In the Heart of Darkness

Chapter 5: Breaking Point

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Zara stepped out of the car and hurried inside the house, not giving Ibrahim a single glance. Her heart raced as she replayed the scene from earlier in her mind, the violence she had witnessed, and the terrifying rage that had consumed her husband. 

She felt as if she had been holding her breath ever since they had left the mall. Ibrahim, a man she barely knew, had become a figure of fear.

Nancy stood in the hallway as Zara entered, her face full of concern. "Madam—" she began, but Zara brushed past her, her mind too full of her own thoughts to pay attention. She needed to be alone, away from everyone, away from Ibrahim.

Once inside her room, she locked the door, shutting out the world. Nancy had placed the shopping bags on her bed, the clothes and accessories Zara had been so excited about just hours ago. But now, they felt meaningless. She looked at them with empty eyes, all the joy she had felt earlier now drained away.

Zara slumped to the floor beside her bed, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. She had always dreamt of a life free from her parents' suffocating control and abusive behavior. She had prayed and longed for freedom, for a life of her own where she could finally be happy. But now, as she sat on the floor of her lavish bedroom, she realized the bitter truth—she had escaped one prison, only to find herself trapped in another.

Tears streamed down her face as the full weight of her situation hit her. She had seen a side of Ibrahim today that she could never forget. The way he had nearly killed Ahmed with his bare hands terrified her. If she hadn't intervened, what would have happened? What if, in his fury, he turned that violence on her one day? The mere thought of Ibrahim's rage being directed at her made her sob uncontrollably. 

She had prayed for a kind, caring husband—someone who would love and cherish her, who would give her the life she had always dreamt of. Instead, she felt like her future was slipping away into a dark void.

As she cried, the sound of the Azaan filled the room, calling for the Asr prayer. Zara looked up at the clock. It was already 5 o'clock. She wiped her tears, stood up, and performed wudu, her heart heavy with sorrow but determined to seek solace. 

She laid her prayer mat and stood in front of it, the familiar movements bringing her a sense of calm she desperately needed. She prayed to Allah, asking for strength and for a beautiful future and peace with Ibrahim, as she has accepted him as her husband in her heart but he had yet to accept her as his wife. 

After a long dua, she felt a little lighter.

Her moment of peace was interrupted by a knock at the door. "Madam," Nancy's voice called softly from the other side. "Sir is calling you downstairs."

Zara's heart immediately started racing again. Anxiety surged through her as she wondered what Ibrahim could possibly want from her. Was he angry? Would he confront her again? She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She washed her face, wrapped a shawl around her, and made her way downstairs, her steps hesitant and filled with dread.