Khwahish- Pt 7

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Decisions taken in a fit of anger can lead to dangerous consequences but right now, Masar didn't care about that teaching at all. His hands weren't ready to stop the gut wrenching pain that

they were showering on the man that lay at his feet groaning in pain. His eyes looked clouded, clouded with a fury that no one had ever seen before.

Ahzan stayed by his side, his hands clenching and unclenching, waiting for Masar to be done with the man, though he did give Jamshed a fair share of punches before handing on the task to Masar completely.

"M-Mustafa, ruko use! Mar dale ga woh mere bhai ko!"

Jamal begged the said man but Mustafa only gave him a blank look. Faeezah was a like daughter to him, and right now all he wanted to do was throw the whole family out of his sight and to impose a case of sexual harassment on the said man.

Well the latter would surely be completed without a doubt.

Abeer watched as Falak and the rest of the ladies of the house carried Faeezah back to her room.

Why was it that he always failed the people he cared for the most? Why was it that he always made a foolish mistake that hurt the people he loved beyond words? Why couldn't he be the perfect father?

His heart felt as though the bandages that Falak had applied over the years with her love and care were being ripped without mercy. The fear, the pain in his daughter's eyes was etched in his mind and no matter what he tried to tell, all the blame finally fell on his shoulders.

And for the first time, the burden felt more than what his soul could bear.

"Abbu, maine police ko call kar diya hai."

Ahzan voiced the words without any issues. The Sheikh family looked at him in disbelief while Mustafa and Abeer could only nod.

Mustafa looked at his son who wasn't ready to stop his assaults on the man and knowing that the police were on their way, he walked up to Masar and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to pull him away from Jamshed who looked a second away from passing out.

"Masar, chod do ab use. Baki kaam police sambhal legi."

His words fell on deaf ears as Masar tried freeing himself from his father's hold and delivering more bruises on the man's body.

"Masar!"

Mustafa clenched his jaw and forcefully pulled the raging man away from Jamshed and Jamal was quick to attend to his elder brother's injuries.

"Kya behudgi hai yeh? Is liye bulaya tha hume yaha? Taaki yeh log hum par jhuta ilzam laga sake?"

Jamshed's wife sneered in anger. Her eyes looked between Masar and Mustafa but before the men could give the stupid woman a piece of mind, Falak, who had walked back to the scene, delivered a harsh slap on the woman's face.

Jamshed's wife stumbled a little due to the uncalled action and everyone had the audacity to gasp, some due horror and some due to surprise.

Falak glared at the woman she had slapped and all the while maintained an eye contact before showing the mirror of reality to the said woman.

"Jhuta? Akal se andhe toh lag hi rahe the aap sab lekin socha nahi tha ki aakhe bhi kharab ho gayi hai. DEKHA NAHI THA AAP NE KE KAISE AAP KE NAMURAD HUSBAND MERI BETI KO HAATH LAGA RAHE THE? DEKHA NAHI THA AAPNE KAISE MERI BACHI KI AAKHO MEIN KHAWF KE SIWA KUCH NAHI THA?"

She yelled at her and Jamshed's wife visibly flinched at the tone and demeanor that Falak used. The woman that always appeared calm and chirpy now looked like a wounded lioness, but then again, the hyenas had dared to harm her cub.

"T-toh yeh bhi toh ho sakta hai na ki aapki beti ne-"

"BAS!"

Masar yelled at the old aged woman who was quick to hide behind her brother-in-law. Masar knew which elders were worth his respect and which not and such people deserved just wrath and not welcome or sympathy.

Masar was about to say more than what the Sheikh's could hear but the very moment, the sounds of thundering footsteps heading their way was heard. Masar watched in silence as the men in khaki uniform appeared in front of them.

"Mr. Ahzan?"

The head officer called out and Abeer was the one to step forward.

"Sir, I believe there was a-"

Jamal tried to interfere, wanting this issue to end before they reached the jail but one glare from Mustafa and he retreated back to where he was- beside his bruised brother.

The officer looked at Jamshed with an alarmed look. His eyes fell on Masar's bloodied fist and he got a hint of what would have happened.

"Was it a move in defense or another cause?"

He asked directly to Masar who was still seething but seeing that he needed to cooperate, he took deep breaths before narrating the incident to the officer. Only Masar himself knew how he had to control himself from delivering another punch on Jamshed's face by the time he was done.

"If Miss. Faeezah is willing to speak, it'd be helpful if we could have a small talk with her."

The officer offered with a calm tone. He knew how sensitive this issue was and he himself felt repulsed by standing in the company of a man who took advantage of a woman.

Masar was about to object the statement without a beat but his words got stuck in his throat when he saw his Ibtizam mami supporting Faeezah and walking in their direction.

His eyes became wide with worry and he was quick to run up to her, taking most of her weight on himself for which, Ibtizam smiled at him.

"Ezah, kya kar rahi hai yaha? You need rest. Chal yaha se."

Faeezah tried smiling at the immense concern in his tone but ended up giving him a drowsy and strained look. Her eyes felt itchy due to all the tears that had flowed out of them not long ago and it was clear to everyone due to the red lining around them.

