Sadqay Humare.

seventeen

@AainaZaydaan : the battle for truth is often hard but when you're right and know how to fight, nothing can stop you from winning. Justice will prevail, inshaAllah.

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Saaniya Chaudhry did not look like a victim of s****l harassment, neither did she look embarrassed at all. She looked like a woman who had an agenda, a woman who knew what she wanted, a woman who had everything under control. Her face, neutral of any expression at the moment, reminded Aaina of the first time she had met Minal ashfaq.

Aaina looked at Ahad Ziagil, who had a calm look on his face but she knew his inner turmoil, he was anything but calm. Seeing her live reminded him of all the horrible things that she had done, the fake love that she had displayed, the cheating, the everything.

He squeezed Noora's hand, reminding himself that God had given him something much much better. Something that he would never give Saaniya. Peace in his heart and a woman like Noora. His true love.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Zaydaan Ziagil was sat by his first lady. His eyes ice cold, face expressions blank as he sat completely straight.

Azhar Saleh, the Prime Minister's lawyer and Jahaaniya Khan, lawyer of Saaniya Chaudhry. She was the woman who was famously known for fighting cases for various celebrities, politicians and especially for women. She had recently won two cases against ministers who had been accused of harassment and torture.

Aaina had alot of respect for her but it all went down the drain today as she supported a liar, a fraud and a cheat.

As the session started, Jahaaniya stood up first.

"Miss Saaniya, we're here in court to get you justice. Whatever you say will be taken into notice, do you swear to speak the truth?" She asked the liar.

The liar nodded, her face twisting into slight agony as she said yes.

"Yes."

"Very well. We will start with the basics. How did you meet Ahad Ziagil?"

We met at an election campaign. She was the girl with the pretty smile and twinkle in her eyes. I instantly fell for her. I thought I'd play around and then leave but instead, I fell in love. Maybe God was getting back at me for playing around with women because the one that I fell in love with, played me. She lied, she cheated, she wanted us to suffer. She's the betraying b***h who broke my heart.

Ahad wanted to stand up and say it all, instead he remained quiet as they all heard Saaniya speak.

That innocent look on her face, it disgusted him.

"We met at an election campaign years ago. Ahad Ziagil was charming and funny. His playboy ways got to me and I felt myself drawn to the guy. With time, both of us got attached to each other. Everything was going on perfectly until Aaina Zaydaan, our first lady got attacked. When Ahad told his brother that she was on her way to meet me, they instantly blamed me and my brother Awan Chaudhry for the attack. "

As if they hadn't been the one behind those attacks, as if they hadn't planned and plotted, as if they weren't doing it now.

"I did not want my brother to find out about us, not until I was sure that Ahad wasn't using me like a game." She continued, face twisting into different expressions as she kept talking.

"A few weeks after the attack, Ahad Ziagil came to break up with me. He said that he loved me but his brother is forcing him to do so. We broke up and my only mistake was that I loved him so much, I couldn't get over him. I was just a girl, making mistakes like any other person. It's not wrong to fall in love. Is it? "

Both Aaina and Noora rolled their eyes at the same time, hearing all this crap was just toxic. How could a person lie so casually?

"I decided to meet with Prime Minister Zaydaan Ziagil, I wanted to request him to let us be together. I couldn't go on without Ahad." She lied yet again.

Saaniya had never met the Prime Minister.

"What happened when you went to meet him?" Jahaaniya asked, snagging the entire court with her.

The few journalists that were allowed to sit inside the court were absolutely thrilled as they managed to get everything on record, writing and writing.

"When I entered, he greeted me with the warmest smile. I thought it would be easy to make him understand. I sat in his office and then he locked the room, he said that he didn't want anyone to hear about his family's personal business."

Aaina gulped. This was the hard part. She looked at Zaydaan, her husband whose honor was at stake here.

Her husband, who still had the same cold expression on his face but he was clearly angry. Zaydaan hated liars, he hated slander, he hated all the fake s**t rumours, he hated it.

