Chapter 42

Atifa's pov:

I didn't know when I slept, but I had a nice dream. A dream in which he was saying sorry to me. It was quite vivid but I was cherishing it for we don't get dreams like that much. And it was quite warm after that. Until I woke up and realised I was being kidnapped by someone.

As soon as I realised that, I yelped and started punching that guy, whoever it was. I couldn't go down without a fight! That guy staggered backwards, which was a good thing but he continued walking further. How dare he even touch me? Narrowing my eyes and clenching my jaw at him in the darkness, I started yelling for help while continuing to punch him. "Help! Someone is kidnapping me! Help! Leave me alone you monkey!"

He dropped my legs and I yelped once again before punching him hard on his arm. "Who even drops a girl like that? What if I would have fallen down?" I pointed my finger at him as I questioned. "How dare you even touch me? Who are you? Just wait, let me call-"

He covered my mouth before I could continue any further, making my voice come out muffled. Struggling to get out of his grip, I realised one of his hands was still on my waist.

"It's me begum, Saad. Saad Ibrahim. Stop yelling and waking up the whole house." I was just about to kick his feet when I heard his voice, his breath was so close to me that I froze before letting my hands fall by my side and relaxing my muscles. I breathed out a sigh of relief before he removed his hand from my mouth and waist.

(Wifey)

He seriously scared me. Who even does that? Oh yeah, obviously him. What if I had a mini heart attack? Or... Uh, yeah, wasn't that enough?

I went ahead and switched on a light in the corridor before turning to look at him. "Don't you even dare do that again! You scared me." Pointing a finger at him, I warned, annoyed. He muttered something under his breath, making me narrow my eyes. "What did you just say?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "Nothing. Let's go inside."

Huffing, I turned around before opening the door and storming inside. I removed my hijab and threw it on the bed. I was so sleepy but this guy just had to ruin it! "Wait a minute!" He exclaimed, halting my steps.

Turning around, I folded my arms while looking at him sceptically. "Yeah?"

"Uhh... I got a gift for you?" Scratching the back of his neck, he replied before going to the couch and taking out something from his bag. Returning back, he extended the box towards me.

I hesitated before taking the box. Opening it, my lips tilted upwards in a small smile as I gazed at it. It was so beautiful. "May I?" I heard his voice and my gaze flickered up at him, stunned. He was smiling slightly. I nodded my head slowly, looking away as I extended the box back to him and kept my hand on his already extended one.

He held my hand softly, which made my heart skip it's beat. I was going crazy. It felt so weird and... uncomfortable? But it also gave me a kind of comfort. He slid the ring on my finger, making me look at our hands. It surprisingly fitted me perfectly. Hopefully he couldn't watch my face heating up in this dim light.

As soon as he left my hand, I brought it closer to myself before admiring the ring. "Jazak Allahu Khairan. It's beautiful." It was elegant, just how I liked.

"Wa Antum Fa Jazak Allahu Khairan. It actually looks even more beautiful on your hand." I heard his reply, which made me shocked and flushed at the same time. Before I could glance at him, he rushed to the washroom.

Shaking my head, I turned towards my bed before picking up my hijab and keeping it aside. Snuggling up in my blanket, with a smile still lingering on my lips, I let sleep overcome me.

._._._.

Groaning, I swiped off the alarm again but it wouldn't budge. Getting annoyed, I turned to look at my left side to see a blurry figure cuddled up in my blanket. Confused as to who it could be, I moved a bit closer to have a look of that stranger's face and to find the source of my irritation, the constantly ringing alarm.

But I couldn't make out the face in the darkness. Maybe it's Emaan, I thought. But as my skin grazed a trimmed beard while I was trying to turn off the alarm on the other side of the bed, a scream left my lips. What in the world was a man doing in my room? No actually, what was he doing on my bed? And that too beside me. A stranger at that.

Covering my mouth with my hands, I sat up straight, my eyes wide in alarm. This guy might be a thief, I needed to catch him and hand him over to the police. We needed to increase the security of our home, how could this guy even enter our home just like that?

Not knowing what else to do, I picked up the thing nearest to me - which turned out to be a pillow - before bringing it in front of me as a defence. Realising it was just a pillow and couldn't do much to save me, I thought of other ways to catch him.

