"What we will do now?" The woman in her late forties asked worriedly to a man who seems to be in his early fifties.

"What am I supposed to do now.He literally threatened us to tell her the truth. I don't know how he found out about her real identity." The man sounded equally worried.

"Please do something. She is our daughter. They can't do this to us. What if after knowing the truth she will leave us and go with them. After all she is adult now. She is eligible to make her own decision."The woman was stopping herself with quite a difficulty from breaking down then and there.

" Besides, we promised Haya that we will protect her and not let her go there ever."She slumped down on the couch beside her as if those thoughts had exhausted her from the core.

"The only way to keep her away from them is get her married ASAP."The man said and extended a glass of water towards the woman.

" Is this the only way?"The woman asked the man with hopeful eyes for better options.

" Yes, this is the only way."The man said sitting beside her. His forehead was decorated with stressful frowns.

"How are we supposed to pursue her suddenly for marriage."The woman said after gulping the whole glass of water in a go.

"We have to.......... anyhow."The man said leaning on the couch's back and closing his eyes maybe trying to escape from this stressful situation.

"Do you Nayab Hasan Farooqui, daughter of Hasan Farooqui hereby accept Haroon Samad Khan, son of Samad Khan as your husband with alimony right of 1 lakh?"

Oh, Allah!!!

Where I've landed?!!!

I can't do this but at the same time I can't run away from this.

I rubbed my sweating hand on my dupatta. My breath heavy because of the predicament I was in.

Everyone here except me seemed to be very happy.

"Nayab, answer kid, what's wrong?" Mumma nudged me.

I looked at her from inside the red veil. I saw her eyes twinkling with happiness.

It doesn't matter how it hurts me?

I can't think to be a reason of sadness residing in her eyes.

And my last ray of hope reflected back far away from me.

I was helpless,

Helpless, coz maybe I'm not strong enough to be selfish, not strong enough to break my parents heart and trust.

"If you are going and not accepting my decision then never return to me in your whole life".

Baba's words were ringing inside my ears making me feel pity on my own helpless condition.

I was not able to find any ways to stop this nikah of mine with I don't know whom, coz I care least in knowing him.

I was being nudged for answer by my mamma and aunts.

I was stuck no doubt...

When I didn't answer, Qazi Sahab repeated himself breaking

my trance.

"Do you Nayab Hasan Farooqui, daughter of Hasan Farooqui hereby accept Haroon Samad Khan, son of Samad Khan as your husband with alimony right of 1 lakh?"

I had no choice other than saying," I DO".

I repeated it two more times accepting my fate.

A lone tear slipped from eyes...

Everyone came one by one and blessed me, but I was restless. I needed some peace of mind at least.

I felt my head will burst with all those chaos and incidents, so I excused myself and went to the washroom.

This is the only place I can be alone now.

Placing my both hand on basin I looked myself in the mirror, indeed I was looking like a beautiful bride.

All the incidents which landed me in this situation started playing on my mind's curtain.

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