Chapter 1: Fatima
I was running as fast as i can in an lane when suddenly i bumped into someone i look up and my heart stopped the day can get more worse? the man i bumped into is no other but our village sardaar. He is so tall that i have to tilt my head to look at him he narrow his eyes. "watch where you going." this is what he said to me when i heared my father shouting and screaming gets near. Sardaar men's hands hold their guns and step back. "i-i im sorry." sardaar hold up his hand for his bodyguards to calm down and then he look me from head to toe examining me with a face like he is looking at some dirty animal. "why are you running away from your family." He point out towards my fathers and brothers its when i realized they reached me. My father takes fast steps and grab my arm roughly which is almost painful. "you useless girl how dare you run away on the day of wedding huh?" My father speaks through greeted teeth and now im trembling with fear because whenever he get angry he slap me so hard i barely can hear for weeks. Then he turn and apologized to sardaar if i wasted his time but sardaar keep looking at me with unreadable expression and walk towards me which shocked everyone. My eyes widen i step back. He is gonna kill me because i ran away from wedding?. He stopped in front of me and i tilt my head to look at him. "You didn't answer my question" He said "Why are you running away?" I couldn't control myself and blurt out the truth "Th-they're forcing me to marry a man who is so much older than me, he gave them money to marry me" I'm hoping now maybe he help me but of course he won't, why would a sardaar will help a poor girl like me, but still i have a strong believe allah will help me in this miserable situation.. "Sh-she is lying sardaar she agreed to this marriage" my brother said "she run away at the last moment we don't know why she is saying this" My other brother said. I shake my head "No no im not lying trust me" and some tears slips down my cheek. "Why would a girl run away from a wedding she agreed to?" sardaar said to my brothers and father "I'll punish you for lying and forcing your daughter and sister into a marriage." My brothers and father eyes widen because we all know sardaar punishments are worse so, much worse than we can think, but i'm shocked why he is helping me? maybe because allah listened to my silent dua, now he is looking at me, "th-thank you sardaar" i stepped back
My father said with that manipulative voice "But sardaar now who's gonna marry her, you know very well our village people hates a girl who run away from her wedding"
My brother said with full rage "Yes sardaar and we're not gonna give a characterless girl like her space in our house."
Now more tears streaming down my cheeks, they were beasts i knew that, but i knew that too they won't kick me out from house just because i run away, but why they're making a big fuss now, its not the first time i run away from forced marriage, they did it plenty of times forcing me into a marriage...
Sardaar looked at me and this time with pity, i hate this look why everyone give me this look? my mother died the day i born, then my father married another woman who bring three kids with her, one her older and second her middle son and third her daughter, they all combined and make my life hell, i don't even know why they hate me so much and then everyone start looking at me with those pitiful eyes, whenever i go somewhere, and this time too, sardaar looking at me with those eyes i hate hate the most
"i'll marry her and take her to my house." the moment these words slips through his mouth everyone shocked even his bodyguards, including me.
Does he even know what he is saying, he took step towards me and i step back slightly "Will you marry me?" he said with uninterested voice..
Why is he even marrying me if he is not interested? this was the question that pop up in my mind, but i don't have any other choice, if i refuse to marry him my family will eventually kill me, but if i agree to marry him the struggles in my life will increase, but its better than dying,
I nod "I-i will" these two are the only words i said sardaar look down at me with those pity eyes again, i can't help but look down towards my feet, a gesture of vulnerability,
I look up again now he is talking to my father and brothers, he is wearing black jeans, white shirt which clung to his muscles, and hairs combed perfectly, some hairs falling down of his forehead, he is tall almost 6.2, now i'm wondering what will happen after this.