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Hussain's POV
Silence. The hall was so silent that I was afraid people around me would hear my overbeating heart. Trust me, it was pounding real wild especially when Khan Sahaab's gaze was digging holes into my soul.
'Why the hell isn't he speak anything?'
I landed my gaze on my family members who were sitting with me, clueless as well. A second later, I flickered my eyes and roamed it around the hall...the same hall that had witnessed my broken love, trust and heart years ago. The same hall where my hatred for her was awake and I was too blind to see her love for me. And it was the same hall that had changed both of our lives.
I blinked my eyes. Since the second I stepped in this compound, my heart was in my throat...ready to jump out any moment. I could feel she was here...somewhere near me. I missed her, I missed her so much but deep down inside, I was nervous. I was panicked and restless.
How will I meet her?
The same question kept banging in my head and I gulped down. Never had I felt so tensed before.
I looked around again. Nothing had really changed and yet everything was so different. The atmostphere, the enviroment and even the house seemed strange to me. It felt...lonely. Though there were so many people around and yet it was not that cheerful. Something was incomplete.
"Kuch kehna chahte ho?" I bounced a little, slightly shocked as I wasn't ready to be greeted by that firm voice. I hurriedly straightened myself and dropped my eyes on him; Jahangir Khan.
I gulped down and felt myself was slightly in shiver when his sharp gaze was directed straight into mine.
"Jee? Main...main..."
Shit! Why the hell am I stammering?!
"Kyun aaye ho tum yahaan?" He asked again, still didn't leave my eyes and I felt something caught my throat.
"Uncle, he came here for Hawa." Asad spoke seriously and I looked at him who was facing Khan Sahaab.
"Woh aapki beti se bohat mohabbat karta hai. Usse shaadi karna chahta hai." He added again, he sounded very gentle and confident that I felt like slapping my own face. I am supposed to be the one who should confront her father. I was the one should convince him.
"I know you wanted me to be your son in law but trust me, Uncle...No one can love Hawa as much as he does. I can assure you, Hawa can never be happy with me." Asad spoke further.
I opened my mouth but before I could let my voice out, he spoke again.
"Main toh bas pyaar karta hoon Hawa se, lekin yeh toh...mohabbat karta hai usse. Yeh dono ko dekh kar ab shayaad, main bhi mohabbat ko jaan gaya hoon...aur shayaad, kisi se mohabbat bhi karne laga hoon main." He said, looking at distance in the hall and I followed his eyes to find Haya standing at one corner; shocked as hell and there were tears in her eyes. Maybe...I knew the meaning in his words too when they exchanged smiles for a second before Haya looked away.
"Asad.." I voiced out finally and he turned his head, looking at me.
"Let me..." I was just about to say more when someone interrupted.
"Khan Sahaab.." I looked to my left to find Dad who was ready to convince him.
"Bache toh ghaltiyaan karenge hi. Aap.."
"Dad.." I stopped him and he looked at me questionably. I nodded at him, telling him to give me a chance to talk, to prove my love and myself.
He blinked looking at me but then a moment later, he nodded his head...giving me a way to win my love and Jahangir Khan's trust.
I took in a deep breath, lowered down my head a little and closed my eyes for a moment. Mugging myself, slowly I opened my eyes and mouth.
"Sir," I called as I looked at Jahangir Khan who was sitting in front of me. He was already staring at me.
"I know I have done so many mistakes. I have hurted you...I disrespected you and what not? I won't ask you to forgive me because I know I don't deserve that but I just want you to give me a chance. A chance to correct my mistakes and to prove myself." I spoke as I stood up and neared him.
I was embarrassed of what I did before. I didn't even respect him for his age...just because I was blindfolded by anger.
I stopped in front of him and looked down. I could feel my vision started blurring.
"Maybe I was the reason for whatever happened and is happening in your life...your daughter's life. Par mera bharosa kijiye...main sab kuch theek kardunga. Main aapki beti se behad mohabaat karta hoon...usse shaadi karna chahta hoon, uss ki zindagi mein khushiyaan lautana chahta hoon lekin aapki ijazat ke beghair main kuch nahi kar paunga. Sirf aik mauka dijiye, Sir. Please..." I pleaded as I bent down over my knees right in front of him and landed my hands on his.
