|| S H A N Z E ||

I was removing my jewelry and unpinned my hair when Zeeshan entered the room but he stood still and stared at me. I didn't know what kind of emotion was swimming in his eyes but he was snapped out of it soon and narrowed his eyes at me. 

"You shouldn't apply red lipstick!" He told me and took a few long steps towards me making my heart beat nervously. 

"Why?" I asked in a whisper and felt my hands sweating.

"Because you look like a prostitute!" He said without caring about my emotions and feelings. 

His words hit my heart like a bullet and tears formed in my eyes but I held them. I didn't break my eye contact with him and searched for something in him. Maybe a lie which he spoke but his body language didn't give me much detail. He brushed past me and bumped my shoulder on his way, purposely.

I pressed my lips together and took deep breaths when I heard the door of the washroom shut. I told myself not to think about his words and ignored them like he never told me anything. I turned back to look at the mirror and finger-combed my hairs. 

I looked at my face and unconsciously picked the tissue paper and wiped the lipstick from my lips. Somehow his words affected my heart and were repeating again and again in my mind. His words were echoing in my mind and were playing with my happy emotions. 

When he entered back in the room from the washroom, I quickly walked inside the washroom without looking at him. I didn't want to satisfy him by showing him my sad emotions. 

• • •

"Miss Shanze? Your husband sent us here to pick you up," A man of the same age as Zeeshan stood in front of me and said when I stepped out of the salon. 

He opened the door of the car for me and gestured to me with his hand to climb inside. Taiama told me that Zeeshan would pick me personally but instead of coming, he sent someone. I climbed inside the car hesitantly and pulled my phone out of my small fancy bag. 

I unlocked it with a sigh but locked it quickly. I looked out of the window and thought about Zeeshan. I didn't know why he was so rude to me always and why he used harsh tone with me. 

The car slowed down and stopped. I looked around confusedly because we hadn't reached the venue where the reception was. The driver tried to start the car but it didn't start. 

"Ma'am, I think something happened to the engine or battery," He informed me before climbing out of the car and opened the hood of the car. 

Few minutes later, he appeared beside my door. I rolled down the window and looked at him. 

"Ma'am, something happened to the battery," He informed me.

I pressed my lips together and unlocked my phone. I was about to touch the name of Zeeshan to call when a car stopped beside my car. The window of the back seat of that car rolled down and a man appeared. 

"Is everything OK?" He asked us. 

"Something happened to the battery and ma'am have to reach for her reception," Driver informed him. 

That man opened the door of his car and stepped out and went to check the battery. His driver also stepped out of the car and went to them. Due to the hood of the car, I couldn't see them properly but ten minutes later my driver came and tried to start the car many times but it didn't. 

"Ma'am, it isn't starting," He informed me. 

"I can give you a lift because our destination is the same," The stranger said, appearing at the window of the driver. 

"Huh!" I looked at him in confusion. 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped on it few times before passing it to me. A picture was shown on it of a younger version of him and Zeeshan, standing beside each other in a group of boys. 

"My name is Mazhar. Your husband and I used to be classmates and friends in college and university. I am also invited to your wedding," He informed me. 

I handed him his phone back and debated whether to go with him or not because I didn't have much time.

"OK but my driver will also come with me," I told him, politely. 

He nodded his head and the door for me. I climbed out of the car and walked to his car with the heavy bottom my dress in my hands. He opened the door of his car for me and helped me with my dress as I climbed in. My driver locked the car and climbed in the passenger seat and Mazhar sat beside me. I unlocked my phone and quickly sent a message to Hasan, Zeeshan and Mahira informing them about the current issue.

We reached the venue in half an hour and Zeeshan and Hasan both were outside waiting for us. Mazhar climbed out of the car and greeted Zeeshan and Hasan before I opened the door and climbed out of the car. Hasan quickly came and helped me with my dress. 

"Thank you," I thanked him with a smile. 

He smiled back at me and stepped back as Zeeshan came stood beside me. I turned to Mazhar with a small smile. 

"Thank you for the lift," I thanked him. 

"I am happy to help my sister-in-law as it is my duty," He said with a smile. 

We all went inside and I greeted every guest who I came across with a smile till I and Zeeshan reached where we had to sit. The whole ceremony passed in blur and soon we all went our separate ways to our own home. But the only thing which I noticed was Mahira's strange behavior and she avoided coming near us but whenever I caught her eyes all I saw was her red eyes like she was on the verge of tears mixed with many emotions. 

