IZEL'S POV

I left my food and went to my room, taking my bag and a scarf as I was wearing an oversized hoodie. I locked my bedroom door behind me.

"Izel, come back!" Dad shouted.

"Aap log jab chale jaoge tab aajaungi wapas. Allah hafiz (I'll come back when you all leave. Goodbye)," I replied, my voice shaking with anger and tears.

I trudged back to my office, exhausted, and collapsed onto the couch, where I spent the rest of the night.

-----

The next morning, my phone rang, its shrill tone piercing the silence. I ignored the call, not in the mood to talk to anyone. At 8:30 a.m., I had two missed calls.

As I calmed down, I checked my phone again and saw the time. It was 10 a.m. when I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I decided to call back. It was Seher.

"Hello, chudail (witch)," she greeted me playfully.

"Haww, chudail! How could you call this innocent girl a witch?" I responded, feigning shock and being dramatic.

"Tu aur bholi bhali? Bitch, it's impossible (You and innocent? Bitch, that's impossible)," she asserted, and a chuckle escaped my lips.

"By God, I want to break all your 32 teeth and make you mute!" she cursed at me, laughing.

"Khush karke liya aur kuch? (You made me happy; is there anything else?)" I asked, amused.

"Nahi, tu bata kya hua hearing ka? (No, tell me what happened to the hearing?)" I asked seriously.

"Nahi yaar, our previous judge passed away. There was an accident this morning, so the hearing has been postponed (No, our previous judge passed away in an accident this morning, so the hearing has been postponed)," she said.

"Hyee Allah, unko hidayat de! (Oh God, give them guidance!)" I said, a hint of sorrow in my voice.

"Kya? (What?)" she asked.

"I'm at the office, why?" I replied.

"You're up so early today? Did the sun rise from the west or something?" she teased, her joke a gentle way to rouse me from my slumber.

"Ha ha, very funny. I had a bit of a rough night, that's all. My parents came over, and we had a huge fight," I said, trying to shake off the fatigue.

Seher's tone turned serious.

"What's going on? You sound off. Did something happen?" she asked, her concern palpable.

I sighed, no longer feeling like laughing.

"They want me to get married. They've already fixed an alliance and everything (They want me to get married; they've already fixed an alliance and everything)," I said, trying to keep my emotions in check.

"Kya? Izel, tumne kya kaha unhe? (What? Izel, what did you tell them?)" she asked, concern etched in her voice.

"I told them I don't want to get married, but they're not listening. They're being really stubborn about it," I replied, feeling frustrated all over again.

Seher's voice was firm. "Izel, tumhe kuch karna hoga. Tumhe apne haq ke liye ladna hoga. Main tumhare saath hoon, okay? (Izel, you have to do something. You have to fight for your rights. I'm with you, okay?)"

------

I was finally getting some work done in peace when my entire family descended upon my office, unannounced and unwelcome.

"Great, can't even get some quiet time here," I muttered to myself, exasperated.

My sister Shahin barged into my cabin without so much as a knock, and I couldn't resist taking a jab at her.

"Looks like someone wasn't taught manners," I said with a smirk.

But before I could even enjoy the slight satisfaction of getting under her skin, my mom chimed in from behind her.

"Don't question my parenting, I'm warning you," she said sternly.

I just rolled my eyes and ignored her, settling back into my sofa like the boss I was.

Shahin shot back, "Who are you showing attitude to?"

But before I could respond, Sana walked into the room and saved me the trouble.

"You," she said with a smile, always ready to have my back.

Then, Sana hurriedly handed me some papers.

"Izel, sign these, it's urgent."

I knew she wouldn't be reckless about something unless it was truly important, so I took the papers and read through them carefully before signing.

As I handed them back to her, I asked,

"Sana, can I get a strong cup of tea, please?" and she nodded before exiting the room.

I turned my attention back to my family, who were still lingering in my office.

"So, what brings you all here? I don't have time to coddle your feelings, so make it quick," I said, picking up another set of papers to review.

Just then, my dad walked in. "Izel..."

I responded with a curt, "Yes, Dad?"

"Izel, we need to talk about your marriage," my dad said, his tone firm but laced with a hint of persuasion.

I sighed inwardly, knowing where this was headed. "Dad, we've discussed this before. I'm not interested in getting married right now."

My mom chimed "you're not getting any younger. You need to settle down and start a family. We've found a great match for you - Irfan is a wonderful boy from a good family."

I raised an eyebrow, my skepticism evident. "Irfan? Irfan Jamal? Son of Jamal Industries?

"Yes, that's him. We've had a long-standing relationship with the Jamal's, and this union would be a great way to strengthen our bond. It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both our companies." dad said

"You mean the guy who thinks the only thing a woman is good for is cooking and cleaning?"

My dad's expression turned stern.

"Izel, that's not fair. Irfan is a good boy, and he'll make a great husband. You just need to give him a chance."

I shook my head, feeling a sense of frustration wash over me.

"Dad, I don't want to marry someone just because you think it's a good match. I want to marry someone I love, someone who respects me as an equal."

My mom's voice turned cajoling.

"First, you need to get married and settle down. We're not getting any younger, or yeh last farz hein humara tumko leke so jaldi khatam karo yeh pyar vyar ka khwab."

I felt a surge of anger at their manipulation, but I tried to keep my cool. "Mom, Dad, I appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to marry someone just to make you happy. I need to be happy too."

My dad's expression turned cold, his voice firm.

"Izel, we're not asking you, we're telling you. You will marry Irfan, and you will do it soon. We've already finalized the arrangements."

I stood my ground, my voice unwavering.

''No, I am not doing it.''

My mom stepped closer, her whisper sending shivers down my spine.

''If you don't marry him, I'll make sure everyone finds out about that incident... the one that's brought us to this point.''