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A new day brought a fresh wave of family drama at Malik Mansion. Asad Malik had everyone gathered in the living room for an important announcement, and this time, he insisted that even the younger ones join in.

Samar, Rohaan, and Azar were pretty much uninterested in what was going on, but they had no choice but to be there. Emara sat quietly in a corner next to her mom, feeling a strange sense of unease. Her instincts were spot on.

"As you all know, Azara was supposed to marry Shehzad, but thanks to her foolishness, I'm left to deal with the fallout. To save my reputation, I've decided that Emara will marry Shehzad instead." Emara let out a sigh; she had long stopped expecting support from her family.

Azar felt a surge of anger rise within him. He noticed that Emara didn't seem to object, which made him think she was okay with the idea of marrying Shehzad.

As everyone walked back to their room, Azar barged into Emara's room. "How could you just agree to marry someone??" Emara looked at him as if he was possessed.

"Aaj nahi toh kal shadi honi hi hai and baba would never bother to ask for my consent." She shrugged. She didn't seem to be bothered at all.

"You will not marry Shehzad." He declared, taking steady steps towards her. He grabs her hands and pulls her closer to him, they faces merely an inch apart. "Why not?" She asked.

"Tumhy wajah pata nahi hai ya na janny ki acting kr rhi ho?" He whispered, his aura screamed danger. "Azar bhai, leave me. What kind of behaviour is this?" She pushes him back, annoyed by his behaviour.

"There's no reason for me to refuse from getting married to him. Now please leave my room." She spoke, looking away from him.

Azar stormed out of her room angrily. He saw Asad sitting in the living room and approached him. "You can't get Emara married to Shehzad." Azar's tone was demanding.

Asad's gaze sharpened as he stared at Azar. Araiz approached them, observing his son's attitude.

"Why not? She's his daughter and he has the right to choose her husband," Araiz retorted. "But how can you both simply force her into a marriage like this?" Azar objected.

"Pata nai kon hai, kesa hai aur kya krta hoga" Araiz looked at his son suspiciously. "He is the same guy who your sister was engaged to. At that time you didn't bother about 'kon hai, kya hai' then why is it bothering you now?" Araiz asked.

Azar gulped, looking away. "She and Azara are not the same." He whispered. "Why? Why cannot Emara marry him while you were fine with him getting married to Azara." Araiz was really pushing his buttons now.

Azar's voice thundered through the air, raw and unrestrained. "It's because I love Emara. I can't stand the thought of her marrying anyone but me!"

Emara's eyes grew wide, taken aback by the intensity of his revelation.

Samar stood in a corner, his reaction was neutral. He knew this was coming. He doubted earlier that his cousin had feelings for his sister. Now it makes sense why Emara was prioritised more than Azara. Rohaan didn't seem interested in the drama, he shrugged and walked back to his room.

The women froze in terror, anticipating Araiz and Asad's impending rage. Sabira desperately whispered her prayers, hoping for her son's escape from Asad's fury.

"I'll hand my daughter over to whoever I choose. We're in this mess because your sister ran off, and now you think you can dictate my actions? Not happening," Asad shouts.

Azar shoots a furious look at Emara before marching out of the haveli.

"Jao shadi ki tayyari karo." Asad says to his wife, plopping back down on the couch.

-

Azara's pov.

I see him storm out, rage radiating off him like heat from a fire. Aryan's outburst caught me off guard, even though deep down, I knew it was bound to happen.

The only reason I kept it from him was my fear of losing what we had. I just didn't have the guts to lay it all out there.

I can't defend my choices now; all I've got left is a heartfelt apology and a flicker of hope that he can find it in his heart to forgive me.

It's nearly midnight, and I've been on edge all day, just waiting for him to come back. I sit on the edge of the bed, and think about the past few days, piecing everything together. The last couple of weeks, he threw himself into work, and we hardly exchanged a word. Was he trying to ignore me? Maybe he found out the truth and is furious that I kept it from him. He probably expected and waited for me to tell him the truth.

I can only imagine how betrayed he must feel! I really should have just told him. What if this ruins his trust in me and he doesn't trust me anymore?

I was just sitting there, running through all the worst-case scenarios in my head when the door swung open. Aryan stepped in, wearing a black kurta-pajama. His hair was all over the place, eyes red, and he looked totally wiped out. He didn't even look my way as he headed straight for the bathroom. I got off the bed and just waited for him.

A few minutes later, he emerged dressed only in his pants, with a towel slung around his neck as he dried his hair. He didn't even look in my direction, though I was fairly certain he could see me in the mirror.

"Do you want me to get you some dinner?" I asked, but he didn't respond for a couple of minutes, and kept doing his thing. I just stood there, watching him. Then, out of nowhere, he caught my gaze in the mirror, looking straight into my eyes.

