Chapter 56: 51| Heeriye

(Please comment alot so that I can be motivated to write the next chapter 🥹)

Finally after the chaotic time we spent in Maha's village, it was the hour where we had to leave everything behind.

About my father in law's scene then we have heard from the sources that he had buried the hatchet, we can't trust him so soon but there's no option left other than leaving. We're required to join the university now since it's the ending time and our finals are around the corner.

I just hate Mafias.

Mtb mujhe goli Marne Kay Baad inko maaf Karna that? There's a scar on my beautiful skin! I will never forgive him for that! Do you know how much I love my own reflection? My future kids will ask, "Abba, ye scar kaise aaya?" and I'll have to tell them, "nana jaan kay pyaar ka nishaan hai, beta."

(They considered forgiving us after shooting me)

(Papa how did you get that scar?)

(It's a symbol of love from your maternal grandfather)

Unbelievable.

Anyway, it was a collective decision to head straight to Sadaqa Mansion first, the only place her father's reach can't touch us. It's safe. It's home. It's where I can finally breathe again.

But someone isn't breathing easy at all.

Inaya.

Usually, my sharp-tongued girl never lets an opportunity slip to roast me like I'm a walking meme. But today? She's silent. Distant. Her hazel eyes...usually sparkling with mischief...are dull.

She misses them. Her family. I know she left me with willingly and that she chose me but she can't bury the daughter inside her, I can't expect her to feel nothing.

I get it. I really do. But what am I supposed to do? Leave her alone when she clearly needs someone? Pfft. That would make me an absolute idiot.

And Ayan Ansari is a lot of things, but an idiot is not one of them.

So, I do what I do best.

I baby her up.

Getting closer to her on the van seat, I stretch my long legs out dramatically, then rest my head on her shoulder with a heavy sigh. "Inaya, I think I have a fever."

Nothing.

She just stares blankly at the wall.

Okay. Time for Plan B.

I groan, clutching my chest. "I think— I think I've been fatally wounded by your silence. It's sucking the life out of me. Please say something before I die right here in your arms."

Still nothing.

Oof. Tough lady.

I shift closer, peering into her face. "Naya." My voice softens, a whisper only meant for her. "Talk to me."

Her jaw clenches. "I don't feel like talking, Ayan. Just… leave me alone."

My heart pinches, but I ignore it. Because if there's one thing I know, it's that when people say leave me alone, they rarely mean it.

So, instead of leaving, I do the opposite.

I pull her into my lap ignoring the gazes of her friends and my cousins... Meri jaan upset hai usse to manau.

(My life is upset so I'll brighten her up first)

"Ayan!" she shrieks, struggling, but I lock my arms around her waist, caging her in.

"Shh." I bury my face in her hair, inhaling the soft vanilla scent that always makes my chest feel a little warmer. "You smell nice. Did I ever tell you that?"

Told her thousand times and counting.

"Let me go!"

"Nope." I grin, tightening my hold. "Not until you stop looking like someone just stole your last chocolate."

That makes her pause.

Her weakness.

I take full advantage.

With a flick of my wrist, I pull out the chocolate bar I had sneakily tucked in my pocket earlier. Her gaze flickers to it for the briefest second before she quickly looks away, pretending she doesn't care.

I smirk. "Mmm." I unwrap it loudly, making a show of taking a bite. "Damn. This tastes so good. Wish you could have some…"

Her eye twitches.

I knew it.

"But alas," I sigh dramatically, "since my dear Naya has abandoned me, I shall eat it alone, drowning in my sorrows..."

"Give me that!" She snatches the chocolate from my hands, biting into it aggressively like she's punishing me.

I burst into laughter. "That's my girl!"

She glares, but there s no real heat behind it. The corners of her lips twitch. She's so close to smiling, I can feel it.

Time for the final blow.

