After patching up with her brother, Anaisha was motivated to study. She wanted to pass just for him, and obviously to avoid marriage. To the shock of her gang members, she ignored their parties and preferred to study. Priyank nearly got a heart attack. To spend more time with her, he pretended to study with her, but she kicked him out upon realizing that he was distracting her.

"Ugh!" Anaisha tore the paper from her notebook, crumbled, and threw it on the grass on the college campus. She held her throbbing head.

"What is the matter?" Sanam asked her. Anaisha had chosen to group study with Sanam because her other friends weren't much serious about studying. Sanam was studious and also from a different branch and that helped her concentrate.

"This Biophysics is just not getting into my head, instead it is getting on my nerves." She clenched her hair and took a deep breath. Sanam placed her fingers against her mouth to muffle her giggle. Then, she adjusted the edges of her baby pink hijab,

"That is why I opted for Arts." She pressed her smile.

Anaisha sighed, tossing another crumbled paper, - "Good for you." Accidentally, her gaze fell over a young lad walking, mindlessly, towards their direction. His nose buried into the book. She blinked at him and smiled.

"Hasan!" She muttered and then placed her hand over Sanam's thigh. They shared a look. A smile lingered over Anaisha's lips. She requested her to convince Hasan, to help her clear the first semester. Sanam gladly agreed. Anaisha nudged her and pointed towards Hasan. Also, she noticed, Sanam blushing as she looked at him.

Hasan flipped a page and sat under a tree, pulling up his legs and resting his book on his lap. He felt a presence and looked up. Sanam waved at him, smiling a little. He smiled at her, standing up.

"Asalam Alaikum, Sanam." He adjusted the sling of his bag and kept goofily smiling at her.

"Waliakum Asalam." She greeted him and then quickly added, - "I need a favor."

Hasan nodded, - "Anything for you."- he spoke in a daze but instantly corrected himself, - "As we are friends." His cheeks burned, but he kept the smile in place.

"Actually, my friend Anaisha needs your help. She needs your help in studies." She doesn't realize the look of admiration on his face that turned into disgust. He frowned, clenching the sling of his backpack.

"No way. I don't want to do anything with that immodest girl and you—", - his voice became slightly stern, and agitated, - "you also stay away from that characterless girl. You know the importance of keeping good friends. Right." He looked away, adjusting his collar with one hand.

Sanam pressed her lips tightly, - "Hasan, you seem to know so much, but don't you know slandering a woman is morally wrong and a sin?" She placed her hands on her hips. Hasan gulped softly and darted his gaze away for a moment and then glanced at her again.

"For a girl to have sexual relationships before marriage isn't morally wrong, right? A girl who wears skimpy clothes, exposing her legs, isn't immodest? What I am doing is not slandering, okay. I am stating facts. And slandering is for those who have strong moral character." He countered her in an angry tone.

Sanam shook her head, looking annoyed, - "I didn't know you were so judgmental, Hasan. I thought you were a decent guy."

The look of shock and repulsion on her face, made Hasan rethink over what he had said. But he stands by his thoughts, because that is what he feels, and he can't pretend otherwise. Sanam turned and stormed away. He watched her with a heavy heart. He dislikes Anaisha but didn't know Sanam was so sensitive towards her and why was she? He wondered.

Anaisha was hopeful because she knew Hasan had a soft corner for Sanam and so, he will readily agree. Her smile dropped noticing Sanam's puffed cheeks. She angrily sat, folding legs, and exhaled deeply from her mouth.

"What happened?"- Anaisha looked puzzled as Sanam gulped water from her water bottle. She swallowed and eyed her black denim shorts, grey printed loose drop shoulder top. Anaisha nudged her, - "What?" She moved her head, gesturing with her hand. Sanam irritably shook her head.

Anaisha knew something was wrong and after much probing, Sanam revealed everything.

"Jerk!" She spat and looked at Sanam, - "He was crying for his Bhabhi and today talking non-sense about me?" Anaisha twisted her lips.

"Men!" Sanam rolled her eyes, - "For them, girls of their family are everything while others are either play-toys or characterless."

Anaisha agreed with her, twirling a pencil, she looked at the big fat book on her lap and let out a deep sigh. She was screwed.

The next few days, she struggled with the syllabus but tried not to deter herself. Hasan sulked for a day or two over Sanam becoming indifferent towards him but then he completely focused on exams. They were more important. James tried to play cupid again but Sanam was too miffed to listen to him.

Soon exams began and for the first time, Anaisha found herself getting anxious over something.

