Ch - 2

Damascus, Syria 

I am wearing my dream bridal gown, with this mesmerizing hairstyle created by my hairdresser to perfectly enhance my bridal gown. She strikes a perfect balance between formal and traditional looks by whipping my long locks in an updo with greenery and foliage, a swift twist from blooms. Even my best friend Sofia also left no stone unturned to apply makeup on my face to make me look the most beautiful on my big day. She's a savior. She has always been with me in my every trouble since childhood till the time she hadn't left Damascus.  

" Ameeraaa… " As my name echoed in my ears, I slide my long white beautiful veil which is giving me very mesmerizing and pleasant look.  

I twerked around to see when my room's door opened with a slight jerk,

" Ameera, How long will it take you to get ready? " My stepmother, Renad, asked me in a hurried tone while standing in front of me near the door facing me. 

" Renad ! " My face turned pale soon after seeing her. My heart started aching and started to feel a bit heavier. My hands and my feet turned cold as if I was standing on one of the icebergs of the Atlantic Ocean. Even my fingers started trembling. 

She glared at me, widening her dark brown horrific eyes. 

" Ren… ren. Rehan.." Why can't anything come out of my mouth except this lisp? Why is it always so hard for me to face Renad? 

C'mon Ameera, it's your big day ! You will be free from this prison forever today with your Prince Charming! Your bridegroom will take you far away from Renad and his evil son, Hussein. Far away from this prison and the restrictions here! 

" Ameeraaa… " She gave me a deadliest glare that was enough to choke my breath completely. 

What the hell is happening here ? Why has she come in front of me? Does she want to torture me on my big day too? 

As Renad's steps started moving towards me, my whole body started freezing, my fingers started trembling, looking into Renad's deadliest glare, my feet automatically backstep 

No ! How can she be so evil that she will haunt me even on my big day? Is there no humanity left in her ? 

My eyes welled up with tears. Will she beat me again today? This thought is piercing like needles in my chest! No ! I am not afraid of getting beaten up by Renad because I'm used to it now but I don't want to be in front of my Prince Charming on this big day with my swollen eyes and swollen body! 

Renad is now standing just right in front of me, so close to me that my heart started pounding as if someone has put a 50 kg weight on it, 

She must have sensed my twitchiness, I'm sure. 

Suddenly my eyes fell on her raising hand, seeing which I quickly clenched my eyes. 

My entire body was frozen. 

Oh Lord ! Please, not today! Please ! 

With my eyes tightly clenched, I was waiting for Renad to slap me when I felt my hair caress 

It's freaking imprecized. 

Should I open my eyes and see? No ! Hell no ! What if Renad put that black pepper powder in my eye again? 

My heart is beating faster now! What should I do? Should I run away from here? But how ?

" Ameera, you're looking just like your Mother ! " A soft delightful voice echoed in my ears that forced me to put my eyelashes above my eyelids slowly. 

Renad was still standing just right in front of me with her right hand caressing my hairs softly with affection in her eyes, 

Have I collapsed of Renad's fear and now some dream is going on? 

" You look like the most beautiful bride in the world! " She said in a frenzy of delight.

I'm foggy ! 

What is happening here ? Is this Renad herself or a lookalike of her ? And if she is Renad, then why is she talking with this affection? While I have nothing left for Renad to grab ! 

" I've something for you ..." She held my shoulder with endearment and dragged me softly near the mirror while I'm literally perplexed and horrified by her sudden fondness.

I am so confused that I really cannot take my eyes off Renad's eyes, the very eyes that were enough to give me goosebumps. 

" Sit here ! " She put her hand on my shoulders very lovingly and tenderly and made me sit while facing the mirror on the chair placed in front of the dressing table. 

Oh freak ! Now I understand that she wants to torture me now because Sofiya have scattered all the things on the dressing table. No ! Please … I will clear everything! 

I pleaded with tears in my eyes. 

" Calm down, Ameera … " Said Renad softly. 

This is all confusing me now ! 

Rend picked up a box kept on the side, seeing which my heart was filled with the thought that what would be in it, due to which Rend would want to torture me. 

I clenched my eyes tightly as I know I'm helpless and couldn't run away from here because I may escape from here, but Renad's evil brothers will not leave me outside. 

I was engrossed in my thoughts that only then I felt some metal on my neck, as soon as I felt it, I opened my eyes in a flash. 

What ? 

Is this a diamond Ruby necklace ? 

I twerked around to face Renad in astonishment, " this … " 

She placed her palm on then coupled my cheeks and said, " I have nothing more to give you on this big day. Consider it as my apology or your gift for this big day ! " 

" Renad ! " I rolled my fingers on the diamond necklace with tears in my eyes. 

