***Book 3 of the For Our Love series. Not a standalone novel***
Hania: Sweet, awkward, shy and the protected child of her family. She's perfectly content in her little world, with her adoring parents, her protective and outspoken sister and her best...
Guys, I wrote Path One in the previous chapter by mistake and nobody even noticed. :D Even I just noticed now. *Facepalm*.
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I stared at myself in the mirror and reminded myself that I was doing this for Hamza's sake. I wore a orange-peach lace long dress, with chudidar and a net dupatta. The sleeves were sheer and the entire outfit had floral patterns stitched over it. With that I wore silver and gold chandelier earrings, with a matching set of bangles that highly complimented my mehendi. Slipping my feet into tan high heels, I checked my reflection again to make sure that my hair was okay, resting loosely over my shoulders.
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Despite my internal turmoil, I behaved and dressed like a typical newlywed bride about to celebrate her husband's first birthday after their marriage.
Daniyal Uncle had made reservation for me and Hamza at one of the best and most expensive restaurant in Lahore as a birthday present. But Hamza had seen how much more comfortable I'd looked with my family earlier, so he had gone ahead and made his own birthday about me as well. He called up the restaurant and booked their event hall instead and organised a party for all our close family, including my Mamus and Phupho's family. He had sacrificed couple time on his own birthday, just to keep me calm and relaxed, and my heart seemed to overfill with love for him.
When I'd told him that he didn't have to do this for me, he'd told me that he had done it for himself, because he had always wanted a huge family, after being stuck between his parents' argument most of his life. But I knew him very well now, and I knew that he was only concerned about making me happy.
I felt guilty because I was relieved to have everyone around. I liked the feeling of safety I felt around everyone. The concept of 'safety in numbers' was like a mantra to me now.
"You okay?" Hamza asked, concerned as we got to the restaurant.
"I'm just feeling bad because I couldn't get you a birthday present on your first birthday after our wedding." I sighed.
"You came back to me. That's the biggest present I could ever receive." He lifted up my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Because you're my life, Hania, and I can't even imagine life without you."
I got out of the car, and Hamza took a few seconds longer as he fumbled around for his wallet that had dropped between the seats. It was just seconds, but that was enough for me to go back to that awful night. The orange streetlights across the road seemed to be taunting me, and each shadow seemed to be hiding a malicious being that wanted to harm me. I was in open air, invisible walls seemed to be closing around me. I screamed, dropping down to my knees.
"Hania!" Hamza jumped out of the car and raced around the front to my side. Crouching down, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Han, you're okay. Look, I'm right here. You're safe."
