!

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@AainaZaydaan : Suited up in green and white representing Pakistan at the UN convention for women. What an amazing time to be surrounded by some of the most incredible women of the world. Together, we're invincible.

After getting finished with her work duties, she had stayed in London for a few more days. Since it had been a long time that she visited Saira, this had seemed like the perfect opportunity. She understood that the last time she had really bonded with her sister, it had not been as open and as lovely as it used to be.

They both held different opinions at that time when it came to their mother and both of them were not ready to accept the facts. Now that things were quite nice between Aaina and her mother, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to bond with her family, with her first family.

After getting done with lunch and putting Zayla to sleep, she had called up Zaydaan.

He had picked it up, he always picked it up these days but it did not mean that Zaydaan would communicate normally. He was always so busy that most of the times, Aaina would just hang up annoyed at him for not speaking enough.

Even today, he had picked up the call but was not talking enough.

It had only been around ten days since she arrived in London, the first four days had been a little busy for her. She had to give a speech at the UN women and attend a conference the next day. On the third day, she had to visit a few Pakistani working women in London and on the fourth day, Aaina had to attend another event arranged by the Pakistani representation in London.

Finally after all the work had been done, Aaina was free enough to spend time with her mother and sister.

"You also have to talk when someone calls you, Zaydaan." She reminded him over the phone.

"I'm busy here, Aaina. I don't exactly have the time to talk like a teenager on the phone."

He grumbled, Aaina just rolled her eyes...hearing him order someone around as usual.

"Jeez," She mumbled. Her sister looked at her talking over the phone as she sat on the other side of the room, typing furiously on her phone.

"Saira sends her Salam." Aaina murmured.

"How is she?" He questioned over the phone, still hearing him say something to someone that she couldn't quite figure out.

"She's fine. She got a job, has a boyfriend and is trying to convince mama that marrying a Christian won't change things."

Saira had finally fallen in love. The same sister who only thought of men as shallow creatures, she lusted over men at times but never attached herself with anyone for a long time.

She finally fell in love with a man who did not belong to the same religion as her. He had recently proposed to her and she had said yes, regardless of the religion issue.

Aaina did not exactly have a problem with it but the same could not be said about her mother.

"She's what? Twenty eight now? About time she gets married. I talked to mama but it'll take her some time to get over it." She informed her husband, finding him only humming over the phone.

He probably did not even understand what she was saying.

"Hmm.."

"Zaydaan....you're not even gonna say that inter religion marriages are complicated and Saira should think over it again? Haan?"

This was actually getting quite annoying, again. Could he not just put his work on hold for five minutes and talk to her?

A part of her understood, he had already wasted a lot of his days because he was taking care of her. But still, five minutes would not hurt anyone.

"Sure, Aaina." Zaydaan mumbled. Aaina groaned, not willing to hang up and not willing to take this shit anymore.

"How's Zayla?" She heard him question, the noise from behind him also stopped.

Okay, maybe he was finally free.

"She's fine but she misses you." Aaina replied, pushing away the annoyance and talking to him.

"My speech is being quite talked about." She mentioned.

She had not really heard him say anything about her speech, Usually he was the first one to give feedback. Even though, all of her speeches.. they would get reviewed by him after getting finalised. There were several aspects that one had to think about before saying it out loud on an international forum.

"Yes, it was great-the schedule Hamza!" She pulled the phone away from her ear, hearing her man's loud voice.

Zaydaan resumed talking to her, telling her that she needed to come back already.

"But it's been two weeks and it's about damn time you bring my daughter back home." Aaina nodded even though he couldn't see her.

Truthfully, all she wanted was for him to come here as well and for them to spend some time away from everything but that was not possible right now.

"After Affan's birthday, he's going to come here tomorrow and stay for a few days."

It was her brother's eighteenth birthday tomorrow. He had grown up in such a secluded environment, away from all of them that him finally visiting them on his birthday was quite amazing.

