Chapter-5

Erina's p.o.v

" I have fixed your marriage," Abbu said without any emotion and the glass fell on the floor from my hand.

Hearing the glass breaking sound, Ammi and my sisters came running. They entered the room and looked at us with their questioning eyes.

" What happened?" Ammi asked worriedly.

I am just looking at Abbu with my shocked eyes. What does he mean by fixed my marriage? Without my consent how can he do that?

I have many dreams to fulfil. I want to complete my studies. I want to do something productive. I am not ready for marriage. Moreover, I love Amaan. I can't imagine someone else as my husband. I will never be able to accept someone else as my husband.

" Zayed Bin Qureshi, one of the richest man wants to marry Erina," Abbu informed Ammi dropping another bomb inside my head.

I haven't recovered from the previous shock and now this one. And, Zayed Bin Qureshi!! Why does he want to marry me? I don't know him nor he knows me then what's the meaning of all this. Why does he want to marry a poor girl like me? If he wants then he can marry any woman from any reputable family. Then, why does he want to marry me?

Ammi asked Abbu widening her eyes," What are you talking about? Why a rich man like Zayed Bin Qureshi wants to marry our daughter? It's weird."

" Sukar kar khuda ka, ki unki jayse bade log hamare jayse ek pion ki beti se Nikah karna chahta hey( Say thanks to God that a rich man like him wants to marry a pion's daughter)," Abbu snapped at Ammi.

This time I couldn't tolerate it anymore and said directly on his face," I don't want to marry now."

He turned his gaze at me and asked clenching his jaw," What did you say? Fir se bol(repeat it),"

I was silent. I know he is now angry beyond level. My body has already turned cold because of fear. My palms are sweating as well as my forehead. My eyes are already teary. I can feel his rage-filled eyes on me.

" Fir se bol(repeat it)," he again said and this time loudly. Loud enough to make anyone deaf.

I couldn't control myself anymore and screamed," I don't want to marry now.

I'm not ready yet. I want to complete my studies first."



I fell on the floor because of the impact I earned on my face. The slap was so hard that I felt like my jaw has dislocated and I also felt dizzy.

" Api!!" I heard Eshal and Eshita both screamed and came running in my direction. They bent down to my level to hold me.

" Teri himmat kaise hui na bolne ki! Huh! Teri bap ho mey. Hum faysla karengi ki to Nikah karegi yah nehi. Samzhi?( How dare you to say no! Huh! I am your father. I will decide you will marry or not. Understood?" He said dangerously looking down at my bruised cheek.

My tears aren't stopping after hearing his declaration. If I again open my mouth then he will beat me into pulp for sure. But, I can't just marry a random man. It doesn't matter he is rich or not. I don't know him nor love him. Then, how can I just marry him?

" Thoda aram sey bat kariye( Talk to her softly). She wasn't........." I heard Ammi trying to say something.

Before she could complete her sentence I heard him yelling at Ammi," Samjhao ish ladki ko, ki yeyi kitni khus kismat hey ki Zayed Bin Qureshi ishki jayse nikamme se Nikah karna chahta hey( Make her understand that she is lucky that Zayed Bin Qureshi wants to marry a useless girl like her)."

" We don't know him properly then how can we just give our daughter's hand to him," I heard Ammi saying with her tensed voice.

I looked at my father with my teary eyes and heard him saying with his harsh voice," Ayse rishte bar bar nehi aate( This type of proposal doesn't come often). Zayed Bin Qureshi is a good man and everybody knows it. I have decided to marry her off and that's final."

Saying all this he started going towards his bedroom. I heard him murmuring something. I am sure he is cursing me.

Before he could leave the living room I stood up and declared gathering my all courage," I will not marry any random guy. I love someone else and will marry him anyhow."

I can't hide the truth anymore. It has to be revealed sooner or later. And after revealing the truth I am now regretting it. I am sure a storm is coming. 

Hearing me, my sisters and mother looked at me with too much shock. They weren't expecting this type of line from me.

" Api, Bas ki jiye. Kya apko Aj hi jaan gawana hey( Sis, stop all this. Do you want to die today)," Eshal said putting pressure on my right wrist.

I replied sternly," Kisi anjaan admi sey Nikah karney se accha he ki ham apni jaan gawa dey( It's better to die than marry any stranger)."

I just lost my whole courage when I found my father coming towards me with his predatory moves. He is looking like a killer who can kill me anytime. I found Ammi is pulling his hand to stop him from coming towards me.

Just in a blink of an eye, he is now in front of me and clutched my hairs tightly almost ripping them off from my skull.

" What did you say? Love someone else. Huh! Who is the boy? Tell me," He asked gritting his teeth in anger.

I replied with great difficulty hissing in pain," He.....is....my...class....fellow. Abbu, please. Don't marry me off. I beg you."

I said the last part with my most painful voice hoping that he will listen to me. He is my father and every father wants to see his children happiness.  A faint hope is still in me thinking that he will think about my happiness for once.

" Tujhe hum college vegha tha parne likhne ki liye. Ayaashi karne ki liye nehi( I sent you college to study not to have fun)," He said slapping me repeatedly.

" Don't beat her. I beg you," I heard Ammi saying with her trembling voice clutching his feet tightly.

