Meerab was frustrated because that new colleague, Hashim Zaman was making it really difficult for her stay sane. He was always ready to point out some flaws in her work. He had a upper hand in her boss, Adv. Waris Hussain's eyes because he had a degree, which Meerab was laking. She had to leave her LLB after Second year because Arham was just two years old and had gotten severely ill. And she couldn't manage her job, studies and motherhood all simultaneously. Because their divorce case was still going and it would make her look like an absent mother. Which make her a less reliable parent for such a little child who could have any number of caretakers at his father's house. And she couldn't afford to leave her job. So her degree had to go.
Adv. Waris Hussain was her father's good friend. He knew about her interest in legal studies he offered her a job as his secretary so that she can have some hand on experience which will help in future and also she can work in flexible hours because at that time she was studying and Arham was also just 6 months old. Her father tried to change her mind but she was adamant that she wanted to make her own money.
But a year later when Arham was just twenty months he got severely ill. And she had to take this tough decision to keep him with herself. Because she was not ready to move back with her parents as she had a feeling that they were not happy with her choice to keep Arham with her. They'd rather she had let Murtasim keep him or not not let him born altogether. She still feels horrified when she remembers her mother telling her to abort her unborn child. They have apologised many time after that but she didn't feel comfortable when they keep shoving a new desirable candidate to start her new life with, every time she visit them.
She had an intuition that Hashim was doing it just to push her to ask him for help so that he can get a better chance to seduce her. Which he's been trying for a year since he joined the firm but failed badly. Why do man think if a woman is divorced or seperated for years she's desperate for a man in her life. When actually it's opposite. She was studying a property document when her phone rang.
"Hello! Mrs. Khan, I am Arham's class teacher. I wish to talk to you personally regarding Arham's behavior and his health. I hope you don't mind coming to school to pick him up a little earlier so that we can discuss about it."
"I can drop you if you're in a hurry." Meerab heard Hashim's voice behind her while she was packing her bag to leave for Arham's school.
"No thanks, I don't need your help for anything." She replied with annoyance.
Sometimes unconsciously she wonders what would Murtasim do to him if he ever got know about Hashim.
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Meerab put Arham to sleep and came back in the kitchen to do the dishes. His teacher told her how he was behaving unlike himself lately. He would either get into fight with other students or he would sit alone in the corner in lunch lost in his thoughts. She was concerned that it might be due to some disturbance in family. She already knows about their seperation and Arham's regular visits to Hyderabad.
Meerab felt guilty for bringing this unpleasantness in his little life. She had no idea how she will tell him that she will never go to Heyderabad and he will have to get used to seeing someone else with his Baba.
But then she became angry with Murtasim for not keeping his affairs hidden from Arham when he knew how sensitive he was.
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Flashback
It had been almost a year to their marriage but she hadn't seen her parents. Murtasim had made sure of it. There were times when she wanted to go back but she couldn't because she was also a Khan and she would never go back on her words.
Lately she wasn't feeling well. Dizziness comes and goes through out the day. She decided it was time see a doctor. But when she think of visiting a clinic alone she felt like crying. She knew it was childish. But she had never went to a doctor alone. Her Mama used to take her there always. It feels like those days she was just looking for an excuse to cry. She was feeling extremely emotional and she didn't like it. Especially when she wanted to keep her emotions out the way to survive in that Haveli. She was taking off her jewelry to get ready for bed when Murtasim walked in. He was looking at her in the mirror. He gave her a little smile when she looked up to him.
"Mere paas tumhare liye kuchh hai." He said taking out a small box from his pocket. He pulled her from her seat in front of mirror to face him. "Ye anguthi is khandan me sadiyon se hai. Lekin mere liye ye meri Ma ki nishani hai." He said putting a Dimond and sapphire ring on her finger. "Wo kehti thi ke meri bahu ki hai, sirf us hi ko isey pehanne ka haq hoga mere baad. Lekin unki death ke baad mujhe lagta tha ke shayad main ye kisi ko bhi na de sakunga. Aj se ye tumhari hai Meerab. Aur mere liye ye boht badi baat hai."
"Lekin.... lekin ye to boht qeemti hai. Mein ye nahi pehn sakti." She said trying to take it off but he stopped her.
"Ye tumhari hai chahe qeemti ho ya nahi or tum isey nahi utarogi." He said firmly. Meerab felt a spell of dizziness again. She swayed a little but Murtasim caught her in his arms.
"Kya hua? You're lookin pale." He looked at her with concern.
"Kuch nahi, wo.. pair mud gaya tha." She lied. No matter however much he tried to make her feel comfortable she couldn't forget how he treated her father. It wasn't like she hated him. Because she knew he had made a firm place her heart for himself. She had no idea when it happened but he had win her heart and she didn't even realise. She had accepted him as a husband in every sense of the word with her free will. But she was afraid if she will tell him about her feelings that will give him more power on her. Because that was her only shield without it she will be completely defenseless in this intimidating surrounding.
