.

she hasn't seen much of herself lately. No, rephrase that, she hadn't stayed long enough in front of the mirror in a peaceful time to ever look at herself and how she had changed.

The first thing she noticed was that she had lost weight and not just a little or healthy weight, she had lost a couple of pounds which was nowhere healthy. She used to be chubby just like her daughter who was currently taking a nap. She used to have her cheeks filled with fats and she remembers how her cousins used to tease her for it saying she is fat. She used to hate it and run to her room at that time only for Haider to call her to the trance giving her favourite chocolate and telling her that no matter how she looked she will always remain beautiful and that people only mock those people they wish they were.

She hasn't had time in these past years to focus on anything much less on herself. Her daughter and her safety being her priority took a toll on her own health. She neglected her needs, desires and everything for her daughter and she has no regrets about it.

But, she wishes for things that will never happen and she wanted something that she can never have.

She heard her door opening and in walks Aiza blaring fire in her eyes as she looks down at her. She wasn't short but Aiza looks down on her as if she was some dirt in her way. She hated this feeling with passion. She hated how everyone had treated her and broke her apart even more. She wishes her husband was alive so she could share her worries with him and stay in his comfort all day.

Her husband was one of the kind she has ever seen.

"How dare you seduce him?". Aiza screamed slapping her hard as she fell on her knees,"You know you are good for nothing. You killed your husband and now has a daughter who is also a burden like you".

She wanted to fight back but if she did will she be able to live in this house and keep her daughter and herself safe?.

"I will never let you take him from me. I don't want you to come to dinner or this will end badly for you". Aiza warned kicking her stomach as she doubled over the pain but her lips remain sealed not wanting to wake her daughter

But maybe her daughter feels her pain as she watches her getting down from the bed running towards her as Aiza leaves the room not before glaring at her once again. Her daughter tiny hands wrapped around her as she mumbles incoherently obviously watching her mother weeping her tiny heart must hurt as well.

After hugging and crying in her daughter's hand she pulls back looking at her daughter grinning.

"Would you like to go down and eat, baby?". She asked holding her daughter in her hand

"Yes, yes". Her daughter said excitedly clapping her hands

She laughs walking towards her daughter cupboard taking her clothes as she showers her and changes her in a new set of clothes. Then, she proceeds to wear a set of white clothes for herself. She stands in front of the mirror looking at her dark circle and messy hair. Her eyes remain lifeless and her pale skin only adds to her misery. She starts to dry her hair with a blow dryer when her daughter wraps her hands around her legs.

"Me, me". Her daughter said grinning her toothless smile

She laughs turning the blow dryer towards her and she squeals when the hot hair hit her running from her laughing until she bumps into someone.

She quickly covers her head with her scarf as she finds Haider standing in the door and he picks her daughter in his arms with a beautiful smile on his lips that made her heart flutters.

"Are you two coming down?". He asked tickling Zoya who giggles

"Ji". She replied softly

"Good, I will be waiting". He said placing Zoya down as he walks out of the room

She takes a deep breath preparing herself to walk downstairs to face everyone yet again in a new light. She holds her daughter walking towards the table where she can hear everyone talking. She stepped in their view when they all stopped talking.

"Zoya". Yaqoob said happily grinning at her

Zoya clapped her hands excitedly wiggling from her hands running to him chanting, "Zoya".

She smiles looking at her daughter in Yaqoob hands as he talks to her animated and she briefly stopped breathing when she finds all eyes looking at her with disgust that made her heart shattered and her smile falls off her lips.

"Please come and sit, Ifat". She heard his honey-rich voice coaxing her to raise her head back up looking directly in his eyes that held a tender look

She looks around to find no empty chair and a chair scraping against the floor made her eyes turn back to him.

"Sit here". He said smiling as he leaves his chair for her

She gulped wanting to decline but his face was firm and she steps towards his chair not before he stops her just before she sits and whispers, "You have a right to be here. Remember that".

She relaxes a little at his words as the tension leaves her body but it was back when she realises that she had stepped in death trap to sit beside Aiza who had warned her to be here for her own good.

She gulped visibly and Haider brings an extra chair that was removed after his family practically disown her from every right and placed her chair in storage. He sits down holding Zoya from his brother wanting to feed her something.

She moves her hand to take some food and she watches as it was Nihari which was her favourite food she hasn't eaten in a while. Mostly these foods are for special occasions and she realises it must be for his return back home. She remembers he left right next day of her wedding saying it was important and she never saw him again for almost four years now.

She was placing a little in her plate when Aiza pushes her hand and some of it drop on the table and her clothes.

"Why did you do that?". Aiza screech angrily, "I know you did that on purpose".

Before she can apologise Aiza twist her plate of heated food on her and her skin burn as she screams in utter pain that course through her.

"Ifat". He said as his eyes widen watching her pain sickening face watching her running out of the room

He looks down at her daughter whose lips quiver watching her mother and tears brimmed in her innocent eyes for her mother pain.

