In the Heart of Darkness

Chapter 5: Breaking Point

Thank you so much, readers, for your votes and support. I have updated two chapters for you, so enjoy reading.✨
_____________

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.

When she reached the living room, she saw Ibrahim standing by the large glass window, facing the garden. His broad back was tense, his posture rigid. He didn't turn to face her immediately, but she knew he had sensed her presence.

For a long moment, silence hung in the air. Zara stood there, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn't read him, couldn't predict what he was going to say or do. She waited, her hands trembling slightly.

Finally, Ibrahim turned around. His face was hard, his jaw clenched as if he was struggling to contain his emotions. His eyes were dark, and she could see the lingering anger from the events at the mall.

"Zara," he began, his voice low and controlled, but she could sense the tension beneath the surface. "I don't care about your past as I don't know anything about it, and I don't know who Ahmed is to you," he paused, the words hanging in the air between them. "I also don't know what you were doing in that hotel room with him at midnight."

Zara felt a sharp pang in her chest. She had never expected Ibrahim to throw her past back at her like this. She tried to hold back her tears, but the pain of his words was almost too much to bear. She looked down, taking a deep breath, trying to stay composed.

Ibrahim continued, his tone growing colder, "You should at least have some respect for the fact that I gave you my name, made you my wife—not truly, but legally. You could have respected that before calling your lover boy to meet you at the mall."

Zara's heart sank. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man who had saved her life, who had protected her from her parents' cruelty, was now accusing her of something so vile. "If you don't respect yourself," Ibrahim added, his voice filled with disdain, "you could at least respect my name."

That was the breaking point. Zara snapped, her voice shaking with fury and pain. "Enough!" she cried, her eyes brimming with tears. "You have no right to question my dignity!"

Ibrahim's eyes widened slightly in surprise. No one had ever spoken to him like this before, especially not someone so young and seemingly delicate. 

But Zara wasn't going to stay silent anymore. "I have been quiet because I respect you," she continued, her voice trembling, "because you're my elder, and because of all the things you've done for me. But that doesn't give you the right to disrespect me like this!"

Tears streamed down her face now, but she didn't stop. "I didn't call him to the mall! I would never do something like that! And what happened at the hotel was the biggest sin and mistake of my life. I should never have gone there... but I can't change the past. I can't undo what happened."

Zara's voice broke as she spoke, the words choking in her throat. "If you regret marrying me because that day you thought that you're some great man who should save a woman from dying at her parents' hands and now regretting your decision, then fine! You can still rectify your mistake. You can leave me anytime you want!"

Her voice was filled with desperation now, and the tears came freely. She had laid bare her heart, exposed her deepest wounds, and all Ibrahim did was stand there in stunned silence.

For the first time since their marriage, Ibrahim felt shaken. He hadn't expected her to snap back, let alone with such raw emotion. He had assumed she was timid, too scared to speak up. But here she was, standing in front of him, tears streaming down her face, yet holding her ground. He was silent, absorbing everything she said.

As he looked at her, he realized he had made a mistake. Ahmed had fed him lies, convincing him that Zara had called him to the hotel, offering herself to prove her love for him. When they were done, she asked him to marry her, which he rejected. That's why she caused chaos.

But now, looking at her broken yet defiant expression, Ibrahim wasn't so sure anymore. Could he have trusted the words of a man like Ahmed over the woman standing before him?

He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. His silence spoke volumes, and for the first time, Zara felt a small sense of victory—though it was hollow. She had never wanted to win an argument this way.

And now, standing in the midst of their shattered relationship, Zara couldn't help but wonder how they could ever come back from this.

_______________________

Please do like and vote for my story if you like this chapter! Also, do comments about your opinion on the characters.💖