THE DESTINED CONFLUENCE

D-DAY

Zara woke up early on her nikah day, feeling both nervous and excited. She stepped out onto the balcony and looked down at the preparations. Zaviyar was there in his green kurta pajama from last night, his sleeves rolled up and hair a little messy.

He was talking to the event planner, pointing out something about the flowers. His tone was sharp, and Zara smiled to herself. Even with so little sleep, he was making sure everything was perfect.

Zaviyar was in the middle of scolding the event planner when Shehryar appeared from behind and hugged him tightly. In his sleepy voice, Shehryar whined, "Bhaiyaa, dekho na bhaiyu ko, wo mere liye aloo paratha nahi order kar rahe."

Zaviyar's sharp tone softened immediately as he chuckled. "Chhoro use, aao, mai khilata hoon tumhe aloo parathe," he said, ruffling Shehryar's hair.

He turned back for one last instruction. "I want all of this fixed ASAP," he ordered the staff before walking off with Shehryar, already discussing breakfast.

Zara leaned on the balcony railing, watching him. Her heart swelled with love, beyond what words could ever express. The way Zaviyar always put family first made her love him even more.

"Zara, beta, breakfast kar lo," her amma's gentle voice broke Zara's thoughts. "Phir tumhe tayyar bhi hona hai."

Zara left the balcony and sat at the table, but she could barely eat. Her chest felt tight, and before she knew it, she leaned over to hug her mother.

"Amma, I love you," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Mujhe aapki bohot yaad aayegi." Tears rolled down her cheeks as the thought of leaving her family hit her hard.

Her amma hugged her back, stroking her hair. She didn't say much-she didn't need to. They both understood.

Samaira, sitting nearby, wiped her own eyes before giving in. She hugged Zara tightly. "Mat jao na, appi," she sniffled. "Mai aapke bina kaise rahungi?"

In the middle of their hug, a soft knock came at the door. Zara's mother looked at Samaira. "Beta, dekho kon hai."

Samaira opened the door to find Nagma, Zara's mother-in-law, holding a thaal with Zara's bridal gharara and jewelry.

"Assalamualaikum," Nagma greeted with a warm smile. She stepped in, taking in the tearful scene. With a soft laugh, she said, "Arre, yaha toh rona dhona chal raha hai! Kyun ro rahi hai meri bacchi?" She walked over to Zara and hugged her gently. Her warmth gave Zara a quiet assurance-she would be loved in her new home too.

---

Zaviyaar looked striking in a white sherwani, his face glowing with excitement. Haider was by his side, carefully tying Zaviyar's pagdi. "Perfect," he said, stepping back with a satisfied nod.

Beside them, Shaheer handed Zaviyaar a single red rose. "Nayi zindagi ki bohot Mubarakbaad, Bhai," he said with a smile. Then, with a playful glint, he added, "Aur is baar na pitiyega."

Zaviyaar burst out laughing, pulling Shaheer into a tight hug. Memories of their past filled his mind.

---

Flashback

It was Zaviyar's 22nd birthday. Tired from a long day, he walked into the house, looking for Shaheer. But Shaheer wasn't there.

"Ammi, Shaheer kaha hai?" he asked, worried.

"Apne kamre mein hoga," she replied, but Zaviyar shook his head. "Waha nahi hai," he said, panic creeping into his voice.

Together, they started calling Shaheer's friends, their worry growing with every unanswered call.

Just when anxiety peaked, the door opened, and Shaheer walked in with a small cake box in one hand and a single red rose in the other. His sheepish smile faltered when he saw Zaviyar's stormy expression.

"Happy birthday, Bhai," Shaheer said softly, holding out the rose.

Instead of the gratitude he expected, Zaviyar's hand landed on his cheek in a sharp slap.

"Hosh mein ho? Bina bataye ghar se nikalne ki himmat kaise hui?" Zaviyar shouted, his anger driven by fear.
.....

"Us din agar Dadu ne samjhaya na hota, toh pata nahi aap mera kya haal kar dete," Shaheer teased, handing Zaviyar the rose with a cheeky smile.

Zaviyar smirked, about to retort, when a familiar voice interrupted. "Dadu ko yaad kiya, aur lo, Dadu hazir!" They turned to see the old man entering, Hassan steadying him with a firm hand on his shoulder.

Shehryar's face lit up. "Dadu, mujhe jab daant padegi, tab bhi aap mujhe bachane aayenge na?" he asked, running over to him.

The old man laughed, his hearty voice filling the room. "Haan, haan, bilkul. Tumhe kaun daant sakta hai jab main hoon?"

"Assalamualaikum, Dadu," Zaviyar greeted respectfully, stepping forward to help him. Hassan stepped aside as Zaviyar guided his grandfather to a chair, his touch gentle yet steady.

"Walekumassalam," the old man replied warmly, eyeing Zaviyar with a proud smile. "Bohut haseen lag rahe ho, Janab," he added, reaching out to adjust Zaviyar's pagdi with care.

Around them, the groomsmen, all dressed in sleek black sherwanis and sunglasses, looked sharp and confident. Amidst them, Ariza stood out in a stunning black gharara, effortlessly matching the theme. She wouldn't dream of missing the coordinated look, her elegance adding to the charm of the group.
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The baraat arrived with all the usual fanfare, music, and excitement. On the bride's side, everyone stood ready to welcome them. Haider drove the groom's car, and Zara's father stepped forward to help Zaviyar out.

Just as Zaviyar was about to get down, his khala smirked and remarked, "Dulhe ko to dulhan ka bhai utarta hai na."

Nagma's expression tightened as she gave her a sharp glare. But Khala wasn't done. "Main toh sirf wahi keh rahi hoon jo humesha se hota aaya hai. Ab inka koi beta hai hi nahi, usme hum kya kar sakte hain?"

Samaira's eyes narrowed in anger, her fists clenching as she opened her mouth to reply. But before she could, Shaheer stepped forward with a confident smile.

"Kisne kaha dulhan ka bhai nahi hai? Main hoon na. Aaiye, jeeja ji," he said cheerfully, holding out his hand toward Zaviyar.

Zaviyar smiled and side-hugged Shaheer. "Shukriya, saale sahab," he said playing along before stepping out and walking toward the stage with ease, ignoring the unnecessary remarks.

Samaira couldn't help but glance at Shaheer, her heart swelling with gratitude. Her sister was marrying into a family where love and respect flowed naturally. It was all she could have wished for Zara.

On the stage, Zaviyar sat, visibly impatient, his eyes flicking toward the entrance every few seconds. He was waiting for his bride, his excitement barely contained.

Finally, Zara appeared, walking gracefully under a flower canopy held by her bridesmaids. She was a vision in her golden gharara, the intricate embroidery glimmering under the lights, perfectly complementing Zaviyar's sherwani.

The atmosphere grew even more magical. Zara moved closer to the stage, her every step filled with poise.

She took her seat on the opposite side of the floral curtain, a soft blush on her cheeks as the guests admired her. Zaviyar, though separated by the curtain, felt her presence and smiled to himself, knowing the wait was almost over.
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Here's the update, everyone! This one's for you, azsazs08 thank you for always being my biggest motivator.

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