My haveli was getting bedecked heavily. The women danced all day, celebrating the upcoming phase of my life, but only one person was upset with all this - the bride, who was unfortunately me.

I just don't like Hamid at all. In the past three days, he tried to tease me, touch me in wrong ways, and whenever I tried to oppose him, he threatened me that he was going to be my husband soon.

Standing on the terrace, I was gazing at the public gathered before my haveli. Armaan Bhai Jaan was distributing sweets to all of them.

"Allah Hafiz rahe apki behen ke. Unhe bilkul apna manchaha shauhar naseeb ho. Ameen!"

"May Allah protect your sister forever. May she get married to the man of her dreams. Ameen!"

An old lady blessed my brother. He closed his eyes and gazed at his palms before muttering

"Ameen!"

How do I tell them that Almighty Allah is not listening to them anymore. Their prayers are going in vain. I turned back, feeling devastated.

"Salaam Inayat mohtarma."

My breath hitched noticing Hamid standing right in front of me. His darkened gaze was ogling me shamelessly. He took a step closer to me, and my hands impromptu went behind to find a support, that was just the railing of my terrace.

"What the hell are you doing, Hamid?"

I grunted in a low voice, and pushed him. His lean body lost the balance and I tried to run, but he instantly held my wrist and twisted it behind my back, making me wince in pain.

"Anhhh!"

"This is exactly how you will moan under me after three days."

He groaned close to my ears, my eyes turned weepy instantly, feeling the ache in my heart that was transcending the pain in my twisted wrist.

Why are you doing this to me, dear Allah?

I felt like breaking down in my brother's arms, but his duties had suddenly become more important than my feelings and life.

"Leave me, Hamid. You have no idea who you are messing up with!"

I still managed to mutter though my strength and courage had vanished away anticipating my post marriage condition. He will definitely force himself on me, something I'm hell scared of.

Sex - I read smuts because I love to, but in reality I shiver even at the thought of some stranger touching me, and here I was, caged by a man whose touch I hate the most.

"Dear wife!"

He grunted, twisting my wrist further, making me whimper in pain

"Anhhhhhh!"

"Get ready to be punished. Your brother has always demeaned me. I'm going to avenge this by torturing you, sweetheart."

His words and gestures sent shivers down my spine. I wanted to run away.

"Inayat!"

It was Rukhsaar appi's voice. He left my wrist with a jerk, and I instantly started caressing it, wincing silently.

He went away. Rukhsaar appi came to me from the other side. She is amazing. She noticed my condition within a moment, and hugged me tightly.

"Ghabrao mat hamari bacchi. Allah apke sath itna bura kabhi nahi kar sakte. Unpe yakeen rakho. Hume pata hai tumne kaise khwaab dekhe hai. Koi shehzada hi hoga jise hamari Inayat milegi. Kisi aire gaire ko thodi milegi."

"Don't worry my child. Allah will never ruin your life like this. Believe Him. I know what kind of man you had dreamt of. There must be a Prince waiting for my Princess. Any ordinary person cannot get you."

She cooed me. Albeit her words were sweet, but my the future that was waiting for me was too dark to see anything.

I know Hamid will force me on our first night. Please save me, Allah. Please.

"Armaan!"

Rukhsaar called out Armaan, who was gazing at the moon hopelessly. She strolled to him

"Why are you doing this to your sister? Hamid is not a good man."

She asserted, standing beside Armaan.

"I'm doing it to save my sister from Jairaj. You have no idea how worse he is. I am just waiting for these three days to pass as soon as possible."

He glanced at Rukhsaar, and held her palms firmly.

"I can't lose my sister to him."

His voice shook, sweat beads bedecked his shining forehead.

"Do you see Inayat as some property that you would lose to someone. She is a breathing creature, a woman, who deserves what is good for her. What if Jairaj keeps her happy?"

Rukhsaar mumbled, trying to explain Armaan. His grip slackened, and he glared at her.

"NOT JAIRAJ...AT ANY COST."

Rukhsaar flinched, listening to Armaan's roar. He went away without stretching the conversation further.

Rukhsaar's eyes widened witnessing the unseen side of Armaan for the first time. She had always known him as a 'gentleman', but this time he appeared insecure to her, so insecure that he was ready to trade his sister away to some undeserving person.
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A day passed, and it was Friday. The pre-wedding rituals were being conducted in the Khans haveli when the news flashed on the TV that was installed in their living room.

"HEADLINES : 200 Muslim believers were killed in a massive attack while reciting Namaz on this Friday in Unnav."

A woman reporter exclaimed, as someone switched on the TV in the living room, leaving everyone in shock. Armaan was devastated with this news.

The celebrations ceased all of a sudden, everyone's eyes turned teary extempore, a few of them began praying to the Almighty.

"I need to meet their families."

Armaan groaned, rushing to his Mercedes Benz. He drove straight to Unnav without taking any break. He was finally there by late evening.

Many families were lamenting the deaths of their loved ones. An old Muslim lady was also crying over there. Armaan ran to her, and held her shoulders before she could crouch on the ground.

"Please stay strong, lady."

He mumbled, in a low shivering voice.

"You..."

The woman muttered, pointing her finger at Armaan.

"You all could have stopped it. You hold the power."

