"abbu please, aap humare sath aisa nhi kar sakte" sitting in front of her on her knees hayat cried holding his hands.

"humara faisla nhi badlega hayat, apne kamre mai jao aur apne nikah ki tyari karo" his gaze was hard as he glared at his daughter while his tone was filled with anger.

His words made hayat look at him with extreme pain in her eyes. She couldn't believe that her father just don't care about her happiness.

He has done the same mistake once again by finding a match for his daughter without her consent. She was unable to understand that what made her father blind to see her suffer.

"abbu ye galt hai. hayat ki khushi ka toh sochiye" her elder brother stood for her but their father didn't budge.
It felt like nothing could change his mind.

"kya galt hai aur kya sahi ye aap hume mat sikhayen. 2 hafton mai hayat ka nikah tay hua hai toh uski tyari kijiye" dismissing them eijaz ahmed left the living room.

Hayat didn't move from her place as she kept staring at nothing in particular. Bending down her brother held her shoulders pulling her up and patting her head while his eyes depicted his sadness seeing his sister suffer.

An hour ago hayat's marriage has been fixed by her father to his choice. What she wanted was never asked as the two families fixed the date of marriage.

"hayat theek hai tu?" her brother asked seeing her lost. It worried him to see her going through so much and he couldn't even do anything.

"ji bhaijaan" removing his hand from her shoulder she walked in daze and went upstairs in her room.

"abbu i hope aap jldi realise kar len k aap galt kar rahe hain" rehman talked to himself getting worried for hayat.

________________________________

With his mobile in his hand ansh was continuously pacing in his room. It was midnight and he just couldn't sleep.

The restlessness he was feeling in his heart wasn't letting him close his eyes even for a minute. The worry that has evolved her was eating him inside and he couldn't even do anything.

If anything could calm him down it was hayat. If only he could talk to her, could take her in his arms to feel that she was alright. She was there with him. 

Glaring at the mobile in his hand he threw it on his bed. Frustrated ansh pulled his hair as he couldn't even call her. Her mobile was not with her anymore.

It's been two nights since ansh last met her and had assured her to make everything alright.

He needed some time to think about how could he convince her father but now this unbearable worry and restlessness had made him go blank. He couldn't think anything except seeing her for once in front of his eyes.

A soft knock on his door put a stop on his thoughts making him turn towards the half opened door of his room.

"bhai, it's me. andar aa jaun?" pushing the door a little more zara peeked into his room looking at him expectantly.

"aaja" taking a deep breathe ansh tried to make himself look all calm and composed. He didn't his baby sister to worry about him.

"aap soye nhi abhi tak?" walking towards him she stood in front of him observing him quietly just like their father do.

"I am not sleepy par tu aadhi raat ko kahan mandrati phir rahi hai? soyi kyun nhi abhi tak?" ansh narrowed his eyes at her waiting for her answer while zara took off her slippers and climbed on his bed.

"mujhe bhi neend nhi aa rahi thi toh maine socha aap ko tang kar lun thoda. shukar manao aap jaag rahe ho already, nhi aap ko tang karne k liye special uthana padta aap ko" ansh glared at her playfully before taking a seat on the bed beside her.

"ab batao kyun pareshan ho aap?" zara knew that her brother has been going through tough time in his love life and it was bothering his baby sister.

Resting his head back ansh sighed. What would he say to her when he himself didn't understand why suddenly he was going so restless in the middle of the night.

"I don't know. something is not right. I mean yeah nothing is going well right now, but something is terribly wrong. I've got this feeling in my heart. You understand zaru?.. it's..." running his hand in his hair ansh sighed frustrated with himself and the feeling which had taken away his peace.

"okay, okay I get it bhai. you are restless because you feel something is wrong. Is it..umm..is it about hayat?" she looked at her brother worriedly seeing how stressed he was.

"It is" that's all he had to say.

"you know, i need to see her. I need to go to her right now" climbing down the bed ansh wore his slippers in hurry.

"bhai stop, see i know that you are worried but i suggest you should not go to her home right now. Pehle hi hayat k papa aapke against hain, if by any chance he saw you there toh sab aur kharab ho jayega" holding his hand she made him sit back on the bed as he too somewhere agreed to her.

