•IRHA'S POV•
The banquet was almost empty except for the intimate family, Feeha and us - me and Amish.
Feeha stood as her parent rushed to her, first hugging her before questioning her. Because they first cared about her rather than what had happened.
Everyone has parents who cares for them, at least a little but guess what, I am just an exception.
Everyone looked at us and then at Feeha with concerned eyes until dadi broke the silence first.
"Why are you here now?" She was straight at point, the softness of her skin having a pure contrary with her voice.
"Maa, what do you mean? My daughter has returned and this is how we question her," Feeha's dad spoke before Feeha could even speak. Well I don't think she will even answer anything either.
"I know what I am asking, Zahir. Where were you, Feeha?" Dadi redirected the question back at Feeha.
"Dadi if you are thinking that Feeha didi had eloped then she would have never returned but here she is which only means she was gaslighted." Haroon glanced at me while I coldly stared back at him.
"Exactly, we can now know whether Feeha was instigated by anyone to run away," Kabir stepped with a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Well he wasn't there when I was.. Accused. But maybe, Inaya would have told him.
"Let's speak later about this," Raihaan uncle tried to ease the tension and dismiss this topic but his son had no plan of letting it go.
"No dad. Later will never come," he replied before turning to me.
"Kabir," his mom, Zamia tried to meddle but was cut off by Amish.
"Well.. This is about my wife so this cannot be held for later," his voice held no softness unlike to the way he usually speaks with me. I assumed that's how he actually speak. And perhaps I was wrong.
Kabir nodded, adding.
"Feeha you can't stay silent. Speak up."
"I.. I am sorry.. I wasn't even at fault. I was.. Kidnapped"
Everyone gasped except for Amish, Azran, Ayaan bhai and Kabir.
"See -" I interupted Kabir this time.
"What do you all have to say for this disgrace now?"
"I said, I didn't know. Did anyone of you trust me? You all punished me for something I didn't even do."
I took steps towards my dad, who was expressionless.
"Feeha's parents trusted her so much even when she was gone without any explanation. I don't care if that was kidnapping or whatever," I continued.
"While my own parents couldn't trust me when I was explaining myself?" I raised my voice, feeling my eyes sting.
I turned to Aymen,
"And what right did you have on me to slap me?"
"Answer me -"
I heard my dad,
"Irha, did you forget to whom you are -" he gritted his teeth.
"Watch your tone when you speak to my wife," Amish cut him off.
"She is my daughter, Amish," dad stepped toward me while Amish stepped between us.
"She is my wife now."
"Amish," Amish's dad called him, warningly.
"Dad, it's about my wife." He didn't even look at his father, while I stood stunned facing his back.
I had no words to describe what I felt. Was it the flutter in my stomach or was it hunger? I didn't know.
"Amish, Irha, it's late. Let's go," his mom tried to divert the intense exchange but no one was willing to step back. I wasn't neither.
They punished me for something I never did and I am not letting it slide.
I didn't know what got into me suddenly but I turned around my heel and slapped Aymen bhai. My eyes blazed in anger, hurt and pain.
He was elder to me, I shouldn't slap him but why did he do that to me? It wasn't in my principles but I didn't feel guilty at all. The pain and anger I had held back that day, acted today.
"Irha," mom pushed me, moving to Aymen while others gasped.
Dadi, Aymen's mom gathered around him while I stumbled and was almost about to fall, when I felt two hands straighten me by my shoulder.
Oddly I knew who it was and I hated it. Amish, the man with whom I was stuck in a marriage of convenience.
I heard claps and when I turned it was none other than Azran, his smirk widening.
"Let's leave," Amish's dad announced before the drama could continue further.
"We are not done yet," Amish said calmly but his father was anything but calm.
"What? Should we now wait until your wife slaps everyone?"
"That won't even give justice for what she heard that day," my eyes started blurring. Damn, I hate that I am sensitive. Someone speaks up for me and I am already on the verge of tears.
At least the good thing is, I have mastered the art of hiding emotions.
Amish then turned to face me, leaning downward to reach my height and whispered, his tone softened.
"What do you want to do?"
I stared for a moment and it already felt overwhelming.
On cue, like he read what was in my mind, he suggested,
"Let's go?" And I nodded, walking away from a total chaos and drama.
I didn't even know what happened behind us because my mind was busy reeling everything that happened.
Unbelievable.
The ride to his house was thick with unspoken words. None of us dared to speak. Not like speaking 24/7 was common between us but after what had happened, it is essential for us to speak.
Because now that Feeha is back, can't we just get back to our lives? Me in London enjoying my independency and Amish and Feeha together forever, like a fairytale.
