𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆

➐ ꜱᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴅɪɢɴɪᴛʏ

Mirha's POV:

I clung to Taya Abbu’s limp body, desperately shaking him, hoping he would somehow wake up. Tears blurred my vision, and my heart raced in terror. "Please, Taya Abbu, open your eyes," I begged, but his unresponsiveness terrified me even more. Suddenly, Taai Ammi rushed over, her face twisted in rage. She shoved me away with such force that I nearly fell over.

"Stay away from my husband! You're a curse, Mirha! This is all your fault. Just go and die somewhere!" she screamed, her voice filled with hatred. I flinched, trembling with fear as her words cut through me like a knife. But I knew I couldn’t break down—not now. Taya Abbu needed help. I wiped away my tears, steadying myself, and stood up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Taai Ammi barked, her eyes blazing with anger.

"I... I'm going to get help," I stammered, my voice shaking.

"Are you insane? You want to ruin our dignity? You want everyone to know what’s happening in this house?" she snapped.

"T-Taai Ammi, look at him! Taya Abbu is unconscious. He needs help right now. I'll call Asad Bhai. He's a doctor," I pleaded desperately, my eyes locked on Taya Abbu's still form. For a moment, Taai Ammi looked at him, her anger subsiding slightly as worry crept into her face.

"Fine, go. But if anyone else finds out about this, Mirha, I swear I'll kill you," she threatened, I nodded, feeling a heavy lump in my throat.

Before I could leave, I looked at her again. "We need to get him onto the bed first," I suggested softly. Taai Ammi paused, then nodded. Together, we struggled to lift Taya Abbu and gently lay him down on the bed. Once he was settled, I quickly left the room, my heart pounding in my chest as I ran to find Asad Bhai.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, and forced a small smile as I passed by the guests. "Beta, when will the Nikkah begin?" one of the women asked me. I nodded nervously, replying, "Soon, Auntie. I’m so sorry for the delay." I quickly excused myself and hurried towards Asad Bhai. My heart pounded in my chest.

"Asad Bhai," I called out, my voice shaky. He noticed my distressed expression immediately. "Mirha, what’s going on? Where’s Uncle Raza? The Molvi Sahab is already waiting for the Nikkah," he asked, his concern deepening.

"Please, just come with me," I whispered, my eyes welling up with tears. "I’ll explain later, but I need you right now."

Asad Bhai didn’t question further. He exchanged a quick glance with Haroon, and both of them followed me without hesitation. I led them straight to Zara Appi’s room, my heart racing as we approached the door. When they saw the disarray in the room and Taya Abbu lying unconscious on the bed, their faces turned serious.

Asad Bhai immediately rushed to Taya Abbu’s side, kneeling by the bed to check his pulse and condition. "What happened to him?" he asked, his voice urgent.

My hands trembled, and my voice barely escaped through my sobs. "He... he fainted," I choked out, tears streaming down my face. I could barely breathe as I watched him, fearing the worst. I wiped my eyes, trying to explain more, but the words wouldn’t come.

Haroon stood back, his face puzzled. "Why is the room like this? And what caused him to faint?" he asked, but I couldn’t answer. I was too consumed by fear, the terror of losing Taya Abbu clouding my mind. After losing my parents, he was the only family I had left. The mere thought of something happening to him ripped through me, leaving me terrified.