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Another one by storiesbyzainab, this one dedicated to Miss Sameer. Thank you! 😍

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Hooriya

I helped the girl sit down on the sofa in the common area of the B&B after she broke down into tears. She set down her backpack on the floor beside her, and my eye caught the keychain that was swinging from the zip: a lion. It reminded me of the lioness keychain that Arsal had given me on my wedding day. I asked one of the staff to bring some water, before I sat down beside the young girl. Tahira Anwar. "This is going to sound like a very silly question, but are you okay?" 

"I..." She hiccupped. "I didn't know where else to go. I know someone who lived around this area... the only one who had ever shown concern for me." She shook her head as a drop of tear slid down her cheek.

"Look, I know I'm a stranger, but sometimes it helps to talk to strangers as well. It's easier." I whispered. "If you want to talk, I'm here to listen." Dado had always promoted the concept of 'women supporting women'. The sad reality of life is that women suffer more, and if they find words of comfort from other women, it eases the burden in their heart a little bit. 

"S-Sorry." She looked at me with an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to break down."

"Don't apologise. Cry if it helps you feel less overwhelmed." I reassured her. "Do you want to go up to your room?" 

"I feel safe enough here. It's okay." She wiped her tears using the back of her hand.

The staff member returned with a bottle of mineral water and handed it over to Tahira, who thanked her gratefully.

I didn't want to press her, so I sat beside her wordlessly like a silent support. 

TRIGGER WARNING: THE SCENE MENTIONS PHYSICAL ABUSE AND TALKS OF SELF-HARM

"I..." She began softly. "I lived with my mother, stepfather and half sister. I often felt neglected, like a discarded piece of furniture that gets tossed into the storage room. Not thrown out of the house, but not part of the house either. Not too long ago, I was forced to drop out of university. My mother started emotionally blackmailing me that I needed to stay home to help her out with the housework and her other daughter. I refused herself, but then..." Her voice broke. "Then she held a knife against her wrist until I promised to drop out."

My heart broke as I thought about her being raised in such an environment. I couldn't even imagine not having parental love.

"But now..." She put her hands on her face, sobbing hard. 

I put my hand on her shoulder, giving her reassurance as best as I could, given the circumstances. My own eyes had filled up as I deeply felt her pain.

"Now they wanted me to marry a friend of my stepfather! A forty-seven-year-old man!" She cried out.

My jaw dropped open.

"So...So I ran away." She hugged herself. "I didn't know where to go. I have nobody! But if I had stayed, they would have forced me to marry him! My mother would have emotionally blackmailed me again and I would have surrendered."

I had no words of comfort for her, no way to give her any advice. I had never experienced anything but a loving family environment, so I couldn't help her. But then a thought occurred to me, and it seemed like the best possible option for me. "Look, I want to help you. My Dado can help you. She'll know what to do. Is it okay if I take you to her?" 

She looked uncertain.

"At this time, we need someone more experienced, someone wise, to guide you. And she's brilliant at it, Ma Sha Allah."

She picked her bag up and hugged it to her chest, playing with the lion keychain. For a few seconds she looked thoughtful, before she nodded slowly.

"Give me a few minutes okay. I need to let my husband know that I'm going, and then we'll be on our way." 

She looked up at me, eyebrows furrowing slightly. "Sorry, what's your name?" 

"Hooriya."

She blinked slightly, but didn't say a word.

"I'll be right back." I excused myself and headed towards the dining area where Farhaan was with the electrician. 

He saw me enter and walked over to me, grinning. "How's it going, Miss Boss?" 

"I am acing it like everything that I do." I shrugged. "But listen, there's a bit of a situation. I need to go and see Dado."

"Is she okay? Everything okay?" He looked concerned.

"Yeah. Just an issue with someone that I feel that Dado can help with. I normally don't take advantage of the fact that my husband is the boss, but today I have to." I smiled sheepishly at him.

He kissed my forehead. "Don't worry, go."

Giving him a hug, and a discreet kiss on the cheek, I headed out back towards the common area where Tahira was waiting for me.

*

Haya

"Almost all the paintings that I created based on crickets have been sold." I told Yasin Chachu excitedly.

"Ma Sha Allah! My talented girl!" He smiled proudly at me as he leaned forward to add the finishing touches to his own painting.

Same buyer though.

But, of course, the whole purpose of a business is to sell something, as per Cric_doc. It didn't matter if it was the same customer.

Dr Aariz Abdullah.