I cup her cheeks, squishing them so her lips pucker. "Inaya, meri jaan, meri roshni, meri chocolate-obsessed queen..Noor e Nazar, jaan e Jigar, for your one and only idiot.... Smile..pleaseeeeee"

She swats my hands away. "No."

"Fine. Then I'll just have to force it out of you."

Her eyes widen. "Ayan, don’t you da..."

Too late.

I attack.

Fingers expertly dancing along her ribs, I tickle her mercilessly. She shrieks, twisting, laughing..finally laughing..as she tries to escape.

"Ayan! STOP!" she gasps between giggles, her head thrown back, the sound of her laughter filling the space like music.

God, she's beautiful.

"Say you love me, and I'll stop."

"I HATE YOU!"

"Close enough." I grin, finally relenting. She flops against my chest, breathless, her body still shaking with leftover laughter.

And just like that, everything feels right again.

I press my lips to the top of her head. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

She grumbles something under her breath, but she doesn't move away.

I tighten my arms around her.

Because no matter what happens, I'll never let her feel alone.

Not now. Not ever.

I feel it. The way she exhales, her body softening against mine. It's subtle, but I catch it..her surrender. The storm inside her settling, just a little.

And then, like music to my ears, she mumbles, "Sorry Ayan."

I pull back instantly, gasping dramatically. "Did you just apologize?" I place a hand on my chest. "Is this a fever or a dream? Should I call a doctor?"

She rolls her eyes, still breathless. "Ayan, shut up."

"You're cruel Naya." I shake my head, tilting her chin up. "How come you ask me to leave you? You know I have this little heart and it breaks easily"

She smacks my arm. "You deserve a slap."

I grin offering her my cheek. "That works too, as long as you do it gently and if it makes you happy."

Her hazel eyes meet mine, amusement flickering beneath the frustration. "I really am sorry," she says softer this time, tracing patterns on my shirt. "I just... didn't know how to deal with everything."

I take her hands, squeezing them. "You don't have to know. That's what I'm here for, remember?" I smirk. "I mean, look at me. I have the face of an angel, the body of a Greek god, and the personality of a golden retriever. A complete package."

"It's Ayan and his antics against the world" she laughs.

I cup her face again, brushing my thumbs over her cheeks. "I would get on my knees and beg your father for your hand if I had to, Naya. The whole dramatic speech, the pleading, the I'll die without her act.."

She raises an eyebrow. "But?"

I sigh. "But the man talks with guns. What if he takes me seriously and actually makes sure I die without marrying you?"

She snorts, shaking her head. "Ayann."

I grin, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Kya meri pyari skin par ab tumhare Abba tractor chalaynge."

(Now your father will drive a tractor over my beautiful skin)

Before she can deny it, a loud ugh comes from the front seat.

"For the love of God, stop making us third-wheel," Ayra groans, glaring at us. "I might just throw up."

I perk up. "Want a bag? I can hold your hair back too..."

"SHUT UP, AYAN."

Maha, beside her, gasps dramatically. "Ayra, don't be so mean. Let them have their moment. You don't know how hard it is for Ayan to be serious..."

"I am always serious," I say, offended. "I take my handsome features very seriously."

"We know," Zaid drawls from the driver's seat. "You remind us daily."

I lean forward. "Zaidu you sound mad. What's wrong? Ayra not giving you attention?"

Ayra scoffs but she's blushing!!! What! "He doesn't deserve my attention."

Zaid smirks. "Then why do you keep looking at me?"

Ayra's face twitches. "I..SHUT UP."

I cackle. This is too good. "Ooooh, things are spicy in the front."

"Guys, please," Hoorain's small voice cuts through. "Can we all just behave until we get home?"

Ahad, who's been silent this whole time, immediately softens. "Hoor, are you okay? Do you need something? Water? A new seat away from these lunatics?"

I nudge Inaya. "See? That's what a whipped man looks like."

She snickers as Ahad throws me a glare. "I heard that."

"Good," I grin. "I say it with pride."

Rayan, who's been driving silently, sighs. "We should be there in a few minutes. Try not to burn the car down before that."

