CHAPTER 05

Arshad raised his hand upon his niece and Neha closed her eyes. But it never came. She opened her eyes again and found Azfar holding Arshad's hand. "I know Mr Ali that she is your daughter but now she is my wife and I will never allow anyone to insulate my wife like this." Azfar said in an anger laced voice.

"It's not what you think. Let me explain. I… " Neha tried to explain but was stopped in the middle by Arshad.

"I don't need your explanation Neha, I have never thought that you could think to take an extreme step like this. From now on, you are dead to us. Get out and never show us your face again." Arshad said and shut the door on her face. Neha fell on the ground and started sobbing hard.

"Chachu please, you can't do this to me." She yelled between her sobs.

"Chachu?" Azfar questioned Neha. 

"Yes, Chachu. Why did you do that? Now my Chachu kicked me out. I am homeless." Neha replied angrily.

"You are Neha Samad, right?" Azfar asked.

"Are you deff, that's what Qazi called me during the nikah." Neha replied angrily. Azfar helped her get up and took her back to the car. They sat in the car and drove off. 

"So, you don't know me?" Azfar asked.

"Now you are asking it. You jerk, because of you I lost my only family today." Neha yelled and punched his arm.

"Aao, I didn't know that. I can remember you showed me his picture on Facebook and told me that he is your father." Azfar replied.

"Me, I told you? On Facebook? Nice try jerk." Neha replied.

"Come on Neha, stop playing games with me. Now we are married, you don't have to lie to me." Azfar said.

"Are you not listening? I haven't seen you ever in my life." She yelled again. Azfar stopped the car at the corner and fished out his phone from his pocket. He opened his phone and showed Neha his chats with her.

"Look, isn't that you. All your pictures and we had chatted with each other for a year. Now don't tell me this isn't you." Azfar said angrily.

"No, this isn't my account. I haven't created any accounts on my own name." She replied.

"What? Then what about these pictures?" Azfar asked.

"I haven't taken any of these pictures. You married me, got me kicked out and now you realized that I am not that woman." Neha said and started crying.

"Neha, you are that woman. I fell for you. I know your uncle kicked you out but believe me, you are not alone. I am taking you to my house, actually our house." He replied lovingly.

"And if you or your family kicked me out later?" Neha asked.

"No one will kick you out, I promise." He promised. Azfar started the car again and drove off. After a few minutes he stopped the car in front of a big house and turned towards Neha.

"If you told my parents that I married you forcefully then they can kick you out. So you better keep this between us." Azfar threatened her and she quickly nodded her head. He stepped out of the car and took her into his house. His mother opened the door and froze when she saw a lady with her son.

"Amma, meet Neha, your daughter in law." Azfar introduced Neha to her mother. Neha greeted her mother in law with a smile. 

"You got married?" Fatima, Azfar's mother asked him. She pulled Neha in a motherly hug and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Yeah Amma, sorry about that. But we will have our reception soon." Azfar said. "Now you want to keep us at the door or we can come in?" He asked.

"Oh sorry, come in. Raheem…  Look, our son is now married." Fatima called her husband.

"What do you mean by he is married?" Raheem said and looked at the beautiful angel in his house. A tear escaped his eye and he wiped it off.

"Baba, I'm sorry if I hurt you. We will have the reception, I promise." Azfar said as he saw his tears in his father's eyes.

"Oh boy, don't be silly. Your father ever wanted a daughter and you just gave him one. That's all." Fatima explained. Neha greeted Raheem and he patted her head like a father.

"Now my family is complete." Raheem said with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Come on kids. The dinner is ready." Fatima said.

"You are telling me everything son." Raheem said in a warning tone.

"Raheem, leave him alone." Fatima warned her husband. Neha giggled as she watched the old couple arguing over nothing. Azfar sighed in relief, he knew that his mother saved him from his father's interrogation. He washed his hands and sat on the dining table with his family. Fatima served Neha first. Happily chatting with each other, they all ate their first meal with the new family member.

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After dinner, Fatima showed Neha, Azfar's room. Neha sighed softly and made her way to the bathroom. She peeled off her heavy bride clothes and hopped into the shower. After washing her body, he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She went to the closet to find herself something comfy to wear at night. She pulled out Azfar's t-shirt and PJs. She wore them and stepped out of the closet. She wore her hijab and offered her last Salah of the day. After Salah, she sat on the bed and thought about the decision she had made. But she was not sure why Arshad had kicked her out of the house. A tear escaped her eye when she remembered that her Uncle would have hit her if it wasn't for Azfar. The way he protected her was something she had always had dreamt. She smiled when his possessive words played in her head.

The door unlocked and Azfar stepped into the room. Neha narrowed her eyes and started chewing her nails in nervousness. Azfar smirked when he noticed her wearing his clothes. She looked really cute. He shook his head and went into the bathroom. He took a quick shower and stepped out of the bathroom, ready for bed. He sat on the other side of the bed which wasn't occupied by Neha. He set the alarm and laid down on the bed. Neha jumped out of the bed like she saw a ghost.

"What is it, Neha?" Azfar asked in a worried tone. He stood up and went to her side.

"Are we going to sleep together on this bed? I can't sleep with you. I'm not that kind of girl." She replied. Azfar chuckled on her nervousness.

"Neha, we are married now. I am your husband. I know you're not that kind of girl, that's why I married you. Now come and sleep, you have classes tomorrow and I don't want you to miss any of your classes, okay. Come." Azfer cooed her lovingly, like he was talking to a baby. She didn't argue anymore. She went to the bed with him and laid down. He sat by her side and started stroking her scalp. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft massage he was giving her. Once, Azfar was sure that Neha fell asleep, he went to his side of the bed, laid down and closed his eyes. In a few minutes he was in his dream Land as well.