He had obviously called her up a few times after she had been shot, had even offered to come and see her but she had refused. Aaina knew, she knew that Affan did not like Pakistan and did not like the bad memories that he had associated with the country.

"Aaina." She heard Zaydaan say.

"Get yourself back home by the end of this week." He said it like an order.

Aaina only chuckled.

"Is this any way to talk to your wife? Hmm?" Aaina asked playfully.

She heard him sigh, he missed her. He wouldn't say it out loud because she would tease him but he obviously missed her, and he definitely missed his daughter.

"Come home, Aaina." He mumbled again.

How could she ever say no to him?

"Alright, I'll be home soon. Well, as soon as Affan arrives that is." She added. She would stay three to four days at least and then she would go home.

"Okay?" She called him out, making sure that he was okay with it.

"Fine." He agreed, continuing.

"Now hang up, you might have alot of free time but I'm a Prime Minister."

He heard the hearty laugh of his wife and he felt himself smile at the sound of it.

"You know the world could be ending and you'd still say 'I'm a Prime Minister' as if that's gonna stop anything."

She told him, still laughing.

He did not really have anything to say to that because she was kind of right. He claimed the word Prime Minister like it belonged to him. It probably did.

"Haan jee? Ab bolain na, chup kyun ho gaye aap?"

(Speak up. Why are you quiet now?"

She teased him further, he leaned against his chair.

"Aap ne chup karwa diya hai."

(You have made me go quiet.)

He admitted. He hardly ever called her aap. He respected her, of course he did. But he had just gotten used to calling her tum. On the other hand, Aaina had only called him tum when she felt no respect for him, which had been once or twice in their long years together.

She did not know why but a warm blush creeped onto her face. There was definitely something about him using that word with her.

She still feigned a gasp.

"Ya Allah, duniya waqai khatam ho rahi hai kya?"

(Oh my God. Is the world really ending?)

She said back, knowing that he would only call her out for keeping quiet just because he had called her aap.

She did not hear any response for a few seconds but before she could question him, she heard his loud voice again and she had to pull the phone a little away from her.

"Duniya ka to pata nai meri patience zaroor khatam ho chuki hai! Hamza! I told you not to screw this shit up and this is what you give to me?"

Oh Dear Lord.

Hamza was a young man, a very intelligent one at that but it was quite hard to please the Prime Minister who needed everything to be perfect at all times.

"This is today's schedule?! Do I look like a fucking hulk to you?" He shouted.

She could even imagine the sheepish expression on Hamza's face. The shy and scared expression that he usually had when it came to being yelled at by the Prime Minister.

He had been working in the Prime Minister's office for two years now, he was good at his job and even though Zaydaan usually threatened him by telling him that he would fire him, he was also the one taking care of Hamza's entire family.

Hamza wasn't some rich boy with money, he had worked hard and earned his job.

Therefore, he received much more perks and salary than he deserved but he also got yelled at. Alot.

"Why is it that whenever I say 'don't screw it up, Hamza' you always manage to do just that?"

Zaydaan said out loud.

Aaina remembered how Hamza had read the Prime Minister's note to him when she had refused to eat anything since they were fighting.

"Prime Minister sahab, I'll fix it. I apologise." Hamza said, taking the schedule from the table.

"God, leave him be. Poor guy is always afraid that you'll fire him. He doesn't even screw up that often."

Aaina told Zaydaan, knowing that he would probably grill the man before letting him get back to work.

"Yes, he does. You want me to fire you, Hamza? Stop acting incompetent."

His voice on the edge of yelling again as Hamza nodded.

"I'll fix it, sir." He mumbled, walking out of the office.

Zaydaan let out a sigh, reurning to the phone call.

"Make Zayla talk to me once she's awake."

How was it that he was yelling two minutes ago and now his voice was all soft and tender?

"I will."

Aaina replied, seeing her mother walk inside the room with a pissed-off expression on her face.

She saw Saira stand up as well.