Maha perks up. "Ayan, did you bring fireworks?"

"Obviously."

"NO!" the entire car shouts at once.

Maha and I exchange glances before bursting into laughter. "Party poopers."

(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)

As the van pulls into the long driveway of SADAQA Mansion, an eerie silence falls over us. Not the peaceful kind. No, this is the kind where you know something is very wrong and wherever we go, everything is wrong.

We all lean forward, peering through the windshield. The mansion..our beloved home...looks... different. There are way too many cars outside. A few unfamiliar people are loitering near the entrance. And worst of all... there's a red carpet rolled out.

I suck in a sharp breath. "Oh no."

Maha grips my arm. "Oh no, what?"

I gulp. "I think... I think they're holding a gathering."

Ayra's face scrunches in horror. "A WHAT?!"

Rayan, gripping the steering wheel a little too tightly, lets out the deepest sigh of his life. "For the hundredth time... Why is this even happening with us? I shouldn't have won that race before birth in the first place."

Zaid leans back, rubbing his temples. "I knew coming here first was a mistake. I knew it."

Hoorain, bless her innocent heart, blinks. "But… maybe it's just a small dinner?"

Ahad gives her a look. "Hoor, love of my life, my precious fiancée, my sanity...you don't know these people like we do. If something happens in SADAQA without us heirs then something unpleasant happens with us"

Maha, wide-eyed, grips my hand tighter. "Okay, so... game plan. Who's getting shot this time?"

I shake my head solemnly. "If history repeats itself? Probably me."

Ayra crosses her arms. "Maybe it'll be Rayan this time. It's been a while since he got threatened with a marriage proposal."

Rayan, already exhausted, groans. "Obviously eik kaam karo rasi lao gaari se aur maar hi do mujhe"

(Do one thing, bring a rope, tie it around my neck and kill me)

Inaya, who has been silent, finally speaks. "What if my dad got along with them? What if... what if they found out about us being here and they're planning something?"

We all go dead silent.

Maha gasps. "A WEDDING?!"

Ayra glares. "Why is that your first thought?"

"Because!" Maha throws her hands in the air. "It's them. They don't casually gather. They scheme. They plot. They ruin lives. Who knows? Maybe they're finally trying to marry off Ayan!"

I clutch my chest. "I object!"

"You can't object if you're the groom," Zaid mutters.

"Oh, watch me."

Rayan parks the car, but none of us move. We just sit there, staring at the mansion as if it's about to swallow us whole.

Ahad sighs. "Okay. On the count of three, we get out."

"And then what?" I ask. "Walk to our deaths willingly?"

"We face whatever is waiting for us like adults," Ahad says firmly.

Maha immediately raises a hand. "I'd like to be considered a child."

"Same," I agree.

Rayan pinches the bridge of his nose. "One. Two. Three."

No one moves.

Ahad glares. "GET. OUT."

With a collective groan, we all dismount the van, standing in front of the grand doors like we're about to enter a haunted house.

"Okay," Ayra mutters. "Moment of truth. Who's going first?"

We all turn to Rayan.

He scowls more like pouting. "Why me?!"

Maha turned this grumpy man into a cute pookie.

"Because it's your parents who scare us the most!" Maha exclaims.

"And your mother has a weird sixth sense! She always knows when we've done something wrong!" Zaid adds.

Rayan sighs deeply, then glares at me. "Ayan, if I get engaged against my will today, I'm killing you first."

I grin. "Joke's on you, buddy. You can't kill perfection."

The moment we step inside, the sheer chaos of the event hits us like a freight train.

Glittering chandeliers. Towering floral arrangements. Expensive suits and shimmery dresses. Waiters gliding around with trays of overpriced appetizers that I am definitely planning to steal... Chill guys for Naya.

"Wo mota uncle Dekho.. chalti phirti hukoomat?" I whisper to Maha.

