Hikma stood there speechless. She dared not utter a word. She would be doomed if she did. She held on tight to her baby and kept quiet. She knew they were talking about her slapped cheek. She knew that it had left a little discolouring but she never expected it to be so lucid.
"I-I...don't know..." she stammered. Nawar moved closer and gently touched her cheeks and saw how she flinched at that. She felt sad inside. She knew she couldn't just interfere in family business but she knew failure to redeem this girl was going to be hell for the girl.
"I'm so sorry, my little lovely" she cooed. This raised many emotions in Hikma and the urge to spill the beans was intense but she knew it would be very risky for herself and for her baby. She gave Nawaar a little smile but a tear betrayed her emotions. Her eyes held pain, trauma and worst of all fragments of a shattered heart.
"Mother! Sara ! Where is she ? I heard what happened to her!" a familiar husky voice asked. All eyes turned to Gabriel. He was all dressed up and had just returned from a little trip to his warehouse. He had heard from Salman, his best friend about what happened to his sister earlier and had rushed immediately to see what was going on. Only to be met with almost all the invited guests waiting for a bride who wasn't going to make it to her engagement.
"Ma'am, the groom and his family have arrived." a maid rushed into the inner hall and announced to everyone there. Everyone was confused now. What were they going to do now? Gabriel decided to go speak to the groom and his family and explain to them what was going. Salman decided to follow behind Gabriel.
The lady folk were all disturbed at what had suddenly happened. Was the engagement coming on at all? They all wondered. Now it was time to set everything right. But how? There wasn't a bride. How would they? And they couldn't afford to ask the guests to leave. They would probably think they weren't serious.
Sonia and her mother Rama were whining about how they had wasted their time to get ready for an engagement that wasn't going to come on. Nawar was devastated. She wanted to go to the hospital but her son, Gabriel asked her to calm down while he settled things first over here before they both went.
Roti on the other hand, had something up her sleeves. She looked maliciously calm and unperturbed. What was she up to?
Gabriel returned moments later and announced what had gone on and had told them how the whole conversation went on.
"So Huzaifah is currently on his way to the hospital. But we can't leave the guests here without an engagement. And so the easiest thing we can do now, is to replace the couples. The easiest things is for someone else to get engaged. And by someone, I mean me." he announced.
Things had changed. It was no longer Sara and Huzaifah's engagement. It was Gabriel's. Everyone was shocked out of their wits because this was undoubtedly very unexpected. Suddenly, Gabriel wants to get engaged?
"With who Gabriel?" his aunt Saeeda asked him. They were all in for a surprise. The young blind girl still oblivious of what was going on around her. All she heard was that, someone else was to get engaged. Her full attention was on the baby in her arms. She begun humming a song for the little bundle of joy.
Still in oblivion, all eyes of the women folk including Gabriel and Salman's turned to her. She hadn't noticed it. How would she? When she had eyes but couldn't see? So she continued humming for the little bundle of joy. Gabriel's eyes were deeply looking at the blind creature.
"Sonia. I'm betrothed to her after all. So she'll do." he announced to the thunderstruck of everyone especially Sonia. What?! Everyone had expected it to be the blind girl from the way Gabriel was staring at her. But his mind was made up. Perhaps he didn't like the blind girl after all. A huge smile appeared on Sonia's face at the news. She screamed in glee.
"You want to marry my daughter now??" Rama asked still not recovered from the shock. Wasn't he the one who said he didn't love her daughter and would never ? she marvelled.
"Not marry. I want to get engaged to her" he corrected her rudely but she was too glad to notice. Sonia hopped on Gabriel in glee. This was the moment she was waiting for. Finally, he was all hers. Gabriel, however had his own motives. His eyes went to the blind girl who sat down far away from them trying to coo her baby to sleep. Her eyes looked distant.
She seemed to have a lot on her young mind. He looked her up and down. She was in a simple, almost old fashioned green dress. She still looked very beautiful. He only noticed her dress matched his eye colour. She was so infatuating. He didn't know why it hurt his heart.
"Gabriel! Your sister is in the hospital and you are thinking of getting engaged? Why?" his mother asked disappointed. He felt the pain in her voice but he had everything handled. She knew he did, but still didn't expect him to want to get engaged when his younger sister was in the hospital.
"Don't worry Mama. I've made sure Huzaifah and his family are there with her. Besides, we will all go there after the engagement" he assured his mother. She just gave him a small smile and nod. Sonia once again hopped on him and hugged the lights out of him. He pulled her off him though.
"I am so happy Gabriel. Thank you for choosing me" Sonia thanked him. He just nodded and looked away. He held his hand out for her and she gladly took it.
