Mohabbat....

Days were passing so was the pain she was feeling everytime her family talked about his marriage. She wanted to shout, to scream her agony out, to tell everyone how much she was getting affected but kept quiet seeing his face. He was content marrying Asmara and that was enough for her to shut her mouth.

However she too noticed changes in him. The Mustafa who laughed freely was now quiet and conversed only when needed. He was getting more serious than he ever was. Yes, he was content but at the same time he looked restless.

Unke chehre pe sukoon , par aakhon mein ek ajeeb si bechaini thi jisne meri raaton ki neendein aur din ka sukoon haram kar rakha tha.

Heaving a long sigh, she got ready for breakfast, an another round to be confronted with the truth that he wasn't hers. He was not meant to be.

Going downstairs she found Tayi Ammi setting the breakfast table as no one was present yet, confusing her. Not liking the sweat on her forehead she rushed towards her, talking the utensils from her hand, helping her to set the table.

"Rehno diye guriya main kar lungi."

"I want to help Tayi Ammi."

"But...."

"Please."

She insisted giving her an innocent look making Rabia Ahwaan give up and pat her cheeks in gratitude asking her to accompany her inside the kitchen. The sight of kitchen left her wondering as many more dishes were prepared unlike the normal days.

"Is something special today and where is everyone by the way ?"

She asked holding the jug of orange juice waiting for her tayi ammi to answer who was busy making some sweet dish.

"Oh yes... I forgot to tell you that today Asm...."

"Begum sahiba Mustafa bhaai aapko bula rahe hai. "

She was about to tell her when they were interrupted by one of their workers who was sent by Mustafa telling him to call his mother.

"Kyu! Kya hua ?"

"Wo begum sahiba unki shirt ka button toot gaya hai."

Dismissing the servant she turned towards Maria who was standing beside her listening everything.

"Beta can you go and help him. I would have gone but then my special dish will burn if not stirred properly."

Tayi Ammi looked helpless so after contemplating a lot she agreed giving her a small smile and went towards his room.

Controlling her crazy heartbeats and nervousness she slowly knocked on his door waiting for him to allow her to enter.

"Come in."

Hearing his reply she entered inside only to gasp loudly and close her eyes in embarrassment, making him turn to look at her.

"What are you doing here and where is Ammi ?"

He asked, annoyance clear in his voice and wore his shirt quickly so that she could open her eyes.

"You can open your eyes now."

Slowly opening her eyes she looked at him who was now standing close to her, reading her looking directly inside her eyes, making her gulp down and look down not able to meet his eyes in embarrassment.

"What are you doing here ?"

He again asked scrutinizing her under his sharp gaze.

"Umm... Tayi Ammi send me here to help you."

"I asked for ammi not you so you can go as I can handle myself on my own."

He said turning towards the mirror and tried sewing his shirt's button on his own.

He tried but ended up hurting himself making her roll her eyes on his childish behavior.

"Here."

Snatching the needle from him she tired sewing the button but he took two steps back preventing her to reach him.

"I don't need your help."

Giving her a hard look he tried taking the needle from her hand when she stopped him.

"But you took my help to convince Taya Abba so you can take my help to sew your shirt's button too."

He was speechless hearing her but she didn't stopped there and continued

"Aur waise bhi apne mujhpe itne ehsaan kare hai to ek chota sa meri taraf se bhi sahi."

When he didn't said anything she stepped towards him, trying to reach him standing on her tip toes but groaned unable to reach.

Mustafa wanted to laugh seeing her funny expressions but controlled it keeping his poker face but was unable to hold mischief in his eyes which she noticed and huffed in annoyance.

Burj khalifa kahi ke.

"What!! I don't have whole day so if you don't mind can you please sit."

Smiling sarcastically, she pointed towards the seat beside the dressing table asking him to sit there which he obliged quietly trying hard not to laugh.

Sitting on her knees she quietly started sewing his shirt's button trying hard to control her heart who was now beating wildly sensing his close proximity.

On the other hand he was quiet too, lost observing her. The way her pale fingers were smoothly holding the needle, the way her beautiful brown orbs were busy concentrated towards the button, the way her perfect brows were creased lost in her work. His breath hitched when her face came closer and he could feel her hot breaths on his chest, unknowingly he leaned towards her hair inhaling the hypnoting cherry scent of hers making him smile but his expressions changed to that of a scowl instantly as the alluring scent was gone as soon as he took a whiff of it making him miss it dearly.

"Done."