Great. Another argument.

"I'll let you work now." She said to her husband, ready to stand up and support her sister.

She understood the complications that came with and inter-religion marriage but Saira had her heart set out for that guy and all they could really do was support her.

"Mhmm."

She heard Zaydaan reply as he ended the call.

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@AainaZaydaan : Happy birthday to the brother who has grown up faster than I imagined. You are our golden boy, Affan. May Allah give you all that you want in your life.

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@AainaZaydaan : it's always lovely to meet the people who support and pray for you every day. Thank you for being a part of the Aaina Zaydaan Foundation fundraiser in Lahore this evening.

She had just came back from the shower, she was feeling much relaxed after the long busy day in Lahore. The fundraiser had gone quite well. With people pouring in more money than usual due to the presence of the Prime Minister, they had managed to raise much more than their target.

After a dinner with the chief minister at his place, both Aaina and Zaydaan had finally settled in their suite. Well she had showered, he had put his daughter to sleep in the attached bedroom.

Now, his wife looked all ready to sleep and sleep was the last thing on his mind. As she walked in front of him, to go near the dresser while he was sat on the sofa, he pulled her hand jerking her onto his lap.

His hands went around her waist, a small laugh leaving her mouth as he nipped at her neck.

"Zaydaan..." She called him out, trying to get out of his grasp.

"Hmm?" Her husband went back to nipping at her neck, which usually tickled her.

"Arey.." she tried getting him to stop, he stopped.

As she tried to get up from his lap, he twisted her around.. making her face him.

He used his hand to push back the wet hair from her face.

"Tum mere paas kyun nahi aati?"

(Why don't you come close to me?

She heard him question, Aaina frowned at him confused.

"Aati toh hoon. Abhi bhi aap ke paas hi hoon."

(I do. I'm still close to you.)

She answered, not knowing what he was saying even though she knew exactly what he was saying. He was finally confronting her about it and she hated that she had to tell him now.

"Tum jaanti ho mai kis baare mai baat kar raha hoon."

(You know exactly what I am talking about.)

He said, his face was turned quite serious now. He genuinely wanted to know the reason behind it and she just thought that he would find it pretty stupid.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai."

(It's not like that.)

She avoided his eyes but he pulled her chin up and made her stare at him.

"What have I said about lying to me?" He questioned. Aaina clicked her tongue, not even knowing what to say and how to describe it.

For men, it was not really a big issue but for women, it was. It could be.

"Zaydaan.."

Her husband sighed, his breath fanning her face.

"Tumhain kya lagta hai main notice nahi kar raha, jo tum Zayla ko beech mai sulaati ho humare?"

(Do you think I haven't noticed how you make Zayla sleep between us these days?)

Of course he noticed. He noticed everything. Sometimes, having an observing husband was not such a pleasure.

"Maina kuch is liye nai kaha kyun ke main tumhain waqt dena chahta tha. You needed time to heal yourself."

She smiled slightly as he admitted that. He had not once asked her or even made a move, knowing that she had just lost a life that existed inside of her and she needed time to get over that, to develop an intimacy like that again.

"Tell me."

She couldn't lie to him, not even when she did not want to tell him the truth.

"Zaydaan, pehle sirf stretch marks thay, ab itna bara nishaan hai. It looks so bad."

She was talking about the stretch marks that existed after Zayla's birth. She had even decided to get them removed from her stomach but he had told her not to, he had said that it reminded him of the strong person that she was.

But the scar, the ugly scar after the surgery and the bullet mark, it looked hideous to her.

She couldn't help herself as her voice came out whiny. Even though she had complete faith in him that he would understand, she also did not want him to think of her as a woman acting stupid by making idiotic notions in her head.

"So? This isn't useful to me anyway." Zaydaan mumbled, his eyes playful.

"That is." He cupped the place beneath her stomach, Aaina groaned trying to get off him.

He held onto her, his playful eyed being replaced by a much serious expression.

