Her Replaced Husband ✓

¶chapter two¶

Since she was a child, she always found her father fighting with and hitting her mother. He was a short-tempered and impulsive man who always wanted things to be in his way. He loved to control everything and Ayesha was already a meek woman so she easily gave him the upper hand to treat her however he wanted. Khalid got married to Ayesha forcefully and then part of the reason for his disinterest in her was she couldn't give him an heir.

Ajwa just had an older sister, Javeria. She was also a mirror image of her mother; weak, having a tongue but didn't want to use it, and naive. On the other hand, the same conditions made Ajwa hard like a rock. Nothing affected her. In childhood, she always got hit and scolded by her father but now she became paranoid about it. Khalid often used to call her loose mouth. She sometimes even stood up in front of him as well. She spoke anything without any trepidation. She didn't fear.

For her same loud mouth, she bear her father's slaps and angst more than Javaria who listened to him without any further question.

The same happened now as well when she held him from slapping her mother.

"What are you doing, Baba?" She questioned, crystal brown eyes so audacious and stern.

How beautiful was that word? A sense of love, protection, and regard should elicit in someone's heart by the person to whom they referred it. She always found her friends feeling the same for the first man whom they ever fall in love with in their life. But for Ajwa, it was like a curse. She hated to call him this respectfully. When other girls honored their fathers, she despised her own because he was a monster to her.

She herself saw her mother's bruise state due to him when she was younger. He used to come back every night drunk and then shrieks, screams, and cries were heard from his room. That was her mother. Ajwa knew it but Javaria also consoled her by saying she was having a nightmare. She even got hit by him first time when she was five years old only for wanting candy. She found him humiliating her elder sister in every nook. But the most important one was he cheated on her mother.

"Go away!" He growled and pushed her harshly aside. This caused Ajwa to waver balance and she fell on the floor.

"Ajwa don't do this. Go to your room," Ayesha cried out. She didn't want her daughter to fall prey to that devil she called her husband.

Khalid again hurried after his wife but Ajwa was more quickly. She again stood up and came between her parents.

"Is there any problem without with the meal? I prepared the gravy, Baba. And I deliberately put the salt less because you already have blood pressure issues. The doctor has strictly prohibited you from using excess salt. Don't you remember?" She quickly took the blame on herself. She knew her father was just beating around the bush and excusing her mother only because his hand was itching to slap someone.

Khalid clenched his jaw. "Shut up! Covering your mother, huh?"

"Ajwa!" Her mother again screamed but she didn't hear.

"No. I am not doing this. But you are doing this just to humiliate---" She didn't get to complete her sentence as a harsh slap landed across her face from none other than her Baba. It was so strong that her teeth rattled. Tears formed in her eyes due to pain but she held them.

"What a good brought up you are doing of your daughters? Teaching them to stand against their father. Wow, Ayesha Begum!" Khalid smirked and then as perhaps his desire to hit someone also died, he didn't attack his wife after that.

He kicked on the chair. "Didn't even let me eat in peace. Ungrateful women!" He left the house after that.

"At least have a meal." Ayesha ran after him but he was long gone.