"H-Help me". He heard her scared voice

In seconds he was on his feet running outside followed by his guards as he ordered them around. He knew he would be too late to reach no matter what since she lived far so he called her security, manager and police before he could be there for her.

His heart shattered as he entered her apartment looking around the broken pieces lying around the house. He had only once seen her apartment when he left his daughter here for a day.

Now, it was just a mess. Nothing beautiful.

He heard crying from a distance and random people walking around until he saw her taking small steps looking down and covered in white shawl towards him. He saw the tears freely falling down her face.

"Jannat?". He said cautiously

Her stepped halted as she looked at him but his heart stopped as he saw the red marks on her neck and he wasn't even sure what it was about and imagining the thought of being late to reach her.

******

He walked beside her entering his house after being through the long investigation with the police. Since they both were known figure and his connections they were able to pass the investigation sooner but the media they had to face was not conscious at all.

He heard all their absurd questions almost having him yell at them but his guards took them away, thankfully.

She walked shallow towards the lounge that he directed not sure of what she should be doing. All she wanted to do was to feel some comfort but she had no one to feel any.

"Aunty". She heard Daneen saying

She looked at her smiling a little as she hugged her.

"She will sleep with you tonight". He said softly

******

He walked outside after searching for her in the whole house. He saw her sitting on the bench outside with her knees to her chest and hands around her legs.

He slowly walked closer to her but as she heard her steps she shrieks looking at him scared causing his heart to clench.

"It's me. Sorry! I scared you". He said taking a seat beside her

"N-No, I am fine". She stuttered

"No, you are not". He said firm

"Daneen was good to help but-". She started

"I understand. It's ok". He said softly

She nodded.

"Who was he?". He asked

"Bad luck". She said sniffing

He didn't say anything because he didn't want to cross his own limits but just stayed with her while she cried.

******

She watched her phone ringing for the hundredth time. She knows everyone was having a great day with new news they have. Everyone wanted one look and one word from her to have their page, channel and more to become the most popular one.

Her manager had been coming in the house for a week asking her to give the interview and making stories but she had denied going anywhere.

All she did was stay.

He walked inside finding her looking at the TV screen blankly.

He sighs.

He had seen her going to worse and heard everything that had been going around. He knows the people are going to not stop this ever.

"I read your idea today". He said sitting on the other side

She nodded looking at him, "Then?".

"I liked it and I can make it possible. But, you don't have collateral". He said

"What can I do then?". She said softly although she was desperate

This was in a long time she had a hope that she can do what she wanted and follow her dream for once.

He shrugged thoughtfully, "I need something solid so you can marry me".

She looked at taken back,"W-What?".

"Yes, that is what you can do if you want your own cafe". He said

"B-But- I mean- I have a lot of burden with me and if I-". She started

"Just say yes". He said cutting her off

******

"So, you are my new mommy". Daneen said excitedly

She nodded merely not sure how to deal with the whole situation. All she knew was everyone outside were going crazy but she didn't see anything on her own.

"This is going to be so much fun". Daneen said hugging them

******

The wedding happened a month ago and she focused herself with Daneen and her new dream project. She had gone to the location he had selected and it was just as she wanted. She had been running around to design the way she wanted and to bring everything that was needed. But, he was always there directing her and when she had no idea of buying things he often would come with her leaving his work and they would always enjoy their time together beside the comments she faced while being out from the people.

Hate was such an easy thing to do and such a hard thing to leave. She had learned that human always liked negative energy and would rather spend an hour on it then doing something positive. Conscious of people had died years ago so everyone life is everyone personal business now.

Judgmental is the new trend and forgiving mistakes is a sin these days.

"Baba said we shouldn't eat cake because we already ate two cake this week". Daneen said innocently munching on her slice of new cake

She shrugged, "I love cake and I want to eat it".

"If baba comes I will run away". Daneen said

"Traitor". She said smiling

While Daneen went to play she enjoyed her chocolate cake slice finishing the remaining cake on her own.

She heard his footsteps immediately hiding the cake under the table and moving away from the lounge before she was caught. She took careful steps outside the lounge looking around when she felt someone pulling her back from her hand. She shriek when she bumped into him looking at him innocently smiling.