"Yaqoob, take Zoya outside for me, please". He said hiding away the fury in his voice not wanting to scare her daughter

Yaqoob immediately holds Zoya running outside to the garden. He closes his eyes reminisce the scene that happened and his heart seems to shatter at the thought and the way her painful scream restored through the silence.

"So this was your best decision for her?". His voice was rough and icy cold as his eyes open looking at his grandfather, "This was your best for her?".

He didn't want to be disrespectful because, in the end, they were elder. But he was losing his sanity as her scream keeps booming in his head making it harder for him to breathe without anger coursing in him.

"I actually thought that you all deserve a second chance with her. That maybe you will realise that what you have done to her was wrong and unethical. However, I am ashamed to bring her here to be harassed in this way. And I am even more ashamed to be part of this family who treats a woman as if she was a speck of dirt. I learned from you all to respect woman and protect her and now I think those were just mere words you taught us to look good because of all you have failed to be even human. At least human has compassion and empathy for someone pain and I don't think you are human anymore". His voice was rigid as his anger doesn't allow him to be sane, "I will be taking them back with me. She doesn't deserve what you all have done to her and I would be damn if she stays here any longer".

"You cannot do that. You have no relation with her-". His grandfather started

His eyes turned hardened as a smirk gaze his lips, "I will have a relation with her. I will marry her and no one can stop me".

With that, he takes an ice pack and few burnt ointment heading towards her room. He gently knocks on her door hearing the shuffling as the door opens after a few good minutes and he knows she must be hurting to move around or open the door.

"I brought these. Please, use them to help with the pain". He said and she nodded taking the medicine heading to the washroom

He paces around trying to collect his thoughts and he had declared the marriage however he had not even asked her consent. That is so wrong. He shouldn't have done that and he should have respected her to ask her before the declaration.

Dammit.

He feels like punching himself repeatedly for his idiotic behaviour. He heard the door opening as she walks out of the washroom. He gulped clenching his fist to not throw someone off the cliff when he finds tears falling down her faces as she instantly wipes them away probably to hide it from him. But his heart clenched painfully knowing, in the end, he was responsible for them.

"Ifat, I did something and I am sorry I didn't ask you. I understand if you get mad at me. You can even slap me--". He rambles on

She frowns hearing his ranting, "Can you say it clearer?".

He took a deep breath, "Will you marry me?".

Her breathing hitched and her eyes widen as she looks at him, "W-What?. You can't marry me. You deserve--".

"Don't". He said a stern, "Don't tell me what I deserve because I sure know what I deserve. What I want to know from you is that will you marry me?".

"You are not understanding". She said frustrated, "I am a widow and I have a child who is a girl--".

"Ifat, are you in your senses?". He said as his voice gets louder thinking about what she was about to say watching her flinch at his tone he spoke softly again, "Betiyan toh Allah ki rahmat hain. Tum apni rahmat ko is tarha kyun bol rahi ho?". (Daughter are blessing of Lord. Why are you talking about your blessing this way)

She breaks down.

"Mujhe sub bolte the k mai us ko maar duin jub un ko pata laga tha. Pehle jub sirf yeh pata tha k mera bacha hona hai unho nae kaha maar do per jub pata laga k larki hai t-toh w-oh--". She said as her throat clog as she remembers, "They tried to kill her with their own hands. They forcefully took me to hospital while I was 5 months in and if Yaqoob bhai didn't come on time. S-she would have died. My daughter and my husband last sign would have been killed".

(They all used to ask me to kill her. When they came to know I was having a child they still just used to ask me but when they found it was a girl t-they-)

His heart clenched.

He never thought his family would fall this low and to find that they have broken his heart. He was grown and nurtured in this house and now one by one everyone was turning to be monsters. Anyone who tries to kill an unborn child is a monster nothing less. But he wasn't a weak man, he was stronger and for the ones, he loves he can become a man of steel if needed.

"Mere liye woh hameshah mere ghar ki rahmat rahay gi. Mai wada karta huin k mai us ko apni beti bana kar rakhuin ga. Bus mujhe ek mauka do. Woh aur tum is ghar mai nahi rah sakte. Is tarha tumhari aur us ki zindagi kharab ho gi". He pauses as he looks at her wanting to reach her and comfort her,"These people wants to see you being destroyed and you have to prove that you are stronger. Build your own life this time, please. Please, come with me and give me a chance".

(She will always remain the blessing of my house. I promise I will always treat her as my own daughter. Give me a chance. You both cannot stay here because your lives will be ruined)

"Will you give us respect?". She asked hoarsely looking directly at him

"I swear on my life. I will die before ever disrespecting you". He promised

"Will you protect us?".

"With everything I have".

"Will you take care of us?".

"Until my last breath".

She looks directly in his eyes determined to change her life this time as she wants,"Then yes, I will marry you".