CHAPTER 2.

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Chapter 2: You are what?

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"A little bravery may end up saving your life."

-Henry Chancellor-

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"What was it that you had to tell us?" at his question, all brothers turned to him and his eyes widened. I really am a deer caught in headlights, aren't I? Safwah indeed was that.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead. Now how should I- the curious looks of his brothers gave him courage to speak the truth. And truth he spoke.

"I am married." The words pierced through the silent air, making Karmaan gasp, Kayan and Yazdan's eyes to widen and Sahl to remain indifferent. When Safwah saw this, he turned to him with a frown.

"You knew." He stated and Sahl simply shrugged, leaning onto his chair. How?

"You forget who I work with, dear brother." His words rang in the room, almost making Safwah flinch. Vardah Siddique. Vardah Siddique always has to make things worse for me.

"When?"

"How?"

"Why?" the three questions were from Kayan, Karmaan and Yazdan respectively. Safwah turned to them with a small smile; more of apologetic than anything else.

"Almost a year ago in USA."

"Legal?"

"Yes."

"Nikah?"

"Yes." At his answer, silence fell amongst the brothers again. Kayan was deep in thought with his eyebrows furrowed while Yazdan frowned as if not believing his ears. Karmaan found it amusing by the way he was smiling.

"Who is it?" Karmaan asked, making Yazdan, Kayan and Sahl turn to him incredulously. He shrugged.

"I am asking what you all want to know!" he replied before turning to his older brother. "Well?"

Safwah shrugged.

"Is it fine to know that much only?"

"No. Tell us every detail, Safwah." Kayan spoke, his words as cold as ice. Safwah looked at him with hesitation. He is ready to bury me alive.

"Right. We met in USA and I married her to save her." The brothers stared at him with incredulous expressions; except the youngest though. He looked like his older brother is Batman. Kayan stared at him and then shared a glance with Yazdan. He's not telling us everything, they spoke in silence. Yazdan sighed.

"That's it?" he questioned Safwah who nodded, clapping his hands lightly.

"Perhaps you heard us wrong, Safwah. I said everything." Safwah was scared, the erratic beating of his heart and sweaty palms were clear indications of it. If I tell them everything, I die. If I don't, I'll still die. But telling them everything ensures they have your back, the rational part of his mind told him.

Safwah nodded, finally making a decision to tell them everything.

"I was in USA when we met. She comes from a royal family of Malaysia," Safwah began but Yazdan stopped him.

"Royal family of Malaysia? Tenku?" he questioned and Safwah nodded, praying his brothers doesn't catch up to him. Yazdan glanced at Kayan before turning to Safwah again. "You married Zamaairah?!"

At the mention of her name, Safwah closed his eyes tightly; praying. Please let them forget this. If Safwah could alter time, he would do it at this moment. He would want to go back to the days when he didn't have to worry about his brothers hating him, for better or worse.

"Safwah, answer the question. You married Zamaairah?" Kayan questioned in a monotone and Safwah nodded a yes without opening his eyes.

Karmaan was wildly grinning, Sahl remained expressionless, Yazdan was gawking at his younger brother while Kayan was furious. Safwah slowly opened his eyes and took in their expressions, keeping Kayan for the last. When he reached the oldest brother, he sighed and bowed his head. The disappointment in Kayan's eyes was clear.

"You can punish me any way you want, Bhai. But that is the truth." Safwah told him after a moment of silence.

"Wait. Wait. Let me get this right; you married Zamaairah? As in Zamaairah Omar, the childhood friend, Zama?" Kayan repeated it, trying to comprehend. He wasn't against Safwah marrying Zamaairah; he was completely against his brothers marrying without family consent.

"Yes, Bhai. I am pretty sure that's what he said," Yazdan replied, picking up the cup of tea that was forgotten. Safwah shot him a grateful smile and Yazdan raised an eyebrow in return. This was his way to telling Safwah they weren't done yet.

Kayan sighed and stood up, dusting his pants. The brothers looked up to him with concern.

"I need time to process this, guys. I cannot simply agree on whim. He may be my brother but Zamaairah is also family, in case you guys have forgotten." Kayan told them and the boys nodded. Safwah smiled. At least he is considering Zamaairah's feelings too.

"The main question is why you didn't tell us when it all happened." Sahl spoke and Kayan turned to Safwah. Safwah shifted his glances between the brothers in sheer panic. Why couldn't Sahl just leave this?

"Why?"

"It's a long story," Safwah told them. Kayan sighed taking his seat.

"I have all day," Kayan muttered, picking up his cup of tea and crossing his legs. Safwah sighed.

The brothers made themselves comfortable and Safwah began his story.

"I met Zama when Bhaiyu got married," he began, referring to Yazdan who smiled. "I knew there was something bothering her but she didn't tell me. That was until we begin talking via Snapchat and I find out that she is getting married.

"I didn't have the details then but I rushed because if she was getting married by will, at least I would have received an invitation."

The brothers stared at him incredulously in silence until Karmaan spoke.

"So you ran all the way to America because Zamaairah di didn't send you an invitation?" Karmaan questioned in disbelief and Safwah shrugged. He didn't think it was stupid until the youngest pointed it out.

"That's about it. Anyway, so I was right. She wasn't getting married because she wanted to. Also, I might have forgotten to mention. Her father was in the ICU that time. He passed away a week later after our marriage." The boys were (once again) stunned to silence.

"Wait. Wait-" Kayan interrupted before Safwah could continue. "You mean to say, you married her because she didn't want to marry the other person?" The brothers turned to Safwah with yet another incredulous expressions. The man in question wanted to bang his head on the wall until it bled. Why are they being so stupid? Boys, let me explain first.

"You are skipping parts, Safwah. Tell us everything." Yazdan told him and he sighed. The more he tried not to disclose everything to his brothers, the more they became intrigued. There was a reason I hid everything from you all in the first place, boys.

But they didn't listen to Safwah. They wanted to know everything because in the Zaeef family, they have each others backs. No matter what. 

***

As salaamu alaikum! 

Oh how much I missed you guys. 

Thank you for the reads, I really appreciate it. 

| R - C - V |

xx,

-Aalihha.

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