"just wait for tonight bhai. I have a solution. We will send Inayat as a friend of hayat to her home and she will get her to talk to you on call. I wish i wasn't there when we went to hayat's house with the marriage proposal toh kal mai hi uski friend ban k chli jati par it's okay. I know Inayat would be a great help. It that alright bhai?" her plan did sound okay to him. This way he wouldn't anger her father more and will get to talk to her as well.

"okay, I will call Rana chachu tomorrow" ansh thought to let Inayat's father know about this beforehand.

"okay then, abhi you sleep and dream about my soon to be bhabhi. Good night bhai" giving a quick hug to her brother zara ran out of the room.

A soft smile played on his lips seeing his baby sister handling the situation so maturely. The way he was going crazy, he would have definitely caused a havoc at hayat's house if zara hadn't stopped him.

Leaning back on the bed ansh closed his eyes but sleep was nowhere near him. He knew he could sleep peacefully only after taking to hayat.

_________________________________

"ansh thoda sa toh khale, aise ni karte bacha" shehnaaz tried once again as the family set in the dining room for brunch.

"No mom, i am waiting for Inayat's call. hayat se baat karni hai pehle" denying to eat ansh kept staring at his mobile screen waiting for the call.

"let him be naaz" holding her hand he gave it a soft squeeze wanting her to stop worrying. Sighing she just smiled sadly at him.

The front door opened making everyone turn their attention to the visitor. Wearing a simple baby pink t shirt with jeans there stood Inayat, the daughter of Rana and Laila.

The sad smile on her face made ansh alert in an instant. Getting up from his seat he walked towards her anxiously followed by his family.

"Inayat tum wapis bhi aa gyi. Why didn't you call me? tumhe hayat se meri baat karwani thi" standing in front of her ansh asked reminding her the plan as if she just forgot to call him.

"bhai i am sorry. mai hayat di k ghar gyi thi but unke papa ne mujhe unse milne hi ni diya. unhone kaha k di ko ab college jaane ki zroorat nhi hai toh vo meri koi help ni kar sakti" Inayat whispered sadly looking behind him at his parents.

Ansh just stood there staring at her with a blank look but the next words which left her mouth shook him to the core.

"hayat di k papa ne bola k 2 hafte baad di ki shadi hai toh unhe pareshan na karun" a gasp left shehnaaz's mouth as she stared at Inayat in shock while standing beside her sidharth clenched his jaw.

Anger rushed through his veins at the audacity of Eijaz Ahmed. How dare that man think of marrying hayat to someone else when she clearly is in love with ansh. He wouldn't let him destroy three lives.

Shifting his focus to his son sidharth could see him freeze on his spot. He didn't react at all. He was just silent looking at nothing in particular as if his mind went blank to realise or think anything.

His heart ached to see his son going through such rough time. How he wished to take all his pain away and keep him protected in his embrace just like when he was a kid.

Taking a step closer to him sidharth kept his hand on ansh's shoulder bringing him back into reality.

Turning back he looked at his father and that's when realisation took him over.

His hayat was getting married! The thought alone made him feel choking on his breathe.

He didn't doubt her even for a second.  He knew that it was her father's deed. She was getting forced into a marriage and that too by her father.

It was the end mistake by her side. He just pushed the Raichands to their limits by his shallow move. Does hayat's happiness not matters to him ? Was he that heartless ?

No religion teaches to separate two souls deeply in love with each other.

Closing his eyes ansh fist his palms as his emotion of anger was triggered to its deepest layer. He felt like his insides were burning with rage.

The moment he looked back at his father his eyes were red with the anger. The look in his eyes screamed that he would just destroy anything and everything trying to separate him from his love.

"Dad, i swear ! I will not leave that man this time" ansh growled tightening his fist while the determination in his eyes spoke for his words.

This time sidharth had no intention to stop his son. He was equally angry this time and hayat's father needed a reality check at the earliest.

"Is baar nhi rokunga tujhe. Jo karna hai kar bas yaad rakhna k hayat affect hogi" keeping his hands in his pockets sidharth nodded at him giving his approval.

Nodding back at his father ansh dashed out of the living room. Standing at the entrance door Ryan was looking at everyone with shock written on his face.

He had come to visit them and heard everything. His best friend was in love and the girl was to be getting married. It was too much for the poor guy to take who kept standing there like a list puppy.

"muh band kar Ryan aur ansh k sath jaa" walking up to him sidharth hit his head from behind making him close his mouth.