"Relax. I'm joking." He uttered, looking at her.

"Aaina, we're turning old every year. We'll have to see each other wrinkly with white hair and shaking body one day. I think I can handle a scar on your stomach." He told her, making it all sound so easy.

"Was that supposed to make me feel good?" Aaina questioned, he shook his head at her.

"What should make you feel good is that I love you, no matter how you look."

She knew that, she just-whatever.

She had to accept that everything was going fine, they were happy, they didn't have much to stress over in life right now and that was a good thing. There was no point in thinking about the bad parts.

"You really do, haan?" She said fondly, telling her mind that she was just thinking about a stupid scar.

"No. I like you better with red lips." He replied, chuckling at the way she moistened her dry lips with her tongue, narrowing her eyes at him.

"And I like you better with a shaved face." She shot back.

Zaydaan looked at her, feigning offense.

"People appreciate my beard."

That was true.

"People don't have to kiss you while getting scratched by your thick beard." She told him, running her fingers through the his beard and feeling his jaw underneath.

Zaydaan put his hand on hers, stopping her.

"Aaina, Zayla's asleep. We're done for the day." He said it like she didn't already know that.

"Yeah..?"

She tried to hide the smile that was breaking through her face. He didn't want to pressurize her but clearly he felt frustrated and he wanted to do it.

"You don't need pills or anything, old man?" Aaina enquired, teasing him once again.

"Shush.." He quietened her down.

"Let me get you some viagra maybe?" She still said, teasing him. Zaydaan tightened his grip even further.

"Don't turn my frustration into anger." He mumbled, agreeing that he was frustrated.

Since he had been talking about it for quite a few minutes now, even Aaina had started to feel the need.

"The angrier the better, no?" She whispered in his ear, her hands going around the collars of his shirt as she unbuttoned the first.

"Now that's more like it." His voice was much softer, he leaned forward..his hands dragging across her back as he pulled them up, resting them on her neck.

She inhaled sharply and exhaled softly, she smiled moving her face even more close to him.

His kiss was not gentle or soft. But it was one of passion, one that described the desire that he still felt for her, after all these years.

"Yeah, it still scratches my chin." She whispered against his lips, Zaydaan just chuckled.

"Good."

And good it was.

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@AainaZaydaan : Make a pledge. Take five minutes out for your own self. #BreastCancerAwareness

"How is this new campaign different from the previous ones?" In her vibrant pink dress and dark sunglasses, she was stood outside the seminar hall, responding to the media that had been gathered outside.

"It's definitely very different this time because we are raising awareness with the help of university students." She replied curtly.

She had spent two hours inside the seminar Hall explaining how different this year's campaign was and how the previous ones had created a certain amount of change. She definitely had no energy to repeat all of it again.

"Any comments on the recent visits that have suddenly lined up in Pakistan?"

"Is it not a good thing? You all used to complain that no one comes to our country and now that world leaders are coming here you all are still questioning it."

"Yes but there is a price to pay for everything."

She raised her eyes at the question. Leave it to the media to make everything sound negative.

"There is not a price to pay for anything. We are progressing as a country and the world is seeing it." She replied with another fake smile.

God, she was so damn tired.

"How are you feeling now, ma'am? Is your health intact?" There was only one female reporter among the group of male reporters, yet she had asked the question that Aaina genuinely wanted to answer.

"I'm very well as you can see. Thank you for asking." She thanked her,

"Are there any plans for you and the Prime Minister to host the Eid party that you host every year?

Zaydaan and Aaina hosted an annual Eid party, inviting around three to four hundred people of his political party, the ambassadors, opposition members while Aaina invited the socialites, celebrities and humanitarians. It was quite a talked about event and the media always looked forward to it.

"I'm not exactly sure at the moment. Eid is still a month away and we both are very busy right now."

She responded curtly, not knowing the Eid plans herself.

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@AainaZaydaan : Meet 'Meethi' Zayla's cat who she insists is not a cat but should always be called meethi.

