Aiza was standing in front of her niece's room she was hesitating to go in but she had to, because how would the wedding proceed if she couldn't get batool.. her niece to agree, Aiza had straight come here after talking with sultan shah, what left was to tell batool and make her agree with it.
Aiza took a deep breath before knocking on the door she didn't had to wait much as batool opened the door as soon as possible, batool wasn't too tall yet not too short she was at the average height of 5'2 while Aiza was 5'7 there was not much height difference between them, batool had same hair color as her father it was so black it almost looked like she had dyed them yet her hair were wavy and really long it reached till her knees just like her mom, she had light hazel eyes and because of her black,long and wavy hair...Her eyes stood out much more than she'll prefer and not to forget her fair skin that matched so well with her hazel eyes and black hair.. she had downturned lips that always made her look mean when she wasn't smiling... Her features give her a innocent yet somewhat mean look she looked just like a tragic mean cannon fodder in a novel, while her features were so incompatible yet looked so well matched on her it suited her a lot.
Aiza kept staring at her, batool was wearing her white pajamas with pandas on it an unknown book was in her hand while she stared at Aiza in confusion, probably thinking why she was here at this hour it was already night time after all.
Batool spoke up first "auntie?" Aiza came out of her thoughts and said... "batool... I need.. To talk to you about something?" batool was confused by aiza's troubled face yet let her in and closed the door.
Aiza walked in and sat down on the single sofa that was inside the room, while batool sat down on the bed Aiza spoke "batool...I.." she didn't know where to start from, lol.. I Want you to marry irtaza in shiza's place... She couldn't just say this, "shiza.... Run... " she took a deep breath "shiza run away".
Batool's eyes widened her mouth was slightly open "what?" batool knew shiza her cousin wasn't at all happy with her marriage yet no one said or did anything, shiza had begged her mother, her brothers to terminate this wedding even begged batool to help her run away from here, batool had only consoled her and tried her best to cheer her up, but she didn't expect that her cousin would really run away, at first she only thought shiza was saying this from the heat of the moment but she didn't really expect her to run away.
To say batool was shocked would be an understatement because she felt more fear than shock, she may be young but she was no fool she knew the power the shah family held and what will happen after them knowing about shiza running away, she glanced at her auntie but only to see her looking at her with eyes filled with guilt, batool was confused why was there guilt in her eyes? At first she didn't understand but....
"batool... No-Fatima I... Need your help." batool felt an unknown fear rising in her as aiza called her fatima, fatima was the nickname she was called by her parents in childhood before they passed away and no one had dared to call her that after her parents, it was a special nickname only her parents had called her ever and no one has passed her barrier to be able to call her like that, but the auntie who had given her a roof, food and clothes to warm her just called her like that just like that, she doesn't remember receiving any warmth from this auntie for her to call her so intimately.
While hiding her fear and dread she muttered lowly "help? With what, auntie?" Aiza avoided eye contact as she said "i-I want you to replace.... Shiza as the bride." her voice kept getting lower and lower as she spoke.
[BATOOL'S P.O.V]
I froze.
"auntie, what a-are you t-talking" my voice cracked slightly in between.
"batool, i am sorry" her head was lowered as she spoke in a low tone.
"auntie.... Y-you can't.... I d-don't want to marry I'm still young and... And... I don't want to replace shiza... Auntie please don't do this" a surge of panic rose in my chest as my breath quickened.
How could auntie do this? She loves me? Than, w-why? Why would she want me to get married that too with an older man? No.. No.. I can't marry.
Auntie looked at everything but my eyes "batool.... Please forgive me.... Shiza run away from wedding and-and....i didn't have a choice I had to do this... Please... I'm sorry."
My eyes blurred.
I don't know... I don't know why.... Why... I don't understand anything... Please....
*Panic*
huh why is my body trembling?
I'm crying? Why am I crying?
"in order to save our family...and us... I had to do it.. "
I looked at her in disbelief. How could she?
"auntie... Sarah is also 17... Than why me?" i looked at her firmly, i knew it i definitely knew it? She had always choosed sarah over me?
My body was trembling... my face was wet with tears, auntie tensed up for a moment before relaxing.
I don't.... Know... What should I do... Mom dad... Please help me.... Mom.
"batool... You know Sarah's parents wouldn't ever agree with me... Please batool it's now only you... Who can save..me..you...our family... Please".
So it's only because I don't have parents.. But I want to say no to refuse to tell her I don't want to... But how can I say it? When she's the one who raised me after the death of my parents.
Should I marry? No?
But?
She raised me for years after my parents? Is it the time I pay off her debt now?
