And again 😌🎊

****

She sighs. She hasn't spoken after the few words she said to him. Mostly because they have to move to this apartment and his parents started a whole new show.

In which, she found that her parents did sell her. Well, they intended to. They were going to write off her property rights to her husband. Which they didn't because she chose a husband for herself.

It was Haris before, then it was Khalil. Since, Haris married her in different circumstances, the property was not a part of that deal.

She feels his touch on her hand, and she raises her eyes to look at him as he spoke, "I promise I had no idea about any of your properties. You know I wasn't interested in this marriage, I barely paid attention to anything".

She tilts her head, "No one disappoints me anymore, Haris. Chill".

His hold tightened, "I don't care. I want you to have expectations, wishes, hope and everything with me. I want you to live with me".

"It's not that easy".

"I never said it is. All I am asking for to never give up, until you reach for what gives you peace in your life".

"Do you have your conference today? Why are you not getting ready?"

"I am nervous". He said, brushing his neck

She places her hand on either side of his cheeks, squeezing them, "You are not wrong and even if you have to scream that to this stupid world, you will. Ok?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I will leave now". He said, kissing her forehead and her cheeks turns pink, to which he chuckles, "You have to rest. Sleep. Watch movie. Do your astronauts stuff-".

"I am a programmer, not an astronaut-".

He places his hand on her lips, "Yeah, that. Do whatever, my card is on the table if you want to order things, just don't stress".

"Yes, Sir". She mocks, "I feel like I am a child".

"You are just a child trapped in a grown body, Dalila". He chuckles, "I am off".

"Just go already".

He turns to look at her, "I am leaving for sure now".

She waves her hand, "Yeah yeah. Leave".

"I am leaving". He sang and she rolls her eyes, laying on the couch

He stands in front of the mirror in the room behind the stage. He can hear all the reporters and their lethal words ready to attack him. He presses on his chest as he repeats her words. God, he wishes she was here. He just wants to see her. But, he can't be selfish to pull her in this.

He took a deep breath, sending some prayer as he walks out in front of everyone. His eyes were immediately blinded by the light which didn't bother him since he was used to it.

He starts to explain the events, how he was taken by one of his team players to the room he had no idea about. He didn't know about what was going on until he was offered and that exact moment the video was taken. He didn't accept any bribes and that he was innocent.

"Are you sure you said no?" A reporter asked

He could still feel his heart beating rapidly as his eyes went to the side when he saw something or rather someone.

His wife.

His eyes widen slightly as he takes her in. There is no way she is here. Is she?

She smiles.

He is hallucinating because his wife doesn't smile. Yes, she frowns and all, but not smile.

The reporter looks at where he was looking as they turn their cameras to her, he started to speak again. He didn't want her to be subjected to pictures at least. She hates cameras. It was hard enough to have her pose for a few pictures in their wedding and to hold her back from breaking the photographer's neck.

He ended his conference, almost running to her as he holds her hand, dragging her along with him to his car. He feels good. He feels so good that she was here. That she was here for him.

"Stop smiling". She whined, as she looks at him

She can't help herself. He looks so handsome. Obviously, she knows he looks handsome all the damn time. He looks exceptionally beautiful when he is in full confidence. She knows it was a risk to herself to go to that conference, but she can't stay hidden in the apartment just because of these nagging people.

She wants to show everyone that they were standing against them, together. She wants to show herself that she can do better. That the fear she is building in her, she needs to be the one to break it off. Because the more she feeds it, the more it grows in size.

His touch. His touch ignites something in her. She had a handful of his touches, but she craves for more. She had set an appointment for the psychiatrist after a million thoughts, but the one thought to start a new life with him win overall.

"What do you want to eat?" He asked, looking at her again

She bites her lips, "I-".

"You are sick so no junk food".

"Junk food cures me".

He rolls his eyes, "No".

"You don't understand. It heals me".

"No".

"Fine. Take me wherever you want".

"How about my heart?"

She makes a face, "I will throw you out and drive myself to food joint. I would rather have my burger with extra cheese than to hear you".

He laughs wholeheartedly, "You know you love it".

She sits with the magazine, looking at the astronaut speaking about the technology that he experienced.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you love him". He said, throwing himself beside her

"Who knows?"

He moves the magazine out of her hand, placing his head on her lap, "Your father called me".

She frowns, "Why?"

"You remember the party of the teams tomorrow?" He asked and she nodded, "Well, that party holds some of the most influential people and your father asked me to introduce Dawood to them".

She stiffens immediately and he holds her hand in front of him, drawing patterns to calm her down. 

"What did you say?"

"No". He said, making a face, "I am not allowing the Faood anywhere near you".

