Get ready, guys!

Upon landing in Mumbai, for the next few days, Sarfaraz struggled with meeting Fareeha. She wasn't picking up his calls, and when he called from a random number, she hung up. Hadiya, Haya spoke to her, but she refused to talk about Sarfaraz. It came as a shocker for him and angered him even. But he remained steadfast and struggled to remain calm. Hadiya wouldn't leave a day without lecturing him about how he had treated Fareeha. Now, finally, her patience wore out. Adil was so involved with his mother-in-law that he mostly stayed there with his wife and rarely came to sleep. Dania never visited even once. Hadiya wouldn't stop talking about that either.

"Hajra, she took my acha wala beta." She once cried to her house help at the dining table in front of Sarfaraz and Haya.

Feroze and Almas had turned hostile towards Sarfaraz too, which was another shocker. He didn't expect sweet Almas to be rude and harsh with him.

"Finally, that pagli got some sense, and she decided to focus on her life. Imtiaz is the perfect man for her. Madly in love with her, respects her, well-settled abroad." She had rebuked him. Both refused to even let him see their daughter's face. Feroze even threatened to call the cops.

Adil flatly refused to help, citing the same reason for his mistreatment of her.

As days to her Nikah neared, Sarfaraz grew more impatient. He couldn't fathom what had changed so quickly. Fareeha became so cold-hearted against him. Did he really go overboard that night? How did her selfless love for him flip to extreme hatred? Did she forget all their childhood, teenhood, and adulthood memories? Were they all so bitter? Sarfaraz feared if he would ever get to see, meet, and talk to his best friend, his lifeline ever again. What was he going to do? He cannot function an inch without her.

The gloomy thoughts triggered stress and desperation in him. One day before the Nikah, Sarfaraz decided to talk his heart out to Adil.  

"Wow, both of us cousins will be Devrani and Jethani." Zainab gushed, handling a toddler boy in a kurta on her lap. Fareeha smiled slightly as the make-up woman did her make-up.

"Are you good? Need help?"

Fareeha shook her head a little. The woman asked if the natural, minimalist make-up was fine. She nodded.

Zainab watched lovingly as her cousin wore her jewelry. The woman adjusted the heavy golden, emerald-beaded choker pressed against her throat. Fareeha gulped. Heavy matching earrings and broad passa on the side of her head. Almas made her wear a beautiful and traditional haath phool, rings on each finger. Her mother-in-law gave it and now she was passing it to her daughter.

Lastly, the intimidating part was the elaborate and big nose ring. With the nose piercing being recent, Fareeha was nervous about this. Imtiaz requested she needn't go through anything painful for the marriage. But she was excited about the marriage and wanted everything to be perfect. After all, a wedding happens only once.

The delicate, dark mehndi covered her elbows. The artist assured me she had hidden Imtiaz's name in the design, and it would be next to impossible to find it. The make-up woman draped the bulky dupatta on her shoulder and over her head, taking extra care for the dense golden thread work on the borders. Fareeha slumped slightly with the added weight. The coral-pink lehenga was gorgeous with rich and intricate golden work all over.  

Fareeha looked at her final look in the life-size mirror. Almas started sobbing with happiness, praising her daughter. This brought tears to her eyes as well. Zainab kept throwing casual warnings about the make-up. The mother-daughter shared a long, crushing embrace. Almas pinched her lower lip and placed a dot of kohl behind her daughter's ears. Haya and Hadiya walked into the room. Haya gasped, rushing to her and hugged her tightly. Hadiya had tears in her eyes as well and broke down as she coaxed Almas.

"Guys, guys, Fareeha isn't married yet. So save the tears for bidaai." Haya reminded them with a lighter tone. Zainab giggled. Fareeha didn't. She turned to the mirror once again. A gaping void in her heart was making it extremely difficult for her. Was it the choker neckpiece the heaviness in her chest or the thought of moving out of her comfort space that overwhelmed her?

Feroze from outside, cleared his throat and announced that the Maulvi had come. There was a small nikkah function in their house as requested by the groom's side. It irked Fareeha that they had mentioned the hotel in the card, but made last-minute changes. But then, she pushed away the thought, because she was getting married.

