Possession

19. Caged?

Regret.

It was what she felt the very next second those words left her mouth. She didn't know what brought those words out of her mouth. For the past few days, she felt everyone around was pushing her into an abyss of darkness. She didn't want this marriage yet she already had given her consent. Every single soul around her was busy with the preparations for her wedding. But she wanted to stop all of these arrangements and hustle and bustle in the haveli at any cost. With every passing day, she felt an unusual feeling surrounding her. She was feeling that soon she is going to be caged as few weeks were left for the rukhsati. No idea was coming to her mind that how to stop this marriage. She wanted to run and run until no one can find her. She wanted to scream this in front of everyone that she is being forced into this marriage. But she didn't have the courage to do so. She did not know how to stand for herself.

Only one crazy thought hit her mind that compelled her to blurt those words out. She thought to beg Irtaza to stop this marriage, maybe he will listen to her but as soon as she said that regret was the first feeling that entered her system and the second one was,

Fear

She heard no sound from the other side of the phone. Nothing came. No sound reached her ears. He was silent. Utterly silent

Every feeling consumed her system as a ray of hope begin to shine in her mind. His silence means he might be considering her words. A small new courage entered her soul with only this thought as she decided to continue.

"Ple..ase." She insisted.

She knew she was playing with fire but she wanted to give this thought a chance. She wanted to persuade him to divorce her. According to her, there was always some goodness in everyone and she was trying to provoke that 'goodness' out of him. And his silence on her words was giving her new hopes and guarantees.

"Pl..ease stop this marriage." She continued. She felt every single thing at that time, courage, hope, fear.

Still no answer. Only his calm breathing could be heard. Her hopes grew high now.

"I don't want it." She carried on.

Still, no answer came. She expected him to lash out at her but his response was the opposite, silence, which grew a lot of courage in her. She was still thinking that he will let her go.

How naive of her!

And then she uttered the next words which provoked the beast inside him.

"I won't divorce." She pleaded.

"Zahra," he called out, his voice calm and composed, opposite to his demeanor, "I am gonna give you a set of advice," he told, "for your betterment."

She was confused about what did he mean as regret and utter fear again consumed her and it grew by leaps and bounds with his next words.

"First, I will never let you go. You can never leave me rather I won't allow it and if you are so hell-bent on not being my wife then my second option is still there for you. Remember what was it?"

Her hands begin to shiver badly as she recalled every heinous deed he did to her. His words lingered in her brain as she remembered his words.

Be my whore

Her hopes were trashed within seconds causing her heart to shatter in million pieces as a sudden fit of fury absorbed her.

"Mein bhaag jau gi." She declared feeling brave but she knew she was doing the most foolish thing ever in her life. Her state would have been different if he was in front of her.