"Please..." I half whispered as I lowered down my gaze, still freezing myself opposite him and when Jahangir Khan just stayed still in his seat, I thought I have failed.
"Khan Sahaab...apne bache ke baare main humein yeh nahi kehna chahiye par...mera beta itna bhi bura nahi hai. He has always made me proud of him and he has never let me down in any situation. I know he shouldn't have done what he did to you but he's a human after all. Usse maaf kar dijiye." Mama's voice caught my attention but still I didn't feel like looking at her or at anyone else.
'This is not as easy as I think. Jahangir Khan will never get convinced so easily.' My inner voice mumbled and suddenly I felt a touch on my both shoulders. Before my brain could even process anything, the person already pulled me up to a hug.
I was forced to collide with it's chest and that was when I realized, it was Jahangir Khan. His hands were comfortably securing me and I gulped down when I felt his chin on my shoulder. To be honest, I wasn't surprised. That was a small word. I was actually rapt by his unexpected reaction.
"Le jaao meri beti ko yahaan se. Le jaao usse tumhaare saath...mujhse door.." He spoke over my shoulder, his voice wavered a little and I blinked. Confused and stunned.
There was something in his voice. Maybe regret or hurt, I don't know but his words pinched my heart.
"Meri beti ab meri nahi rahi. Woh meri thi hi nahi...main aik acha baap nahi ban paya. Main kho chuka hoon usse. Meri beti.." He whimpered painfully and I gulped down. I couldn't help the moistures in my eyes seeing him as he was breaking apart.
"I couldn't give her the love and respect she deserved. I myself ruined my own daughter's life!!" He sobbed and almost fell down when I hurriedly grabbed him by his arms.
******
"Assalamualaikum!" I heard a voice near the door and hurriedly turned around from checking my room.
"Waalaikumsalam. Haya! Come in." I smiled welcoming her and she mirrored it as she walked in.
"Do you like the room?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at me.
"Yeah. Thank you." I responded politely.
She sucked in a deep breath and then parted her lips, I thought she wanted to say something but she proved me wrong when she closed her mouth back.
"Kuch kehna chahti ho?" I couldn't stop myself from asking and that made her lay her gaze on my face.
"Yeah...aapka shukriya ada karna chahti hoon. Thank you for coming." She spoke sincerely with a smile plastered on her lips and I just inhaled deeply.
I should be thanking them for accepting me.
"I've to go. Agar aapko kuch chahiye toh, mujhe bata dijiye ga." She said and I nodded my head, couldn't really pay attention to her as my mind was travelling to somewhere else. Hawa.
"Oh one more thing!" She exclaimed and I looked at her who has already reached the door frame.
"Hmm?" I responded with frown eyebrows when she turned to face me.
"Khan Sahaab bata rahe thay ke kal hum sab dargah jayenge. Aap taiyaar rehna." She said.
"Jee...okay." I replied and then she closed the doors, vanished from my sight.
I gazed around the room. Yeah I was forced to stay here; at Jahangir Khan's Mansion though it would be risky while the rest of my family members stayed at Jahangir Khan's guest house.
I thought it would be difficult to convince Jahangir Khan but I was wrong. He has totally changed. He was so different than the Jahangir Khan that I met before.
He looked so shattered and broken and he did really regret for what he did. Honestly speaking, I felt bad seeing him like that. He asked for forgiveness from Shehry and the best part was, he accepted me. That was a big thing for me.
Don't know what I was thinking, I walked up to the door and opened them wide before I stepped out of my room. I wanted to look at her. I wanted to meet her, see her face...at least once.
I betrayed my own promise when I walked along the corridor and my heart beat started rising immensely that I could hear it in my ears. I raised my chin up and dropped my eyes to my front and what was in front of my eyes, really left me with a spellbound happiness and relieved feeling in me. My surroundings were in complete silence as my eyes stopped blinking.
