Warnings

She pulled off of his shoulder when her sobs died and her mind cleared. Her eyes trailed towards the wet spot of her tears on his shirt

"I am sorry," she said looking down. She didn't know what hit her that she began to cry on his shoulder.

He stared at her small form. Her eyes were swollen due to the immense crying. Her big eyelashes were drenched in her wet tears. The tip of her nose was bright red. Her cheeks tinted pink and her lips slightly quivering with fear as she took them between her teeth to stop their tremble.

His eyes stopped at her red, luscious lips and he moved his thumb towards her chin to free her lips from her white, shiny teeth, which she hesitantly did. The pad of his thumb slowly began to graze the flesh of her pink lips, feeling the softness underneath his thumb. His eyes intensely staring her.

Her body was now a bundle of nerves. His intense stare was making her hot all over and without any doubt, she knew her cheeks would have been turned red. His pupils dilated with need.

Need of her.

Before the things could escalate, Zahra cleared her throat bringing him back from oblivion.

"I..I." She said desperately trying to come up with a topic so she could divert his attention.

"Let's go for a walk," He said and held her small, cold, shivering hands in his warm ones, leading them both out of the haveli.

The sky was dark and foggy. The bright stars adorned the sky. Irtaza was still holding the hand of his wife as they both continued to walk in a desolated park. Just two of them and no one else. No dialogues were exchanged as they were looking around here and there as if lost in their own thoughts.

Zahra noticed every single detail around her. The small chirping of night bugs hit her ears making all scenario more fearful for her. She couldn't understand why he brought her here at this point of the night when there was not a single soul in the park other than just two of them. She was already afraid of him and now the darkness spread all around her was making her more fearful. Only the bright star and some street lights were illuminating the park.

The weather was cold and foggy. A blow of cold air rushed against her body making her sneeze heavily as she rubbed her arms against her shoulders to provide some warmth to her.

"Thand lag rahi hai?" He asked, his voice soft unlike his usual dark and dominant one.

(Feeling cold?)

She meekly nodded and he instantly took off his big leather jacket wrapping it around her shoulders. The jacket reached her mid-thighs and she was half-hidden in it which made him laugh.

His laugh was beautiful as him which reached his eyes as the two dimples suddenly appeared on his cheeks.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked confusedly.

"You are so small." He muttered.

"No, I am not small. You are too big." She countered back in her small voice. Her eyes glared at him. Well, she didn't like to be called a shorty.

He chuckled and held her chin gently.

"You are beautiful, shorty." He whispered and wrapped his arms around her shoulder, bringing her closer to him as they continued to walk.

After minutes of walking, they reached a bench and sat there, observing the silence and peace around them.

"Uhh.... thankyou" she whispered as a thought hit her.

"For what?" He asked as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"For not.... not punishing me." She replied in her meek voice.

He looked towards her. Her eyes shone under the bright light of stars. Her porcelain skin looked more exotic in the moonlight. She was looking like an enchantress who had cast a spell on his heart.

"Kuch Nahi Hota. But it should not happen again. I won't be generous next time."

(That's all right)

"Ainda apko shikayat ka mauka nahi Miley ga" She replied looking away from his intense grey eyes.

(You will not be getting any complaints next time)

"There should not be the next time and," he warned and turned her head towards her making her look straight into his eyes, "don't look away when I am talking to you." He huskily said as she stared directly into his grey magnetic eyes.

"Your brown eyes remind me of sunsets," He expressed.

"Thank you" she answered softly and was about to look down when his words linger in her brain.

"I am very possessive of my things Zahra and you my wife, are my most prized possession." He asserted examining her brown eyes.

Goosebumps surfaced on her skin when she heard that, my wife. It was bothering her over and over. Her mind was still in a dilemma. It wasn't accepting the reality that she was someone's wife now. For the last 5 years, she had only dreamt of Daniyal. She already had mapped out her whole life with him but circumstances shoved Irtaza upon her. She wanted Daniyal whom she had planned her whole life with not anyone else. If Irtaza hasn't forced her, she still wouldn't have given any chance to this marriage because Daniyal was in her heart.

"I will love you and cherish you. Everything existing in this whole world will be at your feet. You will be the queen of my heart. I'd never let any sorrow and pain reach you. I will protect you from every evil." He explained, his voice stoic yet gentle but it dropped octaves down when he continued, "but the condition is that there should be no one instead of me in your heart. And if there is or will be I will perish yours and his existence from this universe. You won't recognize yourself when I'll be done with you. Never backstab me." He warned in his dominant voice making her heartbeat beat abnormally.

It was then she thought he had caught her red-handed. Cold sweats begin to form on her forehead as her hands begin to immensely shake. She began to feel hot all over in the cold weather. The world started to revolve around her as her mind felt dizzy. She was unable to breathe. Her lungs were not inhaling any air. Her legs begin to shake tremendously. Her voice got lost. Her mouth went dry. Then suddenly everything went black. It all happened because of this one thought that he had caught her and Daniyal's relationship.