Sometimes, Fareeha thought if all this was too good to be true. But her heart reminded her that she deserved this happiness. Bringing a smile on her face, and with the help of her friend and sister, she sat on a floral lounge chair. Hadiya covered her face with an additional dupatta, having a lighter shade than the lehenga. Fareeha clasped her hands, fidgeting with Mehndi-covered fingertips. She took a deep breath as her father and the Maulvi walked into the room.

Almas sat beside her daughter, placing a hand over her arm, and admired her.

The Maulvi cleared his throat.

"Asalam aliakum."

He cleared his throat once again, - "Do you Fareeha Usmani, daughter of Feroze Usmani accept Hadi Jamaluddin Khan, son of Jamaluddin Khan, as your wedded husband for mahr fifty lakhs."

Fareeha's head shot up. Before she could move, Almas firmly held her hand. She winced, turning her head to look at her mother through the veil. She nodded subtly.

"Dekhiye, don't pressure the girl."

"Arey, no, no, Maulvi Sahab. She is shy." Feroze interrupted.

Hadiya shook Fareeha's shoulder, leaning and whispered, - "Please, beta, say yes. We will explain later."

Almas nodded, clasping her hand with both her hands. Tears filled Fareeha's eyes. She couldn't understand if it was tears of happiness, relief, or tears of betrayal.

Maulvi repeated his sentence. Fareeha took a moment before slightly nodding.

"Yes." Her voice came out choked.

Ten minutes later, the ladies got Fareeha out of the room and into the main hall. She looked up through the veil, searching for him.  

In the living room, there was Feroze, Adil, her maternal Uncle Javed, two paternal Uncle Pervaiz, and Uwais. Only family members attended this wedding. Amongst them, Sarfaraz was sitting with Adil, and Javed on either side of him on the double sofa. Dressed in coral mirror-worked Kurtha and Pyjama, happily chatting with them. Fareeha frowned. Strange. How was he behaving so normally?

In excitement, Feroze literally jumped on Sarfaraz, embracing him in a death grip and congratulating him. Adil chuckled. Hadiya interjected, requesting her samdhee to let go of her son.

"Feroze, aaram se, don't strangulate my son." She teased. Almas giggled. Fareeha felt out of place. Was this some kind of joke, that she wasn't part of?

She looked at Adil, his eyes met hers and he smiled kindly at her. Confused, she blinked at him. Hadiya lovingly caressed her head and delicately held her back, guiding her.

"Adil, please give place for my bahu." She said pridefully. Adil nodded and instantly got up. He patted Sarfaraz's shoulder and shifted. Fareeha's heart shot up as her arm brushed against his and impromptu she recoiled her hand. She sat stiffly beside him. Sarfaraz was casually beside her, at times when he leaned against her while talking to others. She flinched.

"Arey, bhaiyaa, Kya kare rahe ho? Lift the veil, how will we click the photos." Haya complained. Sarfaraz nodded. Fareeha froze again.

This was so embarrassing. Her parents were here. Sarfaraz was her best friend. He was her best friend. She tried to pacify herself.

Sarfaraz got up, turned, and leaned. Fareeha shook slightly, feeling the veil being lifted, and shut her eyes. The drumming of her heart rang in her ears. There were claps and cheers, and clicking of mobile cameras.

Fareeha stood awkwardly next to Sarfaraz, as one by one everyone clicked their pictures. She glanced at Adil, but he was all grinning and getting his pictures clicked as well. Sarfaraz was chill as well. Fareeha's head hurt with all the confusion.

Later, she couldn't swallow her dinner whilst everyone was behaving like this was supposed to happen. Even Sarfaraz. Was she missing something?

During her bidaai, no one was crying. Rather all chatted, giggled, and had fun. Fareeha needed to speak to Zainab, but before she could, she was ushered inside the car.

Moments later, Sarfaraz got in. Fareeha held her breath, turning her head to the window. He huffed, falling back, and threw an arm behind her on the car seat. She stiffened and turned to glare at him.

