"Ouchh ...," she shrieked, as the pain travelled through her nerves and hit her brain. The man, who was standing some yards away from her, was the first to run towards her. Asma also knelt down beside her, trying to check her ankle which had got twisted from jumping on the wet muddy surface. "Ahhhh," she screeched again when Asma touched her ankle with her fingers. Asma immediately withdrew her hand from the ankle of her over-dramatic friend and looked at her brother helplessly, who was standing in front of them.

Nazi sat in front of her and glanced at her ankle, which she was trying to bend a little to ease the pain. But it wasn't helping and tears were flowing down her pink soft cheeks. He took hold of her ankle and she shrieked again trying to move her leg back, but to no avail. Nazi was clutching it tighter than she had perceived. Her tibia bone had by now swelled slightly, indicating some severe damage. She again winced in pain when Nazi touched her ankle bone with two fingers, causing him to look at her face. Her eyelashes were damp from tears and her nose was leaking. Her hair were curtaining her forehead. She was looking innocently beautiful. But this was not the time to praise her beauty; she was in pain, unbearable pain. One thing which had hit him hard at this moment was that he couldn't see her in pain.

"Asma, stand her up. We need to take her back to her haveli. I think she is badly injured." Nazi told his sister and stood up. As he proceeded to walk in the direction of the exterior of the farm, his sister called him. "Lala, she isn't able to stand on her own, please help me." He turned and walked back to them.

"Give me your hand," Nazi told her directly. Asma had gripped her other arm. She reluctantly placed her fragile hand in his strong one. He gently tried to pull her up. A sharp wave of pain ran through her entire leg. She winced and tremblingly sat back. She couldn't even deposit a gram of weight of her body on her left ankle. An uncontrollable sob escaped from her lips. The man, who was holding her hand tightly in his, sighed gravely and once again sat down in front of her. Asma had also started sobbing silently at her friend's agonized state.

"Lala, please do something, she can't walk," Asma told her brother. She couldn't see her jovial friend in such agony.

"Okay, let me carry her to the car. You go and tell Shareef bhai to open the car doors," Nazi told his sister while looking at the girl who was clutching her shin tightly, as if trying to stop the throbbing pain from hitting her leg. Asma ran towards the foreland where the car was parked.

"May I?" he asked her carefully. She just nodded her head without looking at him.

Nazi snaked one arm around her ribs and put the other one under her thighs. She looked at him through her wet lashes. Her arms wrapped behind his neck of their own accord.

He was also gazing into her painful eyes. In that mere moment, the world stopped around them. The warm rays of the late afternoon sun bathed their souls in the ocean of unconditional, indescribable, insane feelings, called Love.

**********

A deadly silence had fallen in the vast gigantic sitting area. The man who was listening to his father attentively had been numbed by the older man's cruel order. In all his 26 years of life, Shahzeb had never, ever, felt such a void before. He could not form any words in order to answer his father's crude inquest. He was just looking at the older man as if he had slit his throat with a dull knife. His midnight-dark orbs were full of unspoken questions.

"I don't understand why you have gone mute on my request. As far as I remember, I was the one who had forced you into this marriage Shahzeb. But believe me my son; I had no other option at that time. Her treacherous bastard of a father had left me with no choice but to marry you at a very young age," the older man spat loathsomely. "Or else I would have never made you marry that little vicious bitch, wh-"

"Baba," Shahzeb interrupted his respected father in the loudest and roughest of tones he could ever muster in front of him. Jaw clenched and hands fisted, he stood up from his place and cleared his clogged throat. After muttering a small sorry to the older man, he blurted some measured words in front of him.

"I don't find any need of taking another wife baba. But still I will think about it and will give my answer to you after some time. I hope you will allow me some time to make up my mind to reach a righteous decision." Shahzeb responded to his father's absurd order in a most rocky and firm voice, and left the diwankhana. He was half way through the big arched exit, when his father's toughened voice locked his pace and he stood still in his track.

"Shahzeb, I like Suhana a lot and I really want her to be your wife. I am not asking you to divorce that little piece of crap, because we never divorce our women. But we can take another wife whenever we want to. I am not forcing you my dear. But think about this alliance. She is a beautiful and well qualified girl who can match your eminence in the society proudly. And this alliance will be very beneficial for us politically too, as she is the only heiress of Abbas Malik. Abbas likes you dearly Shahzeb, and it was his idea to tie you two into wedlock. And I have the same wish my son. I hope you will give me your positive answer soon." The older man ended his brutal speech arrogantly.

Shahzeb had to stop himself from snapping back on his father. He didn't know how to respond to his father's daft rant. He was unable to understand his own feelings right now; his mind was going through the turmoil of ragged emotions. His father's wicked remark about his wife had caused severe damage to him. He had never thought that his baba could say something like that about his daughter-in-law. He bit his lower lip harshly, so much that his sharp teeth almost dug into the soft flesh of his inner lips.

