Strip

Embarrassment

Degradation

Humiliation

Dejection

Rejection

Hatred

Insult

Pain

This was all she felt at the moment. In front of the whole family, he straight away rejected her on her face. She felt like she was being slapped on her face. Her heart wrenched painfully. Her tears were at bay but she did not want to cry. Not in front of the people whom she didn't even know.

She did not want this marriage in the first place but this was not the way to say a no to her. By slapping her with words. It deeply affected her self-respect and dignity. It humiliated her.

She simply stood up and ran to her room. Her tears floated down her eyes and soaked her cheeks when she entered the room. She was a crying mess within five minutes.

She was disgraced in front of people whom she didn't even know. But something in this whole scenario was calming her. She was thinking that he might leave her now and divorce her, her words might have affected him that she did not want this marriage. This thought was somehow relieving her but the pain of humiliation and rejection was still in her heart overpowering her relief. She was never dishonored by anyone in such away. His words played with her heart.

Her gaze lingered on the phone residing on the site table. She immediately picked it up and straight away called Daniyal. That man was her solace, peace, and happiness. A smile formed on her lips thinking about him.

"Hello" Nayab answered after two rings.

Nayab was the only sister of Shoaib and Daniyal whom they pampered a lot. As a result of that pampering, she was overly possessive about her brothers and hated Zahra with the core of her heart because she did not want to share Daniyal with Zahra.

"Kia kaam hai?" She asked rudely.

(What is it?)

"I want to talk to Daniyal," she sternly replied.

"But he does not want to talk to you now go away shooo,"

"Nayab please I am in no mood of fighting. Give him the phone now,"

"Stay away from my brother," she hissed and cut the call.

Zahra took a deep breath. She felt restrained now. She so wanted to talk to Daniyal but her sister always have to come in between.

The phone rang after five minutes and she abruptly picked it up after seeing who was calling.

"Zahra," his soft whisper reach her ear, and that's when she broke down completely. Her whole form began to rack with her sobs and her cries were reaching the skies.

"Daniyal, help me," she cried.

"Zahra, Zahra what happened? Meri jaan rou kiun rahi hou?"

(My life, why are you crying?)

"Daniyal" she hiccupped, "uss ney muj sei shaadi kr li,"

(He married me)

The ground slipped under his feet. His mouth hung open with surprise. His ears began to ring with a deafening ringing voice. All the color drained from her face. Her words echoed continuously in his mind.

'Uss ney muj sei shaadi kr li' (He married me)

'Zahra mje kabhi chorna mat' (Zahra never leave me)

'Kabhi nahi kabhi bhi nahi' (Never, never ever)

'Zahra mera intezar krna' (Zahra wait for me)

'Apni puri zindagi krti rahu gi' (Will keep it doing all my life)

'Zahra mn tum par pura aitmaad krta hun' (Zahra I trust you completely)

'Daniyal mn tmharey illawa kisi par bharosa nahi krti' (Daniyal I trust just you)

'Zahra mn tum sei shaadi karunga' (Zahra I will marry you)

'Daniyal mn tumharey illawa kisi sey shaadi nahi karungi' (Daniyal I will not marry anyone other than you)

Were all her promises, love, trust, affection fake? She had never loved him? She had never felt anything for him? All her trust just for him was a facade, a charade? She only played with his emotions?

"How can you do that to me, Zahra?! How could you?! Did you not love me?! Was I not your everything?! Was not I the only one whom you trusted?! It's been three days and you are already married. Why did you deceive me?! Why did you break your promise?! Why?! Answer me?! God dammit Why?!" He almost shouted at her. The hit of betrayal pulled the strings of his heart and worn them out completely. He couldn't believe it.

Zahra stopped crying after listening to what he just said and was taken aback.

He thinks I betrayed him. Oh god Daniyal No! No!

She can't lose him at any cost. She took a deep breath and calmed her nerves down. She had to explain him everything before he completely loses his shit.

Her mouth opened and she blew out all the story to him from A to Z. She told her every single detail and didn't even miss the part of their kiss.

Now Daniyal was the one to be shocked. He was completely out of words after she finished her narration.

"Daniyal I can never betray you. This is the first and the last time you are saying those words. I will never hear anything like that from you again," she said at the end.

"I am sorry Zahra. I am so sorry. I thought... never mind."

"Daniyal what will happen now? I can't leave you."

"Nor can I. We will find a solution. But please be in contact with me. And whenever he tries to come near you just run or hide,"

"Daniyal do you really think I can hide from him. My brain freezes when he comes towards me. It fails to work. My heart beats out of control. He is too intimidating and scary. I am scared of him. I am too scared. Too scared." Her voice got small at the end and she cried out.

"Zahra shhhh... quiet nothing will happen to you. Just think about me as you did today and run away from him. It will work. I guarantee."

"Daniyal will you accept me? Will you love me the same way if he does something to me?" She asked out of the blue whilst crying. This thought was bothering her.

