Shaikhah asked

She turned to her shrugging, "He looks sad".

"Hi". She heard a soft voice say beside her

She turned towards the same boy she was looking at before standing in front of her.

She smiled, "What's your name, beta (son)?".

"K-Kaled". He said softly

"Khaled". She said patting his head, "What are you doing here?".

His little face turned into sadness as he shrugged, "I don't know. Aunty said to sit there quietly every time we come here. I am hungry".

She frowned at his first words but when she heard that the poor child was hungry she looked through her bag.

"I made this sandwich. I hope you like it". She said softly

He nodded eagerly taking the sandwich from her hand opening it.

"Beta (son), sit and eat". She instructed

Khaled looked around to find a place to sit but found none. He looked back at the woman opening his tiny hands for her to pick him and she did. She placed him into her lap allowing him to eat his sandwich happily.

"Thank you. I like it". He said grinning

She kissed his forehead, "Go on. Sit back down before your aunty is back".

His eyes widen fearfully as he ran back on his spot. Right then, she saw the woman with a hard face coming outside grabbing his hand forcefully taking him away.

"That poor soul". She said sighing

*******

"Is there a reason you need that much money?". Her phopho said

"What do you mean?". She asked confused

"You and your mother can live off in a little amount. Why do you want to spend so much money for no reason?. Don't you know wasting money is haraam (forbidden)?". Her phopho said

"But Ammi has an important checkup and tests she needs to do". She argued

"Don't speak to me like that. Did she forget her manner after her husband died?". Her phopho said angrily, "Your mother is perfectly fine as you can see so there is no need to go to the hospital whose work is just to make as much money from people possible"

"But-". She started

She didn't get to say anything because her phopho started creating even bigger scene until her mother said 'yes' to her demands. She wanted to take her mother for this checkup because she wasn't looking good these days but she couldn't do anything.

******

Two months passed, it was long and painful days until she found who was behind the fraud that the company was facing.

"It's Nida". She said looking at him

"I don't even know what to say". He said sighing tiredly

"You don't have to say anything to me but you need to take actions because your information is now in the market which is dangerous. I built a function to stop it from going on but for that, I need her away from here". She said softly

He nodded, "I will have my law team on this".

"Ok. Will I leave this week then?". She asked

"Why in a hurry?". He asked

"Nothing. I am almost done so there is no need for me to be here". She said

"True. It was a pleasure having you here though". He paused, "Since it really late I will leave you at your place".

"Oh no, I will be fine on my own". She said standing

"But-". He started

"I will be fine". She said walking to the door

"I will call you in 15 minutes to know if you reached home". He said as he saw her walking away

******

She looked around as the fear gripped her senses. She had taken a bus home thinking it would be safe with many people being on it. But all she did was landing herself in trouble.

She was being followed by men she had no idea how many or who but she prayed that they don't find her.

She heard their voice coming closer and then her phone started vibrating indicating a call coming in. She didn't even bother to look at the number but was thankful to whoever it was.

"Please, save me, please". She begged as she answered the call

"Sumaiya, what happened?". He asked worriedly, "Just stay with me on call and explain. I promise I will come soon".

He could hear the people behind shouting and her scared breath coming rapidly.

He pushed the accelerator after he managed to know her location but the call ended he cannot be more scared now. He ran into the place looking around for her but he found no sign until he heard a scream coming from the dark alley.

He ran inside following the shouting of men and screaming till he stopped just a few inches away from her unconscious figure. The fear gripped his heart that he might be too late again. Maybe, if he hadn't sent her off alone this wouldn't have happened. Maybe if he had thought it through this wouldn't have happened again.

With the fear, his anger reaches its limit as he charges at the men who were responsible for this.

******

He walked inside with her on a stretcher as the doctor scream orders to one another but he remained mute to their sounds with his eyes just on the woman laying on the bed.

He was pushed outside of the room and he didn't even have enough energy to fight back to allow him in. He hated hospital to a point that he cannot spend a minute in this place. It held too many painful memories he would like to keep inside him.

But he had no power to leave her alone in this place not knowing that she will live to see another day.

Hours passed until it was midnight that the doctor informed that she was thrown by those men hard on the wall that had caused her head to be damaged but not to a dangerous level.

He sighs.

He stumbles as he realised she had lived again. She wasn't gone and he wasn't late.