I saw her. Still as beautiful as ever in her Brown Kameez though she seemed a lot thinner than before. The softness of her look was still the same, it never changed. I couldn't help but my eyes turned glassy staring at her. She suddenly stopped walking and caused my heart to stop beating momentarily as well.
Hawa's POV
"Hawa?"
I turned to find Haya stepping in my room and I smiled at her.
"Aa jaao." I invited, focusing on my TV screen again.
"Kya kar rahi ho?" She asked as she jumped on the bed beside me and I glanced at her.
"Just watching TV. Bored." I replied carelessly and she smiled looking at me.
"Acha...what if I say something exciting?" She wiggled her eyebrows at me, she seemed so excited about something that I don't know what.
"What?" I asked though I didn't have any interest.
"Khan Sahaab wanted to meet you." She replied in one breath and mine got caught somewhere in my throat.
"What? Abba Ji..." I gulped down. I didn't remember when was the last time he called me.
"Yeah! You heard me right. He's waiting for you in the reading room." She touched my shoulder saying and a tear unknowingly slipped my eye. I can't tell how happy I was to hear that.
I hurriedly got off the bed and took my dupatta from the brim. I quickly covered my hair nicely and without taking much time, I stepped out of my room.
I took large steps towards the corridor and suddenly I felt something. My feet slowly came to a halt and I gulped down as my heart beat quickened. I felt like I was being watched.
I don't know why I was sweating, I felt something strange and it was making me shiver. I looked around but I couldn't find anyone. I was the only person there.
I slowly lowered down my gaze and brought my hand to my heart, maybe I was wrong. Maybe there was really no one there and I consoled my heart with that thoughts. I glanced for one last time around me and upon getting the same answer, I started heading towards the reading room.
Jahangir's POV
"As...Assalamualaikum, Abba...Ji..." She faltered behind me and I closed my eyes. That fear!
"Waalaikumsalam." I replied as I turned to my back and saw she was looking down as usual.
I gulped down looking at her, at my daughter whom I never accepted as one.
"How are you?" I asked as I stared at her from head to toe. She wasn't looking the same, she has physically changed a lot and it pained my heart.
"Jee? Uhm...Main theek hoon, Abba Ji. Aap kaise hain?" She replied though she was shocked getting that question from me. I smiled seeing the care she had for me but I chose to not answer her question.
"Mujhe laga aap nahi aayengi." I started and she furrowed looking at me.
"Kyun nahi? Aapne bulaya toh main zaroor aaungi, Abba Ji." She replied. I saw tears in her eyes and I fisted my hands.
"Aap naaraz hain mujhse?" I questioned again, ignoring her surprised expressions. I was sure, she must have felt so weird with me right now. I have never been this smooth to her.
"Nahi, Abba Ji! Bhala main kyun naaraz hongi aapse.." She replied and I gulped down.
"Then why didn't you meet me in these years?" I asked looking straight into her eyes, I tried to sound as firm as I can though deep down in me, I was tearing apart.
"Main...main.." She stammered and looked away. I saw she closed her eyes and she was slightly shivering.
I neared her, I so wanted to embrace her in my arms and I did. I listened to my heart for the first time and I hugged my daughter. It wasn't that I have never hugged her before but this time, I did it with all my heart. It was definitely different. I can't tell how light my heart was when I felt her warmth.
"Abba Ji?" I sensed frowns in her voice but still she wrapped her hands behind my back.
"Mujhe maaf kar dijiye beti jaan. Maaf kar dijiye.." I whimpered on her shoulders, tears were flowing down to my chin and she hurriedly broke the hug.
"Abba Ji!" She gasped looking at my face and hurriedly brought her hand up and wiped my tears away, leaving her own tears on her cheeks. I can say she was really shocked to see tears in my eyes. The first time ever there were tears in Jahangir Khan's eyes.
"Aap maafi kyun maang rahe hain? Aapne kuch bhi nahi kiya. In fact, I am the one who should be sorry. I have hurt you so much...bohat dukh aur takleef di maine aapko. Maafi bhi nahi maangi aapse...I just ignored you completely. I'm sorry?" She pleaded with her eyes turning red as she gripped my hands together and I looked at her. I saw sincerity in her eyes that I had never noticed before.
