Meri Musibat [Tere Bin FF]

18. 22, 25 - Part 6

A/N: Happy New Year! I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for all the love you shower on Meri Musibat. It's so heartwarming (and hilarious) to read through your reactions to the chapters, and how in love (and angry) you are with this version of MeeraSim. And of course, your love for Murtasimbakri. Anyways, before I turn this into a sappy thing, here's the next update (over 10K word!), the tides are changing! 

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Murtasim sat in his study in the village, the weight of the night pressing in around him. The room, once a sanctuary, now felt hollow, echoing with the absence of Meerab. Shadows clung to the corners, and the moonlight streaming through the window cast a ghostly pallor over the furniture. He sighed, a sound that seemed to carry all of his burdens, and shook his head as if to dispel the thoughts swirling like a storm inside him.

"Did you find anything?" he asked Areeb as the man walked in, his voice holding a faint trace of hope, yet heavy with resignation. The night seemed to lean in, listening.

The third proposal that came for Meerab was unexpected, neither from the list of eligible suitors her parents and his mother had painstakingly compiled, nor from the network of her father's friends. It was from a man Meerab already knew, a doctor she had worked alongside at the NGO during the summer. He provided check-ups and treatments to villagers suffering from the intense pollution caused by the factories, the very ones Meerab was building a case against. The man had apparently developed a liking to Meerab in that short amount of time.

"Dr. Zaki Baig is perfect, I think I have a crush on him," Areeb said, his voice breaking through Murtasim's reverie. He plopped down into the chair across from him, a gesture that grated on Murtasim's already frayed nerves.

Murtasim glared at him, the intensity of his gaze sharp enough to cut. "Get to the point, Areeb."

Areeb seemed undeterred, or perhaps too engrossed in his recounting. "Graduated at the top of his medical school cohort, no criminal record, no shady activities, has had the same group of three friends since grade school, his idea of fun is staying home and reading. Everyone speaks highly of him. And the only thing this man has done in his life is study, play sports, and volunteer his time... at hospitals and animal shelters." Areeb practically sang the praises, painting a picture of a man who seemed to embody virtue and accomplishment.

"What about his family?" Murtasim asked. He knew the man's personal merits were only part of the equation; the family would play a crucial role in Meerab's life.

"His family is perfect too, I want them to adopt me," Areeb sighed, a wistful tone creeping into his voice.

"Marry him then," Murtasim snapped, the words sharp and bitter, reflecting the turmoil churning within him.

"It's still illegal," Areeb quipped, a lightness in his tone that contrasted starkly with Murtasim's mood.

Murtasim rolled his eyes, a gesture that carried all the weight of his frustration and concern.

Areeb continued, oblivious to Murtasim's growing distress. "The Baigs own a total of ten hospitals around all of Sindh. Both of his parents are doctors themselves, still working. He has an older brother, Shahzain; he's the Managing Director of their corporation that manages the hospitals."

"Any evidence of hostility between the brothers?" Murtasim asked, grasping at any detail that might serve as a flaw in this seemingly flawless family.

"Not that I could tell," Areeb shook his head, his eyes earnest. "Shahzain is married to a woman named Rani. The two of them live separate from his parents and Zaki," Areeb added, offering another piece of the puzzle.