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𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒚|| 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚

Rubaab was still shaking with fear. She had never seen Faizan so angry, and it somehow hurted her knowing she was the cause of it. If maybe she had the nerve! After talking with Faizan, Arsalan entered the room. Rubaab, upon seeing him, stood up and ran towards him, hugging him in a reflex, and started crying once again.

Arsalan chuckled and held her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Rubaab, bas karo. Kitna rogi, kabse roe jarahi ho," she sniffled and looked up at him, and asked in a broken voice, "H-he isn't mad a-at m?" Arsalan nodded as no, making her lips leave a sigh out of relief.

(Stop rubaab, how much will you cry now)

"But now you know, don't do something like this ever again, okay. We aren't going to keep things between each other," Arsalan said, or more like warned her. She nodded while saying, "I promise." The whole ordeal wasn't her thing! She won't do it again!

He hummed and smiled, still looking in her eyes. His eyes were soft, loving; they had adoration for her in them. Upon sensing his gaze turning dark, Rubaab blushed and hid her face, snuggling in his chest. Arsalan laughed and kissed her on the head, still holding her close to his heart, feeling nothing more than peace having her close to him.
______

Life can sometimes be so unpredictable. Sometimes, we don't know if we are happy this minute, and the next minute we got nothing in our hands. Alia never thought her life was going to change so drastically. Months ago, she was nothing but a disobedient wife. Now, if someone's going to look at her, they will do nothing but gaze at her in shock.

That one night was enough for her to finally get in her senses and accept herself, her new life, that was with Faizan. She remembered him lashing out on her and slapping her, which was a major reason she had realized how badly she had started treating her new life. People beg to have the life she was living, yet she was never happy!

Her non-existent father was never there, but her Mamu and Mumani were, making her realize that they would be with her; they were her family! Faizan had confronted Alia after what he did. He was sick of her non-caring attitude towards him. He asked her if she even wants to be with him? He was ready to sacrifice everything for her. He remembered her finally snapping and apologizing to him.

At first, he was reluctant. What if she really wasn't happy and was pretending so she could be there? As now she has nothing other than this family! But he did see changes in her. She behaved like his wife; her behavior and persona changed with others as well. With his mother too.

She started to call Haseena, Ammi, like Rubaab does. Both of them were her daughters-in-law, and they had the same place in her heart. He forgave her, but he apologized as well. He asked for sorry, for not understanding her; he asked sorry for lashing out on her. He named himself a weak man, but again, Alia made him realize that if he hadn't done whatever he did, she wouldn't have come back to her senses.

Life was treating them well until one night. It had been five months since Alia and Faizan had united together in the purest form of husband and wife. They accepted each other, with their hearts. Faizan and Alia, at first, took things slow but let themselves burn in the moment of passion one night. The couple united their hearts with entangled bodies, making the moon shy. After a month of their moment, Alia felt sick. She was having some symptoms that, according to Haseena, were of pregnancy, and she was right when they consulted the doctor.

They were over the moon; the first baby of Shah's was to come. Alia was reluctant, thinking what if she turned out to be her mother, but then again, her husband left no point for her to think bad. Alia and Faizan were to welcome their firstborn, but when she was three months pregnant, something unexpected happened.

She lost the reason for them to be happy; she lost her baby that was about to be born. The baby that hadn't even seen the world. She fell down the stairs, and even though the impact wasn't bad, because of fear, she lost her baby. She was broken, but she let life goes on.

She was currently standing in the kitchen with Rimsha, who came downstairs. They were preparing for Rubaab's birthday. Arsalan had told them both personally that he wanted her birthday to be as memorable as they can make it. Not knowing it really was going to be memorable.

Even though Alia wasn't her old self again, she didn't make the mistake of again being distant with her husband and family. She would be involved in all their moments now. Rimsha was an expert in the kitchen compared to Rubaab and Alia, so she was the one baking the cake.

Alia was helping her here and there, Rubaab was in college, she had given her 12th exams some days ago and was currently preparing for her entry test for NED, making them all proud of her choice. It was hectic for her, but she was going through it.

"Now, we only have to make the icing. Alia, go and put the cake in the fridge for the meantime," Rimsha ordered Alia. She nodded and did as she was told; Rimsha started making the icing. Rubaab was a typical chocolate lover, so they were doing the chocolate icing.

Alia and Faizan, along with Arsalan, had set up the rooftop for their little birthday party to surprise Rubaab. She was turning eighteen today. "I feel so bad for Rubaab, Rimsha Api," Alia said in a sympathetic voice. "Why is that" asked Rimsha. Alia faced her and said, "Dekho na, subha nashte par wo itna sad thi, k uski birthday nhi yad kisi ko... Mujhe to bohot bura lag raha tha lekin mai kuch boli nhi." Rimsha laughed and said, "Waqai usko laga hum bhool gae."

(She was so sad during breakfast that we forgot, I felt so bad)
(She really thought we don't remember)

Rubaab was really disheartened in the morning; she was so disappointed that after college she even thought of not going home. But that was not possible, so she was now standing outside the home. She went inside and saw it was empty as usual.

Sighing, she went to her room and freshened up. She wasn't in the mood to have lunch, and Arsalan wasn't here means no one was going to pressure her to eat something.

She went to study instead; all of them were preparing for her birthday, not knowing that maybe the day she should've cherished will be the day she would mourn.