(Look at that fat uncle... Walking politics)

"I.." She pauses, looking around. "Usko choro wo ganja Dekho.. yaha rehne ki jagah nahu Apne sar par khaali plot lekar chal Raha hai?"

(Leave him look at that bald man... We don't have a place to live and he's carrying an entire empty plot on his head)

Ayra lets out a suffering groan. "I hate rich people gatherings."

Zaid smirks. "But I love being the husband of a rich girl."

"Fiancé. And it doesn't make sense."

Hoorain, still naïve, blinks up at Ahad. "Are we supposed to be here?"

Ahad looks like he wants to say no. "Technically? Yes. Mentally? Absolutely not."

We haven't even had time to process what's happening when a microphone squeaks, and suddenly, the entire universe freezes.

A voice booms through the speakers.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are honored to make an announcement tonight…"

The air goes thick with tension.

Rayan, who had been relatively silent till now, tenses beside me. "Oh no."

"Oh no, what?" I whisper.

"I think I'm about to be engaged."

Heheh kaali zubaan to mein bachpan se hu.

Silence.

Then Maha. "YOU WHAT?!"

Before anyone can actually lose their minds, Rayan's mother elegantly steps onto the stage, her expression unreadable. "We would like to officially announce the engagement of our son, Rayan Khan, to Mariam Abbas, the daughter of Mr. Abbas, in a partnership that will strengthen both families..."

Yeah. We never hear the rest of that sentence.

Because all hell breaks loose.

Maha lets out a sound that's somewhere between a shriek and a battle cry. "OH, HELLLLL NO!"

Ayra drops her drink. "Someone better hold me back because I will commit a murder tonight."

Inaya says, "here I thought I was the one in a huge problem"

Hoorain gasps. "But... but Rayan's already taken!"

Ahad sighs like this is too much for his already overworked brain.

I think of it as a wonderful opportunity to add fuel into fire "It seems he forgot to mention it to his parents."

And Zaid? Oh, Zaid just laughs. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

But the real climax of the night?

Rayan.

Because while the entire hall erupts into murmurs, while Mariam Abbas bats her eyelashes and starts stepping toward him like an overly perfumed horror movie antagonist, Rayan does the most insane thing imaginable.

He takes Maha's hand.

And in the loudest, clearest voice possible, he says...

"Meri shaadi ki announcement meri biwi ke bagair kaise ho sakti hai? Meet my wife, Mrs. Maha Rayan Khan."

(My wedding announcement can't be without my wife)

Silence.

Deadly silence.

Like, you could hear a pin drop. Or, more realistically, the sound of someone dying inside (spoiler: it's Mariam). I wish I could walk up to her and ask how's the josh.

Maha blinks up at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. That's new.

"Wait, what?"

"Shhh, just go with it," Rayan mutters, still gripping her hand.

And then?

Absolute carnage.

Reporters rush forward. Cameras start flashing. Businessmen gasp.

Mariam? She screams.

"WHAT?!" She lunges toward Rayan, eyes wide with disbelief. "This can't be true! Rayan, baby, tell me you're joking!"

Ughh someone please lower her pitch.

Ayra dry-heaves. "Did she just call him baby?!"

"Ew, ew, ew," I mutter, fake gagging.

Rayan's mother, meanwhile, looks like she's mentally plotting his murder. "Rayan. Khan."

"Uh oh," Zaid whispers. "She used the full name."

Maha, still in shock, finally seems to process what just happened. "Rayan."

"Maha."

"DID YOU JUST CALL ME YOUR WIFE IN FRONT OF HALF OF THE BUSINESS WORLD?!"

"Yes."

"WHY?!"

"Because it's true," he says way too smoothly. "I married you the moment I fell in love with you and I am going to marry you."

The room collectively swoons.

Maha? Oh, she just malfunctions.

"I...uh..wait.."

Mariam, still in denial, stomps her foot. "This is NOT happening! You were supposed to be mine!"

