BEFORE you start this story, this is a trigger warning for everyone. I have worked for about seven days to truly understand these characters, emotions and the topic which I will address.

The warning is that the topic/thoughts will be shown in details (behavioural) and some might not like it and some might not understand it. If you are the first one, please don't read further. If you are the second one, all I can say is I have seen this so I know what's going on, bear with me.

The first chapter will not show the topic but the following chapters will.

Please be sure and patience.

Thank you so much.

Your author,

-Faiqa

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Z

ara sits in the window of her room looking at the sun stretching in the plain sky, covering the darkness that the moon left, with light.

Can someone life be the same way? That perhaps, one day, the darkness leaves and the sunshine makes its home in it?

She doesn't know.

Would she like to know? No. She has given up on the world and its ways, a couple of years ago. The hate and resentment live within her, burning her day in and out.

Hate for the person who lives in the same world as her, lives almost the same life like her but something was off because people usually like people who have similarities but she didn't.

She loathed him.

Babar Yusuf.

She sighs hearing the sound restoring through the thin walls shattering her soul before the light could touch a part of her.

She closes the window, walking to the couch as she starts to work on her next assignment for her master program. With her full-time job and more things- she can lag. That doesn't mean she didn't want to have her master degree, she does, but she has responsibilities that sometimes take priorities.

She stands in front of the mirror in her suit looking at her dull eyes. There wasn't a thing in this world that excited her anymore. There was nothing that she feels. She was numb, the only emotion she does feel was anger, resentment, pain and sorrows. To anything good- she doesn't feel it. Even if it was the supposedly happiest day of her life- she will be numb to that emotion.

She walks towards the dining table where her father sat in the middle of it, with his face pulled into an angry scowl and her mother running around to bring him food.

"Where are your manners?" Her father snarled as she sits on her assigned seat

"Good morning, father. Are you feeling good today?" She asked monotonously as she puts butter on the bread knowing her father has a thing for the American style lifestyle

Just a few things added to their already overbearing custom. Otherwise, all of the other American traditions were banned.

All in all, the things her father liked and approved will happen and which he didn't will never happen. Much like the toxic society which moulds things that they want, the way they want and wants everyone to follow without questioning.

She saw her mother visibly shaking at the fear of her father getting angry at her again.

"Is this what you taught her? To disrespect me?" Her father screamed throwing his chair back as he throws the newspaper on the table

She moves the piece of bread to save it as she continued to devour it. This was a usual morning session that has to happen for her father to feel good about himself and feel like a man.

"I am leaving". She announced as her father continued to yell at her mother for her inappropriate behaviour

"I need to speak to you". Her father screamed and she halts waiting for him to speak, "You are going to get married".

She resists the urge to roll her eyes, "To whom?"

"Zakir".

"Yeah, no".

She heard more screaming and cursing about her mother raising her wrong before she was out.

Babar opens his eyes after the sun was already out for a while. He looks at the time continuing his routine for the morning. The gym, his assignment (master program) and some office work before he went down to have breakfast with his father and his younger sister- Maya.

"Good morning, beautiful people". He said sitting on his seat looking at his sister, "Not you".

His father slapped his hand, "Don't be mean to your sister".

"What about the time she was mean to me?"

"It still means you were wrong". His father replied as he made bread for his sister lovingly, "Women are never wrong, isn't that right, my princess?"

Maya smirks at him, "Learn from him, Bhai. Or your wife will run away in a day".

His father laughs at his annoyed face as he made him bread too.

"She is just eighteen, Babar". His father said and he rolls his eyes as he continues to eat, "Don't tell her things like she isn't pretty because they can scar her for life even if it's a joke".

"Ok, Abbu". He said smiling looking at his sister who was busy eating, "She is beautiful like Ammi".

Maya grins, "I look exactly like her".

He nodded turning to look at the photo frame on the wall where his mother stands holding a five years old Maya in her hands, smiling at the camera.

Who knew those were his mother's fake smile?

"You do".

He finishes his breakfast rushing to leave the house to not be late for his meeting when his father asked him to drop his sister off.

He drops her off at her school asking her to wait for him when the school ends.

"How can you say that to him?" Her mother cried over the phone, "You can't say no to him. He had raised you".

"I have right to say no". She said plainly as she looks at the elevator moving up

"After everything he had done for you? This is how you will repay him? He has given a promise to them, you will do this to him? You will break his honour?"

She heard the door opening and she found her enemy standing there with an equally irritated look as her. She ignored his presence when he stands in the corner of the elevator.

"I am not changing my decision". She said passing over the emotional abuse that her mother was letting on her

She feels her shoulder becoming painfully heavy and her body weak under the pressure as she tries to fight it off.

"Do you wish for my death? Do you not love me enough to do this for me?" Her mother cried harder

She closes her head as the pain seem to get worse, "No".

She cancelled the call placing her phone in her bag. She massages her shoulder to reduce the stiffness and the pressure there which was a fruitless attempt. She knows her day was gone to dust now.

She didn't even know to what of her mother question she said no to. Was it a no for her death? Or a no for her other question?

"You seem out of it". He said observing her for a while, "Then again, you are always out of it".

"Keep your trashy mouth close". She snapped

She leans on the other side and the elevator was not going as fast as she hopes it did. She hates standing in this man's presence. There was something about it that she hates with a passion.

"That's the best you could say?" He asked chuckling that irks her

She can say more than that- just with her mother words, she can't seem to have her mind function at its full capacity.

