A trembling Haya stood facing the floor in front of Murtasim as he burned holes into her shaky figure through his eyes.
Events from the past one and a half year flashed through his mind beginning from Meerab's birthday when his and Meerab's engagement was announced by his mother without their consent, the anger and frustration he had felt at not being consulted about probably the most important decision of his life, to the morning after when he woke up to find Haya waiting for him by his bed with tears in her eyes, confessing her so-called love and he had to kick her out of his room then to the time she had successfully ruined his already unpleasant wedding night by slitting her wrists and he had to rush her to the hospital and then to the time he got a call saying Meerab had fallen from the stairs and he had hurriedly made his way to the hospital only to find out it was Haya's doing.
His mind next conjured up the image of that one night in the village when his psychotic cousin had pretended she had something in her eye only to get close to him and Meerab, appearing out of thin air, had walked in on them, completely misreading
the situation which had caused a misunderstanding between them. Next he remembered all the times Meerab had taunted him about Haya, but now he realised her taunts held a silent plea to stay away from her. That their cousin was one of the biggest obstacles in her acceptance of him. But he didnt hear them. He had been deaf then. How foolish was he?
He then remembered the night of Maryam's wedding, how Haya had carefully plotted to mislead him to believe Meerab had summoned him to their room and hugged him from behind only to have his wife walk in on them once again, this time in a very compromising position. That night was the darkest night of their lives. That one misunderstanding had ruined it all. It had lead to their biggest fight ever and the consummation of their marriage in the most unexpected way, something Murtasim regretted ever since.
That night, as he stood by the river with Bakhtu, struggling to get his thoughts straight, he hadn't even been able to overcome the guilt that had plagued him since the moment it happened when, upon returning home the next morning, he was given another shock in the form of the news that Meerab had left home. His mind flashed to the moment Haya came running out of his room with Meerab's ring, pretending as if she knew nothing.
But she knew. She knew it all. It all seemed to make sense now; like pieces of a puzzle fitting together. Meerab's silent pleas, Haya's sudden concern at the news of Meerab leaving home, her silence, her psychotic smile and teary eyes when he had practically begged her to tell Meerab the truth on that god awful night. He had been blind to not see it then but the image was clear as day in his mind now as he stood there glaring at her in the hospital. And her overly caring behaviour towards him and only him that had always irked him. And it had multiplied by a thousand ever since the news of his wife leaving broke.
He never cared for it before, he never cared for it then either because he had never paid attention to it, too busy sulking in the memories of his beautiful Meerab and being tormented by the idea that maybe he was the reason she left.
But it was all clear to him now, like fog being lifted as the bright sun of early spring cut through it after a cold, dark winter. But the feeling was far from it. His mind was clear but every vein in his body burned with anger.
He took another step closer to Haya, who stood still as a statue, her shaking body the only indication that she was still alive. Eyes shimmering with anger, he spoke, "kya kaha hai tumne?" He muttered angrily, his tone deadly, as if daring her to take back her words.
And she did exactly that, "K-k-kuch nahi..." her voice a broken whisper, taking the first step in digging her own grave. But he heard it just fine. Maa Begum and Anwar stood in a corner staring in shock, confusion and curiosity.
Anwar's tears continued to trail down his cheeks, blending into the rough hairs of his beard as his eyes fixated on his niece. He had loved Haya, cared for her, in a way raised her for they had lived under the same roof for nearly her whole life. He thought she was the spitting image of her mother, his sister and had sympathised with her ever since her parents passed away, sometimes even giving her the benefit of the doubt in situations that Maryam and Murtasim would normally get in trouble for.
He loved and respected his sister deeply, so it only made sense for him to care for her daughter after she departed from this world. It was also his twisted way of easing his conscience from the guilt of giving up his own daughter and letting her be raised by others because he could not bring himself to bring her back home for that would mean telling her the truth about her identity and why he had abandoned her. Why she had spent so many years of her life with foster parents. He knew the resentment she would harbour against him and believed himself too weak to handle it or admit the truth to her.
So he had thought that being indirectly involved in Meerab's life and directly involved in his orphan niece's life would help lighten the burden. But it had all been in vain it seemed, for that same niece had now pushed him aside and told him to shut up in-front of the entire family as if he never mattered. And that very niece just admitted to having evil intentions for his daughter, conspiring against her and driving her to the point where she felt the need to run away from home.
"Haya...aaj tak tumhare jhooton pe yaqeen karta aya houn. Aaj sach bolna!" Murtasim glared, his voice holding a deadly threat.
