A/N: So we have another OS for episode 26.
Haya exposed the contract and what happened after Murtasim mended it back with the tapes?
Lets peak into it.
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Meerab stood at the threshold of the room, her heart pounding against her chest. The sight before her was unexpected and, in a strange way, heartwarming. Murtasim, with a solemn expression, was painstakingly joining the torn contract with tape. She watched silently, a mix of emotions swirling within her. As he finished reassembling the torn pieces, Murtasim looked up, and their eyes locked. There was a tension in the air, a delicate balance between the unspoken and the unsaid. Meerab took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before stepping into the room.
"Murtasim," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but enough to break the silence that hung in the air.
He turned to face her, his eyes carrying a myriad of emotions. Guilt, regret, and a hint of vulnerability. Meerab took a step closer, her eyes never leaving his.
Murtasim sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I tore it to protect you, Meerab. To shield you from the judgment, the whispers. I never meant to force you into anything you didn't want. That's why I joined it back, but I understand if you're angry."
Meerab remained silent for a moment, absorbing his words. She could see the sincerity in his eyes, and a realization struck her. Murtasim wasn't trying to control her; he was trying to protect her honour, her reputation. A warmth enveloped her heart, and she took a step closer.
"There was no need to join it back," she said gently, reaching out to touch his arm.
"I tore that to protect you, Meerab," Murtasim began, his words measured and sincere. "I didn't want anyone to question your honour or character... But, Meerab, you have to tear it yourself. Only then can we break down this wall of distance between us. I believe that one day, my love will help you do that. Maybe you would understand someday…"
Meerab took a step closer, her eyes never leaving his. "I want to understand, Murtasim. I want to believe in us, but it's so hard when I feel trapped by these expectations."
Murtasim was taken aback. He just kept looking at her, and she kept speaking her heart out.
She looked down at the torn letter in his hands, her fingers gently tracing the creases where it had been mended. "Can love really conquer all, Murtasim? I've always been afraid, afraid of letting someone in, afraid of love. The fear of abandonment has haunted me, and I built walls around my heart to protect myself," she continued in a broken voice, her words carrying the weight of emotional barricades.
"But, you... you've always been there for me. The way you make me feel, like I'm the center of your world, it's both overwhelming and beautiful, I've been so afraid to love, to feel, to embrace the vulnerability that comes with it. But, Murtasim, the way you shield me, the way you've made me feel safe, I've lost myself in you," Meerab confessed, her voice barely above a whisper
"I never wanted a paper marriage, Murtasim," she began, her eyes searching his for understanding. "When I asked you to sign that contract, it wasn't because I wanted to keep you at a distance. It was to protect myself, to shield my heart from potential pain. You- you were a stranger to me in this marriage back then…Mein kese qubool kerleti sab…sabne mujhse jhoot bola, dhoka diya mujhe, bachpan se jhoot pe jee rhi thi mein… jab sab khula toh bardasht hi nhi hua mujhse…or is sab ka nishana tum ban gye. Mere sabse qareeb tum hi toh thy, jo mujhe chup chap seh lete thy, har cheez se bacha lete thy. You made me fall in love…in love with you” She uttered; her eyes filled with tears
