Ishq-e-Junoon

28. Firaaq

-Baat sirf niyat ki hain,
Kisi ki tahajjud bhi kaam nahi aati,
Kisi ki qaza bhi qubool ho jati hain

☾

Dilara's peaceful sleep was shattered by the sound of loud yelling echoing through the haveli. Her heart skipped a beat as she quickly reached for her dupatta, wrapping it tightly around her and rushing down the stairs. As she descended, her thoughts raced, and a sense of dread began to pool in her chest.

When she reached the living room, chaos reigned in what should have been a place of calm. Asfiya was standing in front of Wahaj, her eyes swollen with tears and her voice trembling with rage. Wahida, ever the instigator, was beside her, offering whispered words of comfort, while Zayan stood nearby, clearly irritated by the entire ordeal.

Yeh living room toh jung ka maidaan ban gaya hain, Dilara thought, her gaze shifting from one person to the other, trying to understand the storm that had erupted in her absence.

[This living room has become a battlefield.]

"Tum aise kaise kar sakte ho Wahaj?!" Asfiya's voice rang through the room, high-pitched and dripping with accusation.

[How can you do this Wahaj?]

"Kya bakwaas kar rahi ho tum?" Wahaj's tone was cold, his usual calm exterior showing cracks of frustration.

[What rubbish are you spewing?]

Suddenly, Asfiya's gaze found Dilara standing in the doorway. Her face contorted with anger. "Tum kaise iss bewakoof ladki se nikkah kar sakte ho?" she demanded, pointing a trembling finger toward Dilara, as if her very existence was an insult.

[How can you marry this stupid girl?]

Wahaj's expression hardened. "Zubaan sambhal kar baat karo. Yeh meri biwi hain," he said strictly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

[Mind your tongue. She is my wife.]

"Khaak biwi hain! Main nahi maanti yeh nikkah!" Asfiya retorted, her voice growing more hysterical with each passing second.

[Wife? What wife? I don't accept this marriage.]

"Tumhare maan ne ya na maan ne se kuch nahi hota Asfiya," Wahaj's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Aur yeh kaisi behki behki baatein kar rahi ho tum?"

[Whether you accept it or not doesn't matter, Asfiya. What nonsensical things are you saying?]

Asfiya, growing increasingly frustrated, turned to Wahida for support. "Aapne vaada kiya tha mujhse khaala! Aapne kaha tha mera nikkah Wahaj se hoga!" she cried out, the desperation in her voice pulling all eyes to her.

[You promised me, Khaala! You said I'll be the one marrying Wahaj.]

Zayan, who had been watching in silence, finally spoke. "Ammi, yeh kya keh rahi hain?" His voice was filled with both confusion and disbelief.

[Ammi what is she saying?]

Wahaj's sharp gaze turned toward his mother. "Ammi, kya yeh sach hain?"

[Ammi, is this true?]

Wahida, caught between her sons' questioning gazes, bristled with anger. "Bas!" she snapped, her pride wounded. "Iss tarah mujhe katghare mein khada karne ki zarurat nahi hain. Haan, kiya tha maine vaada! Toh kya galat kiya? Apne bete ka nikkah ek padhi likhi aur khoobsurat ladki se karwana chahti thi! Par tum ho ke iss gawaar se nikkah kar liya!"

[Enough! There is no need to put me in the witness box like this. Yes, I made the promise! What's wrong in that? I wanted my son to marry an educated and beautiful girl. But you went and married this illiterate girl!]

Dilara, who had been quietly enduring the insults, felt her patience snap. "Gawaar nahi hoon main, chachi," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of hurt and anger.

[I am not illiterate chachi.]

"Accha? Ek din bhi college gayi ho tum?" Wahida sneered.

[Oh really? Have you even gone to college for a day?]

"Aap log ijazat dete toh jati na! Ek seminar jane tak ki ijazat dete nahi the aap log usse," Wahaj interjected, his voice rising in defense of his wife. His anger was barely contained now. "Aur khabardaar agar Dilara ke liye aise lafz istemaal kiye toh!"

[If you had given her permission, she would have gone! You didn't even allow her to attend a single seminar. And beware, if you ever use such words for Dilara again!]

Wahida's face twisted with fury. "Waah! Biwi ko aaye ek din nahi hua aur maa pe awaaz oonchi ki jaa rahi hain! Ye hota hain ghar jalane wali ladkiyon ka asar!" she spat, her eyes fixed on Dilara with venom.

[Wow! She's been your wife for just one day and you've already raised your voice at your mother? This is what happens when a home-wrecking girl comes into the house!]

Wahaj, refusing to back down, stared his mother down. "Ammi, aap bhi jaanti hain aur main bhi jaanta hoon ki aapne jo kiya wo galat kiya. Agar aapko qubool nahi karna toh beshaq na karein," his voice was steady, unwavering in his loyalty to Dilara.

[Ammi, you know and I know that what you did was wrong. If you don't want to accept it, then don't.]

Zayan, who had been watching Asfiya's outburst, finally turned toward her.

"Aur tum!" he said, pointing at Asfiya. "Agar iss tarah vaadon pe duniya chalti na, toh bohat se dil na tut te. Bhai ne kabhi tumhe kuch nahi kaha, na hi jhooti umeed di, toh tumhein itni akkal honi chahiye thi. Dilara meri bhabhi hain ab, bas, baat khatam! Dobara iss ghar mein aa kar tamasha nahi karna."

[And you! If the world worked on promises like these, many hearts wouldn't break. Bhai never gave you any false hope, so you should have had the sense to understand that. Dilara is now my sister-in-law. That's it, end of the matter! Don't come here again to create a scene.]

He turned to Wahaj. "Bhai, aap jayein. Aapko zameen dekhne jaana hain, der ho jayegi. Inka kya hain, yeh toh bas fizool baithi rehti hain," he added, casting a dismissive glance toward Wahida and Asfiya.

[Bhai, you should leave. You need to go check the land, you're getting late. As for them, they're just wasting time.]

Wahaj gave one last sharp look at Asfiya and Wahida before walking toward Dilara. His eyes softened as he reached her, gently taking her hand in his and leading her away from the battlefield the living room had become.

As soon as everyone left the room, Wahida made Asfiya take a seat and began comforting her.

"Khaala, aapne kaise yeh nikkah hone diya?" Asfiya asked, her voice laced with frustration and disbelief.

[Khaala, how could you let this marriage happen?]

"Aray, mujhe pata hota toh kya khaak hone deti!" Wahida scoffed. "Uss ladki ne toh mere bete ko aisa pagal kar diya hain, sabse ladta phir raha hain uske liye."

[If I had known, do you think I would have let it happen? That girl has made my son so crazy, he's fighting with everyone for her.]

"Toh ab kya, khaala? Wahaj kabhi mera nahi hoga?" Asfiya's voice trembled with helplessness.

[So now what, Khaala? Wahaj will never be mine?]

"Kyun nahi hoga? Zaroor hoga!" Wahida's tone turned sharp, her eyes glinting with cunning. "Tum bas thoda intezaar karo aur mere bataye hue raaste par chalo. Uss Dilara ka aisa patta saaf karungi ke Wahaj usse aur uski maa ko dhakke maar ke bahar nikalega."

[Why won't he be? Of course, he will be! You just need to wait a little and follow the path I lay out for you. I'll get rid of that Dilara so thoroughly that Wahaj will throw her and her mother out of the house.]

As Wahida's conspiratorial whispers filled the room, a wicked thrill coursed through Asfiya. Together, they reveled in their dark intentions, knowing that soon, Dilara would be ensnared in their trap, oblivious to the storm brewing against her.