Stand by me

47. A strong bond.

That same night, in a large mansion, Kat sat crossed legs on a colorful mat with an iPad on her lap. She adjusted her glasses with surprise etched on her phase.
"She won again," she groaned, holding her cheeks but soon smiled. At least she knew who.

"You have been doing nothing since morning Katherine. Do you know anything about staying fit?!" a yell broke her moment and she raised her head lazily at her elder sister.

Irene stood there in a floral jumpsuit, her hair in a short bun and her arms folded.

"Come on Irene. I had two yoga sessions today and since when did my life concern you?" Kat returned a question.

"Because I am your sister and I was asked to take care of you," Irene hissed.

"I will keep repeating this. No one asked you to and it would be better if you let me live my life the way I want," Kat said and turned back to her system.

Irene dropped her hands and went over to snatch the iPad. "Stop being stupid Katherine. Do you think I love keeping you in my house? But as an irresponsible woman as you are, you would just ruin the family's name!" she scolded.

Kat scowled and stood up too. "What's your problem, Irene? You hardly speak with me but when you get infuriated, you let out all your anger on me. You hate my dressing and everything, shouting all about the family name that I don't care but at least I am not like you who left everything and keeps bowing your head to a man just to get his love!"

"Katherine!" Irene raised her hand dangerously close to her sister's face.

"Do you want to slap me?" Kat eyed the hand and gazed at Irene fearlessly. "Go ahead and do it but you know what I am saying is the truth. It's better to be a woman who lives up to her dreams than keep bending your back to a man who is probably just using you and will never appreciate your stupidity." she snatched her iPad and added, "It will be better if you reflect on your lifestyle than mine, less your parents find out and it won't be me who ruins the Fernandez name,"

Irene clenched her fists as Kat walked away. Her eyes were red with anger and her heart ached because Kat just twisted the sword in her wound. She was the only daughter of her father, a business mogul from Italy but they suddenly found out that he had another daughter in the States. Mr. Fernandez didn't shun his other daughter, Katherine, and gave her his name. It was just that Kat wanted to realize her dreams first before joining him since her mother was demised.

Irene didn't like her sister much and even as she came over to the States to further her studies for a while, she didn't want to associate much with her. But she met Alfred and in time developed feelings for the man and it made her risk everything to stay here. She promised her father to make the company reach a greater height without his name assisting her while she got an opportunity to stay with her love interest.

For that, Mr. Fernandez asked her to stay with her sis Katherine and groom her, so that they could return together but the two sisters' relationship was like fire and ice. It was hard to tolerate each other.

Irene knew that Alfred owed her a favor that's why he is tolerating some of her mistakes but she has sacrificed a lot and can't let it go without a prize.

As time passes, she feels like he is drifting away even more and it scared her. She can't let that happen after going this far.

Meanwhile,

Pakistan.

Suraj froze when his daughter cut the call. He held the phone as his fingers grazed the skin. "Ya Rabb," he sighed heavily tightening his eyelids.

The bathroom door opened and Ruwaida came out in a bathrobe, drying her hair with a towel. She stopped her movements when her gaze met with her husband's. He simply smiled gazing at his beautiful wife.

"Suraj, you…what are you doing here?" she questioned with worry etched on her face.

"Is it a crime to see my wife now?" he returned with the same expression.

Ruwaida frowned and rushed to see if the door was locked. She turned around and Suraj gave her an inquisitive look.
"Nana has emphasized that you shouldn't take a step into this room. What if she sees you or someone else?" she said worryingly. 

Suraj shrugged and replied, "This is my house and I am the head, I can go anywhere I want without anyone knowing, and…do you want your husband to stay away from you all your life?"

Ruwaida shifted her gaze sadly. Of course, she doesn't like that. Her mother-in-law has been punishing her since her daughter left and now stopped her husband from seeing her. What was worse than that?

"Safiyya called," Suraj broke her thought. She gasped and rushed to him. "It's been a while," she said taking the phone and caressing it with pearly eyes. Suraj grasped her wrist and held her down beside him.

"I spoke with her," he said and she looked at him surprisingly. He smiled bitterly and took the towel from her. He started wiping her hair while saying, "Daughters are blessings to parents. My daughter is a blessing, my most precious pearl. Safiyya hates me. I failed as a father,"

"Don't say that Suraj. Please, " Ruwaida held his hand and spoke. "Safiyya cab never hater you. You are her Abooh,"

"You raised her well, Aida. Even with how I've been to her, she still respects me," he shook his head. "I know how much I have ignored my child. Whenever she looked at me, it was always filled with hurt and blame. I wished I could block all her storms with my body but I didn't, "

"You did well Suraj. Allah knows that," Ruwaida reminded him with a gentle smile. "She is proud of who her Abooh is and if she knows what you have been doing for her, she would be even more proud."

Suraj sighed and looked up trying to calm his nerves. He looked back to his wife and frowned at the lines on her face. He reached out and caressed her face, making her almost weep.

"You still look beautiful Aida while I keep getting old," he chuckled and she curled her lips. "I don't care how old you become because it is you that I married, not your age or anything else," she smiled.

He smiled back and wrapped his hand around her. She closed her eyes and leaned on his shoulder.
"You know what, aging doesn't scare me much because it reminds me that we will soon leave and go to the eternal world," she muttered lovingly.

"That's right," he laughed and exhaled. "Sometimes I feel like running away from here and going somewhere. A place where we can live like a normal family but I remember that I have a duty to my people and will be accountable for it. It seems my fate will end like that,"

"You never know, Allah can change your fate when you least expect it," Ruwaida said and raised her head. He smiled and they gazed at each other lovingly.

When the bond is strong, no matter the obstacles, it will just become stronger.

Innallaha ma'as sabirin.

❤️❤️✨