And that is when Haya knew it was game over. There was no point in lying anymore. No matter how much she lied now he wouldn't believe any of it and would pull the truth out of her one way or another. And it would only be torturous for her. Succumbing to her fate, she plead guilty.
"Haan..." she whispered, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. Tears lined her eyes but they were devoid of any emotion whilst his were a stark contrast, burning with fiery emotion.
"Mai ne hi uss raat Meerab ko ghar chod kar jaane pe majboor kia tha!" She confessed. Her mind flashed to the horrendous night when she stood outside the locked door of Murtasim and Meerab's room, waiting for some indication that they were fighting, furious when she was met with silence.
Fuelled by her desire for revenge she had waited outside for quite a while before she heard the click of the lock and hurriedly scrambled to the lawn adjacent to their room, dragging her grey sharara.
She peaked from behind the doorway as the bedroom door opened and revealed a distraught looking Murtasim. Now dressed in a midnight blue shalwar kameez he walked out with his head hung low, seemingly lost in thought as he dragged his white shawl across the floor.
The sight came as a shock to Haya. His shawl was a symbol of the respect and dignity he commanded and everyone knew he would rather die before he let it touch the ground. She went unnoticed by him as he walked aimlessly towards the exit.
Once out of sight, Haya turned towards the bedroom. It was awfully quiet. No sounds, no movement. She looked around once more for any sign of Murtasim or anyone else and made her way inside when she found the coast was clear.
Treading inside carefully, as she turned the corner she gasped at the sight in front of her. Her eyes met with a room that seemed unrecognisable. Even in sickness Murtasim would always make sure to keep his room organised but this! This was something else entirely. The sheets were messed up, Meerab's dupatta and jewellery resting on top. A couple pillows were abandoned on the floor and the air felt unusually cold. Sinister almost.
But what shocked her the most was a disheveled Meerab sitting on the floor by the foot of the bed, hugging her legs to her chest, crying silently. Her mascara had spread around her eyes, painting dark circles that added to her broken state. It didn't take a genius to draw a conclusion as to what might have happened if you didn't know the specifics, just like Haya who had assumed the absolute worst in that moment.
In that moment a part of her urged her to console her cousin, to put aside their differences and just simply be there for her. But the fire of revenge burned stronger than ever, a flame that threatened to consume any obstacle in its path. And in that moment, that obstacle was Meerab.
Grasping at the vile opportunity life had thrown her way, Haya kneeled beside Meerab, a crooked smile gracing her features momentarily before she feigned concern, "Meerab? Ye sab kya hai?" She pried, her voice dripping with fake concern but her eyes glinted with mischief.
At her words Meerab broke down into another fit of sobs, her tears falling uncontrollably in thick heavy drops as they soaked her shirt.
Haya's lips ached to form a wicked smile at her broken state but she stopped herself and continued her questions, "ye sab Murtasim ne kia hai?" She wanted to smile, to laugh and to rub the situation in Meerab's face. But she held back, and with each passing second, the task seemed incredibly difficult.
So when Meerab responded with only a choked sob, she gave in to her desire, "tum tou kehti thi Murtasim tumhari har baat maanta hai tum se boht muhabbat karta hai" she began, failing to conceal the venom dripping from each word, "aur kya kehti thi? Mai wohi karti houn jou mera dil chahta hai! Woh kya kehti thi tum? Meerab ki marzi, Meerab ki marzi. Dekhou, kahan chali tumhari marzi!" She spat, the last words more of a statement than a question and the mischievous glint in her eyes only increased when Meerab brought her fists to her mouth in a desperate attempt to control another sob that threatened to escape her throat.
Taking her continued silence as another opportunity Haya spoke again, "tum Murtasim ko uss ke kiye ki saza dena chahti hou?" She questioned. This time Meerab lifted her head and met her gaze, her bottom lip quivering with the faint remnants of her lipstick spread around her mouth but she remained silent yet again. Taking that as her cue she continued, "Chahti hou ke woh tumhari qadar karei? Tumhare liye tarse? agar tum chahti hou ke Murtasim tumhe dekhne ko tarse, tumhari shakal ko tarse, tou chali jao! Chali jao usse chod ke yahan se dur, Karachi chali jao! Yahi uss ki saza hogi" she suggested, feigning concern but with the most evil intentions.
This was her chance to get rid of Meerab, once and for all. If Meerab's state of mind was fragile before, it was completely shattered now and she knew that. So she took that opportunity and carefully manipulated and coerced her cousin into thinking what she wanted her to think.
And she knew she had been successful when Meerab fell in another lost daze and muttered, "Haya...jao yahan se" her words were dismissive but the expression on her face told Haya that she was about to do exactly what she suggested.
