The sun hung low in the sky as it filtered through the heavy curtains of the Khan Haveli, casting elongated shadows that danced eerily across the walls. The atmosphere was thick with tension, an unspoken heaviness that clung to the air. Meerab sat on the edge of the ornate bed, her fingers tangled in her hair as she tried to process the events of the previous night. The memories swirled in her mind—Murtasim’s rage, his betrayal, and the suffocating darkness that had enveloped her. She felt raw, exposed, and utterly alone.
The sound of footsteps echoed outside her room, and before she could gather her thoughts, the door swung open with a flourish. Maa Begum entered, her presence imposing and fierce. She looked at Meerab with a mixture of disappointment and anger, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.
“Where were you last night?” Maa Begum demanded, her voice dripping with accusation. “Mariyam’s rukhsati was a momentous occasion for our family, and yet, you and Murtasim were both conspicuously absent. Do you have any idea how irresponsible and selfish you both are?”
Meerab’s heart raced, a mixture of anger and hurt bubbling to the surface. She had expected some kind of confrontation, but the words cut deeper than she anticipated. “I had my reasons,” she replied tersely, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Reasons?” Maa Begum scoffed, her tone laced with disdain. “What possible reason could you have to miss such an important family event? You were supposed to be by Murtasim’s side, supporting him! Instead, you chose to hide away like a coward.”
The use of the word "coward" ignited something within Meerab. “I am not a coward!” she retorted, standing up abruptly. “And I will not sit here and take your insults, especially not after everything that has happened.”
Maa Begum crossed her arms, her expression hardening. “Oh, spare me your theatrics, Meerab. Your behavior has been nothing short of reckless. Murtasim is a busy man, and he needed you by his side. Instead, you choose to sulk in this room as if it’s your own personal prison. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“Sulking?” Meerab echoed, disbelief flooding her voice. “You think I’m sulking? You have no idea what I’ve been through, Maa Begum. You have no idea what your dear son did to me last night.”
The mention of Murtasim struck a nerve, and Maa Begum’s expression shifted from anger to shock. “What are you implying?” she demanded, her voice sharp. “What did he do?”
Meerab stepped closer, her heart pounding in her chest. “He didn’t just betray me, Maa Begum. He raped me. He took everything from me, and then you dare question my loyalty? I couldn’t be at Mariyam’s rukhsati because your son was too busy forcing himself on me!”
The air thickened with silence, the weight of Meerab’s words crashing down like a heavy storm. Maa Begum’s face paled, the color draining from her cheeks as she processed the enormity of Meerab’s accusation. “What… what are you saying?” she stammered, the facade of authority crumbling. “You cannot be serious. Murtasim would never…”
“Never what?” Meerab interrupted, her voice rising in anger. “Never harm his own wife? Don’t you see? This is the man you raised! He is a product of your upbringing, and now he has taken that upbringing and twisted it into something monstrous. Do you think I wanted to miss my sister-in-law’s wedding? I wanted to be there, to support Mariyam, but your son made that impossible!”
Maa Begum stood frozen, the words hitting her like a physical blow. She had always seen Meerab as strong-willed and independent, but she never imagined the depths of her pain. “You’re lying,” she said, her voice shaky but determined. “Murtasim wouldn’t do something like that. He loves you!”
“Love?” Meerab laughed bitterly, a harsh sound that echoed in the room. “Is this what love looks like? Forced intimacy? Control? Tell me, Maa Begum, does love make you feel powerless? Does it make you feel like your body is no longer your own? Because that is what your son has done to me!”
The tension between them crackled like static, the air charged with anger and hurt. Maa Begum’s expression shifted from disbelief to something resembling shame. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
“Do you understand now?” Meerab pressed, her voice low but fierce. “Your precious son is a monster. You should have raised him to respect women, to treat them as equals, not as objects to be conquered. I am not just a wife to be paraded at events; I am a person, a human being who deserves dignity and respect!”
Maa Begum finally found her voice, but it was shaky. “I… I never knew,” she admitted, her tone softer, filled with uncertainty. “I thought… I thought you were both just going through a rough patch. I didn’t realize it had escalated to this point.”
“It escalated because you turned a blind eye!” Meerab shouted, her frustration boiling over. “You always favored your son, always turned your back on his wrongdoings. How many times did you ignore the warning signs? How many times did you justify his behavior because he was ‘your son’? This is the consequence of that blindness, Maa Begum. I am the one who has to live with it.”
Maa Begum’s shoulders slumped, and for the first time, Meerab saw a flicker of vulnerability in her eyes. “What do you want from me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I want you to acknowledge what he did,” Meerab said, her tone softer now but no less firm. “I want you to stop pretending that everything is fine and recognize the reality of this situation. I am not your daughter-in-law anymore; I am a victim. And I refuse to be silent about it.”
Maa Begum’s gaze dropped to the floor, her expression shifting from anger to guilt. “I was wrong,” she finally admitted, her voice thick with emotion. “I should have seen it. I should have protected you.”
“Protecting me is not enough now,” Meerab replied, her voice steady. “You cannot erase the pain I feel. I don’t want your pity; I want you to understand the truth. Murtasim needs help. He cannot keep living in this delusion that he can control everything around him. This is not just about me; it’s about him too.”
The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Maa Begum looked up, meeting Meerab’s gaze. “What do you plan to do?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“I don’t know,” Meerab admitted, her heart aching with uncertainty. “I just know I can’t stay here and pretend everything is okay. I need time. I need space to heal.”
Maa Begum’s expression softened further, the hardness in her gaze giving way to something that resembled compassion. “I will support you, Meerab,” she said, her voice breaking. “I will do whatever it takes to help you through this. I was wrong to blame you for Murtasim’s actions.”
“Thank you,” Meerab replied, her voice low but sincere. “But understand that forgiveness doesn’t come easily. You may support me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever forget what happened.”
“I understand,” Maa Begum said quietly, the weight of her shame evident in her demeanor. “And I will do everything I can to help you and Murtasim find a way back from this darkness.”
With those words, the atmosphere in the room shifted slightly. There was still an air of tension, but it was now laced with a fragile sense of hope. Meerab turned away, gazing out the window as the sun continued to rise higher in the sky, casting light on the heavy shadows that lingered in the corners of the room.
As the day wore on, Meerab knew that her journey was far from over. She had faced the reality of her situation, but the road ahead would be long and fraught with challenges. Murtasim’s actions had irrevocably changed everything, and she would need to summon all her strength to confront the future.
But for now, she took a deep breath, feeling a flicker of resolve ignite within her. She would not be defined by this trauma; she would rise from it, stronger and more determined than ever. She was Meerab, and she would fight for her dignity, her future, and the life she deserved.