"You didn't eat cake, did you?". He asked

She shakes her head vigorously, "Of course not".

He hides his smile even after looking at her cuteness he moved his one hand from around her to her face removing the chocolate marks. She closed her eyes annoyed at herself for not hiding properly.

She grinned forcefully, "That was just one slice".

"I am sure". He said smiling

Then they both stopped and so did everything around that was when their heartbeat matches one another increasing at realizing how closed they one to one another. That was when they realized they feel for one another.

*******

"What do you mean by she is here?". He said angrily looking at his friend

"I don't know but I saw her earlier around our building office". Israr said worriedly," Maybe you should tell Jannat about her!?".

"Even if I want to it is not that simple neither our relationship is". He said sighing

"The longer you wait the harder it will get and you never know being late could lead to drastic situations you cannot control". Israr said patting his shoulder

He was about to speak when he heard his phone ringing and stopping countless time until he saw it was his wife call and all he knows is she never calls him without a purpose at least so he called back immediately.

"B-Baba- Mommy- she-". Daneen said crying hard and his heart stopped hearing her words with all possible worse scenario coming in his head

He heard her say the word hospital and that was enough for him to run towards his car with his friend screaming his name.

*****

His heart thundered as he entered the hospital he had already met Daneen who was with their guards because his wife wouldn't allow her to be near her.

But no one had any idea what happened.

He followed the direction the nurse told him but his heart stopped when he read the letter outside the area.

Morgue.

He heard the sound of crying and he knew it was her. He took hurried steps near the room to find her crying sitting on the cold ground.

He quickly went closer to her pulling her into him.

"Why?. Why did she leave me?". She cried

"Who?". He asked confused

"A-Ammi (mother)". She said passing out

******

"It is due to the sudden news she heard. We have seen her spend her whole youth in that single room her mother always slept (coma) in. We used to tell her not to come too often or that to put her on support system but she never listened to us. She always believed her mother is and will live for her. It was a shock for all of us and even bigger for her". The doctor explained

He nodded shaking hand with the doctor who told him about the process to buried the body will be done by their team since they have known Jannat for a long time.

He had sent Daneen home because this wasn't the time for 6 years old to be here.

He sat down beside her bed where she was sleeping under a heavy dose. He hold her hand that was cold in his warming them as much as he could. He had no idea when she said she had a lot she was dealing with so much. He wondered how she ended here and why she was here.

The more he looks into the glamour world the more he sees how hallow it is.

It wasn't how he was showed and known it. It was filthy with prey on every corner. He was content that he had found her before she had fallen deeper into the mess. But, now he wanted her to live her life rather be an object for the world.

******

"She was my mother". She said taking a deep breath feeling him holding her hand even tighter, "I turned 18 when I found Ashfaq and the same lame love story but he wasn't after me he was after the saving my mother had for years for my college. One day, he stole all our money, jewellery, sold our house by taking the sign of my mother saying it was something else leaving us penniless".

She cried, "After that, my mother fell seriously ill. I had no idea how I can have money for her treatment and every day the bill started increasing and her health started distorting. Then, she was taken in an emergency and I came to know she might never wake from her sleep. To keep her alive the only offer I received in my high school was a man who said I would look good in the fashion industry but my mother was always against that. She used to teach me that the things Allah said no to cannot be by any mean changed to make a yes. If a woman is showing her beauty and attracting people that will remain forbidden no matter how you say it. But, in the desperate need, I went in and was never able to come out of that dirt. The more I stay the more I was stuck in. Though, I stayed refrained from exposing shoot but my heart never finds peace in that place. It was always my heart fighting my needs and my needs always won".

"You don't have to fight anyone anymore and you will never fight anything alone either. You have me with you, Jannat". He said kissing her forehead

******

She looked at the new cafe she had worked so hard for forgetting her worries and pain. Maybe, she just reflected her pain in a different way. She had known that her mother will leave and she was always alone but she wasn't actually alone this time she had two people who continuously bothered her.

Which is something she likes.

She decided to spend her life like she wanted to spend for the day her husband had asked her to. She always loves their little interaction.

"How was he (Ashfaq) jailed then?". He asked sitting in her cafe with her

She shrugged, "He wasn't caught at the moment he was caught in another case two years later. I wasn't able to retrieve any money neither I needed them by then".