Ayra, in peak savage mode, crosses her arms. "Girl, this is not a Netflix drama. Sit down."

"You sit down!" Mariam snaps back.

"Excuse me?!"

"Both of you sit down," Rayan's father booms, glaring daggers at Rayan. "You have one minute to explain yourself, boy."

Rayan sighs, still holding onto Maha like shes his lifeline. "What's there to explain? I married her that's it."

More gasps.

More chaos.

And then, the most miraculous thing happens.

The business associates? They start quietly leaving.

Zaid grins. "Help. There goes the stock value."

Ahad groans. "I need a drink."

And as the dust settles, as Rayan's parents and the entire family silently fume, as Mariam dramatically faints, and as the rest of us stare at the mess that just unfolded…

I just love my gang...

Kuch bhi ho Zindagi mein ye nahi to Kuch nahi.

If I had a dollar for every time my life turned into a Bollywood drama, I'd be richer than I already am in Maha's dreams.

But this? This is next-level insanity.

Mariam is still unconscious on the floor like a tragic heroine who just got abandoned at the altar please someone tell her she's terrible at acting I can see her eyes continuously opening. My mother looks like she's aged twenty years in the last two minutes. My father? He's probably planning my funeral.

And Maha?

My wife, my menace, my walking migraine...

She's enjoying this.

I thought she was shocked but it took her a minute to recover.

She's standing next to me, grinning like she just got a free lifetime supply of biryani. Not a single shred of regret. She even waves at the retreating businessmen like she's at a red carpet event.

"Bye-bye, rich uncles!" she calls out. "Sorry for the emotional trauma!"

I grip her wrist. "Maha, for the love of all things holy, shut up."

"Oh, come on," she huffs. "You just introduced me as your wife to a room full of people who probably have their own lawyers on speed dial. I should at least get some fun out of this."

My mother finally snaps out of her shock-induced paralysis.

"Rayan!" she shrieks. "What nonsense is this?!"

My father looks like he's physically restraining himself from throwing me out of the family tree. "Rayan Khan, you better have an explanation for this before I.."

Ayan, my useless cousin, chooses this moment to burst out laughing.

Please tape his mouth.

Ayzal, my traitorous cousin sister, jumps in with a dramatic gasp. "OH MY GOD! I HAVE A BHABHI?!" She practically launches herself at Maha, hugging her like we didn't just drop a nuclear bomb on our family. "I ALWAYS WANTED A BHABHI WHO WOULD ANNOY AMI! I knew she was the one"

My mother clutches her chest like she's about to faint. "Ayzal, this is serious!"

Ayra crosses her arms, watching the chaos unfold like it's the best episode of her favorite drama. "This is better than any Netflix show I've ever watched."

Mariam, reviving from her fake coma, suddenly sits up.

"RAAAYAN!"

Maha, completely unfazed, leans toward me and whispers, "Why does she sound like a villain's last words before dying?"

"Because she is the villain," I mutter.

Mariam, completely deranged at this point, starts crawling toward me. "You love me, not her! You were supposed to be mine!"

Maha steps behind me. "Ew. Why is she moving like a cockroach?"

"Respectfully, I think she is one," Ayan adds.

My mother regains her energy like a true Asian parent fueled by rage and disappointment.

"You expect me to believe that this girl is your wife?!" she shrieks, pointing at Maha like she's an illegal immigrant. "A girl with no money, no background, no class?!"

Maha blinks. "Wow, that was a lot of insults in one breath. Do you train for this?"

Zaid snorts. "Oh, she does. It's her superpower."

"EXCUSE ME ZAID MIRZA?!" my mother glares at Zaid.

"Khala respectfully, we all know you could end someone's career with just one disappointed sigh."

Ahad, the eldest and the perpetual scapegoat, rubs his temples. "Why is my entire life spent cleaning up after all of you?"

His father, ever the supportive uncle, claps his shoulder. "Beta, you were born to suffer."

Ayan's parents, who take tension like they get paid for it, are whispering to each other with pure panic.

