She felt it before she saw it-the prickle of eyes on her skin, the unsettling sensation of being watched, even in a crowd. The feeling had started months ago, subtle at first, just a hint of unease that she brushed aside as paranoia. But as days tur...
wafaon ki humse tawaku nhi ha magar aik baar azma kr toh dekho
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AYESHA'S POV
The door closed behind him, leaving me trapped in a silence that felt like a punishment. Zaviyaar had forced me into this marriage, and now he was nowhere to be seen, as if abandoning me on the very first night was his twisted way of showing control. I sat on the bed, staring at the empty, unfamiliar room around me. Its cold, impersonal decor only added to the feeling that I didn't belong here. Nothing felt recognizable—not the furniture, not the dim lights, not even the air, which held a faint scent of cologne that didn't suit him, somehow adding to the strangeness of it all.
The silence was stifling, the kind that seeps into your bones, filling you with dread. The hours dragged on, each second amplifying the confusion, the hurt, the rage bubbling within me. He had looked me in the eye and vowed to cherish me in front of everyone, but now he was gone, treating me like I was nothing but an afterthought.
I could barely stand being in that bed, the very place where he was supposed to be by my side. I couldn't trust him enough to relax here. I dragged myself over to the couch by the window, even though it was barely half my size. Somehow, the awkward, cramped seat was a comfort, offering a false sense of security. Curling up, I stared out at the faint lights flickering through the curtains and tried to hold back the bitter tears that threatened to spill.
Eventually, exhaustion claimed me, and I slipped into a restless sleep, haunted by fragmented dreams of betrayal and helplessness.
A sharp knock on the door jolted me awake. Blinking, I tried to shake off the fog of sleep, my mind struggling to remember where I was. I looked around, but the room was still empty. Where is he? The thought echoed in my mind. First, he forced me into this marriage, and now, he hadn't even bothered to come back. I felt a surge of anger mixed with helplessness.
The knock came again, this time louder, insistent. I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Arhi hoon! Wait kar lo!" I called out, my voice sharp, my nerves frayed. I was already on the verge of tears, barely holding myself together.
Opening the door, I was startled to see Zara's mother standing there, looking at me with a concerned expression. Her presence took me by surprise. What is she doing here? And why here, in Zaviyaar's house?
"Aunty...sab theek hai?" I stammered, panic rising in my chest. "Kahin Zaviyaar ne Zara ko kuch toh nahi kaha?" My mind raced through worst-case scenarios. Why else would she be here?
["Aunty... is everything okay? Did Zaviyaar do something to Zara?"]
She shook her head, a gentle smile tugging at her lips as she tried to reassure me. "Nahi beta, woh usay kuch kyun kahay ga?"
["No, dear, he wouldn't say anything to her."]
Her calm demeanor only added to my confusion. "Then... why are you here? Is Mama okay? Papa? Zaibi?" My voice trembled as I rattled off questions, hoping none of my fears would come true.