"I wish I knew this before so I could punch him". He said angrily frowning

She chuckles bending forward on the table that was between them placing her hand over his forehead straightening the lines.

"It doesn't matter anymore". She said smiling

He nodded smiling looking in her beautiful eyes. He tucked the strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Beautiful". He whispered softly

They heard the door of the cafe opening causing them to step away from one another standing to see who it was.

She saw as the woman she had often interacted with standing in front of her in her same glamorous self.

"I cannot believe you would end up looking like this after just leaving the industry". Sofia said disgustedly

She frowns but before she could speak her husband did, "Sofia, behave yourself. What are you doing here?".

"I heard you opened today so I am here to have something". Sofia said sitting down

She took her order walking back to her employee to have her make it. Once it was done her employee went to Sofia to give her the drink. She watched as Sofia took a sip splitting all of it out.

She moved quickly towards her but her husband holds her hand shaking his head.

"This taste like shit". Sofia yelled angrily

"Leave". He said angrily

Sofia smirked looking at him, "Why?. You don't want your wife knowing about our relationship?".

Jannat looked at them confused not knowing a thing about the words she just said.

"What does that mean?". She asked

"She is lying". He said angrily

"Am I?. Then why doesn't she know about me?". Sofia said

She didn't like the way she was speaking to her husband neither the way her husband seems like he was trapped.

"Because you are not important enough for us". She said angrily, "Now, leave my cafe at once and never come back".

His eyes widen as he looked at a different kind of woman in front of him. To say he was scared at Sofia appearance would be an understatement he had completely forgotten about that woman and his hate for the woman since he had met his wife.

"Now, what does she mean?". She asked looking at him

He sighs, "She was someone I was going to be married to in exchange for my sister marrying her brother. We were engaged for the time and she wasn't the kind of woman she showed to be. She used the wrong ways to defame my sister in front of her husband. She made my sister live a life no one should and in the end, she killed my sister. I didn't know until my mother died after two months of my sister and I investigated about their death. She killed all my family but the child my sister had. I took the child away and jailed my sister husband. She wasn't harmed because she didn't admit and the proofs were not enough for her to be behind bars".

She nodded, "Next time don't look scared like you were wrong".

He holds her closer to himself, "I was scared that I will lose you".

"If you have bare minimum chances of losing me it would be when my mother died. If you didn't then, you wouldn't ever. As much as I know you are not that easy to give up on something you want". She said smiling

"You were something I needed all along". He said connecting their forehead

*******

"You cannot be serious about eating that last piece of cake?". He said groaning

She shrugged, "I want it, I eat it".

"Come on, that's like your fifth cake this week". He said

"Are you keeping track on my food?". She said crossing her hands over her chest

"Of course, not". He said hurriedly, "I was just saying if you want another one I will go buy it right now".

"Ok". She said grinning

"Ok?". He said smiling tightly

"You know that you are the best thing that happened to us?". Daneen sais sitting beside her hugging her

She kissed her forehead,"And you are the best daughter anyone could ask for".

He entered with the cake finding her sleeping on the couch. He bends down looking at her beautiful peacefully face glowing differently since the day they had met. He kissed her forehead holding her in her arms taking her back to their room.

She left her past in past so did he. They buried it the day he had his encounter never discussing it again. With their new life, they faced challenges especially with people around them who always were after them with their harsh words. Sometime it would get to them but they knew that it was them against the world.

He remember the day he had seen her broken and he knew he had to do something. But everything was forbidden for him to do for her. He wanted to be there in the best way and all he did was blackmail her into marrying him. He had already apologised many times for it but the guilt stays.

As time passes, they and their love grew so did their daughter. Now she was 13 years old beautiful girl and she was going to have a new sibling any day. She was excited about this and had been decorating the baby room ever since.

Daneen was the biggest part of their life. They met because of her, connected because of her and remained because of her. Every argument ended for her sake and their patch up was for her. But, they were always strong enough to fight the world.

******

They looked at their daughter achieving her dream degree standing on the stage giving her speech.

She turned around looking at her husband with a grin making him smiling looking back at her.

That was their journey.