Until It Was Real

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

I waddled, yes waddled, down the hallway with all the grace of a penguin on a mission, but nothing could stop me from barging into Rumman api's room where I knew all the girls were hiding. Laughter spilling through the door was proof enough that they were up to no good.

I pushed the door open dramatically. "Well, well, what's going on here without me?"

All heads turned, and chaos broke out. Laiba immediately clapped her hands. "Look who finally managed the long, dangerous walk from her room to ours!"

I gasped, placing a hand on my bump. "Excuse me, do not underestimate this walk. I climbed mountains, crossed oceans, and battled gravity itself to get here."

The girls burst into laughter.

Rumman api groaned, clutching a pillow to her chest. She looked radiant in her engagement outfit but flushed bright red as my gaze landed on her. "Zoya, stop looking at me like that. I know what you're about to say."

I smirked, lowering myself carefully onto the bed with Laiba's help. "Oh, do you? Because I was just about to say how adorable our shy CEO bride-to-be looks right now."

The room erupted again.

"Stop it," she cried, but her smile betrayed her.

Yusra leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "I still can't believe you hid this from us all this time. A whole love story under our noses."

I nodded solemnly, pretending to be scandalized. "Exactly. And with your business partner, no less. Tell me, api, was every 'late meeting' really just spreadsheets and contracts?"

Her cheeks flamed, and she buried her face in her hands. "I hate all of you."

"Too late," Laiba sang, tossing another cushion.

I laughed, holding my belly as the baby gave a sharp kick as if joining the fun. "See, even my baby is shocked you lied to us, api. What example are you setting for the next generation?"

That sent the girls into another fit of laughter. Rumman api peeked between her fingers, glaring at me with zero heat. "You're enjoying this too much."

"Of course I am," I admitted. "When will I ever get the chance to tease you like this again? This is history in the making."

As the laughter died down, my eyes drifted to the other side of the room where Nouran api sat, setting her dupatta, her hands fumbling over the pleats. She smiled whenever someone joked.

Oh! and did I tell you? MashAllah, she was two months pregnant.

I caught her gaze and she gave me a smile and I smiled back.

I joined the girls again, throwing another playful jab at Rumman api. "So, have you practiced your dreamy glances yet? You know, the way brides look at their fiancés like they're the only man alive?"

"Zoya!" she squeaked, flinging a cushion that barely missed me.

______

The living room was glowing under the fairy lights, laughter ricocheting off the walls, the clink of teacups and rustle of new clothes adding to the festive hum.

Rumman api sat down at her flower-laden sofa, her dupatta shimmering under the chandelier. We girls swarmed around her like pesky bees, making sure she could not breathe without being teased.

Laiba leaned forward dramatically. "Api, don't look so shy, we know exactly how long you two have been hiding this."

Poor Rumman api groaned. "Ya Allah, save me from these children."

"You mean your sisters," I corrected with mock sweetness, adjusting my hijab. "And just so you know, we're going to milk this secret romance for years. You'll never live it down."

Yusra giggled from behind, "You should've seen her, the way she tried to act so professional with her 'business partner.' Meanwhile, the rest of us were blind apparently."

Everyone erupted in laughter, and Rumman api's face went scarlet, meanwhile her fiancé was smiling quietly.

The trays arrived. Rings glittered, and as Rumman api's fiancé means Arhaan bhai slipped the ring onto her finger, the room hushed into that sweet silence of reverence. Applause followed, camera flashes going off like a storm.

Arhaan bhai's parents couldn't come they are currently in London.

Then Laiba ruined the solemn moment in true Laiba fashion. "Smile bigger, api! It looks like he kidnapped you!"

The entire room broke into laughter, elders chuckling along, while Rumman api looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.

I was sitting with the girls in Rumman api's room, the whole place buzzing with laughter. Rumman api sat on the bed, cheeks flushed, while we all circled around her like predators ready to pounce.

"Show us the ring again, api!" Laiba squealed, grabbing her hand.

"It's not going anywhere," Rumman api said, rolling her eyes, though the shy smile on her lips gave her away.

"You really hid this from us all these months?" I chimed in, tugging lightly at her sleeve. "You sneaky, sneaky woman. And here I thought you were busy with spreadsheets and presentations, turns out you were busy with romance!"