She went numb and her head lifelessly fell on his lap. He was confused about her sudden blacking out.

Was it because of his warning? He thought but didn't ponder much on it as he already knew he scares the shit out of her.

Yet his sixth sense was pointing towards something else. It was telling him that there must be something fishy about her sudden blacking out after listening to his warning of not betraying him. But he didn't want to think much about it as it divert his attention from his thoughts towards her, making him think that she is like her.

He placed one arm under her head and the other under her knees and carried her to the haveli. The park was near haveli so it didn't take much time for him to reach haveli on foot.

Reaching her room, he placed her fragile body on the bed and held her soft, small hands. He caressed her smooth skin and placed a soft chaste kiss on her hand.

"You are the only woman Zahra who makes my dead heartbeat once again, who makes my conscience alive, who makes me want to believe this word, 'trust.' I trust you and just you with my whole existence. I promise I'll never let you go." He whispered to her lifeless body and attached his lips to her dry ones for a millisecond.

Pulling away, he stared at her fragile body for a moment and stood up before leaving the room.

Her phone which was on silent began to buzz as soon as he left the room. The caller ID showing.

Daniyal

.........

More than a week had passed since she had last seen him. The next day of her counter with him she was informed that Irtaza had to deal with some business affairs so he went out of the country for two weeks. Zahra's happiness knew no bounds on hearing the news of his short departure. She squealed with joy and nearly jumped on her bed with excitement. She didn't feel caged again. She felt free again, like a bird, who got freedom after so long. Since the day she had stepped into this wretched haveli, she only felt an invisible restrain choking her throat with every passing second. And when that feeling left her mind, she felt so light and free. What does freedom taste like one can surely ask her.

Every night she talked to Daniyal and explained to her the amount of happiness she felt. Both of them were still trying to figure out a plan to somehow get out of the clutches of Irtaza. Daniyal suggested she run away with him and then both of them will conceal in a place where Irtaza could not find them. Meanwhile, they both will file a case against him in court and demand divorce. After successfully getting the divorce they will get Ammara out of the haveli and then do a court marriage which then Daniyal's father will have to eventually accept.

Zahra, a naive mind, didn't know the power this family possesses agreed to him as she extremely wanted to get out of Irtaza's tormenting paws. She wanted to have the taste of free air again. She wanted to live with the love of her life. But the question was to get Zahra out of the haveli. Both of them were still brewing up a plan in their mind for her escape as Irtaza was now keeping her hawk-like eyes on her after the previous incident.

Within these days, Zahra and her mother had quite intermingled with the rest of the family members other than their grandfather. Asma Aunty and her mother acted as if they were best friends. Zahra was already so fond of her cousins but Shehryaar, Irtaza's younger brother, didn't give her good vibes. His everything was almost exactly like Irtaza. Rather darker than Irtaza. And that was why she was afraid of him and never talked with him.

The wedding preparations were in full swing. Each day a new set of clothes by the topmost designers of the country was sent to haveli along with jewelry, shoes, cosmetics, and what more. Their grandmother kept pushing the all family to make the wedding perfect.

This thing was creeping Zahra out, the wedding preparations She was afraid that how will she escape haveli with Daniyal. The date was nearing day by day.

.............

"Zahra baji, how will we solve this problem?" Alizey asked. She sat by Zahra who was helping her do her homework.

"Alizey, why your Irtaza bhai is so rude?" Zahra asked out of nowhere to the six years old girl. She was in deep thought of mapping out a plan of escape when the thought of Irtaza's strictness and harshness towards her crossed her mind and then she began to dwell on whether he is only rude to her?

"Nooooo baji! Irtaza bhai is the besttt...bestestttttt. He is not rude." Alizey exclaimed and raised both her hands, stretching them in the air to show how good her Irtaza bhai was.

"No Alizey. He is rude and scary like a beast." Zahra countered. Her voice getting childish.

"Beast?"

"Yes like a beast. The one in the beauty and the beast. He is exactly like him."

"No Zahra baji. The beast is so ugly but Irtaza bhaji is sooooo handsome and he brings me a lot of chocolates and presents. And he gives me whatever I ask him. And he also kisses me on my cheek." She told pulling her cheeks, "And yes he also sometimes takes me out to Joyland. You know whenever I go to his office he gives me alott of juice and sweets. He always fulfills my every wish. He is the best, not a beast." Alizey exclaimed it all in one go, trying to explain Zahra, her Irtaza bhai's kindness.

"Ap k saath tw achay hain laikin mje tw har waqt Dara k rakha hua hota ha na. Muje tou saans bhi nahi aata jab wo was paas hotay hein," Zahra muttered but Alizey heard it and her eyes widened with surprise.