"I had dinner with my ex." He replies curtly. His expression was blank, I can't figure out if he's joking or serious, but it doesn't seems like he's in a playful mood.

Then he heads over to the bed. "We need to talk." I try to get his attention, but he brushes me off saying, "I'm tired, so I'm going to sleep," he says coldly and flops down on the bed. I just stand there, shocked, while he drifts off.

He looked quite exhausted, so I decided not to disturb him and just get some rest myself.

The next morning, my mom calls me up and informs me about Emara's wedding. I was pretty taken aback that Emara is getting married out of the blue, but then my mom drops the bomb that she's marrying Shehzad.

I just sat there, thinking about what my actions had led to, Emara is being pushed into this marriage with him all because I eloped with Aryan.

Aryan on the other hand, is hurt because of me.

Aryan was right. I am a selfish woman. In order to save myself, I ruined their lives.

"Aryan, wait!" I called out, as he turned to walk away. "We have to go to the Malik Mansion tomorrow. Can you come back early today?" I pleaded, hoping he would say yes. He simply nodded and walked out.

Author's pov,

"Ami, can't we find a way to stop this wedding?" Azara asked as her mother helped her with the saree.

"No, my child, no one dares to oppose Asad bhai, there's no way this wedding can be stopped." Sabira answered, her voice heavy with resignation.

"Ami yeh sab meri wajah sy ho raha hai na? Even Aryan is hurt because of me and now Emara is forced to marry Shehzad." Azara was fighting back her tears.

"Aryan is a responsible guy Azara. Agar tum usey sach bata deti toh woh tumhy chorh ky nahi chala jata aur na ab jayega. Uska naraz hona jaiz hai. Pr yeh bs kuch din ki baat hai, tum usey manany ki koshish krna aur ainda aisi koi harkat nahi karna. Everything will be alright bacha." Her mother advices and kisses her forehead before leaving.

Sabira looked at her daughter adorably, her Azara was all grown up and a married woman now. It was hard to believe.

As Azara descended the stairs, her eyes searched for Aryan. She looked around for a while and finally found him, chatting with her father.

"Masha'Allah, hoor lag rahi hai meri beti." Araiz complimented and kissed her forehead. Azara smiled at her father. Aryan was looking the other way. He was still mad at her and ignoring her.

"You seem interested in others more than your wife" she whispered into his ear after her father left them alone. Aryan turns his head to her, taking in her appearance.

She literally looked like a hoor wrapped in the emerald saree. He was grateful that no outsiders were present in the function.

"Kesi lag rhi hoon?" She asks, as Aryan kept staring at her.

'Aryan Dawar Raees ki.' His heart yearned to softly speak those words to her right away.

Aryan scanned her from head to toe. He longed to shower her with praise, but the moment felt wrong. He just couldn't be the affectionate husband at that time.

He masked a blank expression, tilting his head as he remarked, "theek lag rhi ho." Azara's smile faded. His indifference was suffocating. She had expected he wouldn't be acting cold here, but he had his own valid reasons for keeping his distance.

Aryan felt a pang in his heart as he saw her smile fade. He wanted to hold her right there and tell her that she looked ethereal and what not, but he restrained himself.

"Azara, chalo tum bhi mehndi lagwao." One of her cousins nagged her, "Nahi, mujhey nai lagwana" she replied. She didn't feel like enjoying the function anymore. She moved away from there and sat in a corner. Far from Aryan and the others.

Emara sat among the henna artists, her hands adorned with stunning patterns that twisted and twirled like vines, intricate designs that spoke of tradition and celebration. Yet, despite the beauty that surrounded her, she appeared detached, as if a veil of melancholy had settled over her. Her gaze was fixed on the floor, the vibrant colors of the henna contrasting sharply with the dullness in her eyes, which were devoid of any joy. The laughter and chatter of the other women seemed to fade into the background, a distant hum that barely registered in her mind.

Her mother, Mahnoor, was seated near her, chatting with her aunt Sabira. They reminisced about how fast their daughters had grown, their voices filled with nostalgia and warmth. They recalled the days when Emara and Azara were little, running around with wild abandon, their laughter echoing through the mansion, the first steps, the first days of school, and the countless moments that had shaped their daughters into the young women they were today.

Emara's grandmother Asma was also present there. "Soniye, smile a bit." Asma says to Emara, holding her chin in a lovely manner.

As Emara forces a smile, Asma says, "let me tell you something, after this you won't be forcefully smiling." and then whispers something into Emara's ear.

First few minutes Emara looked shocked as if processing what Asma said. Gradually a smile broke out on her face. This time it wasn't forced rather a genuine smile. Mahnoor and Sabira wondered what Asma had said that made Emara smile.

