harlos: Owww...

Its a pity thier parent do not understand thier feelings.

This gettin more interesting, more strenght to ur finges that type

Thnx

j-gatherer:
This is getting interesting !

, yeah

Deiok: ^^^
These are my questions.
I think the silent lover should be Sheeba. Am i right

harlos: Sikander is the silent lover i guess

aariz's mother will not want it to happen at all cost, she is serious

Thats not right. Neither Sheeba nor Sikandrr is d silent lover, but mayb in d nxt two updates, u'll be able to guess right.

I got a lil problem with my phone since yesterday evening, so I couldn't update today. All I was thinking was how my readers will be waiting anxiously and asking for more updates.

But I came here only to find an abandoned thread . Well that tells me just one thing, nobody is really interested in this story and its boring, So I think its high time I stop writing. Thanks for being with me to this point, I really appreciate the effort you took in encouraging me. Please Mynd, close dis thread.

close wetin
abeg ohh
ur story is thrilling,i keep coming back 4 more,here u are,u aint posting....u wld be suprised @s time goes on....my best female writer.....*continue*

Hey dont talk like that, because people are not commenting doesnt mean that your story is not good. I tell you this is one of the best stories here. Pls dont give up, Just try and update more.

@story. Why is it that women are always like this? , they are always impulsive, i dont mean to insult womanhood, but women always want to make every decision concerning their children, why is it so?.

Underage i've been busy since the brightness of the day and i'm here now hoping to see some updates but....

sorry about your phone, people have been coming here they just don't comment(i don't know why)
you've got me behind you right from day one and your story is interesting, full of suspense.
Pls don't stop here....make it come i want to see the end

I hate 9ja, Deiok and harlos, Thanks a bunch guys, I really appreciate you. But if am not forgetting, you three have been my biggest followers on a forum of more than 10k members, Sincerely speaking, d effort I am putting on typing and updating this story regularly is worth more than just three followers (The three means alot though ), but be fair enough.

Maybe I should just send you three guys a link where you'll finish reading up the story. What do you say?

I dont think thats a good idea, i will prefer you continue to put the story here, by time more people will comment. And also i think this story should be move to FP.

Deiok: I dont think thats a good idea, i will prefer you continue to put the story here, by time more people will comment. And also i think this story should be move to FP.

If you think so but am not keen on moving the story to FP until it is complete, when d mods feel it is worthy of FP, den they should move it by their own will.

It is surely worthy to be
maybe at the completion it will.

You are doing a very good work and i'll prefer to finish the story here

underage:

If you think so but am not keen on moving the story to FP until it is complete, when d mods feel it is worthy of FP, den they should move it by their own will.

I only suggested that, so that more people that appriciates a good thing can notice it.

Okay then, if you guys think so. I will complete the story even if its just for d two of you. Expect more updates tmrw.

Oga Mynd, don't close the thread, av got Harlos and Deiok

Thank you.

U gat me too...pls dnt stop. Rily luv ur story

how can you say that you have only three followers? I've been following this story right from the beginning and I've been commenting i can't believe you didn't notice me. Please come and update ASAP

harlos: Thank you.

You r most wlcm

kinxen: U gat me too...pls dnt stop. Rily luv ur story

Thnx. I am not stopping. Update coming soon.

Winnie1950: how can you say that you have only three followers? I've been following this story right from the beginning and I've been commenting i can't believe you didn't notice me. Please come and update ASAP

Forgive me dear, its just dat I haven't seen u in a while, so I thot u were gone. But now dat u r here, I am glad. Am updating now now

He almost choked on his tea. The implication of her words rocked him. His breath caught in his throat.

He groaned, wanting to shake her.

"I want you to go inside, within five minutes!" She issued coldly.

He stared at her, shocked and dazed by what his mother had just said.

"This is rapidly turning into one of the worst days of my life." He said aloud. "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you hear?" His mother asked roughly.

"You're kidding right?" He gasped. "Mother, you can't be serious. Are you?" He chewed his bottom lip.

"I've never been this serious about you Aariz." His mother answered before Aariz could ask more.

"Damn it, Mother, you know I'm not used to such jokes." He growled.

She didn't reply.

"What's my fault?" He asked quietly but refusing to whisper.

"You have no fault." She said rigidly. "That's why I think you're perfect for marriage."

"Mother, this is injustice." He cried, trying to reason with her.

But she ignored his comment.

"Please mother......" He cried silently one last time. He begged with his eyes, pleaded with all his might.