(He is good with you but has made me scared all the time. I can't even breathe when he is around)

"Kia Irtaza bhai apko daratey hein?" She asked, all surprised.

(Does Irtaza bhai scare you?)

"Hn aur wo b bohat zyada." She replied, smiling at her childish behavior.

(Yes and that too, too much)

"Apko unn sei darr lagta hai?" She asked again with her rounded lips, so astonished to hear that.

(Are you scared of him?)

"Bohat zyada"

(Too much)

Zahra took all the situation as a joke but on the other hand, Alizey was astonished that someone even could be afraid of her kindest and sweetest Irtaza Bhai.

"Mein Abhi aaye," With that being said Alizey left the room and came back after five minutes holding a cell phone in her tiny hands, scolding someone on the other side.

(I will be back)

"Irtaza Bhai," Alizey called out on the phone making Zahra vigilant more than ever, "Now you will not be scaring Zahra baji anymore. Apko pata hai unhey tw saans bhi nahi aata jab AAP aas paas hotay hain." Alizey said with a deep frown marred on her cute chubby face.

(Do you know she can't even breathe when you're around)

Zahra's mouth hung open with surprise. She gawked at the Alizey with her surprised-filled eyes. Zahra was taking her as a joke but she called Irtaza and repeated her every single word to him!

"Hn g. Yeh unho ney hi me Kaha hai" She answered on the phone.

(Yes. She had told me this)

"Ok fine. Sorry accepted. But now you have to apologize to Zahra baji as well." Alizey scolded and after getting his reply he handed over the phone to Zahra who was looking at her with mouth agape and eyes wide open.

"Who is it?" She whisper yelled to Alizey.

"It's Irtaza Bhai Zahra baji. I've said every single thing to him you told about him and asked him to apologize to you. Now you don't need to worry he will not scare you anymore and you know he was laughing a lot when I told him that you called her a beast."She exclaimed loudly making Zahra want to slap herself for the moment she called him a beast in front of Alizey. She didn't expect Alizey to call him directly and repeat her every dialogue to him. She thought everyone is scared of Irtaza including Alizey so calling him names in front of anyone won't affect them much.

"Now take the phone Zahra baji he wants to apologize to you," Alizey told.

"No Alizey didn't I tell you that I am scared of him. I do not want to talk to him. Please. Ask him that I am sleeping pleaseeee." She whisper yelled to Alizey so he couldn't hear anything from the other side of the phone but unaware to both of them he was hearing everything which made him dryly chuckle.

Alizey rounded her lips in an O, understanding what she was saying, and attached the phone to her ears.

"Irtaza Bhai, Zahra baji is saying that she is sleeping and she is scared of you so she can't talk to you yet." She said innocently literally making Zahra want to hit her head on a wall. She shouldn't have said anything to Alizey in the first place.

"Ok Bhai," She said and put the phone on the speaker, leaving the room whilst closing the door behind.

"Zahra take the phone now." His deep baritone resonated in the room which made her flinch the very next second. Her heartbeat increased and her shivering thermogenesis clicked in making her slightly shiver. Her body has developed this response to his voice.

She immediately picked up the phone, turned the speaker off, and placed it on her ear.

"Hello. Assalam Alaikum." She greeted in her meek voice.

"Wslam." He replied.

"Why were you not taking the phone?" He asked making her hold the phone tightly.

"Uhh..... I was..as sleeping." She stuttered, lying.

"Ohh. I see." He mused.

She took a sigh of relief thinking he bought her stupid lie.

"So you got awake for a few seconds just to tell Alizey that am a beast. Right?" His voice was playful.

"No I did...not call you..u th..at." she lied, her voice getting small.

"I despise liars Zahra. Don't lie to me ever in any situation." His voice dropped octaves down showing the seriousness behind his words, making her heart beat a mile a minute.

"It won't happen again. I am sorry." She immediately answered.

"Hmm good. What were you doing?"

"Teaching Alizey."

"And everyone else?"

"They all are busy in wedd...ing prep...erations" Her throat clogged on the thought that she was talking about her wedding. Her forced wedding.

She didn't want this marriage at any cost but everyone around her was forcing her into this relationship. She was scared to death of Irtaza so how could she live her whole life with him moreover, she has Daniyal in her heart and she did not want anyone other than Daniyal in her life.

"Aren't the arrangements finished yet?"

"Almost there but only the attire of the bride and groom for baraat has to be selected."

"Ok. Ask Dadi that when I'll come back we both will personally go and select our attire for baraat." He replied and was about to hang up the call when a crazy thought hit Zahra's mind.

"Can I ask you a question?" She breathlessly said.

"What is it?"

She gathered every ounce of courage left inside her and blurted out the next words.

"I don't want this marriage,"