Author's POV

Saim, who was standing near the counter sipping a cold drink, glanced around to find Aina but couldn't spot her anywhere. Frowning, he stood up and scanned every corner of the room. His brothers were laughing and enjoying themselves with their friends, and nearly all of Aina's girlfriends were present too.

Feeling uneasy, he walked out of the house, but there was no sign of her. After checking outside thoroughly, he came back in. Heading towards the common washroom, he paused when a muffled sob caught his attention.

"Leave me!" Aina cried, pushing a man away from her.

Saim's blood boiled. Without wasting a second, he lunged forward and yanked the guy away just as he leaned closer to Aina's face. As the guy stumbled and fell, Aina's chain was yanked from her neck, making her cry out in pain. Bruises were already forming on her delicate skin.

"How dare you?!" Saim growled, seething with fury. He punched the guy twice and was about to beat him to a pulp when Aina's soft tug on his arm pulled him out of his rage.

He turned to her and saw her tear-filled, innocent eyes. His heart clenched, and the anger surged again-but before he could react, the boy took advantage of the moment and ran away.

Aina immediately wrapped her arms around Saim, hugging him tightly. "I... I was so scared," she whispered.

Saim gently patted her head.

"It's okay. I'm here now. You don't have to worry," he assured her, his voice laced with protectiveness that always comforted her.

"Please take me to my room," she sobbed.

He nodded and took her hand, leading her upstairs. Suddenly, his vision blurred for a moment. Shaking his head, he tried to clear it and continued walking.

They reached her room, and he slowly helped her sit on the bed.

"Do... do you want some water?" Saim asked, confused by the sudden wave of exhaustion washing over him.

"Bhai... are you okay?" Aina asked, concerned, gently holding his shoulder.

He shook his head and stood up. "I think I'm not okay. I should go to my room," he mumbled, but as he took a step forward, he stumbled.

Aina held his hand to steady him. "It's... it's okay," he mumbled again and walked toward the door. Aina sat frozen on the bed, watching him.

Just as Saim reached the door, everything went dark. His hand weakly pushed the door shut as he collapsed against it.

"Saim Bhai..." Aina whispered, wiping a lone tear from her cheek before getting out of bed and hurrying to him.

The next morning arrived faster than usual. Aina's mother, Zubaida, went to her daughter's room to check on her, as Aina hadn't come to her the previous night as promised. A strange uneasiness weighed on her heart. Ever since Saim's nikah (marriage) date had been finalized, Aina's behavior had changed. She had stopped throwing tantrums, stopped expressing her emotions. That silence worried Zubaida deeply. Aina's mix of stubbornness and innocence was dangerous-Zubaida feared she might do something drastic.

As Zubaida opened the door, the ground slipped beneath her feet.

"Aina!!!" she screamed, her voice shaking the walls of the haveli (mansion).

Within seconds, the entire family had gathered outside Aina's room.

Inside, Aina and Saim stirred from their sleep. Aina rubbed her eyes, only to freeze when she noticed every member of the family standing at her doorway. She attempted to sit up, but something stopped her.

Her gaze dropped to her stomach-there was a hand resting there.

The hand moved.

Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly turned her head and saw Saim, still half-asleep, trying to open his eyes.

Saim's head throbbed with pain, but then his eyes fell on Aina, lying beside him, staring at him with horror.

As if jolted by electricity, he sat up in shock-only to realize he wasn't wearing his shirt.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

He turned and saw every member of the family watching them, their faces a mixture of shock, hurt, and disgust.

Saim looked at Aina, whose tear-filled eyes reflected complete devastation. She wasn't wearing her dupatta (scarf), and her face was a mess. Tears welled up in Saim's eyes. Before he could comprehend what was happening, someone grabbed his arms and yanked him from the bed.

A stinging slap landed on his cheek.

"Baba!" Aina screamed, jumping out of bed and running toward them. She stood in front of her father and Saim.

"Baba... it's not what it looks like..." Before she could finish, another slap landed-this time on her cheek.

