"Rayyan. There's one more thing—" I heard her say, as she pulled away from me. Her hand lingered on the side of my face for another moment, when she spoke without meeting my eyes.

Immediately, I felt a sudden sense of panic rising within me. For a long moment, she kept silent with her face turned to a side; chewing on her lower lip.

"What is it?" Prying my one hand free from her waist, I touched the side of her face, nudging her towards me. For a split second, I saw a flash of hesitance on her face which immediately vanished when she had again started chewing on her lips.

"I—Rayyan—" She drawled and I could feel myself exploding from the suspense of what else had been kept hidden from me. What other trouble had Zaira gotten herself into.

"I—I think— I might—be—pregnant." She ended shyly, chewing on her bottom lip, while I could only gape at her stunned. My hand slipping from her face at her words.

"Well—I have yet to take the test—but I think—I am pretty sure of it—" She chuckled, averting her gaze and I had to gulp to be able to breathe again.

"Rayyan? You—you're not happy—? I thought—" Something on my face made her stop in the middle of her sentence and that's when I became conscious of the shudders running through me, as I watched her through quivering lips; while trying to hold in my tears.

"Rayyan—" Her voice broke as she held my face in her small hands. The eyes looking back at me were filled with worry. Unable to see her anymore, because my vision had turned blurry, I tried to gulp down the lump of tears in the back of my throat. A gasp escaping my lips as I blinked away the tears and placed my hands on her shoulders to gain some support.

I opened my mouth to ask her again. In case I had misheard her before but no words would come out and I could only gawk her with tears dripping down my chin.

"Rayyan—" She sniffed through tears herself while wiping away mine with her shaky hands. I  couldn't look away from those eyes that were understanding everything that I wished to say—even as I was unable to get a word out—even when I myself couldn't completely comprehend the extent of my emotions—even though—I had become incapable to express what I so desperately wished to convey—she knew. She recognized it all.

"I—I—" Unable to go on, I turned my gaze down and a moment later, felt her forehead pressing against mine. I had to run my tongue across my lips before I could manage to continue.

"I—I—will be a dad—?" I stammered and felt her nodding her head against mine. I had to take in a sharp breath at the confirmation because I felt that my heart would explode from the sheer joy of it.

"Yes—yes you will—" She gasped out through sobs and in one swift move, I pulled her against myself. I didn't know why I couldn't control my sobs, but I just knew that in that moment, I only wanted to cry and release all my worries in the embrace of this person who was the centre of my entire existence.

——————————

"Rayyan?" I hummed in response while watching her look at the sonogram in her hand. With my back pressed against the bed rest, I had pulled her to my side. My one hand stroking her hair while the other was wrapped securely around her waist

Unable to get a shut eye, as I eagerly awaited for her gynae appointment, which I had managed to get immediately afterwards; I made sure that she got a few hours of sleep in the middle of it all.

Just as she had suspected, Zaira was indeed 9 weeks pregnant and I was ecstatic, to say the least. There was no way that I was letting her out of my sight again, even for a single moment. I thought while snuggling closer to her.

"Do you remember your Dad? He was a lawyer, right? Is that why you chose to become one, too?" She continued and I tried to rake my mind for his memories.

"Barely—He died when I was 5. He had gotten his Law degree from Cambridge, too. Maybe, I guess, unintentionally, I was trying to become like him. Most of my memories of him are what I've heard from Mum, Nanna and Gramps. But I think he was a good Dad—Mum Too—" I added with a sigh before wrapping both my arms around her and dropping my face in her neck.

"He died in a car accident, right—-?" I heard her voice lowering as if scared that she might hurt me from her inquisition.

"Yeah, he did. Mum—she really loved Dad. I remember, she used to cry at night, when she thought I was asleep in bed. She tried really hard to never make me feel his absence—and maybe that's what caused her to leave me too. She was so busy in giving me everything that she had stopped looking after herself. Dad's death had shattered her—and she couldn't completely come to terms with it, I think—Maybe if we had diagnosed her ovarian cancer earlier—" I couldn't finish. I had never talked about them with anyone before. But I knew if anyone deserved to hear about it, it was Zaira.

"I am sorry, Rayyan—" I heard her murmur before she turned in my embrace and hugged me. With a sigh, I gave in to her embrace.

"Mum was betrothed to someone else; whom she was supposed to marry after the end of her internship. But Mum didn't wish to marry him." I was stroking her hair when she looked up suddenly.

"Like me?" She questioned innocently while looking up at me with surprise in her eyes. I nodded at her with a smile and she once again hid her face in my chest.

"Mum was visiting her Aunt, in London, after the end of her medical degree. That's when she accidentally met Dad through some charity foundation, which was run by Gramps. Mum used to say that she fell in love at first sight with Dad. She used to say that it was like those scenes in movies—when you just know—" Before I could finish, she had slowly pulled away to look up at me.

