A day had passed and Muzamil still had no answer from his parents. He knew something was not right but he wanted to hear that what actually happened. He finally got a chance to have a talk with his mother alone and this was the chance Asma could make him understand and see things from a different dimension.

" Muzamil every parent wants best for their children and nobody can deny them from this right".

"Ami what did uncle and aunt say. They didn't agree. I could make them agree if-"

" Muzamil their perspective is right. You are still a student then how could you support and take care of their daughter who is used to living lavishly".

"But ami I will do everything for Zarghoona. I promise I'll fulfill her every need and wish. I'll work hard".

"When you know you are capable of doing everything you said now, only then will we talk about it. Promises alone could not stand for it".

"Work hard, become something, be a match for Zarghoona". Asma made him see what he couldn't.

"I'll go back and work hard, but ami Zarghoona is mine only mine". Muzamil said with determination.

Muzamil wanted to meet Zarghoona before he went back to hostel. He saw her sitting in lawn after dinner. He approached her and asked her to promise him. She got confused as to what should she promise and when he told him that he wanted her to wait for him, Zarghoona became shocked but before she could come out of her shock and reply her mother shouted from the window asking her to come inside at once. Zarghoona went inside without sparing a glance to Muzamil and Muzamil's immature mind thought that she was feeling shy.

Muzamil returned back to his studies and worked harder then before, he also started to look for a part time job so that he could show his uncle how serious he is about Zarghoona and he would do everything to keep her happy. He did write letters to Zarghoona but not as regularly as before because he was much more busy now. Muzamil never got reply of any letter and this was unsettling for him but he didn't had time to go back home and see what's wrong. During all this period he had discussed his feelings for Zarghoona to his brother Bami. He had told him about the exchange of letters and Muzamil somehow gave an impression to Bami that Zarghoona was also interested in him but had never mentioned it verbally. Muzamil told Bami that he and Zarghoona had been exchanging letters regularly.

Bami didn't liked his aunt so he tried to warn his brother, but when he saw his brother was adamant Bami kept quiet. He thought if Zarghoona is also interested then who he was to ask Muzamil to let go of such thoughts. But Bami felt uneasy about all this thing going on between his brother and cousin. He knew his aunt was a troublesome woman, so he promised himself that he would be there at every up and down with his brother in pursuing of this new relationship.

Meanwhile Nabila was busy looking for a suitable match for her daughter. She wanted to marry off Zarghoona as soon as possible. She had witnessed how Muzamil looked at her daughter and now she was sure that it had been Muzamil's demand to marry Zarghoona and his parents had bowed to his stubbornness. So she thought that the best thing would be to marry her daughter to a nice family when Muzamil is away. Hence, she was very discreet about her plan.

Nabila's efforts paid off and she arranged Zarghoona's marriage with a man living abroad. The best thing was that the groom side was also in a hurry and the date for wedding ceremony was set within a month. She had told what she felt about Muzamil to Ahmed and asked him to ask his brother and Asma to not inform Muzamil about Zarghoona's marriage.

Asma and Javed were informed of Zarghoona's marriage a week before the date and Ahmed had requested them to keep it a secret from Muzamil. Even if Ahmed had not asked them to keep it a secret they knew better and wouldn't have told their son anything. They knew that Zarghoona was their son's infatuation and his teenager mind would forget about it. He was not mature enough to get married and that too with Nabila's daughter. Even if they were to marry it would be unfair with Zarghoona.

Soon the day of nikkah came and everyone was busy. All the elders thought that their plan is successful but just before the function started Muzamil arrived. He had come unannounced, he wanted to surprise his parents because he had a long weekend and other than that he wanted to check on Zarghoona that why she wasn't replying to any of his letters, but instead he got the shock of his life. How could this be happening, he was working so hard to match the standard of Zarghoona but she was marrying someone else.

He straight away ran to his uncle's house and confronted his uncle. "Why uncle Ahmed WHY?".

"I had told ami and baba that I would do everything to fulfill your demands".

"Bchaya come lets sit and talk about it like adults". Ahmed tried to calm him down because some of the relatives were already gathering around them.

" No! Stop this wedding right now. Zarghoona cannot marry someone else". Muzamil said with anger and determination.

Ahmed could feel his anger rising " And why should I stop this wedding?".

" Because she will marry me, only me". He all but screamed.

