The day had finally come.
The wedding day.
The whole of Lahore was jammed.
Because the wedding of the year was happening.
Rayan Ahmed, the richest CEO, was marrying Ayesha, the waitress.
The venue was the Ahmed Palace garden, decorated with 1 lakh white roses imported from Holland, lights from Turkey, and a stage made of pure crystal from Dubai.
1000 guests.
All of Pakistan’s elite.
And outside the palace, thousands of normal people standing just to get a glimpse of the Cinderella.
But the real magic was happening inside a small room upstairs, where Ayesha was getting ready as a bride.
She was wearing a red bridal lehenga, not from a designer, but designed by Rayan himself.
He had told the designer, “Make it exactly like Cinderella’s dress, but in red, because red is her color.
The first time I saw her, she was in red.” The lehenga was worth 30 lakhs, with real gold thread work.
On her neck was a diamond necklace worth 5 crores, but her most precious jewelry was the smile on her face.
Her mother was doing her makeup, crying with happiness.
“Ami, why are you crying?
Today is my wedding day, you should be happy,” Ayesha said, wiping her mother’s tears.
“These are happy tears, beta.
Your father…
if he was here today, he would be so proud.
His little daughter, who he used to drop to school on his old bicycle, is now becoming the queen of the biggest palace in Lahore.” Just then, Dadi Jaan entered with a small velvet box.
She looked at Ayesha with so much love, like a grandmother looks at her granddaughter.
“Ayesha, beta, this is for you.
This was my mother’s, then it was Rayan’s mother’s, and now it should be yours.
It’s our family’s heirloom.
A diamond choker that every Ahmed bride wears on her wedding day.
Even Sana was dreaming of this, but I saved it for you.
Because you are the true Ahmed bride.” Ayesha opened the box.
It was the most beautiful diamond choker she had ever seen, with a huge ruby in the middle.
It must be worth 10 crores.
“Dadi Jaan, this is too expensive…
I cannot…” “You can, beta.
Because you are not just marrying Rayan, you are marrying this family.
And this family needs a heart like yours.
Wear it.” Dadi Jaan herself made Ayesha wear the choker.
Ayesha looked in the mirror and she couldn’t recognize herself.
She looked like a real royal princess.
Not a waitress, not a poor girl.
A queen.
Downstairs, Rayan was waiting.
He was wearing a white sherwani with gold work, looking like a Mughal emperor.
But he was restless.
He kept looking at the stairs every 10 seconds.
“Where is she?
Why is she taking so long?
The Molvi Sahib is waiting,” he asked his cousin.
His cousin laughed.
“Bhai, it’s your wedding!
Every bride takes time!
Wait!” But Rayan couldn’t wait.
He had waited 15 days to make her his wife.
From fake girlfriend to real fiancée, and now finally, wife.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Finally, the music started.
The bridal entry song.
“Din Shagna Da.” Everyone stood up.
The doors opened.
And Ayesha came.
Walking slowly, holding her mother’s hand, eyes down with shyness, but glowing like a moon.
When Rayan saw her, his world stopped.
The 1000 guests disappeared.
The music disappeared.
Only Ayesha was there.
He walked forward quickly, breaking all traditions.
A groom is supposed to wait on stage, but Rayan Ahmed never followed rules.
He went to Ayesha, took her hand from her mother, and whispered, “You look so beautiful that I forgot how to breathe.” Ayesha blushed so much that her red lehenga looked pale.
He brought her to the stage.
The Nikah started.
Molvi Sahib asked Ayesha, “Ayesha bint-e-Muhammad Ali, kya aapko Rayan Ahmed walad Kamran Ahmed ke saath Nikah qubool hai, haq meher 10 crore rupees ke saath?” Ayesha’s hands were shaking.
She looked at Rayan.
Rayan was looking at her with so much love and was holding her hand tightly under the table.
She said in a soft but clear voice, “Qubool hai.” Once.
“Qubool hai.” Twice.
“Qubool hai.” Thrice.
With tears of happiness.
Then Molvi Sahib asked Rayan, “Rayan Ahmed, kya aapko Ayesha bint-e-Muhammad Ali ke saath Nikah qubool hai?” Rayan didn’t wait.
He said loudly, so the whole garden could hear, “QUBOOL HAI!
QUBOOL HAI!
QUBOOL HAI!
1000 times qubool hai!” Everyone laughed and clapped.
The Nikah was done.
They were officially husband and wife.
The contract was now a Nikah.
Dadi Jaan cried and hugged them both.
“Allah tum dono ko hamesha khush rakhe!” After Nikah, it was time for the wedding gift.
Rayan stood up and took the mic.
“Everyone, thank you for coming to our wedding.
Today is the happiest day of my life.
15 days ago, I met a girl in a hotel.
I spilled coffee on her red gown.
I thought she was just a waitress.
But she taught me what love is, what humility is, what hard work is.” He looked at Ayesha.
“Ayesha, everyone gives gold