That brought Murtasim out of his dumbfoundedness, and he quickly took Meerab's face in his hands, "Hey no, no, I didn't say that, meri jaan" he wiped her tears that had come free despite Meerab's attempt to hold them back.
"Please tell me everything clearly, I will listen," he assured her.
Meerab looked in his eyes and found only honesty and pure trust. Some more tears came free as she uttered, "She knew Maryam was seeing Malik Zubair, she knew his real identity, and she also knew when Maryam was leaving with him, she was watching hence the vid-
"She took the video," Murtasim grumbled under his breath, his anger flaring high as he dropped his hands from Meerab's face and stood up. He held onto the bed stand to calm himself down, but his mind kept chiding him. All this while the one responsible for the incident got scot-free while the innocent ones paid the price.
His Meerab paid such a heavy price.
He didn't realise he was taking heavy breaths until Meerab put a hand on his shoulder from the back and asked him to calm down. He instantly turned and took both of her hands in his. He knew he owed Meerab an apology
for becoming a pawn in the others' game, for trusting Haya over her, again and again, for just-just always being a fool and hurting her.
Meerab looked at him and found his downcasted face to be a mixture of guilt and suppressed anger.
"I am sorry maine Haya ki baat ko tumhare oopar tarjeeh di, I am sorry ki maine tumhari nahi suni, and I am sorry ki maine tumhe ghar se nikaal diya tha. Please mujhe maaf-" as he voiced out his apology he was shush-ed by Meerab's finger on his lips. "You don't have to say sorry again and again, I just wanted you to believe me. And now that you have, I don't need anything else." Meerab told him in a soft tone, feeling light-hearted.
He looked at her teary eyed. And she felt a pang in her heart realising just like him, she couldn't see him cry. She took his hands out from his hold, and wrapped her arms around his middle. "Bas, ab sab theek hoga," she murmured in his shirt, as he slowly hugged her back.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. They pulled apart at that, and Meerab left to check who's on the door. It was Maryam.
They looked at each other for a few minutes and then both rushed to hug each other tightly.
"Bhabhi aap waapas aa gayi, bhai aapko waapas le aaye, mujhe pata tha bhai ko sach pata chalega to wo aapko le aayenge. Bhabhi, I am sorry, Bhabhi, meri wajah se aapko nikaal diya ghar se, but Bhabhi aap please Bhai se khafa mat hona, he didn't know." Maryam was crying now as she rambled on.
"Shh, maryam, mera baccha, sab theek hai, main naaraz nahi hoon tumhare bhai se" Meerab broke the hug and held Maryam by the shoulder. She then wiped Maryam's tears with her dupatta. "Aur tumhari koi bhi galti nahi hai, stop blaming yourself."
Murtasim was looking at them from afar, their interaction feeling bittersweet to his soul, when Maryam noticed him. "Oh bhai, wo maa ne aapko bulaya hai."
"Hm, jaata hoon", he said and as he passed them, he put a hand on his little sister's head, feeling extra protective of her after learning of Haya's cruel actions against her.
________
"Salam maa", Murtasim was met with Maa Begum's stare as he entered her room. Paying no heed, he went and sat on the couch next to the bed she was sitting on. Murtasim asked her casually, "Aapne bulaya?"
"Haan mujhe poochna tha ki did you bring Meerab back?", Maa Begum asked him, while counting down her prayer beads.
"Ji maa", Murtasim replied.
"Accha kiya, Mariyum ne Naurez se shaadi karne ki yahi shart rakhi thi ki Meerab should come back, ab sab Allah ki khair se sahi se hoga", Maa Begum said in a content tone.
"Nahi maa, kuch bhi sahi se nahi hoga", Murtasim said. "Mariyam won't be married off against her wish", he finished with finality.
"Kya?", Maa Begum, shocked beyond words, asked him.
"Ji maa, ye iss ghar ke sarbarah ka faisla hai, aur ye aapko maanna padega."
"Lekin achanak kyun? Zaroor uss Meerab ne kaan bhare hai tumhare, isliye I didn't want her to come", Maa Begum's anger rose, and as always Meerab was the one she directed it towards.
"Meerab ne kuch nahi kiya hai," Murtasim said in a loud voice, "ye mera khud ka faisla hai."
"Main maan nahi sakti, Haya ne sahi bola tha, Meerab aayegi aur phir se gadbad hogi-"
"Haya ka naam maat le, hum par jo bhi qayamat guzri hai, all of it has been her doing", Murtasim couldn't hold back anymore and told her.
"Kuch bhi bole jaa rahe ho Murtasim, Haya ne kya kiya hai, and how did she come in between anyway?", Maa begum asked, genuinely confused.
"Aisa karte hai sabko bulate hai maa, then I will tell you what Haya has done, and also what I will do", Murtasim replied with a dangerous edge to his voice.
________
A/N: Just a heads up, Mariyam isn't nikaahfied yet in this fic. That's a detail I have changed from canon.
Also, just a question, should I take more time and upload longer chapters or short chapters at less intervals is okay?
3; The Real Culprit.
Start from the beginning
