His Hidden Crush

Chapter 10

Ayat POV:

“What the hell is this????” A feminine voice reached my ears and I closed my eyes immediately recognizing the voice. I cursed under my breath.
Fuck!!

I raised my teary eyes and saw the whole family standing there. Phupo was the one who interrupted. Only I turned towards her because bhai was still punching Rauf.

Baba and Taya abu ran towards bhai and separated him from Rauf. Phupo rushed towards her son and hugged him. Ami and tayi ami came to interrogate me about the situation but my lips were sealed. My whole body was frozen and I was just silently watching bhai hoping he'd explain everything. His jaw was clenched and he was throwing daggers at Rauf.

“May we know why you were beating him?” Taya abu asked bhai. His nostrils flared and he was super angry. He turned towards Taya abu and replied. “Abu, this bastard tried to assault Ayat. He used such words for her, I can't even tell you.” Everyone was shocked by the revelation and ami hugged me immediately.

“What???" Taya abu and baba glanced in my direction and took in my appearance. My tear stricken face, my torn clothes and my body covered with bhai's blazer was saying all yet they asked just for phupo's sake.

“Ayat beta, is this true?” Baba asked me in a soft low voice he used with me in my childhood that I remember till today and just listening to this, I again burst into tears. I ran towards him and hugged him burying my face in his chest. Not before nodding my head.
That's it.

Baba walked towards the monster, my assaulter and slapped him.
“This is for doing this to my precious daughter.” He gritted his teeth and glared at him.

Rauf held his cheek in disbelief and opened his mouth to say something but his near dear one mother interrupted.
“Bhai, how dared you to slap my son? It wasn't his fault. All is your daughter's fault.” She spat and glared at me.”

Even being a woman she was saying this.

“Yes, she was the one who seduced me and took me to the bridal room.” Rauf accused me and I gaped at him.

Fearing everyone would believe him over me, I turned towards everyone to ask them whether they were trusting him or not. But bhai interrupted and defended my honor. “Don't! If you say another word against her, I swear to God I will strangle your fucking neck with this filthy tongue of yours.”

Rauf glared at bhai like he would like  nothing but to kill him. I was sure if looks could kill bhai would've been dead by now. “Ohh so you all don't believe me? Let me show you something. Want to know why this Zahran is defending her so much? See this.”

“What are you saying?” Taya abu asked him. He didn't reply, just took out his phone from his pocket and showed them something which surprised everyone. I was standing far from him so I couldn't make out what he was showing.

“Explain this, Zahran and Ayat!” Tayi ami said and I furrowed my eyebrows not understanding her.

“What are you saying?” When my curiosity piqued, I asked. “Don't pretend like you don't know. You're not naive what you try to prove you are.” Rauf spat shoving his phone at my face.

I saw the pictures, the reason for everyone's surprised state. And my jaw dropped seeing them.

He showed everyone two pictures of Bhai and me. First one was when he was making me wear those gajry and we were glancing at each other. Second one was when just a few minutes ago, I hugged him out of fear.

This motherfucker!!

I glanced at bhai and found his tensed state like mine, jaw clenched, fists clenching and unclenching like restraining himself from punching him all over again. His veins were popping clearly indicating he was pissed off. I ran a gaze at everyone who were also looking at me and bhai. I bit my lower lip and lowered my head.

“Your own daughter is a seductress and you are here accusing my son.” Phupo taunted baba. “This is not true, baba. I can expl–” I whispered, trying to clear this misunderstanding but phupo interrupted me.

“Oh, please. This is enough explanation.” She pointed towards the pictures. I saw through my peripheral view and the manipulative jerk, Rauf, was smirking.
“We know what you were doing behind our backs. Can't blame you when the one who gave you bi—”

“Phupo!!! Enough. Not a word more.”
Zahran bhai still defended me. My question was, why?

“Why are you all only accusing Ayat? Can't you see I was also with her in the pictures?” He said to phupo and turned to the baba and ami. “Chachu and chachi let me handle it. Can I?” They nodded their head giving him permission.

What the hell was going on??

“I know you, beta. You are not like this. You can't do this. I know she had done this only. This bit—” Phupo continued until bhai interrupted her.

“I said enough. You are older than me so I am respecting you otherwise.” He clenched his jaw and glared at Rauf then continued. “If anyone in this room says a word against her then be ready for the consequences.” He jabbed a finger at everyone in the room.

My jaw almost hit the floor and I watched bhai with wide eyes. Bhai wasn't like this. It's not him. “What are you saying, Zahran? You are disrespecting your only phupo for this good for nothing girl.” She pointed at me with disgust and I snuggled more in ami.

“HER name is Ayat and she is the izzat of our house. So I request you to choose proper words.” He emphasized the word her.At this point, my heart will jump out of my chest. What is happening to me? Why is bhai doing this? These thoughts were roaming in my mind, making me dizzy.

“Why are you defending her so much? She is not as naive as you are assuming. She is a cunning bit–” Before Rauf would complete his words, bhai again pounced at him and punched him again.

“This is for disrespecting her in my presence when I clearly warned you.” He spat in a menacing tone. “Zahran, Enough now stop.” Taya abu after being silent for a long time, interrupted.

“Abu, I am telling you I won't accept any disrespect towards Ayat.”

“Who is she to you that you're hitting my son again and again for this girl? What has she done to you? She is just a characterless whore.” She gritted her teeth and snapped at me.

Baba and ami were just watching silently letting bhai deal with it and Taya abu and tayi ami as well. My heart was thundering so loudly and my body was at fire. My mind was so numb. Today I was being referred to as characterless. I didn't even know what to feel, how to deal with this.

I shook my head at everyone trying to tell them it wasn't true. My mouth dried, no words came out. I just closed my eyes and leaned towards the ami for support.
“She was my cousin and now is going to be my wife. I will marry her. I will prove to you that she is not characterless. Is ki paak damani ka gawah mein hn. Mein gawahi deta hn k iska kirdar bilkul saaf hai.” His words shook me to the core. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. My heart picked up its race.

“Zahran, beta ye kya keh rhy ho?”
Ami, abu and tayi ami voice fell in my ears at his decision and my breath got stuck. I was short of breath and was breathing harshly. Ami noticed my condition first. “Ya Allah, Ayat.”

Everyone turned towards me. Ami massaged my hands, patted my back but my vision became blurry. I was about to fall but I saw bhai running in my direction. Before I could hit the floor, he took me in his embrace. He stroked my cheek and whispered in a voice only I heard. “Butterfly!!” And then…
Everything became black.

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Salam readers, hope you are doing well. I updated next chapter early because I have exams, I won't be able to update at least til 25th of the month. Hope you like this. Please vote too. Allah Hafiz