He looked at her from top to bottom and smirked, - "Woah! You are packed."

Fareeha frowned, - "Excuse me?" She adjusted her lehenga and scooted her legs away from him.

Sarfaraz chuckled, - "I mean, I know you were excited about marriage, but—why are you full-on Meena Kumari?"

She rolled her eyes.

He turned to peer out of the window, humming, - "Chalte Chalte—"

Fareeha eyed him, shifting even more.

"Arey, you will fall out of the car." He teased her.

"Shut up." She snapped.

Sarfaraz smirked, - "You troubled me a lot this week. I am going to take my sweet revenge." He teased her in his mind.

He sighed, - "Gosh, this Kurtha is so prickly." He commented, unbuttoning his Kurtha. Fareeha's eyes widened.

"Chi, what are you doing?"

Sarfaraz stopped mid-way with his fourth button.

"Dude, I am not that eager to start in the car itself." He teased in a mock offended tone.

"Chi! Dude, the driver is here and you are talking nonsense?" Fareeha reprimanded him, making a disgusting face.

Sarfaraz kept looking at her, and called the driver, - "Aslam, ear-phones."

"Ji." Aslam plucked earbuds into his ear.

Fareeha gaped at her best friend, now husband, while he smirked with a twinkle in his eyes.

Sarfaraz fell back, - "Gosh, these growing hairs are so rough and thorny. I am planning to let it grow." He commented. Fareeha eyed his finger, circling the tiny prickly hair on his chest.

Then she moved her gaze up.

"Dude, you still have that Dhoti dance."

He puffed air, and tilted his head, - "I thought you resigned as my manager." Sarfaraz pointed out. Fareeha sighed.

"If I quit, what will happen to you?" She shook her head, making a fake sad face.

"True." He nodded. Fareeha rolled her eyes, looking out of the window. But she couldn't stop her heart from racing and her brain was still fogged. 

How was the Chapter, my lovelies?  Drop lots, lots and lots of comments, my loves :*

Sorry for the small update. Next time, bada update. But I will be able to post next week.

Till then, enjoy the precap ;)

𝒫𝓇𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓅:

The moment her face was revealed, she snapped at him, - "Why are you laughing, ass?"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Sarfaraz clicked his tongue, falling on the bed and resting his weight on his elbow.

"Didn't your mom teach you how you should speak to your husband?"

Fareeha stuck on her tongue and twisted to the side.

Sarfaraz raised his collar, - "I am your Shohar now, so, respect me."

"My jhuti will respect you."

"Oh, oh, oh, do you want to go to hell?" He raised his eyebrow.

Fareeha made a face, - "You want to come there with me?"

"Arey, baba, no, no, no." He pushed himself to a sitting position, - "I can tolerate you in this world, but not in the afterlife as well." He teased her.

"Shut up." She slapped his arm. Sarfarazchuckled.

.

.

.

Why is he behaving likethis? What does he want?Fareeha thought suspiciously.

Pakka, he wants sex. There is no doubt about it now Bhaag, Fareeha before this Bhediya seduc—manipulates you—

"Are you okay?" He touched her forehead with the back of his hand. She recoiled back.

"Um, yeah. I am tired."

"Me too." Sarfaraz yawned, stretching his arms. 

.

.

.

Fareeha gulped.

"I need—to—sleep—getting—" She hurried to leave, and Sarfaraz followed her closely. She stopped, and he bumped into her. Fareeha gasped lightly, cracking her knuckles to ease the tension. Sarfaraz placed his hand over hers. One large hand took her hand in one grip. She felt the tremors in her spine as his bare chest pressed against her. And her breathing picked up pace, as he moved aside her hair and bent.

"Wha—wah—who—" she stammered, but stopped as he kissed her shoulder on top of her net night robe. His other hand wrapped around her stomach. Fareeha gulped hard, getting a scratching feeling in her throat.

"You can touch me if you want. Kiss me, if you want—do anything that you want." He whispered into her ears, lightly kissing her ear-lobes.

Fareeha's knees wobbled, and she felt like she would—then her head spun and next thing, darkness.