𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐯𝐚𝐬.

𝟏𝟑.𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐦.

The sun shone brightly over the Khan mansion as the elderly Dadi Zubaida settled at the dinner table, wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead. She sighed after the long walk from her room to the dining hall.

❝Hey, beautiful Dadi!❞ Altamash exclaimed, taking a seat opposite her. Before sitting down, he playfully pinched her cheeks, earning a sharp glare and a smack on the hands from Dadi Zubaida.

The servants set the table, filling it with various delicacies. Dadi Zubaida recited a dua, thanking God for everything and praying for those in need who couldn't afford even a single meal.
She was a woman whose heart was filled with empathy and love.

❝Take a seat, Aroosh,❞ Dadi said, motioning for him to sit down. Aroosh smiled respectfully and took a seat beside Altamash, playfully whacking him on the back. Altamash rolled his eyes in response, showing off his attitude, which made Aroosh stifle a laugh.

Their silence was interrupted by the arrival of a stunning pair of gray eyes. Aroosh watched as Fayra descended the stairs, her gaze lowered, showcasing her long, thick lashes. She wore a brown hijab over her hair and a floral olive green maxi dress with exaggerated sleeves.

Her hands gripped a broken phone tightly—a phone her parents had given her in case of an emergency, more to track her than to help her.

❝Fayra, come join us for lunch,❞ Dadi Zubaida insisted in a firm tone, gesturing to the seat beside her. Fayra was surprised. Questions clouded her mind, her heart heavy with pain and fear, her eyes filled with emotion.

She was clearly worried about how Musa would react, and it was written all over her face.

Fayra shook her head, glancing at Aroosh and Altamash, who both pleaded with their eyes. Her heart ached with remorse, but she felt powerless.

❝Please, Bhabhi, take a seat,❞ Altamash implored, while Aroosh nodded eagerly, his expression pleading. Fayra looked at Dadi, who nodded with a kind smile. The wrinkles on her face deepened as her eyes gleamed with love and humility.

Fayra couldn't resist Dadi's smiling face, so she took a seat beside her, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. Her eyes welled with tears for these people who weren't even her family, yet treated her like their own. It was her first time sitting at a table for a meal, as she had always been served food in the storeroom of her house.

As the meals were served, Fayra picked up a simple roti with chicken, shyly glancing at the others. Dadi Zubaida patted her head affectionately.

Fayra's heart swelled with happiness. She was grateful to God for His plans—no words could describe how she felt at that moment. Aroosh noticed the faint, adorable smile playing on her lips, which made him smile in return. He marveled at the innocent beauty that God had blessed his friend Musa, the monster, with.

❝You are so gorgeous!❞

The sudden sound of a notification on Fayra's phone caught her attention. At first, she seemed confused, then alarmed as she realized the reality of the message she had just received. Assuming it was Iram who must have texted her, she mentally rejoiced.

But when she glanced at the unknown number, Fayra hesitated. As she read the message, her mind went blank, her heart pounding with fear. For the first time, someone had complimented her beauty—something Fayra had never experienced before, as she had always been made to feel "ugly."

Thinking it must have been a wrong number, Fayra returned to her meal. Suddenly, a loud crash shattered the silence. All eyes turned to see Musa, his ocean-blue eyes burning with fury and resentment.

He had smashed a glass in his hand, blood oozing from his skin where the shards had embedded themselves. His eyes darkened with rage, his hair disheveled. His white shirt was soaked with sweat and stained with blood, as were his brown trousers, with blood dripping onto the white marble floor.

Fayra jumped up from her seat, clutching herself in fear as she stared at the man who looked more beast than human. Dadi's eyes filled with tears as Aroosh and Altamash watched in shock at Musa's sudden outburst.

Musa's gaze locked onto Fayra with hatred. His jaw tightened, his face twisted in anger, his breathing uneven. Fayra immediately fled to her room, while Dadi left the table, overcome with nausea and embarrassment at his behavior.

Musa stormed through the mansion, leaving a trail of blood on the white marble, until he reached a familiar room. His rage-filled eyes found the shattered soul of Fayra, who was huddled in a corner, sobbing and clutching her legs in fear. She stared at the devil who had finally come to claim her soul.

He took slow, menacing steps towards her, shoving her against the wall and trapping her between his arms. Her hijab slipped off her head, revealing her brown hair, which had been tied into a bun but now fell loosely over her shoulders.

Musa's rage grew as he came closer to her, their breaths mingling. Fayra's eyes streamed with tears, her heart pounding against her chest. She struggled to breathe, convinced that all she would see next was her death.

Something had pushed Musa over the edge, something unimaginable. His ocean-blue eyes drank in her beauty, her heavenly scent intoxicating him. Her long, thick hair, some strands caressing her cheeks, and her dark, mesmerizing eyes filled with tears and fear for him, drove him insane.

He cupped her cheeks with his blood-stained hand, smearing her face with blood. Fayra tried to push him away, but what Musa did next shocked both of them.

His eyes fell on her cherry lips, and within seconds, without any thought, he crushed his lips against hers, savoring every part of her mouth. His right hand gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

Fayra clutched his shirt, breathing heavily as she struggled to free herself. All she felt was utter loathing and revulsion for the man who had become her lawful husband.

❝I'll make sure you pay for everything, darling,❞ Musa whispered in her ear. His heart had felt something in that moment—something that made him go insane. He couldn't believe what he had just done, but he assured himself that he did it out of vengeance and hatred for her. Just seeing her with his family had made him seethe with anger.

Musa Hassan Khan convinced himself that Fayra was ugly and that the kiss was just for his own entertainment. But was that really true? Did his words reflect his heart?

Fayra collapsed to the floor as soon as Musa released her, not before shouting at him with such hatred that even he was taken aback.

❝Devils like you should stay in HELL!❞ she yelled, wiping her lips with the back of her sleeve in disgust. Musa only laughed mockingly before leaving the room, whispering,

❝Well, I will—after I destroy you, Mallika.❞

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