19 - Destroyed fates.

Aaj ka chapter likhte hue i was on the verge of breaking down. Guys, I'm seriously going through shit right now. Zindagi ne kutta karke rakh diya hai merko. (Tum log chapter enjoy karo🩷)

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“Wo bas aati he hogi,” Almeer reassured Ahad and Zainab, who stood ready with snow sprays in their hands, anticipating Aynoor's arrival. Almeer positioned himself at the entrance, clutching a bouquet of lotuses, his heart pounding with both excitement and a touch of anxiety.

“Mujhe toh lagta hai teri shaamat aane waali hai. Jo behuda mazaak tumne kiya hai na uss bechaari k sath!” Ahad scolded, his tone serious but his eyes twinkling with mischief. Almeer laughed sheepishly, imagining the state Aynoor must be in after his little prank.

“Chup karja. Acha tum jaake dekho baaki ghar waale aagye hain na? Unse kehna sab character mai rahe,” Almeer instructed Ahad, who nodded and saluted playfully. “Ay! Ay! Captain,” Ahad responded before heading off to check on the rest of the family.

As Almeer stood there in front of the beautifully decorated garden gates, a sudden sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. He rubbed his sweaty palms together, trying to shake off the unease that gripped him. He heaved out a sigh, attempting to calm his nerves, but couldn't quite rid himself of the sense that something was amiss.

Looking at the lotuses longingly for a couple more minutes, Almeer finally grew fed up with the wait. Deciding to take action, he pulled out his phone and dialed the driver's number.

“What the heck?!” he muttered, hearing the automated message informing him that the number was switched off.

Panic started to creep in, and he dialed the number again, hoping for a different outcome, but the response was the same. With bubbling frustration, Almeer quickly dialed Ali Baksh’s phone number. The call was picked up on the third ring.

"Salaam, Chote Khan," Ali Baksh's voice came through, as diligent and calm as ever.

“Walikum, Ali baksh Aynoor bibi abhi tak yaha kyu nahi paunhci? Sab khairiyat toh haina?”

»»————>

Her sobs filled the car as they neared their destination. The elderly driver, aware of Almeer's elaborate plan, glanced at Aynoor and sighed, seeing her condition. She was a complete mess—her eyes were bloodshot, and her hand, clutching her chest, shook badly.

He felt a pang of guilt for her distress but also a sense of relief, knowing she would love the surprise Almeer had planned for her.

For Aynoor, it was the first time in her entire life that she felt like her existence was being ripped apart. Her heartache was palpable.

‘Mere Maula, Khan ki hifazat karna,’ she prayed silently, her sobs slowly diminishing but her anguish still evident.

‘Allah ji, aap jaante haina mera Khan k liawa koi nahi hai?’ she questioned her Lord, her eyes shedding rivers of tears.

‘Jaante hain na aap unhe kuch hogya toh mai yateem ho jaaungi,’ she cried louder, her voice breaking with each word.

The driver’s heart ached for her, but he continued driving, knowing that soon, her tears would turn to joy when the truth was revealed.

She was dwelling in pain and suffering when the car abruptly stopped, almost throwing her forward into the windshield. She grabbed the seat in front of her to steady herself, her heart racing even faster now.

“Ya Allah!” a yell left her lips as she looked forward at the road, where a Pajero full of armed men stood alongside a jeep. Her heart sank into her stomach when a guy wearing a black shalwar kameez stepped out of the jeep and walked towards them with a gun in his hand, his expression cold and menacing.

She looked around frantically, only to see that the men had encircled the car, cutting off any chance of escape. The old driver, who was driving, looked more frightened than her, his hands trembling on the steering wheel.

“Ye log kon hain?” she asked the driver, her voice hoarse from crying and fear. He looked at her, his eyes wide with terror, about to reply when the guy banged on the window with the butt of his gun, making them both jump.

The guy motioned towards the car door with his gun, signaling for them to open it. He removed his sunglasses, revealing piercing eyes that looked straight through the old driver.

Aynoor felt a surge of panic rising within her. She cowered between the seats, her hands shaking uncontrollably as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. Yet, amidst the chaos and fear, she summoned a determined resolve.

“Mere Khan mera intezaar kar rahein hain,” she whispered to herself, her voice trembling but resolute. With a quick motion, she draped her dupatta around herself, tucking the strands of her hair behind her ears. She wiped her eyes, steeling herself against the impending danger.

Her gaze flickered to the armed men surrounding the car, and then to the guy who was now forcefully trying to break the door. Despite the terror gripping her, a singular thought consumed her mind—Almeer, and only Almeer. The desire to be by his side eclipsed her fear of life and death.

“I won’t lose, not now, not ever. Khan, mera intezaar kijye ga,” she murmured fiercely to herself. And with a sudden surge of bravery, she flung open the door on her side and bolted out of the car, determined to face whatever awaited her head-on.

One of the armed men, towering like a truck, yelled to the guy who was terrorizing the driver, alerting him to Aynoor's escape attempt.

“Saayein!! Ladki bhaag rahi hai!”

The guy in black turned to see Aynoor's figure darting away, a small smile playing on his lips. Despite her disorientation, she displayed remarkable courage in her flight. He couldn't help but be amused by her audacity.