Meerab was not able to sleep that night. She kept tossing and turning. Due which Murtasim woke up and was still sleepy when he said
"Kya baat hai Meerab? Kuchh takleef hai kya?" He propped on his elbow sideways, looking at her skeptically.
"Nahi." She denied immediately. "Mai theek hoon. Bas ....aap se kuch poochhna tha." She said nervously.
"Poochho." He asked, looking at her intently.
"Umm.. main kuchh din ke liye Karachi jana chahti hoon." She said biting her lips. Murtasim's face turned stone cold on that. Gone was the concern.
"Nahi. Tum Karachi nahi ja sakti." He said.
"Lekin kyu? Ek saal ho gaya hai Mama aur Dad ko dekhe hue." She was frustrated.
"Dadi ki tabiyat boht zyada kharab hai isliye mein unhe yaha ek din ke liye bhi akela nhi chhod sakta. Aur tumhe akele mein waha jane nahi dunga." He said turning to his side to sleep.
"Aap ko mujhpe bharosa nahi hai." She said accusingly. Hearing which he turned around.
"Tumpe to hai lekin tumhare Baba par nai hai." He said cynically.
"Mein wapas aa jaugi jaldi." She pleaded.
"Nahi. Tum nahi ja saktin. Aur mein is bare me mazeed kuchh sunna nahi chahta." He left the room in anger.
A week had gone to that night but Meerab didn't stop asking him to let her go to Karachi. But he declined every time. Previous night they almost had a fight because of it. Meerab was surprised that she was able to talk to him like that otherwise she had always been a little afraid of him. Lately she was feeling too emotional to care about it. Then she received her Dad's call to tell her that her mother was seriously ill. She left for Karachi immediately just leaving a massage to Murtasim. But when he saw it she was already on her way.
She received his call that night when she got home. He wanted her to immediately get back to Hyderabad. But she refused saying she will only come back when her mother will recover. He didn't bother to call her again. She told herself she will make him see that he can't expect her to leave everything behind. And she was sure when he was in a better mood he will understand. Because she knew no matter how hot headed he was he doesn't punish people without offense.
She knew that her parents didn't approve him. They wanted her to get a divorce. But she refused saying she was happy with him now.
"Tum nahi janti us ghar ke mardon ko. Unke liye aurat ki jagah sirf char diwari me qaid he. Warna wo tumhe apne ma baap se kyu nahi milne deta. Tum to LLB karna chahti thin. Tumhe kya ho gaya hai. Dekho abhi moqa hai. Tumhare Dad apne dost Adv. Waris sahab se baat bhi kar chuke hain. Abhi tum karachi me ho. Yaha Murtasim ki itni baat chalegi bhi nahi. Hum koi na koi tareeqa nikal lenge." He mother tried to persuade her.
"Mama mein apne faisle se peechhe nahi hatugi. Mene wada kiya hai mein wapas jaugi. Mein or is bare me baat nahi karna chahti." She dismissed her mother.
"Tum boht bholi ho tumhe kya lagta hai. Tum akeli aurat ho uski zindagi me. Ye laug 4-4 shadiyan karte hain aur mistresses bhi rakhte hain. Ye aj bhi 16vi sadi me jee rahe hain." Her words hit Meerab's heart a little too strongly. She dismissed the notion but the seed of doubt was sawn in her head. "Uske liye tum sirf tumhare baap ko aziyat pohchane ka zariya ho. Aur tum usey pura moqa de rahi ho apne baap ko zaleel karne ka. Un logon ke liye aurten biwi nahi hoti hain. Wo unhe apni milkiyat (property) samajhte hain."
Meerab was tired of their constant nagging. But she couldn't ignore the fact that their marriage was result of revenge and retribution. She was still not feeling well but she didn't had time to think anout it anymore. So she just ignored it.
One day her father came back from university in a grim mood. Meerab had headache. Her monthly cycle was also affected by all the tension and drama in her life. She was mentally exhausted. Sometimes she wished she hadn't come back because all her parents wanted to talk about was Murtasim and his uncivilized behavior. Then she immediately felt guilty for feeling so. Because she knew they were doing that in her love only. After dinner when Meerab had seen her mother to bed her father asked her to come to the library. When she went there he pointed at an envelop on his desk.
"What is this?" Meerab asked opening envelop.
"Bank me tumhara marital status change karwana hai. Maine fill kar diya hai tumhe bas sign karna hai." He said sitting on his chair.
There were 3-4 documents. She signed the first one when her father said "Soch lo ek baar phir. Tum abhi bhi khula le sakti ho." He tried to persuade her again. She got annoyed and signed the others without looking at them just searched for the place sign at the bottom of the document, so that she won't have to listen all of it again. She closed the envelop.
"Dad please mene kaha na mujhe nahi chahiye khula." She said tiredly putting down the envelop. "Agar ap log mujhe zyada push karenge to me wapas chali jaugi. Meine socha tha ke Mama ki tabiyat jab tak theek nahi ho jati mein yahi rukugi. Lekin mujhe lagta hai ab mujhe wapas chale jana chahiye." She turned to leave.
