Umeed

Chapter 32

As Faris, Shahzain, and Noor reached home, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken words and heavy hearts. Faris sensed the tension crackling between them, a storm brewing just beneath the surface. Quietly, he slipped out of the living room, leaving them alone. The door clicked shut behind him, creating a sense of intimacy that felt both comforting and suffocating.

Shahzain stood by the window, his gaze fixed on the darkness outside, but his heart was heavy with the weight of unspoken fears and regrets. He turned to Noor, whose expression was a mix of anger and hurt. He took a step toward her, reaching out to gently hold her arm, the touch both a plea and a question. "Kya itni khafa ho mujhse ki mujhpe aitbaar bhi nahi hai tume, Noor?" His voice was laced with pain, vulnerability spilling into the air between them.

Noor's silence spoke volumes. Her eyes were stormy, filled with conflicting emotions she struggled to articulate. The tension in the room grew thick enough to cut with a knife. "Kyu, Noor?" Shahzain pressed on, his voice softer now. "Main maanta hu maine tumse zabardasti nikkah kiya lekin kabhi tumhe maine nahi chhua, naa hi kabhi misbehave kiya. Phir kyu? Aaj jab woh ladki mujhpe ilzaan laga rahi thi, tumne uss ilzaan ko nahi juthlaya."

Noor's silence was deafening. The hurt in Shahzain's eyes only deepened her frustration. "Kya kyu haa? Aapne bhi mere character par ungli uthayi thi naa. That time you didn't listen to me; why should I defend you then, haa?" Her voice trembled with emotion, echoing the pain that had been building inside her.

"Wasn't I respectful? Never misbehaved?" Shahzain's voice was tinged with desperation. "Then couldn't you support me at that moment when I needed you?"

"I don't support someone when I have doubt," Noor shot back, her tone fierce. "What was the proof that you didn't misbehave?"

Shahzain was momentarily stunned by her words. The vulnerability that had crept into his expression turned into disbelief. "Tum Aisa kaise soch sakti ho, Noor?"

"Kyun nahi soch sakti? She had proofs; maybe you did misbehave. Aap Rania se mohabbat karte the naa? Ya nahi, woh bhi bas lust tha. Ab woh nahi toh mai sahi." Each accusation felt like a knife, cutting through the remnants of their shared past.

"Noor, tum pagal ho gayi ho," Shahzain exclaimed, his disbelief morphing into frustration. "How can you say this? I thought you knew me better than that!"

"Haan, hu mai pagal, lekin bewakoof nahi. Kyun, mann bhar gaya hoga mujhse, isliye uss ladki ke saath..." Before she could finish, Shahzain interrupted, his voice rising, the anger simmering just below the surface. "Enough."

"Why can't you listen? What do you want, haa? Maybe you regret marrying me now, haina? Ek mistress ki tarah rakh lete. Ya Rania acchi thi, woh chup rehti thi, haina? Maybe I am not as good as Rania, haina?" Each accusation exploded between them, amplifying the emotional distance that had suddenly widened.

Shahzain's hand instinctively raised in anger at Noor's biting remarks. The tension swirled like a tempest around them, and for a moment, he felt a surge of rage at how deeply she hated him. He had cared for her, always giving her space and never forcing her into anything after their nikkah. And yet, she was comparing herself to Rania. Yet, as he realized the depths of her hurt, he retreated his hand, unwilling to let anger dictate his actions. Noor, anticipating a slap, had closed her eyes tightly. When the expected pain didn't come, she opened them to find Shahzain standing before her, his eyes brimming with unshed tears.

The sight shattered her resolve. Shahzain's face was a mask of anguish, and a single tear slipped down his cheek, a stark reminder of the emotional turmoil that engulfed them both.

Just then, Faris, having heard the commotion, rushed down the stairs. He froze at the sight before him: Shahzain with his hand in the air, poised between anger and restraint. "Bhai, aap kya kar rahe hain?" he screamed, panic lacing his voice.