chapter 29

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Reem's POV

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I called Ayesha, but she didn't answer. She must have left the office by now, but why is she not here as yet.

"Did she answer?" Hayat asked, I shook my head.

All of us came to Khan villa long time ago, but she is not to be found, I have been waiting for her.

All the men in the house were in the living room, while the ladies were in dadi's room. Izhaan has been following me, he says he wants to talk. But I am not in the mood.

"Athar Bhai is also not answering his phone, I'm sure he knows where she is" Hayat said looking worried

"Hayat" Izhaan called her

"I'll be back" she said and left.

I tried calling her again but she did not answer.

Where are you Gabbar? Why am I feeling so restless?

Hayat returned in five minutes.

"Still no answer" I showed disappointment

"She will come, don't worry" she said calmly I raised an eyebrow at her

"Just five minutes ago you were so worried and now you are suddenly so relaxed"

"Because I know she will come as soon as possible. Bhabhi you come with me, I want to show you something" she said

"Where?"

"Just come" she held my hand and took me upstairs, she looked a little nervous

"Is everything ok?" I asked, she nodded, we were walking suddenly she pulled me in an empty room.

"Why are we in izhaan's room?" I asked

"Sorry bhabhi" she said, suddenly she ran outside, I followed her but before I could reach the door, she locked me inside

"Hayat" I shouted and banged the door, "why have you locked me?"

"Because I asked her to do it" a voice came from behind me, my hands stopped moving, I turned around and found izhaan

"How did you come here?" He pointed at some door which I have never seen before, I frowned

"It's Athar's room, this door joins our room" that is why I have never seen it before, because I've never been to Athar bhai's room.

If he can come here, I can definitely go out, I walked towards the door but he stood in midway

"Please listen to me" he said

" Why can't you understand a simple thing? I don't want to talk to you" I was walking away but he held my hand

"I'm sorry! Sorry for doubting you. I didn't know that zuhan was just a boy, when I saw you with a guy in a restaurant, I got so mad, and the thought of you with someone else consumed me and I behaved the way I did. I can't see you with someone el...."

"Are you done?"

"Reem I..."

"I don't care what you thought. I don't care how you felt and i really don't care what you think of me." His grip loosened I pulled my hand back

"If today I'm here in this house, it's because of dada ji and dadi, I only care about them. And I would never do anything to bring shame upon them. I will always be honest in this relationship because I am loyal to them"

"Let me be very clear with you, you don't matter to me. So don't tell me what you felt and what you thought, I'm not concerned" I snapped at him. He looked at me with serious eyes, then he smiled, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me to him, i gasped as our chests collided, I was shocked at his action

"Izhaan what are you doing?" I glared at him, he had a weird smile on his lips

"Why my darling? Why I don't matter?" He was so close, I couldn't even hold his gaze, I looked down, he brought his mouth near my ear.

"You are my wife, you should care about what I want" he said in a bone chilling tone. He put his finger under my chin and lift up my face

"Izhaan"

"I'm right here" he whispered and then ran his finger on my jaw line. My heart jumped in my throat. What is he doing?

Suddenly the door burst open, we jumped apart. Hayat entered, I thanked Allah for sending her, but when I looked at her a wave of fear ran in my body, she looked freaked out

"Bhai let's go quickly" she said panicking

"What happened?" Izhaan asked

"Athar bhai, Ayesha"

Ayesha? My heart stopped beating hearing her name, I ran from there, Izhaan was following me, when I reached the stairs I saw everyone standing around Athar bhai and Ayesha, suddenly mumma slapped her

"Mumma" I shouted and ran down the stairs, the slap was so hard that if Athar bhai was not there holding her, she would have fallen down.

I ran and held Ayesha

"Mumma! Why did you slap her?" I looked at her in disbelief

"What she has done one slap is not enough, I should just kill her" she took a step towards her, I stood in front of Ayesha

"Mumma please no" I said

"What is happening here?" Izhaan asked

"See it yourself" dada ji said and handed a paper to him, I turned to Izhaan's side to have a peak, my eyes widened in horror when I saw it was a nikah nama (marriage certificate).