"Come on. People are waiting for you to recite your Nikaah." With the final command given, she turned and left him.

He wanted to run. He wished he could shout, scream and yell. But he found no power to move or even talk. He felt like a child who is unable to speak because of a piece of bone in his throat.

Stunned and humiliated, Aariz watched, eyes blazing.

He stopped at the silhouette, not letting himself go inside. He knew that, once he crosses this, there would be no turning back.

His mother's figure appeares again. Her hand gripped his wrist, pulling him inside. He felt suddenly imprisoned. Panic rose in his throat and he struggled to keep it down.

His head felt painful and heavy; perhaps he was losing his mind and senses. Weird thoughts begin to form horrible images in his imagination.

This was not his mother, but a cruel, harsh butcher.

He was not a man, but a poor, helpless lamb.

He was not getting married, he was getting slaughtered.

Feeling like a lamb being led to the slaughter, he let her pull him.

Now he knew what this was all about.....why he had been brought up here....why he had been treated this way.

His fate was joking with him, playing with him, making him feel dumb and stupid and he knew that he could fight with anything but not with his fate.

He had no choice. He couldn't disobey his own Mother.

His jaw was hard, all expression held tightly in cheek. His face had turned pale, when he entered the room where his uncle lay, surrounded by three or four men now.

His eyes moved to his uncle. For the first time, he was seeing a man dying.

Aariz's mouth became compressed in a taut line as his gaze slashed from his uncle to his mother.

"Do you accept........

Someome was taking someone's name. He couldn't hear anything; he had become blind, deaf and dumb.

"......Daughter of Abbas Hasan as your bride?"

Someone was reciting the Nikaah, his marriage contract, and was asking for his permission.

Someone was asking about his 'will', which he'd already gifted to someone else.

An icy chill settled over him, helped along by the frost in his mother's eyes. His throat felt dry and when he opened his mouth to speak, it seemed to grow drier still.

Komal's face came in front of his eyes. No, not smiling but crying this time, asking him, not believing if he could betray her like this, leave her, run in the middle of all this, leaving her alone.

"I......am....I'm sorry Komal." He couldn't stop his tears.

What?" Someone asked. "We can't hear you clearly, son."

For several spine-tingling seconds, his eyes held his mother's.

"YES, I accept her as my wife."

He then rose tremblingly to his feet and left the room.

Not after long, a volley of piercing screams shattered the still evening air. Almost automatically, he went back to the room where his uncle was.

He stared in horrified alarm as he saw Abbas Hasan doubled over in pain and collapsed in agony to the floor.

Naturally, he reached with his hands, to hold his weak, weightless body. Slowly, he carried him back to his bed.

"He needs to be in the city hospital as soon as possible." His doctor murmured, as he prepared few injections quickly.

"There's no need for that now." Abbas Hasan moaned weakly.

"Where's my daughter?" He murmured helplessly, his eyes opening and closing rapidly.

He first glanced at Aariz, amd then over his shoulder to see someone.

He was coughing so intensely that for a minute Aariz thought his lungs would burst at any second.

"Aariz, son....." He said when the cough siezed. His voice lower than ever, he was fainting. "Come here."

"My son, do love her, always." As he spoke, Aariz saw blood coming out of his mouth.

"Do something, Aariz." His mother shouted from the back, praying for him. But perhaps, the time for acceptance of prayers had already passed.

"No...." Abbas Hasan gripped Aariz tightly, not willing to let him go. "Listen to me.... Princess is always very silent, calm and patient. She has not seen much love and happiness in her life. If you give her these things, she'll not need anything else."

Aariz raised his brows in question, not quite understanding what he meant.

"My daughter." He tried to smile helplessly. "I call her princess."

He coughed even more vigorously then. Aariz tried to shift him into a more confortable position but it was too late. Suddenly his body jerked upwards, amd with one last short gasp, it went completely silent, swaying in Aariz's hands. With half open eyes and partially opened mouth, he truly presented the picture of a dead man.

Gently, Aariz disengaged his body from his own and put him back to the bed.

"We've lost him." The doctor announced as he examined his eyes and pulse.

From behind, he could hear someone screaming and crying intensely. With slow, tired steps he moved away from the bed.

Once at the doorway, he stopped and turned back to look at his mother. From her red eyes, he could see she was trying her best not to cry but at last, she couldn't stop. Her body shook with sobs, until it hurt.

***********

Her skin bristled at the touches of relatives and strangers who asked if she was alright, if she would be okay. Touches meant to be kind and consoling instead became cruel daggers, digging into her skin.

