Author's POV

Saim always cared about Aina and loved her, it was just his way of loving change. Before he loved and cared for her as a cousin and now as his wife. Not that strong kind of love it was just simple love he has for his family.

"No" he refused and started his car.

"Please maan jaena. They really want to go" AINA persuaded but Saim still refused to give Zaid and Affan a week's leave. Saim shot her a glare which made her lean back in fear.

"They were doing this from the first week i came here. Something or other thing came up and they took one or two days leave. They are not taking their career seriously. You don't know them, So don't support them" he finished sternly as he drives towards the mall. She pouted and looked out of the window. She knew he was also the stubborn one and if adamant about something then no one can change his mind and now he was adamant to not let Zaid and Affan spoil their career.

He glanced at her. "Now don't spoil your mood. Today is our day and it's not fair to think about everyone and not about us" he made a face. Aina smiled and looked at him. She was not going to spoil the day.

"Only if you promise me to treat with pani puri and ice cream." She demanded.

"As you say my lady" Saim bowed his head making her blush.

They got out of the car when they reached the mall. Saim asked Aina what they should do as he took an off day. She told him she wanted to shop as she doesn't have any new clothes like the newly bride and Saim was more than happy to fulfill her wishes. It was her right to enjoy the beginning of their marriage days.

They went and bought many heavy, occasional, and casual dresses. "Saim, ye dekhein, kaisa hai" she showed him the yet another kurta for him. "Aina i've shopped before my wedding and I don't want anymore clothes." He politely refused but Aina's smile fell.

"That was of Reema aapi's choice" she mumbled But Saim being close to her heard it and snapped his head toward her.

She was right he shopped with Reema and everything he and Reema shopped was each other's choice. Not wanting to think much he grabbed the kurta Aina showed him.

"Anything you will choose for me i will buy" He pecked her temple to make her mood good.

Aina smiled shyly at the way of his making her feel good. She never thought he would be doing PDA.

"You go to the ice cream parlour. i will come" After their shopping of clothes she said looking toward the  undergarments shop.

Saim understood her and suppressed his lips smirk "lets shop something interesting for you" he said held her hand and started dragging her toward the shop.

"Allah! Saim rukein!" She stopped looking at him with wide eyes. "Aap.... Jaen. M...ma.main khud lelungi"

"Arre! why are you blushing like this?" He pulled her closer "i've seen much more than you in lingerie" he whispered making her red. He dragged her into the shop and without any hesitation he chose many beautiful lingerie. And Aina felt like dying in embarrassment when the sales girl told her that her husband's choice was excellent. He chose a sale girl when a man came to attend them and it was evident that he was a possessive husband who didn't want any other man to look at the lingerie his wife was going to wear only for him. It made her blush and embarrassed at the same time.

After they were done they went out of the store and started walking toward the ice cream parlor.

"Are you happy with the shopping?" He tease her when felt she was being too shy to talk.He lived years in Landon so he was not innocent or shy it's just that he always wanted to show his naughty side to his wife. And last night broke all the barriers he had in front of him. So that's why it was hard for Aina to digest his sudden naughtiness and flirtatious side.

"You're so shameless Saim. I never thought" She whined looking away making him laugh out loud.

"You should start thinking about how shameless i can be after last night" he whispered smirking. He was actually enjoying her company but not for Aina so far.

"I am never going to come with you for shopping" she smack lightly on his arms.

He laughed holding her hand with one hand. They ordered every store manager to send everything they bought to their address but only Aina's lingerie was in his other hand.

But just then Saim halted on his step as he saw the person in front of him. His smile faded.

Reema.

Reema was staring at them with hurt in her eyes. She saw them from far smiling and laughing. And her heart felt the stung pain and brought tears to her eyes. Saim felt his heart clenched as saw the painful look on her eyes. He was facing her for the first time after that day. He heard that she left the country after a few days of his marriage with Aina which caused him to move on and give Aina what she deserved. It's been almost two months since they last met.

"Reema" Saim whispered he couldn't hide the adoration he had for her.

Aina stood there like a statue. She looked at Saim then at Reema and couldn't stop the fear and hurt making their way into her heart.

"Can we talk?" Reema asked in a broken voice. She couldn't move on like he did because she loved him unlike him. She knew he liked her very much and cared for her. She was the ideal life partner for him but not more than that but for Reema he was much more than that. He was the man she loved and had a dream of spending life with him. It was her who proposed to him and he accepted with an open heart.

"I...." he looked at Aina. He didn't say anything but she understood him. She always does.

"You can. I'll wait there" with that she took the shoppers from his hand and went to the table she pointed to Saim.

___________________

"You seem happy," Reema stated, making him feel guilty. He didn’t say anything.

"I was so easy for you to move on," she said again, twisting the knife deeper.

"She is my wife. I can’t change the reality. I had to accept her somehow."

"And what about me?" she asked in a broken voice. "I left everything for you. I angered my uncle by rejecting his son and came here with you, and you married someone else. I waited all those days for you to come and explain what made you take that decision on the very day of our wedding, but you never came."

"I heard that you left," he said in a low voice.

"I did... but then the dealer told me to stay until the registration of the flat we had booked. And then I thought I would meet you and ask if you still wanted the flat or should I cancel the booking. But I couldn’t gather the courage to meet you," she finished, lowering her gaze to hide the tears pooling in her eyes.

