Always In Your Heart

Chapter 28

The grand bedroom was adorned with opulent details, bathed in the warm embrace of ambient light. Shaista was  seated by her vanity, engaged in the ritual of her skincare routine.

Uzair entered in the bedroom with a glimmer of hope sparkling in his eyes as he presented a beautiful dress to Shaista. "I thought you might like this for the event," he offered, extending the dress with a warm smile.

Shaista's moving hand stopped on his voice, her gaze shifted from the mirror to the dress he was holding, her eyes travelled back to his eyes revealing a mix of defiance and reluctance. Without wasting any more second she flipped the dress away and the  dress met the carpet with a soft thud, from her side it was a visual manifestation of the unresolved tension that lingered between them.

Uzair's smile faltered, his optimism met with the harsh reality of Shaista's resistance. "Shaista, can't we try to make this work? Saira's reception is crucial for both our families, she is my sister."

Shaista waved away his attempt at reconciliation, her voice steady but firm. "I won't play pretend, Mr Zeher. This marriage was forced upon me, and I won't act like a happy bride to please society."

Uzair's frustration surfaced, his tone edged with urgency. "It was not forced, Mrs, Can't you see that?"

Shaista rose from her vanity, her eyes ablaze with determination. "I see a man who thinks he can control everything, even the feelings of the woman he has trapped in this golden cage."

Determined, Uzair took a step closer. "I never wanted to trap you, Shaista. Circumstances led us here, and I'm trying to find a way out, a way that doesn't destroy everything."

Shaista's laughter echoed bitterly. "Find a way out? There is no way out, Uzair. We are bound by a contract, not love. Don't mistake forced proximity for affection."

Uzair's frustration grew, his words a plea laced with desperation. "You think I wanted this? This distance between us? I'm trying to salvage whatever I can, for both our sakes."

Shaista's retort was sharp, her words cutting through the charged air. "Salvage? There's nothing left to salvage. You made sure of that when you took away my choice, my freedom."

The room absorbed their clash, the silence heavy with the weight of unspoken words and shattered expectations. Each corner seemed to echo the complexities of a relationship entangled in the threads of fate.

As the tension thickened, Uzair took a deep breath, attempting to steady the storm within. "Shaista, I never wanted you to feel trapped. I know this situation is far from ideal, but we can't change the past. We can, however, find a way to navigate the present."

Shaista's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger beneath their surface. "Navigate? You make it sound like we're on some grand adventure. This is a nightmare, Uzair, not a journey."

Uzair's gaze softened, his tone gentler. "I'm not asking you to enjoy this, Shaista. I'm asking for a truce, a temporary ceasefire while we figure out how to handle this situation without causing more damage."

Shaista crossed her arms, her expression unyielding. "Damage has already been done, Uzair. You can't undo the hurt, the betrayal."

Uzair sighed, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders. "I can't change the past, but I can promise you that I'll do everything in my power to make amends. I want you to have some say in the decisions that affect you."

Shaista's eyes softened, a hint of vulnerability breaking through her armor. "Say? In a marriage that was forced on me?"

Uzair nodded, sincerity in his eyes. "Yes, Shaista. I want us to find a way to coexist, to make choices together, even if the circumstances aren't ideal. I don't want you to feel like you're alone in this."