He simply sat there, listening to all the lies that the woman was telling, cool as ice. Aaina knew that he was seething from the inside.

In the utter silence of the court room, they felt a sniff, followed by Saaniya wiping away a few stray tears.

That conceited b***h.

"It's okay, Miss Saaniya. You can have a moment." Her lawyer comforted her, she shook her head.

"No. I need to let it out, I have to. This has been a burden on my heart since a very long time. I don't think I would have even had the courage to say anything if it weren't for Maria bibi coming forward. May her soul rest in peace."

May her soul rest in peace that you killed. The chaudhrys weren't just liars, they were also killers. 

"Right. I started to talk to him and he came and sat by my side. He touched my leg and I told him to stop. He said that if I wanted to be a part of the Ziagil family, I would have to give him something."

"I didn't understand but then he started to touch me inappropriately. I understood what he wanted then."

"I was just a girl and he was a strong man. He harassed me to the point where I had to practically run out of his office. I was traumatised."

Aaina squeezed the hand of her husband, not knowing what else to do.

She was accusing him of so much s**t and he could just sit and listen.

Saaniya's eyes turned to Aaina for a moment before she started to speak again, telling her side of the story.

"Two days later, I decided that I would not keep quiet. I had heard these stories about Ahad's perfect bhabhi and I went to meet her. I told her the entire story and instead of telling me that she will support me or even talk to her husband, she showed me fake pictures."

Aaina gasped just slightly. Fake pictures? Those pictures were as real as anything. How many lies did she have the courage to tell? She had sworn to tell the truth, yet here she was lying.

"They were graphic and she scared me that she'd spread them around and even show them to my brother. I wouldn't have gone to the first lady but the Prime Minister yet again tried to harass me in the parliament lodges. I couldn't stop myself from meeting her. "

"I didn't want to ruin my brother's political career so I remained quiet. But now, no more. I want my justice. I want to show the world what his real face is."

Azhar, the Prime Minister's lawyer did not object to anything as Saaniya talked and talked, there was a reason behind that. No matter how much poeple have perfected the art of lying, at some point they are going to have a slip of tongue because in their hearts, they know that they're lying.

Everything was on record now and he couldn't wait to call her out on her lies.

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

The Prime Minister's lawyer stood up.

"Your honor, I'd like to ask Miss Chaudhry some questions." The judge agreed and he walked upto Saaniya, smiling at her.

"Miss Chaudhry, you said that you were just a woman and he was a powerful man. Forgive me if I doubt that. But you were not just a woman, you were the sister of an opposition leader at that time. You could have raised a voice." He objected first.

Saaniya frowned at him.

"Have you ever been harassed? You don't know what it's like." She replied, in such a soft manner that not even Satan could believe that she was lying.

"Right. You said that you went to Prime Minister Ziagil in his office. If you did, why is there not a single witness from his office to testify that what you're saying is correct?" He questioned.

Saaniya once again scowled.

"He's a Prime Minister. Do you expect his team to expose him? He's paying them millions!" She exclaimed.

He nodded once again.

"You said that you visited the first lady. But according to your ex head of security, the first lady came to visit you." He said next, catching another lie. Saaniya shook her head.

"I fired my ex head of security because he was not loyal. Clearly, he still has not learned his lesson. He's lying.".

She denied.

"The first Lady's assistant has also testified that she herself had to rearrange her schedule because Aaina Zaydaan went to meet you."

"That's a lie." Saaniya denied.

The Prime Minister's lawyer didn't object.

"How would you describe your relationship with Ahad?" He asked next. Saaniya narrowed her eyes.

"Perfect until his brother ruined it."

She replied, looking at Ahad with those big brown eyes.

The only difference? Ahad Ziagil didn't see the twinkle in them anymore.

Azher Saleh had so far faced two very tough lawyers in Zaydaan Ziagil's cases. Mr Maalik was quite professional except that he did not care about collateral damage when it came to fighting his cases. The man had been Maria Bibi's lawyer but had literally not even attended her funeral. Her family had decided to lodge an FIR against the Prime Minister, for the murder of Maria bibi.