"I’m sorry, Reema." In that moment, he realized Reema had been much more than just a fleeting liking. He couldn’t bear to see her like this. She had been his best friend. Everything flashed before his eyes—those dinners, their late-night calls, their laughter, and smiles.

"Why?" was all she could ask as a lone tear slipped down her cheek.

"I made a mistake. I... I was drunk and spent that party night with Aina. We didn’t know what happened, but the next morning when we woke up in the same room, everyone was there. I ruined her. I disgraced her. I couldn’t refuse to marry her. Her dignity was at stake," he confessed, unable to stop himself. It was everything he had wanted to tell Reema since day one, but his father had forbidden him from revealing the real reason. But didn’t she deserve to know? He looked down, ashamed.

"And what about me?" she sobbed. "How could you do that to me?"

"Reema..." Saim felt his heart ache. He couldn’t stop himself and gently held her hand. "She is innocent in all of this. She deserves a good life. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for Aina, it would’ve been very hard for me to accept this new life. But the way she supported me, accepted me, and worked for our marriage made me want to give her the happiness she deserves. And I’m determined to give her that."

Aina, who had been watching them for who knows how long, suddenly stood up. She couldn’t hold back anymore—seeing Saim hold Reema’s hand and speak to her so softly made her heart ache. She walked towards them. Saim quickly let go of Reema’s hand as he saw her approaching.

"I’m going home. You can come when you’re done talking," she said—not in anger or sarcasm, but with a calm, understanding tone. Only she knew how many times her heart had ached in those few minutes. She couldn’t sit there and watch their closeness, so it was better to walk away. She didn’t wait for his reply and left. Tears streamed down her cheeks—tears she had been holding back for so long.

She had seen the moisture in Saim’s eyes, but it was for Reema. And that hurt. Like a small child, she ran from there, wiping her wet cheeks with her sleeves. The day was supposed to be theirs—but Reema had taken it from her.

"Saim, please," Reema whispered as he was about to go after Aina, holding his hand tightly.

"Sorry, Reema. Now I’m only hers." He gently removed her hand from his. "I’m truly sorry."

"You wronged me, Saim," she cried.

Saim couldn’t agree more. He nodded slowly.

"I accept that. But now she is my wife... and I accept that too." With that, he ran after the woman he knew was crying her heart out.

---

"You know, you look like a small kid when you cry like this," he said softly as he finally caught up to her.

Aina snapped her head toward him, halting her steps—no, her run.

He also stopped and turned to face her, slightly panting. She stared at him. They were in the middle of the mall, under the dazzling lights, just staring at each other.

He cupped her face. "She was my past. You are my present and future," he said sincerely, wiping away her tears.

And that was all it took to melt her delicate heart. She threw her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly, not caring about the people watching. She was beyond happy that Saim had come after her. She was on cloud nine knowing he cared about her feelings.

Saim smiled, rubbing her back, and kissed her head as he whispered, "I know I’m your husband, but this doesn’t look very decent in the middle of the mall."

Aina, blushing deeply, pulled away and noticed people were staring at them, some even recording on their phones.

"My wife was upset, but not anymore," he told someone who asked what had happened. Aina, face down, began walking away, with Saim following closely behind.

"They’re so cute!" someone hooted. Saim glanced at her and smiled, his ears turning red from embarrassment. Aina, too shy to lift her head, kept walking. And like that, with much difficulty, they reached their car.

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

"Mama, they’re back!" Zaid shouted as they entered the house, startling both of them with his loud voice.

"Allah mere bachon ko nazar-e-bad se bachaye." (May Allah protect my children from the evil eye.) Shamim came rushing to them and pulled them into a hug, startling them a second time in a minute.

"What happened, Mama?" Saim asked, stepping back.

"We’re just so happy to see you both happy!" Zaid beam, holding up his phone screen in front of them.

It was their video from the mall with the caption: True love still exists and hashtags like #lovebirds and many more clichés.

"My friend was there and he posted this and tagged me! When I said it's my bhai and bhabhi, you won’t believe how many girls messaged me thinking I must be just like my brother," Zaid said excitedly, making Saim give him a strange look.

He rubbed his temples. This generation and their obsession with social media couples...

"You both sit here," Zubaida appeared with red chilies in her hand and made them sit on the sofa.

"Mama, we shouldn’t do all this," Aina murmured softly, but her mother, like all mothers, completely ignored her words.

They both looked at each other, embarrassed, as Zubaida started circling the chilies over their heads.

Once she was done, she recited some Surahs (chapters from the Quran) and blew them gently over their heads.

"Itne pyare lag rahe ho tum dono saath. Allah bas buri nazar se bachaye tumhe." (You both look so beautiful together. May Allah protect you from the evil eye.) Zubaida said, and Shamim nodded in agreement.

"It was a song they edited and made us look like a drama couple," Saim grumbled, annoyed by all the attention now.

"Whatever! But you both look really beautiful together, MashaAllah," Shamim said with a big smile. Saim bit his lips to hide his own smile.

"Mama, we’re tired. We wanted to rest," he said, then took Aina’s hand and walked toward their room. "Ab bas mujhe mere pota-poti ka chehra dikha do, uske baad main chain se is duniya se ja sakungi!" (Now just show me the faces of my grandchildren, and then I can leave this world peacefully!) Shamim yelled dramatically, making both of them turn red.

Once inside the room, they avoided each other’s gaze for a few minutes. But when their eyes finally met, they couldn’t hold it anymore and burst out laughing.

Their family was so dramatic.

★★★★