Inayat slurped up the coffee being all alone in that private cabin. Though she wanted to feel nothing about Jairaj, but somewhere her heartbeats had escalated when he simply went away. She was internally scuffling with her own contradicting emotions when she realised that the coffee was finished.

She was about to pay the bills when the waiter told her that Jairaj Singh Thakur has already paid it. She nodded and headed back to the Khan Haveli.

The scene she witnessed there shook her completely.

"TO AYE KYU HAI WAPIS? APKI KOI ZIMMEDARI NAHI HAI KYA?'

"SO WHY YOU COME BACK NOW? AREN'T YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THIS?"

Armaan bhai jaan was bellowing at my father, while my mother was trying to sort out everything between them. She seemed worried, trying to pacify bhai jaan, but he seemed to have lost control.

"AISI AWAAZ UNCHI KARKE MAT CHILLA. NAFISA, SAMBHALO APNI AULAAD KO WARNA HAMARA RISHTA TOOTEGA AAJ!"

"DON'T YELL AT ME LIKE THIS. NAFISA, HANDLE YOUR SON PROPERLY OTHERWISE THIS RELATIONSHIP WILL BREAK TODAY."

Abbu bawled back at bhai jaan, scaring the shit out of me. What did he mean? Allah please, save my parents' relationship.

"Ya Allah! Ye aap kaisi baatein kar rahe hai. Armaan, wo abbu hai tumhare. Lihaaz karo karo unka."

"Ya Allah! What kind of words are you uttering? Armaan, behave yourself. He is your father. Respect him."

Ammi tried to elucidate bhai jaan, who did not seem in a mood to listen to her since his eyes were red with vexation.

"What dignity? Where was he when I needed him the most? Where was he when our family needed him the most? Where was he when our community needed him the most?"

Armaan Bhai Jaan yelped at Abbu, his eyes shed a few tears and instantly ran to him, to hold him because it appeared as if he would fall down at this moment.

He had been handling the backlash from the authoritative religious representatives single handedly these days. From attending interviews to making people understand the need of this relationship, he managed everything all alone, with no one by his side.

He is not happy with this marriage, still he is staking his baby sister's life for our people, but my father. He just popped up from nowhere, accusing my brother of whatnot. I am feeling disgusting about him now.

"I cannot let you marry my daughter off to some Hindu. That's it!"

Abbu groaned, perching on the sofa. Shaziya ammi arrived there with a glass of water in her hands.

"Have it, Amjad. What's wrong, Appi. You aren't even taking care of our husband, and your son, you could he behave so rudely with my husband? You couldn't even raise a child properly!"

She blurted out, and the blood within my veins boiled. How could she accuse my mother like this?

"Chhoti ammi! Choose the words wisely. You are talking to my mother."

I shrieked at her, and her eyes widened with shock.

"Do you have any other option? Can you pacify the communal riots that had broken down in the state. People are happy now. They aren't fighting anymore because of this marriage. We need to sacrifice Inayat for our people. That little eighteen years old girl agreed, but you are having a different kind of problem with this."

Armaan bhai jaan explained to Abbu, his voice softened a little, as if he was trying his best to control his exasperation.

"YES! I HAVE PROBLEM. I should have killed her the day that priest said that my daughter would get married to a Hindu. THIS IS HARAM!"

Abbu screamed back, shocking all of us. Which priest was he talking about? And.....and could he really kill me? I took a few steps backwards unconsciously, ultimately falling on the floor. Ammi instantly crouched beside me.

"HOW DARE YOU, AMJAD ALI KHAN? She is you daughter, your own blood! How could you even think about such a sin?"

Ammi bellowed at Abbu, and he straightened up. I think he wasn't expecting this from my mother, since she has always been submissive. My heart was already shattered in multiple pieces.

"Aren't you performing Haram activities, hn? Where do you stay these days? And my sister is not doing this out of her will. We are staking her dignity for our people. She is sacrificing herself for her fellow muslim brothers and sisters, unlike you who doesn't even care about them."

Bhai Jaan enquired him, abbu's face was turning red now. He was flaring, I could feel anger engulfing him completely.

"ENOUGH! You want this girl to get married to that bastard, go ahead, but this will happen only after you all leave my life forever."

Abbu threatened all of us. I wasn't able to decipher his words, but my ammi's grip tightened on my forearm. He suddenly grabbed my mother's bicep and straightened her up mercilessly.

"Abbu!" Bhai Jaan yelled at him, observing how he had just behaved with Ammi.

"Talaaq!"

"Talaaq (Divorce)"

He exclaimed, and I felt like the ground below me had swept away. If he repeats this word two more times, my parents will get divorced.

"Abbu, have you gone mad or what? Do you even realise what you are doing?"

Armaan bhai jaan blurted out, but chhoti ammi interrupted him all of a sudden.

"Shut up, you kid. He is doing what she deserves, after raising kids like you, and which muslim will tolerate his daughter getting married to a Hindu? No one! He is absolutely right."

She poked in between, irritating me immensely. She has always been like that. She wanted to be his only wife, and this was the best time to execute this plan.

"No!" I managed to mutter

"Talaaq!"

Abbu declared again, and this time my breath hitched. Ammi was standing numb under his hold.

"Am.... Amjad.... what are you doing......I'm your wife...you love me! Wh....what has happened to you?"

