- Noor's POV -

When we did reach the entrance, Yasir mother was waiting for us, holding a shawl.

She looks enchanting and classy as always. Her makeup looks as if she drank from the fountain of youth. Her hair pulls into a tight, smooth bun with small jewelled adornments placed to decorate the bun. Her plum gown makes her pale skin glow even more than usual. Again, she looks just as a socialite wife of the wealthiest man in the country should look like: a perfect doll.

God, I hope I age like her, Insha'Allah. I'm almost envious of how good she looks.

Botox, maybe? A really expensive weekly facial session? She is rich. The green-eyed monster on the left whispers in my ear.

Gosh! Shut up, Noor! I hate how easily I become envious of others. These rude ass comments automatically pop up into my head, I don't even think of them! 

"Assalamualikum!" She greets my parents. The second her eyes lay on me, they instantly light up. "Mash'Allah! Mash'Allah! Mash'Allah! Yasir will not be able to take his eyes off of you tonight. You look so gorgeous, I can't describe it!"

I'm sure I start blushing yet again as she gives me a tight hug, "Thank you so much."

"I will need to hide the bride because we have entrance for her prepared. There's paparazzi waiting to take her picture and we don't want anything getting leaked until the entrance." His mother explains. "Her entrance will be her walking down the main grand staircase, where Yasir will take her by the hand at the bottom and guide her to the stage for a proper introduction and announcement. This will be the first time she should be photographed by the public."

My head starts feeling a little lighter and my hands instantly turn cold.

"I... I don't k-know if I can d-do that..." my words are a stutter.

Attention from more than a few people itself scares me, and the whole world? Nope. Out of the question. I'll pass out.

"Don't worry, dear. It'll only last a minute, the most."  His mother gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Khans take public image really seriously." Abbu comments.

Yasir's mother sighs. "Asad wants everything to be perfect. Not a single hair out of place. Noor is now his pride and joy."

This only makes it worst. Pride and joy? Not a single hair out of place? I thought I was really nervous a minute ago but now I'm close to just nullifying my nikkah.

I can't feel my hands or legs. My face is frozen and I'm sure I just stopped breathing.

Farrah notices and quickly tells me breathe in and out. "You'll be fine. It's just a minute. Just think of this as your moment to be a queen for a bit."

Everyone tries to calm me down but my heart is about to pop out of my ribcage.

I can tell I'm spoiling the mood and making everyone worry so I put on my best smile. "Let's do this! It's my day tonight and I'll have fun while I'm at it!"

Everyone breaks into a relaxed posture, grinning at me.

Mr. Asad picks up Abbu from the entrance and takes him to meet the guests. Yasir's mother wraps the shawl around me and sneaks me into the elevator that leads to the top of the stairs so nobody would see.

I have Ayesha and Farrah come with me or else I know for sure that I'd faint or throw up.

"You can do this... you can do this... you can do this..." I say as I pat my chest over and over again to stop my heart from beating so hard.

Ayesha is fixing the ends of dress while Farrah is making sure my hijab is on properly.

Not a single hair out of place.

Noor is now his pride and joy.

"Do you remember what auntie said?" Ayesha asks.

I nod. Mr. Asad Khan will get up on stage and broadcast that there's a special announcement tonight. He'll say something along the lines of "let me introduce you to the newest member of the Khan family" and that's when the spotlight will shine on me at the top of the stairs.

My job? Just to walk down the stairs as gracefully as possible with a shy yet happy smile on my face.

That's it.

Can I manage to do that?

Only Allah knows.

This hall has a bridal room, that's where we're waiting. There's security camera footage of various angles of the hall with sound in this room, which makes it easier to know my queue.

My heart drops when I see Mr. Asad get one stage.

"It's starting!" Ayesha quickly pushes me towards the door, getting me ready.

"Today isn't only an evening party for my friends and colleague." He looks around at the guests, who look confused and curious. "Today, I will announce one of the most important event that is happening in my family. It is a surprise my family and I have been keeping and tonight is the night we will celebrate it together."

"This is your queue!" Farrah says and I stop breathing.

I can feel my heart beating in my ears so loud that I thought I wouldn't be able to hear my call.

"Please welcome the newest member of the Khan family, Noor Malik!" He finishes his sentence and the spotlight instantly hits my silhouette.

For a second, I freeze. All those eyes... they're all on me. Every. Single. One.

I pick up my dress slightly so I don't trip and begin to walk down the grand staircase. I try to smile but I'm not sure if it even looks genuine because I'm so terrified.

Just as I was walking down, my eyes catch the eyes of my suitor. Yasir is staring at me with a look I can't quite decipher.

Shock? Awe? Amazement? Maybe disgust?

But his sight is most definitely completely glued on me as if he couldn't look away.

My legs are jelly by the time I reach the central landing of the staircase where it divides the upper staircase from the lower one. My legs literally couldn't move any further.

Move, Noor! Move! Come on, just walk down a bit further and you're done!

I look at Yasir with desperation in my eyes and he understood in less than a second, shockingly.

He quickly takes a few steps up and offers me his hand. I have never, ever been this glad to hold someone's hand before.

The second his hand closes around mine, all that anxiety that had pent up inside of me has vanished. I watch as he confidently glides us across the hall, holding me close to his body.

Anyone would've been fooled that we are a happy, loving couple.

As we walk by, I hear all kinds of comments yet not a single negative one.

"She's stunning."

"That gown makes her look like royalty."

"She has to be from a high class family, just look at her."

"Oh my, she's gorgeous."

"Yasir has good taste in women."

Okay, that is false. They should take that comment back. But I mean, they're talking about me so that's not a lie.

"She looks so elegant. They look like such a power couple."

"Before I bring the lovely couple on stage, I have a couple of words to share." Yasir's father says.

Yasir takes this moment to lean down to my ear and whisper, "I have to admit, you look gorgeous. Gorgeous enough to have me stumped for a moment there."

I thought I was blushing before? No, that was nothing. This time I'm on fire, I'm sure of it.

"You'll have many greedy men approach you tonight because they don't see an engagement as a threat." His voice drops to a deeper tone as he simultaneously pulls me even closer to him, "But you're mine. Understood?"

If I could physically turn into a puddle of water right about now, I would because that's exactly what it feels like my body is in the process of.

Those last four words impacted my emotions more than I'd like to admit. This time, my heart is fluttering as if I have hundreds of butterflies caged in my chest, wiggling their little wings to be freed.

I gulp and nod.

"Yasir, Noor. Please take the stage." His father says.

Yasir helps me up onto the stage and tells me not to worry about speaking because he'll be the one doing that.

I'm extremely grateful for that as well because I feel like I'm about to puke from the nervousness. And if the mic comes anywhere near me, I will throw up.

I'm pretty sure I blanked out while he was giving his speech or what not and only came back to reality when he said, "I present to you, my beautiful fiancée, Noor Malik."

Me?

- - -

- A/N -

• The sleep after sehri is such a deep, relaxing sleep omg. Makes me want to sleep until 5pm.

• Also, Yasir keeps switching sides. This man's a little confused. LMAO!

• Today will be a double update! I'm going to update another chapter right after this one. ☺️

Next Update: Friday and Saturday, Insha'Allah!

Please vote and comment and let me know how y'all feel!!