*******

"You cannot leave for a day at least. I can call your mother if you want". He stressed as he saw her moving around to leave

"No, I have to go back. She is all alone and she will be worried". She said shaking her head

"You are weak, Sumaiya". He said

"Please, take me home". She said pleading

He sighs.

He stopped his car in front of her house watching the few people standing there as they looked at them. He didn't want to be there but he was called by them so he had to go inside.

Just as he walked in he saw the two older woman, an older man and two young women standing there all glaring at them.

"Where were you all night?". Her phopho screamed angrily

She opened her mouth to speak but before she could her phopho slapped her face making her fall.

"What is wrong with you?". She heard his angry voice

"What is wrong with us?. She spent a night outside of her house, no call or message and then came today with a man what do you want us to think?". Her phopho said angrily

"Maybe if you hear why she wasn't home you will know". He said angrily

"Shut up. We know all about the woman who stays out at night. You don't need to teach us". Her phopo said, "Good thing my brother is not alive to see this day".

"Stop it". She said angrily looking at her phopho then turned to her mother who had been standing in the back without a word, "You will let them say all this?. They are blaming me for something I didn't do".

"What proofs do you have?". Her phopho asked

"You want me to bring the doctor here for you or will the paper from hospital works?". He asked showing them the paper

Her mother pushed through the people in front of her looking at her from head to toe, "What happened?. Where are you hurt?".

She looked at her mother with tears falling down her face. She didn't say a word but pulled her hand away from her hold taking a step away from her.

"Don't touch me". She said crying, "Not now".

"Beta-". Her mother started

But she ran away towards the stairs and into her room wanting to be away from all this.

He looked at the people who had been doing nothing but accuse her to back at her mother who had tears in her eyes and the same pain as her daughter.

"I lost my chance". He heard her mother whisper

"Even if we believe what you are saying how will we explain this to the world?. I told you to marry your daughter to my son so what if she was his second wife and he hit sometimes she would have been happy and married". Her phopo said

He clenched his fists at the thought of her marrying to such a man, "Would you like if your daughter husband hit her?".

"How dare he ever raise his hand at my precious daughter?. If he ever did something like this I will break his hands". Her phopo said immediately angrily

"Exactly. Other people daughter is precious to them too so if your son hits her you should be ashamed for the damage you are doing to that poor soul". He said angrily

"I don't care about you. Now, that there is a mark of character on her there will be no man who will marry her and I will never allow her to marry my precious son. Maybe you should consider that man who came before?". Her phopo said

"B-But that man is 45 years old". Her mother said

"So?. The way she is behaving you need to put that burden away sooner before she does something bigger". Her phopo said

"NO! There will be no such marriage happening neither a woman like her need to be married to a monster of a son like yours. She is an independent, intelligent and perfect woman that any man would love to marry and she deserves more than the man you have for her". He said angrily after hearing the stupid suggestion

"Who are you to speak like that?". Her phopho asked

"She is not even here to agree or disagree to your decisions and it's her life, to begin with". He argued

"Girls life are never theirs. They have to live according to their parents and culture. They are the ones that needed to be handled properly". Her phopo said

"What about boys?. They are the one doing most of the things who is going to handle them?". He asked

Her phopho shrugged, "They are boys, they can do what they want. We cannot handle them".

"I cannot believe this type of thinking still exists. You cannot make decisions for her life you are not even her mother". He said angrily

"Elder knows what best for who and I can take all the decisions because she killed my brother (Sumaiya's father) and I am the one in charge now". Her phopo said, "She will marry that man who came for her before".

"She will never marry any such man". He argued

"If not them, who will marry her?". Her phopho said

"I WILL". He shouted with his eyes blazing the fire, "I will marry her tomorrow".

******

"Ammi (mother), please don't do this. I cannot ruin his life". She begged crying

"This is for the best". Her mother said shortly moving away

She sat in the small hall which had few of their relatives that managed to have time to come and others to say things she never wanted to hear.

After saying the words that were too painful for them to repeat. She walked in her simple dress towards him not even looking at him. She blamed herself for destroying another life and that she wasn't supposed to be his wife.

"Sumaiya". He said softly forwarding his hand

She looked at him for the first time she had been here and he saw the feelings she had clear in her big beautiful eyes.

He nodded towards his hand and she looked at his hand taking it as she climbed the stage walking to their seat. They didn't realise it until they had to leave their hand to greet a few relatives that they never left each other hand for a long time.

