Make Me Your Villain

Chapter Forty One

Hayat Azhar

Within the next hour, my entire world shifted.

I went from being Azhar Raoof's daughter to becoming Sameer Malik's wife.

I couldn't comprehend how they managed to find an imam at this late hour, let alone gather two witnesses who I presumed were Sameer's friends, but somehow, the nikkah was completed.

Everything felt like a dream—a strange, detached dream where I was a mere spectator, watching from a distance. I couldn't think, couldn't speak. All I could do was follow instructions like a puppet on strings, moving without a soul.

My mother seemed lost, barely aware of what was happening. All I wanted was to escape, to run far away from the madness that had swallowed my life.

Sania. I was glad she wasn't home tonight. Staying over at a relative's was better for her sake.

The imam and the witnesses left soon after; I remained alone in my room until my mother came to fetch me.

The next few minutes passed in a blur. I barely remembered stepping outside, leaving behind the only home I had ever known.

Whatever happened tonight had shattered any sense of sanity my mother and I had left. Without protesting, I was walking away from my parents' house as if I had never belonged there and my mother was letting me go.

I had always been one to cry easily, tears flowing freely even at the slightest inconvenience. But now, I couldn't cry. It felt as if I had no more tears left, as if they had frozen deep within me.

Sameer opened the passenger door and I slid inside the car. I didn't look at him and neither did he. He stood outside for some seconds, as though trying to gather his thoughts, before moving to the driver's side.

He closed the door gently, both hands gripping the steering wheel as he let out a long, deep sigh.

Eventually, he turned the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. Within minutes, we were outside the gates of the Malik haveli.

The gates swung open at the sound of the horn and the guard saluted as Sameer drove up the driveway, stopping right in front of the grand building.

Sameer got out first, but I stayed where I was, staring at the dashboard.

Then, my door opened and Sameer held out his hand. I stared at his palm, not quite understanding what he wanted from me.

He hesitated, then curled his fingers into a fist and stepped back, opening the door wider.

I slowly got out, my legs stiff and heavy. I was still in my red bridal dress, now dry but wrinkled, and a new pair of heels. Sameer towered over me, also dressed in his traditional attire.

If anyone saw us like this, they might have thought we were a newlywed couple, not knowing that we were anything but that.

We were supposed to marry other people, but fate had brought us together instead.

"Let's go inside," he said quietly, his voice blank. He reached out, barely touching my back and guided me toward the door.

The steps leading up to the haveli were decorated with flowers, the entire place lit up as if celebrating a joyous occasion. Despite the late hour, the manor was alive with lights and decorations.

So much love and effort had gone into making this place beautiful, but for what?

I looked up at the golden knobs on the doors. I had been humiliated and thrown out of this haveli before and now, life had brought me back.