She quavered in her shaking old voice.

"Just because you are not going through it, you are doing nothing."

She blurted out, making Armaan still in his place. He was shaken to the core.

"Why don't you both settle it out?"

She yelled at him shaking him holding his biceps. Armaan's teary gaze lowered. She broke into uncontrollable cries again, crouching on the ground.

Balraj and Dhanraj reached the location too since it was a major incident, and they were the leaders of the ruling party.

They began meeting people and tried to soothe them down. Armaan deciphered their efforts and care for the public.

Is this the only way? I need to save my fellow brothers and sisters before it's too late.

Armaan pondered internally and began strolling to the thakur brothers, in a leisurely fashion.

He kept his hand on Balraj's shoulder, and he turned back.

"Hume Jairaj aur Inayat ka rishta qubool hai."

"I am ready for Jairaj and Inayat's wedding."

He declared, and Balraj's eyes widened. The brothers stole a glance of each other, before gawking at Armaan again.

"But your sister is already getting married to someone else?"

Dhanraj tried to ask, Armaan shook his head.

"Inayat will get married to Jairaj only."

Armaan exclaimed, lowering his gaze.

"You'll visit my haveli tomorrow."

Armaan groaned, before leaving the place. He got seated in his car, and inhaled sharply before heading back to his haveli.

The celebrations were transformed into mourning. All those people had died while reciting Namaz. This was the most gruesome incident I could ever listen to.

It was 10 PM but none of us had eaten anything.

"Ammi!"

Armaan Bhai Jaan had come back. I instantly straightened up and ran to him, encasing myself in his securing embrace.

"My baby, how are you?"

Bhai Jaan cooed me, caressing my head lovingly. I smiled gazing at his handsome face, that was flushed because of stress at that moment.

"Do you trust me, my baby?"

He asked all of a sudden, shocking me to the core.

"Yes, Bhai Jaan. Is it something to ask?"

I mumbled, widening my eyes.

"What if I do something that hurts you to the core?"

He enquired, his eyes were shallow, not showing any discernible expressions. Why was he asking such stupid questions?

"Bhai Jaan, is something wrong? I always trust you even when it was Hamid..."

"I'm fixing your marriage with Jairaj Singh Thakur."

I was cut off by him when he uttered the most unexpected words.

"Ya Allah!"

My ammi screamed, the tray she was carrying in her hands fell down, creating an irritating sound.

I got numb, my feet had stopped responding, my lips trembled and I didn't realise when I had crouched on the ground.

"What the hell are you saying, Armaan? Your father will never agree to this."

Shaziya ammi blurted out, rushing to Armaan Bhai Jaan.

"Why isn't he here? Why is he always lost? This is his work, still I'm somehow managing it. I don't have any other option left. I am done. Do you think I'm doing all this happily?"

Bhai Jaan bellowed in a low exasperated voice, glaring at chhoti ammi.

"No! I never wanted this, but I lost it. I lost the most precious gift of my life to my enemy."

He yelped, kneeling down, holding my biceps.

"Listen to me very carefully, Inu. He will not touch you without your consent, and you both will get divorced the moment this chaos gets neutralized. Don't worry! I allow you to shoot him if he tries to touch you without your consent."

He grunted, but my body had already stopped moving anymore. My breath hitched constantly, my heart felt like coming out of the ribcage. He isn't even a Muslim like me. How will I manage over there?

They won't allow me to recite Namaz. I won't be allowed to wear hijab. They will force their customs on me. This is something I have been running from since my childhood, and now I am being thrown into all this.

I cannot be a Hindu.

I shook my head, tears had already drenched my cheeks and neck.

"Please Bhai Jaan. Not this."

I quavered, sniffing in between those words. He wiped off my tears and hugged me tightly again. I just don't want to escape this warmth ever.

"They are coming to see you tomorrow morning."

Bhai Jaan muttered, leaving me devastated. He straightened up and gazed at our mothers.

"They have agreed to this relationship, and will visit our Haveli tomorrow."

He somewhat commanded, and went back to his room.

"Unhe ekdum yahi laga ki humara kauno ladka mara gaye saheb. Abhi humko tip dijiye aisa toofani acting karne ka."

"He literally thought that I lost my sons in that accident. Pay me extra for my amazing acting."

The same old lady who was crying before Armaan guffawed after uttering these words.

Before her sat Jairaj Singh Thakur, like a King, his hands spread wide on the backrest of the couch. He smirked at her, plunging his hand inside his pocket to bring out a bundle of cash money.

"Take it, lady. You were wonderful. Thank you."

He growled, she happily took that money, and touched that bundle to her forehead before leaving the place.

Jairaj intertwined his fingers, placing them behind his head, his biceps puffed up as he leaned backwards, smirking constantly.

You lost it, Armaan! You could not win over me. You have no idea how badly I'm obsessed with your sister.

And Inayat!

He thought of her, stroking her portrait with the back of his fingers.

You belong to Jairaj Singh Thakur!

He planted a deep kiss on the lips of that portrait.

"Get ready to be caged under a hungry Wolf. You are the moon to this werewolf, my baby Begum."

Jairaj groaned, switching off his phone whose wallpaper was Inayat's portrait, that he had painted by himself.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

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