Zaira POV

After breakfast, I took a shower and got ready. My haldi was done, and every female relative was present. I was getting bored and irritated because I didn't like so many people around me. I sat there silently, missing Aahil-not too much, but yes, I was missing him.

After the function got over, I saw his messages and missed calls. I wanted to meet him too, but I decided not to. I didn't want any relatives to catch us by chance. He kept calling continuously, but I didn't answer a single call.

I messaged him that I couldn't talk or call because I wanted to irritate him-and also because I wasn't allowed to talk to him.

The next day was his haldi. I was alone at home. After lunch, I went upstairs. Aliza was there too. As I entered the room, I found him standing near the balcony.

The moment he saw me, he moved toward me and pulled me to him. Due to the sudden force, we lost balance and fell. I landed above him. A shiver ran down my spine from his unexpected pull.

We were not in a presentable position when Aliza entered the room. I felt my face burn with embarrassment. He stood up, corrected his dress, and left. I stood there, red with shame.

"What was this?" Aliza asked.

"Umm... nothing, leave it,"

I said, trying to divert her mind.

She smirked, and I shot her a glare.

She applied turmeric and sandalwood paste on my hands, back, and legs up to my knees. After that, I took a shower with oils and fragrances.

Aliza and I gossiped for a while, and I didn't even realize when I fell asleep.

Later, she woke me up for dinner. After dinner, we watched a movie together since we were alone and had nothing to do. I slept again around 1 a.m.

I woke up the next morning, offered my prayers, had breakfast with everyone, and went to the lawn with Aapi to check the decorations.

The place was peaceful. Cold breezes brushed against my face, soothing my restless heart. I had always loved nature and its beauty.

After lunch, I got ready for my mehndi. The artist applied mehndi on my hands. Even though I was the bride, I didn't apply henna on my legs like other brides.

After the ceremony, I was alone in my room, standing in front of the mirror. I was struggling with my dress, unable to open the blouse strings, when suddenly I was pulled back. I was about to shout when a hand covered my mouth.

I recognized him instantly-his eyes. He was wearing a mask.

"Don't shout or anyone can catch me."

"I hope anyone will catch you so that you should get thrashed by khallo."

"Oh really jaana."

He came closer, wrapped his arms around my waist, and made me sit on the dressing table. I pushed myself backward as he leaned toward me.

"Aahil what are you doing"

I tried to protest, but his grip held me in place.

He leaned closer and started undoing my blouse.

Goosebumps erupted all over my body as his fingers brushed my back. My breath hitched; my body betrayed me under his gaze.

We stared at each other, lost in the depth of each other's eyes. His touch, his presence-it all clouded my thoughts.

I snapped out of it when I felt my blouse loosen further. Reacting suddenly, I pushed him away.

"What are you doing Zaira?"

He asked, his expression dark.

"Aahil it is not right please leave."

He stepped closer and held my shoulders.

"You know what I am missing you terribly not only physically but emotionally I wanted to spend some time with you. In your embrace just both of us alone."

"Aahil I know you are right that you are missing me emotionally but we haven't been and um...."

"What and say clearly"

"Um... I don't want you to lose control right now it is not the correct moment for all this."

"What do you mean I lost my controls on you i wanted you physically."

"Aahil you are taking me wrong. I don't mean to say this. I just wanted to say we should not be doing all this before our wedding it is wrong."

"Oh I can get what you wanted to say, what you think me that I wanted you. Your body. Thank you for telling me what you think about me."

"Aahil you are getting me wrong Jaan please listen to me."

I cupped his cheeks.

"Please jaan I don't mean this you can lose control on me ofcourse it is your right. But please not before our wedding."

"You know what Zaira I just came to meet you because I was missing you I wanted to see you. I wanted to talk to you."

He stepped back, sadness heavy in his voice.

I moved forward to hold his hand, but he pushed me away.

"Don't dare to touch me or tried talking to me. Now I will show you how I am going to control myself."

"I am telling you we will never get intimate."

I grabbed his hand.

"Aahil Jaan please listen to me."

He jerked his hand away and left.

Tears streamed down my face. I never meant to hurt him.

---

I changed my clothes and sat there silently. The weight of what I had done pressed heavily on my chest. I hurt him. I tried to reach out, sent him messages, called him again and again-but he didn't reply to a single text or answer any call.

I sat on the bed, the soft glow of the bedside lamp falling gently over my face, highlighting the exhaustion and pain I could no longer hide. The past few days replayed in my mind like an unending storm, each memory crashing harder than the last. My fingers traced the intricate patterns of mehndi on my hands-moms of love, promises, and a future I feared was slipping away. Everything that once felt so certain now stood wrapped in misunderstanding.

Aahil's abrupt departure after the mehndi ceremony had left me shaken and wounded. I knew my hesitation about physical intimacy before our wedding had created a distance between us, but I had never imagined it would hurt him this deeply-or push him this far away. As I struggled to untangle my thoughts, a soft knock on the door pulled me out of my spiral.

Aliza entered the room, her eyes instantly softening when she saw my condition. Without saying a word, she came and sat beside me, her presence quiet yet comforting. In that silence, I felt understood. Her support felt like a fragile anchor holding me together.

"Zaira comes and eats something" Aliza said.

"Aliza I am not in the mood to eat anything."

"What happened are you okay" she asked.

"Yes I am fine. Just not feeling like eating."

"Don't lie look at me" she said, stepping closer and lifting my face so I had no choice but to meet her eyes.

"Tell me is anything bothering you."

"No nothing there is nothing at all." I said, forcing a smile that didn't reach my eyes.

"Okay i am here to listen to you. Now eat the food or otherwise the food will get cold I will be right back."