A man from his own ranks moved to intercept her, but he held him back. Aynoor remained within his line of sight, her determination palpable even from a distance. With a sinister grin, he seized a broken piece of bark from a nearby tree.

Evil anticipation danced in his eyes as he swung the makeshift weapon at Aynoor's legs. The impact sent her crashing to the ground with a piercing scream, fulfilling his twisted intentions.

“You see… Almeer Khan. Jaan nikaal dunga mai tumhari.”

»»————>

"Mama! What are you doing out here all alone?" Kiara asked, finding her mother silently sobbing to a picture of her beloved husband. Kiara already knew her mother wasn't taking his absence well, so she tried to keep her as happy as possible.

"Kuch nahi, Let's go inside," her mother replied, wiping away her tears and mustering a smile for her daughter.

Kiara sensed that her mother was putting up a front, but she was afraid to confront the reality of slowly losing her mother too.

"Mama, please don’t stress yourself too much. I am here na! I will keep you happy," Kiara said, holding back her own tears. Her mother nodded lightly, a mixture of gratitude and sorrow in her eyes.

"Aap meri zindagi ho bache, I will not leave you alone in this world," her mother assured her, her words carrying a weight that unsettled Kiara.

"Acha chalo, You go to your room now, kal school hi toh jaana haina," her mother instructed, trying to divert Kiara's attention. Kiara nodded, still uncertain. She kissed her mother's cheeks and whispered, "I love you, Mama." Both of them smiled, but the tears in their eyes remained, a silent testament to the pain they both carried.

»»————>

She was being dragged away, her mind clouded with pain and confusion. She didn't know who they were, but the agony of her legs scraping against the rough ground and the searing pain of her wounds were all too real. Despite the blood oozing from her injuries, she felt strangely numb, as if detached from her own body.

A sharp shriek tore from her lips as the person holding her by the hair slammed her into the wall. She crumpled to the ground, her face stinging from the impact, blood trickling down her nose and filling her mouth with a metallic taste. Through the haze of pain, she managed to focus her vision, her eyes landing on a burly, evil-looking man who smirked menacingly at her.

“Iska kya karna hai ab?” the same man asked someone else, their presence looming in the dimly lit room. Another voice, cold and merciless, responded,

“Saayein ne kaha hai isey filhal yahi chord do. Baaki wo khud aakar dekhengy.”

Aynoor's heart sank at the ruthless tone of the reply. She realized she was at the mercy of these cruel individuals, and a sense of despair washed over her. Weeping over her fate, she could only pray that some glimmer of hope would emerge from the darkness surrounding her.

“Jamal, hum chalte hain. Isey chord do, ab humara yaha koi kaam nahi,” the second man declared, and with that, they likely departed, leaving Aynoor alone. All she could discern afterward was the sound of a door being shut.

Lying there with open wounds, Aynoor strangely felt devoid of pain. Her singular desire was to be with Almeer.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door creaked open again, and a man entered. Aynoor, in her vulnerable state, could only see his shoes.

“Tsk Tsk Tsk, Almeer Khan Aafandi ki biwi is haalat mai ek gair mard k saamne padi hui hai. Ye toh tumhare shohar k liye maut ka makaam hoga na?” he taunted, his words dripping with mockery. He chuckled to himself, but Aynoor remained silent, choosing not to dignify his cruelty with a response.

“Ay! Tumhari wajah se kitna zaleel kiya us Murshid ne hume,” the man spat out, each word seething with hatred. He squatted in front of her, gripping her hair tightly as he yanked her upwards to face him. Aynoor winced in agony but refused to meet his gaze.

Yamaan scrutinized her face with a twisted grin, “Waise uska pagal pan kha-ma-khaa ka nahi hai.” Aynoor felt revulsion coursing through her at his words, tears welling up in her eyes once more.

“Khabar mili hai k pagalon ki tarah dhuundh raha hai tumhe wo, lekin milo gi toh ab tum usey kabhi bhi nahi,” he dropped the bombshell on her, and Aynoor stared at him incredulously, as if he were insane. Yamaan caught her drift and laughed, tapping her cheeks harshly.

“Koi goli nahi lagi hai ussey. Wo tumhe surprise dena chahta tha toh maine usey shock de diya,” he sneered, spitting in her face as his laughter echoed cruelly in the room.

Aynoor opened her eyes and locked gazes with Yamaan, her eyes devoid of fear, resembling those of a wounded tigress ready to fight.

“Aankhein neeche karo ladki!” Yamaan ordered, taken aback by the intensity in her eyes. He had not expected such ferocity from her, and her fiery gaze caught him off guard. Despite his command, Aynoor refused to lower her eyes. Each word she uttered dripped with hatred and venom.

“He. Will. Kill. You,” she declared, her words heavy with conviction, causing Yamaan's fury to escalate.

“Zabaan sambhal k baat karo!” he barked, tightening his grip on her hair. Aynoor winced, but she stood her ground. In a fit of rage, Yamaan threw her to the ground, his frustration evident as he scanned the room in search of composure.

Aynoor observed the trail of her own blood on the ground, a faint smile playing on her lips. She found solace in the belief that Almeer would exact vengeance for every single drop shed.

“What the heck are you smiling for?” Yamaan shouted, his frustration mounting as Aynoor's resilience tested his limits. Her lack of fear made him feel insignificant, and he struggled to maintain control.

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Short hai chapter but i will post soon.