𝑬𝒉𝒔𝒂𝒂𝒔 𝑬 𝑼𝒍𝒇𝒂𝒕 (𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 1)

Afreen 🌺 Part 3 🌺

The atmosphere at the Khan haweli has suddenly turned gloomy. Well not for everyone.

Aadila Begum aka the beloved daadijaan of Dua and Shayaan was appearing aloof from some days and this was observed by everyone.

"Kya baat hai Begum aajkal dekh raha hun aap kuch khoyi khoyi si rehti hain? Aadila Begum looked at her husband and showed him her displeasure.

"Shukar hai aapne notice toh kiya nawab sahab. Hum behad naraz hain aapse aur Junaid se. Faiza ne Shayaan ka rishta manga aur aapne hame batana bhi zaroori nai samjha. Batana chodiye aapne toh bhanak bhi padne di Nawab sahab." The last words were kind of taunt to her husband.

Seeing his wife of sixty years, Nawab Asif Khan didn't knew that it was such an important matter.

"Begum kya aapko ye rishta pasand nahi hai? Armeena nahi pasand aapko? Aapki hi nawasi hai wo. Shayaan ke liye ek aisi ladki achi rahegi jo hamare taur tarike samajhti hogi," the nawab sahab was now getting confused on his Begum's outburst.

"Hamne aisa kab kaha? Aadila Begum didn't showed her displeasure but she didn't let her feelings out.

Armeena is maybe her granddaughter but the girl was too outward and impolite with the likes of hers and even Shayaan.

Few years back, her nonchalant attitude with the family was enough for the Aadila Begum to know that the future Nawab of the Khan's needed a strong support with him.

"Par aapki baton se zahir hai Aadila. Humne ek zindagi saath guzari hai. Aapki har ek baat aapki aankhon mein padh sakte hain aaj bhi." He held the now wrinkled hands of his wife and assured her.

"Abhi Naziya aur Junaid ne Shayaan se baat nahi ki hai, agar unki razamandi nai hogi toh kuch nahi hoga Begum. Waise gazab hai Aadila Begum aapko apni khudki beti ki aulaad nahi pasand aapke pote ke liye." The mischief and teasing words made Aadila Begum look at her husband with stern eyes.

"Hamari aulad hai Faiza aur unki aulad hai armeena isliye hum samaj sakte hain, lekin aap beti ki mohabbat mein andhen na ho jana nawab sahab".

The words were the direct hit on Asif and he understood where it was referred too.

"Lagta hai aapne aajtak hame muaf nahi kiya hai Begum Faiza ki Akram ke sath shadi karwane ke liye."

Asif Khan had sided with his daughter years back when she had shamelessly asked to get marry her third cousin Akram.

Akram was already engaged to be married at that time but Faiza's insistence and her stubbornness had made her father to talk with the distant family of their's.

Only Asif was there at that time who had sided with his daughter Faiza and it was with efforts she was married to Akram. It was not the hidden truth that Faiza was the second wife of Akram as he had refused to let his first wife go.

"Aap bhool sakte hain lekin main nahi meri beti dusri biwi hai Akram ki. Agar aapne us waqt uska saath nahi diya hota na toh chahe wo kitni bhi zidd kyun na karti main nahi jhukti uske saamne."

The displeasure in the words of his Begum made Asif Khan even have guilt surfacing. He had known this for long that he was wrong in supporting his daughter, his daughter who was born in riches was reduced to a mere wife of a government employee. It wasn't like Akram or his family weren't financially strong but Akram had supported two families on his own.

His wife didn't knew that he had helped his daughter time to time even though it wasn't needed but it was just to make sure that she was taken care off. Akram was a good man with high morals and never backed off from his responsibilities but the man was ten years elder and wasn't the correct choice for his mere seventeen year old daughter.