Not feeling the need to provoke her further, a satisfied Haya left the room to basque in the favourable consequences of her actions, returning about an hour later to find the room empty. Her heart jumped with joy as she spotted Meerab's ring on the carpet, in the spot on which she had sat not too long ago.
Her heart fluttered with happiness as her eyes wandered around the room, It's mine! This ring, this room and Murtasim. It's all finally mine! She thought. Stepping out of the room to confirm that Meerab had indeed left, the sound of the intercom ringing filled the corridor. She chose to stay silent as she answered it, hearing the guard's desperate hellos and koi sun raha hai? She beamed with joy when he informed that the Khan's wife had left the mansion all alone without a maid or a driver
Haya was brought back to reality by Maa Begum's harsh voice, "Haya ye kya keh rahi hou?" She asked in disbelief.
"Yahi sach hai... Maa Begum! Uss raat jab Meerab ghar chod ke gayi, tab mai wahan thi" she confessed once more, unable to move her eyes from Murtasim's under his death glare.
"Poora sach batao! Har eik baat" Murtasim nearly shouted in a deadly voice.
Haya flinched at his tone, her gaze wavering momentarily but his presence demanded attention and she found herself staring at his brown orbs once again. They were normally a dark hazel shade but today they were dark brown, almost black.
"Meerab ko ghar se jaane ka mai ne hi kaha tha!" She began, her mind numb her body feeling light as a feather as if nothing else mattered anymore but her heart felt heavy as a rock, beating rapidly inside her chest, "uss ke baad guard ne batane ke liye phone bhi kia tha...tab bhi mai wahan thi" she finished. But the look on Murtasim's face told her he wasn't satisfied with the answer and would settle for nothing less than the whole truth.
So she continued, "Meerab ko seeriyon se bhi mai ne hi giraya tha! Usko dhamkiyan dein thein ke usko ghar se nikalwa dungi aur agar tum mere na hue tou tumhe uss ka bhi nahi rehne dungi " she whispered.
A teary, deranged smile formed on her lips as she spoke again, "aur dekhou, qudrat ka khel" she let out a menacing chuckle " Aaj tum mere nahi hou, lekin ab uss ke bhi nahi rahou ge" she finished.
His eyes widened in realisation. All along Meerab had been fighting this witch alone, she had asked for his help in her own indirect ways, through her jealousy and her taunts but he had been too blind to see it then. If only he hadn't been, the situation would be very different now.
He wouldn't have had to endure serious mental pain for months on end, day and night. It had taken a toll on his physical health too. Much like his uncle, he was weak, he had lost his appetite and his eyes had lost their shine. If Haya hadn't existed, he would still have his wife, they could have consummated their marriage under much different, better, possibly happier circumstances. They could've gone through her pregnancy together, Meerab wouldn't have had to suffer alone and he wouldn't have been robbed of the anticipation and joy of becoming a father.
A fresh wave of anger surged through him as his muscles tensed. His hands tingled with the urge to grab Haya's throat and strangle her till she took her last breath. But a voice in his head told him that death was more mercy than she deserved and whispered that there was something else he needed to know first.
And then he remembered. Events of another horrendous night came rushing back to his memory. His eyebrows shot up in realisation.
Inhaling deeply and clenching his fists as he teetered on the edge of control Murtasim spoke, "aur jab Maryam ghar se bhaag rahi thi aur tum ne woh video banayi, tab tum ne usse rouka kyun nahi?" Haya's head shot back up at the words and she gulped, shock and fear evident in her eyes.
"Bolo Haya! Maryam tou tumhari behen thi na? Tou uss waqt tum wahan chup chaap khari video kyun banati rahi?" He questioned.
"Murtasim mai-" she barely managed to whisper when he cut her off, "usko rouka kyun nahi? Bhaagne kyun dia usko woh bhi yeh jaante hue ke woh larka koi Anas nahi balke Malik Zubair tha?" He spat, eyes wide with fury.
At his words Maa Begum and Anwar's mouths fell open. Their jaws dropped to the floor at Murtasim's revelation and no matter what Haya said next, his tone held an assurance for them that his accusations were not false.
Maa Begum's brain went to the time in their living room back in Hyderabad when the entire family was awake in the middle of the night worrying about Maryam's whereabouts and Haya had suddenly gotten up to accuse Meerab of helping Maryam elope. She hadn't been able to think much of it then but the timing of her revelation seemed awfully convenient now. She had struck when the iron was hot, hitting Murtasim where it hurt the most while manipulating the rest of the family too.
She also remembered the day of Maryam's nikkah when she had begged her to bring Meerab back, taking all the blame and crying that she was not at fault. If only she had chosen to never believe Haya in the first place, things could've been different.