"Zayla, don't run like that."

Aaina yelled behind her four year old daughter as she walked down the stairs, looking in the mirror as she fixed her smudged kohl.

She had to leave for the foundation in a while and she hated doing all of it without Raima. She didn't want to appoint anyone and Raima had clearly told Aaina that she didn't want to stay without Sami. Even though Sami wanted her to keep working for Aaina, she still was quite hesitant.

Her eyes glanced at her daughter yet again, seeing her running behind that cute persian cat with creepy eyes. She wasn't too fond of cats but Zayla had told Zaydaan that she wanted a cat and how could Zaydaan Ziagil ever refuse his daughter's wish?

"Mama, meethi is running." Zayla said to her mother, playing with the cat as she ran behind her once again.

"Yes but meethi is not a human. She's an animal, they don't fall while running." Aaina said, still wiping away the extra kohl.

Suddenly, she heard a tiny, high pitched shriek from behind her and she turned around, finding her daughter on the ground.

Aaina rushed towards her daughter, finding her clutching her knee but before she could even reach her, Zaydaan had already scooped her up in his arms.

Clearly he had just arrived back from work and found his daughter on the floor, bawling her eyes out.

"Sshhh, it's okay." He tried to calm her down as she cried out. Aaina looked at her with concern, cupping the side of her face as Zaydaan tried to get her to settle down.

"Does it hurt?" She asked her little girl, who nodded..the tears still leaking out of her eyes.

"Oh, come on. You're alright." Zaydaan rubbed her back, looking behind furiously as two house workers who were specifically there to look after Zayla stood with concerned looks on their faces.

"Is there no one to look after her? You idiots can not even do one job right!" He yelled at them, not even thinking about Zayla being in his arms.

Aaina squeezed his arm.

"Zaydaan, calm down." She whispered to him, he just clicked his tongue..walking towards the kitchen area.

He put Zayla on a the kitchen counter, then looked at his wife.

"Get me a wet cloth." He said to Aaina, who did not even know where the towels were kept in the kitchen.

"Sir, we'll put some band aid on her, I-" Nasreen took a step forward, holding the first aid box in her hand

"Don't. Move back." Zaydaan warned, Aaina just shook her head and looked at the woman.

"Where do you keep the towels?" She asked her, who just pulled one out of the drawer from behind.

"Thanks." She took it from her hand, putting the towel underneath warm water and then squeezing it enough to remove the dripping water out of it.

She handed it over to her husband, standing by his side as Zayla looked at her mother with teary eyes. She was worried it would hurt and Aaina could see it.

"Hey, it's not gonna hurt. It's gonna feel good." She assured her little girl, seeing as Zaydaan gently rubbed her knee, removing the small patch of blood. It was a very small cut but Zaydaan still felt uncomfortable looking at it.

"See." Aaina murmured to her daughter, who had long forgotten that her knee was supposed to hurt and now she was trying to peek out of the kitchen, just to see her cat.

"Polyfax." Zaydaan mumbled to his wife, Aaina handed the tube over to him.

Zaydaan gently applied it on her knee, kissing her daughter's head.

"Alright, Feels okay?" He questioned her, who just nodded in distraction..trying to get off the counter.

Zaydaan held her, knowing that she would jump and fall yet again.

"Baba, meethi." Zayla said in protest, saying that she had to go back to that creepy cat again.

The Prime Minister just let out a sigh and lifted her off the counter.

"Go. Don't run after her again." He said to her, watching as she walked out of the kitchen.

The moment Zayla left, Aaina pointed at the two women to leave as well.

"You really need to stop getting so angry. Everyone takes good care of her." She defended, knowing that he was being unjustifiably rude to the house workers.

"Then how did she fall? Maybe you would have stopped her if you weren't too busy staring at yourself." He grumbled.

She wanted to roll her eyes.

