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It had been a week ever since Izhaan's mother forced Izhaan for the engagement. Engagements and wedding in Patel family are totally different.

If the proposal is fixed, the bride and the groom are not meant to meet before the wedding, the only thing that Izhaan hated but he had to abide as their no issue for Ali family with this. Only Izhaan had. His mother was over the moon for the fact that Izhaan was finally getting married. He was getting married within a week now.

Even the engagement was different. It was Sahar who put the ring in Laiba's fingers. It's one of their cultures that groom's sister slides the ring in the bride's finger. For Izhaan, it was Fawad. They didn't even met during the small ceremony, it was completely private.

"Shahveer, please yaar. I don't wanna try it."

"What please? It's your wedding Izhaan. You need to try those fits and it's Sunday what are you doing here?" Shahveer leaned over the wall of his office.

"I have a few projects that needs my dire attention. Can't come buddy. You and Rayed can go and select anything you goes like for me, okay?" He says focussing back at the computer.

"Are you gone nuts, Izhaan?" Rayed sips the juice, sitting in the sofa of Izhaan's office. "Is it our marriage? You need to try those in order to select what suits you the most!"

The news of Izhaan and Laiba's wedding got out this morning. Though they tried keeping it private but who would ignore the fact that the handsome bachelor Izhaan and the only princess of Patel family Laiba was getting married.

"I am completely fine with anything you guys just-"

"Just choose something with the prospective of Laiba selecting one," Rayed joked cutting him off. "You!" He threw the stretch ball kept in the table but Rayed dodged it and smirked.

"I really am busy guys."

"We know why you are so frustrated. We know not seeing Laiba after a week of your engagement and wedding within a week is getting you off." Shahveer says sitting in the chair in front of Izhaan's table.

"It's not tha-"

"It is!" They heard from the door. It was Areeb.

They glanced towards the door. Areeb was standing with anger flaring in his eyes. Izhaan sat still, Shahveer sat gazing at Areeb.

"Areeb?" He knitted his brows. "How are you man?"

"I was fine, Shahveer." He responds walking in. "Before this morning," Shahveer and Rayed looked at each other. They knew what this morning happened. They kind of understood what Areeb was trying to mean. They shifted in their sits, a little taken aback.

Izhaan's eyes stayed darted at Areeb.

"Can you guys give us a minute guys?" Izhaan says closing the file and switching off his iMac. Shahveer and Rayed got up from their sit and walked out.

Areeb walked towards his table. Storming the table with his hands, he yelled, "You knew we loved each other."

Izhaan sighs, "Look. I tried to back off."

"What do you mean you tried? I freaking love that girl, Izhaan and all you say after you get engaged to her is you tried."

He yells at Izhaan. He rolls his eyes and leans in his chair."I have loved her for three years." He says turning towards the French window view in the left.

"There is only one way that this can be stopped." Izhaan says closing his eyes.

"What is it?" He asks.

"I'll call you when the time comes. Pick up my call at every cost." He says. "You better do, Izhaan because I can't see someone else taking what I love." Areeb storms out of his office room.

A tear drops down his eyes.

Was fate too cruel to him or he was too good?

•

L A I B A

I scanned the ruby with small diamonds ring resting on my ring finger. I can't seem to sleep tonight. It is my nikah tomorrow. I haven't talked with Izhaan ever since that night when we bumped into each other in starbucks. It really hurts me for the fact that I don't even know if he likes me or not but I can't seem to stop myself from thinking.

I am thankful Areeb is not in my way.

I had completed only high school and was about to join college when his proposal came for me. It was said that he liked me after looking at me in a wedding.

No matter how hard I ponder over it, I could never remember when I met him. Probably I didn't notice the fact that he looked at me. Of course there are so many people in a wedding.

My father agreed to the alliance telling me that Areeb was the one of the top influential people in the country. I agreed and I tried to accept it to reality. I do not realise still why he wanted to. My grandfather was the chairman of the Patel group of companies. He persuaded grandfather who was alive at that time to arrange a meeting of us breaking the Patel family rules.

With a lot of thinking Dad agreed to it. Fawad Bhai didn't wanted me to Areeb at the first place, he always had and will forever hate Areeb.

I met him.

It was one of the most tragic moment of my life. Areeb was horrible. When we met, he repeatedly tried to touch me which boasted my fear towards men more than I already had.

The bruise I had in my wrist was so horrible and on display for several days. He was insulting me again and again and it wasn't funny to be treated that way. I cried in my mother's arms that night. I never met Areeb after that nor did he tried to. Mom wanted to break this alliance but I persuaded not to because I was scared that he might hurt me more.

On our wedding day, my grandfather who was too scared to let me go suffered a stroke. A heart stroke which made him die just before my wedding.

It was heart breaking to see my Dadajaan die. He was the only man who never scared me, he always welcomed me with open arms. He was yeh first one I always go to tell anything.