Later, she saw a blurred image of movements and voices. She felt a bright light shining in each eye.

"Abboo!" Remembering her father, she cried as she stood like a stone statue in the room.

Everywhere was pain. As she tried again to move, the pain rolled over her.....carrying her with it.....somewhere.

Someone limped over to put an arm around her shoulders in silent comfort, and heavy sobs began to shake her shoulders.

"It's alright." It was her aunt's voice, caring and comforting.

Burying her face in her hands, she started crying. She leaned on her aunt, unable to stop the flood of tears. Sobs racked her shoulders, tearing her apart. There was no relief from the pain inside.

"You are coming with us. There's no point in staying here now." Her aunt urged.

"Let's go."

She let herself be turned towards the outside, leaning heavily on support of her arm.

Too blinded by tears to see where she was going, she simply let her aunt lead her.

"Crying isn't going to help. If you keep this up, you're going to make yourself sick." Her aunt was saying.

"Weldone mother!" Aariz said in his heart, tossing a sarcastic look at his mother.

"Need a trophy for your forced, self-made victory?"

"But it would be my turn now."

As she moved towars her aunt's car, she saw many children with angel-like faces had surrounded her.

"Sister, are you leaving?" A little girl asked.

"Sister, don't leave us." Some of them were crying.

"What about our daily night stories?" Another young boy had asked, not wanting to leave her hand.

"Sister.....my alphabets are not finished yet. Won't you take your classes now?" A little girl also asked.

Nodding silently, she wiped away tears from their cute, innocent faces, without caring about her own.

Aariz was sitting at the driving seat when his mother called hin, his head resting on the steering wheel. His mind and body was devoid of any sensations and feelings now. He felt like he was an automatic robot or some hypnotized man whose mind had been controlled very cruelly.

"Aariz." Mrs. Ali called. "Open the side door for Zeest."

"Zeest?" Unfamiliar with the word, he looked at his mother again. "Who's that?"

"Yes, Zeest Zehra." His mother told him plainly and pointed out toward the dark, shadowy figure standing behind her.

Aariz's eyes narrowed, as his body became intensely warm with the flash of anger and hatred for the woman who had destroyed all of his plans, and hopes. Yes, she stood behind his mother, all wrapped in a big black veil, her face and body hidden from his eyes.

"Your wife!"

Events swept everyone forward at an alarming speed.

With a dominance that left them all breathless, Mrs. Ali ordered her servants the day after they had returned back to their home. Money spoke loudly, afterall, and as the house had been empty for a while the work was mostly small adjustments and decorating. The interior designers complained endlessly but work went on all the same.

Within no time at all, Zeest was carried to her bridal room. It all happened so fast that she didn't know whether to cry over her father's death or to laugh at her wedding.

The room was brightly illimunated with powerful luminaries but the reflection of her angelic beauty clearly overshadowed the artificial brightness of the room. A gentle fragrance of lavender hovered all around the room. The room had silver gray walls and carpet was a backdrop to sapphire curtains and matching coverlet on the king-size bed.

The luxurious water bed she sat on.....was something she'd never experienced. Warm, watery and mattresses adjustable with shape and contours of one's body, it was covered with the midnight blue and silver gray silk sheets. The comforter was also of midnight blue, with several pillows encased in blue and silver gray alternated. The whole couch was beautifully decorated with evenly arranged strings of fresh red roses and jasmine, hanging from the roof to the corners of the bed, surrounding it completely.

Wearing golden brown, modern bridal Sharaara studded with heavy embroidery work, she was lost in her thoughts when she heard the bedroom door opening and then closing again with a slight 'click'.

It was her groom, her husband, her fate and her future.

She could smell his intoxicating male scent and a faint whiff of his after-shave. His jet black eyes were on her face but there was no warmth in their glittering depths. His eyes, his scent, the closed door were all disturbing enough, but there was something else, a feeling, which disturbed her far more.

He leaned against the door. Moments passed, but he said nothing. She felt her whole body tense.

His handsome mouth thinned, and when he spoke his words were low and razor sharp.

"Comgratulations 'Miss. Wife'." He said with a rigid jaw, glaring at her in acute dislike.

She then heard him laughing in a weird, dangerous tone.

"Raise your head." His voice felt as cold as ice.

She didn't know what to do.

"I said, raise your head." He shouted this time.

With an involuntary jerk, her lowered head raised upward, the veil of her bridal dress falling behind. Still, she had not enough courage to open her eyes and look at the man who was supposed to be her husband.