"I will always be there for you and nothing will happen to you," He assured her.

"Stop crying, Zahra. Stop please just stop for me. I can't afford to see you cry."

Zahra tried hard and took a deep breath to calm herself. She sniffed and wiped her tears.

Someone knocked on the door and she immediately cut the call, composing herself.

"Come in"

Ammara entered and saw the blotched face of her daughter. She sat beside her and soothingly caressed her cheeks.

"He gave us two days to convince their grandson for the marriage" she whispered.

"Mama I don't care we will leave this haveli today but first I need to talk to Irtaza," she said. She was internally feeling happy and strong. Daniyal was holding her back this thought was enough for her to be strong but what rekindled her hope was the fact that soon she will get rid of him as he had already rejected her.

"I am not here to convince you to convince him but-"

"Mama we will think later about what to do but first I need to talk to him. I will be right back." She immediately stood up and made her way straight to his room.

She entered once again without knocking. She was feeling much better and stronger after talking to Daniyal. Her hope and determination were rekindled.

She saw him sitting on the sofa, engrossed in his phone, his long legs spreaded.

She cleared her throat gaining his attention. He turned and look towards her and placed his phone beside him on the sofa.

"Close the door" he pointed with his fingers.

Her eyes widened. She on purpose didn't close the door because she was scared of being alone with him in the same room.

"You said that you do not want to marry me," She said without closing the door.

"Hmm I said that," he said and stood up to his full height.

She began to fidget with her fingers. Her subconscious once again clicked it and warned her of something bad was going to happen.

"So-"

"But I also said that," he said while taking off his coat slowly, "either you will be my wife or my prostitute." He threw his coat on the sofa without looking at her.

The ground slipped under her feet. Her face paled. She knew where it was all going to go.

Her lips turned white. All the life left her legs making them jelly-like. Her heart began to throb in her chest as utter fear engulfed her nerves. She could feel goosebumps rise all over her body and they grew when she saw stepping him towards her as if he was about to pounce her.

"But you said you don't want to marry me," she said stepping back. Her voice was little.

"Yes, I said that, and now it means I want to make you my personal whore."

Her breathing increased when he was just two feet away from her. Her senses locked again. She felt like she was standing in the lion's den. But then Daniyal words rang in her ears.

'Whenever he tries to come near you just run or hide.'

She immediately turned, opened the door wide, and ran. She must have taken two steps out of the room when someone gripped her hair and dragged her back to the room. And that someone was none other than him.

He threw her on the bed and locked the door.

Click

Click

Her eyes widened and her throat choked. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Her already paled face became more yellow when she heard those two clicks.

She stood up and barged towards the door. She can't be alone with him. She pounced on him and tried to reach for the lock when he tightly cupped her cheeks puckering her lips.

"Do ya want me to slap the shit out of ya?" He questioned menacingly.

The voice of his slap resonated in her mind and she shooked her head frantically.

"Then retreat your hand back," he said pointing towards her hand which was on the lock. She swiftly retreated her hand back.

Her senses always freeze whenever he was around her. She wasn't able to think straight about what she should do. Her body only shook with fear as it was shaking now.

He released her cheeks and she scooted back immediately, her back hitting the wall.

He was eyeing her from head to toe. Her whole form was shaking by now. Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks. Her lips were quivering and her face was red. Her dupatta was now not covering anything and her hair got opened when he dragged her back to the room. Her scalp once again was burning in pain. And her cheeks were red at the place where he dug her fingers in.

"Strip," he said taking in her whole form.

"Wh..at?" Her voice came out shaky and small. She was baffled. Completely startled. Her legs were hardly holding her weight now. Her breath came out shuddery and shaky.

She was appalled at what he said. Danger bells began to ring in her brain and her eyes were almost out of their sockets.

"Should I do it myself then?" He questioned and within two strides stood right in front of her. She moved more back into the wall. Tears were rolling freely down her eyes.

Tears

When you are overwhelmed over something and when that emotion is at its peak a salty liquid fills your eyes as a response to that emotion your heart, felt. There are many types of tears.

Tears of happiness

Tears of sorrow

Tears of misery

Tears of regret

Tears of depression

But her eyes right now were crying out

Tears of pure terror.

This emotion of fear overwhelmed her to a point that tears of complete fear and horror floated down her cheeks.

"Why are y..ou-" she couldn't complete her sentence and big sobs began to rack her whole form.

"Practice baby practice" he placed his one hand on the wall and moved closer to her. One move and their lips will touch.

She was now shaking like a leaf with fear. Her brain messed up and her heart raced. She fisted her hands to control her shivering body. She tried hard to control her sobs but they were jolting her body so hard that their lips will touch.

"For wh..at?" She asked despite the pure terror she felt.

"I will divorce you and soon you will be my personal whore." With that he smashed his lips once again on her soft ones, bruising them.