That was what meant to happen and should have been only if whatever stuff happened to Feeha didn't. She would have been his wife right now and not me, a convenient, replaced wife.
Right now I didn't know whether I should be angry at the situation, Feeha, my family or Amish?
My family always had wanted to get rid off me or they would be happier if I just didn't exist so they used this chance.
Feeha, she claimed that she loves Amish and that she was kidnapped well if she really loved him then she wouldn't run away on her own so maybe she was kidnapped. But for what reason? Who would kidnap anyone without any reason?
And then Amish, he had to let go of his dreams with Feeha since he had to save his family's reputation. That's understandable except the fact, why does he act like I was his actual supposed bride when I am anything but his choice.
Whatever..
As soon as his car halted infront of the main door, I quickly got down, moving to his room. Well I have already made my mind on what I should do and there's no second thoughts in it.
•AUTHOR'S POV•
While the couple left, everyone else were torn between to leave and stay because one thing they knew for sure was that, the reason for Feeha's sudden disappearance is a matter to be discussed.
"Feeha you have to answer us when we return back home," dadi addressed Feeha while applying ice pack on Aymen's cheek with utmost care.
Aymen stood there with void of expressions, his jaws tight and intensed stormy, eyes.
When everyone thought that's it for the day, Amar invaded,
"Well I need answers from Feeha right now," within another beat of second, he looked at Feeha, his expression the same.
"You got kidnapped and the kidnapper let you go just like that? Without any profit for him?"
"That's a white lie and everyone can see it." He muttered under his breath, disappointment and disbelief written all over his face.
"They didn't let me go, I escaped," Feeha admitted.
"Did you see who the kidnapper or any clue to find him?" Zahir questioned, his father instincts kicking in.
Feeha shaked her head but her eyes spoke a different story, which were now staring at something precise. It was none else than Azran, who stood there with cold, smug and confident expression.
"I will look into it," Aymen spoke before making long strides towards the exit.
"We are really sorry for what happened, this all -" Amna interupted, Hania.
"We are not at all angry. Of course certain things didn't happen the way we planned but God's plan is something beyond divine. Even if we had searched across the world, we would never found a girl like Irha for Amish."
"Irha was the one who was written for Amish since the begining, it's us who confused and complicated it," Azra, Ayaan's mom added this time and continued.
"Don't worry, Feeha will get her suitable match."
With that the Rehmans left with bidding farewell politely. And eventually the Shahs left as well, tension filled in each of their minds but for tonight, all of it we held back for their certain reasons.
As the car was halted by the curb of the Rehmans, Raheem, Ayaan's dad said before getting down.
"Azran, you are not leaving. And both of you, meet me in my room."
Azran and Ayaan shared knowing glances already picturing about what is gonna unfold.
After a moment of composing, they walked toward Ayaan's parents bedroom. No matter how chill of an uncle and dad Raheem is, if it's about something wrong then it's definitely serious.
"Come in," they heard Raheem from inside as they knocked the door gently from outside. Twisting the knob, they entered the room but as soon as their eyes fell on two more faces, Ayaan and Azran fell into a grin feeling relieved.
"Mom, aunt -," Ayaan whispered low, while they looked like kittens caught red handed.
"These two sisters," Azran mumbled under his breath.
"Four of you teamed up and never informed me," Raheem sighed.
"These sisters did nothing yet took all the credits," Azran faked disappointment and annoyance.
"It was my idea, executed by our teamwork. They did nothing," Azran completed.
"All of it would have gone wasted if we didn't bring up the idea of Irha for Amish to all of them," Azra, Ayaan's mom, retorted back.
"That plan is originally mine -" Raheem interupted Azran.
"Stop diverting and start telling me the story?"
"Remember the day before Amish's Nikkah, he came to us, asking to call off the wedding?" Raheem nodded, encouraging his sister in law to continue.
"We never knew why he asked so," Azra interupted Amna now.
"Correction, you guys were impatient to even hear his side. I asked you all to, though. My poor baby," Azra cooed.
"Can we focus on what we were -" Raheem trailed off when Azra threw a glare.
"Alright, sorry" he moved towards Azra when Azran coughed.
"Have some shame. Your son is right here." He teased when Ayaan sighed, mentally done with all of them already.
Raheem pulled Azra close by her shoulder and signaled to continue.
"You know you can listen while keeping your hands off each other," Azran playfully remarked.
"You are jealous," Raheem stated with a smirk.
"Alright back to topic," Amna clapped her hands to gain attention.
"That's because he has been loving Irha," the quick to judge interupted again.
"Means when he saw her during those wedding ceremonies," Raheem then turned to Amna.
"Your son is no good at all, saali." He shook his head in a teasing manner.