"Woh aapki beti hai, Sir aur humesha rahegi. Trust me, she wouldn't even have a slightest complaint about you...because I know she loves you a lot. Woh aapne Abba Ji se bohat pyaar karti hai, Sir."
Hussain's words rung in my ears and slowly, a smile crept onto my lips looking at her angelic face and I pulled her into a hug again. I never understood her, she was right about me...I was a selfish father. An outsider knew my daughter more than I do.
"Thank you. Thank you.." She whispered as she silently wept on my chest and I closed my eyes.
A hug and a sincere sorry just make things easier. It's just that people are too egoistic to do that.
"If I ask you something, will you do it?" I asked once we broke apart and she nodded her head as she brushed her finger at the corner of her eyes, wiping the tear stains away.
"But promise me, Sir. You will never tell her about me until her Nikah day."
"Aap ke liye aik rishta aaye hai."
Asad's POV
"Whom are you hiding from?" I whispered in his ear which caused him to jump back in utter shock. He hurriedly brushed the back of his hands on his eyes, wiping something and I furrowed at him.
"Dara diya mujhe yaar!" He scoffed as he smacked my head and I chuckled looking at him.
"What were you doing?" I smirked at him, purposely narrowing my eyes and he sighed heavily.
"Nothing yaar. I was bored in the room." He replied and I rolled my eyes.
"Don't you think it was ridiculous to make such promise? Why are you torturing her and yourself even more?" I blurted out disapprovingly and to be honest, I was mad at him for taking stupid promise from Khan Sahaab.
"Kyun ki...sabr ka phaal meetha hota hai." He laughed answering me and I slapped my own head hearing him.
"Tum mujhe suna rahe ho? What about you?" He made a face at me and I furrowed, confused.
"What about me?" I asked and it was his turn to roll his eyes.
"Why didn't you confess to Haya face to face? Just giving hints wouldn't do okay!" Hussain scowled and I felt something hitched in my throat upon hearing it.
He knows?!
"You..." I gulped down. Suddenly I felt heat emitted up my cheeks. Shit!
"I did notice brotha!" He grinned and I bit my lower lip.
"Go and tell her, man. Don't take too much time. Sometimes, the best things come once you let what's in your heart out." He said. Somewhere in his words, I felt it weren't just words but something more than that.
"I will." I replied and he smiled as he patted my shoulder before he walked away from there.
I looked at his back and gave a thought to what he just said. It had truth in it.
"Why not now?" I scratched my chin and grinned idiotically.
I hurriedly slid down the stairs and entered the kitchen where she usually would be. I slowed down my speed when I saw her who was busy doing something at the slab and silently signalled the other servants to step out. They obeyed without making any noise and the kitchen was lonely. Only I and her.
Suddenly, I started feeling nervous and took in a deep breath while running a hand through my hair. I looked around and saw artificial roses in a small jar on a table nearby and I approached it. I pulled out one and stepped towards her. I exhaled a sharp breath once I was behind her.
"Ehem.." I cleared my throat and that caused her to immediately turn around, shocked and surprised.
"Aap? Uhm...kuch chahiye?" She asked as she lowered down her eyes. She was nervous as well seeing me and I smiled on that act.
"Yeah." I replied and she looked up at my face.
"What?" She asked and I rolled a tongue over my lips.
"I know this is so sudden and I don't have anything with me right now except this.." I trailed as I dropped my gaze to the artificial rose in my hand and she followed my eyes for a moment before she fixated it on my face again.
My heart was throbbing damn hard inside when I was about to proceed. I know there were sweat beads on my forehead and that was because, I have never felt so scared in my life before.
"I don't know when I fell in love with you but ever since I did...I never stopped loving you. I love you... Everyday and every second. Will you marry me?" I proposed looking straight into her eyes and her eyes went wide in disbelief.
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Assalamualaikum lovelies!
How was the chapter?
Hope you have liked it though I have messed it. -_-
Till we meet again. Take care. I love you all!