I sat there quietly and ate a few morsels, more out of hunger than desire. My mind, however, remained consumed by one thought-Aahil. How would I make things right with him? Why wouldn't he understand me?

After a few moments, Aliza returned. This time, I broke. I told her everything. She listened silently, letting me pour out my pain, and then reassured me that everything would eventually be okay-even if it didn't feel that way right now.

As the night deepened, my thoughts grew heavier. Questions circled endlessly in my mind. Would Aahil ever understand my reasons? Would our love survive this emotional storm? With a heart weighed down by fear and hope alike, I made a decision-to seek clarity, to fix what was breaking between us before it was too late.

Morning arrived with a strange sense of determination. I got ready, planning to go to his house secretly, hoping to talk to him before the distance grew wider. Just as I was about to leave, Aapi barged into my room.

"They both are fighting" she said.

"Who aapi."

"Aahil and Aliza. Aliza called him to talk but now they are in a heated argument."

My heart sank. I rushed toward the guest room, my steps quick and unsteady. Fear and hope battled inside me as raised voices echoed through the hallway. The intensity of their argument made my chest tighten.

I pushed the door open and froze. Aahil and Aliza stood locked in a heated argument, their voices sharp, emotions raw. I stood there helpless, unsure whether stepping in would calm things or make them worse.

Amid the chaos, Aahil's eyes met mine. For a fleeting second, I saw regret, pain, and longing flicker through them. That brief moment gave me courage.

"Aahil, we need to talk."

The words hung in the air, fragile yet heavy, as if everything depended on what followed.

"I don't want to talk to talk to you." He said, refusing to look at me.

He turned to leave, but I held his hand. Seeing us, Aliza quietly left the room.

"We can't talk what if anyone will see us."

"I don't care about anyone. But care just about you" I said, cupping his cheeks.

"Just leave me I don't care about you anymore. I don't want to talk to you and that's final." He said before walking away, leaving me shattered.

It hurt. Deeply. All I wanted was for him to understand-we couldn't cross certain lines before our wedding.

Later, I went to the parlour around 3. He was supposed to pick me up at 6, but he didn't come. Instead, he sent Ali.

There was no conversation between us throughout the functions. I had ruined my own day. I had been so excited to become his bride, yet he wouldn't even look at me.

I swallowed my emotions, holding back tears and anger. We hadn't talked properly for months, and now his behavior only fueled my frustration.

During the photoshoot, his hand rested on my waist. Our eyes met.

"Sorry Aahil" I said.

"Stop it Zaira don't behave like you really wanted me."

"Are you out of your mind jaan I am sorry please" I said, my voice trembling.

"Let's talk at home" he said.

The rest of the photoshoot passed in painful silence.

Back home, I entered the room and sat quietly, waiting for him. When he arrived, he removed his sherwani and threw it onto the sofa, heading toward the bathroom. Panic rose inside me. I stepped forward and pulled him toward me.

"Zaira I said you before and telling you again don't behave like wanted me or you care about me."

"Aahil why are you saying like this jaan. I don't mean it."

"Listen to me you think I want you physically and I can't control my emotions then you are wrong. Zaira"

"Aahil but I never thought of something like this" I said, cupping his cheeks.

"Lie you are still lying. Then why did you push me yesterday tell me why you did. You know why you pushed me because you think I will lose my control."

"Aahil it was not it was just i don't want both of us to get intimate" I said, my words failing me.

"You know what I don't want to talk to you and I hope you won't try talking to me" he said before storming into the bathroom.

I collapsed onto the bed. Anger, pain, and longing clashed inside me. I didn't want him-but I needed his presence.

I removed my lehenga and jewelry, changed into a lower and t-shirt without even removing my makeup. Then I walked to the terrace.

The night air was cold. Tears streamed down my face as the wind brushed against my skin. I hugged myself, shivering, when suddenly warmth enveloped me-a shawl draped over my shoulders.

I turned and found him standing there, his eyes locked onto mine.

I hugged him instantly, and he hugged me back.

"I am sorry" I said between sobs.

"Sorry Aahil I don't mean a single word Jaan please forgive me."

"No worries. Come let's go back."

"No I won't go I know after taking me to the room you want to talk to me once again."

"It is nothing like that I will talk to you." He said.

"No I don't believe you."

"Jaana don't piss me off further already I am angry at you."

"Oh so what will you do tell me. First you ruined my event today without talking to me. I said sorry thousands of times but still."

"I can do so much he said, lifting me in his arms.

"What are you doing Aahil put me down I said, swinging my legs.

"Jaana stay still or we both will fall." He said.

Inside the room, he placed me on the bed and locked the door. Sitting behind me, he removed my shawl.

"What are you doing."

"Nothing undoing your hair." He said.

A soft smile curved on my lips-he had forgiven me.

"Aahil I am sorry."

"No worries jaana" he said.

"Did you forgive me" I asked.

"Yes I have if I don't have forgave you then I won't talk to you."

"How come you forgive me you were literally angry believe me Aahil I don't want to hurt you."

"Jaana I put myself in place of yours. I thought what would be my reaction if I was in your place thus it was important to forgive you. And what would I get fighting with you."

"I am sorry."

"No more sorries now just stay still and let me undo your hair."

"Aahil I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure jaana anything" he said.

"Will you take me today I said, heat rushing to my cheeks.

"Do you want it he asked.

"Ummmm.... Yes" I said softly.

He finished undoing my hair and placed the pins on the dresser.

"Go and wash your face and remove this make up of yours." He said.

"Why don't you like me in makeup."

"No you look beautiful naturally now go and wash your face" he said.

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