The room burst out laughing, Rumman api hiding her face in her dupatta.

The door creaked open. And just like that, the noise dipped. Zaigham stepped inside, behind him Rayyan bhai and Zayyan bhai and Ayyan bhai.

He walked over, unhurried, and pulled a chair beside mine. His hand brushed against my arm as he sat down, settling possessively close. His eyes dropped to the laddoo in my hand, then flicked back up to me.

"Second one," he murmured low enough that only I could hear, his mouth tilting almost into a smirk.

I glared at him. "So what if it is? I'm eating for two."

"Two?" His gaze dipped, deliberately lingering at my bump, then back up. "Looks like three, Zoya."

My jaw dropped, heat rising to my face. "Hey!"

His lips brushed against the shell of my ear as he muttered, "And don't think I don't notice how you're waddling more than walking these days, but you look so adorable." He chuckled.

I swatted at his arm, flustered. I straightened quickly, but Zaigham just leaned back in his chair, thoroughly amused.

That was when my eyes accidentally flicked across the room and froze. Zayyan bhai was standing near the dresser, his arm folded across his chest, pretending to be listening to Ayyan bhai. But his gaze was firmly glued to Yusra.

She was laughing while talking to Aaliya.

Oh. Oh. Oh.

My lips curved before I could stop myself. I shifted slightly, catching Laiba and Nouran api's attention, and tilted my head in Zayyan's direction. Then, very deliberately, I arched my brows and gave them a teasing smile that screamed "did you see that?"

Their eyes widened, then their lips clamped shut as if holding back laughter.

They are definitely hiding something!

By the time I stepped out, towel still at my neck, she was already in her nightdress, her hair damp and falling loose over her shoulders. She had set the tray of tea on the side table and was adjusting the pillows against the headboard.

I slipped into bed beside her, the quiet hum of the air conditioning filling the silence. She looked up at me with that tired smile that made every long day worth it. I handed her the cup before taking my own, the steam curling between us.

Her head found its way to my shoulder as naturally as breathing. My arm came around her, pulling her closer, and for the first time all day, the noise of the world finally faded.

She sipped slowly, her hair brushing my jaw, leaving faint traces of moisture on my skin. The scent of shampoo clung to her, clean and fresh, and I found myself breathing it in more than the tea.

When she set the cup down, her hand searched for mine, and her fingers began their quiet tracing over the veins on the back of it. I watched her do it, mesmerized by how something so simple could hold me captive.

"You're awfully quiet," she said softly, her voice already colored with sleep.

I kissed the crown of her head, my lips lingering there. "I'm not quiet. I'm memorizing you."

Her hand stilled, and she turned her face up toward me, eyes searching mine. "And what will you do once you've memorized me?"

I smiled faintly, tugging her closer. "Start over again. Every night. Every day."

Her throat worked as though she were swallowing back words, and instead she nestled deeper into my chest, her breath warm against me. My hand rubbed along her arm, slow and steady, keeping her anchored against me.

"This is all I need," I murmured into her hair. "Just you. Right here."

And as her fingers resumed their gentle play over my hand, I felt the truth of it settle in my bones. Nothing beyond this moment mattered.

Her fingers moved over my hand again, slow and absentminded, as if she didn't even realize she was doing it. I let her, because I liked the way her touch seemed to claim me without a word.

She breathed out, voice barely above a whisper. "Sometimes I wonder if you will still look at me the same when I've changed more... when I'm not the girl you married."

I tilted my head, pressing my cheek to her hair."You're not just the person I married," I murmured. "Every day, you become more than I could have imagined. And I'll spend every day proving to you that my eyes will never stop finding you, never stop seeing all of you."

Her fingers stilled again. I could feel her fighting with herself, torn between tears and silence. I tightened my arm around her waist and spoke before she could doubt me again.

She gave a small sound, somewhere between a laugh and a sigh, burying her face against my chest. Her warmth seeped into me, her heartbeat soft under my palm. I kissed the top of her head again, slow and unhurried, as if to seal the words I had just given her.