"Stop this drama, and open your eyes." His hammering tone almost kicked her senses off.

His voice made her eyes open, straining to make out his features in the dim light.

Through his flaming eyes, he could see the dilemma in her eyes.....the fear and anxiety that was ripping her heart to shreds.

"First of all, let me assure that this room is sound proof. You're allowed to scream or shout or whatever but no one would be able to hear your cries." He sais mercilessly, his voice trembling with the intensity of his anger.

Her heart pounded, her senses alerted to a hidden danger that she instinctively knew she was facing.

"It's just legal shit. Nothing else." He continued his toxic speech. "I will never accept you as my wife, ever!"

"Though religion asks me to take care of your rights, but I never ever do anything against my heart and my heart doesn't accept you.' He said in a cold-as-ice and hard-as-steel voice and then added.

"I won't give you any rights. I hate every inch of your body, your soul and your whole personality. Don't think I'm doing any kind of injustice. I think your were the main character in this drama and you fooled my mother by acting innocently in front of her."

"I..... I don't know......" Gathering all of her courage, she opened her mouth to say something in her weak, trembling voice but it unlocked his animalistic anger and storm, which had been gathering in his eyes exploded with a terrfying fury.

"Shut your sick mouth up." He yelled with force. "How nicely you put it, huh?" He said caustically.

"Luckily, I don't need you to boost my self-esteem. I am capable of controlling my basic instincts and this would be a marriage of just tongue and paper, nothing more. I am not hungry for your body. Infact, your whole being makes me sick." He made a disgusted face.

"I want to let you know that I don't trust you. I want to let you know that, though legally and religiously, you are my wife but I would never be your husband in anything other than name."

The full implication of his words struck her like a sledgehammer. The stunned young bride sat speechless before her husband, her eyes wide open in disbelief.

"Only now I've realized the selfish plan of you and your father to occupy my property and wealth."

Her lips began to tremble violently as she heard her father's name. Her patience was touching its final limits.

She wanted to scream, shout back at him and say, "You can call me whatever you want, but just don't say anything about my father. He is not in this world now." But perhaps even her tongue and lips were not helping her tonight. She couldn't open her mouth.

Her breathing became labored, coming in harsh little pants, and her pulses faced like that of a frightened doe.

"May I ask why you are unhappy........."

She didn't finish, for the sight of his mouth---thin with anger---warned her to watch her tongue. She was trying his patience and he was waiting for a chance to lose it.

Suprisingly he didn't shout this time. "Oh yeah.....want to tell you something." He said as he walked to the refrigerator.

"I love some other girl." He lifted a glass and filled it with cold water.

Zeest braced herself; afraid she might just go to pieces. It couldn't possibly be true. Her heart was pounding, body trembling, brain too numbed to feel anything.

"Everything was so perfect. We were sure about our marriage." Bringing the glass to his mouth, he emptied it at once.

"But then your father called my mother.....it all seems like a pre-planned thing."

The words were shot at her like bullets and she stiffened at once.

She wanted to ask what he was talking about.

He then fumbled with something in his pocket and took a cigarette case out. She just sat there, paralyzed and stunned, helpless expressions crossing all over her face.

He pressed the cigarette between his lips and bent his head to show the flame to the fore end of his cigarette.

"You're the killer of my happiness and comforts." He blurted out, his voice thick and heavy with hatred.

"An obstacle between me and her." He added senselessly.

"Until now, I followed whatever my mother ordered me." He dragged deeply on his cigarett, without looking at her for a second.

"But now I am free to do whatever I want." He inhaled deeply and then exhaled the smoke slowly through his nostrils.

"And I want my happiness back."

"I will not touch you ever." He turned to face her once again.

"Won't you ask, why?" He first questioned and then answered without waiting for any response from her.

He laughed mercilessly. "Simply because I don't think of myself as your husband and never will." He smiled cruelly at her.

"Oh yes! One more thing."

He brought something out from his jacket's pocket and threw it on her lap, without moving from his place.

"This is your 'Moonh Dikhaai'," He said aloud.
(Moonh Dikhaai: A kind of red powder that married women wear on their forehead, normally it is the husband's right to put it on for her).

"Now, it's another thing that I don't have any intention to see your bitchy face." He laughed sarcastically.

On this intense remark, her gaze lifted slowly to her husband.

His eyes were cold, lifeless, and ashamed. His lips curled as he said his final heartless words. She curled up even more, each word a blow to her heart.

