Waasiq was assuming himself extremely clever but he had no idea his father was two-step ahead. He was driving back to his home without having an idea what was going on behind his back. His innocent wife was struggling to save herself from his devil father. 

Soon his eyes went to the packet of cat food and only thought came to him 'There Isn't anything at home to feed the cat', resulting, he took U-turn.

Holding the packet of cat food he unlocked the old iron gate. For a long moment, he was puzzled because Hareem's crying voice was echoing everywhere. 

"Hareem kya hua?" He loudly calls her while locking the main gate behind himself.

(What's wrong)

"Hareem" Waasiq called her loudly when noticed her dupatta and hair strands scattered on the floor. He ran towards the room from where her crying voice was coming. 

"Abba" Waasiq was shocked. The small figure was begging for mercy in front of that merciless oversized devil, who was holding an evil smirk on his face.

Hareem who was crying out loudly got new energy in her frame after witnessing Waasiq in front of her eyes. Bearing with her uneven breath and hiccups she managed to make herself stand up with her trembling legs. 

Before she could dare to move toward Waasiq, Chodhri Mateen grabbed her arm tightly. 

"Abba leave her." Waasiq gritted his teeth, his eyes were ready to kill his father. Rage was running in his nerves more than blood. Hareem wiggled to free herself but couldn't. "Abba ye meri biwi hai, peechhe hat jao main tumhare sath kuch galat karna nahi chahta" Waasiq warned his father, for the time being, his eyes were fixed at Hareem's arm which his father was grabbing wildly. In the same way, an eagle grabs its prey.

(Abba she is my wife, back off. I don't want to harm you)

"I'll deal with you later, firstly let me handle her" Chodhri Mateen smirked at Hareem who was still attempting to run towards Waasiq.  "Mene ise khareeda hai, aur main apni cheez ko kisi ko istemaal nahi karne deta" Waasiq's blood boiled after listening to that low-grade and disgusting statement for his wife.

(I've bought her, and I never let my stuff be used by others)

"Abba…'' Waasiq yelled. The roar was so loud that the lifeless walls of the home were also shivered. His voice was holding a thundering effect which was enough to show the thunderstorm present in him. "Apni gandi zuban se meri biwi me liye ek bhi galat alfaaz mat nikaalna" Waasiq pulled out his gun and soon his father was at the trigger point. 

(Don't you dare to utter a single wrong word for my wife)

Chodhri Mateen was shocked. His son was taking him on gun point to save an ordinary girl. Waasiq again demanded to leave Hareem but the evilness of that old man was at its peak. He didn't loosen the grip.

''Abba I'm saying last time, lever her or I'll shoot you without any guilt." 

"Will you shoot at me for this girl? I'm your father"

"I'm ashamed to be your son" Waasiq muttered but with No effect, Chodhri Mateen was still standing shamelessly, he didn't have realisation that Hareem was his daughter-in-law, he had a strong feeling that Waasiq being his own blood and flesh won't shoot. 

But sometimes things go beyond expectations.

A loud shooting voice hit three pairs of ears at the same time a bullet hit Chodhri Mateen's left arm. Hareem was shocked when her arm was left from that tight grip. Mateen's eyes remain unblinked for a few moments, blood starts dripping down from his arm and a sharp, unbearable pain rush in his body. Finding a chance, Hareem ran towards Waasiq while rubbing off her tears and hugged him. 

For the first time, Hareem hugged him. 

For the first time, Waasiq felt her fragile figure against his hard chest. 

For the first time, his heart testimonies his success…

He was successful in converting himself into her protector from her kidnapper.