Izhaan and I looked at each other, his expressions mirrored mine. Then i looked at Ayesha, she was looking down, her face was blank, there was nothing.

"How dare you both to go behind our back and do something like this?" Dada ji scolded

"If Ayesha was the girl you kept on talking about then why you never told us?" Maa shouted at Athar

"How can Ayesha be that girl, she is getting married to somebody else" dadi said

"How could you do it with us Ayesha? Mumma shouted

"I don't accept this nikah, let's go from here Ayesha" baba held her hand and dragged her, but Athar bhai held her other hand

"With which right you are taking my wife away? We have got married and she will stay in this house with me" he said shamelessly and shocked us all, suddenly a sound of slapping echoed.

Dadi slapped Athar bhai.

"Shut up Athar! haven't you already done enough, let her go" she yelled at him

"But dadi how can I let her go?" He still dared to ask

"You have to" maa said angrily

Everyone was shouting at each other, I was standing in shock just looking at all the commotion around me

"Enough" dada ji roared and there was a dead silence. "Aftab sahab please take Ayesha for now, kids have done whatever they wanted to do, now we will have to handle the situation maturely"

Without saying a word baba walked out with Ayesha, mumma, dad, Avira and me went after her.

We sat in the car and made way to home, the car ride was silent. We reached home, baba and mumma left the car and went in the house.

"Let's go" I held Ayesha's hand and took her inside with me, like a robot she walked behind me

The moment we entered the house. Avira started shouting, she held Ayesha's arm and screamed

"How can you get married to someone else like this? What will happen to my Sufiyan?"

"So this is what you were doing in the office, it's not your fault, you have been given too much freedom" she looked at baba

"That's enough Avira, stop talking" dad said

"How can I stop myself, she has just ruined sufiyan's life, he is dreaming about his engagement. What will I tell him now?" She growled in anger

"Dad! take your wife from here right now"  I said to him, he held her hand and took her with him

"Leave me I will not spare this cheap girl" Avira shouted while dad dragged her in the room, I clenched my fist in anger, but then I looked at baba

"Baba don't mind her, she was ju..." I said, he raised his hand in the air to stop me from talking

"She didn't say anything wrong, my own daughter has put my head down in shame, I could never imagine that she will make me see this day. I curse the day she was born" baba's voice sounded defeated, it broke my heart

"Baba! How can you talk like this about Ayesha? She can never do anything to hurt you" I defended her

"Really? Has she made us very happy now? Don't take her side Reem. I asked her many times if she really wanted to marry sufiyan, but she never objected, who knew that she was involved with her boss" mumma shouted,

"No there's nothing between Ayesha and Athar bhai" I said immediately

"Did you not see the nikah nama?" Mumma asked I turned to Ayesha

"Why are you so quiet? Tell them that you have not done anything wrong. You can never be wrong, there has to be an explanation, say something" I told her, but she stayed like a statue

"What can she say now? After what she has done, how will I face anyone now?" Baba's voice cracked

"Aap apni tabiyat sambhaliye (you take care of your health)" mumma said to baba

Baba's face looked pale.

"Baba, you need rest, everything will be ok. Come I'll take you to your room" I said, his eyes were red

"She was my pride, look what she has done now" he said

"Everything will be ok" I said, "mumma let's go in the room" I said

"I don't want to stay here, let's go back to Chandigarh" baba said

"Baba please, let's go in the room for now"

I took both of them in their room. I gave water to baba.

