Mahrukh like everyother day woke uo early. She went outside of her room only to hear a huge commotion. She could make out the voices of Zainab and Aliya. And with the way that they were shouting, it was clear to her that a fight was going on. Rushing in her bedroom she woke Zain up.
"Zain wake up. Mama and Zainab phopho are having a fight I think. They are both shouting".
Zain woke up and sighed. Nodding his head he said
"You go and see. I will be down". Mahrukh nodded and rushed downstairs to see what the matter was all about.

"I WILL NOT MARRY LARAIB TO FAHAD!"
Aliya shouted. She had not forgotten how Zainab had insulted her and Laraib a few days ago.
"IF FAHAD WONT MARRY HER THEN NO ONE ELSE WILL. NO OME WANTS A GIRL WHO KISSES UNKOWN MEN OUTSIDE A MALL!"
The words a direct hit to her heart. Aliya felt her knees get weak and would have fallen down if Mahrukh had not held her.
"Mama," Mahrukh gasped.
Aliya held herself up with the support of Mahrukh and looked at Zainab with posinous eyes.
"NO ONE WILL GIVE THEIR DAUGHTER A MAN WHO MAKES OUT WITH UNKOWN WOMEN EITHER!"
Aliya gritted her teeth. Her words struck a nerve of Zainab. She walked forward and was about to slap Aliya when Zain came and grabbed her hand. His eyes were furiously red.
"No more. Phopho. Hit my mother once and I will see to it that you are out of this house!"
Zainab not letting any chance go to abuse Mahrukh spoke
"Of course you will say such things now that your wife is the owner!"
That was the last straw for Mahrukh.
"You're wrong. He does not need me to kick you out. All of us are tired of you fighting all day long. WHAT DO YOU WANT!"
Zain stood tall with pride. His wife knew that he was not a person to take advantage of connections.

"Stop all of this. Its morning. Have your breakfast then discuss it with ease". Ajmal being the eldest said with authority. He was a stern man who remained silent and at the side lines until things began to get out of control. Only then would he take some sort of action. And so for him to speak at sich a time showed the gravity of the situation.

At the table, tensions were at an all time high. Most if not all of them were playing with their food. Mahrukh was worried for Aliya. She had never seen her so furious and she wanted to do something for her. Laraib had done wrong with everyone. She and Fahad had destroyed everything. The facade of relations had finally fallen. Zainab who thought of Hooriya as her best friend, was left alone. Hooriya looked at her with a taunting smile and tortured Amal by claiming that her brother was a man-whore.

After breakfast, Mahrukh went inside her and Zain's bedroom. She wanted no needed to talk to him about this situation. It was not something they could go around. And Laraib was her cousin as well. She wanted to speak and advocate for her despite Laraib's unfair treatment towards her.
"Z-Zain I wanted to talk to you about something," Mahrukh spoke with hesitancy. Zain looked up from his laptop and looked at her for a second. After which he closed the lid of his laptop and gestured for her to continue.
"Laraib is your younger sister. I know what she did is wrong. But maybe if her happiness is with Fahad we should all think about it," Zain looked at her. Not knowing how to speak his mind without hurting her.
"Mahrukh. I do not know how to express how I feel. I agree with you a hundred percent. And mama does to. The only reason she is not letting the two get married is because when she first gave this idea, Zainab phopho slut shamed Laraib. Mama is just protecting her". Zain tried to make her understand. She nodded her head and opened her mouth to say something when her sentence was cut short.

"Well tell her to stop protecting me! I want to marry Fahad and I will marry him no matter what you say. If mama will stop me then I will elope with him". Zain who had been controlling himself till now decided it was enough. He looked at her with venomous eyes.
"Laraib. Get. Out. Of. My. Room." But Laraib was not ready to back out.
"NO! You will go to mama with your precious little wife and talk to her about my marriage to Fahad do you get me," the rage inside her voice scared Mahrukh as she took two steps backwards. The look fright that crossed her face, soon disappeared but Zain had noticed it.
"Laraib now is not the time. When everyone is talking about this in the evening then present your opinions and we shall see".

○~○

Zainab was furious. She kept walking in her room. Pacing the lenght of it with a blank mind but clenched fists. She was shocked that Hooriya would betray her like this. She had dine everything that Hooriya said just for a better future of her kids. She divorced her husband beacuse Hooriya told her he would never be successful. And she belived him. And yet a year after their divorce, her husband had a breakthrough and became rich whilst she was left with two kids.