"Hareem, don't cry" He whispered whilst wrapping an arm around her shoulder but he was shocked again when his hand touched the soft skin of her shoulder. Shifting his sight to her back his heart forgot to beat for a moment. Hareem's shirt was torn up due to the abrupt grip of Chodhri Mateen. Waasiq covered her bare milky white skin with his big hand to save his wife from the dirty gaze of his father. Hareem was scared. That protective hug was must required at this time to provide a little amount of peace to her heart. "Shhh...you're alright, aren't you?" He asked not more than a whisper but she wasn't going to reply, her condition wasn't supporting her, hiding her face in his broad chest she was clutching his shirt tightly. She was still crying with hiccups. "Hareem, don't cry. I promise I won't let you face any harm" Waasiq whispered near her ear, he wanted to move back to go away from his father's approach but Hareem was hell scared to move by a single inch. He could feel her shivering in his arms. "Don't leave me alone… just don't" She begged. Life was difficult for her but this experience was the most horrible among all the pain she had till now.

"I won't. Don't worry" Waasiq assured her in a similar whisper. At that moment Waasiq was dealing with his scared and traumatised wife without bothering to notice his father's condition. Chodhri Mateen was enduring that pain but one pain was unbearable for him.

His only son, his own blood and flesh, his first child gunned him down for an ordinary girl.

How could he bear this pain? 

Since ever Chodhri Mateen had an iron rule Don't cut the branches, destroy the roots. And what was the reason behind this act of Waasiq? No one else but Hareem, who was crying in Waasiq's arms in front of his eyes. 

Ignoring his injured arm and its pain, Chodhri Mateen pulled out his gun to kill the main cause of that dispute between him and his son. 

On the other side…

Waasiq felt a little movement from his father who was at a standstill for the last few minutes, he lifted his gaze and…

"Hareeeemmmm…." Shouting, Waasiq pushed her to his right side and a sudden tremendous jolt at his abdomen forced him to bend down; "Aahh'' a painful groan was heard by Hareem just after a loud firecracker-like sound. She was puzzled by Waasiq's act until he fell on his knees and his white shirt started turning red. A loud gasp echoed in that dull environment. Her small heart refused to beat for a moment and her eyes refused to accept what she was discerning. Waasiq's face was red due to the intensity of pain.

"Waasiq…" Chodhri Mateen was shocked. He never wanted to hurt his son, his target was Hareem. He huffed and took Hareem at his target but Waasiq was still not backing off from his promise to protect her. 

Lifting his gun he abruptly shoots at his father, he wasn't in condition to set a target but two bullets out of four embed the chest of Chodhri Mateen separating his soul from his body at the same moment. 

Hareem was shaking with fear, there's blood and death in front of her eyes. Waasiq who was still on his knees;  turned his head to see Hareem. Before she could take a step further Waasiq's eyes shut down, he opens them one more time just like a blink and a thud! He collapsed! 

"Waasiq" kneeling in front of his unconscious, blood-clad frame, Hareem patted his cheek. An unsuccessful attempt to wake him up. She cried. Screamed. Shouted, but he didn't respond. 

And his mobile started ringing, Hareem hurriedly received the call with her shaving hands and "Waasiq yaar tu kaha hai? Tere baap ko sab pta chal gya hai, jaldi kuch kar warna…" The sentence of Waasiq's friend was cut in between by a loud sob. 

(Waasiq where are you? Your father gets to know everything Your father get to know everything 

"Un.. Unhe goli lagi hai" She could manage to whisper only those few words.

••••••••••••••••••

"You go back home. He'll be fine" Waasiq's friend told Hareem who was crying standing outside the operation theatre where Waasiq was fighting for his life.

"Jab tak woh theek nahi hote main kahi nhi jaungi" Hareem showed her stubborn side. 

(I won't go anywhere until he is fine)

"Will you stay alone here?" He asked and Hareem nodded wiping her tears. Waasiq's friend left her alone in the hospital as he had to do two important as well as difficult tasks.

First- Informing Chodhri family about Chodhri Mateen's death and Waasiq's condition as well as Waasiq's hidden marriage with Hareem.

And second, 

Doing something with the dead body. 

………

"Jab tak main zinda hu tumhara koi baal bhi baka nhi kar sakta!" 

(No one can harm you until I'm alive) 

Hareem sobbed while remembering those words and wiped her tears. 

