𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 ✓

-42-

The sound of Rizwan's raised voice caught my attention, pulling me away from my thoughts. Naaz and I exchanged a glance, our peaceful moment shattered by what sounded like a full-blown argument. We rushed toward the counter, and as we got closer, I could hear Rizwan clearly.

"You witch!" Rizwan shouted, his face flushed with anger. "You're trying to snatch my brother from Naaz, even though you know he loves her! And you used your dad and hers to force this marriage on him. It's disgusting."

I clenched my jaw, irritation boiling under my skin as I heard the accusation. Rizwan had no filter, and Mariyam was only adding fuel to the fire.

Mariyam's face was equally furious. "Watch your mouth, little boy!" she spat back, her eyes narrowed with rage. "You're nothing but a child in this matter. Stay out of things you don't understand."

Rizwan scoffed, unfazed. "Little boy? At least I'm not a homewrecker like you."

I shot Naaz a glance, and she was already stifling a smile. She didn't exactly hate this back-and-forth, especially when Mariyam was on the receiving end.

By the time Naaz and I reached them, the scene was already a mess. Rizwan and Mariyam were glaring at each other, oblivious to the stares from the other patrons in the restaurant.

"Enough," I said, my voice firm, trying to bring some sense to the situation. "Both of you need to calm down. We're in a restaurant, not at home."

But of course, they didn't listen. Rizwan crossed his arms, glaring at Mariyam like he was ready to keep going. "She tried to manipulate her way into our family! She should be ashamed!"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Mariyam shot back, her voice rising, drawing even more attention from the people around us.

Rizwan wasn't backing down. "This is the only way to talk to you, Old lady," he shot back, practically shaking with fury.

"Rizwan, stop," I ordered, giving him a stern look. "Go back to the table with Naaz."

"Stay out of this, Siddique!" Mariyam snapped. "This little boy needs to learn some manners."

"And you need to learn some boundaries, old lady!" Rizwan shot back, not missing a beat.

I ran a hand over my face, exasperated. Naaz, standing next to me, was watching the whole exchange with a smile tugging at her lips. She was clearly enjoying the spectacle, especially seeing Rizwan insult Mariyam. I wasn't exactly surprised-Naaz never hid her distaste for Mariyam. In fact, she reveled in it when someone gave Mariyam a hard time.

"Naaz, take Rizwan back to the table," I said, keeping my voice steady despite the embarrassment creeping up my neck. People were staring at us, and a few were even enjoying the show.

Rizwan opened his mouth to argue, but Naaz stepped in, smiling sweetly. "Come on, Rizwan. Let's leave Siddique to deal with this." Her eyes sparkled with amusement; she was clearly enjoying the spectacle.