Rubab's POV:

I still couldn't believe I had agreed to Fahad's terrible suggestion. What had come over me? He looked so sincere when he had offered to marry me that I lost track of myself for a minute there. Something about the way his eyes held mine just made my mind blank. His intensity really catches me off guard at times. Will we be like this if we get married? I think not. He seems more laidback than Ibraheem. I had barely gotten over my feelings for him and now we were back to square one. Sighing, I knocked on my parents' bedroom as I waited for an answer.

"Come in, Rubab." I heard mama call out to me. They knew it was me because Sohail just barges inside and Vanya is already married.

I stepped inside and sighed in relief as I noticed the two of them watching television in a pleasant mood. Good, I hope this goes smoothly. Ammi looked at me with a warm smile as she ushered me towards her with her hand. Baba who had an unreadable expression on his face looked at me with tender eyes. It didn't take me long to realize that I had inherited my lack of emotions from my father. We were like two peas in a pod. Sohail and Vanya were far more expressive than me because they had inherited mama's cheerful nature. I didn't mind though cause it helped me bond with baba over time.

I was already dreading this conversation. Well, I had already lied to Salman so I guess it was fine but how am I going to tell Misha and Zoya? This was such a big move. I am honestly more worried about their approval than my parents. Mama and Baba already like Fahad ever since he saved me from Zohaib. They have been rooting for him. Balke woh tou us se dubara milna chah rahay thay lekin menay agar yeh baat Fahad ko bata di tou woh shouda hojayega. (Infact they had been asking about meeting him again but I didn't want to tell Fahad because he will get too arrogant.) Well, I don't blame them for thinking this way. Fahad was pretty convincing as my lover. He treated me with such love and affection infront of them, it was almost scary. He is such a conniving snake. And I am about to marry that shaitan.

"What is it, Rubab? You keep zoning out." Baba questioned as he got up and placed a hand on my shoulder, bringing me back to them.

"Mama, Baba, there is something I need to talk to you about." I was looking at them but my mind had drifted off to Fahad's injury. I wonder if the idiot had changed his bandages or not. I have a strong feeling he hadn't. After talking to them, I am going to call him to remind him to change his bandages and apply an ointment to his cut. I am really curious to know what his parents said too. He told me not to worry but still, it is making me insecure. It was hard to believe that they would accept me this easily.

"Sure, what is it? Did something happen?" I sat down on the ottoman infront of Mama and Baba and looked down at my hands in nervousness. Baba had always encouraged an atmosphere of transparency in our family but I didn't know how he was going to take this news.

"Yes, baba, something did happen. Yesterday, Salman and his guards stopped our car and tried to kidnap me." Baba's eyes turned wide while Mama gasped loudly. I felt like I was about to be bombarded by questions but I decided to ease them out first. "But please don't panic. Fahad was with me and we handled the situation."

"How?" Since Mama was still processing the information, baba decided the questions.

"We lied to Salman. I am sorry baba we had too. Fahad was injured so they would have dragged me away with them if we hadn't." I reasoned as I recalled that memory and started to shiver from fear. I felt weak and miserable. I didn't regret lying about this but a part of me felt guilty. Guilt over the fact that the lie should have been the truth.

"What did you lie about? Stop trembling Rubab, look at me beeti. You know me and your mother are on your side. We have seen how disgusting Zohaib can be."

"Baba, I....well....we said that we were legally married to ward off Salman. Salman had told me that Zohaib was hoping to marry me without notifying others and well, that just scared me. I don't want to ever be associated with that man again, baba." I felt my voice crack and mama got up to hug me. She patted my back with one hand while brushing her fingers through my hair.

"You did the right thing, Rubab. We don't blame you. The man and his family is crazy. I already regret agreeing to their proposal. Had I known they would be like this, I would have never agreed." Baba kissed the top of my head as we all sat down again once I calmed down. This time I sat between my parents on the couch.

"Baba there is more. After this, Salman left and we went to the hospital because Fahad had injured his head due to the car accident. Over there, Fahad offered to marry me for real so we could get rid of Zohaib once and for all. I, um, agreed to his proposal but we mutually decided that we will talk our parents before we do anything so here I am." I breathed a sigh of relief once the words finally left me mouth. I felt like I could breathe again. I waited, and waited for an insult or to hear them scold but it never came. Baba placed a hand on my head gently.

"I asked you for your consent when Zohaib's rishta came and I will ask you again now that Fahad has asked you to marry him. Will he keep you happy?" I didn't know the answer to that. I didn't know what to tell him. All I knew was that he was my best option against the psychopath like Zohaib. A voice in my head said, yes, he will. I knew it was my suppressed feelings that were resurfacing again but it scared me and excited me at the same time.

"He will keep me safe, baba. He always has. He is the only person apart from you guys and Misha and Zoya that I have let my guard down against and so far, he hasn't let me down even once. Oddly enough, I trust him. Although, we have had our ups and downs, I feel peaceful with him as compared to any other man I have met in the outside world." His sinister grin and sparkling eyes came into my head and I ended up smiling which was unlike me. His words right before the car accident, his promises and his assurances had left an impact on me. I didn't know if he could change, I didn't know if he could become what I wanted but what I did know was that I could rely on him. He will be there for me if I ever need him. A small part of me wanted to believe him.

