Umeed

Chapter 31

The deal had been signed successfully between Shahzain's company and their partners, bringing a wave of relief to the business side of the night. Yet, as the party wore on, the mood grew heavier, and whispers circulated, as they had for months. Faris had already left earlier to drop Ayaan and Hoor home, and Ayesha, ever the doting grandmother, had tucked them into bed.

Noor stood on the fringes of the gathering, her posture rigid as she observed the party winding down. Her mind churned, a bitter cocktail of frustration and resentment. Ever since Shahzain had impulsively married her, the rumors had followed—cruel and cutting, with people questioning their relationship. She could feel the weight of their judgmental stares on her back.

“She’s so young for him,” someone whispered.

“Maybe she trapped him. You know how she was always part of the Khan family before she disappeared for all those years.”

Noor clenched her fists at her sides, her knuckles whitening with the pressure. Every word stung, each one like a needle driving deeper into her already raw emotions. She didn’t want to hear it, but she had no escape. Shahzain’s hasty decision to marry her had led to this—her life was now dissected by strangers, her character questioned, and whispers about her past with the Khan family resurfacing. Even worse were the whispers about Shahzain's first wife, Rania, and the unfounded speculation that he was still in love with her. It all pointed to one thing—that Noor was an outsider who had somehow trapped Shahzain into marriage.

A wave of bitterness washed over her. She hadn’t wanted this—not the rumors, not the pitying glances, and certainly not the burden of being tied to a man whose impulsiveness had dragged her into this mess.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted near the center of the room. A young woman—someone Noor vaguely recognized from earlier—stood shouting, her voice sharp and accusatory.

“He touched me!” the woman cried out, holding up her phone for everyone to see. “There are photos! Shahzain Khan misbehaved with me!”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. People craned their necks, eyes darting from the girl to Shahzain, who stood frozen, his face darkening with anger. The room buzzed with murmurs, and all at once, it seemed as though everyone had forgotten about the business deal or the party. All eyes were on the unfolding scandal.

The woman’s phone displayed photos of her and Shahzain in what looked like compromising positions. The images were grainy but shockingly clear enough to make it appear as though Shahzain had been involved with her.

Noor’s heart lurched, but she forced herself to remain calm. Deep down, she didn’t believe the photos—Shahzain had many faults, but this wasn’t one of them. Yet the bitterness inside her refused to be silenced. Why had it come to this? Why had Shahzain’s reckless decision to marry her led to these rumors? She couldn’t help but feel that it was all connected, that his impulsive behavior had invited chaos into her life.

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder. “Maybe it’s true. Wasn’t he still in love with Rania? And now he’s with Noor? There are rumors that Noor ran away and returned with a child. Such a shameless girl, and Shahzain married her. What could be the reason? Noor is young, and there’s such an age difference between her and Shahzain, yet he still married her. You know what Shahzain is capable of if he’s already married a girl without character.”

“I always thought there was something off about their marriage,” another voice added. “Noor was with the Khans for years, then she just disappeared. Now she’s back, and suddenly married to Shahzain?”