CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 53 : Resisting the fool

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The night was getting deeper , and Safia was sitting on the side of the bed, looking outside the open window . Her heart kept sinking deeper and deeper as she continued the pleas of her parents to marry Murad.

"Please tell me when you both will stop convincing me so that I can know how much more time will I have to endure all this" She slowly said , despite the low tone, her voice remained determined. She had no will to marry and she won't let her parents force her into anything.

"So , you really want to see our dying faces?" Her mother stated out of worry . "We can't just keep you unmarried for your whole life" few tears rolled down her eyes.

"Why can't I stay unmarried ? I am already earning, on top of that , after the marriage , I have gotten a lot of money as alimony. It's enough fortune to last for our next generations" Safia sighed .

"Next generation? Are you really going to give us opportunity to see your kids?" Her mother cried making Safia frown.

If she had to take a name of something she hated about the desi culture , she would surely say it's marriage . Somehow marriage determined the value of a women in the eyes of the society and she couldn't understand why was that exactly.

"Ammi, you were fine with me being single so what suddenly got into you?" Safia asked although she herself knew the reason.

"I just got into my senses ! You gotta marry Murad , or else don't talk with me . I can't just keep pursuing you like this , we are getting old , who will take care of you after us?" Her mother wiped her tear stained cheeks .

"Abbu, why don't you convince ammi?" Safia turned her body towards her father who just looked at her defeatedly . His look was enough to tell her that he shared the same view as her mother too.

"Safia," her father started and Safia groaned "Not you too" she whispered with annoyance .

"Look Safia, I won't force you if you don't want to be with Murad" Her father's words made her heart fill with slight hope, but it didn't last long , as her father continued "But atleast go on a date with Murad , get to know him" he insisted .

"Date ?!!! I can't even bear to see his face and you are asking me to go on date !! Ewk ! I can't even imagine marrying my cousin, and if my cousin was someone nice or handsome, I could have even considered" she lied . She wasn't ready to marry anyone .

She had experienced the love with Fawad Siddique, and a person who have experienced ocean would never be satisfied with a drop of water.

She was still in love. She hated the thought of even not being able to despise the man who left her and was already dating another woman .

"Okay, but atleast you can go in a grocery store ? You can talk with him on the way and if you continue to dislike him then we won't force you further" Her father words held understanding for her situation and deep sorrow for his daughter who was happy with her married life .

"Fine" She agreed .

Exactly one hour later , she was regretting to even agree about it . She had perfectly thought that she will go on a walk , buy grocery and ignore Murad . But , she didn't knew why Murad couldn't get the sign of her being disinterested in hin . She was thinking that perhaps at this point he was simply ignoring the annoyed looks she threw at him .

"So , that girl literally came and proposed to me , I asked her , 'why do you like me out of everyone ' , and she told me 'who can't like you Murad , you are literally the most perfect creation of God , your one gaze is enough to make me melt' . I just laughed and rejected her because I was interested in you , but let me tell you that it wasn't the first incident like that, whenever and wherever I go , girls can't help but look at me" Murad boasted .

Instead of replying , Safia just kept swinging her tote bag on her shoulder which was filled with the groceries.

"Why are you silent? Are you jealous?" Murad asked her making a small laugh escape her lips.

"Why will I be jelous by your little fantasies ?" Safia sarcastically replied. Her voice was calm yet it held disrespect and annoyance which she didn't bothered to conceal.

"Oh c'mon, you don't know I was even approached by a director for a tv show!" Murad's voice was agressive this time , as he tried to emphasis his words in her brain .

"Yess!! I remember it now . It was for the show '101 things that never happened' . I am correct right?" She asked and he pushed her from the shoulder on the side . Letting her body slam across the wall of a building. They were almost near the house .

"Stop playing so hard to get" He said and grabbed her waist tightly with his nails digging into her skin . She screamed in anger and slammed the tote bag across his face making in fall down . She was feeling horribly disgusted even at the thought of being this close to Murad . In anger , she kept hitting him continuously as he tried to struggle and get up to hold her , but she kicked him .

"HOW DARE YOU!" She shouted with disgust and kicked him in the ribs again making him scream out in pain . The ladies crossing the road passed them wierd looks , while Safia kept beating him until his body turned blue .

