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When he does not even bother to act nice at his own engagement.

"Salam a alaikum."

I heard him say Salam in the wrong way but I didn't really know who he was saying it to, not until my sister pinched my side.

He was saying it to me?

I looked up with a wild beating heart.

"Wa laikum salam."

I whispered back. I knew it was rude of me to just stand there so I greeted the Prime Minister and his wife.

I knew they were almost my in laws now but it still felt so damn weird.

"Shall we start?" One of the men from their side questioned and my father nodded.

This was it. I was actually getting engaged.

It didn't take much time for everyone to gather around.

He kept staring at me and it made me feel so uncomfortable. I didn't understand why he would do that.

"Did you cry?"

I jumped, startled that he had directed a question at me.

What did that even mean? Were my eyes red? Was that it?

His voice was so deep and yet so calm this time, I knew he was anything but that.

"No. Just couldn't sleep." I admitted, lying through my gritted teeth.

My voice as low as his.

His father handed him over the engagement ring. A gold ring with a big diamond sitting in between two smaller diamonds.

It was beautiful.

He held out his left hand for and I awkwardly slipped my hand into his. My fingers shaking again.

He slipped the ring onto my finger, letting go after that.

I could say I felt alot of things when his fingers touched mine, but the truth was, I only felt nervous.

Nothing more.

I did the same with him, I slipped in the engagement ring as quickly as I could.

And that was it.

The applaud and cheers around us started. I was almost thinking of going back to sit on the sofa and atleast try to relax when I saw him lean a tiny bit down, I felt his mouth near my ear.

He wasn't touching me, but I could still feel surrounded by his touch.

"Lesson number three, don't snitch on me again, I won't tolerate it."

He hissed in my ear.

At first, I felt confused. Then, I realised that he was talking about my father, who had asked him to be gentle with me.

I could give him alot of explanations, alot of answers but instead I remained quiet through out the entire night.

What had they gotten me into? How was I supposed to live with a man who gave me fucking lessons on how to behave?

I wanted to be strong, I really did. And it was just the start, but I knew that he had a way with words and he had only used his cruel ones with me.

I didn't understand him. I didn't understand why he was so mean.

That night, for the first time, I actually cried.

I didn't care if my sister heard me, or my mother, or anyone else for that matter. I simply cried.

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@AainaImran : thank you to @nomiansaricouture for such a beautiful dress. I felt like a princess.

@AainaImran : Engaged 💕

@TribunePK : Prime Minister Idrees Ziagil's son and foreign minister Zaydaan Ziagil gets engaged to  Business Tycon Imran Ahmed's daughter. The news comes as a surprise to many since rumours of his marriage to Minal Ashfaq have been floating around for a year now. To see pictures from the ceremony, click on the link in our bio.

@AainaImran : half of the wedding shopping involves me in a dressing room trying out heaps of clothing.

@AainaImran : waffles and gossip and curse words.

@HelloPakistan : Party night at the Prime Minister House for Foreign Minister Zaydaan Ziagil.

@AainaImran : dholak ceremony.

@AllureSalonOfficial : The breathtaking Aaina for her mehndi ceremony with Foreign Minister Zaydaan Ziagil tonight.

@AainaImran : can't believe I was supposed to do a semester in Barcelona and live like a single girl. Yet, here I am.

@AainaImran : from miss to Mrs ❤️ here's to a new life ahead.

@PakistaniCelebs : Mahira Khan, Mira Sethi and Amna Illyas snapped with Ahad Ziagil (Prime Minister's son) at a party in Karachi tonight.

@OkPakistan : Ahad Ziagil snapped with Actor Amna Illyas at a public event. Is the Prime Minister's son looking for a new girlfriend?

@AainaZaydaan : day at the farm.

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When she goes out with Ahad for the very first time and the husband is pissed.

With a gradual anxiety that grew as seconds passed, I entered my bedroom.

And there he was. His back was turned towards me, his hands typing away on his phone.

He looked freshly showered, the distinct smell of male bodywash took hold of my senses.

The faint smell of cigarette also engulfed the whole room, he smoked, I knew that but I had never really seen him smoke in front of me.

My hands shook slightly as I put the tray on the table, the clinking sound making the silence in the room go away.

"Assalam alaikum.." I greeted, my voice barely above a whisper.

