EHSAAN

End Of Us?

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"Divorce is the only way out." His voice cut through the silence, sharp and final.

Anya stepped back from the hallway, her heart racing as she tried to absorb his words. She slipped into her bedroom, closing the door quietly, and leaned against it, letting her head fall back. A dull ache grew in her chest. She felt foolish for ever believing there could be anything more to this marriage. Deep down, she'd known it was inevitable-an unwanted marriage. How long did she expect him to stay?

Pressing a hand over her heart, she tried to steady her breathing. Usually, the mention of divorce would have brought tears, but now that he was seriously discussing it, a strange numbness washed over her. It was almost as if she had felt this pain so many times before that her body was immune.
Her gaze drifted to the phone charger lying beside the bed. She wiped her face, forcing herself to breathe deeply, to hold it together for just a little longer. Grabbing the charger, she headed downstairs, each step feeling like it weighed a ton.

Anya knew now that her hope for this marriage was gone. A part of her felt hypocritical, wondering if she had ever really tried to make things better. Maybe if she'd stepped out of her comfort zone and spoken to him instead of retreating, things could have turned out differently. But even as the thought crossed her mind, she knew that without Hazem's commitment, her efforts wouldn't have mattered.

The sudden creak of the main door opening snapped her back to the present. They both turned toward the hallway as Zafar entered, adjusting his coat on the rack. He gave them a tight smile, one of those smiles that tried to look genuine but carried its own quiet weariness.

"I guess Baba's joining us!" Samira laughed, throwing her arms around him as he chuckled softly, patting her back.

Anya stood just inside the doorway, watching the warm family moment unfold with a faint, distracted smile. But her mind was elsewhere, drifting back to her own situation. Maybe her attachment to Hazem had always been more about stability than love. She knew he deserved better. But she also knew the desperation that had driven her into this marriage in the first place-married off by relatives to a man much older, with children not far from her age. A small gesture of kindness from Hazem had felt like salvation back then.

Her uncle and aunt had made it clear she couldn't stay in their home unless she was married, which was why Hazem had agreed to marry her in the first place. But she knew that once she left with him, her place in her uncle's house was gone.

Her aunt's words still echoed painfully: "Dekho, woh ab tumhara shohar hai. Uske saath hi jeena hai aur marna bhi. Yeh talaq-walaq ke baad yahan muh utha kar mat aana; uska ghar hi tumhara ghar hai."

And now, facing the likelihood of divorce, a shiver of anxiety crept over her. She knew she'd need a way to support herself. Relying on Hazem's family or her in-laws for anything after the separation felt demeaning.

Even if they offered her accommodation, accepting it would mean swallowing the last shreds of her pride. Maybe if they had supported her differently from the start, it wouldn't feel so humiliating. But after living with them, relying on them again after a divorce seemed unbearable.

Zafar finished greeting the girls and moved toward the stairs, glancing at Anya with a look of concern and pity. Her stomach twisted as she held his gaze for just a moment. She hated that look-it made her feel weak, like a burden that no one wanted.

In that moment, she felt a flicker of resolve. She would find her way out of this, even if it meant leaving everything she once depended on.

***