A walk on thorns

Chapter 62| Let The Drama Begins!

Anisha's POV

“I said, I’m done with the marriage, and I am not going back to his house,” I repeated, my voice steady, resolute, and unwavering. The weight of my decision hung in the room like a thundercloud ready to burst. I knew what was coming, disapproving eyes, accusatory tones, and the suffocating chains of tradition attempting to drag me back. But I was prepared. I had spent countless nights battling my doubts, hardening my resolve, and this moment wasn’t just for me, it was for every ounce of dignity I had left. They wouldn’t sway me. Not now. Not ever.

Sabrina turned to me, her face painted with equal parts surprise and admiration, but I refused to let her reaction distract me. This wasn’t about seeking approval; this was about claiming my life back. My voice, my choice, my freedom.

“Anisha?!” Aunt Saudah’s voice sliced through the room, sharp with disbelief. Her face twisted in shock as she rushed in alongside Mama, both of them standing at the edge of the bed like storm clouds rolling in. “Don’t tell me you let this girl brainwash you! Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihi rajiun!” Her words were a mixture of disbelief and fury, her hands flailing as though trying to grasp a reality slipping through her fingers.

“Wallahi, you should be very careful with what you’re saying,” Mama warned, her voice trembling with suppressed panic. “Your father is in this house, and any small misbehavior can cost you more than you can imagine.” Her eyes darted to the door, her breathing ragged, betraying the storm brewing within her.

I met her gaze head-on, refusing to cower beneath her veiled threats. “Of course, I want him to hear me, Mama. Where is he? I need to see him. I need to tell him face to face that it’s over. I am not going back to that house. I am done.” My words echoed in the room like the tolling of a bell, final and unyielding.

The looks they gave me were nothing short of scandalized disbelief. To them, I may as well have been a criminal confessing to an unforgivable sin. Mama began reciting the Shahada under her breath, clapping her hands together as though warding off an unseen calamity. Aunt Saudah, however, wasn’t content to sit in stunned silence. She marched over, brushing Sabrina aside as she sat next to me, her expression tight with disapproval. Sabrina stood and quietly moved away, leaving me to face the impending battle on my own.

“Anisha, I know you’re angry. Your marriage hasn’t been easy, but leaving your house is not the solution,” Aunt Saudah began, her tone drenched in feigned concern. “You have to be patient. You’ve endured so much already, just a little more patience, and things will get better. Your husband and your marriage should be your number one priority in life, no matter the trials. Your matrimonial home is your peace. That’s where your happiness lies. Go back and be the lovebirds you once were. It’s just a matter of endurance, and you’ll...”

“Peace or pieces?!” I interjected, my voice cutting through hers like a blade. “Lovebirds or angry birds? How can I prioritize him or this sham of a marriage when he prioritizes a whore?” My voice trembled with anger, but I pressed on, my words laced with venom. “Aunt Saudah, take a good look at me. Place a finger, just one finger, on my body where you won’t find a bruise. You can’t, can you? And yet, you shamelessly stand here telling me that house was my peace? That that man was my happiness?”

They recoiled as though my words were a physical blow, their faces a mixture of shock and discomfort. I leaned forward, my voice dropping to a low, fierce growl. “I am worn out. I was pushed to the wall, and now I am done. Done listening to empty speeches. Done enduring for the sake of appearances. Keep your advice for someone who still believes in this charade, because I don’t. I’m finished.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Even Sabrina, standing quietly by the wall, seemed taken aback by the sheer force of my outburst. But I caught a glimmer of pride in her eyes, the faintest curve of a smirk tugging at her lips. It fueled me, bolstered my resolve.