Assalam o alaikum! How are y'all? Long time no see! I know its my fault. But promise, no lame excuses this time. Just Enjoy😊

She checked all the things she missed on for the past week on her phone which Yazaan had given to her in the morning. Skype, Whatsapp, Messenger, Instagram, IMO - there wasn't any social media app on her phone with less than a hundred notifications on it.

She gave her mother and Sanem a call to let them know that she was indeed alive and would be returning to Lahore very soon. How soon? That she herself didn't know because it was impossible to get past these guards without Yazaan's "permission" and Yazaan hadn't talked to her since the night before yesterday.

Then, she skyped Professor Deniz and told him about Meerab and used it as an excuse for not coming to Turkey as planned. After about an hour and a half, she kept her phone on the side and breathed in the clear and fresh air. It was hard to get it in a busy city like Lahore. Running her hands on the green and slightly moist grass, she let all the fatigue and stress flow out of her body for however long she could manage.

She became alert on hearing footsteps behind her. In this part of the lawn, there was no one except her. Not even the patrolling guards. She could see the silhouettes of two guards in the distance but that was it.

"We've been looking for you for the past hour."

Hearing Abeerah's voice, she relaxed. No one from the family except Abeerah and Bi Jaan ever approached her anyway. No surprises really. On the other hand, all the children were quite attached to her.

"You wouldn't have been looking hard enough then. I've been here for about two hours now." She passed a smile to her and gave her a hand to make her sit next to her.

"Are you running from the family? Is that why you're here?"

She sighed deeply. "I wish! But i did manage to escape from the reality for a little while."

Abeerah hugged her knees and placed her head on them. "Its not easy to do that in this life. I don't blame you for trying."

She looked at Abeerah, trying to figure out what was going on in her head. "Its never easy. Not for anyone. But what perplexes me is if you're not happy with this life, why are you here? Its not like your brother is going to keep you here against your will. Ozhan doesn't want this. You don't want this. Why not just go?"

A distant look appeared in Abeerah's eyes. It was as if her body was here but her mind was travelling all across the world. Reconsidering what she just said, Abeerah turned to her and asked,

"What do you mean by Ozhan lala doesn't want this either? How do you know?"

She smiled inwardly hearing Abeerah refer to him as brother when he clearly loved her. She shook her head. "Nevermind that." She stood up and offered a hand to Abeerah as well who took it and stood up as well. "Why were you looking for me? Its not like i would've run away or anything."

Abeerah smiled. "I wouldn't put it past you. And neither does lala. That's why he ordered us to always keep you in sight."

She feigned mock offended look. "I can't run away with all these guardS around! And i don't even know where exactly i am. But I'll take it as a compliment anyway!"

"You should. It means that you are determined. And that's what has lala so worried."

"I'll consider that when i start caring about what your lala thinks."

"Why are you always so cross with him?", Ofcourse Abeerah knew the reason for it she was also sure that there was more than what Layeba lets off.

"As if you don't know", she scoffed.

"I do know the obvious reasons, yes. But i don't know the all of it. No matter how much it seems that you are an open book, i know you're a person who bottles up so much."

She bit the inside of her lip and looked down. The way grass crumbled beneath her pumps clad feet seemed way too interesting to her than answering Abeerah's question. Abeerah had voiced out what she didn't want anyone to even suspect. Sanem or even her mother didn't know that about her. Not because she didn't trust them but because she herself didn't know how to say some things which troubled her. And she spoke enough for people to not suspect that there might be more.

She took a deep breath and put her hand in her hoodie's pockets, rubbing them together. "Let's go inside." And with that, the topic was closed.

They both went inside the house. The first thing she noticed was that far in the corner of the hall, Yazaan was busy on his phone. A frown marred his forhead. Even this far, she could practically feel the tension he was oozing out, the reason of which was unknown to all.

The first person who she was noticed by was Aisha chachi. She scowled immediately on seeing Layeba. Honestly, this was the reaction of every lady present there, once they noticed her.

She proceeded towards them, not really bothered with the hostility she was being showered with.

"Come, Layeba. We were all looking for you. Where were you?" Bi Jaan asked her sounding concerned, once she noticed her.

"I was outside. Wanted to get some fresh air. What happened? What's all the worry about?"

"Doesn't matter. You're here now, that's what matters. Come here. We were discussing the theme for the Walima. Come, have a look. Tell us what you like the best . . . ", Bi Jaan went on but she stopped hearing after the word Walima.

