Chapter 8

"He obeyed duty. She dreamt of love. And fate? Fate was sharpening its claws." 🖤

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"Tomorrow your marriage is going to be fixed."

Those words kept ringing in my head like a persistent bell. My heart skipped a beat, a mix of excitement and something else curling in my chest.

With Rafay? Was this really happening?

I still remembered how hard it had been to convince my mother... and more than that, his mother. Finally, it was happening!

The sudden ringing of my phone pulled me out of my thoughts. A smile flashed across my face when I saw the caller name: Rafay.

"Hello," I greeted, trying to sound casual.

"Hello," he replied.

"I'm happy today. Really happy," he said, and I could almost picture the wide grin on his face. I knew why he was happy, yet I pretended ignorance.

"Why?" I asked.

"Well... tomorrow my marriage is going to be fixed. And soon, you'll be officially mine," he said.

A blush crept up my neck, warming my cheeks despite my best efforts to suppress it. A smile escaped me anyway.

"Are you okay? What happened?" His voice quickened, urgent and teasing all at once.

"Yeah... yeah. I was just... a little shy," I admitted, giggling softly. My fingers fiddled with the edge of my notebook, betraying my calm tone.

"Ufff, ye Ada. You're shy like we're in an arranged marriage," he teased.

"It's not like that... still, you know... leave it. You won't understand," I mumbled, disconnecting the call with a small laugh.

It was Rafay, the man I'd liked for years, the one I'd known forever and yet my heart acted like this was the very first time I'd ever spoken to him.

I slapped my forehead softly, trying to ground myself. I glanced around the room. Thank God Ammi wasn't here, or I'd probably melt into a puddle of embarrassment.

Focus on studies, Tuba. Focus.

⸻ ❦ ⸻

Few days later.

Malik Mansion.

"Bhai sarkar... you called us?" Saqib asked as he entered the hall with Adiba.

The moment they stepped in, the atmosphere hit them, heavy, tense, and clearly serious. Muneeb and Samiha were already seated, both unusually quiet.

"Yes. Sit here."

Muneeb gestured toward the empty seats beside him.

Saqib complied. Adiba sat beside Samiha, her hands already fidgeting.

"Well..." Muneeb began, voice cold, authoritative. "I have decided something. And since Haider is your son, you should be informed."

"What is it, Bhai sarkar?" Saqib asked, confused but attentive.

"I want Haider to get married to my daughter, Miral."

The words dropped like a bomb.

Saqib froze.

Adiba gasped.

"Miral...?" Saqib repeated, disbelief coating his voice. "Bhai sarkar, shouldn't we at least ask them? Know their opinion?"

"I am not asking you."

Muneeb's tone sharpened like steel.

"I am telling you. Being his father doesn't give you a right to question my decision. Everyone here knows I do what I decide."

Saqib opened his mouth again.

"But at least they should-"

Muneeb lifted his palm.

A silent command to shut up.

"What's the problem? Miral is his cousin, his friend. I have thought this through." His jaw tightened. "She is my daughter. And Haider..." he paused with confidence, "...Haider will never oppose my decision. I'll talk to him myself."

And with that, he stood and walked out as if the meeting was done the moment he declared it.

The room stayed silent for a few seconds. Adiba stared at the floor. Saqib looked helpless. And from behind the partially open door-

Maliha had heard everything.

She didn't waste a second.

She ran upstairs and knocked on Miral's door vigorously.

"Miral! Miral, open the door!"

"What is it?? Why are you banging like this?" Miral opened the door, irritation clear on her face.

"Taya sarkar has fixed your marriage... with Haider Bhai."

Miral went still.

Eyes widened.

Color drained from her face.

Land. Gone. Beneath. Feet.

Her lips parted, barely making sound.

"A-are you serious?"

"Yes. I heard everything with my own ears," Maliha said before rushing off, leaving Miral alone with the storm inside her head.

Miral staggered back into her room.

Her heartbeat was loud.

Her hands turned cold.

Her phone rang.

She looked at the screen-

Hanan.

The panic doubled.

What would she even say to him now?

Miral quickly declined the call, and hurried straight to her mother's room, her mind spiraling.

⸻ ❦ ⸻

"Come in."

Samiha's eyes darted toward the door as she answered.

And there came Miral, tensed, angry, and something else too... something like panic wrapped in denial.

"I don't want to get married," she blurted out.

Samiha froze for a second, then closed the closet door with a soft thud.

"Why? What happened? You have to marry someone. Haider is such a good person. He's your friend, your cousin. And the best part? You won't even have to move out of this house after marriage."

Miral shook her head aggressively.

"I don't want to marry him. That's it. Now just go and say this to Abbu Sarkar."

Samiha's eyes widened.

"Dimag theekane pe to hai? He is your Abbu Sarkar. And you KNOW his decisions don't change."

"So what? Is it MY fault? I don't wanna marry him!"

Her voice cracked, not loud, but sharp, the kind that comes from pure helpless frustration.

"It's your life, yes," Samiha shot back, "but he is your father. He thinks for your good. Haider is a perfect option. What's the problem?"

Miral clenched her jaw.

"Maa-sarkar... I said no. I don't want to marry him."

Her phone rang again.

Hanan.

Of course.

Perfect timing, worst situation.

She stared at the screen, heart sinking, breath tightening, she declined the call.

Miral didn't stay. She stomped out of the room, her refusal loud in every step,

but inside... she already knew the truth:

No matter what she wanted, her father's decision was a wall she couldn't climb.

⸻ ❦ ⸻

I was going towards my room when,

"Haider, come here beta."

Taya Sarkar's voice.

Great. The summons.

I stopped and turned around. He signalled me toward the outer hall.

I went to him.

"Sit. I want to share something with you," he said.

I sat beside him, my spine straightening on instinct. Something was definitely cooking.

"Look beta, you are mature enough to get married and take responsibilities. How about you get married?"

Here we go again.

Marriage.

The favourite family hobby.

I exhaled sharply, almost inaudible, the kind of breath you let out when you know you can't escape.

"I have already decided it. Shared it with your parents."

He took my hands in his.

"You are getting married to Miral."

...Miral?

I blinked once.

That's all.

But inside, I was like , Wait, what?

My eyes narrowed before I could stop them.

Not shock.

Not refusal.

Just pure confusion stabbing through me.

"Yes, my daughter," he clarified.

Of course he did, my face had probably announced my emotions before my brain could catch up.

I mean... Miral?

I don't have a girl in my life, but I never NEVER thought of Miral that way.

She's my cousin, my good friend.

Good person, no doubt.

But marriage???

"That's my decision," he said, tone firm. Final. Full stop.

There it was.

Not a question.

Not a discussion.

A declaration.

And what can I do?

I respect him. A lot.

He's practically shaped half my life.

Saying no isn't something I've ever done with him.

"As you wish, Taya Sarkar," I said, my voice steady.

Meaning: I won't say no.

He smiled and pulled me into a hug.

I hugged him back.

Because that's what I've always done.

But when I stepped out...

My heart was screaming NO so loudly it echoed in my ribs.

But my mind?

Obedient. Loyal. Trained.

Mind won.

Heart?

Emotions?

Not my department.

Marriage is just... a thing.

And I'm doing it because he wants me to.

That's it.

"Tuba was dreaming of Rafay.

Haider was accepting Miral.

And fate?

It was quietly laughing... leading

them both toward the same storm."

❀ 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ 𓈒 𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𓈒 ࣪𓂃 ❀

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