𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 [𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡]

ＣＨＡＰＴＥＲ 98.

Alia did not cry for the bidai ceremony.

She bawled her eyes out.

She had no idea where the tears came from. Her mother was not there, there was no house that she was leaving to enter another one but she was still crying like it was the end of the world for her.

For a moment she could not even believe that she would cry so much.

Her brother was smiling like an idiot.

By the time she was in the car, the realisation had bought her to the point where Alia was dabbing tissues in her eyes to get rid of the remaining tears.

"Don't cry," he kissed the side of her head. "You know I hate it when you know that."

She nodded, understanding his point of view. It just felt a a lot like she was leaving everything behind even if he was walking into the same house that she had been living in over the course of a few months.

Armaan held her hand in his lap and entangled their fingers together. He raised their hands before placing his lips on her knuckles. "Alia, you look beautiful today."

She chuckled. "I know that."

"Well, as long as you know then." He retorted back with a mildly annoying look on his face and a completely in contrast smile on his lips.

He leaned in and kissed her forehead again before nuzzling there. "We wre married."

"We are," Alia replied with her eyes closed. They were. She was married now and somehow it was difficult for Alia to believe that it was her reality. The entire ceremony happened beautiful and full of laughs but she could not help and acknowledge the feeling inside her that something was missing.

Mama.

Her mothers absence had been a constant weight in her life for the past five and a half years and now that she had gotten married at her only added to it more than before. Her presence was required at Alia's wedding and. . . It was something that Aleema could not fulfill.

It was something that only her mother could fulfill and that women was no longer here.

Without her presence, Alia felt like she was never supposed to get married. She had never imagined a future without her mother yet here she was getting married smiling and attending the ceremonies like nothing had happened.

Why did feel guilty to do so? She just wanted to see her mother's face and her contribution when it came to her getting married but the truth was Alia was never going to get that.

The car stopped in front of the mansion and before long, after a few Rituals, all the close family members found themselves in the living room with a big utensil in between Alia and Armaan filled with milk and rose petals.

"Ready?" Laksha asked with a huge grin on her face.

Alia nodded to her as she looked at Arman who had a challenging smile on his face ready to take her on.

"Go!"

Alia's hand dived into the huge bowl filled with milk and her fingers brushed over the first item she found. It was a coin and she was supposed to find the ring.

"Got it," she looked at Arman who pulled the ring. Shit, he found it first and held it up for everyone to see with the cheeky smile on his face.

"Well, well, well," Armaan's second cousin; Jai spoke up, "no surprise there." That everyone around them laugh and Alia blush. Really?

"As if Arman would ever let someone else take the lead." Another cousin spoke up but Alia disregarded it, even though it pinched her slightly.

It's not matter. They were married now and they both would have to make compromises.

Lakshya placed the ring inside the vessel and ran her hand in the milk jumbling all the coins and the rings making it unbiased for both of them to find.

"Go!"

She said and Armaan and Alia dived into The vessel. Alia felt her fingers brush over the coin but this time it appeared to be hollow from inside. Her eyes widened at the possibility and she pulled out the familiar ring in front of everyone to see.

"Fu-ah! Ma!"

"Alia won!"

Alia beamed Armaan who smiled slightly at her making her feel all giddly inside. She waved the ring in front of him making him smile before pointing with his eyes back at the vessel.

He wanted her to drop it back.

"Well done, Alia." Laksha praised and to the ring from her. "Now this time is the last time and the one that decides which one of you wins. Ready?" She looked at both of them who nodded at her confirming that they were ready for this.

Laksha once again dropped the ring inside the vessel before running her hand inside and making show to leave the ring randomly.

"Go ahead!" She declared and their hands plunged into the vessel filled up to the brim with milk.

Alia's hand brushed over many coins but not a single ring. Just as she touched and other ring, Armaan's and raised from the milk holding the ring.

Alia's mood dimmed slightly especially when the chairs were louder than they had been for her.

"He won!" Jai yelled. "Told you, he would never let anyone else wins against him!"

Not even his wife? Alia ignore the thoughts in her mind and focused on the scene in front of her. No matter what it was still beautiful and she could not help but smile when she saw her brother laughing with everyone.

Laksha rose up and so that the other ladies. It was time for all of them to retire.

Once again, Alia found herself in Armaan's room only this time it was decorated to the nines. The candles, the rose petals and the flowers, all around the room along with the soft glow and the most romantic thing that she had ever seen.

The door opened and she heard him enter before the door closed again. Area turned around to find her groom, her husband standing at the door staring at her with arms folded across his chest.

To new beginnings.