After his death, I thought that our wedding would be postponed but no it wasn't, it was broken. It was broken by Areeb himself. No one thought he would do something like that. But he broke it himself because he had an agreement with my grandfather that promises to give him the chairman place in our group of companies because our family business was too close to the fact of going to bankruptcy.

Dad wasn't aware of it. My grandfather was forced to fix our alliance for that. Now that he was dead, marrying me wouldn't get him anything. He left me for that.

Now when I look back I never regretted the fact that he left me. I was happy for it, because he was the worst thing that could happen to me. But that happiness was too small infront of my grandfather's death.

I miss him.

But today, the kindness of my grandfather is depicting in Izhaan. I don't know why.

Kashaf was snoring beside me. She was tired. She did a lot of chores today. She was the best friend I could ever have asked for.

There is a fear. Fear that what if Izhaan turns out like him. What if he is too dominating and stubborn on his principles? From the things I have heard about him, he is different but I also heard much about Areeb he was kind and all. He wasn't.

I didn't know when sleep knocked the door of my brain and when I woke up in the morning I realised I had slept too well compared to how much nervous I was. I sat straight for a few minutes to realise that I had actually woken up.

My sleep felt like five minutes. Just five minutes. I was still tired from yesterday's functions.

I gazed at my henna filled hands. His name was there. In the back of my palms. I still sat for a while hearing all the hush and bush outside the room. Kashaf wasn't there.

The door storms open as she walks in with a huge basket. It had plenty of clothes, packed.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Salma Appa packed your few clothes which were left to send to Ali Mansion. We had totally forgotten about it." She says landing inthe bed as I stretch my arms getting up.

I got freshened up and wore the fit. It felt surreal. There were few things I was suppose to do before the fit. I read namaz. I looked in the mirror and I can't believe.

I was the bride.

I forgot I was the bride often in the previous functions. I probably do that sometimes. My eyes were darted towards my reflection. Kashaf was drying my hair and straightened it.

She was the best hairstylist. At least to my hair she was. Kashaf was already in her ivory and mint green with a pinch of pink sharara. Mom came in with a plate of breakfast for me.

I gazed at her, smiling. She had tears in her eyes.

"My baby is all grown up and look at her." She says hugging me. "I can't believe the fact that you are getting married," she plants a kiss in my forehead when a tear drops down my eyes.

"Look at her, Kashaf. She looks like she just came out of heaven." Kashaf chuckles saying, "She indeed came from home, Lyana Aunty. She is an angel and Izhaan Jiju will keep her happy."

I smiled at her. She was looking no less then the best. I wonder what will happen to Fawad Bhai today. I did my breakfast while she made my hair.

We were just joking about the previous events. Mom visited me a few times. Kashaf did my makeup as well. My mom put the jewellery on me. It felt too good to be dolled up.

"Good choice, Kashaf." I say looking at the mirror for the fit she choose for me.

"Buddy?" She laughs. "Izhaan choose it."

I was shocked. He choose the lehenga? He choose maroon? My freaking favourite maroon colour.

"Wha-t?"

"Yes, he did. It's so pretty, right. He said Sahar told him that you like maroon."

I remember telling Sahar about it in a party. I sigh. I couldn't stop myself from falling. I am a very nervous and scared person but now that I notice, I wasn't scared nor was I nervous about this wedding and him.

But I did had a speculation that I will get scared once I see Izhaan.

Might faint.

I glanced behind me when I heard a knock and the door opened after I permitted. It was Fawad Bhai.

He was coming in with his eyes closed. I chuckled at his cite action. Fahad Bhai and Faayaq came in that way as well. They using their arms to speculate the things around and stood in front of me. I instructed them rightly. Kashaf started laughing looking at them but only after the fact that she was stunned looking at how damn handsome my brother was in that beige sherwani.

"You can open your eyes now, brothers!" She declared. I smiled. Their eyes were darted at me, they were grinning ear to ear. Then I noticed, they had already started crying. They hugged me, crushing my bones to the end. I chuckled equally crying with them.

"Laddu, you have grown up so much." Faayaq says, wiping his tears back to back. "You look great, L. You look out of the world," Fahad Bhai says. I blushed.

"Izhaan will keep you the happiest. I can assure that as his friend, Laiba."

Somewhere I believed that he was right. May be he was.

We had someone clearing their throat. It was Dad standing near them. I didn't notice his presence at all. My brothers moved aside to let him see me. He came forward actually stunned.

He was looking up and down. I could notice tears glistening in his eyes. I never knew Dad was so emotional. I never thought he'd cry. He hugged me. I felt like I would float in the coldest water. He was crying. He placed a kiss in my forehead.

"This is the day I was always scared of and it arrived all of a sudden," he says. I wiped his tears equally crying.

"Be happy, meri bachi."

We left towards the hall where the nikah was supposed to be. I was sitting in the room. Nervousness had kicked already.

I was gazing up and down at myself. Reciting surah I could at the moment. There was sound in the room. I thought the door was opening but no, it was coming from the other side, from the window.

I sat back in fear. The window opens and in comes...

Izhaan.

•

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