She took a deep breath when the door opens again and she also jumps in joy only to find that it was the wrong floor and people were piling in. At least, she wasn't alone.

He continued to look at her which was hard now that people were standing in front of him and away from him. At least, he can scare people to stand at a distance from him. He hates being in contact with people. It's just uncomfortable at every point.

He frowns when he saw her jolt out of her daze which she was in for a minute. He saw that look when she ended the call (which he didn't hear a word of) but she had the same look of fatigue on her. It's a rare and interesting sight.

He looks at her face changing from shock to disgust to fear in seconds. If the disgust was there for him, it was understandable. But, she didn't even look at him and didn't even acknowledge his presence so that can't be.

"It's nice to see you here, Zara". The man who he doesn't recognise said

His eyes followed the man from head to toe until his eyes stopped at something.

His hand.

His hand which he was not controlling the movement of. His hand brushes against her leg and with a fake apology and even more fake smile on the man face, he continued his assaults without any shame for his actions.

He slammed his hand on the wall of the elevator jolting everyone to look at him. His eyes look directly at the man as he spoke, "Move away".

The dumb man seems to understand as he quickly stands in front of the elevator door. As soon as the door opens, she vanishes in the crowd leaving the anger to brim in him.

Why would he do that?

He shakes his head exiting on the same floor, walking to the restaurant where his friend had invited him.

She sits opposite of him looking at her food uninterested. Her friend- Yumna who was the wife of his friend- Waseem had invited her to this lunch. She just didn't think they will invite Babar too.

They know how much they hate each other.

"You could lose the attitude. I didn't want to dine in with you". He said watching the look on her face

Her eyes narrow at her words, "Then leave".

"Why will I do that? I have a golden opportunity to annoy you, why in the world will I leave it?" He asked smirking

She clenches her jaw before she could snap at him, her friend stopped her. She continued to glare at him which he returned throughout the dinner.

"Why do you hate each other?" Yumna asked confused, "Beside the insults you throw at each other. I never saw a real reason for this fight".

"You don't have to". She said shrugging wearing her sunglasses, "I will have to leave".

She starts to walk when Yuman stops her.

"Your mother called me". Yumna said hesitating, "Not all decisions of your father can be wrong. He is your father after all".

She knows Yumna lives in a world of near perfection to understand what she feels so she didn't say anything.

"Do you see me complaining? He is my father, yes. He did so much, yes. That doesn't mean I will let him promise anyone my hand especially to the man I don't like and be happy with it".

"It can be a good decision you never know".

"It can be the worse decision you never know".

"Zara, don't be this way. You should try to understand him".

She sighs, "I have to leave. I have work".

"Your mother is stressed. Don't do this to her".

"I have enough scars for a lifetime. I don't think I can handle more of them". She mumble walking away

She sits in her car with her head on the steering wheel, deep in thoughts. She heard the loud sound of a horn as she looks in the rear mirror startled. Her eyes narrow at Babar's car behind her car and he continued to press on the horn.

She curses under her breath opening her door walking towards his car.

"What's your problem?" She asked angrily

He slammed his car door smirking, "You are my problem".

She glared at him, "I have my car parked in the right place. I don't see how that or I am your problem".

"You have been in your car for the past 10 minutes now". He said looking at his Rolex, "And there are hundreds of people here, who could have used that spot".

She groaned, "Since when did you start caring for other people? You are the person who breaks the line to get his food, blackmail people and use his power to get what he wants".

"There is a lot of things I still can't get". He said shrugging, "That doesn't sit well with me".

"And I don't think I need to know that".

"You should".

"Look, cut the chase, I don't have time for your bullshit".

"No. I am not the one who is wrong, you are".

"No. I am not. You are just annoying to the point I wish I can strangle you".

"I hope I recorded that so if I died someday, I can at least put you in jail".

"That's your only wish, isn't it?"

"I busted my grand plan".

"You-".

Before she could have said anything, the guards throw them out of the parking area. She continued to curse him as she drives through the road to her another meeting which wasn't in her office.

She stops the car at the red light when her eyes find someone on the side of the road.

"You are not going to kill me, are you?" His sister asked scared

She rolls her eyes, "Wouldn't it be an immature crime if I kill you? It's pretty obvious to everyone that I will be the first suspect".

"Clever".

"Why don't you call your brother or father?"

"Ugh, I lost my phone today. That's why I couldn't call Bhai. I was going to a nearby place to call him from there".

"You cannot be travelling through streets, Maya".

"You sounds like Bhai".

She makes a face, "I hope not. I don't ever want to be anything like that raccoon".

Maya laughs, "This is the first time I met you after my brother and father hate for you. But you are pretty chill".

"Thanks". She said dryly, "I will believe that you find me chill and not hate me".

"You didn't do anything to me".

"True. Maybe I should".

Maya rolls her eyes, "The perfect crime will not happen".

"Damn".

She stops the car in front of his house and in a second his father came running towards them.

"Did you hurt her?" His father screamed at her

"Baba, she didn't do anything". Maya interrupted

"Go inside". His father said glaring at Maya who looks helpless as she runs inside crying, "Did you do this to blackmail us? Or to scare us?"

"I would have kept her with me longer to do that. You are a smart man, think before you conclude". She said walking to her car

She heard the loud sound of the screeching tires and her head turn to him.

She was going to die today. She walked into the lion den and this was probably her last day.

"What have you done to my sister?" He yelled

Here we go again.