"Looks like she already looks like a bride. Let's get this over with" Gabriel announced. His mother, though disappointed, blessed the two of them and helped Hikma up and took the baby from her. They walked together to the main hall were about 100 guests, mostly from elite groups sat waiting.
They all cheered at the new couple who just walked in. Hikma walked side by side with Gabriel's mother. The older woman helped her sit amongst some other ladies in her family. They all scooted away from her as though she had a bad smell. They obviously didn't want to hang around the old fashioned dressed girl who was blind.
She would have been hurt, had she seen what they had just done.
As Gabriel sat beside Sonia before the Imam, he had this feeling that just didn't sit right in his guts. His mind was on three people. Sara, Roti and the young lad they kept in captive. He had noticed an eerie smirk on Roti's face while they were in the inner hall. He just didn't trust that woman. He had a feeling she was connected to that bastard, Basit.
How? He didn't know. He just felt it.
Sara. Huzaifah! Why hadn't he called to inform them of Sara's state in the hospital up to now? The hospital wasn't too far from their home so why was this so? He had a very bad feeling about all this. He suddenly had no idea what was going on around him? His mind was not on the engagement but on these three people.
Soon the engagement came to end. The actual wedding was moved to the next Saturday. Sonia was super excited after this. Her dream was gradually coming true. All the guests congratulated her, but the groom to be wasn't there to be congratulated. Gabriel had left immediately after the engagement ceremony. He didn't wait to be congratulated or do the usual picture taking. Family always came first to him.
"We have to leave now Ma'am. Hikma says she doesn't feel too well and besides, the little one looks tired" Roti announced to Nawar after getting off the phone with a mysterious caller. Something just wasn't right. Nawar could feel it. The look of fear and panic on the young girl's face was enough to drive everyone who actually cared about her crazy.
Hikma held unto her baby who had been dozing off and placed her head on her chest. She really did look ill. Her face had lost its colour suddenly and her lips looked cracked. She felt her throat parched and water craving.
"Dear, sit down here, I'll get someone to get you some water" Nawar assured Hikma as she helped her sit down. Hikma hadn't been well treated like this before. She saw a mother figure in her. She had this feeling that, this woman genuinely liked her.
Few moments later, one of Gabriel's cousins came with a glass of water. She was a beautiful young girl a little older than Sara. She seemed pissed off that she was being asked to serve water to this low class blind girl. She rudely pushed the water into Hikma's hand and it was very obvious she disliked this blind girl.
"T-Thank y-you.." she acknowledged the one who offered her a glass of water. Though rude, but at least, it was nicer than her own family, Roti. She heard a growl of distaste coming from aunt Nawar who was sitting beside her. It was obvious she didn't like what the lady had done. Perhaps, how she had done it.
"Have some manners Inaya ! That's not how to treat a guest. Especially my very own special guest" she reprimanded Inaya, Gabriel's cousin. Inaya was annoyed by the way her aunt backed this poor blind girl. She didn't understand why her aunt should be so doting over this disabled girl, when she could dote on her. But she couldn't react.
A growl was suddenly heard behind Hikma. She almost choked on her water. The aura this sudden being brought was utterly choking and quite terrifying. This aura was one, owned by someone who had just discovered a lot and was one who was very time concious and would never let time beat him. He had waited the right time before acting.
"That's not the right way to offer someone a glass of water, is it?" his voice came.
It was only now that she recognised this voice. The man. The man from the stairs. And what was he doing? He was defending her? How come?
Wasn't he the one who knocked her down weeks ago? And even insulted her ? Now he was defending her? Because someone rudely offered her water? How? Why? She was in a labryinth of thoughts. Was he up to some no good? Or was he just a good fellow? Or perhaps he was trying to make fun of her. It all didn't get down well with her.
She shut her mouth up and lowered her gaze. Then the voice of Sonia came in. She had just come out of the main hall from taking pictures and was currently on her way to find Gabriel. Optimistic was her mood. She was hopeful that, this was fate's doings and soon, she was going to be the new Mrs. Khilafa Dhul Qarnayn.
"Oh Gabriel darling! Where were you? You missed the guests. They all wanted to congratulate us. I missed you, most especially" she purred at him seductively with lust all over her face and deep within her eyes . He liked it. Only in a lustful way though. He gave her a smirk and suddenly noticed the look of disgust on the maiden's face. It went to him. He suddenly pushed her back and stood his stance.
Sonia was low for a moment but it didn't seem to bother her anymore. After all, they were engaged now. Even though, it was a likely arranged marriage, she had the feel that it would work out. She didn't know, she only felt it.
Gabriel's attention went back to Inaya. He had a very bored look on his face and he was awaiting her response. His fist was clenched lest someone and by someone, he meant Inaya, provoked him.