"Faood- you mean Dawood". She said shaking her head, "Why not?"

"Because he hurt you and I don't like people who hurt you".

She feels her heart starts to melt at his words.

"He didn't exactly hurt me". She said shrugging, "I should have known it was too good to be true".

"That's a lie. You are too good to be true".

"You are exaggerating".

"No. I am not".

She rolls her eyes, "Anyways, he didn't do much. All he did was to befriend me to get to my stepsister".

His jaw clenched, "He did what?"

She nodded, "I was about 20 so Dayna was 18. I was starting to walk through all the things I have been through when he met me. I thought like any stupid girl that he was the one who will bring me eternal happiness and joy". She rolls her eyes, "All he did was bring me to the edge, again. He broke it off when I confessed at 22 because I didn't want us to separate after university".

"Then what?"

She sighs, "I didn't know that he was meeting my stepsister every time he came over for assignments. That they started their relationship and all. It was when I confessed he said, 'You are not good enough for me. I never loved you. I will never love you. I want you to understand that. You are nothing like her. She is pure and you are not' and that one left a good mark on me".

He wraps his arms around her waist, "I promise I will punch him for you. If you want, we can invite him to the party, kidnap him and murder him. I will help you to hide his body".

She laughs, blinking her tears away, "No. I don't care. It's his loss anyway. He could have had someone original and he chooses not to. Plus, I have my own choice now".

He moves back with a grin, "Me?"

She shrugged and he nudges her to say his name. When she didn't, he lay her down, tickling her side as her laughter fills the room which was music to his ears.

He looks at his wife as they attend the party. Luckily, he was found not guilty. The statement of police came out this morning. But, he won't be in that game that he wanted to be part of. He understands that there are more opportunities all he had to do was not stop. He remembers how she literally shakes him awake, screaming that they won. It was better than winning any game. The happiness on her face as she continued to look at the news was aesthetic.

But, he didn't like this party. For one reason, everyone is swooning over his wife. He had been trying to discreetly not show his annoyance since she is having fun. That didn't stop him from glaring at men who were extra happy to see her.

They are not even astronauts that she will like. That is such a relief.

She could feel his eyes, following her every movement and every action. Even when someone speaks to him, his eyes move to them for a second before they come back to her. She feels a bubble in her chest as she continued to enjoy his attention.

She excuses herself to a drink (cola), and wait for exactly a minute to find his eyes searching around for her. She smiles, drinking the soft drink, as she continues to enjoy his frown as he looks beyond the people who were begging for his attention. He starts to march around until his eyes fell on her.

He immediately starts to move towards her and her heart starts to beat differently. Someone blocks his path to speak to him, but he turns around them, finally reaching her as his arms wrapped around her.

"I found you". He whispers in her ear, "And I am never letting go".

She heard her phone ringing for the millionth time and she wasn't going to answer it.

It is her mother.

She groans, moving closer to her husband body, wanting to sleep some more. As soon as she moves near him, his arms wrapped around her. She smiles in her sleep.

"I am not going to Dayna's wedding". She said to her mother as she cooks and her husband keeps on interrupting her

"What will we say to the people?" Her mother cried and she rolls her eyes

"That I have a life and I am busy in it?"

Her husband wraps his arms around her, placing his head on her shoulder.

"That is--". Her mother started, but she cut the call-off

"Why don't you want to go?" He asked as he moves a strand of her hair on his finger

"Because, if I do. My mother will throw expectations at us. My father will find any chance to insult or hit me. Also, they will throw anything and everything about how I am jealous of Dayna and copied her wedding or whatever".

He clicks his tongue to his cheeks, "Why do they say that?"

She sighs, turning in his hands, looking at him, "Because I was jealous. Not that I showed it. I just tried my best to be noticed and loved. Like, I would do some work early, eat all the food even if I didn't like it, do my laundry, homework and extra activities. Took parts in all activities where parents were called, but they never came. Just like how they never noticed my efforts".

"What did they notice?"

"They believe that I hate my stepsister. Every time, I had something they snatch it from me to give to her saying I shouldn't be selfish. Every time, I did a mistake or argue with my stepsister, they hit me. They literally threw me to the side. When I said, I want to be a spaceship programmer, they said I am a waste just like always. So, I have been on my own since I turned 6".

"But, why?"

"According to what I know, my father fell in love with another woman and married her. She was Dayna's mom who died when Dayna was born. My mother was expected to do her best for Dayna as a stepmother and you know how society sees stepmother and two wives, so my mother went into a complex of pleasing my father, which came from pleasing Dayna in every way possible even if it meant--".

She couldn't speak. She can't speak. It hurts. The anger of her mother and father towards her since she was 6, it all hurts.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, crying. This has to be the first time in forever that she has cried. She wants to feel the pain once and then get over it.

