"Agle dus dino ke andar mere Asad ki nikah hoke rahegi!" Her voice was raised as she spoke the words. Her voice broke a bit as she turned to look at the man who had abandoned her just for the sake of a little money. "Aur aap log ayenge toh mujhe bilkul accha nahi lagega." And that was the end of it. She grasped Asad's hands and pulled him towards the exit.
Asad couldn't resist to throw a hateful glare at his father as he passed him, but he didn't realize that Zoya still stood behind, frozen in her place as she tried to process Dilshad's words.
Getting married... to Asad? She wanted to smile at the thought, but the tears that stained her dear Phoophie's face haunted her.
What if she doesn't think that I'm fit to be Asad's wife? The possibilities were endless, but Zoya couldn't bring herself to think that Dilshad would willfully want them to get married. Even if she did, what about Asad? He didn't want them together. He didn't believe in love marriages.
"Kya hua? Ab tak yaha pe khari ho? Have you not done enough?" Razia's voice was raised as she spit at Zoya. Zoya startled awake only to see the curious and hateful glares of the people that surrounded them.
She hurried out of the event hall towards the white car that waited. Tanveer sat at the backseat, drumming her fingers in irritation. Zoya opened the door of the car and sat down with a heavy sigh.
"Zoya?" Tanveer said with fake concern. Zoya turned her face towards her, but couldn't form any word to reply with.
"Are you alright?" Tanveer asked after a while. Tears threatened to spill out of Zoya's eyes as she realized the consequences of the stupid ring on her finger.
It's all Mr. Khan's fault!
"Asad, tumko dus dino ke andar nikah karna parega..." Dilshad's voice was almost a whisper as she stumbled onto the couch and broke down.
"Ammi, we can't take any rash decisions. This decision will alter all our lives." Dilshad shook her head in defiance, knowing full well that what Asad had said was true.
"I don't want anyone to hurt my children, Asad. They cursed you! I don't want it to come true. Do this for me, Asad." The door clicked behind them and they turned to see Zoya and Tanveer entering.
Najma had rushed into the house and locked herself in her room as soon as they had reached, yet no one went after her to reassure her. She needed her time to process everything.
Dilshad stood up abruptly and turned Asad towards him. Looking at Zoya's face now, she had no doubt that she was Asad's better half. She wouldn't let them separate again.
"Asad, will you marry or not?" She asked sternly.
"But ammi-" Dilshad cut him off with a raised hand. He cupped his face in her hands and stared at the pain stricken eyes of her son.
Her Asad had seen too much in his life. He deserved the love of a good woman.
"Asad, tum Zoya se pyaar karte ho na?" Tears streamed down her face as she saw him struggle. He yearned to look back to the woman in question.
He did, but how could he tell her when she clearly didn't feel the same for him? He could see her silhouette from the corner of his eyes... He was staring at her with longing in her eyes.
How has it come to this? If he does love me... he- he should've told me first! The emotions in the room were running high, but Zoya couldn't help but hope that Asad did love her, truly.
"Asad, bolo na!" Dilshad urged him violently.
His silence pierced the heart of the two women he loved most in the world. Both of them knew what was coming. He was pushing them away.
"Main Zoya se Mohabbat nahi karta hu." His voice cracked as the words slipped through his lips... It cut through his soul to hear the audible gasp of his mother. She looked at Zoya with horror in her eyes and the panic in his heart rose. He snapped his head towards her to see her shaking a little, her small hands fisted at her sides as she controlled her emotions. Her eyes slowly turned bloodshot, but there were no tears.
She wouldn't cry, she promised herlself.
"Asad?" Dilshad's voice was hoarse as she tried to convey the millions of questions that ran through her mind.
"Ammi, yehi sach hai!" He tried to tell her. Dilshad shook her head and sighed.
"Meine apna bahu chun lia hai." She gritted her teeth as she saw the pain flash in her son's eyes. He couldn't think of marrying anyone else. And she wouldn't let him.
"Kaun?" his voice was barely audible.
She turned around and pointed at someone. Asad, too, turned back and looked at Zoya whostill stared past him.
"Kya tumhe ye nikah qubool hai?" Asad saw the determination in Dilshad's eyes. His mothers promise wouldn't go to waste... never!
"Qubool Hai." Dilshad's eyes sparkled as they shifted to Zoya.
"Zoya, kya tumhe ye rishta qubool hai?" Her eyes stared back right at Dilshad's. She blinked once and turned to look at Asad.
"Qubool Nahi Hai." Anger. Disgust. Hatred. Pity flashed through her eyes as she looked away from him.
"Why Zoya?" Dilshad's voice cracked.
"I can't marry a man who doesn't love me. I've run away before and I will do the same if I am pressurized." Her voice was soft yet sure, much to Asad's surprise. But she didn't stop. "I will not marry a man who will never completely trust me and be mine. I will not marry a man who will change his mind one day. I will not marry a man who will leave me when he finds the love of his life." She didn't cry, just as she promised.
Asad just gaped at her, shocked that she's spoken the way she had.
"But you must, Zoya. I know you love Asad. Don't you?" She tried to reason.
"It is not a question of me loving him. I don't have the patience to fix him. He's too far gone for me. I will marry a man who loveme." She pleaded Dilshad to understand.
"You must marry him." Dilshad pleaded. How could Zoya say no to the women she considered her mother?
""
"Thik hai." She turned and left.
"You shouldn't have spoken to Ammi in such a fashion," he said, angry. Zoya had heard his footsteps so she didn't flinch as his harsh words cut her.
"I apologize Mr. Khan, but I don't think I was the one who hurt someone today." She bit back.
"You don't have to marry me, Zoya. I'm sure there is someone in this world who is waiting for you with a heart filled with love. You need to find him, you shouldn't waste your time on me." He tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace.
"Have you ever considered the option that I don't want to be loved by the man who has his heart filled with love?" She asked coldly.
"Everyone wants that," he said.
"Do you?" she laughed bitterly, knowing that he would never answer.
"That's not-" She cut him off.
"Please, Mr. Khan. Come back when you have an answer." She sighed. As Asad turned to leave she called on him again.
"Mr Khan, never usher someone close to you if you don't mean to keep them there, prisoner or not."
tere har pal mein gujra hoon, tujhe pata na chalein
kare toh phir kya karien, tere bin kaise jiyein
aankhon mein pyaar liye, bolo kahaan kahaan phirein
khafa toh hum bhi hai tum bhi ho, hamein pata na chalein
judaayi ka mujhe ghum bhi hai, koi aisi khata na karein
kare toh phir kya karien, tere bin kaise jiyein
aankhon mein pyaar liye, bolo kahaan kahaan phirein
sajni paas bulaao na, ke dil
saajan maan jaao na, ke woh
koi use manaaye na
jaane jaan dil tujhe hi chaahe na
hamein dil se bhulaao na yahin
tum paas aao na, aao na
dere na naare na... sajni paas aao na
dere na naare na... saajan maan jaao na
dere na naare na... sajni paas bulaao na
sajni paas bulaao na, ke dil
saajan maan jaao na
OOo0...