Chapter 12 - Hearts Unshaken
Chapter 12: Hearts Unshaken
Golden sunlight softly illuminated the elegant hall, blending seamlessly with the graceful decorations of orchids, hibiscus, and delicate paper lanterns—a gentle fusion of Malay and Chinese heritage. Guests arrived dressed beautifully in vibrant baju kurung, kebayas, qipao, and cheongsam, mingling warmly beneath gentle whispers of traditional music.
Aleem stood nervously at the front, dressed handsomely in his cream-coloured baju Melayu, songkok atop his neatly styled hair. His heart fluttered anxiously, quietly overwhelmed by joy and anticipation. Beside him, his best man, Xavier, whispered softly, grinning reassuringly.
“She’s gonna look amazing, bro. Relax.”
Aleem chuckled nervously. “Easy for you to say.”
A soft hush gently swept across the hall as the bridal procession began. All eyes turned towards the entrance, where Shei Er stood radiantly in a beautifully embroidered white kebaya, elegant and modest, blending gentle elements of Malay modesty and Chinese elegance. Her hair adorned quietly with delicate jasmine blossoms, her eyes shimmering softly as she stepped forward with grace.
As she slowly approached, Aleem’s breath caught softly. His eyes brimmed gently with tears, heart swelling deeply with gratitude.
When she finally stood beside him, she smiled shyly, whispering softly, “You look perfect.”
He smiled warmly, squeezing her hand gently. “Not compared to you.”
The solemnity of the Nikah began gently, beautifully officiated by Ustaz Hafiz. Quiet prayers filled the hall, each spoken word echoing softly, tenderly binding their hearts and souls.
Then, with quiet grace, Ustaz Hafiz turned to Shei Er, gently guiding her through the shahadah. Her voice trembled slightly yet carried quiet strength as she softly declared her new faith, embracing Islam openly, sincerely, eyes moistening gently as Aleem squeezed her hand supportively, proudly.
Their vows were exchanged gently, quietly heartfelt. Friends and family wiped tears, joyfully moved by the beautiful union. Everything felt perfect—until quiet murmurs disrupted the serene atmosphere.
Aleem glanced anxiously toward the back, noticing unfamiliar tension among distant relatives—three cousins whispering harshly, jealousy evident, their eyes fixated bitterly on the couple.
Quietly, they stepped forward, interrupting rudely.
“Aleem, what makes you think you deserve her?” one cousin bitterly remarked, voice sharp with envy.
Another added harshly, “There’s plenty of Malay girls—why must you marry an outsider?”
A quiet, tense silence fell. Aleem’s heart sank, anger and disappointment blending quietly.
But before he could respond, Saadiah stepped forward gently yet firmly, voice quietly strong, protective.
“My son chose wisely—with his heart. Today is about unity, acceptance. Your jealousy has no place here.”
Amaliah quickly joined her mother, voice gentle but courageous. “Love doesn’t discriminate. It’s brave, patient. Shei Er embraced our faith sincerely—her heart belongs here.”
Jun Yu quietly stepped forward, calmly interjecting in Malay. “Saya dulu seperti Shei Er. Islam tidak memandang bangsa, tetapi hati dan keikhlasan.”
Jamal stood gently beside his wife, voice steady, quietly authoritative. “Today, we welcome a daughter into our family. Differences make us stronger, richer—not weaker. Respect that, or leave.”
The cousins fell silent, faces burning quietly with embarrassment. Reluctantly, they backed away, quietly disappearing into the crowd.
Aleem quietly exhaled, deeply moved by his family’s quiet bravery. He gently turned to Shei Er, whispering softly, “I’m so sorry.”
She smiled gently, eyes full of quiet strength. “Don’t be. Your family stood by us. That’s what matters.”
Ustaz Hafiz smiled warmly, voice gentle yet powerful, addressing everyone. “Marriage is built on patience, strength, sincerity. Today we witnessed true courage, unity, and faith. Let nothing diminish that beauty.”
The atmosphere warmed again, the gentle joy returning softly, brighter, stronger than before.
Finally, with blessings gently completed, Aleem tenderly lifted Shei Er’s hand, kissing her knuckles softly—echoing their sweet, intimate gesture from long before.
Quiet applause filled the hall warmly. Aleem’s eyes shimmered softly, proudly declaring, “Ladies and gentlemen, my wife—Nur Shei Er binti Abdullah.”
She blushed gently, smiling radiantly, heart overflowing quietly with joy.
—
At the reception, guests laughed softly, warmly mingling beneath twinkling lights. Aleem gently led his wife onto the dance floor, eyes warmly sparkling.
“Are you happy, Xue Er?” he asked tenderly.
She smiled warmly, nodding softly. “Never happier. Even with everything that happened—it made us stronger.”
Aleem’s eyes softened gently. “I promise to protect your heart forever.”
“You already have,” she whispered quietly, resting her head gently against his chest, the quiet music softly guiding their gentle dance.
Family and friends watched warmly, hearts quietly touched by the beautiful courage and unity witnessed today.
—
As evening approached gently, Aleem quietly sat beside his parents, squeezing Saadiah’s hand softly.
“Mak, Ayah—thank you. For everything.”
Saadiah smiled tenderly, gently squeezing back. “You chose bravely, Aleem. We’re proud.”
Jamal quietly nodded warmly. “Marriage won’t always be easy—but love makes it worth every struggle.”
Nearby, Amaliah laughed warmly with Jun Yu, gently holding hands. She glanced softly toward Aleem, mouthing quietly, “Welcome to the club.”
He chuckled warmly, grateful for their support.
Quietly, Aleem turned towards Shei Er, gently pulling her closer beneath the soft glow of evening lights, whispering tenderly, “Today, you made my dreams come true.”
She smiled softly, eyes gently shimmering. “We did it together.”
“Yes,” he agreed warmly, gently embracing her. “Together, forever.”
Around them, beneath quiet stars now gently appearing, family quietly celebrated, barriers gently overcome, hearts quietly strengthened, forever joined beautifully—through patience, courage, and a love that quietly refused to waver, even in the face of jealousy or misunderstanding.
Today, two hearts had quietly united—not perfectly, but bravely, sincerely, beautifully.