"Should we call the business people?" Ayan's mom asks.

"For what?" his dad replies.

"I don't know! Just to make sure everything is legal!"

Meanwhile, Zaid's practical parents are just... watching.

"Well," his dad says, "at least this scandal isn't ours for once."

Mariam finally gets on her feet and glares at Maha. "You'll never be good enough for Rayan!"

Maha gasps. "You're so right! I'm not rich! I don't have designer bags! I don't even have a chauffeur! But I have Rayan and you don't"

Ayra, peak savage mode activated, nods seriously. "You should start a GoFundMe for your struggles."

Ayzal cackles. "I'll donate!"*

"STOP ENCOURAGING HER!" my mother yells.

My father sighs like this is physically paining him. "Rayan. For the last time. Explain."

I exhale, tightening my grip on Maha’s hand. "Baba, Ami, I love her. I married her. I'm not marrying anyone else. Ever. End of story."

"Rayan Khan do you even know what you're speaking!"

"I do know Dad! Do you even know how I feel? What makes you so sure that I'll listen to you when you guys were never there! All you care about is your reputation then have it because apka beta ab Maha ka hai.. I don't care about anything you do"

Just when I think the situation can't get any crazier, the universe decides to prove me wrong.

Because at that exact moment..

The door swings open with a bang.

And in walks Khaani.

Khaani!!!! Our khaani!! Omg she's here.

A tiny old lady draped in an elegant beige shawl, silver hair pulled back into a perfect bun, glasses, and a presence so commanding that the entire room goes silent.

Except for the boys.

We explode into action like kids who just saw their favorite superhero enter the battlefield.

"Khaani!" Ayan yells first, sprinting toward her.

"My queen!" Zaid dramatically throws his arms in the air.

"The love of my life!" Yup even when we're adults we will always act like kids when we see khaani.

"It's been so long... When did you come?" Ahad declares, moving with a grace that suggests he's been waiting for this moment.

"The only one who truly understands me in this family" I say, shoving past the rest to hug her first.

Khaani sniffs in fake annoyance but pats my head like I'm still five years old. "Haye, my poor boys! What have these cruel people done to you?"

My mother gasps. "Khaani, please! They are not victims!"

"Not victims?!" Khaani's eyes widen. "You traumatized my boys! Look at their faces...completely drained of joy! Khaana nahi deti hu ye wo bhi khud kha jaati ho"

Ayan fake wipes his tears. "Life has been hard, Khaani."

"We have suffered," Zaid chokes.

"Greatly," Ahad adds for dramatic effect.

Khaani clicks her tongue and glares at our parents. "You monsters!"

Mom pipes up. "They're grown men! They got married without permission!"

Khaani pauses. Looks at me. Then at Maha. Then back at me.

Then grabs my ear and twists it so hard I yelp.

"Oww...Khaani!"

"You got married without inviting me?! Without asking me?!!"

"Khaani khaani I didn't marry it was for the media.."

Everyone gasps but khaani's glare make my parents swallow back their insults. Yups, when khaani's here there's no chance anyone can say anything to us.

Khaani finally lets go and turns to Maha. "And who is this pretty little thing?"

"Maha, Khaani." I rub my poor ear. "The girl I want to marry."

Khaani stares at her. Then nods approvingly. "She's a beautiful girl Rayan US Mariam ko to dekh kar Dil kharaab ho gaya tha kasam say."

Maha beams like she just won a medal. "See? Even Khaani likes me!"

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" my father shouts. "This is not how things work! You don't just elope, come, lie and expect everything to be fine!"

Khaani squints at him. "What did you just say?"

My father gulps. "I..I said.."

Without hesitation, without a single warning, Khaani pulls off her slipper and whacks him on the head.

WHACK.

A collective gasp fills the room.

Ahad's father looks away like he expected this his mother's safe cuz she's khaani's favorite. Ayan's parents clutch each other in fear. Zaid's father sips his tea, unbothered.