"Meet her tonight in the nikah of Samira Malik. You haven't seen her since a long time, and I am sure you will like her once you see her personally." The older man stated in a confident tone, and patted Shahzeb's shoulder in a loving way.

Shahzeb just glanced at his father once and spun his heels to leave the room, without throwing any constructive word in his direction.

**********

"May I come in?" The soothing, calm, yet deep velvety voice hit his ears from afar, making him lift his gaze from his laptop screen. Shahzeb looked at the man who was peeking through the slightly ajar heavy wooden double door of his study.

His tensed body got relaxed; his expression changed from cold to calm.

"Come in veerji. You don't need my permission to come into my study," Shahzeb told the man who was now stepping in the study. A soft smile graced his handsome facial features as he stood in front of Shahzeb who was crushing his cigarette in the glass ashtray.

"Excessive amount of smoking is not good young man. You have a life ahead, value it," he tenderly resorted, his voice dripping with care and devotion. He might not be related to him by blood, but by heart Shahzeb was the most dearest and beloved person to him; may be more than his own son Bilal.

Shahzeb looked at Nawaaz and exhaled a deep stressful breath in the secluded air. He never got offended by Nawaaz's caring remakes towards him. He knew from a young age that his veerji was more caring and encouraging towards him than his own father. Once, he had asked him the reason behind his love, when he had passed his matric examination with merit grades and Nawaaz had gifted him a brand-new PlayStation with lots of other expensive gifts. Nawaaz gave a simple reply to his curious question with a heart-whelming smile.

"I love the air which your sister breathes. I love the full moon which brings a glorious smile on her face. I love the mere drop of water which sticks on her long lashes. I love the mild fresh breeze of autumn which blows strands of hair on her angelic face. Then how can I not love the one who means the world to her?"

He had never heard a more beautiful confession before. Although he was young, very young, he could still measure the depth of his brother-in-law's love for his sister by these words.

And from that very moment, his respect and love for his veerji had grown ten times.

"Who cares veerji," Shahzeb let out a humorless chuckle and shut down his laptop as he signaled him towards the leather chairs in front of him.

"You seem depressed Shah, is there something which is bothering you?" Nawaaz asked him in a concerned tone. Shahzeb looked at him for a moment, then stood up from his chair and stepped closer to him. He stood just in front of him, with his back leaning against the desk. He sighed deeply.

"Baba is pressurizing me to join politics veerji. He intends to nominate my name for the CM chair in the upcoming elections," Shahzeb mumbled grievously. His broad shoulders were still tensed.

"I know it Shahzeb; actually I had known this for quite some time. I know you have never showed any interest in politics, but I thought that somewhere you knew it that you have to join the party at some point. Baba had been visiting the party headquarters for many months to allot you the ticket from Najafgarh district as it has been the party's victorious seat from the past 20 years. And Abbas Malik also wants you to contest elections from here." Nawaaz disclosed the past events to him briefly. He was looking at Nawaaz in total astonishment.

"So that's what has been happening here while I was busy with my business," Shahzeb stated, rather than asked.

"And you have another roller coaster ride to perform Sahibzade. I guess you must be aware of that too," Nawaaz again proclaimed to him. But this time his voice was a little provoking and his eyes gleamed with mischief. Shahzeb's attention turned back to his brother-in-law's teasing voice. His lips twitched to his right ear. He knew what Nawaaz was up to this time.

Shahzeb glanced at his brother-in-law in front of him, who was now smiling at him like a teenager boy. He laughed wholeheartedly

"So you are aware of that too veerji," he asked Nawaaz amusedly.

"Sahibzade, I even keep an eye on the air which breezes around you. Then how could I not be aware of this?" Nawaaz declared endearingly. His comment earned a deep throaty chuckle from Shahzeb.

"So what have you thought about that one?" he asked Shahzeb.

"I haven't even thought about this one yet," he answered mischievously. An adorable smile was grazing on his face.

"Then when will you think, my dear? It's been almost 5 years now. And you are turning 26 soon. It is the best time to start a new life. Besides, Zoya seems a little dull these days, almost as if she has no hopes with life," he told Shahzeb doubtfully. Nawaaz searched his demeanor deeply. He was waiting for his reply. Shahzeb sighed and gulped down his saliva to damp his dry throat, his Adam's apple bobbed as he fixed his gaze on Nawaaz. He couldn't tell his brother-in-law about his wife's foolish demand. He had been looking for the right time to talk about Zoya, and now it had arrived.

"I want something veerji. And you have to promise me that you will do anything to fulfill my wish," he asked with a deadly seriousness. Nawaaz narrowed his eyes in concern.

"You know I will do everything in my power to make your wish come true Shahzeb," he stated devoutly.

"Yes I know veerj. That's the reason I asked you," Shahzeb told his veerji reassuringly. His eyes were cast down and hands were gripping the edges of the wooden desk. "I want her to shift in my room." He whispered lowly to his brother-in-law, who was like a father figure to him; like a best friend which he never had of his age.