"I am sorry, my dear child, that you had to go through this alone. I wish we could be there for you more but if you think and believe that he will be the right person for you that your father and I will trust your judgement. You have always been the most sensible and mature one out of the three. We will go ahead with this. Tell Fahad to come with his parents to our house to ask for your hand in marriage. We will give them a warm welcome." Mama assured me and I felt like a load had been taken off my shoulders. I nodded graciously as I side hugged them both.

"Thank you, mama, baba. InshaAllah, it will be fine. There is one other thing." I still had to tell them that this marriage would be done in secrecy. I didn't know how they would react.

"What is it?"

"Our nikkah, can we do it secretly? I don't plan to tell anyone."

"That's fine with us but not even Misha and Zoya?" I hesitated before answering them.

"No. I want to but I am scared." I don't know what I was afraid of but there was something holding me back.

"Rubab, those two have been by your side since you were a toddler. The three of you have been through thick and thin together. You might not be connected by blood but you are connected by a bond of sisterhood and trust. I think you should tell them. They will want your happiness." Mama was convincing and I concluded that it was better to notify them. I know they wanted to see my happiness but they didn't trust Fahad with it because they knew the truth that he wasn't my lover.

"I will tell them once I have signed the nikkah certificate then. Thank you." I could already imagine them losing their shit but mama was right. It was best to tell them. They were my sisters. We had been through so much together. It was better to do this. I won't tell Fahad that I am telling them though or he will want to tell Ibraheem and Kamran too. I excused myself from my parents as I decided to call Fahad.

I stood on the balcony with the mildly cold February air chilling my face. I loved this weather. Misha's wedding was a month from now. I dialed Fahad's number and waited for him to pick up. He picked up on the first bell.

"Asalam o Alaikum. Kya haal hen meri begum ke? (How is my wife?)" I heard the humour in his voice. Given that he was joking around, I could tell things had gone well on his side.

"Fahad, have you changed your bandages?" When I didn't hear the reply, I sighed harshly. I already knew this was going to happen. "I told you four times in the hospital and even after that to get them changed. Why don't you listen to me?"

"Ah, I see you are adapting well to your role as my future wife. Pareshan kyun hoti ho, ab kara leta hun. (Why are you worrying? I will do it now.)" He chuckled as I heard rustling in the back. "Well, did you talk to your parents?"

"Did you talk to yours?" I countered because I wanted to know his response first. The curiosity was killing me though I didn't want it to show. He would hold that against me too.

"Menay tou pehle hi kaha tha ke woh tumhe kabool hai. Akhir meri pasand ho, thukra thori sakte hen? (I already told you that they have accepted you. You are my choice after all, they can't reject you, can they?)" A smile broke out on my face but I quickly shook my head to catch my senses. This was Fahad Abroo I was talking to. He is a master of words. Don't let him fool you.

"Unko mere maazi se koi masla nahi? (They are not concerned with my past?)"

"Nahi maazi se tou koi masla nahi. Bas aik masla hai unko. (No, they don't have a problem with your past. But they do have one problem.)" My heart dropped. Of course there was something wrong with me that they didn't want to accept. I should have known. I swirled into a pit of self-loath.

"Kya cheez? (What is it?)" I held unto the railing because I was scared that they would back out now. Being rejected had made me light headed and uneasy.

"Unko masla bas yeh hai ke woh jald se jald Rubab Shah ko Rubab Fahad Abroo bhanana chahte hen tou unko kab tak akar rishta mangna chahiye? (The only problem they have is that they want to make you Rubab Fahad Abroo from Rubab Shah as soon as possible so when should we come to ask for your hand in marriage?)" With that, he started laughing as I sighed in relief. This idiot. This shaitan. I should have known he was plotting something stupid.

"Haad hogayi hai Fahad, men dar gayi thi. (Oh my God, Fahad, you scared me.)" Fahad started laughing heartily. He is so evil. Uff tauba.

"Rubab, my parents love you. They want to welcome you into my family as soon as possible. When shall we come?"

"How about this Wednesday?"

"We will be there."

Author's Note:

Hello and Asalam o Alaikum Lovelies!

Since there is quite a lot of confusion regarding the names of some of the characters so here we are. This is the final list. I hope I remember it too lol.

Ibraheem's Mother: Mehwish Saqib

Ibraheem's Father: Saqib Khan Narejo

Misha's Mother: Haleema Yousaf

Misha's Father: Yousaf Sheikh

Misha's Brothers: Humayun, Qasim and Saleem.

Fahad's Father: Zubair Abroo

Fahad's Mother: Nisha Abroo

Kamran's Father: Habib Khan Narejo

Kamran's Mother: Shazia Habib

Rubab's Mother: Zuleikha Shah

Rubab's Father: Aftaab Shah

Rubab's younger brother: Sohail Shah

Rubab's elder sister: Vanya Shah

Zoya's Mother: Rehmana Ali

Zoya's Father: Ali Kareem Mughal

Zoya's Second Eldest Brother: Shahzaib Ali Mughal

Zoya's Eldest Brother: Aqib Ali Mughal