"I'm sorry Gabriel. But she....she's just a poor, pathetic blind girl. Why must I lower my standards to offer this low life a glass of water!" Inaya countered like a spoilt little brat. Everyone gasped at her statement. All eyes turned to Inaya at the heinous way she just described this poor girl. Even Sonia was shocked at this description. She had insulted this girl before but she never expected her literal rival to say such a thing.
Rival? Yes . Inaya and the other female cousins of Gabriel all wished to have a chance with him. But they were all unfortunate. She therefore, felt blessed to be engaged to him. But why was he suddenly feeling pity for this blind girl. It raised eyebrows. Not only hers, but everyone else's.
"What did you just say about her?" he asked malignantly.
The venom in his voice intensified when he heard her sob and saw how tighter she was holding on to her baby which she had taken back from Nawar. Inaya suddenly begun panicking and like the speed of light, Gabriel slapped the lights out of Inaya sending her falling face first to the ground and hitting her head on the ground.
Hikma and Inaya screamed in horror. Inaya was not only horrified, but the pain she felt from the intensity of the slapped left her semi-concious. Hikma was thunderstruck. She didn't see what exactly had happened but she knew this man had slapped this woman. Her scream frightened her baby and soon, the baby begun crying too.
Gabriel couldn't bear the sight of his lady with her baby. The tears in both their eyes shifted something in him. He felt his heart hurt at the mere sight of her. His tensed eyes wavered around feeling emotional from the pain he was suddenly feeling within him.
Gabriel stomped out of that place in fury. Everyone was dumbfounded. Never had he ever stood up for anyone else but his mother and sister. Not even his late father or any of his aunts. So why this girl? To the extent of slapping the lights out of his cousin for her? He who had never hit a woman? How come? Gabriel couldn't get his head straight when he got back into his room.
'Damn!' he cursed. Inwardly, he wanted to strangle the life out of Inaya for cussing at his lady. He still visualised her hurt eyes at the way Inaya described her. What he'd do to her, only Allah could save her. He inwardly growled at this reminiscence.
Gabriel couldn't stay in his room. He was too infuriated and if he stayed here any longer, he would be tempted to do things unspoken.
Gabriel threw off his tuxedo and put on some casual wear and stomped out of his room with a Mac 11 in his hands. He didn't really care anymore. He had been keeping this secret from his other family members for far too long, but now, he didn't really care.
They took his leniency on them as his weakness and he was out to restore order in them and take back all his power and authority from them.
As he descended the stairs, he could, himself sense the aura he was putting out. It reached all of them. All eyes turned to him. Everyone gasped at the weapon he was holding. They all fidgeted in their stance. Murder and Evil was lucid all over his face and it was utterly frightening. He tucked the gun behind him. And paced towards were the closest to the family sat.
But one person had not yet seen him. Hikma! She looked really ill by the time he descended the stairs. Her face was all blue and her eyes looked pale and quite dark. And Inaya, she was groaning in pain from the effect of the slap. She also looked frightened when she locked eyes with Gabriel and saw a deadly look of rage in his eyes.
Gabriel walked to Hikma who was sitting beside his mother. She looked terribly ill and her eyes were straight ahead and almost looked dead. He was more and more alarmed at that and felt the more need to annihilate his stupid cousin Inaya.
"Mama, she looks terrible. Let's get her to the doctor. The same hospital as Sara " Gabriel told his mother casually, trying not to sound too perturbed about her, but his mother was his mother for a reason. She gave him a secret wink and a teasing smirk. He clearly understood it. He gave her a smirk too trying hard not to chuckle at it.
"Of course beta, let's take her immediately" she answered in a very quick succession.
"The engagement's over. Get Sonia ready for the wedding on Saturday, and the rest of you should eat and drink whatever. We'll be back soon" Nawar announced. Roti, fidgeted in her stance. She didn't want Hikma to go. Her diabolical plan would not work. She needed Hikma as a distraction to Gabriel. She saw Gabriel's soft side for her and she would use it to her benefit.
Nawar helped the smallish girl up before Gabriel carried her bridal style. She looked too faint to antagonise.
"Umm...s-she..." Roti tried to make an excuse. Gabriel looked her deep in the eye while she tried to block him from moving. She gulped as she saw that look. The 'I dare you to stop me' look. She stepped aside cowardly.
Gabriel huffed at her before carrying Hikma to his car out. All the while ignoring all the shocked looks from his family except his mother who had gotten used to this. Finally she had gotten her son where she wanted him.
HEY GUYYSS..HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS ? I WANT TO DEDICATE THIS CHAPTER TO MY GOOD FRIEND ISHITA. THANKS HUN <3 LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND PRESS THAT STAR BUTTON <3
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