikkah a month back then we're no one to question it. And we still have the rukhsati to look upon so I think Dadi should continue what she was saying." Shehryaar interrupted, changing everyone's mind with his two sentences.
He was a manipulative jerk!
"Yes continue what were you saying." His grandfather spoke.
"The rukhsati will occur after two weeks on the blessed day of Friday.." She completed.
"I want the rukhsati at the end of this week." Irtaza ordered and her heart dropped. Her life was moving too fast.
Five days?
"Fine son. The preperations are already done. We will be conducting the rukhsati at the end of this week." His grandfather answered, his words were a final verdict. No one could question him
Only 5 days were left now. Even a shorter period than two weeks. And this thought was clogging her throat with tears of anxiety and depression.
"Can I sa..say something?" Zahra said, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Sure daughter why not. Go on." Her uncle said.
"Can...can we please postpone the rukhsati?" She asked, her heart running a mile a minute. She can already feel someone drilling holes at her head but this was needed to be said. She was afraid to be alone with Irtaza in a separate house away from all of the people specially when he came to know about Daniyal. She knew he will kill her if he find her somewhere alone. Allah has saved her today from Irtaza but she was not sure for how long she'll be able to protect herself from his anger.
"Why?"Her grandfather asked.
"Because I...actually....my exams are com...ing the next week, tha...ts why I w...ant the mar....riage to be postp...oned." She stuttered, her heart was beating fast. She had to somehow delay the marriage and find a way to run away from him. She cant live with him, especially what happened today.
She wasnt thinking straight. She just wanted to get out of his clutches.
"Sure daughter if the matter is of your exams then-"
"I had given my decision already and Zahra isnt going to university anymore." Irtaza cut in raising his voice slightly, his eyes down looking towards the table, his jaw clenched, his voice was getting cold indicating he's at the edge.
"Why?" Zahra asked, her voice low. She knew he cant do anything to her as the whole family is sitting otherwise if she was alone with her then she'd be making plans to somehow run away from his presence.
"Because I'm saying so. If I can give my consent for you to go university then I can also take it back. Understood Zahra?" He gritted, turning his head towards her. His eyes staring directly into hers. And the anger and dissapprovement she saw in them was enough for her to run for the mountains.
"Yes" she nodded her head, gulping down.
"I hope everyone is clear. Rukhsati will occur at the end of this week." He declared and left the table.
"We've barely any time left. Finish the preparations asap." There grandfather ordered and followed behind his grandson to know about his cold behaviour today at the table.
Then slowly everyone left the table leaving Shehryaar behind who was worried about his brother. He knew women are never to be trusted and he always had warn his brother of it and his brother had received the same blow of betrayal like his father.
Flashback
Both the brothers were sitting on the bench, in the lawn of the hospital. Shehryaar was looking at Irtaza's disheveled state. He knew he was slightly drunk.
"Irtaza what happened?" He asked.
"Nothing."
"Why are you drunk then?"
"I'm not."
"And I'm not a fucking fool. Now tell me what happened?" Shehryaar asked again, stomping his foot on the floor. He knew very well something was wrong with Irtaza and his sixth sense was telling him continuously that it might be related to Zahra, his wife.
Irtaza looked towards her. His eyes hollow like a dark deep pit, carrying no emotion. They were numb.
"She betrayed me." He shortly replied as a sudden flash of pain entered his eyes and it was gone as soon as it came.
"What?" He asked in disbelief.
"Yes. He was involved with someone else despite being married to me like-"
"Like our mother" Shehryaar completed and then boomed at his elder brother,"Irtaza I had fucking told you million of times that womankind is never to be trusted! I was warning you not to blindly trust her! Not to fall in love with her! And you paid no heed to me! Bravo. Now, you've the result infront of you."
"I thought she's the most unique and innocent woman in this world who doesnt even know the b of betrayal. But my assumption was wrong for the very first time." His voice low as he uttered his heart to his brother, looking down towards the grass as if in a deep thought.
From the very start Irtaza and Shehryaar were very close to each other. They both never had hidden anything from each other. They can give and take lives for there other half. They both were very vocal and open with each other. The side they show when they're alone, the world had never witnessed it. They never had felt any hesitance in discussing there hearts with each other. They both were like best brother friends and there trio was completed by Moosa, Irtaza's first in command and his best friend from the very start.
"You did the same mistake which Baba did. Trusted blindly a woman." He sighed and rested his back against the bench.
Several minutes passed but no words were exchanged like they both were in another world.
"What you'll do with her now?" Shehryaar asked breaking the silence.
"I'm loving her and hating her at the same time. A part of me does not want to believe that she's that cunning while the other part want me to punish her for her betrayal in a way that she regrets after taking each breath. She had ignited an enormous fire in my heart. I want to kill her, burn her alive, make her beg for death but that might also not vanish this fire." His jaw clenched as adrenaline rushed through his veins.
Irtaza was confused, he wanted to hate her but at the same time he wanted to love her. His mind as fucked up. But this was crystal clear to him that he wanted Zahra to be his and only his. He wanted to stamp his name at every corner of her heart. He wanted her for just himself.
"Love my foot Irtaza. Betrayal can not be forgiven that easily. Will you divorce her? Dont repeat the mistake of our father. He should have tortured that woman to death who had the audacity to fuck another man behind his back. But what Baba did, smash the divorce on her face. If I were in his place, I'd have tortured that woman to death." He gritted, his anger fueling recalling everything occurred in his past. The betrayal of his mother was the sole reason he never had the courage to trust any other woman.
"Divorce her," he chuckled, his eyes stilled at one point, "Never. No. I wont let her go. She should know she's mine else I will make her admit on and on that she's just mine until its not fucking carved into her brain that whom she fucking belongs to. I'm nothing like my father who will barter betrayal with just a mere divorce. I'm Irtaza Haider Syed. She should have been aware of who her husband is from the start. I guess the right time has came to tell her who the fuck I am." He gritted, fisting his hands, his veins popping out. He turned his face towards his brother, his eyes holding a promise in them.
...
The next update will be on Saturday. Apologies for the delay. My ankle got sprained