I am woken up with smashing sounds coming from downstairs. I check my phone to see it's already 12:00.

I slept late yesterday thinking about the sudden turn of events. Another loud banging sound echoes and I rush downstairs not bothering about my night dress.

The sight that greets me leaves me shocked, nervous and angry all at once. I haven't ever seen such a murderous expression on Izaan's face as if he has been robbed off of all his inheritance. What got him so enraged like a bull?

Just then he turns around and our eyes meet. I freeze in my spot, looking at the myriad of emotions flashing his eyes that I have never seen before. He walks towards me, standing just a few inches away staring into my soul as if trying to find something,

" Why did you agree to this? How the hell could you even think of marrying me? All this while I thought you were my innocent little cousin but guess not. Don't you dare for a second there think you can have me. I am disgusted with you!" He spats at me eyeing me like I am trash walking into his room leaving a messed up room and a broken heart in his wake.

I am struck in time, unable to recognise this intense rush of pain coursing through my body. Is that what you call a heartbreak? Man is it killing. I wish I didn't get up today, if I did get up I shouldn't have come out of that room. Even if I did come out, I shouldn't have come before that heartless man.

Thank God mama and papa aren't here. They visit an orphanage every Sunday. Taima walks towards me crying hysterically, hugging me.

"I am so sorry beta. You had to go through that. But don't worry, he won't ever behave like that with you again. And about this marriage, it is Razia Durrani's promise to you he will marry you without a ruckus." She says with determination in her eyes and goes into the kitchen.

I am standing in my spot for what could have been just minutes but it felt like an eternity. Izaan hates the idea of marrying me so much he nearly destroyed the entire house and spoke to me in a tone he hasn't ever used on me before. Why Izaan? Why do you hurt me so much? What's wrong with loving you? It's okay if those bimbos that are after your money approach you but I can't even love you purely because it's just you?

I have no strength to face anyone anymore so I directly enter my room locking it and fall on my bed again.

Though I just got up, I want to do nothing but close my eyes and block out everything that just happened. That's all I am going to do. Is it an indication from Allah? What just happened downstairs is giving me an idea of what this marriage is going to be like. A total disaster. That's what this is going to turn out into.

Stop it Noorie. Don't be so negative. Izaan is my love. I can't give up on him already. You are strong enough to win him over. Don't worry, he will fall for you soon enough.

With that determination, I get out of bed get dressed and decide to spend the day outside the house to avoid this depressing environment and anymore encounters with Zaan.

I take the car after having a light meal and head towards Ashfa's house. She is as good as I got to a close friend. Though, I don't share everything with her, I could spend time here for the day.

Evening at Durrani's

Just as I enter the mansion, my hands feel jittery due to nervousness. I begin rubbing them against my stole. I hope papa hasn't found out about today's mishap otherwise this nikaah wouldn't take place. How do I convince Zaan that this marriage is the right thing?

I am given the shock of my life as I come face to face with an amusingly absurd scene before me. Papa is hugging Zaan with pride in his eyes. The moment he spots me, he gestures me towards them with a smile and that's when I notice the sweets in everybody hands and the workers distributing more of them in the mansion. What's happening?

"Noorie, beta I am so happy. I am relieved after Izaan's confession. I am finally in peace that I am handing over my daughter to the right man."

"Papa, what's happening? You seem too ecstatic for your normal self"

" What happened my would-be-wife is that I asked for chacha's blessing for our marriage and promised him I would take care of you like he did. The sweets are being distributed as a sign of happiness for the Nikaah date", Izaan turns to me and tells me in a sweet tone. His smile is broad but I can detect the aloofness in his eyes. I don't simply claim to love him. I know him like the back of my hand. He is upto something. But what?

I am too shocked with the turn of events and the only other person that can clearly my confusion is taima so my eyes search for her walking into the kitchen I find her standing by the stove hugging mom and whispering something which leaves a smile on her face.

"Taima"

"Oh Noorie, you are home. We were all waiting for you. Congratulations baby you are getting married in two weeks. My son was too impatient to make you his. Don't be so shocked, he knows what's the value of a jewel when it's before him. Now come here, let me put the engagement ring on you. Although Izaan was adamant he should be the one putting the ring, the Durrani traditions stand in his path like a wall", she gushes and mama chuckles.

I am too shocked to process anything so I just follow what taima is saying and stand stupidly before her as she puts the khandani ring that is given to every Durrani daughter in law into my ring finger. A chorus of applause echoes across the hall as everybody witnesses the scene.

Izaan comes towards me, giving me that heart-stopping smile of his.

He puts a bite of sweet into my mouth, "Congratulations baby, you are now bound to me!" I see hints of an underlying threat in that sentence but I am not sure. Maybe I could never believe he would reciprocate my love so much that it's impossible to process it.

But I am not doing it right by him. I can't second guess things just because we had a rough start. He deserves the benefit of doubt. So I smile at him locking this moment forever in my heart.

Later that night, I couldn't sleep so I decided to make some coffee for myself and sit in the lounge. Once I am done with the coffee, I walk into the lounge to find Izaan also sitting there with a laptop in hand and a carefree expression on his face. I decide to sit next to the couch that he is on, he seems surprised by my presence initially.

"Wouldn't guess the master of carelessness could throw off workaholic vibes too" I tease.

He just shakes his head, "Not everything is like what meets the eye miss. You gotta look deeper to find the real depths of an ocean", he is staring right at me as if trying to send across a silent message.

I know what he is trying to do. I have never been one to be scared of a challenge and definitely not a coward to back off. So I jut my chin out, staring back with an equally fierce gaze if not more, " I am not one to be scared of deep trenches. If anything, they excite me. For a hidden treasure is always more adventurous than a discovered one."

He seems to have fallen into deep thought because he didn't reply to me after that. He then gets up slowly and wishing me a quick goodnight is off to his room. Disappointment surges though me, he still doesn't find me worthy of more that five of his minutes.

Sometimes I can't make out who is more stupid? Me who fell for a guy so oblivious about my existence or he who can't notice how selflessly dedicated I am to him.

Only time will tell.