In The Grip of Trust

Chapter 13: Unraveling

A month had passed since the wedding, and life had settled into a strange rhythm for Amir and Ayesha. Amir's parents and siblings had left for their hometown to attend a wedding, and they were planning to stay there for an entire month. Amir and Ayesha couldn't join them due to their work and university commitments, so the house was quieter than usual.

A caretaker, Amna Aunty, had been hired to look after the children during the day and help Ayesha with household chores. She was a kind and patient woman who had known Amir's family for years, and her presence brought a certain comfort to Ayesha, allowing her to focus on her university work without being overwhelmed by the demands of the house.

Yet, despite the relative calm, Ayesha was far from at peace. The walls of the house seemed to close in on her, and the weight of her past was a constant presence, one she tried to ignore but couldn't escape.

One afternoon at the university, Ayesha's world came crashing down.

She had just finished a lecture and was gathering her things when she saw him-the man she had once loved. Her heart stopped for a moment as their eyes met across the crowded hallway. It was as if the past had suddenly come alive, standing right in front of her.

He approached her with a cold smirk, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. "Ayesha," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I didn't expect to see you here."

Ayesha stiffened, her hand gripping the strap of her bag tightly. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What do I want?" he laughed bitterly. "I could ask you the same thing. You disappeared without a word, and now here you are, acting like nothing happened."

"I had my reasons," Ayesha replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "It's in the past now. Let it go."

But he wasn't ready to let anything go. His voice grew harsher, the bitterness in his words cutting through her like a knife. "You ruined everything, Ayesha. You left me without an explanation, and now you're pretending like it didn't happen? You've always been selfish."

Ayesha felt the blood drain from her face. The words hit harder than she expected, each one a reminder of the pain she had tried so hard to bury. She opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

"You know what?" he continued, his voice lowering dangerously. "I pity the man who ended up with you. You'll ruin him too, just like you ruined me."

That was the final blow. The accusation, the anger-it was too much. Ayesha couldn't take it anymore. She didn't respond, couldn't even defend herself. Instead, she turned and walked away as quickly as she could, the world around her blurring with tears.

She barely made it through the rest of the day. Her mind was spinning, her heart racing, and every word he had said replayed in her head over and over again. By the time she reached home, she felt suffocated, her chest tight as if she couldn't breathe.

Amna Aunty greeted her kindly, asking how her day was, but Ayesha barely heard her. She nodded absently, muttering something about being tired went to their room.