"Now finish this wedding night drama amd get some sleep and let me get some as well." He moved toward the bed where she was sitting.

Scared as hell, her body moved back involuntarily.

A short, malignant chuckle rumbled deep in his chest. "Don't panic, I won't attack you, Miss. Wife. I told you I don't want a relationship, and you won't want to feel used. So there's no point in starting something we'd both be sorry for."

"Besides, I hate every inch of yours and ofcourse that includes your goddamn body too."

She felt soiled and humilaited as if a thousand tiny insects were invading the very pores of her skin. She tried to answer, but all that emerged from her trembling lips was a painful sob.

"When I give myself to a woman, it will be willingly or not at all. Remember that, Miss. Wife!"

The fierce bitterness in his voice startled her.

She just sat there, transfixed.

"Move....move, leave my bed now." He yelled again.

She bit her lips and swallowed, and just sat there, not knowing what to do and where to go. In her own room she felt like a caged animal, tears of frustration pouring down her cheeks.

"You don't have to shed tears." He jerked the cigarette in the ash tray and sat on the bed. "It's me who has suffered, not you!"

"I hate colicky women." He commented and then grinned. "But hey, don't I hate you already?"

"But.....what's my fault?" She asked in a weak, shaky voice,.tears flowing freely from her eyes.

Her sentence did it all.

"You....you poor, cheap, third class girl from a typical lower middle class Pakistani family." He burst with an uncontrollable anger. "You made my mother stupid by these tears but.....but don't ever think I can get into your cruel wicked trap."

"Get the hell out of my bed NOW." He yelled again, gritting his teeth with force. "I need to get some sleep now."

With trembling feet, she left his bed so quickly like some thousand volt current was passing through it.

"Now, why don't you stop shedding these crocodile tears and go wash this damn ugly make-up of yours?"

His sentences made her think something. She must have looked awful with swollen, puffy eyes, tear-streaked face and dry chapped lips.

"You can sleep on the sofa...." His next order came straight as he sank down on the bed carelessly, without even taking his shoes off. "I'll be comfortable here on the bed." He finished his last word and then closed his eyes, turning his back on her, like sleep was the most wanted thing for him right now.

Slowly, she reached in front of the big dressing table, taking her earrings off, one by one and then the rest of her make-up. Her shoulders shaking as the tears finally spilled out like a heavy rain. She wept uncontrallably but silently.

"Welcome to the real world, Zeest." After the words were out of her mouth, she found her lips twisting in a rueful smile.

u kip me coming back 4 more
good job

lovely

I've been having problem with my network providers
hope u see my post network isn't good at all

Aariz is too mean
i feel so sorry for the innocent zeest

Welldone dear, this is interesting

harlos: I've been having problem with my network providers
hope u see my post network isn't good at all

What's it with Nigeria and poor network?? Something should be done about it soon cos its affecting so many pple.

God bless Nigeria

Bhabhi (Sister-in-law), how was yor wedding night?" Shaheryaar's sister, Sarah winked naughtily as she met Aariz's wife the next morning.

In answer, Zeest just lowered her head but said nothing.

"Ahemm.....?" Sarah tried to find out any traces of desire left on her face, any clue of some passionate encounter and any hint of some satisfied glory....but this face was spotless, expressionless.

"Bhabhi.....are you feeling alright?" Sarah asked, observing deeply.

"Yes.." She said in a broken voice. 'I's just that things happened so quickly.

"Oh, I understand."

Sarah gave a nod of understanding. She thought she knew why Zeest was feeling like this. Afterall, it had not been even a week after her father's death.

Perhaps, it was natural for Zeest to feel like that. She didn't tease her anymore then.

"How's my daughter?" A fresh chuckle came from the doorway, and they saw Mrs. Ali standing there.

"Aadaab (Greetings)." Bending her head slightly, Zeest took her hand to her right brow, in the traditional gesture of Muslim-Indian family salute.

"Have a long life." Smiling Mrs. Ali caressed her lowered head with her right hand.

"You know Zeest, you make me so happy." Mrs. Ali took her hands lovingly into her own.

"Although, we never actually met so much, but it still feels like I always knew you."

She blinked her eyes but said nothing.

"You know I always wished for a daughter." There was a touch of intense longing in Mrs. Ali's voice. "But now I believe my dream has finally come true."

Smiling affectionately, Mrs. Ali leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Only then she noticed something.

"Zeest?" She asked looking at her face. "You are not wearing any Jewelry, why?"