"Please rest for a while" I said

"What will I tell to sufiyan's parents. We have become a joke for everyone" mumma said

"Only a handful people knew about their engagement, don't worry" I said

"I will never forgive Ayesha" she seethed

"Mumma, please take care of baba's health for now, he is more important" i said, then I left the room. I was on my way to Ayesha when I heard the doorbell, i found Ayesha sitting on the sofa, suddenly sufiyan came running. I heaved a sigh and walked to them

"What is this? Why Avira Aunty is saying that you have got married? What is happening Ayesha?" He shouted, she stayed still, then he dropped in front of her and held her knees

"Tell me it's not true. Please tell me it's all just one big misunderstanding." He said, she was sitting like a statue, he held her shoulders and shook her

I felt so bad for him looking at his condition

"Speak Ayesha please" he pleaded, she looked at him.

"I'm sorry" she said and got up from the sofa. Then she walked upstairs

"Ayesha you cannot do this to me, you can't break my heart like this. Don't leave me" he kept shouting but Ayesha didn't look back

My heart hurt seeing him like this, so broken.

"Why has she done this Reem?"

"Ayesha would never deliberately do anything like this, I'm sure there is something behind it"

"How does it matter now? She's gone. She married someone else. How can she ruin me like this?"

"I will talk to her and try to find out, what's the matter" I said, he glared at me

"I don't care what the matter was, she did what she had to do, now she is dead to me. I will hate her all my life" he said and turned around

"Sufiyan wait.. listen to me" I called him, but he marched off

What has happened? Athar and ayesha? How? I looked up towards the room and went towards it

When I reached the room, I found Ayesha looking outside the window. I walked to her, I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Ayesha" I called her softly, she turned around and hugged me, she broke into tears, I instantly wrapped my arms around her, tears started falling from my eyes also

"Hey hey don't cry" I rubbed her back

"Baba and mumma hate me" she said between her sobs, I pulled her back lightly

"I know you can never marry Athar bhai willingly, so what exactly happened?" I asked, she clenched her fist in anger

"Mr Khan is a monster" she snarled

"What did he do?" I asked

"He blackmailed me" she said, my eyes grew wide.

"Blackmail? About your degree?" I asked, she shook her head, "tell me everything" I said, then she told me everything from beginning to end, my eyes watered listening to the whole truth, poor Ayesha had to bear everyone's hatred for no reason.

And Athar, I hate him so much, how could he stoop so low

"Why didn't you tell everyone the truth?" I shouted in anger, she stayed quiet

"And this bloody idiot, I will kill him. I will tell everyone right now" I turned to go outside, but she held my hand

"No, you will not tell anyone" she shook her head

"Why? Let everyone see his real face."

"If baba gets to know about it, he will never let me stay with Mr Khan"

"That's a good thing"

"It's not. If I will not be with him, he will stop the merge, and if it stops you know the consequences"

"So let it stop, no big deal"

"Are you crazy? I did not go through so much to let it cancel"

"Dad can help baba, don't worry" I said, she scoffed

"His self respect will be crushed, and I won't let that happen"

"So we will not do anything, and let that Athar win?"

"Right now I have no choice" she sighed, I hugged her

"Please don't do this, don't give this sacrifice, even after everything you'll do everyone will still hate you"

"It's my fate now"

My heart ached for her. I wish I could do something for her, but the situation is not in my hand. I will never forgive Athar. I thought he'd be different.

"I don't understand what was his benefit with this marriage?" I asked

"Even I didn't understand that"

"Let's see what news we will get in the morning, I hope it is in your favour"

I was feeling anxious about what the verdict will be, I have a feeling it's not going to be anything good.

*****

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Izhaan's pov

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"Are you out of your mind?" I shouted at Athar as soon as I got a chance to be with him.

"What?" Athar asked

"Marriage? Seriously Athar? Direct marriage? What were you thinking?"

"I love her buddy, I had to do it"

"Like this?" You must be out of your mind"

"Out of everyone I expect you to understand me at least, you know how I feel about her" he said, I sighed deeply.

"How did she agree to marry you?" I asked, he looked down

"Athar tell me" I insisted

"I told her if she didn't marry me, I would stop the merge" he said, my eyes widened in shock

"What?" What did you say?" I asked in extreme shock

"Yeah you heard me right, I blackmailed her to marry me" my mouth dropped open

"You did not!" I shook my head, he nodded

I sat on the chair and held my head in my hand.