And my mother?

"KHAANI!" she screeches. "YOU CAN'T JUST HIT HIM!"

Khaani waves her slipper around threateningly. "I'll hit you next!"

My father, rubbing his head, looks offended. "I am your son-in-law! How can you assault me in front of everyone?!"

"Beta, be grateful I didn't throw it!"

"This is domestic abuse!" my father tries to argue.

"And you are domestic nuisance!"

Zaid, snorting, whispers, "Justice has been served."

Khaani sniffs and then turns to us, her precious boys. "Come, children. Let's go upstairs. Away from these toxic people."

"WE'RE YOUR FAMILY! You're our khala" my mother shrieks.

"Bus isi cheez ka gham hai" Khaani herds us like we're little ducklings, grabbing girls too. "No one is laying a hand on my boys or their girls! Up, up, up we go!"

Zaid cheers. "We're under Khaani's protection! No one can touch us!"

Ayan dabs. "Squad goals."

Ahad pinches the bridge of his nose. "This is why we never emotionally mature."

As we make our grand escape, Maha leans toward me. "So this is what it's like having plot armor?"

"Yup," I whisper back. "Feels amazing."

AUTHOR'S POV

As the door clicked shut behind them, Khaani turned with an air of absolute triumph and her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Haye, finally! No more nagging, no more screaming! Just my children and peace."

The boys collapsed onto the plush cushions of the grand sitting area, their exhaustion melting into comfort under the warmth of her presence. The girls, still trying to process the chaos downstairs, sat a little more hesitantly, exchanging amused glances.

Khaani settled onto her favorite armchair, the old wooden one near the fireplace, her shawl wrapped snugly around her shoulders. She studied each of her beloved boys, nodding in approval. "Under my nose, you all finally found your loves?" she mused, her lips curling into a knowing smile.

Ayan grinned, stretching like a lazy cat. "We were bound to one day, Khaani. We're irresistible."

Zaid rolled his eyes. "Some of us had to actually put in effort. Others just tripped and fell into love."

"Or chased it down until it gave up running," Rayan muttered under his breath, stealing a glance at Maha, who only smirked.

"Or took their sweet time realizing it was always right in front of them," Ahad murmured, eyes softening as they landed on Hoorain.

Khaani chuckled, shaking her head. "Acha, acha. Enough of your nonsense. Won't you introduce my girls to me?"

Ayan immediately jumped up, flipping an imaginary cape over his shoulder. "Allow me, my dear, dear Khaani, to introduce you to the love of my life..Inaya Hassan."

Inaya groaned, covering her face. "You are unbearable, Ayan."

Khaani's sharp, wise eyes landed on Inaya, scanning her from head to toe. Her gaze softened when she noticed the young girl's ethereal beauty... hazel eyes that seemed to hold constellations, a gentle grace in the way she sat, a quiet strength in her posture. But it was the pendant around her neck that caught Khaani's full attention.

"Yeh…" Khaani's fingers reached out, brushing the delicate golden locket with a look of nostalgia. "Where did you get this, beta?"

Inaya hesitated before murmuring, "Ayan gifted it to me."

Khaani's expression melted into something unreadable—pride, longing, warmth. "This… was my sister's. I never thought I'd see it again."

Ayan, for once, didn't have a witty remark. He simply rubbed the back of his neck. "It belonged to someone important. I thought Inaya should have it."

Khaani's throat bobbed slightly before she cupped Inaya's face in her hands and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Welcome to the family, meri jaan."

Inaya's lips parted in surprise, her usual guarded expression flickering into something soft, touched. "Thank you, Khaani."

Khaani smiled before turning to Ahad. "And you? Who has this badboy wrapped around her little finger?"

Ahad's lips twitched, and without hesitation, he reached for Hoorain's hand, lacing their fingers together with a gentleness that contrasted his usual stern demeanor. "This is my fiancée, Hoorain."