"Razzaq!" Saim's father, Hameed, came forward and pushed his brother away from Aina. Saim quickly picked up his shirt from the floor and slipped it on.

"She's just a child. If anyone has committed a sin, it's my shameless son," Hameed said with a heavy heart.

"Of course! If it's a man's mistake, no one questions it, right, Bhaijaan?" Zubaida's voice trembled with pain as she grabbed Aina's hand tightly. "He's a man. But you-you're our daughter. Our upbringing. Then how... how could you..." Her voice broke as she began sobbing uncontrollably.

"Ammi... please don't cry. Please..." Aina tried to console her, stepping forward.

But her mother pushed her back with a hurtful glare.

"Stay away from us, Aina. Or I swear, I'll take your life!"

"Nothing happened! Saim Bhai didn't do anything!"

"Nothing happened?" Zubaida spat, dragging Aina toward the mirror. "Say that again after looking at yourself!"

Aina stared into the mirror. Her lipstick and kajal (kohl) were smudged. Her neck had red and purplish marks.

"No! It's not what you think... those are from when..."

"Enough, Aina. Enough! Stop defending him!" Razzaq roared.

"Chachu, please... listen to them. Bhai and Aina... this can't be true. I think someone planned this. Maybe someone locked them in," Zaid said, his mind racing.

"Then we need to check the CCTV footage," Affan declared, storming out of the room. His heart was burning with rage, and though he wanted to punch Saim, the love and respect he had for his brother held him back.

"Baba... please believe me. I don't remember anything. All I know is... someone was misbehaving with Aina, and I threw him out. After that, everything is a blur..." Saim clutched his head, overwhelmed.

"Aina... bolo sach kya hai!" Zubaida demanded, glaring at her daughter. Her instincts screamed that Aina knew the truth. Aina gulped, sitting nervously on the bed, shaking her head.

"Humein bhi kuch yaad nahi," she whispered, but her voice echoed clearly in the silence.

"Let's get our answer," Affan announced, settling onto the sofa and opening his laptop.

Saim, along with Aina's parents and Zaid, moved behind Affan, their eyes glued to the screen. Saim stood there, holding his breath, while Aina stared at him with tearful eyes.

"Now, what do you have to say after this?" Razzaq bellowed, thrusting the laptop toward Saim, whose world collapsed in a heartbeat.

The footage showed him carrying an unconscious Aina to her room, supporting her by her shoulders. A few moments later, he was seen closing the door behind him.

"No!" he whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Ya Khuda... ye sab dekhne se pehle aap ne mujhe utha kyun nahi liya!" Zubaida cried out, collapsing to the floor.

"Chachi... chachi please believe me. Aisa kuch nahi hua. Aina to meri chhoti behen jaisi hai..." Saim pleaded, but before he could say more, a slap landed hard on his face-this time from his own mother, Shamim.

"Don't you dare call her your sister! Don't taint the sacred bond of siblings!" she spat, slapping him again. "You've brought disgrace upon us, Saim!" she screamed, striking him repeatedly.

"Tayi Ammi, please!" Aina cried out, finally breaking down, and Shamim stopped. Saim stood frozen, shattered. He had no idea how any of this had happened. He could never do something like this to Aina. She was like a baby sister to him. He simply couldn't have...

Then how had he ended up in the same bed, in such a compromising situation?

"I will kill him!" Razzaq growled and charged at Saim, punching him furiously. Saim stood still, silently enduring the beating. Aina screamed for her father to stop, but Razzaq was blinded.

Hameed closed his eyes, unable to watch the blood oozing from Saim's lips. Saim was at fault-and he deserved this.

Saim fell on his knees, and and just as Razzaq raised his foot to kick him, Aina threw herself in front of her father, her hands clasped together.

"Please, Baba... he didn't do anything... in fact, I..." she whispered, but her words faded into silence as she fainted, falling onto Saim. It was too much for her sensitive heart. She couldn't bear to watch her father mercilessly beat Saim. Aina had always been fragile-so emotionally delicate that her family avoided any serious arguments in front of her.