She didn't answer.

"Hmm?" Mrs. Ali wanted an answer for her question.

"They....they were making me uncomfortable, hurting me." She opened her mouth, while keeping her eyes low

"You're a new bride, daughter, and new brides don't keep their wrist and ears empty."

"So don't leave your hands without jewelry." Mrs. Ali told her. "Married women are always supposed to wear them."

On her word 'married' women, Zeest almost winced in pain. She wanted to ask if she was really married.

"I'll go and get you coffee." She told her mother-in-law.

"Nah, you're a new bride, a fresh one. You're not supposed to start working by the next day of your wedding. You have your whole life for that. But not today." She smiled.

The coffee smelled hot and fresh as Mrs. Ali took two cups from the cupboard and filled them with coffee from the pot. She carried them to the bedroom where Zeest and Sarah were sitting.

Zeest picked up the cup and stared into the black liquid. Mrs. Ali and Sarah kept talking while she drank her coffee. After she was finished, she heard her mother-in-law saying;

"Breakfast is almost ready. Take a shower and change your cloths. We're waiting for you at the breakfast table. Alright?" Mrs. Ali wanted her affirmative answer.

She stared at her and nodded.

"And Sarah." Mrs. Ali turned toward the sister of Aariz's friend. "You're going to help me with the breakfast."

"Why not Aunt, that's why I am here." Sarah gave her a pleasant smile and followed her, closing the door behind her.

Zeest yawned sleepily and left the bed. She had not been able to sleep a single wink last night. With a deep sigh, she fished her toothbrush, toothpaste and soap out of her overnight case and shuffled, bleary-eyes and barefoot, toward the attached bathroom.

When she reached her destination, the door was closed. She hesitated. That probably meant someone was inside. As she raised her fist to knock, the door swung wide and she was face-to-face---rather, face-to-chest---with Aariz.

"Good morning." He said, his voice deeply laden with humor and sarcasm. "Please, accept my sheartiest congratulatuons for having such a wonderful wedding night. I'm sure you'd never forget it, would you?"

Her gaze snapped to his face. His hair was damp and lay in dark ringlets across his forehead. His eyes glittered like silver, and his lips were parted, displaying a cynical flash of teeth.

This magnetic man exuded such arrogant magnetism she found it difficult to keep from constantly blushing in his presence.

"Mother wanted me to take a shower." She said, lowering her eyes. "She's waiting for us at the breakfast table."

One brow rose to meet the damp curls on his forehead.

"Why? Is she not satisfied yet?" He laughed shortly.

Ignoring his question, she went inside the bathroom, and locked the door.

A few minutes later, they were all sitting around the big breakfast table. Sarah had already left, after helping Mrs. Ali in arranging the breakfast items.

There were juices, fresh bread, milk, cheese, pure butter, sheermalas and various Pakistani sweets.

"Aariz, tonight is your wedding dinner and Zeest needs to do some shopping for that." His mother announced in a very casual tone.

"So?" His hand spreading cheese on his toast stopped for a second.

"So, you two are going for shopping after breakfast."

"I'm sorry, I am not free. She can take someone else with her." He gave his answer, not wanting to talk further on the topic.

"You know that she doesn't have any family except......" Mrs. Ali's voice was a bit loud now.

"So what?' He asked rudely, chapping on his slice. "She's not my headache."

"She's your responsibility." Mrs. Ali told him. "She's your wife."

"Put her into some orphanage, mother." He said rigidly. "I'm sure they can take care of her better than I can."

Zeest almost choked on her coffee.

So much insult.....was it her fate, or some exam from Allah? She asked herself, trying her best to stop her tears.

"Aariz!" His mother shouted, without caring if some of the servants could hear them. "Behave. I'm not going to let you do whatever you want."

"You behave mother." He shouted back. "And stop saying things like this. You make me laugh. You say you're not going to let me do whatever I want?" His voice was shaking with the intensity of his anger.

"So far you've done whatever you wanted. But it's my turn now. Yes, now I'm going to do whatever I'd want." Finishing his sentence, he rose and left the room, kicking the door shut.

"I can't let him act like this." Mrs. Ali clenched her teeth. "Things can't go on like this." Her lips tightened.

But perhaps, Mrs. Ali was expert in hiding her feelings, as her features became normal instantly as she turned her face back to Zeest and said,

"If you're done with your breakfast, then come with me. I'd show you our home, which is your home now."

Silently, Zeest rose and followed her mother-in-law.