Zaydaan had told the state departments to do exactly what their job was. Find out the murderer, question him and if his name was somewhat involved, they could do what was required. The law did not change for anyone. Not even the Prime Minister.

On the other hand, Jahaaniya Khan was a woman who only cared about winning. She didn't care about playing with someone's dignity and honor.

Azher Saleh didn't know who was worse. He looked at the opponent party's lawyer before turning to do his job.

"I'd like to call Ahad Ziagil, your honor. And I'd like to cross question both of them at the same time."

The judge granted permission and the railway minister stood up from his seat, walking towards the witness dice.

"Salam, Minister sahab. Do you swear to tell the utter truth?"

"Yes. I swear." He swore, not even looking in Saaniya's direction. All she brought back was painful memories.

"How did you both meet?"

"Election campaign." Both of them said at the same time.

"Did you love each other?" That question was not even supposed to be asked or answered but Ahad replied with a nod anyway, where as Saaniya said yes out loud.

"Yes."

"Why did you break up with each other?"

"Because of PM Zaydaan Ziagil." Saaniya replied.

Ahad Ziagil denied that and finally looked up with accusing eyes towards Saaniya.

"No. We broke up because of you, Saaniya. You were a liar."

"Your honor, she was sleeping with a man behind my back, committing adultery and informing the opposition of whatever plans the government had made. The ones that I told her out of love." He didn't care about anyone talking about Ahad's love life. They knew who he was. They knew his old playboy ways.

He didn't care right now.

"Her fake story of harassment is so untrue because she never met my brother. My brother is too busy to waste a breath on you, Saaniya."

He remembered Minal's words. Saaniya Chaudhry cracks under pressure and for a minute, it actually showed that Minal was right.

Saaniya's calm composture went away.

"Shut up! I'm important!" She yelled.

Ahad barely shrugged.

"So you say. And yes, she met my sister in law Aaina Zaydaan but not to tell her that she was harassed. Aaina bhabhi went to her, asked her to stop betraying Ahad and if she ever came near him, she would tell everyone about her truth."

He said the utter truth, not bothering to hide any personal news.

"Saaniya told her that she'd watch their world burn in flames. Months later, The Prime Minister House was attacked and Awan Chaudhry was held responsible by the court. He suffered for five years before he got out." Ahad finished.

"He's lying, your honor!" Saaniya screamed, Ahad Ziagil smirked.

Her temper and her arrogance showed who she truly was but before Saaniya could say anything, her lawyer handed her a glass of water and gave her a look.

Saaniya kept quiet after that.

"I don't have any questions for Ahad Ziagil, your honor. I'd like to call the first lady Aaina Zaydaan." Jahaanya Khan asked for permission and Aaina stood up, ready to say whatever was required.

Her heart beat a little fast as she walked towards the dice, hair tied up in a pony tail and her signature pink lipstick gracing her lips.

She swore to tell the truth and spoke up.

"Miss Aaina, how did you know of Miss Saaniya?"

"Ahad told me he loved a girl and wanted to marry her. It was Saaniya." Aaina replied, trying to calm her beating heart.

She wasn't scared, she just didn't know why her heart was beating so loud.

Aaina turned her eyes towards the audience, spotting the Prime Minister. Zaydaan blinked his eyes twice, telling her that it was okay.

She turned her head back, focusing on Jahaaniya's questions.

"Did you ever meet her?"

"Just once. I went to her house after finding out the truth about her." She replied.

"Why did you go and meet her?"

"Because I cared about Ahad and wanted to show him Saaniya's reality."

Saaniya's lawyer raised an eye, as if she didn't believe Aaina's intentions were pure. She smirked, looking around.

"Not many sister in laws are that caring, don't you think?" She asked the first lady.

"Ahad is special to me. He's my husband's brother. He's my best friend." Aaina defended.