He lifted his eyes to see Nawaaz's reaction, who was stunned by Shahzeb’s sudden unexpected demand. An amazed look was plastered on him mature face. He was not expecting this.

"Are my ears really working fine or I am just having an unbelievable dream?" Nawaaz asked him almost teasingly. A bashful grin appeared at the corner of Shahzeb's mouth, which he suppressed by biting his lower lip.

"Sahibzade, when did it happen by the way? Is it the consequence of Suhana Malik's rare entry in the scenario?" Nawaaz asked him rather mischievously this time. His remark made Shahzeb chuckle loudly.

"Suhana Malik hasn't entered yet, has she?" Shahzeb's eyes were sparkling in the dull lights of the study.

"Okay then, why don't you ask her directly? After all, she is your wife. There is no need for any formality. It was your decision not to shift her in your room. And the reasons which you had given at that time were quite logical."

"Yeah, the reasons which I had told you all; not the one which I had told her personally," Shahzeb thought in his mind, and shrugged it away. He needed his wife now.

"I am not going to beg her veerji. I want you and apa to shift her in my room. I have already given her enough time to make up her mind. And you know me, I can't handle refusals." Shahzeb’s tone was laden with authority. Nawaaz was analyzing his body language, and he could tell by Shahzeb's lightly creased forehead how serious he was this time. If he ever wished for anything, he was determined to acquire it at any cost or anything in his power. Nawaaz let out a tense breath.

"I will make sure of it young man. No need to be narcissistic here," Nawaaz calmed him down by his assurance. "Also, I would advise you Shahzeb not to join politics. You know, Indian politics is not for extremists like you. You are way too fair to be dragged in this corrupt system," he said softly, all the while looking at Shahzeb carefully.

Shahzeb laughed at the elder man's advice. "I don't want to either, but baba kept insisting. And you know I can't let him down. But yes, I will conduct the campaigning according to my way if I contest in the elections. Baba has to loosen his grip and accept my progression in the party's major events," he stated firmly.

"Okay young man, as you wish. Remember one thing; come what may, I will always be there for you." Nawaaz stood from his chair and patted his shoulder. Shahzeb embraced him in a warm hug. The reason he was so fond of his brother-in-law was that the elder man was his strength in his life; who had belief in his every small step.

"You better go and get ready for tonight's invitation at the Malik's. It's already 6:30 pm. And make sure not to ignore Zoya in the whole ceremony. Girls get jealous without any reason, albeit she has a strong one." He winked at Shahzeb. And both men burst into delightful laughter.

**********

"Apa, it's too heavy. I don't think I can carry it well," Zoya interjected lowly, caressing the front pleats of her sari to smoothen them up. The sari which Saba apa had insisted her to wear tonight was of one of the best evening creations by a famous Indian designer. Made of dull-golden softest net, it was embellished with beads and zardozi thread embroidery all over the fabric. The colour was elegantly complementing her satin, smooth, ivory complexion. Her blouse was also dull-golden with a full net sleeve, elaborated with the same heavy embroidery on the front and all over the sleeves. It was modest enough to keep her classy, with just a slightly deep neckline, which she covered beautifully by its drape.

"Darling, it is looking awesome on you. And anyway, it is your best friend's big day today. Besides, you are the only daughter-in-law of the Khan family. Shahzeb Khan's beloved wife. You should be standing out in the crowd," Saba apa told her lovingly, while taking out some gold and diamond jewelry from its case. Zoya didn't say anything this time. She brushed her silky brown wavy hair and left them open on her slim back. She was putting her earrings into her ears when her cell started ringing on the dressing table. She picked her phone and looked at the blinking screen. She sighed and picked the call.

"Yes," Zoya whispered.

"I am waiting in the porch. Come out as soon as you are ready, we are already running late." Shahzeb told her sternly from the other side and cut the call without hearing her reply.

Zoya tossed her phone on the couch and put her bangles on. After reviewing her attire one last time in the mirror, she took her clutch and shoved her phone into it.

"Apa, you should have come with me," she told Saba in a dull tone. She didn't know why she was feeling besotted today.

"Chanda, Shahzeb will be with you, and you are not going there for the first time. Samira is your childhood friend and you used to go to the Maliks very often when you two were in your sophomore years." Saba convinced her like a small kid. Kissing her cold forehead and taking her hand into her warm ones, she led Zoya towards the exit of her room.

As they stepped out through the large arched entrance into the porch, Saba apa called Shahzeb who was talking with Nawaaz. Both men had their backs towards the ladies.

Shahzeb turned his head and looked towards her.

"Hell." He cursed under his breath. A light chuckle erupted from Nawaaz.

"Good luck young man." Nawaaz patted his shoulder and stepped toward Saba, while Zoya walked in Shahzeb’s direction.

**********