Azara sat alone, playing with the hem of her dupatta, her lack of interest in the ceremony evident. Aryan noticed this and understood the reason behind it.

He walked over to her and sat besides her. Azara felt his presence but decided to ignore him just as he did earlier.

'Yeh narazgi ghar janay ky baad bhi toh dikha sakty thy. Itna khush thi mein bewajah mera mood kharab kardiya' she thought.

Aryan took her hand and pulled her closer, the warmth of his touch sending a ripple of surprise through her. She gazed up at him, puzzled by his sudden move, her heart racing with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. The world around them faded into a blur, the sounds of laughter and music from the celebration dimming as she focused solely on him.

In that moment, he held a cone of henna, with a gentle yet deliberate motion, he touched the tip to her palm.

She watched him intently, captivated by the way his brow furrowed in concentration, as he began to draw intricate patterns on her skin. Finally, he lifted his gaze to meet hers, and in that instant, the world around them came rushing back.

As he finished the last stroke, he leaned back slightly, admiring his work. After he finished, Azara glanced at her palm "آریان"

He had scrawled his name and added a small heart. A smile spread across her face. Aryan met her gaze, and they held each other's eyes for a moment, until Arslaan decided to become the 'kebab mein haddi'.

"Aap log apna romance room mein continue karein na, yahan sab dekh rhy hein." He teased them, earning a deadly glare from Aryan.

"Dekho toh, abhi biwi ko kesy ghoor rhy thy itny pyar sy aur mujhy itni nafrat sy, yeh partiality nahi chalega bhai." Arslan complained dramatically, causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter.

_

Wazir haveli, Murre

Jahan avoided interactions with Usman ever since that day. He was always looking for ways to get close to her, but she kept dodging him, worried about what the elders might think if they caught wind of it.

Her grandfather was a tough guy, and he had zero tolerance for these kinds of romantic escapades. He was convinced that love turned people into fools, making them act against their better judgment.

His views hardened after his daughter ran off with the son of Nourez Raees. He never saw that coming, but love had a way of pushing people to do the unthinkable.

Jahan walked back and forth in her room, feeling restless. Usman was always on her mind, and it was starting to mess with her head. Wanting him around felt wrong, but she couldn't help it.

"Are you thinking about me, Jahan?" She glanced over at the window just as Usman slipped into her room. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted him coming closer.

"Hadh hai. Aap yahan kiun agaye?" she questioned him. Usman moved closer, backing her up until she hit the wall. She had nowhere to go now. He put his hands on her sides, completely cornering her.

"Weren't you waiting for me, darling?" he murmured, inching closer to her. Jahan felt a rush of heat, her gaze locked onto his. She was set on saying no, but he cut her off, "Don't even try to lie."

"L-look, just g-get out." Her words came out with a struggle. Usman laughed at her stuttering.

"Jahan, can you lend me a hand with dinner?" Jahanara jumped when she heard her tayi ami, call her. Good thing her door was locked; otherwise, she would have rushed right in.

"Jao, tumhari saas bula rhi hein" he joked. Jahanara shoved him away with all her might and dashed out of her room.

Usman carefully slips out,  watching around to make sure no one sees him leaving Jahanara's room.

During dinner, the whole family gathers in the dining room. They eat their meals in silence until Usman's young cousin starts to tease him.

"Tayi ami, don't you think Usman bhai should get married?" Manahil says with a big smile. Usman glances at Jahanara, but she's staring hard at her food.

"You're right, Usman bhai and Jahan api are getting old atleast one of them should get married. Humey bhi kisi ki shadi enjoy karni hai." Usman's younger sister, Zara chimed in, backing up Manahil.

"Don't worry, 'we both' will get married." Usman replies, his eyes locked on Jahanara. She meets his gaze, knowing exactly what he's hinting at.

"Kab?" Manahil asks, excitedly. "Aaj, abhi karwa dety hein tum bolo toh." Mahtab, her father, shot back with a smirk,  Manahil was way too hyped up and couldn't hold back on planning the wedding already.

"Mein toh Jahan aapi ky shadi mein ziyada enjoy karoongi." She says. Usman lifted his eyebrow and asked, "kiun meri shadi mein enjoy krna mana hai?"

"Your wedding would be boring. Aap toh bs nikkah karogy aur khatam, there would be no other functions. Jahan aapi has planned so many functions for her wedding. This is why we will enjoy more in her wedding." Manahil stated.

Usman looked at her surprised, the corner of his mouth turned up and Jahan did not dare to look at his way. She nudged her sister to stop.

'You already have our wedding planned, now that's interesting.' Usman smirked thinking about her plans. While Jahan swore that she would never ever share her future plans with her sister.

_

Author's note

╰┈➤ This chapter took a while to rewrite and edit.

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