Khaani's eyes took in the pure innocence of the girl before her..blue eyes round with shyness, ash brown hair framing a round face, an aura of quiet grace.

"Haye, this one is an angel," Khaani sighed, cupping Hoorain's face the way a grandmother would. "I can see why you love her, Ahad. She looks at you like you hung the stars."

Hoorain's cheeks flamed red, and Ahad, for once, had nothing to say.. only pressing a firm, reassuring squeeze to her fingers.

"And you?" Khaani's gaze turned to Rayan. "I heard quite the drama about your marriage downstairs."

Rayan only exhaled, pulling Maha closer by the waist. "This is Maha." His voice held a rare fondness, his gaze never wavering from her. "The one who was always with me, no matter what. She was the only one who saw through my storms and still chose to love me"

Maha beamed, wiggling her fingers. "Hi, Khaani! I'm the chaos in his life."*

Khaani barked a laugh. "Finally, someone who can handle him!"

Rayan narrowed his eyes. "I don't know if I should be offended."

"You should be," Maha supplied.

Khaani patted Maha's head, her approval evident. "His parents may be rude but don't worry Meri jaan you're perfect for him"

Lastly, her gaze landed on Zaid. "And you? Who has melted my grumpy one's heart?"

Zaid rubbed his jaw before glancing at Ayra..who, despite her usual grumpy demeanor, was sitting properly, hands folded in her lap, looking unexpectedly respectful.

"This is Ayra," Zaid said, voice softer than usual. "She always has a savage retort for me but Khaani I deserve it... Her grey eyes resemble the pre rain sky and oh god the way she smiles..."

Khaani raised a skeptical brow "woah my little one is so in love"

Ayra's head snapped up. "He's NOT?..."

"I AM," Zaid interrupted, voice firm. "She just doesn't believe me."*

Khaani studied them for a long moment, and then she smirked. "Ah, young love. A stubborn one and a determined one. This will be fun."

Ayra groaned. "Please, Khaani. Not you too."

Khaani only patted her cheek fondly. "Welcome to the madness, beta."

With all introductions done, Khaani leaned back in her chair, taking a deep breath. "Haye, my boys finally found their girls. I knew this day would come. I just didn't think I'd have to fight off their parents for them first."

Ayan grinned. "AP to pyari SI khaani hai na"

"Don't think this means you're free of scolding," she warned, wagging a playful finger. "But for now… we celebrate."

And as the room filled with laughter, teasing, and warmth, Khaani sat among them...content, surrounded by the family she had always loved most.

(⁠๑⁠˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑⁠)

HEY GUYS I HOPE Y'ALL ARE DOING FINE AND WELL.

ONE THING I'VE COME TO REALIZE IS THAT I CAN'T HELP BUT WRITE CHAOTIC SCENES. FORMERLY, I THOUGHT I WOULD ADD A LOT OF TENSION IN THIS SCENE BUT WHEN I STARTED WRITING IT, I ADDED ANYTHING FUNNY THAT POPPED UP 😂

I KNOW MY UPDATES HAVE BEEN A BIT IRREGULAR LATELY, AND IT'S DUE TO RAMADAN, MY SCHEDULE HAS BEEN PACKED, AND I'M BARELY GETTING THE TIME TO WRITE NEW CHAPTERS. ON TOP OF THAT, I WON'T BE POSTING ANY REELS ON INSTAGRAM FOR THIS SACRED MONTH.

I TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING DURING THIS TIME. RAMADAN IS A MONTH OF REFLECTION, DEVOTION, AND COMMUNITY, AND BALANCING EVERYTHING HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE. I PROMISE I'LL BE BACK WITH FRESH CONTENT SOON, AND I'D LOVE YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT UNTIL THEN.

YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME, AND KNOWING THAT YOU'RE HERE KEEPS ME MOTIVATED. THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND... I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE MORE WITH YOU ALL SOON.

I'LL TRY TO UPDATE SOON.

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