Eternity

Chapter 28

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

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"I just came back, and this is your response?" Ayzal's voice trembled, her heart breaking further.

Zayan’s eyes narrowed, and his voice turned sharp. "You think coming back here is going to fix things?"

Ayzal flinched at his harsh tone but tried to keep her composure. "I came back because I wanted to understand and make things right. This isn’t how I expected you to respond."

Zayan scoffed, frustration evident. "You should have thought about that before running away. Don’t come here expecting me to be all welcoming and understanding. I am tired of this endless cycle."

Ayzal’s eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling with anguish as she strode towards him, "I am trying to fix things, Zayan. I don’t understand why you are pushing me away when I am here to talk." Her patience snapped as she poked him hard in the chest. "What have I done to deserve this?" Her voice shook with a mix of anger and hurt.

He remained silent, his gaze averted, hands stuffed in his pockets. Ayzal grabbed his collar, yanking him closer, her breath hot against his face. "I need to know why you have been shutting me out. For months, I have felt invisible to you. Don’t I mean anything to you?"

Tears streamed down her face, and she wiped them away in frustration. "If it is too hard for you to be with me, just say it. I can’t keep living like this, feeling abandoned. Please, if you don’t want me, let me go." With a final, sorrowful push, she stepped back.

Zayan’s expression grew colder, his voice laced with contempt. "I am done talking. If you really want to help, just leave."

Ayzal took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Fine. If that is how you truly feel, I will go. But remember this, you are pushing away the one person who genuinely wanted to make things better."

With that, she turned and walked toward the door, each step away feeling heavier. Her hand trembled as she reached for the doorknob. She paused, glancing back at Zayan one last time. He stood there, his back to her, shoulders stiff with tension.

As she turned the knob and opened the door, a gust of cool night air rushed in, causing her to shiver. She stepped outside, the door closing behind her with a soft click that felt final.

Ayzal leaned against the closed door, fighting the urge to break down completely. She had tried her best, given everything she had, and yet it was never enough for him. She wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, forcing herself to take a deep breath.

A gentle voice broke through her thoughts. "Ayzal, my child, are you okay?" It was her mother-in-law.

Ayzal turned to face her, the tears in her eyes reflecting the dim hallway light. "No, I am not okay," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her mother-in-law stepped forward and enveloped Ayzal in a comforting hug. "Come with me," she whispered, guiding her towards the living room.

They sat down on the couch, and Ayzal's mother-in-law handed her a glass of water. "I heard the argument," she said softly. "I know it has been hard on both of you."

Ayzal took a sip of the water, her hands shaking. "I just don't understand why he is doing this. I have tried everything."

Her mother-in-law nodded, her eyes filled with empathy. "Zayan is carrying a lot of pain. He doesn’t know how to deal with it, so he lashes out at the people closest to him. It is not fair to you, but it is his way of coping."

Ayzal wiped her tears away, her voice breaking. "I just want us to move past this and make this marriage work. But it feels like he doesn’t want that."

Her mother-in-law reached out and held Ayzal’s hand. "Give him some time. Keep showing him that you are here for him, even if he pushes you away. And remember, you are not alone in this. We are all here for you."

Ayzal sighed deeply, feeling a sense of helplessness. "I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I have been thinking... maybe it is best if we separate. I can't keep living in this constant state of pain and rejection."

Her mother-in-law’s eyes widened in surprise. "Ayzal, are you sure? Divorce is a big step."

"I know," Ayzal whispered, tears streaming down her face. "But I don’t see any other way. I know it was an arranged marriage, and I didn’t expect love, but I also didn’t expect this level of misery. I can’t keep hurting like this. It is destroying me."

Unbeknownst to them, Zayan had come out of the bedroom and was standing just out of sight, overhearing their conversation. His heart sank as he listened to Ayzal’s words, but his pride and anger quickly flared up, pushing away any hint of regret. Stepping into the room, Zayan’s voice was cold and biting. "So, this is what you want?"

Ayzal and her mother-in-law both looked up, startled by his sudden appearance. Ayzal’s face hardened as she met his gaze. "What choice have you left me? How am I supposed to stay when you make me feel like I am nothing?"

Zayan’s expression was a mixture of anger and contempt. "You think leaving is going to solve anything? You are just running away again because it is easier."

Her mother-in-law stood up, her voice soothing but firm. "Zayan, you need to listen to her. This isn’t just about you." She turned to Ayzal, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I will leave you two to talk. Remember, calm heads will help you find a way forward." With that, she left the room, closing the door gently behind her, leaving Ayzal and Zayan alone.

Ayzal looked at him, her eyes blazing with a mix of pain and determination. "I am not running away. I am trying to save myself. If you can’t see that, then maybe we really are better off, apart."

Zayan clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. "You are not the only one in pain here."

"Then show it," Ayzal shot back. "Stop hiding behind your anger and if you can't, let me go."

Zayan’s eyes flashed with irritation. "You think you can just walk away from this marriage? It is not that simple."

Ayzal’s patience snapped. "It is not simple because you make it complicated! I have tried to reach out to you, to understand you, but all you do is shut me out and blame me for everything. I can’t keep living like this."

Zayan’s face hardened, his eyes glinting with a dangerous intensity. He took a step closer to Ayzal, his voice dropping to a low, almost menacing whisper. "You think you can understand me? You think you know what I am going through?"

Ayzal stood up from the couch, her heart pounding in her chest. "I am trying but you won’t let me in."

He closed the distance between them in one swift motion, his hand gripping her wrist tightly. "Maybe it is because I don’t want you to. Maybe I don’t need your pity."

Ayzal winced at the pressure of his grip but didn’t pull away. "It is not pity, Zayan. It is concern. You are my husband, whether you like it or not."

Zayan’s eyes burned into hers, and for a moment, there was a flicker of something softer, but it was quickly replaced by anger. "Concern? Is that what you call this? Running away and then coming back expecting everything to be fine?"

"I didn’t run away," Ayzal shot back, her voice trembling. "I needed space. I needed to think. But I came back because I wanted to fix things. Because I care about you."

His grip tightened around Ayzal’s wrists, pulling her closer until their faces were just inches apart. His eyes, dark with frustration, locked onto hers. “You care about me? You care about this marriage? Then prove it. Show me you are not just talking.”