Umeed

Chapter 27

As the party went on, people around them exchanged curious and awkward glances, noticing Shahzain’s hand resting lazily yet possessively on Noor’s waist. His demeanor made it clear—he had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. Ayesha, observing from a distance, sighed and face-palmed at her son’s stubbornness. Even now, with Noor clearly upset with him, Shahzain remained too absorbed in his own jealousy and possessiveness to notice or care.

Noor, on the other hand, was battling her own conflicted emotions. She could feel the tingling warmth from Shahzain’s touch, but her mind quickly reminded her—wasn’t she supposed to be angry at this man? The one behaving like a child in his jealousy, refusing to listen to reason?

Nearby, Ayesha’s friends, noticing the tension and the awkward closeness between Shahzain and Noor, couldn't resist questioning Ayesha about the situation. After a moment’s hesitation, Ayesha decided to explain, “Well, when I was very ill, I had Shahzain and Noor quietly nikkahfied. We haven’t made it public yet, but we’re planning to announce it later with a grand reception.”

It didn’t take long for the news to spread like wildfire among the guests. The whispers carried from one corner of the party to another, turning heads and fueling speculation. Mrs. Firat, who had been eyeing the scene with thinly veiled disappointment, sighed deeply. Earlier in the day, Ayesha had mentioned that Ayaan’s father wasn’t in the picture, reigniting Mrs. Firat’s hope that Noor could still marry her son, Adeel. After all, Adeel had been infatuated—no, obsessed—with Noor for a long time. Mrs. Firat had hoped to arrange the match, seeing it as the only way to control Adeel’s increasingly unhealthy obsession. But now, with the revelation of Noor’s secret nikkah, her hopes were dashed.

Glancing around the lawn, Mrs. Firat realized with growing unease that she hadn’t seen Adeel in a while. Her eyes scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of him. A creeping sense of dread filled her as she made her way toward the house. Just as she approached, the sound of glass shattering echoed from Adeel’s room. Heart pounding, Mrs. Firat rushed upstairs and pushed open the door.

The scene inside was chaotic—glass shards scattered across the floor, furniture overturned, and in the midst of it all, Adeel stood breathing heavily, his hands bloodied from the broken glass. The wildness in his eyes made Mrs. Firat’s heart lurch.

“Beta…,” she gasped, rushing to his side. “Adeel, what have you done?”

Adeel’s face twisted with pain and anger as he looked at his mother. “Kyun, Ammi? Mai itna pyaar karta hoon usse, phir kyun? Why does she always slip away from me?”

Mrs. Firat, trying to calm him, reached for his hand, but Adeel was too far gone, too consumed by his rage to hear her.

She had known for a long time that Adeel’s feelings for Noor were more than just infatuation—they were an obsession. When Noor had returned recently, Mrs. Firat had thought to act quickly, but news of Ayesha’s deteriorating health had made her pause. She had hoped that this party would give Adeel the chance to win Noor over, but now, with the nikkah confirmed, she feared the worst. Adeel’s reaction only deepened her fear.

As she watched him, eyes wild with anger and pain, she knew she had to tread carefully. His madness scared her, not just for Adeel’s sake, but for Noor’s. What would he do now that his obsession had been crushed?

-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ-

It was late, nearing 11:00 PM, and the party was slowly winding down. Guests were beginning to leave, their goodbyes filling the air with a polite murmur. Noor scanned the crowd, looking for Mrs. Firat to bid her farewell, but she couldn’t find her anywhere. Feeling slightly unsettled, Noor decided to head inside the house, hoping to catch her before leaving.