Ibrahim entered Umaira's room and saw her sitting on the bed, her mother asking her to have some water. Mrs. Siddiqui looked helplessly at Ibrahim, tears in her eyes. Ibrahim silently asked her to leave, he will handle this. She passed him the glass and looked at her daughter one more time before leaving the room.

Ibrahim sat beside Umaira, he placed his palm on her shoulder. She didn't respond.

'Umaira! Honey. Have some water.' He said softly. She kept staring at the floor slightly moving back and forth. Ibrahim can sense a storm inside her, something that needed an outlet.

Ibrahim kept telling his heart to think not negative, he kept his fingers crossed but deep down in his heart he knew his heart break in inevitable.

'Umaira!' he forwarded the glass bringing it to her lips. Umaira closed her eyes and quickly opened. She pushed the glass, it fell from Ibrahim's grip and on the ground.

Umaira's parents are alarmed by the loud clinking sound of the steel glass hitting the floor. Umaira' s mother wanted to go and check on her daughter but her father held her hand. He shook his head, 'Ibrahim will handle it. It is their personal matter, let them sort it out.' He said 'But...that Boy...he is...'

'Zeba, if Umaira loves Mehran and her happiness is with him then we should support her.' Mr. Siddiqui said to his wife.

'But Feroz, Ibrahim? The marriage has been fixed what will everyone say?' Mrs. Siddiqui looked worriedly at her husband

'So? Is everyone more important than your daughter?' Mr. Siddiqui said seriously and Mrs. Siddiqui nodded, her husband does have a valid point.

'Leave me alone.' Umaira said, her voice dangerously low. Ibrahim sighed and stood up.

'Come.' He said and held her hand. She jerked her hand away. But Ibrahim held her hand again.

'What is your problem? You love Mehran, right? Then....' Ibrahim held her hand and forcefully removed her ring.

Umaira winced and gasped feeling the ring slid off her finger. There is a mark on her finger. Ever since, Ibrahim had made her wear the ring she had never removed it. Strangely, it felt lighter, like a heavy weight is lifted off her.

'What are you doing?' she gasped.

'Freeing you. I can't see you in pain, Umaira. I love you too much for that.' He said, his voice dropping. Umaira stood up and snatched the ring back.

'Please don't say like this. You are making it harder for me.' she pleaded. Ibrahim tried taking the ring back but Umaira wore it back.

'I have decided. I don't want to be selfish.... I have decided...we will marry...I am taking an appointment for tomorrow.' She said and frantically searched for her phone. Ibrahim felt his heart hurt seeing her in such frantic state.

He held her hand and hugged her. She struggled to be free.

'Leave me, I need to call...' her voice muffled against his chest.

'Shh...it's okay, Umaira. It is okay to be selfish at times...at times it is okay.' Ibrahim whispered, his vision blurring with tears. Umaira relaxed, slowly she hugged him back. Ibrahim held her close to him, his heart sinking with the thought that perhaps this is the last time he is hugging her.

*********************

Amreen, Junaid, Siham and Mr and Mrs. Ali rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of Red Cross hospital. The ladies are already crying while the gents are putting up a brave face, but inside, they are holding their breathes. A doctor came out from inside the ward and everyone gathered around him quizzing him about Mehran.

'Please everyone! There is nothing much to panic as if now. There are bruises, his left arm fractured and forehead is bleeding. We have stopped the bleeding, there are some stitches done on his arms and legs where the hurt is deep. We have to take some tests, wait for the result and then can say if there is any internal injury.' The doctor explained.

'Doctor, Mera Bacha.... he will be fine? Please tell me.' Mrs. Ali sobbed.

'We are doing our best.' He said grimly and walked away. Amreen and Mrs. Ali broke down, Junaid and Mr. Ali held their partners consoling them, all the while themselves crying.

Siham on the other hand is shattered, for her it seemed like the world has stopped. What if Mehran doesn't survive. Her heart stopped every time she thought of it. Her shock changed into anger, she furiously wiped her tears and took out her phone.

Umaira is sitting on her bed, her back against the bed rest and her legs stretched front. She stared in oblivion. She looked calm from outside, but inside. She is fiercely debating with herself. "What is your problem. You love Mehran, right?"

"And you? where are you in all this, Umaira?"

"Freeing you. I can't see you in pain, Umaira. I love you too much for that."

"For the sake of everything else, our love shouldn't suffer."

"It's okay, Umaira. It's okay to be selfish at times." Mehran and Ibrahim's words repeating in her head as if in loop, their hurt faces swimming around in her head. Umaira terribly confused. She loves Mehran, but she doesn't want to hurt Ibrahim either. She sighed and closed her eyes.

TRING.... TRING...

Her phone rang, she picked up her phone. She sat up straight seeing Siham's name flash on her screen. Why is she calling her? Umaira panicked little as she wondered if Mehran was fine. 'Hello.' She said, her voice hoarse from all the crying.

'Are you happy now? Because of you Mehran is suffering so much. You heartless *****.'

'Excuse me? don't you dare talk to me in this manner.' Umaira said angrily.

'Oh, so I should butter you for what you have done. Why did you come in my Mehran's life? He was so much better and happy without you. And now, we aren't even sure if he will have a life. If...he.... will...be.... alive.' Siham's voice cracked towards the end.

Umaira's heart beat stopped for a minute, 'What do you mean?' Umaira asked, her voice shaking. 'Humph! Because of you, Mehran is in the hospital battling for his life.' Siham said.

Umaira felt like earth has been snatched beneath her feet, her world coming to a standstill.