After the first exam, she realized that this won't be easy. She folded the question paper and looked up at Hasan. He looked grim as well and chatted seriously with Tarun, perhaps discussing the paper. She bit her lip and stood up, tugging the paper inside the back pocket of her denim. She thought to tease him a bit but recollected Sanam's words and ditched the plan. Her self-respect was more valuable than making fun of him. Also, she wasn't letting him go so easily.

Priyank was furious to learn about Hasan's statement for Anaisha. She calmed him down and leaned, placing her hand over his arm, - "Relax sweetheart!"- She winked at him, - "Patience, revenge is best served when it's cold." She patted his sleeve. Priyank thought for a while and smirked at her.

Hasan was much relieved after the exams but the train ride to Delhi made him feel dreadful. He got down the rickshaw and walked through the alley that led to his home. He stopped at the gate for a moment as he got confused. His ancestorial adobe was decorated with jasmine flowers at the gate. He walked in and was stunned to find marigold flower decorations everywhere. Many unknown people were walking around carrying a box of fairy lights, special Rotis, and what not.

"Bhaijaan." Khalil hurried towards him. The brothers hugged; Hasan was still clueless. After they parted, he inquired everything from his younger brother.

Hasan was shocked out of his mind to realize that Zahir was getting married for the second time.

"What? But Bhabhijaan has recovered, right?"

Khalil made a face, - "Yeah, but Zahir Bhaijaan says she isn't the same as before. Poor Bhabhijaan, with multiple fractures, is trying to do her best." He shrugged. Hasan clenched his fist. Just when he thought Zahir couldn't fall any low, he breaks his expectations.

"He can't marry like this. This is not fair." Hasan blurted.

"I can!"- A loud masculine voice boomed through the lawn. Zahir stood at the porch. He had a prideful demeanor as he climbed down the three steps and strolled in the lawn with his arms dangling and his chest thrust out.

"You know more than me, right, little bro. I can marry twice, thrice, four times. Who will stop me? You?" He boasted.

Hasan scoffed, - "Bhaijaan!"- His tone taunted him, - "Do you have the aukaat to have four wives? You can't even manage one."

Zahir's smile dropped and his eyebrows furrowed. Hasan felt intimidated but he did his best to keep a brave façade.

Khalil sensed the tension between his elder brothers, and he hurried out of there. The two kept throwing daggers at each other until Momina stepped in. She warmly hugged Hasan and welcomed him. Hasan doesn't hug his mother.

"This is not right, Ammijaan." Hasan tried to make her feel guilty, but she was unmoved. Moreover, she sided with her man-baby, stating Sehrish wasn't taking care of his needs. How conveniently she forgot that the poor girl was recovering from very traumatic abuse.

At the same time, Sehrish was managing the house, cooking, cleaning, and breastfeeding a baby, taking full care of it. Instead of being supportive, Zahir was whining and Momina was being a... Hasan was most disappointed with his father. Abbi had always taught him what was right and wrong and all about religious texts, yet he was letting Zahir have his way. Why?

"There is another surprise. Four days from today I am getting engaged. And the girl is someone from your college." Zahir smirked.

Hasan couldn't help but pity that girl, he wished he could save her, somehow. The helplessness was eating him up.

He glared at him and was about to walk away when Zahir interrupted him again, - "Her name is Sanam Usman Baig."

Hasan stood rooted on spot. Slowly, he turned to face his brother, - "What?" Why will her parents throw her on fire by getting her married to a married man?

Zahir seemed to have read his mind, - "They don't know about my marital status. That won't be a problem though, I can divorce Sehrish within seconds." He said, snapping his fingers. Hasan clenched his fists, dropping his backpack, and marched towards him. Without a second thought, he punched his face. Zahir stumbled a little. Though his punch did not harm him, Hasan felt good.

Momina shrieked and hurried to Zahir. He had straightened, huffing like a bull. Hasan breathed heavily, staring boldly at him. Their mother kept coaxing her eldest son. Hasan turned and left.

On the way, he spotted Sehrish. She was squatted on the floor and mopping it with a cloth. Her dupatta tied around her waist and her Kameez slightly up. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her upper arm as she dipped the dirty cloth into the bucket of water. Hasan felt hot tears in his eyes. The scene broke his heart. He wished he wasn't underaged and more powerful than Zahir, then he would have divorced the two and done something for Sehrish. But it wasn't to be. His family treated her no less than a slave and he couldn't help her. Did that make him part of the crime? He flinched at the thought.

Hasan walked into his room and angrily dropped his backpack on the bed. Without wasting any more time, he called up James. He can't have Sanam tricked into getting married to Zahir, the monster.

Oh No! Sanam *gasp* What will happen now? And what is Anaisha planning against Hasan? Too much suspense, you guys.

How was the Chapter, my lovelies? Please drop your thoughts in the comments and Stay Tuned for the next update *lots of love* *hugs and kisses*