"ha..haan bade papa" coming back to his senses he ran behind ansh who has taken the driver seat in his car. Opening the passenger door ryan quickly got inside while sidharth watched standing by the door as the car move out of the Raichand mansion.

"humara bacha, kaisa feel kar hoga hayat ki shadi k baare mai sun k" moving closer to her husband shehnaaz kept her head on his bicep as her eyes started getting moist.

"ansh boht strong hai. apni mohabbat paaye bina haar nhi manega" keeping his other hand on her cheek sidharth chuckled lightly though his own heart pained for his son.

____________________________

The car stopped in front of Ahmed house. Getting out of the car ansh banged the door loudly and took long steps towards the entrance.

Terrified with the situation ryan ran behind him still processing everything in his mind. Ansh pressed the bell and waited for someone to open the door.

His patience was loosing as he couldn't even wait for seconds. Cursing he started banging the door loudly while ryan kept mum not having the heart to stop this angry hulk.

A minute later the door opened revealing rehman ahemed, hayat's brother who stood shocked seeing ansh on his house door.

"aap yahan ky..." his sentence was left incomplete as ansh walked past him moving inside followed by Ryan hot on his heels.

"hayat ! hayat!!" ansh called her loud standing in the living room. The way his veins were pumping and the look in his eyes made him look dangerous.

"tum yahan kya kar rahe ho?" hayat's father came out of his room followed by his wife. Seeing ansh there boiled his blood as he took sharp steps towards him.

Ansh looked straight into his eyes while his jaw was clenched. Eijaz took a step back seeing the rage in his eyes. For a moment he went blank seeing ansh burning in anger.

Throwing him a disgusted look ansh turned his face away calling hayat again. He couldn't tolerate this man without loosing his calm and that would eventually hurt hayat. This was the only reason he chose to just ignore him.

"hayat nhi aayegi. tum nikal jao mere ghar se aur ye pagalpan kahin aur jaa k karo" eijaz declared glaring at him but ansh completely ignored making him angry.

"pagalpan aap kar rahe hain mai nhi..jo baap.." ansh stopped mid sentence regaining his control. He had so much to say to this man but was controlling himself just for his hayat.

"ansh" a weak and cracked voice reached his ears making him snap towards the source and there stood his hayat on the stairs.

Wearing a peach kurta with salwar and a dupatta hanging on her shoulder, his hayat looked at him with those blank eyes which were now filled with tears.

Her skin has lost its colour and the marks of tear strains were visible on her cheeks. Her hair were messed up as if she didn't comb them lately. She looked pale.

Staring at her weak form ansh parted his lips as he took a sharp breathe. Her condition made him feel a lump in his throat.

It's been only two nights when he last met her and now she looked so weak and thin. His stomach churned thinking about how much she must have cried that her eyes looked blank and puffy now.

His hayat was in pain and he couldn't do anything. Damn it ! Why the hell did he not come to her earlier. Why did he leave her alone on the first place. It was all his fault. He should have kept her protected with himself.

"hayat" his voice was heavy as he breathed her name. The layer of fresh tears rolled down her eyes as she looked at him while gripping the railing with her shivering hand.

He took a hesitant step towards her scared that she might vanish somewhere, that she wasn't real. The two days had made him feel like two decades since he last saw her.

"ansh" a sob left her mouth as she took a step down the stair. Taking a strong step ansh moved closer to her while her weak form was loosing balance as she took another step down.

Just as she took the last step her body just gave up making it difficult for her to stand. Before she could meet the ground ansh had wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her up.

Her body leaned against his as she looked up at his face while gripping his arms. The broken look in her eyes made his eyes teary as he pulled her closer to himself.

"ansh" she cried keeping her head on his chest while ansh wrapped his arms around her keeping her protected in his embrace but the moment she was in his arms, a look of shock crossed his face.

Looking down at her he tried to cup her face to look at her but the next second he felt her completely loosing her body into his arms.

"hayat?" ansh whispered her name but got no response. The heat engulfing her body could be felt by him even through the clothes.

Hayat was burning with fever. Tightening his hold around her ansh snapped towards eijaz ahmed and the look he gave him made him shudder.

Taking her in his arms ansh took fast steps towards the door followed by ryan while the shouts of her father were completely ignored.

Note -

I wish u connect to the story even if it is thoda sa ! 🥺