"Stop it, Zaydaan. She's a kid, she's going to hurt herself at times. That's how she'll learn." Aaina explained to him as he just shook his head, hating the idea of her getting hurt.

"I hate that bloody cat." He told his wife, even though he was the one who got her that cat.

"Don't say cat in front of her." Aaina reminded him, knowing how Zayla just wanted to call that persian white cat 'meethi'

"What kind of a fucking name is meethi?" Zaydaan pondered out loud. Even she had no idea why her daughter had named that cat meethi. It just sounded weird.

"It's way better than Icarus. That's what you named your horse, right?" She teased him, making him crack a smile at her.

Aaina made him turn around as she put her hand around his shoulder.

"Look at her now, she's laughing." They found her on the sofa, laughing at the television with the cat on her lap.

"You just get worked up about nothing." Aaina said in his ear.

"She was crying." He replied, defending himself. Aaina pulled on his shoulder.

"So yelling at the help would get her to stop? It would only encourage her to do the same one day. She'll grow up all bratty and spoiled."

"I wouldn't mind her bratty and spoiled." Zaydaan stated.

"You wouldn't. But she would be insufferable for other people." Aaina told him, he turned his face around, smirking at her.

"This motherly shit of yours is insufferable as well." He remarked.

Aaina frowned at him.

"Why don't we talk about you hugging your ex shit? I remember you bragging about her comfort. It's quite insufferable as well."

She hadn't brought up Minal in weeks and there it was. How could he even think that she forgot about it?

"Aaina." He tried to stop her.

"Zaydaan.." She said in the same tone.

The Prime Minister groaned, knowing that an irrational rambling was just about to take place, in this freaking kitchen.

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@PMHouseUpdates : 'She is definitely the only woman to get him to genuinely smile' Said the Prime Minister's close friend and advisor Zulfikar Bukhari at the ARY news morning show. Happy Anniversary to Pakistan's most favourite couple. May the Prime Minister Zaydaan Ziagil and first Lady Aaina Zaydaan always stay together, happy and in love.

"That is one ugly cake." She felt her husband say and her eyes widened.

Yes, the cake was not the most pleasant one to look at since they both liked simple things. But it was a small surprise by Noora and she didn't want her to hear Zaydaan's thoughts about it.

"Zaydaan ssh. Noora got it specially made for us. Be nice." She said in his ear, he looked at her.

"Noora got it made?" He questioned, not quite believing that this was Noora's choice.

Since he had asked pretty loudly, Noora came in front of him and nodded, looking at the cake.

Ahad and Noora had arranged a cozy dinner for Aaina and Zaydaan since it was their anniversary.

Zaydaan had been in Karachi for the entire day and had just arrived a few hours ago. Meanwhile Aaina had been working in the foundation as well.

Ofcourse, she had wished him a happy anniversary the moment she had woken up in the morning. He had made love to her, they had breakfast together but that was pretty much it.

Clearly, Ahad and Noora wanted to do something more.

"Yes, Zaydaan bhai. I did order a cake for you both but this ugly three tier was not it. If this is the cake they make for the Prime Minister's anniversary, God knows what they do with the random people." Noora rambled out, nervous that the cake had turned out to look like this.

Zaydaan just shook his head at her, giving her a gentle smile.

"It's fine, Noora. Thank you."

Ahad didn't remember the last time his brother had thanked him. Did he just act nice with his wife to piss him off?

"And what did your incompetent ass do while your wife was making these arrangements?" Zaydaan questioned his brother, making him scowl.

"How the hell do you like my wife more than you like me? I have spend decades of my life with you." He questioned, feeling his brother smirk at him.

"Maybe that's exactly why I like her better than you." He replied, Ahad just groaned at him.

"Bhai."

Aaina clicked her tongue, taking Ahad's side.

"Hey! While Noora was making these arrangements, Ahad was finding the perfect gift for me." She pulled her hand up, showing him the bracelet that Ahad had got for her.

It was simple and elegant, just the way she liked it.