My heart cried out in pain seeing my mother like this. What wrong we have ever done to endure all this and see all this?

Abbu kicked her very harshly and she landed on the floor hurting her forehead. She is now slightly bleeding. We all screamed seeing blood in Ammi's forehead.

" Everything happened because of you, bitch. I shouldn't have sent this useless shit to the college hearing your advice," Abbu said spitting on my mother's body.

I couldn't tolerate it anymore and yelled on his face," you can say anything to me. But, don't blame Ammi."

" Besharam ladki(shameless girl). Teri himmat kaysi hui ek ladke sey rishta rakhne ki( how dare you to have a relationship with a boy.)," He said gritting his teeth. 

After that, I again earned two more slaps cutting my lips. I am now pleading for mercy. I am pleading to not beat me.

" Bohut himmat agayi hey tujhme!! ( You have gotten so much courage). Huh!! Let me teach you a good lesson," He said and started dragging me towards the storeroom by holding my hairs.

I have already understood his motive. He is going to lock me there to punish me. This storeroom is another hell for me. It's the reason that I fear the darkness. He used to lock us there in childhood whenever we did something wrong. Because of his torture, I have developed a phobia already. I am afraid of darkness.

" Please, Abbu. Don't lock me there. I beg you. Please. I feel scared in the darkness," I cried loudly but my crying went into deaf ears.

I clutched every single thing on the way to stop him from dragging me. But, my every effort went in vain. He continued dragging me towards the storeroom.

Reaching there, he threw me inside it and locked the door. I started banging on the door like a mad girl. I pleaded to open the door but nothing happened. He showed no mercy.

I heard him saying from another side of the door ," Aj se teri ghar se Nikala na bandh. Teri padhai likhai bhi bandh. Tu yaha se nehi niklegi jab tak teri Nikah nehi ho jati( From today, you can't go out from this house. Your studying is also off. You will not leave from here until you got married."

Hearing him, I lost my all hopes. What will happen now? How will I be able to complete my studies? How will I be able to fulfil my dreams? And Amaan! What will I say to him? How will I contact him?

I couldn't think anymore. I fall on my knees and started pulling my hairs out of anger, frustration and pain. Tears aren't stopping from my eyes. Is this my destiny now? Will I be married to a stranger?

Author's p.o.v

[" Yaad rakhna, yey biwiya Jo hoti he na, yehi hum mardo ki golum hoti hey( Remember that, wives are slaves for men like us)," A man in his late 30s said to a little boy who's age wouldn't be more than 10.

The boy asked curiously," Why is that baba(Father)?"

" Because women are pathetic. If you love them then they will not value your love. They will betray you and make fun of your love and that's why they should be treated like slaves," The man said to the little boy.

He is filling up some rubbish inside the boy's innocent mind. The boy is listening to everything and installing everything inside his little brain.

Then the man said affectionately patting the boy's head," In future, when you will marry, you will treat your wife like a slave. You should make her fear you. Otherwise, she will betray you."

" Should I beat my wife just the way you beat her?" The boy asked pointing his finger towards a young woman who is tied with a tree and crying.

Her mouth is closed with tape and tears are soaking her cheeks. Her muffling sound of crying can be heard clearly.

The man laughed loudly looking at the woman and replied to the boy," Yeah. You have understood very quickly. Betrayer like her should be treated like that."

The man said the last part clenching his jaw looking at the woman. His eyes are showing raw anger just looking at the woman.

" Should I also hurt my wife when she is naked just the way you hurt her? Last night I saw you hurting her when she was naked," The boy again asked the man curiously blinking his innocent eyes.

The man smirked and replied pulling the boy in his lap," Yeah. If you don't hurt your wife while she is naked then she will go away to another man. You should scare your wife every time just the way I scare her."

The man said pointing his index finger to the young woman who is nodding her head in negative. She is pleading with her eyes to not teach all this rubbish thing to a little boy.

" Promise me that you will always follow my advice? The man asked the boy with his deep voice.

The boy replied hugging the man's neck," I will always remember all this, baba."]

Zayed is remembering something standing in front of a photo frame.



His eyes are roaming on the photo with too much respect.

In that photo, an old man is sitting on a couch crossing his legs. His whole aura is screaming danger and his authoritative eyes are looking straight. He is looking very similar to Zayed. Only the hairs and beards are white. Otherwise, he is a copy of Zayed.

" You were always right, baba," Zayed said touching the photo frame respectively.

Then, he continued saying with guilt," You were always right about women. They are pathetic. We shouldn't trust them blindly. I was a fool to not remember your advice."

The old man in the photo frame is looking at Zayed continuously. His eyes are showing wickedness and danger.

" I have committed mistake one time. But, I will not repeat it," Zayed promised to the photo frame.

He is talking with the photo frame when his phone started ringing. He took out the phone from his pocket and noticed an unknown number.

He received it and said annoyingly," Hello."

The other person said something on the phone and Zayed only smirked. His eyes are now showing happiness and he is smirking repeatedly.

" Meet me tomorrow, Mr Akram," Zayed said and cut the call.

Note- So, what's your opinion about the chapter? Will Erina be able to contact Amaan?🤔

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