She stood up cutting the thread with her teeth, placing it on his dressing table and turned to leave without hearing his reply when a servant came freezing her on her place.

"Mustafa Bhaai, Asmara bhabhi aa gayi hai to aapko sab neeche bula rahe hai."

Mustafa nodded and followed him, giving a last look to maria leaving her alone rooted on the same spot.

She was here. The girl who is going to be his was there downstairs. She cried on how life has played such a cruel game upon her making her fall in love with the person who was not hers.

Kyu hume usi se hi mohabbat hoti hai jo humara nahi hota. Kyu ?

She didn't knew if she'll be able to see him with her. She didn't knew how she'll will handle her wrecked heart. She didn't knew how will she prevent her eyes from flowing the rivers of pain seeing them together.

She didn't knew.

She was feeling so helpless . She didn't wanted to face them and yet she had to. She had to because she wanted to see if he is happy or not. She wanted to see if he is happy damaging her heart. She wanted to look in his eyes and see how much satisfied he was seeing her hurt.

Gathering herself she started her journey downstairs only to stop hearing Osama's voice.

"Wait this is Maria's seat, you can sit somewhere else."

"Well it is going to be my place now in some days as I will be sitting beside my husband. She can sit somewhere else from now onwards."

An arrogant voice replied Osama back which she was sure belonged to Asmara.

"But...."

"She is right. Also Maria can sit somewhere else. Our dinning table is big enough for her to sit somewhere else."

So, he too took his soon to be wife's side. An tear leaked out of her eye without her own knowledge. It's not she was hurt about the seat, it was about the place which belonged to her from years, which she thought will be her's always.

She understood if he doesn't reciprocate her feelings but atleast he could stop hurting her when he knew how much she was affected with him.

I guess I am already replaced. I guess I was not important to him as much as I thought I was. Maybe I was nothing but a burden to him. Maybe he just pitied me as an orphan, nothing else.

"Where are you lost guriya ? Come and have your breakfast."

Her Taya Abba was coming down for breakfast saw her standing alone, lost in her own thoughts and broke her out of her painful trance.

"Ji."

She replied nodding without looking in his eyes and followed him silently to the dinning table.

Osama noticed her pained expressions looking towards her seat and held her hand, making her sit between him and Aamina.

She too gave him an uneasy smile knowing he saw her pained expressions.

"I am with you fatty."

I know.

He again smiled squeezing her hand and started serving themselves all the while glaring at Asmara who was busy devouring halwa made by his mother.

Asmara who felt someone gazing her looked up towards Osama who gave her a very fake smile. It was then when she noticed Maria sitting beside him quietly eating her breakfast.

"Assalamualaikum, Maria how are you ? I hope you don't mind me sitting on your seat which anyways is going to be mine in few days."

Asmara joked sarcastically which didn't go unnoticed by Aamina and Osama who were sitting beside Maria.

"I am good."

Maria who saw osama and Aamina boiling with anger answered quickly not wanting them to fight with Asmara for her.

"You seem very close to both of them. Isn't it ?"

Asmara asked seeing Osama, Aamina and Maria tasting from each other's plate.

"Of course she is. Afterall she is our favorite girl cut that she is everyone's favorite not just ours."

Osama answered Asmara instead of Maria and gave her an innocent smile showing Asmara her place.

"Well then she had to be careful from now onwards as I am going to give her a tough competition."

Asmara again joked earning a nasty scowl from Osama and Aamina all the while Mustafa watching them all intently waiting to stop his siblings before they could start fighting with Asmara. Whereas all the elders were looking at the younger generation amused with their banter unaware of their intentions.

"To phir ye apki galat fehmi hai hone wali bhabhi ke aap humari favorite ko replace kar sakti hai as she is too precious to be replaced by anyone."

Aamina smirked answering Asmara who now embarrassed but nonetheless smiled not having any reply.

"Acha bachon bahut mazak ho gaya ab aap sab jaake taiyar ho jaiye shaadi ki shopping karni hai."

Dado interrupted them before Mustafa could making all of them nod, leaving towards the main gate, making Maria confuse not knowing they had any plans for shopping.

"Come on let's go."

Aamina held her hand, dragging her towards the car where everyone was waiting for them ready to leave to do Mustafa's wedding shopping.

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Salam everyone,

Hope you all are well and doing good and if not then I pray Allah to ease all your worries.

So, how was the chapter ? If good then please do comment and motivate me to write more chapters. Don't forget to vote and comment.

Till next time,

Allah Hafiz.