Unexpected Promises

Chapter 49 ✓

Saad's pov:

"You aren't going anywhere Saad Ibrahim!" As soon as we reached our hall, mama stopped me, her voice thundering with a warning, daring me to go against her. Sighing, I stopped at my place, already feeling tired.

"Let him go, Maria. You can question him all you want later." Baba interrupted, looking at me with sympathy. 

"I'm not speaking to you Faisal." She gave baba a sharp glare. It was one of the rare times when she took his name, which indicated that she was really very angry.

"Mama, wh-"

"Nor am I talking to you Maaz Ibrahim." She turned her glare to him. "Would you like to interrupt me too, Zara?" Mama turned to look at bhabi, daring her to go ahead if she wanted to say something. By the look on her face, I knew bhabi wanted to interrupt, but quietly shaking her head, she looked down. "No? Better. But I do have questions for you all too."

"Can't you see how tired he looks? Just let him rest, at least for today." Holding mama's arm, baba tried to intervene once again, a worried look taking over his features.

"Does it look like I care? So much has been going on behind my back and you expect me to just let it go? I have questions and I want them answered, now!" Shrugging her arm out of his hold, she snapped angrily.

"Maria. Try to understand-"

"You try to understand! I can't just sit back and watch things unfolding in front of me! And you know what? It looked like I was the only clueless clown who didn't know what was going on there while you all knew about it! You know how confusing, how embarrassing, how disrespecting it felt?!" Narrowing her gaze at baba, she pointed a finger at him furiously, her voice rising an octave as she turned her glare at me. "Saalo ki mehnat se jo reputation banai thi, wo ek jhatke me mitti me mila di tumne Saad, ek jhatke me! Do you even realise what you just did? And what were you saying there? That she is your wife? And they are your in-laws? Tell me Saad, ANSWER ME!"

(The reputation which we built from years of hard work, you ruined it in a moment Saad, in just a moment!)

I was getting tired of this drama. I hated it! And when mama brought her reputation in between, I got frustrated. Why would she doubt me? What was so hard to understand or accept? "YES MAMA! Yes! She is my wife and they are my in-laws! Do I need to repeat myself?"

The sound of the slap resounded in the room before I could even anticipate something like that happening or feel the sting. The gasps echoed around, making me close my eyes as tears stung my vision. It hurt my heart more than my cheek! I didn't remember the last time mama raised her hand on me. And for what? Just because I was finally accepting the truth and confronting it?

"Bhai-"

"Don't. Don't you even dare repeat that in front of me again! Bhaad me jaye wife and in-laws! I don't accept her as my daughter in-law nor do I accept them as your in-laws! You get that?" She pointed a finger at me angrily. It angered me more, it frustrated me that she was talking about them like that. That she wasn't ready to accept her! "And Alayna, go to your room." When she took Alayna's name, I realised that she was still in the room. Glancing at her, I tried to blink my tears away. I couldn't be weak. Not in front of them, in front of Alayna. She might not take it the right way, and I didn't want that.

(Your wife and in-laws can go to hell!)

"But mama-"

"I. Said. Go. To. Your. Room." Mama gritted out, glaring at her. A dejected sigh escaped my lips as I stared at her. Why was she taking my anger out on her?

Frowning, Alayna folded her arms and shook her head stubbornly. "No. I'm not going anywhere."

"Zara, take Alayna to her room." Mama turned to face bhabi sternly, leaving no space for arguments.