The room was quiet except for the faint clink of the cooling teacups. I watched the curtain move slightly with the night breeze, and I thought about how I could live a hundred lifetimes like this—her tucked into me, her hand keeping mine captive, her scent in my lungs.

Her voice broke the silence again. "Do you ever think about what life will be like once the baby is here?"

I let out a low hum, my hand smoothing over her back. "Every day. And every time I imagine it, you are still here like this, in my arms. That part never changes."

She lifted her head to look at me, her eyes shining in the low light. "You make it sound so easy."

I brushed a thumb over her cheekbone, slow, steady. "Because it is. As long as I have you, everything else will make sense."

Her lips curved faintly, and she didn't look away.

Her eyes searched mine, steady and unhurried, as if she wanted to read everything I wasn't saying aloud. And before I could speak, she leaned in, her smile still lingering when her lips brushed mine.

It was soft, almost tentative, I answered, tilting closer, my hand moving instinctively to cradle the side of her face.

The kiss wasn't rushed. It carried no urgency, no hunger, only the quiet certainty of everything I felt for her. I poured it all into the way I moved against her, letting her know without words that she was mine, that she would always be mine.

Her fingers curled into my shirt, holding me as if she didn't want to let go, and I deepened the kiss only slightly, careful, tender. Her warmth, her softness, her trust, they filled me until I didn't know where she ended and I began.

When we finally parted, I pressed my forehead to hers, catching her breath mingling with mine. Her eyes were closed, her lips still curved into that small, contented smile.

The room grew still again, the kind of silence that feels sacred. She stayed close, her forehead resting against mine, her breath steady, as if the world outside had fallen away.

Her voice broke the quiet, hushed and thoughtful. "What do you think... is it a girl or a boy?"

I opened my eyes to meet hers. She looked at me with such openness, as though my answer mattered more than anything else. My hand slid gently over the curve of her bump, feeling the faint rise and fall beneath my palm.

"I think it doesn't matter," I murmured softly, "because whatever it is, it's ours. And that's already perfect."

Her lips parted, her eyes shimmering with a softness that made my chest ache. I let a small smile curve my mouth as I added, "But if I had to guess... I feel like it's a girl. Strong and stubborn like her mother, and still delicate enough to steal every bit of my heart."

She let out a quiet laugh, the sound muffled against me as she leaned closer. "And if it's a boy?" she pressed, her eyes playful yet full of wonder.

"Then he will be my pride," I said, brushing my thumb slowly over her hand. "And I will raise him to love you the way I do, so he knows what it means to protect and cherish something precious."

Her breath caught, her lashes lowering. I pressed a kiss to her temple, lingering there. "Girl or boy, it doesn't change anything," I whispered against her skin. "What matters is you, and this little piece of us."

She exhaled, a shaky little sigh, and nestled deeper into my arms, her silence speaking more than words ever could.

Her breathing grew softer against me, every exhale brushing warm across my chest. I kept stroking my thumb over her hand resting on mine, memorizing the way her fingers curled slightly as if even in sleep she did not want to let go.

The silence was heavy with peace, the kind that makes you afraid to move in case it breaks. I pressed one last kiss into her hair, and nestled beside her.

______

I'm wheeling the cart through the store, phone clutched in one hand and earbuds plucked in my ears, showing Zoya lounging on the couch like a queen in her oversized hoodie.

I grab a bag of gummy bears and hold it up. "Do we really need a whole bag? Isn't a handful enough?"

Zoya's eyes narrow at me through the phone. "A handful? What am I, a hamster? Honestly, what's the point of you being the CEO if you can't even fulfill my cravings?"

I groan, rubbing the back of my neck. "Baby... it's about your health. I can buy this whole store in a blink of an eye, but these things... they're not exactly... healthy."

She gasps, clutching the phone. "Not healthy? Are you serious? I'm eight months pregnant, and all I'm asking is a tiny bit of joy! Is that too much to ask?"

I sigh, tossing the gummy bears into the cart. "Fine... the gummy empire it is. But at least let me limit the sugar avalanche, okay?"

"Limit?" Her voice crescendos, and she points at the screen like a tiny general. "Do you take me for a child? You think I can live on limits while my cravings are raging? No, Mr.Khan. You will fetch chocolate, caramel popcorn, ice cream... and don't even think about negotiating!"