"Bhai (brother), I never thought I will receive a call one night that you are marrying my employee". Zeeshan said smiling

"He didn't believe it until we saw you both sitting here". Sara said smiling and hugging Sumaiya, "I am happy for you two".

"Yeah, it just happened". He said sighing

Zeeshan nodded understandably because he knew the details.

Just as they leave her phopho came on the stage with the same glare.

"Didn't you inform your family about this marriage? Or are you going to keep her hidden from everyone?". Her phopho said

He clenched his fist tightly, "My family is no more".

"You should have said that before". She replied

She looked at him worriedly because she could for some reasons could see through his emotions. Even if anger was the visible one the pain was what lies beneath it.

Before she could actually think she holds his hand in her trying to take his pain away and calm him down. He felt her soft touch on his hands causing his heart to skip a beat as he looked down at her without even realizing how many pairs of eyes were watching him and them.

Some in envy and others in happiness.

"They are actually married now". Zeeshan sais looking at them

Sara nodded, "I guess it wasn't just us who were playing the matchmaking someone else was too".

"What?. Who?". Zeeshan asked confused

"Up". Sara said pointing to the sky, "It was all his plans and we were a small part of it. In the end, he actually did what he wanted and made us a small part of it".

"I just pray now they find their happiness". Zeeshan said sighing

*****

"Look how they are holding hands". They heard someone say

They haven't realised by now that they haven't let go of each other subconsciously because maybe by holding each other they were able to go through this process.

He frowned looking at the woman who was glaring and commenting on them.

"Maybe they lied about them not knowing each other beforehand. The way they are behaving it looks like she trapped him in her magic because who else will marry someone who killed her own husband". Another woman said

His hold tightened on her hand when he turned to look at her he could see the tears falling down her face even when her head was bent down. His heart clenched at knowing that these comments were an everyday part of her life for who knows how long.

"I am the one who trapped her in a magic spell not the other way around". He said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Whatever she did in her past is her life not for everyone and anyone to discuss on her day neither it is anyone else business but mine to worry about it. If I don't care what she had done I would like you all to respect and be quiet about what had happened already. I don't like my wife to be disrespected and upset on her biggest day. Let me be clear, I am the one who suggested this marriage and I am the one who did everything so there should be no more talks about this matter anymore".

Her mother looked at them with tears filling her eyes. Her sister holds her mother hand with the same expression because even when her sister used to fight for her it was never as strong as it was now when her husband said those words. It's been so long her sister had been praying for someone to take a stand for her and bring back her lost self and it seems her prayers were answered.

Her mother had been the opposite of what a mother should have been. She had abandoned her daughter just in a different way. She had abandoned her and sacrificed her to this society. She had made her into a toy that everyone had played with in front of her eyes and she had never said a word.

Society can make you do things you regret but you cannot change.

Her mother moved forward smiling after a very long time and she looked at her mother happiness oozing everywhere. It was after so long that she had forgotten that her mother had this side of her. Her mother kissed her forehead lovingly asking her husband to speak to her for a moment.

He didn't want to leave her alone with these wolves who were after her in every way possible. He looked at her then back at her mother until he saw her sister.

"I will stay with her". Emaan said smiling but then looked at him still being hesitant, "Don't worry. I am a fighter like you just a little weak but I can hold on for some time".

He nodded merely, "Stay with her". Then he turned to her, "I will be back soon".

He walked towards a corner his eyes still on her no matter how much he assured herself she will be fine his heart just wouldn't agree. Watching her cry so many times all because of people who are still around her he will never be satisfied leaving her alone with them.

"She is fine". Her mother said softly bringing his attention back

"Sorry, what do you want to say?". He asked still not completely listening

"Thank you". Her mother said now having his attention, "I know you have realised that I played a big part in ruining her life until now and never-".

"I am sorry to say this but you married her to a complete stranger without knowing a single thing about him". He said frowning

Her mother nodded, "I know. But there are things I can see that you cannot".

"What might that be?". He asked

"You are the first person after her father and her first husband who had taken a stand for her against the world. No matter how much they said bad about her you didn't stop for a second to say against what they said. You stayed until the end to support her and I can see that you will support her for life. I have failed as a mother to her and that will have it's the effect on her even when I don't want her to have any but I want you to always stay with her and fill in the gaps that her heart have, beta (son), please". Her mother said pleading at the verge of tears

"I married her for a reason and that is to protect her with my life in every way possible". He said walking away

*******

"Her mother is no more". She heard before she passed out