" I want to tell you something more! " She said and I instantly raised my head to face her. 

She pointed out my wedding dress and said, " When your mom wore this wedding dress and this necklace, she looked as beautiful as you are looking ! " 

More and more tears started flowing from my eyes, " Is this …Is this my …Is this my mom's wedding dress? " I started stuttering out of the pain and love that I'm feeling right now ! I wanted to hug this dress, wanted to kiss this necklace and really wanted to grab these belongings of my mom near to my heart forever ! 

Yes ! It belongs to my mom ! This is my mom's !!! 

" Ameera ! " Renad placed both her palms on my cheeks and kissed my forehead,

" Can I hug you ? " I asked Renad with tears in my eyes. 

She passed me the most beautiful smile and grabbed me in her arms. This is the first time when Renad hugged me and talked to me with this affection.

Has the purpose of my life been fulfilled? 

Is this a dream or have I really got all my happiness? 

Did I really get not only my mother's belongings but also a mother in Renad ?

Has Renad's affection really awakened? 

My heart is giving only one answer to these questions, " Yes ! Obviously !!! " 

My heart is at high arousal, accompanied by the feeling of ' butterflies in my stomach', trembling, and sweaty palms with increased heart rate and breathing, even my dimpled smile is leaving no stone unturned to show the joy in me. 

" Thank you, Renad ! Thank you !!! " I grabbed her a little tightly. 

And before this we both could share further the joy of mother and daughter, at the same time Renad's sister, Riza, came here and asked us to come outside. 

I held Renad's hand with one of my hands and my mom's diamond necklace with the other and then started to proceed outside, " Yes ! I've got everything that I ever dreamt of ! " 

Along with this, I moved towards the outside where the decoration is really attractive and mesmerizing with flowers, even the side of my entry is decorated very beautifully. 

I smiled looking at the alluring atmosphere and murmured, " Thank you, Renad ! " 

I'm feeling a bit nervous and why not ? All eyes are staring at me, some with affection and some with jealousy. After all, I'm marrying the hottest guy of the school behind which even the seniors were madly crazy. 

As soon as I moved towards that luxurious pavilion, the ground slipped from under my feet. It is as if hundreds of swords have come and inserted into my heart in that one moment. My body completely froze, even my hands stopped trembling. I'm completely appalled in such a manner that even the tears are not coming out of my eyes ! 

Am I having a bad dream or was I having a beautiful dream for a couple of moments that got shattered?

My life got caught in my throat as I looked up at my Prince Charming, Jacob's Grandfather, Wilton standing in the pavilion wearing the bridegroom outfit. 

I squinted my eyes and turned it towards Renad with a questioning expression, " What is this happening ? Where's Jacob ? And what the hell is Wilton doing here ? " 

It's as if affection has been washed away from Renad's eyes in a moment when I let go of Renad's hand and took a few steps away from her, 

No ! People were not jealous of me, but they had pity for me in their eyes. 

How ? How could you do this to me, Renad ? How could you be so evil ? I screamed loudly with all my energy. 

She turned red furiously and is moving towards me in the same evil way as she moves to torture me but No ! All this will not happen today! I will not let Renad and her evil intentions come true today! Not today! 

Gritting my teeth fiercely, I questioned her, " How could you be so disgusting, Renad ! How could you even think of pushing me in this quagmire ? Is there not even a shred of humanity left in you? How can you be such a witch? " As soon as I started shouting, my stepbrother, Hussein came forward and slapped me hard on my face.

That slap was so strong that in the same moment I fell on the ground and my head collided with the iron pole, which made my head spin horrifyingly. 

" Ahhhhghg ! " A loud scream came out of my mouth but nobody dared to even come closer to me. 

My head started aching very hard and at that very moment I felt something wet on my head,

It was really wet as soon as I ran my fingers over my head and when I bent my fingers down, I found that my fingers were drenched with my own blood. 

" You bitch ! Bloody asshole ! How dare you call my mom a witch ??? " I heard Hussein's voice while my vision turned slightly blurred. 

I even heard Renad's footsteps coming close to me. I can feel her leaning down towards me. 

" I … I w… i .." I tried to plead ! I tried to beg her not to push me in this quagmire but neither did this blur in front of my eyes nor did my voice come out 

I felt Renad pulling the necklace I am wearing. 

Please don't ! Please don't take my mom's last sign away from me!   

I felt the pain but this pain is nothing in front of the pain in my heart! Thousands of needles are piercing my heart, my stomach is tight. 

I struggled to keep my eyes from getting closed but couldn't do anything and Unwillingly, I collapsed among these rascals