Ya Allah! What has he done? What will happen now?

"Izhaan I was..."

"Just shut up" I shouted at him, "do you realise what you have done? She had to face everyone's anger because of you. Her mother slapped her"

"Yeah that was very wrong of her, I felt so mad at her mother"

"Seriously? What is wrong with you? Why can't you see how wrong you were. You used something so sensitive to make her marry you? She's going to hate you forever"

"Forever is a long time. And what else I could have done? She was getting engaged to that monkey tomorrow. And if this engagement would have taken place, I would have lost her forever"

"So you blackmailed her?"

"I know the way I chose was wrong, but my intentions weren't."

"You are talking about intentions. You did not do right with ayesha, she didn't deserve this. Everyone is angry with her, because of you"

"Fine. I will go and tell everyone what I did, then there won't be any problem" he walked towards outside, but I held him back

"Don't even think about it now" I warned him

"Why?"

"If our family finds out what you have done, they will seperate you from Ayesha."

If he goes and tells everyone about his deed, the word will spread and it will be very shameful for our family, and nobody will accept this marriage

"Dada ji won't ever force Ayesha to be with you" I said

"You are forgetting, divorces don't happen in our family"

"In happy marriages, not blackmailed marriage" I told him, he looked deep in thought

"What should I do now?"

"Firstly promise me, you will not tell anyone about it, and let's see how thin..." A knock on the door made me close my mouth. The door opened and Hayat entered

"Izhaan Bhai" she said

"What?" I said

"Dada ji has called you" she replied.

"Tell him I'm coming"  I told her, she nodded and left

"I will also come" he said

"No! Stay here, I will go and see what he has to say. Please don't do anything stupid now" i pleaded, he nodded

I went to the living room where all the elders were sitting. The air felt thick in the ambience, tension was oozing out.

"Did you call me?" I asked dada ji

"Sit" he pointed at the chair, I sat

"The damage has been done, there is no point to continue panicking, we have to rectify the situation now" papa said

"Nobody knows what Athar and Ayesha have done, the smart thing to do now is to just make an announcement that we have got them married in a closed ceremony." Dada ji said

"Ok i will do it" I nodded

"And one thing more, as you know that Ayesha was getting married to someone else, so there is a chance that people might talk about it. So I have decided that before any such thing happens we will bring her here, and then there will be a reception" dada ji said

"But what about invitation? How will we send invites in such short notice?" I asked

"It's not a problem, hire people to send invites" dadi said, I nodded.

"I will talk with Abdullah, he can also send invites to whoever he wants" papa said about Reem's father.

"You start preparation at home, both of your daughter in laws are coming soon" dada ji said to dadi and maa, i frowned

"Both?" I asked

"Yes! Both! We have decided that we are going to bring Reem also, along with Ayesha" dadi said, my eyes widened

This is not good, Reem will eat me alive.

"Why Reem? She can come lat..." I was saying but dada ji shouted at me

"Shut up Izhaan, to hell with her studies. She will come here now and that's my final decision." He said in so angry tone, that i had to agree with him

"I always wanted both of my daughter in laws to come together, but it will happen like this, I never thought of it" maa cried

"I still don't understand what happened, Ayesha was getting married to Sufiyan, then h .." dadi was saying but dada ji cut her off

"It's in the past now to whoever she was marrying, now she is a part of this family. So I don't want to hear sufiyan's name in this house ever again" he said angrily.

"Izhaan, make sure Athar doesn't do anything stupid now" dada ji said, I nodded.

"Go and tell him about our decision" papa said

"I will call Abdullah and tell him also" dada ji said

"Please talk to Aftab sahab also" maa said to papa, he nodded at her.

"You can go now" dada ji said to me. I stood up and left from there.

I was freaking out. Damn it! How will Reem react now?

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