"It gives me hope that my paintings are good enough to be sold." I walked over to the railing and looked over the grounds of the Tariq family home, where I'd come to see my Chachu. When he was off, and when Saba Chachi and Bunny were busy, he spent a lot of time here. In good weather, he would paint on the patio deck...like he was doing today.

"I always knew it. It was just you who doubted yourself." 

I couldn't help smiling with pride. I had taken the baby steps towards my own gallery! In Sha Allah! 

*

Hooriya

Dado looked thoughtful as she heard us. I'd called her and explained that I'd wanted to meet her regarding a delicate situation, and she had called me over to the shelter home where she was helping out Rebecca Aunty.

We were in a sitting room of some sort, and my grandmother was paying full attention to what Tahira was saying.

"Oh, my dear, that is a horrible situation you are in." Dado whispered. "Nobody should have to experience that."

"Please don't ask me to go back." Tahira pleaded with her. "I can't! I don't think I can survive there."

"Oh, my dear, I would never ask anyone to tolerate zulm." Dado reassured her. "Just out of curiosity, how did you come across Hoor?" 

"I was looking for a place to stay in this area." Tahira replied, her head bowed. "The hotels were too much, and the B&B was something that was...within my budget." Again, she clutched onto the lion keychain.

"You said you were looking for someone? A relative?" I asked.

The younger girl shook her head, her gaze on her bag. "A classmate. I don't even know why I'm looking. I have no reason to believe that..." Her voice broke again.

"For now, if you're okay with it, you can stay right here at the shelter." Dado told her gently. "Rebecca will take good care of you, and it's a safe and secure space for women." 

Tahira looked at me uncertainly at first, before nodding. "I just don't want to go back there."

"You're over eighteen, right? Nobody would force you to go back." Again, Dado reassured her.

Tahira looked relieved.

*

Arsalan

I stared at my reflection bored as the barber cut my hair. I had been forced to come here by my mother, and Rohaan had ensured that I came here. Currently, my brother was pacing outside the barber's, scrolling through his phone.

Today I wasn't allowed back home. After the barber's, Rohaan was taking me to the cinema and then we were going to go out to eat. Mama had banned me from the house until I had a day out.

"Enough is enough." She had said, firmly.

To be honest, it felt like a good change. The four walls of my room were starting to do my head in. It was good to get some fresh air. Parents did know what they were talking about, I suppose.

Rohaan came back inside. "I left my brother in here. Anyone see him? All I now see in here are civilised people." He grinned at me in the mirror.

"Hilarious." I muttered.

"Come on. You can pick the film today, bro. Once in a lifetime moment where I'm gonna be nice to you." Rohaan stood right behind my chair.

"I need to go home and shower first, and then we can go out." I stood up.

"Bro, you aren't gonna leave the house if we go back." He scoffed.

"Mama will make sure I do. You know I like to get showered after a hair cut." I stood up and thanked the barber.

"Thank God you cut your hair, man. Otherwise, with all the lion references, I was starting to think that you wanted a mane."

I forced a weak smile on my face, but it was all a façade. Okay, this is ridiculous. I need to sort myself out, for my family if nobody else. I can't just drown in sorrow. If I am worried about her, I need to do something about it. Being miserable and locking myself up in my room is not helping anyone! After my little self-pep talk, I thought about my mother in particular and how worried she had been about me.

"I have to find her myself." I muttered under my breath. 

"Who?" Rohaan looked at me curiously.

"Nobody." I headed out before he could question me further. I was so lost in my thoughts that I almost forgot to pay, but as I turned back, I saw Rohaan making the payment for me. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but this way you'll owe me one." He grinned. "And I enjoy it when someone owes me." He chuckled.

*

Tahira

I knew that I had just met Aslan's sister and grandmother.

Well, I didn't know initially. It was really by chance that I had walked into the B&B. But the moment Hooriya had told me her name, I'd put two and two together, judging by the similarity in her facial features to Aslan. He had mentioned his siblings quite a lot, so the name had rung a bell.

And then when she had taken me to meet Nina Tariq, a famous former journalist in literature, art and culture, I just knew that I was amidst Aslan's family. I didn't say anything, because how did I tell such wonderful people that the troubled girl that they were attempting to help was actually looking for their wonderful, stable boy.

But regardless of it all, I at least felt safe now. I was away from the threat to my safety and freedom. I had no doubt that my stepfather would have killed me for refusing the marriage. I knew well that the law was on my side, but even in the UK, many times the law is completely disregarded by illiteracy.