I groan, shaking my head as I grab three chocolate bars of each kind.

I bite back a laugh and grab a bag of caramel popcorn. "And this... is just decoration, right?"

"No, you dummy!" she hisses, wagging her finger. "It's essential for mood stabilization. Do you want me hangry?"

"Hangry is terrifying, okay, fine," I mutter, adding it to the cart while sneaking a peek at the cheese puffs. "Just... one bag of these, please?"

"Please?" Her eyes blaze, voice rising. "Do you take me for a child? A single bag? Get the extra cheesy one, or I swear..."

I groan, already imagining her furious face. "Yes, Your Majesty. Extra cheesy it is. No rebellion here."

By the time I finish, the cart is teetering under the weight of gummies, chocolates, frozen treats, and salty snacks. I step back, wiping sweat from my forehead, and glance at her on the phone.

She's smiling, triumphant, holding up the screen like a trophy. "See? I told you. My cravings always win."

I groan dramatically. "You win... this round. But next time, I'm hiding the candy aisle."

Her laughter rings through the phone. "Good luck, Mr. Khan you will need it."

It was her ninth month now, and the house had quietly shifted its rhythm around her. My own had changed entirely. I had taken leave from the office weeks ago, choosing instead to work from home. Khan Enterprises could run without me for a while, but my wife could not. I won't let her.

The study downstairs had been turned into a temporary office. My laptop, files, and calls filled the mornings, but the door was always open, my ears always half-tuned for the sound of her voice or her steps. No meeting was important enough to let me miss even the smallest sign of her discomfort.

From my chair, I would often find myself pausing mid-sentence, staring at the monitor but not really seeing it. My mind wandered upstairs to her.

Was she resting, or trying to hide her unease from me again? Did she need water? Was the baby kicking too much, making her shift uncomfortably in bed? The thought of her struggling while I was buried in emails made my chest tighten.

She was radiant even now, though she claimed otherwise.

I had ordered extra staff in the house but made sure they never hovered too much. It was my arms she leaned on when she walked, my voice she sought when the nights stretched long with restless turns.

Work slipped easily into the background when she entered the room. I could be in the middle of the most critical discussion with a board member, yet if Zoya appeared at the door with a hand pressed to her back, my attention was hers instantly.

The living room was alive with laughter. Zoya sat curled up against me, stubborn as ever, refusing to take another bite of the fruit salad I was holding near her lips.

"Enough, Zaigham, I'm not hungry," she muttered, her hand brushing mine away.

I arched a brow. "You said the same thing half an hour ago. And then you were dizzy when you stood up. So no, you are eating." I nudged the spoon toward her again, my voice calm but final.

She sighed dramatically, lips pursed, before opening her mouth and taking the bite. The reluctant roll of her eyes made me bite back a smirk. There was something oddly satisfying about coaxing her into doing what I knew was best for her.

Across the room, Ayyan was locked in the same battle.

Nouran, glowing and weary with her early pregnancy, leaned back into the cushions while he tried to press a spoon of fruit salad toward her lips.

She shook her head stubbornly, smiling, but he only leaned closer, murmuring something that made her swat at him.

I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out. "Seems my brother-in-law and I are fighting the same war tonight."

Zoya followed my gaze and instantly burst into laughter, clutching her bump as she leaned against me. "Poor api, she looks like she's about to bolt if he doesn't stop."

"Bolt?" I echoed dryly. "With how protective he looks, he'd follow her to the ends of the earth with that spoon."

Ayyan looked up just in time to catch me watching, and narrowed his eyes. "Don't laugh, bhai. you think your wife eats willingly? I saw you struggling too."

Before I could reply, Laiba piped up from the armchair, giggling. "Honestly, the men in this family have turned into feeders. Next thing you know, Zayyan bhai will be following someone around with a plate too."

The room erupted into laughter. Zayyan had nearly sprayed his coffee across the table, coughing so hard his face turned crimson. Zaviyaar shot up and started patting his back, trying not to laugh while Laiba squealed, "See? I was right, I was right!"