Finally taking a deep tired breath , she let him go . He got up with pain groaning and glared at her .

"Do you think I won't tell this to my mother?" He hissed.

"Sure , go ahead and tell her that a girl beated her strong son up , and I will tell this tale to the whole village when I go back there" Safia's sweet demour couldn't hide that the words were indeed a warning .

Phuphi had lied to the entire village , that her son was brave enough to fight a bison off , although they were mere lies , the gullible villagers believed it .

"You won't do that !" He stated with a frown.

"Oh you don't know me then" Safia laughed wickidly .

"You are a witch ! I will never ever marry a woman like you. I can't even believe I had interest in you to begin with" Murad clenched the side of his hairs with annoyance.

"Now that you have realised , that back !! Otherwise I will throw spells at you"Safia smirked trying to scare him off and grabbed Murad's hair taking a few strands of hair in her hand . It made Murad wince in pain .

"What's that for now ?!" He shrieked .

"You wouldn't want to know" She carefully put the hair in her tote bag , trying to pretend as it she would cast magic on him using it .

"That's forbidden!!" Murad tried to warn her while taking a few steps back , as he gulped in fear.

"You know what else is forbidden? Forcing someone to marry you, harassing someone and lying . But you apparently do everything, so you should be the last one to talk about morals" saying so , she started walking towards the direction of home . Murad stood there still scared to move his muscles.

Safia opened the door of the house entering and everyone's eyes were fixed there almost waiting for her decision.

"How was it?" Her mother asked excitedly as her eyes looked behind Safia trying to find the figure of Murad , but it wasn't there , which made her question "Where is he?"

"It was fine , I will still stick to my decision of not marrying him and regarding him ..... He must be outside crying about his rejection " Safia silently went inside her room , making her phuphi boil in anger.

"Are you hearing her words ? Why is she just ignoring my son like this ? My son is literally perfect!" Phuphi cried out.

"Now , I can't just force my daughter. She is as dear to me , as Murad is to you" Her father walked inside silently following his daughter up .

"Bhabhi , will you just stay silent and watch her ruin her own life ?" Phuphi turned her head to Safia's mother.

"I-I don't know what to say , I will just go and ask Safia about it , maybe she can tell me where the problem lies" Her mother followed the same steps as her father , as she walked inside the room Safia and her father went.

Ismail just shrugged and went outside to take some deep breath . He wanted to clear his head , because although he wanted to make situation good for Safia after divorce , it clearly wasn't working.

"Geez ! They will never agree " Phuphi cried out , "I need to find another way" She started pacing around the room quickly.

"Leave her then , what's so special in Safia anyways? Murad can find girls way prettier than her" her khala asked , she couldn't pin-point her bestfriend's sudden intrest in Safia .

Yes Murad was interested in Safia , and phuphi tried talking with Safia's parents regarding it , but when it didn't worked out . She just let it be . But today , her bestfriend was forcing the things to happen so desperately.

"It's not Safia we are leaving ! It's the darn alimony! You know , she's getting a total of 50 million dollars !!!" Phuphi told her best friend in frustration.

"W-what?! Fifty million!!" Her khala's jaws parted.

"Yes , not just that , but a bunglow and one hotel whose sole owner is Safia ! The stupid Siddiqui had given her cars along with one petrol pump too and if all this wasn't enough to satisfy that girl, he had paid for her lifetime free scholarship too . All this wealth is enough to last for generations " Her phuphi irritation knew no boundaries . She couldn't believe that a girl like Safia with no proper degree or ettiquetes had bagged herself such a man .

"Oh my gosh you could have told me sooner !! And wait, then why is she still living in this slum?" Her khala's enthusiasm died down as she asked this.

"I don't know , my darling bhabhi told me that it's because she doesn't want to finish paperwork , not just yet . She wants to take some time . And my bhabhi was saying that perhaps she is thinking to never take anything except the free scholarship and the fifty million, because that woman thinks she is something. She thinks she can build her own fortune! Can you believe that?" Her phuphi couldn't almost beleive her own words as she explained it all to the other aunt.

"It's good that you have told this to me ! I will make sure to put more efforts in this marriage , and if this doesn't work—then , I just have the right plan in mind" her khala's smiled as she thought of introducing her own son as a potential groom too, afterall who wouldn't want money .

To be continued.....