In the silent dark room, the only sound was of switching on & off the lamp. Sitting by the edge of the bed, Waseem recalled the events of that day.

2 years ago -

"Mashaallah .. saaj-sajawat to bahut hi umda h, Siddiqui sahab. Jaise nayi Dulhan ho", taking a 360° look at the beautifully decorated Siddiqui Mansion for the Ceremony, a tall reputed man spoke to Waseem.

"Shukriya, Malik sahab. Sb aapki meherbani h", smiling from ear-to-ear to the man dressed in traditional Royal Blue kurta pyjama, Waseem stood firm on the Wedding day of his younger daughter.

"Ab der mat kijiye. Hamare Arshad ki hone wali Dulhan ko bulwa lijiye. Hum Maulvi sahab se keh kr jald se jald bachchon ka Nikaah padhwa dena chahte h", a long time business associate and soon-to-be a relative - Gafur Malik made a request as he tried to contained his excitement for their children are finally gonna be married to each other.

"Ji bilkul, Malik sahab! Hum bhi yahi chahte h ki Nikaah ki rasmein jald se jald poori hoye. Hum abhi Zoya ko bulwate h", expressing the same wish, Waseem turned around to stop his elder daughter who was just passing by.

"Maya bete, zara jaa kr dekhiye to aapki behen taiyaar hui ya nahi. Apni Ammi se kahiye Zoya ko neeche le aayen"

"Jii Abbu"

With that she turned and took the stairs to her right. Waseem turned and continued chatting to Malik, "Tashreef laiye, Gafur sahab. Aap to jante hi h yeh auraton sajne-sawarne me kitna waqt lgati h", chuckling he escorted Gafur Malik towards the Mehfil.

*In Zoya's room*

"Yeh sb kya h Zoya? Aap ab tk tayaar kyu nhi hui h?", seeing the Nikah joda lying on bed still packed in covers, Roshnaq demanded answer from her daughter.

Zoya was sitting on the bed wearing red saree & bangles. "Ammi hum pehle bhi keh chuke h. Hum Aditya ka intezaar kr rahe h", she replied without meeting her mother's eyes.

"Ya Allah Zoya! Phir wahi zid? Aap apne Abbu ka faisla jaanti h. Woh iss rishtey ke liye raazi nahi h"

Zoya stood and looked at her mother, "Fir aap hamara faisla bhi sunn lijiye Ammi. Agar hum Nikaah karenge to sirf Aditya se".

"Aapke Abbu ne aapka Nikaah Dr. Arshad se tay kia h. Aur unke faisle ko sirf woh khud hi badal skte h. Aapke yaa hamare paas ...

"Ammi aap...."

She was in the moment of arguing when the door opened interrupting their fight.

"Ammi? Zoya? Aap dono ki awaaz bahar tk aa rahi h", stepping inside the room Maya shushed the two ladies. She looked from her mother to her sister, both of whom stood stubborn with their stances.

"Achcha hua aap aa gayi Maya. Smjhaye apni ziddi behen ko. Dimaag kharab ho gaya h inka. Aditya ke naam ki zid pakad kr baithi h", tired & exhausted Roshnaq complaint and handed the wedding dress over to Maya.

"Ammi aap jaa k please guests dekhiye. Zoya ko ready kr ke main le ke aati hu", sensing the situation in the room, Maya calmed Roshnaq who nodded and after having a last glance at Zoya, left down the stairs.

The moment their mother vacated the room, Maya bolted the door behind her and turned to Zoya.

"Tumhari Aditya se baat hui? Where is he?", she enquired walking up to her sister.

"Nahi Appi .. hum unhi ke call ka wait kr rahe h. Pata nahi kahan reh gaye", Zoya looked at her phone.

"Did you try calling him?", she asked unlocking her phone.

"He's not picking up my call, Appi", in a scared voice, she told her elder sister.

"Zoya baby .. please calm down", holding her shoulder Maya made her little sister sit on the bed. "Now call him again. Tb tk main tumhare Jeeju se baat kr k aati hu. Don't worry we'll find Aditya", with a lil smile to her baby sister she got up to go to the window to type a message to her husband. That's when Zoya held her arm.

"Appi aaj sb theek hoga na?", she asked for her elder sister's assurance.

Hearing her sister's question who was about to cry, Maya bend and cupped her face, "Aaj kuch galat nahi hoga, I promise. After all, meri behen ka Nikaah h. Usse apna pyaar milne wala h. Aaj sb theek hoga", with a kiss on her forehead she assured her sister.

Sahir was attending guests alongside Waseem when he recieved Maya's text. She was asking him to check on Aditya. He was typing a reply when her next message popped up -

"Find out where he is? She's getting her blood pressure high".

She was referring to Zoya's hypertension. It was obvious cuz Aditya had gone missing on the Wedding day. But her husband could sense that she was more tensed than her sister. She was just good at hiding it from her, but not him.

"At your service, ma'am ;)"

Adding a wink emoji he replied to his wife's text and slid his phone back in his pocket. Then for a moment, Sahir mused on these sister's bond. His wife is whole another level when it comes to her sister. No wonder it was her crazy plan to escape Zoya-Aditya amidst all the people that were there to attend the Wedding that would never happen and get them married.

