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3 years ago...

"Do you accept?"

She fiddled with her hands. Her heart beating against her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes as she kept her gaze on her lap. The sparkling gold distracted her from the words that were being said.

It's all a business deal. The thought passed her mind.

The grip on her shoulder tightened as the Imam turned his attention towards the nearly broken bride.

"Do you accept?" Her brown eyes flashed up to her her brother who watched from afar.

The grip on her shoulder got painful as she whimpered out a small little word that would change her life forever.

"Yes"

The echo of congratulations ringed through her ears as the man beside her, lightly lifted her hand, her eyes remained on her lap. The coolness from the metal rings was making her head spin. Her mother shook her from her thoughts bringing her out of her thoughts. She wasn't happy. Anyone in the room could tell the bride wasn't happy. Not that anyone really cared.

No one could understand what she was going through. A person may think, being the youngest of 4 siblings, brought up with luxuries, she would be the apple of her parents eyes, the most beloved to her father. The most precious to her mother. It was a picture worth seeing. A beautiful family, Family goals was what the media called them.

No one looked in deeply, no one saw the truth behind the fake smiles and laughter during Galas and business events. No one would have thought that behind the closed doors, the beautiful Hoorain was the victim of her father's anger, her father's hate.

A father is supposed to love his children all equally. He was supposed to love her the way he loved his other children. She would watch as a child, her father would being expensive toys for her siblings, there was nothing for her. As they grew up, her father put everything in his children's education aside from hers. She was made to do work in the house along side the maids. She would make time at night and do her schooling online. While her siblings slept in grand beds in luxurious rooms, her mother made her sleep in a tiny room, where the rest of the house workers stayed. She had always been the outcast of her family.

She was the victim of her sisters jealousy. Her beauty over shadowed them. Her white skin, and beautiful brown eyes. Her small nose and red cheeks. She was the girl who people would stare at when she'd walk into a room of people, and the beautiful girl wouldn't even notice. She was a sight to see. She never wore make up, she never dolled up, she never wore diamonds, she never wore gold. These were privalidges that was never given to her. Her older sisters were opposite of her. They would wear make up, that would look so flawless on their skin, they would embellish themselves in diamonds and gold, they would dress in the finest and latest fashion, yet when their sister walked beside them, all attention would remain on her. Her beauty wasn't the only thing that made her beautiful, it was her soul and who she was. A woman who was kind to everyone. A naive woman, an innocent woman in the world of monsters. She lived through pain, through heart break, doing as she was told, hoping one day she would be good enough for someone.

And she was good enough for someone. Someone who had loved her the moment he had laid his eyes in her. The only one from his family that had witnessed her first smile, her first laugh, her first step. He brought her up. He did everything to make her smile. He stood up to his father when he abused his sister. Umair Sayd loved his sister to death.

From afar he watched on. He watched as his sister was sinistery given away. He watched as the man she now called her husband started down at his sister. Anger boiled within him.

He had wanted to put a great fight when he had found out about the arrangement, but his sister had stopped him.

"I want you out, and I'm getting money for it." Mahmoud smirked as he watched tears flow down Hoorains face. "I believe that it is a great deal."

"What is a great deal, baba?" Umair stepped into the room. He was on his way to Hoorains room, he had been teaching her the basics in business. His sister was smart, and he knew that she would do great things in her life. Fashion was what intrigued her. He had seen the sketch the she drew of beautiful gowns.

His eyes landed on Hoorain, who's body was shaking.

"Hoorain, what's going on?" Her eyes snapped to her brother. She walked up to him, wrapping her tiny arms around her brother as she sobbed into his shirt. She cried, "Baba want me to get married" Umair wrapped his arms around her shaking body. His eyes snapped up to his father. "Married?"

His father rolled his eyes, "this is the biggest business deal I have ever made in my career." A sinister look came over his face. "I'm getting paid half a million dollars." He laughed.

"What have you done?" Umair's nose flared up, his grip on Hoorain tightened.

"Jabir Kareem had offered me half a million dollars to marry Hoorain to his son Asad Kareem." Umair anger increased.

"This will not happen, I will not allow it to happen." He wanted to walk up and knock some sense into his father. He wanted to lose control and scream, but he knew how badly that would affect his sister, so he tried staying calm.

"You cant do anything. The deal has been sealed" Mahmoud smirked.

"Then break it." Umairs eyes burned into his father's.

"No, and remember what I told you Hoorain, you wouldn't want anything to happen, now would you?" With that the heartless father walked out.

"Hoor, what is he talking about?" She shook her head.

"I cant affect your life, bhai." She frowned. "Please for the sake of Allah, let this happen, if not he will ruin your life and I cant let that happen."

"Hoorain, nothing will happen to me, I'm old enough to take care of myself."

Hoorain smiled, "I know." with that she turned around and walked out.

They never ended up doing a lesson that night, or any nights after that.
He tried to speak up against it, but every then he opened his mouth to speak, his sister would shut him up. He never knew what their father had actually said to her, but whatever he had said freighted Hoorain.

He watched as his father and the groom's father exchanged checks. The check with heavy amounts.

"Unclench your fist, Umair." Nuh's voice brought him out of his thoughts, "you need to stay strong for her."

Umair Sayd and Nuh Mustafa's friendship goes way back. They met in college, both studying business administration. They just got along. Both came from rich businesses families.

"I'm an awful brother," Umair closed his eyes, "I couldn't stop this."

He could her Nuh sigh as he patted his shoulder, "we both are well aware of what your family would have done to her if she didnt get married soon." Umair opened sorrow filled eyes, he watched his sister. She wasn't smiling, there was no sparkle in her eyes. She looked lost and completely torn apart. "Who knows, maybe he will keep her happy." Nuh smiled slightly at the bride, "Allah is the one who writes destiny, have faith in him Umair, Allah never burdens a soul more than they can bare." Umair let out a loud sigh, taking in what his bestfriend was saying. "Tonight, after you send her off, read 2 rakats of Nafil, and make duaa to allah to keep her in his protection." Closing his eyes Umair nodded his head.

"Umair." He blinked his eyes opened as his mother approached him. "Yes, mother" his voice was lace with disgust as he forced out the word mother. Pain flashed through Zulaukah's eyes. She knew well that what ever was happening should not take place. But again she never spoke up as her husband and daughters abused the poor girl. "Its time. I want you to ruksaat your sister" Umairs bosy tensed up as a lump formed in his throat. With a heavy heard he walked towards his baby sister.

Hoorain watched on as everyone celebrated this union, a union that was merely a business deal. She trusted no one aside from her brother. Her eyes searched for her brother once again. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw her brother making his way towards her, she knew. The closer he got, the more tears fell. She let out a shaky breath as Umair stood in front of her. She saw as her brothers shaky hands reached out to caress her head.

The bride stood up, engulfing her brother in a tight hug. Both siblings clinged on to each other as they cried. Umair rubbed his hands up and down Hoorains back to try and calm her down, whisper sweet nothing in her ears.

"Dont cry Hoor, you're brother will always be here." He lightly kissed her forehead, "I'm only one call away, pick up you're phone and your big brother will be there." Umair looked up towards the man who was quietly watching the siblings embrace, "take care of her," he gently pulled Hoorains trembling body off of him, "I'm giving you my most precious jewel." He took Hoorains tiny hands and placed them in Asad's larger ones. He stepped aside as the groom's family stood beside the couple. The sea of people parted, letting the Kareems walk through. Umair watched on as his sister walked away. He wouldn't be there to protect her from danger, he wouldn't be there to wipe her tears, her wouldn't be there to wrap of her bruise.

His baby sister had grown up.