And then Aaina got accused of something that she was always afraid of, that Zaydaan always told her about and the one thing that made him angry to no ends.

"What if I tell the court that you have secretly loved Ahad Ziagil for years and seeing him with Saaniya didn't sit well with you. You were jealous and you broke them off, you didn't support her even after knowing that your husband had harassed her because you didn't care what your husband did. You only cared for Ahad Ziagil."

Aaina let out an unbelievable sigh, not even understanding how this woman had the audacity to say stuff like this.

Their lawyer had repeatedly told them to stay calm and not get worked up on any accusations. Slander was the one thing they were really good at, Aaina, Zaydaan, Ahad, Noora...they were repeatedly told that they did not need to react in aggressive manner under any circumstances.

"That's a very wrong implication. You're talking to a woman who is married, has a child and is your first lady. You should be respectful and not imply untrue things." Aaina responded in the best way that she could.

"But it's true. You love Ahad Ziagil and that is the only reason you threatened Saaniya."

"Objection! Your honor." The Prime Minister's lawyer objected.

"Do you have a point?" The judge asked, Jahaaniya Khan nodded.

"Yes, your honor. I do."

"Then make it." He ordered.

"Do you love Ahad Ziagil?" She questioned Aaina again.

Aaina didn't look anywhere but in the eyes of the woman. How could you be a woman yourself and question my honour, my dignity? You know the truth and yet you stand with liars. You should be ashamed to call yourself a woman.

She wanted to say. She didn't.

"I love him like one would love their best friend, their brother in law. I feel protective over him because he has always had my back."

"If I felt jealous of any woman in Ahad's life, I would not have been the one to introduce him to his wife." She continued.

"First week of marriage and you're out horse riding with Ahad Ziagil. Is that not an implication that you didn't care about your husband but his brother?"

Aaina wanted to look at Zaydaan but she knew that it would only weaken her position. She recited a surah in her head, then looked at the judge.

"I will not answer any more questions that question my honor and my dignity." She said out loud.

"Judge Sahab, ye Sach hai ke humari is society main aurton ke saath bauhat ziadati hoti hai. Unko pal pal tang kia jaata hai, unki izzat ke sath khela jata hai aur main jab se khatoon e awal bani hoon, maine yahi koshish ki hai ke main un aurton ki awaaz ban sakun. "

(Your honor, it is true that in our society, a woman has to go through alot of problems, they are teased and harassed every moment but ever since I've become the first lady, I have tried my level best to be the voice of all those women.)

"Lekin kya sirf aurton ki hi awaaz sachi hai? Kya ek Mard ki nahi?"

(But is a woman's voice only true? What about a man? Is his voice not true?)

"Saaniya is not only lying but she is also degrading all victims of harassment. Saaniya was cheating on my brother in law and I did what any bhabhi would have done. I protected him." She elaborated. She looked at Jahaaniya Khan.

"Her lawyer is standing here, fighting for a woman's rights while accusing another woman of vile, disgusting and untrue things." She stated.

Aaina wanted to say so much more but she knew that this would make headlines already, her name would be plastered with fake slander and her husband would burn from the inside on hearing it all.

"Your honor, I have more questions to ask Mrs Zaydaan if you'll allow me." The opponent's lawyer still insisted, the judge however denied the permission as the time was up.

"Permission denied. Court is adjourned till next Friday." He announced.

Aaina stood up, walking back towards her designated seat. She looked at Ahad and Noora who had already walked upto her.

"Aaina, I'm so sorry." Ahad mumbled, knowing how hard it must have been for her.

Aaina shook her head, looking around for Zaydaan.

Where was he?

"It's okay, Ahad. This was bound to happen." She replied, then looked around some more.

Even his security team was not around.

"Where's Zaydaan?" She asked the both of them.

"He left."

They both answered in unison.

Aaina closed her eyes and let out a small sigh. This case had already started to f**k it all up.

She just hoped that her and Zaydaan would be okay at the end of it all. 

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