What would she do? She would resent her sibling for the rest of her life. She would never be able to be happy for her. But only if the man who was stolen from her was someone she could never stop loving. At that moment, she wished with all her heart that Alex would stop loving her because it was the only way that he could forgive his brother.
"My Abbu and Ammi are here," Armaan said in her ear and she jumped. He smiled at her sweetly. "I always ask them to send Ali but they never listen." He rolled his eyes. "Parents, huh?" He sounded so casual but she detected a new kind of worry in his eyes. He was still bothered by what Alex had said to him. She knew now that Alex was all Armaan had in terms of a brother because Hamza refused to accept him as such.
Jasmine tried to smile back at him but she started feeling queasy when she remembered that they were going to the mansion.
"Come, Jasmine." Armaan took her hand in his and she snatched it away without thinking. He was taken aback by her reaction. "Hey," he said softly and moved closer to her when he saw how pale she was. "It's okay. My parents know you're with us. They're very happy to know that we'll be surprising Zo. Relax."
She lifted her troubled gaze to his, trying not to break down. "I'm not sure if this is such a good idea."
He smirked at her. "Too late, sugar," he said and beckoned for her to follow him.
Belatedly, she realized that he was carrying her suitcase as well. Then she was standing outside the airport, the early morning chill wafting over her and Armaan's parents smiling and greeting her warmly. She had never actually met them but having heard so much about them from Zoya, she felt as if she had known them forever. Apart from his hair and golden skin, Armaan had gotten all his pretty-boy looks from his mother.
Jasmine took an immediate liking to them. They reminded her of her own parents because of the warmth and love they generated as a couple. She could tell that their relationship had survived an awful lot and still blossomed over the years.
They sat in the car five minutes later as Armaan's father drove them to the mansion. Alex sat in the passenger seat whereas Zulekha was sandwiched between Jasmine and Armaan in the backseat.
"Zoya's still asleep," Zulekha was saying to her. "We didn't tell her that you are coming today." She smiled with her eyes and looked so kind and motherly. Jasmine felt a pang of regret that she had never met her before and that Zoya had had to live away from her just because she was 'the second wife'.
Ahmed was carrying a conversation with Alex in front about how his work was coming along. Jasmine noticed that Zulekha was paying close attention to what Alex was saying, a small smile curving the British lady's mouth.
Armaan was leaning back in the seat with his eyes half-closed, listening but not taking part in the conversation. Zulekha noticed and put a hand on his arm. "You're awfully quiet today, chatterbox." He gave her a smile which seemed forced and she frowned. "What's wrong?"
Armaan shook his head. "Nothing."
She studied him closely and then, she turned to Alex. "Alex, what's wrong with him?"
Armaan sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, Ammi. Nothing's wrong with me. I'm just tired."
"Yeah, he's had a long past couple of nights," Alex supplied unhelpfully.
Armaan just looked out the window. Zulekha did not seem convinced. She looked at Armaan's profile and then, Jasmine noticed her share a concerned look with her husband in the rearview mirror. It seemed that Alex had not been joking about just how much his parents doted on Armaan.
~~~~
The Qureshi mansion was both spacious and magnificent. It was located outside the city so the view of the desert was what greeted one for several miles around. Currently, huge tents the size of houses were being constructed outside in preparation for the wedding. The place also had a courtyard and a garden towards the back. It was an ancient structure but the facilities that existed within were ultra modern.
In fact, the interior looked a lot like a hotel, with soft lighting in the hallways, carpeting in which it was possible to bury one's feet and excellent air-conditioning. Jasmine liked the quiet atmosphere and the clean, flowery smell that hung in the air.
"This place looks amazing," she whispered as she followed Zulekha, Armaan and Alex through a long, cozy corridor.
Zulekha thanked her for the compliment and pointed to a door. "That's Zo's room. You'll be staying in the one next to hers," she said. She looked over her shoulder at the other two boys. "You know where your rooms are. Why don't you rest? Breakfast will be served at eight."
Jasmine watched Armaan walk towards a room that was right at the end of the hall whereas Alex entered the one adjacent to that. Armaan still looked upset over what Alex had said to him at the airport but before he disappeared from her sight, he caught Jasmine's eye and gave her a naughty smile. She could not help but smile back.
Then she turned and saw Zulekha looking at her and the smile disappeared. The older woman said nothing. She just turned and walked Jasmine through one of