For her new life.

"I want you to go to this wedding". He said, as they sit in their room

"No".

"But, I just want you to go to not participate or anything. Just be a bride".

"You want me to be a fake bride?"

"You are my bride, Dalila. It hasn't been that long since our wedding".

"How can I forget that unfortunate day?"

He rolls his eyes, "Yeah. Yeah. I want you to go to enjoy all the functions that we weren't able to enjoy".

She wrinkles her nose, "You want me to be that kind of a bride? Do I look like that?"

He chuckles, "I know you can be anything if you want to be".

"That is true. But, I hate wearing those dresses and I don't even know which one should I buy". She whined

"I will buy for you, if you want?"

"Fine. I am going there. But, if it gets annoying. You are going to elope me".

"Deal".

"I am here for my husband, not you all". She declared as she stands in the lounge of her parents house, "Don't have any expectations that I will do anything".

She sits in her room, chatting with her husband about how much she wants to run away from here and that idiot sending her laughing emojis.

She heard the door opening and her stepsister walks in. She places her phone on the side, waiting for her to speak.

"Are you going to stand there all day?"

"Why can't you be nicer?" Dayna said, looking at the ground, "You know I lost my mother".

"And I lost my parents too even when they are alive". She snapped, "I don't have to nice to someone who can't seem to look past their sorrows. Get out".

"Is this a way to speak to her?" Her mother said angrily, "She is trying to mend the bond before her marriage".

"For what? My prayers and wishes? I am not going to give anything more to you all". She snarled, as her eyes turn to her mother, "I hope you know that you failed me. You failed to be my mother because you were too invested in someone's else daughter".

Her mother went on her crying sprees, "How can you say that to me?"

"How? You are the reason for my traumas. You are the reason I can't live a normal life. You are the reason I-". She pauses, because she will never share her fears and its treatment, "Just get out. I know for a fact that people like you will never accept that they did wrong".

She sits in her sister henna function bored out of her mind. After applying henna on her hands, she went to the backside of the house to escape the awfully loud sounds.

She sits on the bench, looking at the sky, "This is better".

"Are you sure? I heard someone complain all night on the call". She heard her husband voice and she turns to him with a grin, "I think this is better".

He sits beside her, "Don't tell anyone I am here".

"You care?"

"Not really. If I did I wouldn't be here". He said shrugging, "Did you write my name?"

"No. I asked the henna artist to write our neighbour's name".

"What's his name?"

She kicks his leg, "Shut up".

He tucks a strand of her hair away, "Want to go out with me?"

"Yes, please. I am starving".

He chuckles, "Follow me, madam".

She travels with him to the takeout, as they sit on the beach. She didn't take off her henna and he had to feed her. But, she didn't mind. All of these new feelings were beautiful.

"Ya Khuda". She heard her husband voice as she turns to look at him (Oh my God), "You could have given me a warning".

She laughs, walking into his arms, "Thank you".

"I should have recorded that". He said smiling as he places his hand on her cheeks

She slaps his hand, "We need to leave".

"Do we have to?"

"It was your idea".

"Ok. How about that deal we made?"

"What deal?"

"About running away".

She rolls her eyes, "Fine. Let's run away".

He grins, holding her hand as he starts to move out of the venue when Dawood stopped them.

"What is it?" She asked annoyed

"I need to talk to you". Dawood said

She holds her husband hand, "No. You have done enough talking. You are a piece of trash and I won't even waste my curses on you. Whatever you do with your life has nothing to do with me. And don't ever think of using my husband for yourself. He is my husband, not anything to you. Also, I have realised that I never loved you". She pauses when her husband looks at her, "I was in a dark place where I used to think that marriage is the only solution that can free me. I realised now that marriage is about responsibility and an about starting a new family, it is not an escape. And I can't be grateful that you rejected me".

"Do you have someone you like?" He asked, as they lay in their bed

"I do". She said, placing her head on his chest, "Do you? I remember reading that magazine and when the host asked for your love- you said your search ended".

He smiles, nodding, "After having a wife, there was no way I will search for love anywhere else. I just had to start to understand you, observe you, care for you and learn from you. It didn't take that much from me because you already knocked on my heart when we met outside that coffee shop and threw that coffee on me".

"Third time the charm?"

He laughs, "Kind of like that. That day, I thought about your words. Just like how you said, that I didn't go after Jala and instead choose to speak to you. Took me some time to realise that if a previous relationship fails, it didn't mean a person can't move forward. It just means they have to be a better version and not be someone like the person who hurt us".

"So, who do you love?"

