Tere Bin - A Parallel Universe

Chapter One

Kaise Keh du ki mulaqaat nahi hoti,

Roz milte hain, magar baat nahi hoti

Chuup ke rota hoon teri yadon main duniya bhar se

Kab meri ankh se barsat nahi hoti

(unknown)

Two years...

104 weeks, 730 days, 1,051,200 minutes...

This much time had passed since his life had come to a standstill. Murtasim sat on the giant rock by the river thinking about the time when he once came here in the early hours of the morning after dropping Meerab off at her parent's house in Karachi.

He was angry, frustrated, and broken at that time thinking that his beloved biwi had broken his trust. He wanted to question her but never for a second his heart wanted to abandon her in such a way at her parent's house like he did that unfortunate night. Seeing her standing at the doorstep of her Karachi home through his rear-view mirror did something to his heart. 

He was angry at her but the way she looked towards his car in hopes that he would stop and come back made his heart scream. He wanted to go back and pull her in his arms but the events of the night just played like a movie in front of his eyes. He had no other option but to leave her at her house.

He had to do this because he had promised his mother. He was Khan Murtasim Khan, the head of his family. After his father had passed away, he took his family under his wing and vowed to himself to protect his mother and sister at all costs.

 He had an unshakeable faith that Meerab had not helped Mariam elope that night, but it all shattered in a second when she confessed it herself.

It was the same house from where he had taken his Meerab away. The house that had once closed its doors on her because of his mother's and Chacha Sahab's order. He had extended his hand to provide her shelter that night but deep down his heart had decided to take her in his protection forever.

They had ended up marrying each other and he had fallen for her immediately. His heart was not in his control anymore. Every time he looked at her, he felt a strong pull towards her. He had realized his feelings the moment he had come back from Karachi for his Nikaah ceremony that was held on the gigantic lawn of Khan Haveli.

When he had graced the stage and looked at his Meerab sitting opposite to him, ready to say her Qubool hai, his heart felt a strong desire towards her. He had accepted all her conditions that were written in that damn contract because he just wanted Meerab to be tied by his name forever.

 He had not accepted the contract because he was abandoned at the alter or because he did not want his family to be embarrassed any further in front of all the guests. It was accepted because of the feelings his heart had for her.

He had asked himself if it was love and he only found feelings of pure affection, desire, attraction, and respect for his Begum to be. Yes, their banter would irritate him at times but at least she was present in front of him.

How time changes... 

He thought to himself. Here he was sitting on that rock yet again but this time he was not the one who had abandoned her. He had been abandoned. Two years had passed and still, he had a glimmer of hope in some corner of his heart that she would return. She had left willingly. He had searched for her for months, but she didn't want to be discovered. It had looked as if she had vanished in thin air.

His guards that were placed outside Saba's and Waqas Chacha's house on his orders had been removed. He had tried his best to discover her, but his efforts bore no fruit. He regretted leaving her alone on Marium's rukhsati night... Heck, he regretted a lot of things. He thought to himself as he threw a stone into the water.