"Ruko!" He father called her with an authority he hadn't shown in years. "To tum us admi ke liye jo tumhare baap ki kanpati pe pistol rakhke marne ki dhamki deta hai, tumhe qaid kar leta hai, us shakhs ke liye apne baap ki nafarmani karogi?" He asked angrily.
"Wo shakhs mera shohar hai, Dad. Jisse shadi ke liye aap ne mujhe manaya tha." She retaliated. "Dad please, ab behtar hoga ap bhoolne ki koshish karen jo hua usey. Mein apse usey muaf karne ko nahi keh rahi hu. Bas usey accept kar lijiye mere liye." She pleaded.
"Kabhi nahi. Shayad tumhe us haveli ki chaka chondh ne andha kar diya hoga lekin mein nahi bhoola hu jo ravaiya usne mere sath, apne sage chacha ke sath ikhtyar kiya tha." He was enraged.
"Dad please..." She tried to explain though she had no idea what she could say.
"Bas" he raised his hand to stop her. "Mujhe aur kuchh nahi sunna hai. Sharm aati hai apni tarbiyat par. Agar tumhe apne baap ka itna bhi ehsas nahi hai to behtar hai tum kal wapas chali jao." He said leaving her standing in the middle of library, defeated and ashamed. She couldn't deny it anymore that she was in love with Murtasim if she was fighting with her Dad for him. And she was ashamed because he was the same person who didn't think twice before threatening to kill her father.
Next morning she woke up to hear voices from the hall. When she went down she found Murtasim sitting on living room sofa. His guards were standing behind him. Her father standing next to the sofa simmering with anger silently. Her mother was looking terrified in a corner. Murtasim looked up to her when she reached the bottom stair.
"Aap...Apne bataya nahi... aap aane wale hain?" She didn't know why she was stammering but something in the air told her that something terrible has happened. But before Murtasim could answer her father said.
"Tum mere ghar me aa kar is tarah dehshat nahi phela sakte. Mein police ko phone karuga ke tum meri beti ko aghwah karne aaye ho." Her father shouted shielding her from his gaze. But Murtasim didn't pay him any attention.
"Mein apni biwi ko lene aaya hu. Aap ko jise call karna hai karen lekin Meerab ab yahan ek second aur nahi rahegi." He said standing up. He moved towards Meerab and held her hand to take her to his car. But her father put his hand on his to stop him.
"Tum usey kahi nahi le ja sakte. Khula ke papers mil gaye hain. Ab tumhara koi haq nahi hai meri beti par." Her father said with certitude. What did he mean? What divorce papers? She didn't sign any. What was going on?
Murtasim pulled out his gun and poited it on father's head. Before she could move Peeran Kaka, a house help who had been with them even before her birth, came forward to take the gun from his hand. Which was a mistake because he instantly jerked Peeran Kaka's hand and shot a bullet on his hand at which he doubled in pain. Murtasim turned back the revolver on her Dad's head. The shot was deliberate to warn them. But all that took place within a second that she couldn't comprehend its severity. She moved in front of her Dad. So the gun was pointing on her head, her whole body trembling.
"Kyu kar rahe hain ye sab?" Her eyes were filled with tears.
"Tum wapas chalo mere sath. Kisi ko koi nuqsan nahi pohchega." He said.
"Mein esay apne Mama aur Daddy ko chhod ke nahi ja sakti." His anger was rising again but she didn't care.
"Theek hai. Sirf ek sawal puchhuga." He said pulling the gun back to his side. "Tumne wo papers apni raza mandi se sign kare the?"
She looked at her father. The red colour of his face told her that he had taken her signs by fraud but she knew if she admit it to Murtasim the consequences will not be good for her father.
"Ha." She said at last. Murtasim noded and turned to leave without looking back. She was surprised how easily he left without any further argument.
"Allah ka shukr." She heard her mother heaving a sigh then she fell on sofa. "Mujhe pehle hi bharosa nahi tha. Aap kese apni bete ko esey janwar ke sath chhod ke aa gaye the. Wo to Allah ka shukr hai meri bachchi sahi salamat laut ayi." Her mother said weeping in her dupatta. She was looking accusingly at her husband who was mending Peeran Kaka's injured hand.
But Meerab was still shocked. Her mind was not ready take what happened a few moments ago. She felt dizzy and the next thing she knew she fell like stone in the middle of the hall.
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Meerab came back to present when the doorbell went off. She ran to open the door lest the sound will wake Arham.
She opened the door without looking through peephole and regretted immediately. The man in front of her still had the ability to make body go cold with fear of his dominating presence and go hot with a mortifying longing at the same time. .
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Please give your feedback. The main story isn't started yet. Here Murtasim is going be a dark character. Please don't come at me with how regressive it is. If don't like it I respect your thoghts.
Waiting for your comments.