The entire room broke into hysterics, and Zayyan glared at all of us between coughs. "Are you all insane? I choked because the coffee was too hot!" he rasped, reaching for a tissue, but his ears burned red, betraying him completely.

"Too hot?" Laiba smirked. "Or was the idea of a certain someone too hot to handle?"

Zoya was laughing so hard against me that I had to steady her, my hand sliding protectively to her back. I couldn't hold back a chuckle myself.

"Careful, Zayyan," Ayyan teased from across the room while still offering Nouran another bite. "You'll need someone to feed you if you keep choking like this."

That set everyone off again. Meanwhile, Zayyan muttered something under his breath and stood up, clearly trying to escape the chaos.

The garden was quiet, the early evening sun casting long, golden streaks across the grass.

Zoya leaned against me as we sat on the bench, her hand brushing mine absentmindedly, playful sparks dancing in her eyes.

She looked up at me, that little teasing smile I could never resist tugging at her lips.

"Zaigham," she said suddenly, tilting her head, "what is the one thing on my face you love the most?"

I opened my mouth, ready to answer, but she cut me off with a grin. "No, no. Not the typical answer like all of it. I want one specific thing."

Her tone was challenging, and I smirked, because I loved the way she could tease me even now. I leaned a little closer and said, "Can you smile for me, love?"

She tilted her head, confused, but obliged, a small, shy smile forming on her lips. Then, almost in slow motion, the dimples appeared, soft hollows that always made my heart tighten. I reached out and pressed gentle pecks to each one, savoring the moment as I whispered, "These..."

She giggled, a soft, melodic sound, and I continued, "Even during our Nikkah days, these used to fascinate me. Every single time."

Her cheeks flushed, and she looked down, hiding her laughter in her hands. I tilted her chin up with a finger, my thumb brushing lightly across her cheek. "Do you know, love, I could spend a lifetime just tracing these dimples?"

She leaned closer into me, her warmth pressing against my side, and then nudged me playfully. "Okay, my turn," she said softly, circling her arms around my neck.

I raised an eyebrow, amused, watching her eyes sparkle with mischief and affection. "Go ahead," I murmured, letting her pull me a little closer.

She leaned in, her finger lightly tracing the space between my eyes, her gaze soft yet filled with wonder.

"These eyes of yours," she whispered, voice almost breathless, "they fascinate me.

These marble gray eyes... the ones that used to be so hard, stoic, emotionless.

.. now they look at me like a whole galaxy is shining in them. "

I blinked, caught off guard by the intensity of her words, and for a moment, all I could do was hold her closer. Her fingers brushed against my cheek, lingering as if trying to memorize every contour of my face.

"I... I never knew you saw them like that," I murmured, voice low, almost reverent, letting her words settle deep inside me.

She smiled softly, leaning her forehead against mine. "I do," she whispered. "Every time you look at me, it's like... everything else disappears. It's only us, and those eyes... they tell me everything I need without a single word."

I let my hand cup the back of her neck, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "And they will never stop seeing you like this," I said. "Never stop seeing the way my heart belongs to you."

She pressed her lips to mine in a soft, lingering kiss, her hands tracing small, idle circles on my shoulders. "Then I am glad I noticed," she whispered against my lips, her voice warm, tender, and full of affection.

The garden was quiet, the evening sun soft on our skin. Zoya leaned against me, her hand brushing mine lazily. I couldn't resist teasing her.

"You know, you've been smiling too little today," I said, pressing my thumb against her knuckles. "I think it's my job to fix that."

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And what if I don't want fixing?"

I grinned, leaning closer. "Then I guess I'll have to bribe you with kisses."

She laughed softly, nudging me with her shoulder. "You think that will work on me?"

I smirked and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. "It always works, love. You can't resist me."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "You're too confident. I might just test your theory."

I caught her hand and held it over my chest. "Go ahead. But you already know the result."

She exhaled and nestled deeper. Her fingers curled around mine as if she never wanted to let go.

The silence was heavy with peace.

Suddenly, her playful expression changed. She clutched her belly, face contorting in pain.

"Zoya?" I asked, alarm sharpening my voice. "What is it? Are you alright?"

She shook her head, biting her lip. "It hurts so much!"

To be Continued.....

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