Maybe I could just make him unconscious by stopping his oxygen supply. I could easily do that just by this pillow. Without thinking further, I brought the pillow on his face in a quick motion, not giving him any chance to wake up or speak. It would be better if he died in his sleep.

I kept choking him with the pillow using my whole power. I could see some movement from under the pillow which meant that he was struggling. Not wanting to lose this chance and let this man go, I shouted. "Help! Someone came into my room. It's an intruder. Help!"

Even if he managed to stay alive, at least someone would come and save me. Before I could shout much though, a large hand covered my mouth, making my eyes go wide. He is going to kill me now, I thought! I was going to die like this.

Holding me with the other hand, he rolled us around and the pillow loosened as he moved his head back and took a deep breath. I kept the pillow in front of me as I continued to stare at the dark heaving figure. Ya Allah, please save me. How could someone even enter my room.

Not removing his hand from my mouth, he turned on the bedside table lamp, illuminating the room. My eyes snapped to him and I saw hazel green eyes glaring at me murderously, still heaving, trying to catch his breath. Oh I have seen those eyes, and that face too. But where have I seen him? A frown covered my face as I thought about it.

"This is the second time within twenty four hours that you have deemed me as a kidnapper or an intruder. Do I look like one or are you just trying to get on my nerves? Or better yet, you have a memory loss and can't actually remember me?" After taking a deep breath and clenching his jaw, he uttered furiously while removing his hand and sitting up.

"Oh, so it wasn't actually a dream." I uttered slowly, still in daze, not wanting to make him more angry. I actually forgot that I was married for a while. Unbelievable, I know.

His gaze snapped towards me again as he continued to glare at me furiously. "Are you serious right now?" He asked me through clenched jaw.

Gulping, I sat up slowly not answering him or looking in his direction. Embarrassed, I pointed towards his - still ringing - alarm. "Your alarm." I meekly muttered. All the sleepiness had flown out of the window when I saw his figure.

Finally turning his gaze away from me, he picked up his mobile and turned off the alarm before heaving a sigh and getting off the bed. "Her mom just kidnapped me but I think this daughter of her's is actually going to kill me one day." He muttered under his breath, making me confused.

"What? What did you just say?" I asked him, confused and furious at the same time while getting down from the bed. He thought that I was going to kill him? It wasn't my fault that I forgot about him. I mean, in my defence, I was not used to the presence of any male in my room or life. So he couldn't blame me for that.

"Nothing, I didn't say anything." He replied while glancing at me with a sweet smile before heading to the washroom.

._._._.

The next time when I woke up due to my alarm - after sleeping back after fajr - I reminded myself that I was married now and I shouldn't freak out if I see a guy sleeping beside me, before opening my eyes and repeating the same scene. But to my surprise, there was no one beside me. I didn't know if I should be sighing in relief or be worried about him.

Yawning, I stretched my arms before grabbing my mobile and checking the time. My eyes widened when I realised it was almost ten and I still had to make breakfast for everyone. Quickly getting down and making a messy bun, I rushed to the washroom.

Grabbing a hijab and checking if my clothes were presentable, I rushed downstairs only to slow down in my steps. There he sat with his brother, in the living room tickling Amira and Alayna as they giggled continuously. My heart warmed watching them getting along so well.

"Alhamdulillah!" I muttered under my breath before making my way towards the kitchen. I got another surprise there when I saw ammi brewing the coffee and bhabi setting the table. "Assalamualikum." Announcing my presence, I greeted them with a smile on my face. "You guys should have woken me up. I would have made breakfast na." I pouted.

"Walikumussalam." They smiled while turning their attention to me.

"How can we wake you up so early in the morning on the first day of your nikkah? In fact, we asked Saad to turn off your alarm if it rings." Bhabi replied with a smug look while sharing a mischievous glance with ammi.

"Why can't you wake me up? And why did you ask him to do that?" I asked, utterly confused.

"Bas aise hi. Accha nahi lagta nayi dulhan ko jaldi uthana." Bhabi replied nonchalantly with a shrug as she took the water jug to the dining room.

(Just like that. Waking up a bride early in the morning doesn't feel good.)

"Accha go and call everyone for breakfast." Before I could question them more, ammi told me while taking the coffee to the dining room. Nodding my head at particularly no one, I headed to the living room.

(Okay)

._._._.