"Go, change your clothes and wipe your makeup because none of it suits your ugly self," He said harshly as soon as we entered our room and closed the door. 

I froze and stared at him with wide eyes but he walked casually to the bed and threw his dress coat and waistcoat. He looked up at me when he noticed my confused stares on him as he removed the cuff buttons from the cuffs of his shirt. 

"What? Go and change. I don't want my wife to look more ugly," He said, angrily and his eyes also turned dark in anger. 

"Why?" I asked him in confusion. 

"Why are you behaving like this with me? If you have any problem marrying me, you should have back off yourself," I told him and clenched my dress in my hands. 

A smirked form on his lips and he took threatening steps towards me, making me step back till I was pressed against the wall. 

Why always a wall comes out of nowhere behind you when you have to run away? 

He stood in front of me and held my chin in his right hand firmly making me cry in pain. Tears formed in my eyes from the force making his eyes softened a little and loosing the grip. But quickly the softness in his eyes replaced with anger and he put his face on my right shoulder. 

My heart beat abnormally and his warm breath hit my slightly exposed shoulder making me tremble in nervousness and fear. He trailed kisses on my shoulder softly making my eyes close slowly. My body relaxed against his and a soft embarrassing moan escaped from my lips when he kissed on the weak spot on my shoulder. 

My body was slowly burnt in heat due to this closeness but soon it cool down and replaced with pain when he bit on my shoulder painfully and harshly and I cried in pain. My lips quivered because it was hurting on my shoulder and I quickly put my trembled hand on my shoulder where he bit when he pulled away and stood in front of me straightly with a smirk. 

"Because I wanted to marry you and show you ugly side of yours which you hide from everyone," He answered my question, coldly before walking away from me, leaving me in pain and confusion. 

Is he a dog? 

I asked myself because it pained continuously. I quickly went in the closet and took my clothes and went to the washroom. I quickly removed my heavy dress and looked in the mirror after changing into a comfortable dress. A gasp escaped from my lips when I pulled the collar of my aside and noticed a purplish red mark on my shoulder. My red eyes held tears in it but I didn't let them escape. 

I looked away and turned the tap on and washed my face with cold water as my hands trembled thinking what happened in the room. In a day, I felt my life had become miserable. 

In my heart, I prayed he would change quickly and wouldn't behave like this in future. My heart hurt thinking about the anger in his eyes and feared him but I told myself to be brave enough to fight back and not to let him behave harshly with me in future. 

I went back to the room after removing the makeup and combing. I laid on the bed without looking at him after I made a pillow wall and pulled the quilt till my face, hiding myself. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but failed. I felt him going into the washroom and coming out of it five minutes later then the lights turned off and he laid on the other side of the bed. 

I didn't know what time it was when my eyes closed but it was late.

• • •

The next day, when I woke up, Zeeshan wasn't in the room. I quickly went into the closet and took a little fancy dress into the washroom. I took shower and brushed my teeth then slipped into that dress. I took my beauty box out of one of the cabinets and opened it. 

Before I applied makeup, I stopped mid-step when I remembered what Zeeshan said to me last night. I closed my eyes and sighed before opening them again and applied makeup and forgetting his harsh words. I didn't want to ruin my mood if he hated something then it was his problem not mine. He had to deal with it himself instead of hurting my feelings. 

After I was done, I went to the dinning hall where Taiama was setting the table and Rania appi was sitting on her chair. I greeted them with a smile and helped Taiama who was not letting me do any work but I pleaded with her and helped her stubbornly. We all were talking and laughing together when Tayaabu and Zeeshan entered the hall. 

We all sat on the table and enjoyed our breakfast. During breakfast, I and Zeeshan both ignored each other but he held my left hand under the table tightly and painfully but I quickly dug my nails in his hands. He quickly left my hand and I saw him from the corner of my eyes clenching his jaw and tried not to make any sound. 

Tit for tat. 

After breakfast, when he stood up to go to the room, he leaned to me beside my ear. 

"Stop eating like a horse and start eating like a lady. Seeing you eating like a pig makes me embarrassed," He whispered, harshly loud enough only for me to hear.

"Have you ever seen a pig eating? No, nah? Then don't talk to me like you have seen it," I whispered looking at him with a tight smile. 

His eyes changed dangerously in anger but I looked away from him at Rania appi and talked to her, ignoring him. He walked away from us making me relaxed. 

. . . . . . . . . .

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