Only then did she notice the numerous sheets, charts and cards spread out on the table. Various boxes which looked like they held jewellery in them were stacked on the floor. Bright colored pieces of cloth were dangling from the edges.

"I had ordered Usama to bring his best pieces of jewellery. You can choose n-"

"What Walima?", she looked at all of their faces dumbfounded.

Bi Jaan smiled slightly. "Your Walima, ofcourse." She made Layeba sit on a comfy chair and explained kindly, "Beta, i know this nikkah happened in unusual circumstances but we can't be kept stuck there, right? We need to think of the next step."

"What next step? And please! Unusual circumstances?" Her voice arose grabbing attention of Yazaan. She stood up, talking with her hands as well."I was forced to marry him. He threatened to kill my mother. You were there! He pulled a gun out on my mother. And you are talking of next step!?"

Hearing her talk like this to their Bi Jaan, everyone was stunned. Before his aunts and cousins could get hold of their tongue and start spewing out scornful words at her, Yazaan did the honors. He covered the distance in six long steps and grabbed her forearm in a tight grip making her hiss in pain.

"How dare you talk to Bi Jaan like this?", his voice was low, his face masked into cold fury. A look that sent thousands to their graves. When green clashed with the dark of her eyes, she forced her expressions into a scowl but he was pleased to see the same fear he had seen countless times, in her eyes too.

He bent her arm behind her, putting a little too much pressure, making her grit her teeth and pulled her closer. "What are you so sure of, huh? Where are you getting all this courage from? Do you think i won't hurt you? That you can say anything to anyone here, especially to Bi Jaan and i will tolerate it?" He bent a bit more and this time, she was sure her shoulder would pop out. Without even wanting to, she let out a pained scream.

"Yazaan, leave her! What are you doing? She's your wife!", Bi Jaan's voice reverberated in the silent hall and Yazaan immediately left her, feeling ashamed of himself for hurting her. She massaged her shoulder a bit, breathing heavily.

"From here", she pointed at Bi Jaan. "I get this courage from Bi Jaan. Because i know she would never let you harm me for i am you wife." For many, this could be the reason to be thankful but to her, it was disgusting. "Because this is what she has taught you all. Respect me for i am your wife. Not for i am a human being. Not because you shouldn't harm anyone but because i have a relation with you. Feel free to break my bones, or shoot me, or dump me like trash if i wasn't related to any of you."

Looking directly in Bi Jaan's eyes, she said, "Respecting relations is an admirable value but its pointless if you don't teach them how to respect humanity first." When Bi Jaan looked scandalized, she said, "Don't deny it. Didn't you do the same? You let him do his thing and threaten all that i hold dear to me but when i was bound to y'all by law, you slapped him."

Taking a dramatic pause as if to let that sink in first, she continued, "Yesterday you reprimanded the children for not respecting their mothers but when he killed one of the guards without mercy and they were scared, you remember what you said, 'brave men don't cry'." She shook her head. She could never get it out of her mind the way he killed so easily and they all lived their lives as if nothing happened. "And none of you still don't see what the hell is wrong with this whole picture. Do naslein pehle barbaad kar chuki hain ap or teesri bhi tabahi ke dahane par hai. Mubarak ho ap ko."

She shoved Yazaan away, who was standing in her way, gave them all a final look of disgust and went to her room, slamming the door shut behind her.

(You've destroyed two generations already and one is on the verge of destruction. Congratulations to you!)

•~•

He could hear voices in the background but his mind was too fazed to grasp the words. He tried to move but he was bound. His blindfold was removed harshly and bright light irritated his eyes. He blinked repeatedly until finally, the blurred figure standing infront of him came into focus.

"Good morning, handsome. Did you sleep well?" Shah Zaman inquired, waving his hand infront of his eyes.

He looked around himself and assessed the situation like he always did. He was in a warehouse of some sort, though an empty one. The roof held its place with the help of pillars. Six men with covered faces stood on guard with rifles in their hands. Three of his most hated faces were there with grins of their mouths: Shah Zaman _ the leader, Shehryar _ the leader's son and Shahbaz _ their trusted subject.

"What do you expect to achieve from this stunt, Shah Zaman?"

Shah Zaman straightened and sincerely said, "Nothing, son. I just wanted a chance to serve you for once. You know, after all the things you and your brother have been doing, you guys deserve a reward."

The other two men snickered on that.

He reminisced about the night he was ambushed. He was really upset after the ordeal with Yazaan and had driven like mad until he had reached a lake. Then, he had left the car and neared the lake, letting the cool breeze calm his mind. He was lost in his thoughts when a culprit sound disturbed the silence of the night. After that, bullets had flown and several bodies had fallen before his eyes until a log had been smacked in the back of his head and the world around him had disappeared.

