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In the evening that day, when Haider saw his family' sitting in the garden, he approached them. He would have talked to them alone but this big decision needed to be heard by all of them.

"AssalamoAlaikum" he greeted everyone.

"Walaikum Assalam. So nice to see you here, Haider," his father asserted.

Unaiza entered with a tray having cups of tea settled in it. She smiled looking at Haider and he responded with the same.

"Oh Haider Bhai, you came?" She chimed in happiness.

It was very rare indeed that Haider would be seen in their gathering for a lot of years. At first, it was due to what happened to his engagement and then  his profession made him distant like this. Even now, he seldom used to mingle.  The darkness and coarseness had become a part of his personality. Unaiza was the only one with whom he let himself to become a bit lost. But it also ended ever since he made Ishmal leave.

"Do you like to have some tea?" Unaiza asked as she was bent over the table and added sugar to every cup.

"Who can say no to your tea, Gurya?" Haider asserted, wiggling his eyebrows.

Unaiza grinned sheepishly and mixed half a tablespoon of sugar in his cup before giving it to him. Somehow she always made an extra cup every time their family get-together happened. And it was she who managed to get Haider involved in it.

"There's so much sugar in it." Huzaifa made a face, as he took a sip.  

Unaiza looked at him blankly. "But I put just one tablespoon which you always like."

Huzaifa shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But this much sweetness I am not liking at that time." He placed his cup in front of Unaiza. "Come on, Glasses. Take this one and I am going to have this."

Unaiza was about to mix sugar in her own cup when Huzaifa literally hijacked her tea. But who was she complaining? This act of his made a flush to creep on her face. He had just took a sip from this cup and now he had asked her to drink his tea.

"Behave, Huzaifa. Why do you always tease her?" Aqia glared at him.

Huzaifa raised a brow. "I didn't, Mom. I meant a very genuine thing. What can I do when she always makes me seem like a bully who terrorizes her?"

"Right, Unaiza?" He now looked at her with a twisted smile on his lips.

"You are unbelievable," Aqia sighed.

"Aqia Mama, it's okay." Unaiza tried hard to hide her blush. He had given her his own tea, he had called her proper name which was a rarity, and even looked directly into her eyes which made her almost melt by the heat of his gaze. "Huzaifa is right. I might have put more sugar."

That was happening of every day here. Haider disinterestedly moved his fingers over the mouth of the cup. He really needs to bring Ishmal's topic back.

"I want to talk to you guys," Haider started, without any ado.

Everyone turned towards him.

"What's that?" Aqia inquired.

"In a few days, I am going to bring Ishmal back here. I want to announce about our marriage to everyone. I hope you guys will support me. She should come here with respect, and dignity in a proper ceremony which was lacking in the past. You guys will accompany me to her house," he explained everything in a breath.

The color on Aqia's face changed as she tried to suppress her anger. "That isn't going to happen, Haider. You should hear this out clearly. I don't want to see that girl in my house. And you are asking me to go to her house and bring that random girl with respect? Don't know from which family she belongs."

"Mom!" Haider said, sternly. "Ishmal is my wife and I won't tolerate any bad word about her."

"So this was what she had been doing. She was making a trap for you to fall into it. When she knew her dignity wont be saved after fleeing in the darkness of the night, she again tried to lure you because you seemed a better option for her. First, she made you get involved in that police case and it put your life at stake. Just me tell you what exactly did she ask from you? With what is she black mailing you?" Aqia harshly yelled

Haider clenched his jaw angrily as he stood up with force. It made the chair on which he was sitting earlier fall behind.

Tashfeen put a hand over his wife's shoulder. "Aqia..."

However, Aqia wasn't in the mood to listen to anything now. She wanted a permanent solution for this.

"Stop assuming things on your own, Mom. Ishmal isn't like this. She had no link to anything that happened to me. Instead, it was she who didn't care for her own life and came with those bastards to save my life," Haider clapped back.

Aqia chuckled. "Wow. And who told those men that she was anyone related to you? Haider, she is making you a fool. No doubt her stepfather was after her.  Don't know with how many men she had---"

"Don't say anything further, Mom. I won't tolerate it," Haider yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Aqia, what's wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" Tashfeen implored her, in shock.

"I am doing what's required, Tashfeen. That girl is conning everyone. Any sane person can understand that a good girl won't leave her house at night like this. On top of all, she wouldn't marry a stranger whatever the circumstances are. The truth is she has made up a lie of false harassment because Haider was in his uniform when he found her. Give her whatever money she wants, Haider, and get rid..."