I lay on the bed in my assigned room and closed my eyes, and I started getting visions of Aslan in my head. Flashbacks of his shy expressions, his smile and the warm and friendly sparkle in his eyes. I'd seen kind people outside my family, and there's no denying it. But Aslan had reached out for me, had shown concern for me, even when others had ignored my blatantly obvious misery.

At my darkest times, I found myself asking Allah why I was created, but when I had met Aslan, had started to believe that even in the worst of our times, Allah sent angels in form of humans; angels who look out for us, sent by the Creator Himself. Aslan's humanity and compassion had won me over, and I was grateful to him. My purpose of finding him was not just to thank him for his support, but also to feel that comfort once again. We had no relation, we barely had a friendship, but he had felt my pain on a level that nobody had before.

I fell asleep, with a tear running down over my nose and landing gently on the pillow. 

I am safe. Alhumdulillah.

*

The next morning, I decided to make a CV. It was about time I started looking for a job.

Unfortunately, my stepfather had smashed my phone, so I was out of communication with the real world. I only had a handful of money that I had used to book a cab the old-fashioned way- by waving it down by the bus station- and then the remaining I had planned to use for the B&B, which I no longer had to, thanks to Hooriya.

"How are you doing, Tahira?" Rebecca Aunty asked me warmly as I came downstairs.

"I slept well after a very long time." I admitted. "But, I needed to ask you something, if it isn't too much?" 

"Of course, my dear."

"Is there any way I can have access to a computer...and Internet? I need to create a CV and look for jobs."

"Oh, honey, we just have the main desktop in my office for now." She replied. "I'm working on getting computers for the use of the ladies, but it's going to take a while." She paused. "If you want, you can use it during my lunch break, when it's free?" 

"That'd be great, thanks."

And so, as she had lunch, I created a CV- using a career website for help. I had no experience and I had dropped out of university. I doubted that I'd get a decent job, but for now I needed to earn just enough to feed myself and get a one-bedroom place. I couldn't stay here forever.

And then, unable to stop myself, I went onto Google's Incognito mode and searched the name that had been invading my mind for a while now: Arsalan Rehan Tariq.

I got a lot of search results for the author Rehan Tariq, a.k.a. Aslan's dad. And then I saw a photo on a social media page by someone named Ifra. It was a group of youngsters, wearing desi clothes, with the caption 'Eid Mubarak' at the bottom. I spotted Hooriya beside a girl who looked similar to her- her twin, I suppose. And then my eyes landed on Aslan.

What are you doing? Stop stalking him!

But my gaze wouldn't move away from his photo. The same shy, innocent smile that I missed.

And then I found a family photo, of Mr Rehan Tariq at a book release, along with his wife Anabia Rehan, Hooriya, Hooriya's twin and Aslan's brother. And then there was Aslan, standing on the other side of his mother. I couldn't help smiling at the beautiful photo. You deserve happiness and love on an immeasurable level, Aslan. 

 I quickly closed the window as I felt my eyes welling up. This is wrong, Tahira. You need to stop thinking about him. He clearly lives a beautiful, happy life, Ma Sha Allah! He doesn't need your darkness in it!

But I should have known that after every hardship, there's ease. It is said in the Quran, and there's no doubt in that fact.

Rather than me bringing misery into his life, Aslan would continue being a means of divine help in my life, and would bring light in the most unexpected of ways.

*

Anabia

"Breakfast." Rohaan grinned at me as I walked into the kitchen.

I glanced at the tray on the kitchen table: a plate with toast and scrambled eggs and a mug of coffee. "What did you do, Ro? What do I need to defend you in front of your father for?" 

"Nothing. Can't be nice to the woman who gave me life?" He shrugged.

"Okay, what do you need, Ro?" I took a seat, smiling at my son.

"I'll wait for Papa to come and then I'll tell you."

"A mother just knows her aulaad." I laughed. "And since it's probably something you also need your father's permission for, where's his breakfast?" 

"I'm making it." He nodded down at the pan where he was making scrambled eggs. As soon as he set Rehan's breakfast on the table, he looked at me. "Okay, I'll go and get him."

"You better not play a rap song full of swear words at full volume again." I warned him.

He just laughed loudly as he went. The last time he had set that rap as an alarm and left it on the bedside table in our room when he had gone to wake Rehan up. He'd ran out of the room, and my husband had not been impressed. It made me smile, the thought of how much Ro loved winding his father up. Ro definitely got that from me.