Another text popped, she had sent him a heart. Sahir smiled at it and shut his phone. Seeing his father-in-law getting distracted with other guests, he made his way towards the back exit of the house without anyone noticing it.

Smiling at her husband's antics, Maya walked back to her sister who literally was running out of patience.

"Aditya ka phone regularly switch-off aa raha h. Aapne Jeeju se baat kari? What did he say?"

"Zoya tumhare Jeeju gaye h Aditya ko laane. You look dehydrated. Have some juice .."

Maya was pouring some juice for Zoya when someone banged the door continuously. They looked at each other. It was their Abbu.

"Maya? Bete aap ander h naa? Darwaza kholiye, itna waqt kyun lag raha h aap dono ko? Aapki behen ready hui yaa nahi? Nikaah ka waqt nikla jaa raha h. Maya?"

He kept knocking. Zoya looked at Maya with horror, "Hum yeh Nikaah kisi bhi haal me nhi krenge Appi. Hum yeh .."

"Ssshhhh tumhara Nikaah Aditya se hi hoga. Now take this aur isse jldi pehen k aa jao. Abbu ko main sambhal lungi", handing the wedding dress to her and with a plan in her mind, Maya walked to the door.

"Kitna waqt kyun laga darwaza kholne me? Aur Zoya kahan h?"

Waseem barged in with his questions as soon as she opened the door.

"Abbu Zoya ready hi h. Hum bas aa hi rahe the", Maya told looking to the washroom where Zoya was in while her eyes fell on the many missed call notifications on her phone screen.

"Arshad aur unke Abbu humse kitni dafaa puch chuke h. Aap unhe jldi laiye, beta"

Saying that Waseem left. Maya sighed & picked up her phone. It was from Sahir. A quick text popped -

"Tell Zoya to be ready. I am bringing her Groom. We're stuck at a Jam outside the Airport. Trying to reach soon :(".

Maya smiled at their little victory. But an entire War was still left to fight. With a next thing in her mind, she turned to see Zoya step out of the changing room all ready for her wedding. Her eyes glued with a lot of emotions in them seeing her baby sister dolled up as a Bride. She wanted to hug her and cry. Realizing they had a bigger problem to solve, she brushed away the tear that was at the corner of her eyes for later. She walked to her wondering how to tell Zoya that it won't go without a Drama.

"Come"

Maya offered to take her hand.

"Aditya?"

"Just come with me", she said firmly.

"But Appi .. "

"Do you trust me ?", with a serious look Maya asked her sister.

Zoya looks confusingly at her sister's sudden request. Despite, she nodded.

"Then give me your hand"

Maya extended her hand, asking for her trust in return. Hesitatingly, Zoya give in.

Mehfil fell silent upon seeing the bride making her way into it. With her face covered under a long veil and having a faith on her Allah, Zoya walked with lazy steps escorted by her sister.

"Maya wahan ruk kyun gaye beta", their mother came calling to them when they stopped at the foot of the stairs abruptly. "Jaiye apni behen ko Arshad ke samne baithaiye", mother instructed her daughters.

Taking as much time as they could, the two of them slowly walked with everyone's eyes on them where every minute felt heavier than the minute passed. Not knowing what's written in destiny for her, the one under the veil forced the years back into her eyes while her lips chanted prayers to her Allah. While the one who walked beside her in anticipation held onto her faith & love for her sister.

Hands raised up in prayer as the Nikaah rituals started. Then Maulvi proceeded to first ask the groom to present the Meher to his bride before he take their consent for the marriage.

"Agar aaj yeh Nikaah ho gaya, to main khud ko kabhi maaf nahi kr paungi mere Maula. Ab sb tere hawaale h .."

Relying on her faith, Maya's heart prayed while her eyes stay glued to the entrance. It was the moment of decision for her sister's destiny. No sign of Sahir or Aditya yet. Nor any message of how far they were. Her heart beated faster than it ever had.

Zoya's breathing slowed abnormally due to the overtaking anxiety. Her supposed groom had accepted her as his wife. It was her turn.

"Zoya Waseem Siddiqui, aapko Arshad Gafur Malik se yeh Nikaah qubool hai?"

Zoya grabbed Maya's hand tightly fearing the question. And when she spoke nothing, Maulvi repeated the question.

"Kya tumhe Arshad se yeh Nikaah qubool hai?"

When she didn't say a word even the third time, the mouths in the Nikaah mehfil started talking. Hearing the negative talks in the room Waseem got up from his position and walked to them.

"Yeh kya badtameezi h Zoya? Maulvi sahab aap se kuch rahe h. Jawaab dijiye", he glared at her from the other side of the curtain.

Zoya was badly sweating under the veil as she dreaded her Abbu. The entire focus was on her at that point, waiting to her those two words of confirmation from her.

"Bas kuch der aur .. please", Maya whispered to her from side rubbing Zoya's palm softly.

"Bolo beti, tumhe Arshad Gafur Malik se yeh ..", the question was being repeated when a voice crystal clear answered.

"NAHI"