What else could I have said? Did I have the right to complain? Why didn't you call me? Did you really not think of me at all?

"Walaikum Salam." He greeted, his back still turned towards me.

He finally moved around and his eyes landed on me.

I noticed the bags under his eyes and the way his body language indicated lack of sleep.

He kept staring at me, I had to say something since it felt too awkward.

"Uhh, you're back early." I mentioned.

That was enough for his eyes to turn angry, all that tired demeanour gone and replaced by an arrogant personality.

I gulped as his eyes threw daggers at me.

"What are you wearing? Were you out in these clothes?"

I realised that my clothes were a problem for him too. People weren't evolved in his family, I got that.

"I, yeah I went horse riding with Ahad. I didn't realise that the clothes were an issue but mama told me and I understand now." I quickly said so his anger would go away.

Couldn't he take me out on a date like a normal husband and talk to me? Ask me how I was feeling? Marriages weren't supposed to put women in such awkward positions.

"Why were you gone without my permission?" I almost scowled at him.

Permission? For real? Who was he? My guardian?

"What? I, I didn't know I had to ask." I mumbled instead.

My answers didn't satisfy him.

Anger was such a scarlet emotion, as if it came from hell itself. And my husband displayed every bit of it as he threw his phone on the bed.

He didn't care when his phone hit the headboard, he didn't care how I had flinched. His anger was visible and it frightened me.

"Who do you think you're married to?" I shook my head, not able to say anything.

"No, tell me. You think I'm some maths teacher? You think I'm some clerk? Hmm? Are you that stupid?"

This was the Zaydaan that I had first met. The Zaydaan who told me that a husband's word was the final word. The Zaydaan who gave me lessons.

The Zaydaan that scared me.

"Do you not realise that I have to be answerable for every stupid thing that you do?"

What the hell did I even do?

"I didn't do anything. I was at home all these days, I just left today and I,"

He interrupted me, dismissing my words as if they meant nothing to him.

"It's not about being at home, it's about you not asking me!"

That got me defensive too. Even though I felt like I needed to sit down and calm my nerves, I spoke up.

"You didn't even respond to my texts, how could I have asked you?"

My words sounded confident in my head but they sounded absolutely vulnerable and weak in front of him.

"You could have called my assistant, my advisor, could have called me, no need for stupid excuses, Aaina."

Was he really trying to blame me for the fact that he did not respond to my text messages?

Were all men like this?

"I'm not giving excuses, I'm-" I tried to speak, he shut me up.

"Next time, ask me if you have to go out. There are security arrangements made specifically for you,"

I nodded, I couldn't say anything to that.

Maybe Zaydaan was just worried about me. Right? Ahad told me that there were threats to our lives. Maybe, he just wanted me to be safe.

"Wear decent clothes. I don't want my wife half naked when she's outside the house."

I looked at my clothes twice. I was covered, completely.

"I'm fully covered." I replied.

He shot me a look that shut me up.

"Did I ask?"

No, you didn't.

Am I supposed to listen to everything you say and not explain myself? Do I have to say yes to all that you ask me and do I not get a say in it?

God, I didn't expect this. I expected anger but not this much of it.

"And I am not going to tolerate you hanging out with my brother at farms. If I see one article, talking about you or Ahad in any inappropriate way, I swear Aaina, I won't tolerate it."

I gulped.

So he was basically telling me that I couldn't hang out with the one friend I had made? The one who was actually his brother?

Was he really that concerned about his image?

I won't tolerate it. What would he do? I didn't wanna find out.

"Why are you saying that? He was just giving me company and-" Yet again, my words meant nothing and he spoke over me.

I had never felt so powerless.

I almost felt like crying.

"I know how this country works, how the media works. So for the love of God, don't screw it all up."

Each and every word was firm and strict, I felt like his employee, not his wife.

"Understood?"

I didn't say anything.

I merely nodded my head, looking away and trying to keep the tears at bay.

He hadn't replied to my text messages. He hadn't called. And now he had simply shown up, yelled at me, made me feel inferior and I couldn't do anything about it.

I saw him approaching me and I almost backed away before he caught my wrist, holding me still.

His thumb reached for my face and he gripped my chin faintly.

His brown eyes stared at me, emotionless.

"I said, 'Understood Aaina?"

So, he wanted me to speak. I closed my eyes to stop myself from crying.

"Yeah. Understood." I whispered.

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