Every love story has a hero, a heroine and a villain but this is the story of a Villain.
Zaid Adeeb Tahir life's has plunged into darkness when he couldn't save his fiancée. He turned brutal and ruthless, not bothering about the number of beings he...
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Hate is a strong word that colors the soul but Isabella had no fear in admitting how much she hated her mother's family especially her grandfather Kaseem Azad, the so called religious man who rejected his grand daughter because she has the blood of a non-Muslim running through her veins.
He has six sons and four daughters, all were married with kids around her age or elder or younger than her. Some of his grandchildren had fallen into the dirty norms of the society like wrong peers, drugs, gambling even teenage pregnancy; however they've all been forgiven. He could have easily forgiven his daughter but he didn't. He preferred that his daughter and granddaughter lived in the most despised and abominable area of Mugla among thieves and local gangsters than giving them a shelter in his huge mansion.
When Isabella was a kid, her mother always narrates stories about how a prince will come in her life and sweeps her off her feet, remove all the miseries and she'll live in a palace like a Queen. But as time goes, the tales became nothing but bullshit.
If you don't help yourself, no one else will do it for you.
After finding a parking for her second-hand car on the Azad's mansion ground, Isabella turned off the rap music. Her mother breathed a sigh of relief to express her discontent but she didn't prevent her from listening.
"Do we have to come here every year mom? Can't you and I spend the first January together by going to the beach or staying at home and watch our favorite movie?"
"I know you don't like them Isa but they are my family and I can never dislike them despite being mean towards me. If they truly hate us then why would they invite us for every festivity?"
"To insult us, laugh on our misery of course."
"Maybe but you have never accept defeat, when they rebuke you, a comeback always keeps them shut and that's what I like most about you. You don't tolerate nonsense."
A grin spread on Isabella's lips and they both stepped down. To piss off her grandfather and aunts, she wore a mid-thigh length, short sleeved cheetah dress and paired it with a large black belt in the middle and black heeled boots that Hiba has gifted her as a New Year present.
Her mother who was a scarf wearing woman couldn't prevent her from wearing indecent clothes because it was her condition to attend lunch at Azad mansion.
The main door of the house was finally opened by a maid after ringing it five times. Isabella's eye roll to her mother proved that today would be just another awful day in her life. Stepping inside the lavish house, a soft boring music was being blasted from the expensive speakers and quite a fair number of guests were present, scattered around in small groups.
Her hypocrites relatives stepped forward and greeted them like they would with any person who had enough cash in their pocket and Isabella knew that it was nothing but show off.
"Your daughter is so tall, Nabeela. It would be quite difficult for you to find a groom for her," said a devilish aunt while holding the hand of her mother. Like said, Isabella always has a comeback. "FYI, I'm not looking for a groom and I'm just five feet seven but the day I decide to tie the knot I'll look for a guy who is above six feet."
"Of course I'm just kidding. You will definitely find someone just don't tell him where you live or your birth or any other details that would make him reject you instantly."
"Thanks for the advice aunty. I'll keep it in mind."
The moment she was gone, Isabella turned towards her mother. "See, another reason why we are not welcomed here."
"Don't take them seriously and you'll have a good time. I just go and greet the others."
Swallowing the burning anger, Isabella directed herself towards what she calls the Halal-bar. It was her favorite spot in the house in one of the corners of this grand mansion. A long wooden table with six tall stools, a mini fridge, a large cabinet made of glass where various bottles of non-alcoholic drinks were stocked and fancy glasses.
The fridge opened after some hesitation and she took out two small green lemons and placed them on the chopping board. Next, she searched for mint leaves when a voice came from behind, "GTFO."
Without wasting time, Isabella shot a deadly glare to the brown haired girl who smiled innocently and specified herself correctly, "Get the falooda out, please."
Zeenat Azad, her cousin who is same age as her has been her nemesis since childhood days but unlike the others, she shows it off in secrecy. She is known to be one of the most perfect examples of the Azad next generation; beautiful, smart, classy and not forgetting rich. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and she never forgets it.
Giving her what she needed, Isabella resumed to her task of making a chilled lemon mojito. Zeenat took a seat opposite of her with her glass of falooda and observed her intently. A discomfort settled in her heart but despite trying she couldn't denied her existence.
Once done, Isabella sat next to her with her drink placed in front of her.
"It must suck to live in the ghetto, not having clean water to drink which is why you spend your time mostly at this bar where you know you can get anything good to quench your thirst."
And here starts her insults in silence, mumbling the words audible enough for the person sitting next to hear but what she keeps forgetting is that Isabella never accepts defeat.
"By the grace of God, I drink clean water. I like spending time in seclusion because spending time with your family means entering a pit of snakes voluntarily."
A flash of fury passed in her eyes but she composed herself. Zeenat knew how to behave whether at home or in public and Isabella took full advantage of her dramatic skills.
"If I remember well or so I've been told, your mother and you wanted to enter the pit of snakes a long time ago but you got rejected."
That was an arrow pierced to Isabella's heart. Tears found its way in her eyes but she didn't let it spill. She was six years old when she stepped foot in this place for the first time. She don't remember all the words said to her mother but she remembered their mocking faces, the shouting, her mother's tears and her breakdown. As she grew older, she understood everything.
"Then I must say Alhamdulillah."
Isabella didn't wait for her to say something in defense and left her drink untouched, walking casually out of the house to avoid arising any suspicion. The cold air shivered her bones but the heart pain overcame it.
Placing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she let her eyes wander to two men walking towards her, one among them being Zaid Adeeb Tahir.
Their eyes met again causing her heart rate to reach its highest for the second time in a span of less than twenty-four hours.