"It was a pleasure, Shah. You deserved all the services", he gloated.

He noticed a person setting a camera and sighed. Does he really think he can achieve something by torturing me and uploading the video somewhere?

"I'll say something. My right profile is more suited for filming. Come, set it up here", he addressed him directly. "And see? Here lighting is good too. Come, come. Don't hesitate. What would be the use of all your hardwork if the video is of poor quality, right?"

Shah Zaman laughed amused at what he thought was Ozhan's childish attempt to delay the inevitable. On the contrary, Ozhan found it all really stupid.

"You have become more talkative since the last i saw you", Shah Zaman walked with no hurry in the world.

He nodded earnestly. "Maybe." Throwing his head back and looking directly into Shah Zaman's eyes, he said, "But you're still as ugly as the last time saw you."

It was not lazy humor. Though that would be Ozhan's style. It was a challenge. He was daring Shah Zaman with his eyes to do something to him. To live upto all the painful promises Shah was known for and more and attempt to break him with that if he ever could.

After a moment of glaring, Shah chuckled and shook his head. "I must say, we here with boys are jealous of your pretty face. Too bad its not going to stay for long. Speaking of pretty faces, its been almost two days and i still haven't received any death threats from that brother of yours. Either he doesn't care for you or he doesn't know."

As if he wished for Ozhan to feel sad about the first possibility, he looked at him with pity to which he just rolled his eyes.

"I'm sure its the second one. So let's not keep him in any more suspense, shall we?"

•~•

He pulled out grass with his fingers like a nervous teenager. The things different about his situation was A) he was not a teenager and B) the emotion he was feeling was definitely not nervousness.

He had already envisioned a thousand ways to punish the doctor he once thought he loved. He was already worried for Ozhan. God knew where he was. He had gone cross with Yazaan and if he wanted to stay alone, there was no one in the world that could find Ozhan. But now he was beginning to think something fishy was up and not knowing exactly what only fueled his anger.

His phone rang and his irritation increased. Wanting to actually throw the phone away, he attended the video call of an annoying old prick.

"Salam, Khan. InshaAllah, you must be healthy as a horse, right?"

"What the fuck do you want, Shah?"

Sherhyar came into view with an angry expression on his face, like he would punch him through the phone. Shah Zaman sent him away with a wave of his hand.

"Trouble in paradise?", he asked in mock sympathy. "Well, you decided yourself to marry a girl who tries so hard to earn paradise."

As much of salt this was to his burns, he was mostly bothered by how Shah knew that. This was his personal life and though it wasn't hard to find out what relations he had with people, the only reason for how he knew the problems he had with Layeba was that there was a spy in his house.

If there was a meter measuring Yazaan's fury, it would have bursted by now. And that was visible on his face.

"What to do, Khan? Birds fly everywhere. I'm just good at picking them."

"I don't have time for all this shit, Shah", he warned.

"Time to tumhare paas ye pata lagwane ka bhi nai hai ke tumhara bhai zinda hai ya mar gaya."

(You don't even have time to find out if your brother is alive or not.)

Realisation dawned on him as if someone threw cold water on him. Ozhan had been with him all along. He was not so much as worried about Shah killing him. Because he knew the pathetic and dirty tactics he worked with. But that was also why he was terrified.

"I swear, Shah! If any harm comes to him, i'll leave you and kill every single one close to you slowly and painfully."

The sturdy man close to his father's age rolled his eyes. "Empty threats, empty threats." Shah Zaman moved forward towards the camera. "But today i don't have words to retaliate. Instead i have something better."

The camera moved and his heart came in his mouth. In front of him was the most horrifying sight he could ever see. He had done worse to people, yes. But never had he ever thought that he would see his brother battered like this.

Ozhan's hands were tied to the ceiling. His legs were bound together as well. His head was hung but Yazaan could see nasty bruises on his cheek. He was practically wearing a shirt of blood. The dirty yellow and bluish bruises on his abdomen showed that he was punch uncountable times with metallic rings. There was a cut on his arm from his bicep down the elbow which was oozing blood. Below his collarbone, there was evidence that he was tortured with hot rods.

The camera moved to his back which was littered with whip marks, blood covering his entire back. With each injury that registered in his mind, his cold heart broke on one hand and on the other hand, a fire burnt in him threatening to consume everything in its rage.

The camera once again moved to Shah Zaman and his hands gripped the phone.

