It was my wedding day!

I had tossed and turned in my bed last night as I had vivid dreams of my marriage and those haunting eyes kept staring at me.

I did try my best to get as much sleep as possible as I did not want huge eye bags, but I just couldn't as my heart was beating thunderously and I felt a roller coaster of emotions churning inside me.

I wondered whether all women felt the same on their wedding day and concluded maybe they did.

Just thinking of living the rest of my life without mom beside me, made me want to cry my eyes out but the thought that this marriage could protect my family made my distress a little lesser.

It was only four in the morning and fajr was at five and as I had no desire to sleep, I went to the washroom and took a long shower, wore a new dress and offered thahajjud (prayed during the last part of the night) and did a long dua asking ALLAH to bless my marriage.

After fajr, I went down to mom's room but she was already in the kitchen. It looked like she hadn't slept a wink. When she spotted me, she stopped doing whatever she had her hands on and motioned me to follow her to the bedroom. There she advised me on how to live a married life. Some of the advice I hadn't expected to hear from mom ever in a lifetime and it left me colouring profusely.

When I came out of mom's bedroom the whole house was buzzing with noises, laughter and complaints.

Yes, complaints about not finding their things. Ayath was busy searching for her pink lipstick, Ali couldn't find his trousers and my dear mom couldn't find the right ingredients in her kitchen cupboard.

Normally, I would have laughed at the situation but I just kept staring at them.

"Why are you idling around, the beautician is already in your bedroom," Mom exclaimed.

I went to my room in a flash and sat at my dressing table as the beautician began trying her skilled hands on me.

I sat still for what seemed like ages and when I opened my eyes the sight that awaited me made me surprised. I saw very gorgeous women stare back at me, who had skin as white as milk and luminous eyes outlined with kohl, her lips soft and pink.

She had worked magic on me.

I put on my bridal lehenga which was sent by Aahil, he wanted to take care of all the wedding expenses. Ali had disliked the idea and argued in vain but had to agree in the end.

I examined myself for one last time in the mirror. My lehenga was a beautiful maroon colour with a golden border which was richly embroidered. The skirt was studded with small diamonds placed subtly all over and it swirled beautifully when I walked. The blouse was simple and elegant with matching worked and brocaded maroon dupatta which had golden coloured beads dangling on the sides.

The jewellery was made keeping in mind that it blended well with the colour of the dress. A huge diamond necklace with a giant ruby studded as the centrepiece and a set of matching earrings and a bunch of heavy gold and diamond bangles were also gifted by Aahil.

I felt nervous to be wearing such costly ornaments. It was the costliest dress I had ever owned in my whole life.

I looked alien to my own eyes. The girl staring back at me looked extremely alluring and her appearance shouted wealth.

As I finished dressing and came down I realised that the house was still chaotic with the buzz of conversation and activity in every part of the house. Some of the near relatives had already arrived at our house the previous day.

As soon as mom saw me climb down the stairs she rushed towards me and held me in a tight embrace, "Oh my," she started dabbing her eyes to stop the continuous flow of tears.

I hugged her tightly inhaling the sweet smell of her perfume and tried my best to not let the tears flow which was straining my eyelids. Oh, how I loved my mom and my heart ached to separate from her.

My mom hugged me tighter and cried harder, 'Mom, I'm so scared,' I confided meekly.

Tears cascaded down her soft cheeks, "I'm sorry for forcing you to do this," she dabbed her moist eyes, "I feel so helpless without your dad."

I looked at ayath who was still busy looking at her reflection and I couldn't stop my tears this time.

I was definitely going to miss her.

"If all the makeup gets washed with your tears then Aahil will be traumatized, who knows he might even get an attack," Ayath had no idea that this marriage was out of convenience.

"I am beautiful even without makeup," I told with not so much conviction. I knew my beauty was nothing compared to Aahil.

After all, had finished dressing, we left for the wedding venue.

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The ceremony and the reception were to be taken place in a huge open venue which was beautifully decorated by the wedding planners.

The colour combination was white and baby pink. All the pillars were draped in white and baby pink. Twinkling lights covered the trees and bushes. The walkway was brilliantly lit with softly glowing lights. Rose petals were uniformly scattered on the ground.

The tablecloth was white with baby pink table runners.

There were beautiful glass bowls filled with water and a candle glowing at the centre with rose petals floating around it.