They passed handsomely furnished rooms, many of them obviously reserved for formal occasions, like the dinning room, which hosted an incredibly long table and a sea of high-backed chairs. A young maid was polishing the already gleaming table, she looked up and smiled when they passed.

Admiring the great interior decoration in her heart, Zeest walked down the hall and peeked into the room. The sitting room was beautifully appointed. It was decorated in antique furniture, mostly in the German mode, tastefully decked out in french laces and silks. Next to the dinning room was a lounge, with sumptous furnishings, most of it expensive antiques and softened by carpet Zeest felt certain would cover your feet. There were less formal rooms, rooms for relaxing, with soft, plump sofas and chairs. It was all so impressive.....and so quiet.

At 10 p.m sharp, their guests began to gather around. There were hundreds of seats, arranged neatly in the huge lawn of the house. Aariz had deliberately not invited many of his friends. He didn't want then celebrating a marriage that held no meaning for him and, while getting himself ready for the occasion, he was deeply depressed that what should have been the most joyous occasion of his life was only heralding a term of imprisonment.

When, after being done with her bridal make-up, Zeest entered the bedroom a while later, he was already there, finishing with his preparations.

He gave himself a detailed critical look, stopping for a moment in front of a mirror to straighten his tie.

"I.... I want to talk....." She said, gathering all of her courage and power, as she sat on the edge of her bed, behind him.

His hand working on the knot of his tie stopped instantly.

"Shoot!" He murmured. Right now, his house was full of guests and he had to control himself, otherwise it was going to create some more problems.

"I......" She said in a trembling voice. "I know you don't want this. But believe me, I had no intention for our marriage either. It all happened so fast, so quickly. I didn't even see you ever before you came to visit my father last week."

"Whatever." He sprayed the rich 'eternity' over his strong, masculine neck, without caring to give her a single glance.

"I pray that may Allah find the solution of your problem soon, and I'm willing to help you in this regard as much as I can."

"You?" He laughed emptily. "You will help me?"

"Yes, I can."

"How?" He was still smiling at her in a purely sarcastic way.

"I....." She said in a low voice, keeping her eyes on the carpeted floor, " I can talk to your mother about 'her'."

As she spoke, for the first time after his marriage, he felt a soothing wave of relaxation relieved him. Before that, he had been too stunned and horrified to realize exactly what was happening to him and later, he had been so angry that adrenaline had carried him along, but now that it was all over, he needed some time to gather his thoughts and nerves.

Her point was genuine and it did make sense to him. Perhaps, he thought, she was not happy with this relation either.

"What would you say to her?"

"I'd tell her....that you have my full permission for your second marriage if you want."

He sighed and turned slowly toward her. Wearing royal blue bridal suit, she was not looking so bad to him now like she was in the past.

His mind jubilated at her suggestion, his heart racing. At first, he couldn't believe that she would allow him to do that so easily.

"Do you think you can convince my mother?" His eyes were on her face now, and the realization made her uncomfortable.

Slowly, she lifted her head, hair across her eyes, and peered wildy at a pair of highly polished black shoes, at slim long legs in smoothly tailored dark trousers, at an immaculately cut jacket, a crisp white shirt, a dark gray silk tie, and then at his hard face, a very hard face.

"Yes!" She lowered her eyes once again, finding herself unable to look into the fiery depths of his black eyes. "I'd try my best to convince her. But......"

"But?" His brows curved upward dangerously, his face tightened.

"It might take some time. We just got married."

"I don't need your permission for my second marriage." He again turned his back on her. "I can handle my own matters very well." Although his voice still felt cold, but his tone was not so rude like he had previously.

"I didn't ask for your suggestion for my future." He said expressionlessly.

"I was just explaining......" She tried to say.

"You've got to quit doing this to me." He said fiercely in a lowered voice that would not carry to his mother.

"We'll hardly be a picture of newly wedded bliss if we're constantly at distance." She said, her voice deliciously low.

"I don't care what picture we make."

"Your mother will."

Zeest was hitting at his Achilles heels. And he knew he had too, her gesture confirmed.

"Pulling on an act doesn't come easily to me."

"We sometimes have to do things contrary to our nature." She went on. "But surely being friends with me isn't such an outlandish thought, right?"

It wasn't.

Her suggestion that they be friends, though a sensible one held danger for him, for if he weakened on this, he might weaken on other things.

"Very well." He said. "I'll not try to play it your way. Want me to get into your wicked trap?"

"I didn't mean....."

"No need to explain." He cut across her again.