Standing in the corner, Anwar remembered the look on his daughter's face as she looked at him, her teary eyes silently begging for him to believe her innocence, that she had no ill intentions, to help her, be there for her and be the father he could never be.
But he had failed her once again when he averted his gaze away from her, letting his pride dictate his actions.
"Nahi m-mai nahi jaanti thi ke woh Malik Zubair hai" she pleaded, but he wasn't having any of it.
"Sharam aani chahiye tumhe, lekin tum tou hou hi besharam, behaya! Ab bhi jhoot bol rahi hou!" He spat in a venomous tone but she remained persistent, "nahi mai nahi jaanti thi Murtasim qasam le lo mujhe nahi pata tha ke woh-"
"BAS!" He roared putting a hand up as he fumed with anger, "boht sun liye tumhare jhoot. Uss waqt tou Maryam ki pareshaani mei kuch samajh nahi aya aur tumhari chaal mei phas gaya, lekin ab aur nahi!"
"Nahi Murtasim please mera yaqeen karou mai-"
"BAS KAROU HAYA! Tum achi tarhan jaanti thi ke woh Malik Zubair tha kyun ke Meerab aur Maryam ne bhale usse kabhi na dekha hou lekin tum ne usse dekha tha!" He revealed, eliciting another gasp of shock from Maa Begum who's mind once again flashed back to that night when she had asked Haya similar questions after she had shown them all the video but she had denied ever knowing Malik Zubair.
Before Haya had a chance to lie further Murtasim spoke again, "Maryam ke college ke baahir jab mai uss se mila tha tab tum gaari mei mere sath thi! Achi tarhan penchanti hou tum usse!" He said and at the revelation of his memory Haya knew it was finally the end of her story. So she remained silent, hoping against hope that by some miracle she would get out of this mess safe and sound. But the idea seemed too far fetched, almost unrealistic at this point.
Her silence proved Murtasim right and a triumphant smirk briefly appeared on his lips before he spoke once more, "Meerab se nafrat mai kaash tum itna na girti Haya.Mere dil mei tou kya, ab iss ghar aur iss khandaan mei bhi tumhare liye kabhi koi jagah nahi hai!" His tone was low and deep as she stared with wide eyes, silently begging and pleading to take his words back.
But in that moment he wasn't her cousin Murtasim that she had grown up with. He was Khan Murtasim Khan. And his decisions were set in stone.
"Maa saab, aap ko pata hai ke aap ko kya karna hai!" He turned to his mother as he spoke and with a slight nod of his head he exited the room, leaving the others behind in a bone chilling silence.
Haya felt her world spinning, her mind spiralling out of control, struggling to grasp at the last bit of sanity as her breathing became uneven.
With blazing tears of heartbreak and disbelief in her eyes Maa Begum stepped in front of Haya with a look of disgust. The girl in front of her was unrecognisable now, far from the beautiful and respectable niece she had always believed she had raised. The girl standing in front of her did not even deserve to be called human in her eyes. She was vile, a venomous snake living with them the entire time, hiding under the guise of a caring, loving daughter who valued the family and their well-being.
A loud slap echoed through the room as Maa Begum's palm made contact with Haya's cheek. She wanted to do so much more than just slap her. She wanted to rip her hair out, to wrap her dainty aged fingers around her throat and strangle the life out of her, to scream and question as to how could she be so merciless as to not even spare the girl she called her sister. She hadn't raised her children to be so selfish, so how could Haya be?
But she knew there was no point. The damage had already been done and it was beyond repair.
Gathering and composing herself, Salma Begum called for Bakhtu who came running in a mere second later at the sound of his Khanum, "jee bibi jee?" He asked.
Her gaze did not leave the quivering snake in front of her as she spoke, "Haya ko abhi aur issi waqt gaon mei iss ke dadiyaal chod kar aao! Iss ka saman baad mei bhejwa dia jaaega" she ordered. "Iss se tou ab wohi nipteinge" she whispered in the end, throwing Haya another look of disgust. Haya was frozen in her position, her head hanging low as she held back the tears when Bakhtu approached her and held an arm out, respectfully motioning for her to walk ahead, unaware of the fiasco that had taken place in that room.
Haya's departure left the room in a depressing silence that consumed both Salma Begum and Anwar Khan as they sat with their heads in their hands, crying at each of their failures.
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This chapter probably also seemed short to you but I promise the next one is super super long. It will also be the last chapter for this short story so grab your comfort foods and your tissues. Y'all are gonna need it! Don't say I didn't warn ya!
Feedback is appreciated!