"Ain..." Saim whispered, catching her.

"Stay away from my sister!" Affan growled, pulling Aina away from him. He lifted her and gently laid her down on the bed.

************

"Chachu, please forgive me. I don't know what the truth is or isn't... but believe me, I could never do something like this to Aina. She's just a child to me. I've never even imagined anything wrong about her-not even in my dreams. You've known me since childhood... you know I'm not like this."

Saim fell to his knees in front of Razzaq, who sat on the sofa, holding his head in his hands.

"We don't know you anymore. You've been away from us for three years. Who knows what you've become? Maybe the lifestyle abroad suits you now-you've become one of them," Afnan spat bitterly.

"You tainted my beautiful, innocent daughter," Razzaq whispered through silent tears.

"The beauty we were once so proud of... it's the same beauty that destroyed her," Zubaida murmured softly.

"Chachi, please... her beauty means nothing to me. I wanted to marry Reema. She's the most beautiful person to me," Saim said desperately.

"Don't lie! Aina is the most beautiful girl you've ever seen. No Reema or anyone else can match her. That's why you couldn't control yourself... and RAPED HER!" Affan roared in fury.

"AFFAN!" Saim stormed toward him and punched him hard. "How dare you?!"

But suddenly, someone shoved him back, and a stinging slap landed on his cheek.

"He's telling the truth!" Razzaq shouted.

"Chachu, PLEASE!" Saim cried out in agony.

"ENOUGH!" Hameed's thunderous voice halted everyone in their tracks.

"Marry her," Hameed commanded, his voice final.

"Baba... in this situation, how can I marry Reema? I should postpone-"

"Marry Aina," his father ordered, daring him to refuse.

"Baba! How can you even say that?! She's a child! A bacchi!"

"You raped that bacchi," Shamim said coldly, her voice filled with disgust.

"No!!" he screamed, but no one believed him.

"Your screams won't change anything."

"I'm marrying Reema tomorrow," he reminded them, as if they'd forgotten.

"No. You're marrying Aina," his mother declared.

"I love Reema!" he shouted.

Aina's eyes snapped open as those words struck her like a blade. She sat up slowly, her gaze scanning the room as the memories of what had happened just an hour ago came flooding back. Her father had beaten Saim. Everyone had blamed him.

She would tell them the truth. She never wanted this. She never wanted her father to hurt him. It was her mistake. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands.

"After ruining my daughter's life, you still dare to speak of marrying your lover?" Razzaq yelled, pushing him again. "You will marry Aina-or I'll kill you both!" he threatened, making Saim stumble.

"Please don't do this to Aina. I'm ten years older than her, Chachu. She's an innocent, delicate flower. She doesn't deserve me. She deserves better-much better," Saim said softly, his voice trembling. Tears welled up and rolled down his cheeks. He still thought only of her. He didn't care if they stopped him from marrying Reema-what mattered was Aina, that innocent girl who didn't deserve this fate.

"You crushed that flower," someone said. He didn't have the strength to turn and see who it was-maybe his mother. He was lost in thought.

He knew his Chachu wouldn't actually kill them. He had only said it out of rage. Aina was the soul of this home-they wouldn't harm her. But still... they would never be able to give her the love and respect she deserved. People would only pity her. Her parents would no longer be able to look anyone in the eye if he refused to marry her.

And Aina... she wouldn't be able to face the world either. She'd be ruined. Her innocence, her laughter, her smile-it would all disappear. She would see herself as a rape victim. He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't destroy her like this.

If marrying her meant protecting her, then he would.

Aina wiped her tears, and with trembling hands, she stepped down from the bed. She would speak up. She would tell the truth. With that thought, she rushed out of her room.

"I will marry her. I will marry Aina."

Aina froze in her tracks as those words-words she had been desperate to hear-echoed through the hall.

★★★★