I finally gathered my courage "auntie, if I say I don't want to than?".
Panic?she panicked... I can see how easily she got panicked, she immediately grabbed my hands in her before saying "batool fatima, please.... Don't refuse, I beg you"
[Batool fatima is her full name]
"please, for the sake of your parents, for the sake of me taking care of you for years.... Please batool please... For the sake of our family... They will destroy our family and everything"
"please I beg you.. " she put her hands on my feets and pleaded.
S-she's begging?
'so this is how shiza felt, huh?'
Is this how she don't have a choice also...
"i can agree... But on one condition" she stopped as she looked up at me with hope in her eyes.
"Never ever call me fatima again"
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[ HASSAN P.O.V ]
I just came back after completing the work brother had asked me to do, it took me longer than I had expected, thank God that shiza named girl hadn't gone out of the country or else I would've been the one to die instead of her...if i was just ten minutes late she would've taken the flight... I immediately shook my head... Thank you God you saved me from my brother.
My clothes were slightly dirty because of her struggles, when I was strangling her aish some blood had also splashed on my neat clothes I just wore it for the first time.. So I'm just going to shower first before going to give my brother a good news.
*Sigh*
But still I'm mad.. damn... I feel so awful, i heard my subordinates talking behind my back and calling me a beast, it's not like that shiza was any better I just did a good deed by killing her off, she was a really ruthless girl because of her bullying girls in college or school, many people's lives were ruined AND had suicided and not to forget her childhood sweetheart who loved her no matter what she did, she didn't bother to reject or correct his behavior in their whole life but after she got a boyfriend in college her childhood sweetheart was heartbroken he couldn't see her with someone so he confessed only for her to mock and humiliate him, she even jokingly told him to die but who would've thought he'll be a big love brain he took her words to heart and to prove his love he suicided, but her mother Aiza covered everything not a single person got to know why that young man actually died.
"Hassan?"
But whatever that doesn't concern me anymore... I was going to shower, when I halted on my steps, a familiar voice called out to me, a really familiar voice, the only person other than my older brother and grandfather who could call me like this was no one other than zaryaab, he was my brother's friend and business partner also someone I couldn't afford to offend.
I immediately turned around "aslam-o-alaikum". Zaryaab bhai was taller than me by at least few inches so I had to raise my head a bit up to look at his face, damn I'm 6'0 yet I feel so short infront of him he's 6'4 well it's only possible since he's a half foreigner.
[Bhai: Brother]
Zaryaab nodded "where's irtaza?". Older brother? I just came back, How would I know? I shook my head as no embarrassedly "zaryaab bhai, I don't know... But maybe brother is in office".
"office? It's his wedding today?" a look of disbelief was visible on zaryaab's face, if i could I would have definitely laughed but I can't, not infront of this person.
"well, zaryaab bhai... You already know how brother is".
"wait.. Zaryaab bhai I'll guide you... To brother's office" i asked for my own well being, since I would definitely get a big lecture from grandpa If I just left him unattended.
Zaryaab bhai just looked at me for a second "no need to, I will go by myself" as always he spoke in a monotone, before turning around his heels and walking away.
I almost wanted to roll my eyes, he always speaks in monotone, after all he's older brother's bestfriend and partner, ah this dangerous people really scare me I might probably run away someday. Older brother and zaryaab bhai have similar personas that kind of scare me, I shook my head off fastly. "I'm better off not getting in those crazy people's way".
I scrunched up my nose before continuing my walk, to go and get ready for the wedding.
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*knock*
The deadly eye contact was broken off by the sound of the knock, the door opened. Zaryaab walked in the office without waiting for their response, his every step was steady, his posture was straight and arrogant, yet the old man and irtaza were unbothered, they were used to it.
Irtaza raised his left brow "what are you doing here?".
"I should be the one asking... What are you doing here... It's your wedding" zaryaab spoke after greeting the old man in the room.
Sultan stood up hearing this "oh right, the wedding I almost forgot about it" he finally had a chance to get out of this akward silence with his grandson. Sultan walked to the door and before going out he said "your bride should be arriving soon and we have to start the wedding soon enough, irtaza come down as soon as possible".
As Sultan walked out, again silence enveloped in the office before irtaza spoke up "why are you here?...".
Zaryaab walked to a chair and sat down "you already know why I'm here irtaza, Don't you?".
As the emerald green eyes stared into the Light gray orbs, one could see the competition between them.
"very well"
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[NEXT FEW CHAPTERS PREVIEW]
"i-it feels weird"
"it is supposed to at the first try"
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