The doorbell rang. I got up and walked down the hall to answer it. Opening the door, I stepped back almost instinctively as I saw a fuming man on the other side of it. Rotund, with a thick moustache and balding here, I thought of a raging bull as I saw him.

"WHERE IS SHE?" He spat out, his face turning red with anger.

"Who? Who in the world are you?" I asked, my heart pounding hard.

He moved forward as if to barge past me into my home.

"Excuse me. Back off!" I warned him.

"What kind of a shameless, characterless boy have you raised? Running off with other people's daughters!" He shouted at me.

"Back off before I..." The sounds of running footsteps coming down the stairs made me turn, and I saw a furious Rohaan making his way towards us. "Rohaan..." 

Before I knew what was happening, my son lunged at him, pushing him out of the front door before both tumbled onto the ground. "ROHAAN!" Terrified, I stared at my son.

Rehan rushed down the stairs as well, followed by an anxious looking Arsal. With one arm, my husband moved me behind himself protectively, before stepping forward and glaring at the man. "What the hell is going on?" He reached down and helped Rohaan up. "Who the f**k are you, coming to my house and shouting at my wife?" He had to hold Ro back to stop him from punching the unfamiliar man.

Arsal came by my side and grabbed my arm. "You okay, Mama?"

I nodded, shakily.

"Which one of you b*****ds is Arsalan?" The man growled, glaring from Rohaan to Arsal.

This time Rehan shoved him back. "Who are you calling a b*****d? Get the hell off my property before you regret your very existence."

"I...I am Arsalan." My youngest child spoke up, looking pale. "I didn't do anything."

"WHERE THE F**K IS TAHIRA?" The man screamed at Arsalan, before he was once again shoved back by Rehan.

"Do not address my family. Get the hell out of here!" Rehan kept on shoving him backward.

"That filth eloped with Tahira!" The man accusingly pointed at Arsalan. He spoke a few swear words in Punjabi that even I didn't know the meaning of, but Rehan seemed to, because his anger increased.

"Is he swearing at my brother?" Rohaan asked me, before rushing forward.

"Rohaan!" I panicked and followed him. "Rehan, stop him."

But before my husband could even react, Rohaan raced around him and punched the man. 

"Mama, I didn't do anything..." Arsalan whispered to me.

"Rohaan, stop it." Rehan held our son back. "Get back inside right now!" He ordered, before glaring at the man. "If you ever come back here again..." He didn't finish the threat, but he didn't need to. Rehan's quiet rage made it obvious that he was willing to do anything to protect his family.

Leaving the man on the ground, Rehan walked back over to us and holding out his arms, guided us all back inside the house. Closing the front door, he turned to face us. I was now facing the three main men in my life, feeling shaken internally.

"You okay?" The three asked simultaneously, probably seeing something in my expressions.

I clutched the front of Rehan's shirt, as if I need to hold onto him for support. 

"Let's take you inside, Anya." Wrapping an arm around me, Rehan took me inside and our sons followed. As I sat down on the sofa, he looked at our elder son. "Rohaan, why was the need for you to get involved when I was dealing with it?"

"He yelled at Mama and he swore at my brother." Rohaan replied. "I won't tolerate anyone mistreating our abusing my family in any way, Papa." He came over and ran a hand over my head. "Don't worry, Boss Woman. As long as we're around, nobody can get away with mistreating you."

I smiled weakly up at him. "I know, Ro. But if you give us a few minutes, please. We need to talk to Arsalan."

Rohaan nodded and headed out, but not before patting Arsal's shoulder. 

"Arsal, do you know anything about the whereabouts of Tahira?" I asked Arsalan, who sat with his head in his hands on the sofa opposite me.

Arsu looked up and shook his head, his face etched with worry. "No. I wish I did."

"How did this man know where to find you? I don't understand!" 

"I have no idea." Arsalan shook his head again. "I never even gave Tahira my address." 

"I don't want you getting involved in this. Just stay as far away from this matter as possible." I said, firmly.

"Mama, she might be in real trouble! Are you asking me to leave someone who needs help?" 

"I'm saying that there are other people who are more capable of helping her out." I knew I was being selfish, but if Rehan and Rohaan hadn't been around, that man would have easily pushed me aside and attacked Arsal. Horrid scenarios were running through my head and it made my head spin.

"We have to help her!" Arsalan stood up, shouting. "Please, Mama! You saw how the man behaved! Would you want him to find Tahira?" 

