Meerasim Ki Dunya

Chapter 12. Reactions

"Ghalti tou Meerab ki bhi hai, usne bhi kisi ko nahi bataya," Haya spoke up.
(It's Meerab's fault too. She also didn't inform anyone.)

"Meerab ki ghalti nahi hai, uske saath pichle chobees ghante mein bohat kuch huwa hai, usse bewaja ilzaam mat do Haya," Maa Begum said sternly causing Haya to shut up.
(It's not her fault. She has gone through a lot in the past 24 hours, give her a break.)

Meerab smiled, inwardly grateful to Tayi Jan for having her back.

Murtasim glanced at Meerab, acknowledging her silent gratitude with a soft smile. He knew that Maa Begum was fiercely protective of Meerab, and he was thankful that she was there to support her in this conversation.

"Murtasim, tum bhi apne gusse pe control rakho. Tum dono ke darmiyan ek nayi zindagi shuru hui hai, aur mujhe nahi dekhna ke tum usse musibat me daalo," Anwar said, his tone a bit more gentle.
(Murtasim you need to keep your anger in check. You both have starteda new life together and I don't want either of you to jeopardise your marital life.)

Murtasim nodded, his expression showing his understanding. "Jee Chacha Sahab, aap bilkul theek keh rahe hain."
(You're right, Chacha Sahab.)

The ambiance around the dining table gradually eased as her father and husband engaged in a conversation about the Maliks - it appeared that the Maliks had stirred up some trouble again. She had grown up being conscious of the rivalry between the two families, and her legal knowledge allowed her to grasp their discussion better than the other women present at the dinner table.

After dinner, Murtasim settled into the armchair in their room, engrossed in his phone, while Meerab positioned herself in front of the dresser, diligently following her nighttime skincare routine. Suddenly, a tingling sensation at the nape of her neck made her glance at Murtasim through the mirror. He was observing her intently, and her cheeks flushed with warmth. She detested how he could affect her like this, especially when she was determined to distance herself from him.

As she continued with her routine, she tried to ignore his gaze, focusing on each step of the skincare process. She could feel his eyes on her, tracing her movements, and it both irritated and unsettled her. She couldn't deny the underlying chemistry that had always existed between them, but she had learned to suppress it over time, considering the circumstances that had brought them together.

After a few moments, she finished her skincare routine and turned to face him. He was back to using his phone. "Kuch chahiye tha?" she asked, keeping her tone neutral.
(Do you want something?)

Without looking up he muttered, "Tum".
(You.)

"Huh?"

He looked up from his phone, his expression unreadable. "I mean tum se baat karni thi," he replied, setting his phone aside.
(I wanted to talk to you.)

She arched an eyebrow, surprised by his straightforwardness. "Kis barey mein?"
(About?)

"About us," he stated simply, his gaze unwavering.

Meerab sighed inwardly. She had hoped to avoid this conversation for as long as possible. "Murtasim, yeh humare liye behter hoga ke agar hum apnay alag raaste par chalein," she said, choosing her words carefully.
(It would be better for us to walk on our separate paths.)

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Meerab, I understand that this marriage was unexpected, and I know you're still adjusting to it. But I can't ignore the fact that you're my wife now."

She met his gaze, her eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and vulnerability. "I'm well aware of that, Murtasim. But you also need to understand that my heart was never in this marriage. I have my own life, my own dreams, and I won't let this marriage define me."

He nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful. "I don't want to force you into anything you're not comfortable with. But can we at least try to make this work? For the sake of our families, if nothing else."

"They don't ever have to know what actually goes on between us," she replied nonchalantly.

Murtasim's heart sank at her response. He had hoped, even against the odds, that maybe there was a chance to bridge the gap between them. But her words felt like a cold reminder that their marriage was nothing more than a façade, a show put on for the world. He had known that she didn't love him, but the starkness of her indifference hit him harder than he had anticipated.

He cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice steady. "Meerab, I understand that this marriage wasn't born out of love. But we are both a part of it now, and I can't help but hope that over time, something more genuine might develop between us."

She turned to look at him, her expression unreadable. "Murtasim, I won't pretend to feel something I don't."

Her honesty cut through him, a sharp blade to his heart. He wanted to tell her, to confess that his feelings for her had never been about this arrangement, that they had been growing since long before. But he couldn't bring himself to say those words, not when it seemed so clear that she would never feel the same way.

He forced a small smile. "I appreciate your honesty, Meerab. I won't push you into anything you're not ready for." With that, he got up and headed towards the bed, leaving the conversation hanging between them like an unspoken plea.

"You can't sleep there," she said as he sat on the bed.

"Kya matlab Meerab? Mei kaha sounga?" he asked, clearly confused by her sudden change in attitude.

Meerab sighed, placing her skincare products back on the dresser and turning to face him. "Look, I understand that we have to maintain appearances, but that doesn't mean we need to share a bed."

Murtasim's eyebrows furrowed. "But this is our room, and that's our bed."

"Yes, I know that," she replied, her tone measured. "But just because we're married doesn't mean we have to pretend to be a couple in every aspect of our lives. We can sleep separately and still uphold the marriage for the world to see."

He looked taken aback by her suggestion, a mixture of confusion and hurt in his eyes. "Is that really what you want, Meerab? Does our past bond not matter anymore?"

She hesitated for a second before saying, "Yes and it's only practical considering how we got married. Whatever was in the past stays in the past because you were the one who tarnished it so don't expect me to forgive you so easily. That's why you are going to sleep on the couch from now onwards."

The thought of him agreeing that he was pushing her away because of Haya left a bitter taste in her mouth along with the moisture in her eyes.

Murtasim's hurt was palpable as he stood there, his gaze dropping to the floor. He seemed to be grappling with a mix of emotions, and she could sense that her words had cut deeper than she intended.

"Fine," he finally replied, his voice tight. "If that's what you want, then I'll sleep on the couch."

Meerab felt a pang of guilt at his response, realizing that her attempt at maintaining distance was causing more pain than she had anticipated. But she couldn't deny the nagging voice in her head that reminded her of all the complicated aspects of their situation. He had hurt her and now he deserved to be hurt by her. Meerab was totally unaware of this new personality building up inside her that was seeking revenge, but she justified it as the reaction of everything that had happened.

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Not proofread and I wrote this while I was sobbing over the death of my favourite character in a book I was reading because I wanted to get my mind off it. I might edit this chapter later.