She quavered, joining her hands together before him, as she broke down into silent sobs. Abbu glared at Ammi, while chhoti ammi kept smirking.

"Abbu no! Please...we won't be able to unite you if something like that happens.... please."

Armaan bhai jaan implored him coming on his knees when abbu muttered

"Talaaq!"

Saying so, he left my Ammi with a jerk making her fall on the ground. She didn't flinch at all as if no sensations were felt by her. My body felt numb too. I had lost the courage to stand up now. Bhai Jaan's lips were trembling, he was not able to process what just happened.

"Leave this Haveli as soon as possible. Take your kids away with you."

Abbu groaned, wrapping his arm around chhoti ammi's nape, and walking into her room.

"Let's go, begum."

He went away, leaving my mother shattered. Her dupatta fell down of her head, and her bangles had broken due to the impact of the floor, but she couldn't feel her bleeding wrists.

"Ammi! Ammi! Don't worry, Ammi. We'll handle everything. Ammi!"

Armaan bhai jaan managed to stand up and kneeled beside her, holding her and resting her body over his thighs. He patted her cheeks lightly every time he muttered 'ammi', but my mother had stopped responding.

"Am.....ammi...! Please say something."

I quavered, breaking down into uncontrollable cries, holding my dupatta close to my mouth.

"Ammi, hum nanu ke diye gaye amrood kothi me chalenge. Ammi kuch bolein to. Hum hai na apke paas. Hum sambhalenge sab."

"Ammi, we'll stay in the 'amrood kothi' (a mansion with many guava plants) that was gifted to me by my maternal grandfather. Ammi, please say something. I'm with you, Ammi! I'll handle everything."

Armaan bhai jaan cajoled her in all ways possible, but she was too shocked to discern any of our words, and suddenly she fainted in his arms. Bhai Jaan flared gazing at her condition

"AMJAD ALI KHAN, I WILL NOT FORGIVE FOR THIS. I KNOW YOU ARE CHEATING ALL OF US. I KNOW YOU ARE INTO SOMETHING WRONG. I'll find it out. I'll expose you before everyone."

He roared like a tiger, his gaze anchored at chhoti ammi's room, where both of them had gone to. Ya Allah! What the hell is happening in my family. My father just divorced my mother. My brother has sworn to avenge his own father, and I'm getting married to a Hindu. Why are we suffering so much? I have already lost a brother of mine, and now we are separated from Atif and Asif also. I can't afford to lose Armaan bhai jaan.

Please Allah! Sort it out as soon as possible.

"Bhari mehfil me teri izzat na utar di na to mai bhi Nafisa Nasiruddin Ahmed ki aulaad nhi."

"I swear to God that I'll rip apart your honour before everyone, and if I fail to do so, I won't call myself the son of 'Nafisa Nasiruddin Ahmed'."

Bhai Jaan growled, before lifting ammi up in his arms, her head hung low since she was unconscious. Nasiruddin Ahmed is my maternal grandfather, and bhai jaan called ammi with his name this time, because my father has just snatched away his name from her.

"Come, Inu! Let's go from here."

He stated, walking to Ammi's room, carrying her in his arms.

"Why are we staying here?"

I asked in a quivering voice, and he turned his head a little before speaking

"We need to pack our stuff before we leave. We'll leave tonight itself."

I nodded and kept walking behind him. Both of us got immersed in packing our belongings quickly so that we could leave the haveli by evening.

As I kept everything in the bags, my gaze fell on the pendant that was lying by the side of my bed. Suddenly I remembered the words I had uttered before him. Huh! I feel good that I said so to him because I want to hurt him for what he has done with me. Also, I love troubling men in love, but I know he isn't in love. He is just obsessed with me, and that obsession will crumble down once he realises the huge difference between us.

This pendant is too beautiful to be thrown away.

I thought placing it around my neck, before admiring myself in the mirror.

"Hmm! You undoubtedly have good taste, chhote thakur."

I blushed, taking his name, but it vanished instantly, deciphering what I was doing.

I just can't think of him like that. I quickly packed the pendant with me too, and went back to pack up things.

As we were about to leave, the media was flooded with the news of my parents' divorce. Everyone was giving their opinion about this separation, irritating me to the core.

Balraj Singh Thakur had called Bhai Jaan to ask about Ammi, who was conscious now, but still too numb to utter a word. He got to know about our new location and assured us that he'll be visiting us there.

It took us an hour to reach the destination because it's on the outskirts of Prayagraj. We were unpacking everything when the Thakurs arrive there. Balraj Singh Thakur, his younger brother and chhote thakur were there alongwith their mother.

Ammi had already gone inside, and she asked me to visit her. I showed her the way to that room, and she walked to it. Ammi straightened up looking at her, and she instantly hugged her tightly. They didn't say anything, but my ammi cried out loudly that time. I think this is what 'women understanding women' means.

I came out of the room because I couldn't see my mother breaking down like this. My eyes were already teary when I saw him asking the servants to arrange everything.

"Chhote thakur!"

I muttered, slowly walking to him and standing behind him. He kept instructing the servants. I didn't he didn't listen to me.

"Chhote thakur!"

I mumbled again, this time a little louder, but he walked away from there.

He walked past me! Why the hell?

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

How was the update?

You guys are free to judge both Inayat and Jairaj because both of them are neither completely right nor fully wrong.

💜 Love you all 💜