It had been a full day since Meerab had left Khan Haveli, her heart shattered, her soul feeling violated. The pain of betrayal was too much to bear. Murtasim—the man she had tried so hard to push away, the one who had claimed to love her—had crossed a line she never thought possible. The memory of that night haunted her, replaying in her mind like a tormenting echo she couldn't escape.
That night after Mariyam’s rukhsati, everything had changed. Meerab’s trust, fragile to begin with, had been broken in the worst way. Murtasim had lost control in a fit of rage, blinded by a whirlwind of emotions. He had taken her by force, ignoring her pleas, her struggles, her cries. Now, all she wanted was to escape—to put as much distance as possible between herself and the man she had once thought she could maybe learn to trust.
---
Karachi, Late Afternoon
The streets of Karachi bustled with life, indifferent to the turmoil boiling inside her. Meerab had been walking aimlessly for hours, her feet carrying her from one crowded street to another. The world around her blurred, and she barely noticed the people brushing past her, nor the heat of the afternoon sun. Her dupatta was barely hanging from her shoulders, her hair disheveled, and her eyes swollen with tears that had long dried up.
Her mind kept replaying the night at the haveli. How could he? How could the man who claimed to love me... how could he force me like that? She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep it together, but it felt like she was falling apart. Every breath was a reminder of the suffocating grip Murtasim had on her body that night. Her heart ached, but her body trembled with fear whenever she thought of his touch.
Lost in thought, she didn't realize she had wandered into a narrow alleyway. The sounds of the city faded, and it was only when she heard the low, mocking laughter of men nearby that she snapped back to reality.
"Aray wah, kya ladki hai!" one of them sneered. "Kahan jaa rahi ho, janeman?"
Meerab’s heart sank as she looked up and saw three men, their eyes gleaming with predatory intent. Panic shot through her, and she instinctively took a step back, clutching her dupatta tighter around her. But the men advanced.
"Chalo na, humey bhi company do thodi," another one grinned, taking a step toward her.
Her feet felt like they were glued to the ground, but her mind screamed at her to run. She didn’t have time to think. She turned and ran, her feet pounding against the pavement as fast as she could. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps, and her heart thundered in her chest. She could hear them laughing behind her, chasing her.
She darted through the crowded streets, her eyes darting wildly for any sign of escape. But no one paid attention to her plight. The city carried on as usual, oblivious to her terror. Just when she thought she couldn’t run anymore, a bright yellow autorickshaw screeched to a halt in front of her.
"Jaldi, bibi! Chalo andar!" the driver shouted.
Meerab didn’t hesitate. She scrambled inside, her heart racing as the auto sped off. She turned to see the men stopping at the mouth of the alley, glaring after her, but they didn’t follow. Relief flooded through her, but her body was still shaking uncontrollably.
"Thank you... thank you so much," she managed to say between ragged breaths.
The driver, an older man with a kind face, looked at her through the rearview mirror. "Kya haal bana rakha hai tumne? Akele kahaan jaa rahi thi?"
Meerab opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out. Her voice had been stolen by fear and exhaustion.
---