"For you only? Is it your birthday?" Zaydaan questioned, finding it offensive that his brother hadn't got him anything.

"What should I have got you? You hate my gifts." Ahad pointed out.

That was true.

Zaydaan always hated Ahad's gifts, claiming that his brother didn't exactly understand what he liked.

"A teenage girl would give better gifts than you." Zaydaan replied, gulping down the glass of water in front of him.

"And that is exactly why I didn't get you anything, bhai."

Zaydaan just stood up from the chair, ignoring his brother's remark as he held out his hand for Aaina.

"Acha come on. Let's cut it." They moved towards the table, since the cake was placed on it.

Aaina pulled on his hand, making him look at her.

"Zaydaan, can I call mama and baba too?"

It didn't go unnoticed, how she had called Uncle Idrees as baba. Zaydaan didn't know how to exactly feel about Aaina calling him that but he liked that she was appreciating his father more now. Under all the hard, cold and cruel exterior, Idrees Ziagil was a good man, a man who had also lost a child, a daughter. But hadn't let it affect his other relationships.

And she had called his mother mama again. Zaydaan knew she missed the woman alot in her life and he knew that she felt guilty for missing her.

As he kept quiet, Aaina continued talking.

"I know that you both are still pretty much ignoring one another and I am equally mad at her, don't think of me as selfish but I think she's really sad and we should-." He stopped her mid sentence, nodding his head at her.

"You can call her. I don't mind." He told his wife, who didn't hesitate as she pulled out her cell phone and made a call upstairs.

It hardly took a few minutes before Safina Ziagil was downstairs, claiming that Idrees had slept in but she had been wide awake, watching them from upstairs.

She carried a bag in her hand as she walked towards them with a hesitant smile on her face.

When she saw Aaina smile back at her, Safina Ziagil beamed and stood in front of them.

"Happy anniversary." She said, looking at Aaina as she pulled her in for a hug.

"Thank you." Aaina whispered against her, embracing her back.

She felt guilty, she did. But God, she felt the comfort and content too. The woman had hurt her husband and even though she had asked for forgiveness, it couldn't erase the past.

Yet, she had missed this content. Safina Ziagil had treated Aaina with so much love that it was hard to not miss that feeling.

She put the gift on the table and pulled out of the hug, looking at her son now.

"Happy anniversary, Zaydaan. May Allah keep you both happy."

Aaina raised her eyes at that, a smile creeping on her face as she stared at the tiny interaction.

Safina Ziagil knew that Zaydaan wasn't ready to be embraced by her so she just pulled her hand out, waiting for him to shake it.

Zaydaan hesitantly shook hands with her, not thanking her for the wish but just nodding at her.

He broke out of the trance within a second, calling out for his daughter.

"Come on Zayla." He called his daughter, making her stand with him as he held the knife in his hands.

"Yes, come on Zayla. Baba will cut his anniversary cake with you." Aaina teased, earning a few laughs from Noora and Ahad.

"Shut it, woman." Zaydaan whispered against her, making her hold the knife along with him.

They cut a small piece of the cake as Aaina picked it up first, making him eat it. For a cake that looked this ugly, it tastes quite nice.

Zaydaan did the same with her, making her eat the cake before putting half of it in Zayla's mouth.

"I love you." Aaina whispered in his ear as she fed him another bite of the cake.

Zaydaan just nodded, smiling playfully at her.

"Mhmm." He mumbled, still teasing.

"Haan Haan, aaj ke din bhi tang kar lo mujhe aap."

She turned around after saying that, knowing that she had to thank Noora. Before she could open her mouth, she found lips on her cheek and a loud enough kissing sound to be heard by everyone around.

"I love you." Zaydaan said loudly, smiling fondly at his wife as she stared at him in awe.

Life, it felt perfect.

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@AainaZaydaan : thank you for all your lovely anniversary wishes. It has been a glorious ride so far ❤️

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Thoughts?