"No before that, before Feeha ever joined into this equation. My son fell for Irha and it was meant that way," Amna snapped back.
"Cool cool.. I was kidding -"
"Can we focus?" Ayaan shook his head this time, both father and son are different in personality but not through actions.
"But why did he then agree to marry Feeha when he had someone else in his heart?"
Then Azran explained on how destiny had played with Amish from the first day he met Irha to the day he got married to her. Raheem nodded, his expressions softening. Amish has always been his another child. Since birth they never differenciated between Ayaan and Amish. And now Azran has also become a Rehman in all means except legally.
Azran used to mostly spend his days at the Rehman's mansion rather than his own. And since Azran has always been the extroverted, talkative and chaotic kid, Amish and Ayaan's parents adored him and eventually he became one among them.
"Announce it to everyone? I will give you a mic and speakers?" All their heads snapped to the door where Amish stood with a neutral expression.
"Our lover boy," Raheem exclaimed, opening his free arm for Amish.
While Amish hugged Raheem with a blushing smile on his face, Amna and Azra, the two sisters rolled their eyes.
"Ohhoo.. Be careful, your eyes might roll off and fall," Azran joked making Amish notice his mother's and aunt's antics.
"What happened?"
"Don't speak," Amna chided while Azra twisted his ear.
"Okay okay," Amish smiled and pressed his index finger on his lips. He mostly lives away from all of them than with them so moments of like this, means alot for him.
"Leave him, girls" Raheem came to rescue.
"Girls? They are aunties already and will soon become grandmother too," Azran teased, earning a twist on his ear too.
"And you both will be uncles before even getting promoted as husband," Azra replied, sassiness filled in her voice. Typical younger sibling core despite her age.
Amna pulled Azran and Ayaan to her height, hugging them while one of them made faces dramatically, pretending to be hurt while the other just smiled respectively.
"You guys will speak anything except the reason for what we all gathered," finally Raheem asked.
"That's all, right?" Ayaan asked, confused.
"Duh.. We didn't confess yet that how we kidnapped Feeha," Azran smacked Ayaan while Amish looked at them shocked.
"What? What did you guys do?" Amish asked again not believing his own ears.
"Stop pretending like you weren't happy when Feeha went missing,"
"She won't disappear just like that. She ain't a magician neither us so we became kidnappers."
"Amish was drowning in his own sorrow that he didn't realise that we took his phone on the mehendi night while talking with him. Then messaged Feeha like Amish and asked her to wait in the balcony and then after the Shah mansion settled to sleep, and when darkness sharpened, we kidnapped her."
Azran completed, describing their crime like some world record made. Their smirks widened like they won a gold medal.
Ayaan nodded.
There was a moment of silence before Raheem spoke, his voice edged with an odd seriousness.
"Are you both still kids? Do you think now that everything is on place, it's over?"
"What if any of the Shahs find it out? Forget it.. Did you both forget what Feeha has to face after this?"
"No matter what a girl is for us, respecting a girl's dignity is every one of ours top responsiblity."
Azra moved to him, trying to calm Raheem down. He wasn't yelling or raising his voice like usually anyone in anger does, instead he was just calm but the roughness in his voice spoke the contrary.
"Does it all matter when Amish's life was on stake. If he had got married to Feeha, he would have never been happy after that." Azran said, his voice low yet spoke volumes.
"Were there no other option at all?"
"I spoke to khala and khalu as well, but they weren't even ready to listen," Ayaan replied while Amna felt guilty for not listening to his son.
"I am sorry.. If I had listened to my son -"
"Maa.." Amish moved to Amna, interupting her.
"It's fine,"
"It's not." Amna said sharply.
"We all knew about your abbu. Of course he loves you and eventually agrees for all your wishes. If only I had been sensible and listened to you and convinced your dad. We only learnt that you loved Irha the morning your Nikkah through Azran and Ayaan,"
"When I started finding alliances for you, you could have said that you love a girl. I would have found her by any means."
"Even I failed to find her maa.. Fate decided to keep her away from me until the musical ceremony.. It was just meant this way and now look, I am with Irha now," Amish comforted his mom, a soft smile on his face as he realized how long he has come across.
The girl he fell love at first sight is now his wife. Though a part of him, precisely his heart, aches as he remembers their previous conversation.
"Now that she is with you, don't ever lose her Amish," Raheem advised, his tone warmer now.
Amish nodded, his gaze returning back to a steel determination.
"I won't." Amish promised, morelike to himself. And at that moment one thing was clear in his mind - love wasn't always to let go, sometimes it is to move one step closer for every time they push us away.
How's the chapter? Did you like it? Did any scenes capture your heart? Do let me know in inline comments.
Do vote and comment.
Yours,
Ara.
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