"I hate when you cry. Show me your smile" 

She again sobbed after remembering that order. Suddenly that small red light turned off indicating that the operation was over after the wait of seven hours. 

"Doctor... How is he?" she asked and the doctor pulls his mask down just to inform her about Waasiq's critical condition. After listening to what the doctor said, Hareem's small heart started sinking. For the first time she was supposed to be happy in her life but was encountered by a new misery.

With heavy steps, she entered the room.

"Don't break your promise, I hate those people who break their promise... And I don't want to hate you" She whispered in his ear and kissed his cheek. He was the first man to protect her from problems; he even put his life at the stake to save her. She touched his hair and gently pushed them away from his forehead. "Please don't leave me alone. I feel scared without you" She sobbed again. Taking a step back she wiped her tears and spread a prayer mat beside his bed. 

"Ya Allah you're testing me in every possible way, but why are you giving him pain? Please don't do this. Why did you haven't written a single joy in my fate?" Cupping her hands she was putting her complaints in front of her lordp. "Please this time don't give me another pain. First time in my life I understand the meaning of being loved, please don't take this feeling away." Going in sujood she cried in front of Allah. And didn't know for how long she cried, then sleep consumes her. 

••••••••••••••••

"Hareem" a hand grabbed her shoulder which disturbed her not so peaceful slumber lifting her head from sujood she looked up "Phuppo Saheba you...here!" Hareem was amazed to saw Jameela Begum in that hospital room. But first, she turned her head towards the bed, Waasiq was still in his unconscious condition. 

"Chalo beta, ghar chalo" Hareem was shocked at that demand. 

(Let's go home)

"Konsa ghar Phuppo Saheba? Woh ghar jaha ke logo ne mujhe bech diya tha? Mera koi ghar nhi hai" Hareem muttered with tears. She made her way towards Waasiq's bed his shirtless figure was still laying lifeless. Hareem properly covered him with a sheet. 

(Which home aunty? The home whose people sold me? I don't have any home)

"Hareem…"

"Phuppo saheba now I won't go away from him." Hareem smiled with tears and her aunty also got tear in her eyes as she saw love in those honey brown eyes. 

"His mother called us and…" the middle-aged lady stopped in between

"And what?" Hareem questioned in a silent tone

"She informed us that you're with him. And… and told us to take you back. She doesn't want you to live with her son" Hareem's heart skipped a beat, her breath stuck in her chest for a while and a thick tear rolled down from her left eye. 

"Let's go beta" 

"But phuppo Saheba, I can't leave him in this condition…"

"His mother is coming. She will take care of her son. You come with me" Hareem glanced at Jameela Begum then looked at Waasiq, tears silently rolled down from her eyes.

"Zindagi me sari khushiyan nhi milti beta, bohot dukh dekhne padte hain" 

(One can't get all the happiness in life. Many problems and pains are supposed to face)

"Mene to Sirf dukh hi dekhe hain phuppo Saheba… aaj hi to Pehli baar ehsaas hua tha khushi kya cheez hoti hai aur aaj hi…" Hareem shared with her aunt but her gaze was fixed at Waasiq. 

(Aunty I've faced only problems and pain in my life. I understand the meaning of happiness today only and…)

"I'm waiting outside, come soon" Saying that the middle aged lady left Hareem alone with Waasiq. 

She smiled sadly at Her own condition. Lifting her both hands to her nape she unlocked the gold chain she was wearing. It was a gift from waasiq which she never wanted to wear, but did so due to his fear. 

"Get well soon. I don't want anything else just your well being." She muttered and placed that chain in his half closed fist before going back to her home… 

Her home?? 

Really?? 

Was that a home for Hareem? 

============

Manzil par pohoch kar kho jana, 

Majboor kisi ka ho jana… 

In uljhe hue afsano ko, 

Taqdeer hi kehna padta hai… 

Shikve bhi zuban par aate hain 

Khamoosh bhi rehna padta hai… 

In uljhe hue afsano ko, 

Taqdeer hi kehna padta hai…