I looked helplessly at Rehan. He looked thoughtful, his arms crossed across his chest. Turning back to my son, I spoke, "No, of course I don't. Look, your father and I will see what we can do to find Tahira and ensure her safety. But leave it to us. You stay away from this matter."

The expressions on my son's face broke my heart. He clearly cared deeply about her, maybe even loved her. But I was a mother, and I didn't want himself to get into a difficult, troublesome situation.

"Fine." Arsal sighed and walked out of the room, head bowed.

"I'm going to go talk to him." Rehan told me before following him out.

I sat back on the sofa, tilting my head back against the backrest. Ya Allah, please keep Arsal out of any trouble. And please keep Tahira safe. I don't know her, but no girl deserves to feel unsafe at her own home. Please look out for her. Ameen.

*

Arsalan

I strode into my room, feeling a whirlwind of emotions inside me. Tahira was missing?

A light knock on my door made me turn and I saw Papa in the doorway. "When we live in a safe and secure environment, it's nice and easy to make rules so that we remain in this safe and protective bubble of ours! But we need to step outside and think of others as well sometimes, Papa!"

He closed the door and walked up to me. "Arsalan, I really don't want you to develop such negative thoughts against your own mother. She's looking out for you, that's all."

"But Tahira has nobody to look out for her, as you clearly witnessed today! She had to live in the same house as that man!" 

"Arsalan, do you love the girl?" 

I looked up at him, surprised at the question. "What?" 

He put a hand on my shoulder. "As your mother said, we'll find out where Tahira is and we'll ensure her safety. But do not allow those negative thoughts to spread against your mother. As your parents, for both her and me, it's important for you to remain safe and unharmed. But we're also not saying that the safety of that young girl doesn't matter to us. You need to let us handle this, okay?" 

I nodded.

"Good." He patted my shoulder.

"And what if I do love her?" I blurted out.

"Then you need to especially stay on Mama's good side if you want to convince her." He grinned. 

 I laughed lightly.

"I'm kidding. You need to be good to your mother no matter what." He said. "But we'll answer this question of yours later. For now, we need to focus on finding her and making sure that she's  safe."

"Can I marry her?" Again, I blurted out.

*

Hooriya

Since meeting the girl, I had been feeling oddly overemotional. I had become so sensitive that when Farhaan had told me that he was staying the night at the B&B, I'd burst into tears after the call had ended.

In my world, love and family played a huge role, and to think of being in a world surrounded by loneliness and nobody to take care of me or worry about me, made me feel heartbroken.

My phone buzzed and I glanced down at the phone.

<Rohaan: Yo.>

I was sitting in bed, blankly watching TV with my mind entangle in different thoughts. 

<Hooriya: What's up?>

<Rohaan: S**t went down today. Some dude came over and started yelling at Mama, asking her where his daughter or something was. He goes that Arsu eloped with her.>

I noticed that Ro had created a new temporary group with me him, Haya and me added in it. The name of the group was literally 'Temporary SOS!'.

<Haya: What?! How did I not know about this?>

<Rohaan: You were staying the night at Dado's.>
<Rohaan: But relax, Mama's okay. Dad and I took care of it.>

I group video called them. "I'm sorry, but what girl? What is going on in Arsu's life?" 

Haya was in her room, and Ro was in his own.

"I don't know." Ro sighed. "But it's not good, man. I had a feeling that there was an issue, but Arsu doesn't say anything." He explained everything that had happened at home that morning.

"I didn't even know that there was a girl in his life that he was so heavily involved with, apart from his friend Tahira who just randomly vanished." Haya spoke thoughtfully.

"Wait...what? What's her name?" I sat up straight.

"Tahira." Haya wrinkled her nose. "Why?" 

This can't be a coincidence. How is this happening? I threw back my duvet and got out of the bed, standing up.

"What's gotten into you?" Ro asked.

"Nothing! I'll call you back." I ended the video call and my hands shook as I almost dialled Dado's number before I realised how late it was.

"A classmate. I don't even know why I'm looking. I have no reason to believe that..."  Tahira had said earlier.

The lion keychain.

I wanted to call Arsal, question him and ask him to confirm whether the Tahira I'd met was the one he had known at university. 

But I felt that I should speak to Tahira first. She was in a vulnerable state, and I wanted to be sure that if she was looking for Arsalan, she hadn't changed her mind. 

At this time of the night though, she was safe where she was. There was no point in me disturbing everyone's peace right now. I'd have to speak to her in the morning.

*

Third Person POV

ONE DAY AGO

The man held the piece of torn paper in his hand, staring at it as he breathed hard.