"State your terms, Shah. What the fuck do you want?", he gritted out.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! You misunderstood me, Khan. I didn't call for negotiation. No. There's nothing you can give me other than the pleasure i'm having from seeing the pain on your face. I called you to let you know that i'm not joking this time. You should now learn already that you shouldn't bite more than you can chew. I'll take everything from you now and then, we'll see if you manage to remain on top."

"You shouldn't have done this, Shah. You've started this war. But know that i'll be the one to end this."

"Quite the contrary, Yazaan Ibrahim Khan. You started this war. But i'll end it."

He glared at him, knowing exactly what he meant. "You do know that i'll burn the entire world if he stops breathing, right?"

"You can't do shit this time, Khan. But don't worry. I'll give you a chance to save him. Two days. Find him in two days. He'll be alive till then. But one thing i can't promise is if he'll be the only one you've got to save. I know how to steal a paradise from a house."

The line went dead.

He screamed. He had never felt so helpless in his entire life. He hadn't a clue about how he could find Ozhan without Ozhan. He could be anywhere! He threw the phone away, letting it shatter against the rocks.

"MUSA! QASIM!", he barked, making his brothers-in-law hurry.

"What happened, lala?", Musa asked.

"Shah Zaman has gone too far this time. Ozhan is in his clutches. I want everyone searching for him. If you have to search the entire country, fucking do it. But find him. And move all the women from here to one of the safe house." He knew the threat wasn't an empty one. Shah Zaman was planning to kidnap Layeba too.

The hell i'm going to let that happen.

His eyes wandered towards the house and landed on the ones they were searching for. Standing in the balcony, in a black pathani frock and a stole loosely draped over her head with dark locks lining her face, she looked ethereal.

But what pushed the limits of his patience was the scowl that immediately marred her face the second she noticed him.

The beast in him was already compelling him to leave everything and go on a killing spree, and this had been the last straw. Funny how his resolve didn't break by the bloody condition of his brother but by a mere scowl, it did.

"Do what you have to do." And he walked into the house up in his room and without bothering to knock, barged inside and slammed the door shut. The number of times this door had been mutilated since the past week, it was a miracle how it hadn't fallen off its hinges.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD!?", she yelled.

"What the hell is your problem, huh?", he yelled back. He reached forward and grabbed her forearms. "Why the hell are you so intent on pushing my limits?"

"My problem?" She pushed him away. "What the hell is your problem? Your family's problem? I have been barking here that i need to go to Lahore and your grandmother is asking what color theme i  want for Walima? Seriously?"

"TO TUM UNKO YE BAAT ARAAM SE BHI BATA SAKTI THI! APNI PHILOSOPHIAN JHAARNE KI KYA ZAROORAT THI!"

(THEN YOU COULD'VE EXPLAINED THAT TO HER GENTLY. WHY DID YOU NEED TO IMPOSE YOUR PHILOSOPHIES!)

"ARAAM SE BAAT YAHAN SUNTA KON HAI!"

(WHO LISTENS HERE THINGS GENTLY!)

She hadn't a clue why they were shouting. She had been already beating herself up for speaking to all of them like she did but she wouldn't be Layeba if she backed down now. She didn't have any problem with apologising and she did plan to do that to everyone. But not to Yazaan. Because he didn't deserve it.

Maybe he wanted to let off some steam. Maybe it was just on his mind for a long time. Or maybe he just found her pouty lips so enticing at that moment. Because he suddenly pulled her towards himself and before she knew it, his lips were on hers, sucking at them with fervent hunger.

Her unresponsive lips, wide eyes, frozen body and a tear trickling down her cheek were proof enough that she one hundred percent wasn't into it. Of all the things she thought he could do to her, never had she thought of this scenario. Perhaps, she had unintentionally trusted him to keep his word which he had given her the day after their nikkah.

How very stupid of me!

Her breathing intensified and her limbs refused to obey her mind which basically screamed to push him away. 

He kept on assaulting her lips until he the lack of oxygen made him pull away. The second he took in her state was the moment horror washed all over him. He realised exactly what he did. The mistrust in her eyes tore his heart all over again. He didn't have a clue of how much more he could take in just one night.

He, Yazaan Ibrahim Khan, had went back on his word!

•~•

Hey, again!
This took seriously too long to write and even though i'm not too proud of it and know its not that good, please vote🌟 and comment🖋 to let me know what you think of it and what you think is gonna happen next.
That's all.
I missed you all😘
Lots of love❤❤❤
Javeria.