All her life, she had not made good relationships with her other sister in laws as she trusted Hooriya's words when she told her that the two were not worth her brothers. But today all had been crystal like glass. When everyone was on Aliya's side supporting her, no one had come to her aid. Hooriya remained still and gave her a sly wink.
"Zainab why are you so tense?"
Hooriya questioned as she entred the room leisurely.
"Shut up. Get out of here. How could you? Were we not good friends?"
Zainab asked in a tone that she was tired of all the drama. But Hooriya had something else up her sleeve. She knew that a few more words and the greedy woman would be on her side once again.
"Do you not understand. I am faking being against you. I will convince Aliya to get Laraib married to Fahad. So that your son can have her sign over her shares and get richer".
The idea seemed golden. And just like that Zainab began dreaming of her soon becoming a rich man. With a huge bank balance and she living a lavish life. She bashed herself for ever thinking ill of Hooriya's intentions.
"I am so sorry Hooriya. I should have never doubted you. A woman like you could never betray. Silly me".
Hooriya passed her a smile.
"Yes. Silly you," patting her hand, Hooriya came out of the room.

Amna had been passing through the corridor when she heard everything that Hooriya and Zainab had talked about. She was unable to comprehend the fact that how could someone think this low about someone's daughter. She decided to talk to Akbar about it and dashed for her room. Inside their room, Akbar was reading a novel but seeing a perispiring, Amna he immediately sat upright.
"Amna is everything okay? Come sit and have some water".
Akbar spoke tenderly and made her sit next to him. He passed his hand through her tresses for while. Amna after getting her breath in control spoke silently repeating each word that she had hears with clarity.
"What! I could have never exoected them to do this. Do not worry I will never let this marriage happen," he patted her back. But Amna's mind was running a mile a minute. She knew that if Laraib put her mind to one thing then it would happen no matter what. For now all she could do was trust the words of her husband.

○~○

It was evening. The sun was setting and the sky had turned a shade of purple and orange. The shadows began to get longer and it was time for all of the family to sit down and talk. Despite the tensions Mahrukh had prepared a large spread of food. She made sandwiches, browines and pasta. Ofcourse she also made some tea.

Aliya and Zainab sat infront of each other. None of them even blinking. Everything was so tense. They sat upright not taking a single breath of relief. Laraib knew that she had to take the first step.
"Mama. Baba. I do not in amy way understand that why I can not marry the man I love when my brothers did the exact same thing ".
Zain did not like being compared to Laraib in this situation. She had taken things to an illicit route while had and Mahrukh had gotten married before anything happened between them. Even Akbar was furious.
"Do not compare them to you. They came to us when they liked someone and not do something that would make us feel as failed parents".
Akram spoke in support of his sons. He had heard a lot. And had decided that whatever Aliya would decide would be the final decison. Aliya, having stayed silent enough, opened her mouth and spoke with a sharp tone
"When we first found out. We said that Fahad and Laraib will be married. You did not agre instead you humiliated my daughter. Then why are you so adamant on having them married?"
Aliya questioned. She may be mad at Laraib but that in no way meant that she would throw her daughter into the devil's cave without any questions being asked. Zainab, who had thought all these questions through spoke
"I was blinded with anger. Later I realised that if my son is happy with that girl then so be it. I have only one son, why would I take his happiness from him?"
Zainab tried to play the emotional card. But no one was moved. This was an old occurrence. She would do something and then cry for sympathy. Aliya sighed and rubbed her forehead. She was in pain. Her daughter looked at her like she was her culprit. Even now Laraib was glaring at her.
"Mama why can you not be like phopho? See how understanding she is?"
Laraib shouted at her own mother. Rubbing salt deeper into her wounds. Aliya, drinking the poisonous words with patience looked at Zainab
"What if you hurt Laraib one day in your anger?"
The question took Zainab off guard. But she was a cunning woman. Then telling her with a very somber voice ahe explained to them that she would not come in between Laraib and Fahad. Aliya was still not convinced and Akbar had told her what Amna had heard. All these things made her want to say no. But the blackmailing of Laraib had her cornered. She ultimately, gave in and so it was agreed that Laraib and Fahad would get married in a few months time.

But no one related to Laraib was truly happy with this match.

○~○