In the centre of the page was a heart shaped in pink glittering ink, and inside was written 'A.R.T & T.A', also in glittering pink ink. A lion sticker was plastered on the top right corner, and besides it was written 'Be a lion. Be brave'. Underneath were the words 'Tahira ♡ Aslan'. At the bottom of the page was 'Aslan ♡'. And just underneath, the name of the boy who had misguided a young girl: Arsalan Rehan Tariq.

It was a sign of young, innocent love, but it fuelled the fire deep in the man's heart.

And then it was a matter of Google searching the boy's name.

"That's him." His wife confirmed. "She once accidentally said that she goes to university with the son of famous authors. It has to be him."

"Worry not, dear. I'll track her down." 

And in this social media age, it hadn't taken him long to track down the family home of the boy.

*

PRESENT

And now that he had been brutally treated by the boy's family, he made a promise to himself: if the boy or his family had anything to do with Tahira's disappearance, he would murder the boy himself.

How long is his Dad going to protect him? He sneered.

Parked at the end of the street, he sipped his coffee as he kept his gaze in the direction of the boy's family home.

"I know you know where she is, you little f***er."

It was only the matter of catching them in the act now.

*

Hooriya

"Are you serious? Our Arsalan's Tahira?" Haya jumped out of the taxi and headed towards me outside the shelter the next morning.

"I don't know for sure." I replied, shaking my head. "I'm actually worried about the girl."

"Come on!" My twin seemed excited. "I want to meet the girl who stole Arsu's heart. This is so cute. What a lovely little story." 

"Haya! She's been through hell! Tone down the excitement, and be empathetic, okay?" I grabbed her arm lightly and led her inside the shelter. 

Tahira was sitting in the common area, looking more relaxed than the last time I'd seen her, and she even smiled warmly as Haya and I approached her.

"Tahira, this is my twin sister Haya. Haya, Tahira." I introduced them.

"Are you looking for Arsalan Rehan Tariq?" Haya blurted out, her eyes shining.

Tahira stood up looking shocked, and she glanced at me almost as if I'd betrayed her- even though she didn't technically know that I knew as well.

"Look, don't worry." I assured her. "We won't tell Arsal if you don't want him to know."

"We won't?" Haya looked at me puzzled.

"We won't." I kept my gaze on Tahira. "This is your decision, but I have a feeling that he will be very happy to see you."

Tahira hugged herself, looking almost nervous. "He w-will be?"

I nodded.

Her eyes filled up. "I...I want to thank him. He has been such a support for me."

"Yeah, that sounds like our Arsu." Haya smiled proudly. 

"So, you're okay if we tell him about you?" I asked softly.

Tahira nodded. "Please do."

I hugged her. "Don't worry. We'll all do everything we can to help you, okay?" 

We said our goodbyes before Haya and I headed out again.

"Come, I'll drop you off." I told my twin. "I borrowed Farhaan's car today." I grinned cheekily, nodding across the road where I'd parked.

"You are such a work bunker, man. You should be helping him, and you're wandering around town." Haya giggled.

"I'll go..."

"When? When all the work's done?" She laughed harder.

"Get a taxi." I muttered, stepping onto the road to cross.

"Aww, my sweet little...." She wrapped an arm around me. "HOOR!" With reflexes strongly developed by cricket, she yanked me out of the way just seconds before a car sped past.

We lost our balance and both of us fell onto the footpath, my chin hitting the hard ground, instantly giving me the tangy taste of blood.

I looked at my twin wide-eyed as she lay on her side a few feet away, groaning in pain.

If it hadn't been for Haya, I would have been hit by the car...and I probably wouldn't have survived.

*

Rehan

I was working from home when I heard Anabia screaming out my name. "ANYA!" Jumping up from my chair, I raced towards the door. "Anya, what the hell?" I headed downstairs and saw her in the foyer, her face tear streaked as she stared up at me. "What's wrong?"

"Hoor and Haya almost got run over by a car!" Anya sobbed.

"What?" 

"I think...from what I've been told...someone intentionally tried to run them over..."

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Definitely.

But in my personal opinion, hell also hath no fury like a father's whose daughters have been harmed.

*

*

Okay, honest opinions: is it right for the family to involve themselves in Tahira's problems?

More of overprotective Rehan coming soon! 

I loved writing how Anabia's three main men surrounded her protectively. 💖 

When and how will Arsal and Tahira finally meet again?

Thoughts and comments?

Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote!