The Stake.

35

It was worse than ever since they'd returned from the hospital. Dur e Shahwar was silent beyond recognition. She'd been inside the room for more than week. Rehaan had left for work two days earlier with great reluctance. He'd come back within two hours after dealing with whatever that required his sole presence.

Shahwar's behaviour was making him feel like his existence was a crime to her life. She had not even cried after coming back from the hospital. There was nothing. It was just blankness and it was taking his soul out of his body.

When he came back home and went up straight to his room to see her the first thing like his routine she had her head down on the dresser sitting on the stool in front of it. The sound of the door, his voice, anyone else's movement, nothing made Shahwar react anymore. She was so unresponsive that Rehaan thought he would lose his senses looking at her state.

"Shahwar, I'm calling the doctor. I can't bear it now." He said to her back that faced him while her head was still down.

She was listening to it. She knew he was there. She just didn't know how to speak her heart anymore.

"Shahwar? Please say something." He knelt on the floor behind the stool turning it towards his face making her lift her head and look at him.

"I don't need a doctor." She spoke ending the silence between them finally. Her voice was still without any semblance.

"What is it then that you need? I'll get that." He touched her cheeks with his knuckles softly.

She was quiet as she saw the darkness under his eyes, his face representing pure exertion and tiredness.

"Tell me. What does my Shahwar want?" Rehaan held her face kneeling below her.

"You won't give me what I want." She knew he wouldn't. It had already been said by him clearly before and after their marriage.

"No, whatever it is. I will do it. Whatever you want my love. I can't see you like this anymore." He was so desperate right now, he'd never known desperation before.

"Bolo meri jaan." She hadn't received love from him when she'd needed it, how would she receive what she wanted now from him. She knew he wouldn't give her what she wanted.

(Say it my love.)

"Nahi dengay aap." She stated in the simplest form.

(You won't give.)

"Mien dunga." His hands caressing her face and he looked at her with determination to assure her that he wouldn't say no. "Jo bhi chahiye mien dunga meri jaan."

(I will.

Whatever you want I will give you my love.)

He pulled her down a little and hugged her as her body bent from the rounded seat. "Divorce me." She said with her face resting on his chest.

Rehaan stopped breathing for a minute. He couldn't breathe. The words had left him speechless. He forced himself to inhale before looking at her when he lifted her face with both his hands.

"Talaakh de dein mujhe Rehaan. Chhor dein mujhe." Rehaan's heart was trembling as his hands held her face in them trying to move beyond the shock and utter terror of her statement.

(Give me a divorce Rehaan. Leave me.)

He had done it. She looked so empty saying it all. A tear slid down his face and Shahwar wiped it. She loved him so much. But there was nothing left inside her anymore for her to provide for that love. He kept on staring at her as he breathed in and out with his mouth.

This was it. She wanted to be out of there. His life. His house. He could see it now. He had made her live through hell. What had she ever done to deserve it? The woman who had married him almost a year back was not who this woman was in front of him. Lifeless, broken, shattered.

Rehaan pulled her back to his body holding her tightly, as much as he could to feel her, all of her, "Theek hai." Tears now openly seeped out of his eyes as the pain in his chest hardened at his own words. He couldn't even cry out loud. The dry pain in his throat was making it constricted.

(Alright.)

Shahwar held him inhaling his scent for the last time, closing her eyes as her nose touched his neck. Her feet slightly shivered when she realized the reality of it all. It was going to end.

Rehaan pulled back after something close to twenty minutes and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead before standing up. "I'll send the papers as soon as they are ready. If you want to stay till then, you can stay, but if it's too difficult to do so you can let me know I'll get your things ready to be shifted wherever you want."

"I'll leave." She replied at once. He had thought she'd take time to think on it but it seemed like she'd been too traumatized to even bear with him for another minute.

"Okay." His voice was breaking.

"Tonight."

"Okay." He wanted to scream at his helplessness. She was going to leave. He started to step out of the room and went down to some other room that was not being used. His panic attack began there and he himself had to deal with it and its repercussions.

The same night Dur e Shahwar left with all her belongings she had brought with her when she'd come here from her father's house. Everything that Rehaan and his family had ever given her was still there, she hadn't taken any of those things. Shahwar had booked a ticket for Barcelona and she boarded her plane the same night. She'd mailed Ibaad the courier address where she'd be to receive the divorce papers.

Kazmi aakhir apna divorce karwa ke hi raha.🤡

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