Ahmed couldn't control his rage and smacked him right across his face. Muzamil was being a disgrace for his daughter and that too right before an hour of the nikkah, when his daughter was getting ready to be someone's wife with all dignity while his own flesh and blood was trying to make people raise questions on her character.

" I'm telling you for the last time that stop this marriage and I'll marry her today instead of that other prick and why are you forcing Zarghoona, she loves me too".

Ahmed slapped him again " Nobody is forcing Zarghoona, we are marrying her off with her consent. She is not interested in you. Now get out" shouted Ahmed.

" I won't go anywhere, you are lying she loves me. Ask her in front of me, you will hear it yourself that she loves me. I'll not let you force her and ruin both our lives".

"Fine I'm going to ask her and if she says what I'm saying, you will leave and never meet her again". Ahmed agreed with a condition.

"Done! And if she says what I'm saying then she'll marry me and that too today". Muzamil put forward his demand.

Ahmed started walking upstairs towards Zarghoona's room and by this time Nabila and Asma who were busy in different areas of the house had come to the scene and were now following Ahmed. Javed who had been busy in the garden area supervising all the arrangement was also informed by someone and quickly came inside.

Muzamil couldn't believe his eyes. She was just like a fairy. He couldn't take off his eyes and now he didn't want anybody to see her let alone marry her. Her spell on him broke when she heard her say softly " Papa you called me?".

"Yes my bchaya. Uh actually I wanted to ask you something or more like confirm it".

" You can ask me anything" Zarghoona sounded confused. She knew something was not right. Her father was sweating profusely and had anger on his face whereas Muzamil, her cousin who had shocked her the last time had finger marks on his face, as if somebody had slapped him. Remembering the last time what Muzamil had asked for, she now had an idea that this was something related to both her and Muzamil.

"Did you liked someone before your engagement?". Asked Ahmed.

Zarghoona was sure of her answer and without any hesitation said "No". Muzamil was shocked, so much shocked that he couldn't say anything.

"Are you pressurised for this Nikkah by anyone?"

She again replied " No one is pressurising me papa".

" Is this nikkah happening with your consent?".

"Absolutely".

Muzamil became furious and shouted at Zarghoona " why are you doing this, look don't be afraid of anyone. I promise nobody will say anything to you. Tell them the truth. This is our chance".

"What truth Muzamil". Asked Zarghoona confused.

"That you love me too, you are also interested in me".

"When did I ever say that I was interested in you or loved you?" Zarghoona replied angrily. She was ashamed of what her cousin was saying and was embarrassed in front of her family.

"Then why did you write me letters, why are you lying. I told you nothing will happen. Come on tell them the truth". He shouted,

Zarghoona lost her patience and shouted back it him " Did I ever told you I love you, did any of my letters say that. What was in those letters? I always only asked you about how you and Bami were doing. I thought of you as a cousin, a brother and nothing else".

" I'm not your brother and swear that you don't love me" he replied now on the verge of tears.

" I swear on my parents I have never loved you like that". Zarghoona said in an unwavering voice.

Muzamil thought his world crashed, he became numb. He didn't knew how and who brought him back to his house. He only knew that his heart had been stabbed directly. How could this happen to him. He could faintly here his father saying something to him or more like cursing him and his mother begging him to stop all this craziness. He slumped on the carpet in the lounge and closed his eyes. Muzamil heard the front door opening and closing back again, his parents had gone out, where? He didn't know. His brain had stopped, all the thoughts had stopped. He didn't knew how much time had passed, he came out of his shock when he heard a chorus of "Mubarak Mubarak" coming off from the lawn. He came back to his senses and now very well knew what this noise meant.

The love of his life was now married. She was someone else's wife. He had lost her. She was gone now. He didn't knew when thinking all this he had come to his parents room and had opened the drawer which had his father's gun in it. He stared long and hard at the object. His hands shook and he picked it out. He loaded it though he had never done it before and went back to living area. He kept the gun in his hands and focused on sounds coming from the lawn. He could hear music playing and by the sound of clapping and hooting he knew that the bride was brought to where the groom is.
'BRIDE' that word brought him out again from his trance. She was to be his bride only his. How could she marry somebody else.

HOW

WHY

BETRAYEL

UNFAITHFUL

SOMEONE ELSE'S

DENAIL

All his thoughts jumbled and within nano seconds he placed the gun on his head closed his eyes and
'BANG'.

Bchaya means child
Ami means mother

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