"I can't believe this, Mom, that you can say something like this. She is an innocent girl who was forced to leave her house because of someone's animalistic behavior. Being a woman, you should have understood another woman," Haider announced, his eyes spilling daggers right now.

He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Ishmal is going to come here as my wife. I have told you this. "

Aqia scowled at him. "Why didn't she opt for this when you found her on the day of the attack? If she was that innocent, she wouldn't have been meeting you like a coward doing a sin and would have asked to come back to your house the same day. Why can't you understand this Haider?"

"Aqia, just stop this for God's sake," Tashfeen exclaimed loudly as he saw Haider trying his hard not to say something harsh over what his mother had said.

"I am not a child, Mom. I know what's happening around me. And the only thing I know is that you have always sabotaged me. First linking me to your niece when I was just a kid to make your relationship with your sister long lasting. You had instilled in my mind since then that she was a so-called naive and orphan girl who needed to be protected and loved by me. Even then, you only cared about her, not me. And when she literally cheated on me with her own parents' enemy, you supported her over me. You didn't care for your own son but only cared for your niece. You didn't ask me what I had been feeling, what wound she had inflicted on my ego and my self-respect. You only cared for those two sentences of being a victim from her and you melted. And it's been years but Mom, you are still the same as me," Haider completed with a thrill in his voice at the last.

"Nisha was a victim of circumstances. I never prioritized her over you. I understand your condition as well, Haider. I literally broke my tie with her when that incident happened. But what happened with her wasn't anything less than a disaster. That doesn't mean I don't care for you. I do that's why I am asking you to..."

"Not anything else now." Haider raised a hand in front of her. "Ishmal is my wife. I love her. That's all that matters."

"You can never love anyone, Haider. If you are doing all this to hurt me because I supported Nisha, then don't do this. That girl can be many things but not sincere," Aqia mumbled impatiently.

"Aqia, it's enough," Tashfeen reprimanded her before turning towards Haider. "Don't worry, Haider. She is just angry. You rest assured. We'll support you. Ishmal should really come here. We only want your happiness."

Haider nodded. "That's what is going to happen anyway, Dad."

Haider had left after that but Aqia glowed at her husband. "What did you say?"

"Aqia, try to be rational. This much negativity isn't good. Let Haider be happy. And I don't want to hear any word from you now," Tashfeen told her sternly.

Aqia clenched her teeth together but didn't say anything. She didn't what should she do so this no harm would happen.

                  ___________________

When Haider reached his room, he was simmering in anger. He harshly opened the buttons of his shirt and jerked it aside. Sitting on the bed, he moved his fingers in his hair to combat this overflowing emotion that was forcing him to wreck everything.

His phone rang. He looked around in annoyance before picking it up. Ishmal's name was glowing on it.

"Haider..." Her sweet voice almost poured water over the burning lava in his body.

"How are you?" She asked.

Haider took a deep breath to sound reasonable to her  "I am fine."

"Haider, my mother has said that you should come this Friday and take me with you. She doesn't want any delay. Will you come with your family?"

Ishmal didn't tell him about the fact that her mother forbade her to leave the house till Haider wouldn't came. She knew he would become hyper after hearing this.

"Of course, cupcake. Why wouldn't I? I promised you to never let go of your side and I will stand by it no matter what."

Tears brimmed in Ishmal's eyes. "I knew it. Thank you for saying this, Haider."

"If you would have been in front of me, I would have taken this thank you away from your mouth by kissing you. But remember, never thank me or say sorry to me again."

He didn't know how Ishmal managed to bring the more human, the more gentle side of him. He knew she must have become a tomato by now.

"I...I will talk to you later. Take care of yourself. Bye," Ishmal quickly announced.

As the call ended, Haider slammed his fist hard on the mattress. Why everything was so difficult?

However, whatever it would take, he would never leave Ishmal. That was for sure.

                  _____________________

AssalamoAkaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter.

I hope you like it.

What do you think will happen next?

Will Haider and Ishmal finally become one or there will be hurdles in their path?

If Aqia doesn't agree then what will happen?

Do you think Aqia's worries are reasonable

Will Ishmal's mother send her off with Haider if his family won't come?

If you like this chapter, plz vote and comment. ❤❤

Allah Hafiz/ Bye till next time. 💞💞