"I—I remember when I first saw you, too—I don't remember anything else from that time but I still clearly remember the day when I first set my eyes on you, even though I was only 4–" She remarked with wide eyes and I could only smile at that knowingly, before she once again hugged me to herself.

"And then? Your Dad—he liked her too?" Her muffled voice resounded against my chest.

"Not at all. Not in the least bit. He found her guts appalling. Because Mum said, after digging up information on him, she had liked him so much more. So, the first thing she said to him was, if he would do her the honour of marrying her."

"Rayyan—Auntie Saeeda sounds like a remarkable person—" Her dazed voice broke in and I found myself smiling at the memory.

"Yeah—Yeah, she was and seeing her persistence, Dad fell for her too. But when Dad sent for her proposal, Mum's parents called her back to discuss it and instead of doing that, they tried to forcefully get her married. She ran away from there and came back to stay with Gramps and Nanna. In the meantime, they tried to persuade her parents, but didn't manage to get any positive response. Mum's family, including Uncle Zia, said that she was dead to them and if she ever returned, they would kill her. Sensing the severity of situation, on top of Mum's persistence about never going back to her parents; Gramps and Nanna decided to give in to her stubbornness and got the two of them married." I paused to take in a long breath. It was like reopening old wounds that had never gotten a chance to properly heal.

"Nanna used to tell me that during her end days, Mum had deep regrets for how she did everything. She used to think that she couldn't hold onto her happiness because she had went  against her parents. That's why she left her last wish for me to mend the bridges that she had burned, in hopes for redemption. And that's why Nanna and Gramps would despite all my protests try to bring me to Haveli every summer. A very small part of the reason that Gramps and Nanna wanted me to marry you was this too—"

"Small? What about the rest—?" I heard her questioning, without looking up.

"Main reason was the lie that I had said against you—and—" I paused when I felt her freezing beneath me ever so slightly but then she pulled away to look up at me.

"And?" She questioned, taking her lower lip between her teeth in anticipation.

"—and because they knew long before I did—that I have always been in love with you—" Her lips curled up in a smile but I stilled it by leaning in for a kiss.

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"You're okay?? Did they do anything to you?" I watched Uncle holding her at an arms length, from my sitting position on the bed. As soon as they came in, Zaira had rushed up to hug her Dad, who held her in his arms while she kept on crying.

"I am here now. It's going to be okay." He kept saying while rubbing her back comfortingly.

While watching them, I couldn't help but feel a similar sense of protectiveness for my own child, who was yet to be born—but had already managed to sow seeds of deep love in my heart.

I still clearly remember the day of Nikah when Uncle had taken me into his study. He had sat me down and informed me how he had later found out that I had lied against her. He threatened me with the worst punishment known to mankind, if I so much as dared to bring her the slightest pain, ever again. He told me that the reason for his agreeing to this marriage wasn't pressuring of Uncle Zia—but solely because he had always held great respect for Gramps and Nanna and was agreeing only because they had given him their word that Rayyan would keep Zaira very happy—

That day rather than fear, I had felt utmost respect for 3 people. Alongside Gramps and Nanna—for her Dad, who was nothing but a worried father—who wanted nothing but the happiness of his precious child. So, I gave him my word that I would do everything in my power and beyond, with Allah's will, to work for all the happiness that existed in this world and bring it to her feet. I promised to erase all her existing pains and replace them with only joy, Allah willing.

"How're you, son? Doing okay?" He asked while putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes Uncle. Alhumdulillah—" I returned slowly to catch his nod, before he turned away.

"—You shouldn't stay here in this condition, Zaira—Third month is the most crucial—Let's go back—" Auntie was now in process of convincing Zaira to go with them; who had told them about the pregnancy, shortly after they had become seemingly reassured of her safety.

"—yes. You don't have to worry about anything, anymore. I have talked to Zia and until the wedding ends, Harris cannot show his face infront of us or I would take them all to court for every single one of their crimes—" Her Dad added solemnly and I didn't miss the look of surprise in her eyes.

"Let Rayyan rest, too. He needs to recover—" Auntie added solemnly and I caught the haggard look on her face as she turned to me apprehensively. Managing a small smile, I nodded at her. She watched me at a loss for a moment, before turning her gaze back to her Mom.

"I—I won't be reassured Mummy. I'll keep worrying about him, otherwise. It's only a matter of few days and then Rayyan will be discharged too—" She returned slowly without meeting her Mom's gaze who was now strongly protesting against it.

"It's alright. If that's what you both think is best. You agree with her, son?" Her Dad suddenly turned to me and I watched between the pleading look in her eyes and her Dad's threatening glare. In the end shooting her a small smile, I gave him my response.

"I won't give you any reason to complain, InshaAllah." I added solemnly and even though I could tell that he didn't believe me, for a flipping second; yet, he managed to grunt his consent.

Oooookkaaayy! Finally, we have reached the end. Last chapter, in the next update, InshaAllah ☺️❤️❤️ Hope you liked this one. Do vote and share your thoughts 🥰❤️❤️