Nawab's Tigress | 18+

001 ♔ Shuruwat

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Year: 2004

"Yasmin!" Sophie bellowed, huffing and puffing as she chased after Edward, whose tiny legs somehow managed to outpace her despite her cumbersome summer gown. "Grab your brother, he's legging it!"

Yasmin didn't even look up from her notebook. "Mama, I'm busy with my homework!" she shouted back, furiously scribbling away at another maths problem. "It's meant to be a holiday, but my teacher's dead set on us prepping early!"

"Bollocks," Ayub interjected, yanking on her braid. "She just wants to outdo Amy and be top of the class." Yasmin retaliated with a swift jab of her pencil into Ayub's arm to which he winced while hissing at her.

"For the love of Pete, you kids are driving me up the wall!" Sophie groaned, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Where on earth is Junaid? He said he'd be here in five minutes."

"Mama, don't fret," Farhan said serenely, strolling over and effortlessly catching Edward in his arms. The youngest, thoroughly displeased with being manhandled, flailed and tried to wriggle free.

"Put me down!" Edward screeched, his face turning bright red. Farhan chuckled, then passed him over to Sophie with a gentle kiss on her cheek, saying, "Morning, Mama."

"How can I not worry about it?" Sophie muttered, adjusting Edward on her hip. "We've got a flight in a few hours."

The Nawab family was enjoying their annual holiday at Lady Sophie's ancestral country home in Wales, a charming, ivy-covered manor nestled amidst rolling green hills and ancient oak trees. This retreat was the only time of the year Sophie reconnected with her family in England, providing a much-needed respite from her demanding life as Nawab's wife. Motherhood, however, was relentless; managing four children felt like an endless series of challenges. Chasing after a sprinting Edward was a test of endurance while refereeing Yasmin and Ayub's frequent squabbles demanded the patience of a saint. Even simple tasks became monumental. Thankfully, her eldest son, Farhan, was mature enough to lend a hand, offering a brief reprieve from the daily chaos.

"He'll show up, don't worry. Want me to have a look outside?" Farhan offered, munching on his toast, crumbs sprinkling down his shirt.

Sophie shook her head. "No worries, you keep an eye on Ayub and Yasmin. I'll go find out what's keeping him so long with the car."

"Alright," Farhan mumbled through a mouthful of omelet.

Sophie, muttering about her husband's apparent inability to be on time, headed out with Edward. Farhan chuckled, watching her go, then turned back to his breakfast, savoring the rare moment of tranquility and the beautiful Welsh sky. The sunlight streamed through the large kitchen windows, casting a warm glow over the bustling scene within, the air filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and the distant sound of sheep bleating in the fields.

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"Give me my pencil!" Yasmin screamed as Ayub snatched it away. "Argh, Bhaijaan, tell him to give it back or I'll find another and poke his eyes out."

"Ae, no violence in this house!" Farhan admonished, his voice cutting through the tension as he rose from his study table.

"Violence?" Ayub's smirk twisted with a playful edge, his eyes narrowing into slits as he locked gazes with Yasmin. The room seemed to shrink in the shadow of his threat. "Bhaijaan, let me show you how violence looks." In one swift motion, he leaned in and, with a sudden slap, unleashed a stinging blow across Yasmin's cheek. The crack of his hand meeting her skin echoed through the room, followed instantly by Yasmin's sharp cry of pain and surprise.