"You. I don't know from exactly when, but I know that when I am with you, my heart is at peace". He said leaning closer to her, "What about you?"

"There is this cricketer who won over an astronaut because I have been reading his interview, watching his matches and all".

That was how they started their journey.

She heard the sounds of something she couldn't understand. She blinks her eyes, looking for her husband who wasn't there.

She turns to the sound to find a brown rabbit hovering over her. She screech, sitting on the bed and the rabbit fall beside her. She looks at it, gleefully, as she holds it in her hand with a wide smile on her lips.

Her eyes turn to the door where her husband was standing looking at her with his beautiful smile.

"I have a few more". He said grinning as he opens the door and at least 5 more white and brown walks in

She gasps, "Did you buy the whole shop?"

"No. But, it took time to buy the whites and browns". He said shrugging, "You said you loved them".

"I do. I still do". She said excitedly as she places them in her lap, "They are so beautiful".

"So are you".

She rolls her eyes, "I just woke up, Haris. Don't make me throw up".

"You have been throwing up for two months anyway".

"Whose fault is that?"

"Yeah. Blame me. I am wrong".

"That you are".

That was how their morning and days went by. They understand each other. They understand the fear and troubles and they eliminate them.

She learned that having a toxic family was not her fault. It was just a test. A test she had to go through to find things in a different light. If she had stayed somewhere else, she might not have looked at things how she did today and somehow it was a blessing in disguise.

She did understand something else. That she is what she makes of herself. Not what people make or anyone else. If there is no one to depend on, it is best to stay true to yourself or you will be lost. The more we depend on people, the more it will hurt.

Her father declared after Dayna's wedding that he will not give her any of his properties because she was not the best daughter. She didn't even care about her parents' fortune because she was capable of making hers.

Her parents remain unapologetic which wasn't a surprise and she cut her sister off. She didn't want her husband to have a faceoff with any of the two people she didn't like herself. And her sister chooses to remain oblivious to the truth. Was it her stupidity or something else? she didn't care enough to know. She wasn't looking for sympathies anyways.

And the need to cut off the toxic relationships in life. She had suffered from them. She wasn't going to allow any, not even a single one of them to come for her family.

It ends with her. It all ends with her. Not another soul.

She sighs.

Her husband claims to love her. But, she doesn't think that he loves her anymore. He spends his day away from her. He continues to be busy with this new lady. He always wants to be with her. And he will always do anything for her even if he is busy.

She watches as her four years old daughter (Maria) place a princess crown on her father's head with pride.

"Woah. You are an actual princess now". She said, rolling her eyes, but when her daughter looks at her, she grins to which her daughter giggles

"Don't be jealous that she loves me more than you".

"I am jealous that you love her more than me".

He laughs, "There is no one who can take your place".

"Well, I think my daughter is taking over". She said huffing, damn the mood swings

"Then, have a son".

"Oh, Woah. It is just that easy. Isn't it? Why don't you try?"

"Because I can't?"

"Exactly! Don't even think about suggesting it that easy".

He shakes his head, knowing his next child is a son. He asks his daughter to play with her dolls and she starts to play. He moves towards her, bending on his knees in front of her.

He understands that his family is the only people he need to take care of. He had took a strong stand in front of her parents so they know, they can't say words or suggest any of their ideas to his wife, especially. Even if they still go on on his head about how his wife needs to be home to bring up a good daughter, he never let her hear that. Instead, he takes his daughter to his practices or games so his wife can worry less. And when his parents stressed that he should have a son when Maria was only 1, he didn't care about that too because he knows when he and his wife were ready, he didn't need suggestions. Most of all, he never asked his wife to kill herself and meet his family. She didn't have to. They are his responsibility, not his wife's.

He takes off the crown that his daughter place on his head. He place the crown on her head as he said, "Dil per raj karnay walo ki jaga koi nahi layta". (The person who rules on heart, no one can take their place)

"I am a princess now?"

"No. My daughter is my princess". He said smiling, "You are my Queen".

That was them.

Haris and Dalila.

The end.

**♡♡**

Not me crying at the end of this chapter. Ugh, I am so happy for them.

The reason I started this was when I thought about how society treats second marriages. I know not many of us are in favour of them (not even me) and who are I don't mind.

But, the way women are always expected to be happy and joyful is just disturbing. I understand her mother traits before anyone else.

The story pops in my head after the snippet of the starting scene in 53.4. That scene is just so different and beautiful. Everything else was simply built along the line. It is about toxicity. I hope we all can find our happy endings.

I am trying to write Danish's story (from last Eid days, two shots), I just hope I can write it soon. Do you remember him?

I have a long list of character waiting for their stories. I am simply hiding from them.

See you all soon.

Your author,

-Faiqa