In the centre stood a giant cake which was nine tiers high with a fusion of vanilla and chocolate and was specially flown all the way from Spain and might have cost a fortune. I couldn't exactly count the number of courses being served. There were a thousand of waiters hired, who seemed to be running here and there and leaving none, unattended.

If I thought the gifts he sent me were extravagant than the whole wedding was more extravagant than necessary.

Everything seemed magical

Everything seemed like a fairytale comes alive.

I was made to sit on a beautiful platform on a chair draped with a white cloth.

Separate arrangements were made for male and female, a large LED was made to stand in the corner for the ladies to witness the nikah ceremony. According to me, it was unnecessary but as I had no say in the matter, I kept silent.

The sheikh started the nikah, 'Bismillahi Rahman arrahim. In the name of Allah the most gracious the most merciful and then he recited a few verses of the Holy Quran. "Has the Mahr been agreed upon?" Aahil replied with a "Yes."

"Has it been accepted by the bride?" Ali nodded, "Yes."

"Is the bride entering the union with her free will?"

My mom asked me for approval for the last time and I nodded as she told on the phone to Ali, "Yes."

Ali replied to the sheikh, "Yes."

"Is the groom entering the union with the free will?"

Aahil seemed to be lost in thought.

The sheikh repeated his question for the second time and this time Aahil replied, "I am."

Then Ali repeated what the sheikh asked him to, "Aahil, I permit you to marry my sister in accordance to Islamic law, with agreed-upon Mahr, in the presence of all the witnesses here and Allah being the best of witness."

"I agree to marry your sister in accordance to Islamic law with the agreed-upon Mahr in the presence of witnesses here and Allah being the best of witness," Aahil repeated after the sheikh.

All cheered and loud takbir was heard followed by the sheikh supplicating and asking Allah to bless the couple.

Everyone congratulated and few hugged me and some complimented on my looks too.

Any girl would be flattered to get as much attention as I was getting at present but I felt numb.

Mom, Zareen and Rushed made their way towards me and asked me to accompany them.

"You and Aahil spend some time together before the walimah begins," Aahil's sister, Zareen and Habeeb, exclaimed unanimously.

I could hear my heart beating like a drum. I started breathing from one to ten counts.

By the time Aahil opened the door I was a nervous wreck.

His huge frame filled the door as he opened it. He looked spectacular in his elegant suit which complimented his physique, over the sleekness of his hair and those clean-cut angular features and it took a terrifying amount of will-power to drag my disobedient gaze from him.

I screened my gaze by staring at the floor and waiting for him to speak.

Fortunately or unfortunately he sat at the farthest chair available and became busy in a phone conversation.

I did not want to be the first one to speak up so I kept my lips compressed.

About fifteen minutes later there was a slight knock and zareen appeared with her bright smile.

"I hope I am not interrupting but I need to inform you that there is a party out here and the two principal hosts are missing," with that she held my hand and guided me out of the room.

I turned and looked at Aahil, his eyes looked devoid of emotions and his attitude shouted Indifference.

Just then a bright and happy looking photographer entered and I was made to stand beside Aahil.

He held me with gentleness during the photo session but made it a point to avoid eye contact.

"Ok," This is the final picture and I want you both to look at each other.

His brilliant eyes locked with mine and I struggled for breath.

Was it madness to think that there was a gleam of ownership in that look? Or was it even greater madness to imagine seeing hatred in them?

After that, my time seemed to be monopolised by guests. People to whom I had barely spoken at the start of the wedding and to a few others to whom I hadn't, but all of whom seemed to be interested in knowing more about the curious reason for the dynamic billionaire Aahil Hussain to get swiftly married to a middle-class girl like me.

Gradually the guests started to trickle away-save for the family members and a few friends.

It was time to leave the wedding venue and Aahil took brisk strides towards me. He looked as fresh and elegant as he had at the start of the ceremony while I felt spent and drained with exertion.

As we walked towards the exit with my hand firmly held by Aahil, he bent his head and told in a barely audible whisper, "You really want to find out what it is like being married to me? he bit out with a flash of pure fire in his mesmeric gaze."

"You will wish every minute of the day that you stayed where you belonged and you will be begging to be out of this relationship before the reason for which I had to go through this charade comes to an end!"

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Thank you for attending the wedding. I hope my readers enjoyed the cake and all the following courses ;)

Thank you,

voracious_writer