Scared of him and afraid of his behavior, "Mother.....is ......waiting." She stammered.

"I don't care who's waiting for us." He gave her one last look. "I have already cared about everyone a lot." Finishing his sentence, he left her alone in the room.

Throughout the gathering, Zeest tried her best to appear normal. Only she knew what was going on inside her. Suprisingly, Aariz's facial expressions were not that bad tonigt. It was a pleasant change for his mother. Getting more than happy, and thinking that atleast her son is trying to adjust and compromise, she introduced the newly wed couple to all of her guests.

It was all very boring for him. He was feeling really tensed and tired but he didn't let anyone guess his feelings.

It was 2 a.m when Aariz was finally able to get a chance to sleep.

Ignoring his act of ignorance, she looked at him almost against her will.

He was aggresively handsome; no sigh of softness about him at all, and no sign of humor either.

"I am not going to obey my mother anymore. It's enough." He murmured painfully, almost as if he was talking to himself.

"Our holy prophet had said, it's forbidden for you to disobey your parents and violate their rights."

It was a totally unexpected comment from her, which suprised him, even shocked him. Slowly he turned toward her.

Her heart began to beat vigorously. She swallowed hard, not knowing what he was going to do next.

His eyes narrowed to icy lights and he came forward grimly, rage on his face as she stood up and backed away, feeling the hard edge of the of the dressing table againts her legs.

"Don't.....don't hit me!" She had gone chalk-white; her black eyes enormous, filled with terror and it stopped him in his tracks as if he had met a brick wall.

"I don't strike women, Miss. Wife." He grated. "There are other methods of punishment."

"No, I'd rather you hit me. I can't bear it." Her voice rose, her hands tightly clenched together, and he stopped again.

She stood watching him; tears like small drops of rain on her cheeks, sliding down the pale creamy skin in a stream of misery.

"This is my first and last warning to you, don't ever try to indulge yourself into my personal matters." He said, clenching his teeth. "You're only going to be here for some days, so don't interfere."

"But I was just......."

"Go to bed now." Aariz continued, not seeming to hear. "It's your turn tonight."

"Turn for what?" She wanted to ask but was too scared to open her mouth again.

Understanding her question from her eyes, he said. "You can sleep on the bed tonight. I'd sleep on the sofa."

Without saying another word, she almost ran toward the washroom to change. She was so worn out by tension that she just climbed into bed and closed her eyes. She drifted into sleep with an angry, handsome face with piercing black eyes uppermost in her mind. As she slept, she was totally unaware of the cold, hard eyes that glanced at her. Her thick black braid had fallen over her shoulder; her lashed were curling against her smooth cheeks, dark and lutrous as the thick hair that frame her face.

He'd once hear a funny thing that men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed but women somehow deteroite during the night.

But this was also a woman.

She was beautiful, innocent looking, almost tragic as she rested on the bed.

Hating himself for looking at her like that, he settled himself on the sofa and made his mind blank, thoughts of Komal peristed. No one could control him unless he allowed it, and though he was Zeest's husband, he was determined to remain his own master.

On this thought he fell asleep.

Zeest is realy a nice person but aariz is too harsh and heartless. I understand that he doesn't love her but his behaviour is just too extreme

underage: I got a lil problem with my phone since yesterday evening, so I couldn't update today. All I was thinking was how my readers will be waiting anxiously and asking for more updates.

But I came here only to find an abandoned thread . Well that tells me just one thing, nobody is really interested in this story and its boring, So I think its high time I stop writing. Thanks for being with me to this point, I really appreciate the effort you took in encouraging me. Please Mynd, close dis thread.

Miss/Mrs/Madame Underage,do not for a second think,that we ur fans do not appreciate you(@least I can speak for my self and some other ppl).
To sit nd write something of this kind is not an easy thing to do,coupled with taking care of ur baby nd also getting on with ur life.
Thank you for sharing ds story with us

Now I don't know who to blame/hate;aariz,zeest.it wld hv been easier if zeest was a bad person(u haven't painted her in dt light).
For now,d only person I can blame is Mrs Ali,for forcing her dreamz on her son.
As for who the silent lover is...?
Me,I cannot CATEGORICALLY tell u dt one now o,bt time/upd8s will tell

Winnie1950: Zeest is realy a nice person but aariz is too harsh and heartless. I understand that he doesn't love her but his behaviour is just too extreme

The fact that she came btw Komal and himself makes him hate her more. Well letskeep going and see how it turns out.