"Main theek hu Masar. Mujhe baat karne de officer sir se."

"Lekin-"

"Masar, aane do use."

It was Mustafa who intervened and Masar could only give a hesitant nod to his father. He didn't like this idea one bit but seems like he was surrounded by two of the most stubborn people on Earth.

"Ma'am, I hope I am not pressuring you. In fact, you can rest for the day, we can continue-"

"It's alright. I am a little shaken but not crumbled."

Her words were confident. Her eyes darted towards Jamshed who looked visibly pale even after all the blood that was smeared on his face. Jamal looked at her for a nanosecond and Faeezah clearly saw the immense hatred and anger in them that he held for her.

Well, too bad, she didn't care anymore.

Her eyes then shifted towards Humaid who was silently looking at the floor. His face didn't give away anything that he was thinking but Faeezah was sure that it didn't matter anymore.

The head officer led Faeezah away from the scene. Masar, Abeer and Falak accompanying them not far away. A few 10 to 15 minutes later, the situation was clear and the idea of what could happen and what happened made the officer's blood boil but he had to remain calm and collected.

"Mr. Jamshed."

The officer only said the bloodied looking man's name and motioned for his constable to put on the handcuffs. Jamal retaliated against the action but was made silent by the threat of going behind the bars for interfering in legal procedures.

Jamshed's wife yelled at the officers as they took her husband away and her angry gaze fell on Faeezah who didn't look the least bit fazed by it. Falak was quick to stand by her daughter's side and match the woman's glare with a more fierce one and the latter backed away but just a little.

Her lips pulled into a sneer as she looked at Faeezah and then towards Humaid.

"Ise pasand kiya tune? Ise? Aisi ladkiyon ko ache se jaanti hu main. Lekin lagta hai bul gayi hai yeh mohtarma ki humare yaha aisi ladkiyon ki taraf koi dekhta bhi nahi. In jaiso ko muh se nikla huwa niwala samjha jata hai. Pata nahi kaunse manhus din pe is-"

"Lagta hai thappad bhul gayi hai. Ek aur lafz bola meri bachi ke baare mein toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga."

Falak was quick to end the so-called damsel in distress's baseless words. Meanwhile Faeezah watched with a plain look. Her eyes didn't leave Humaid's form who finally looked up and directly towards her and Faeezah suppressed the gasp that was trying to escape when she saw the tear stricken face of the man.

Humaid looked at his family and then towards Faeezah before taking slow steps towards her. He halted at a respectful distance and the Bukhari men along with Masar gave him an alarmed look.

"I-," he cleared his throat, took deep breaths before calming himself and sending a small smile towards Faeezah.

"Sorry nahi keh sakta because wishing for forgiveness in return for the word would be stupid and unappreciated. Bas itna kehna chahta hu ki, we aren't meant to be, not because you don't deserve me or because of what my aunt said. Instead, I don't deserve you because you are too good for someone like me. You are worth more than being part of my toxic family and hence, I can't let you enter this environment, not that you'd want to be in the first place."

He chuckled towards the end, a chuckle that was anything but humorous.

"Faeezah, I wish you the best for your life. Dua karunga ki tumhe aisa shaks mile jo tumhari kadr kar sake aur tumhe us had ka darja de jo main kabhi nahi de paunga because I am weak. Please forgive me for any unconscious and conscious mistakes I made."

With one last smile, he walked out of the place, leaving his stunned family behind. Jamal looked enraged as he glared at Mustafa and Masar before dragging his family out of the hotel.

Faeezah stayed rooted in her place, her mind running at a fast pace yet it felt like it was blank.

Masar looked at her for a second before turning towards his father. Mustafa watched as his son struggled with his words a few times before giving up and dragging him along towards another corner.

"Ghar chale?"

Falak proposed with a small smile and everyone quickly nodded their heads.

"Appi?"

Faeezah closed her eyes for a few seconds before turning around and looking at her younger cousins. Mayza took her in a bone crushing hug while Sabir and Zuhayr joined in without any delay. Ahzan smiled a teary smile and without an apologetic look, pulled Mayza away from Faeezah before taking her in his embrace. Mayza scowled at the blatant disrespect and was trying to push him away when Abeer informed them that they were checking out.

Faeezah chuckled at her siblings and younger cousins but her eyes dulled when she didn't find the one she was looking for in the queue of hugs.

"Ezah? Chale?"

As if a switch was turned on and Faeezah found her stiffness disappearing on seeing a grinning Masar. She raised an eyebrow about what had gotten him so happy but he just shook his head and took her hands in his before walking down the lobby. The warmth radiating from the touch made the two sigh inaudibly as they walked out of the hotel.

Masar's heart was thumping with a speed like never before as he stole a few glances at Faeezah every now and then. His mind raced with the possibility of what might happen tomorrow but one thing was for sure, tomorrow was going to be extremely eventful.

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Yeah, I know what you are thinking lekin nahi, shhhhh!!

Anyways, just 2-3 chapters more before I am done with it and it feels like I can't get over the fact that it's gonna finish already. After that, imma going to disappear for two weeks because, let's just say that the education system loves torturing innocent souls like me...🤧🙂

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