Ishq-e-Junoon

35. Aitbaar

-Zubaano ke peeche mat chala karo,
Koi tumhe aisi kahaani nahi sunayega,
Jis mein wo khud gaddaar ho

☾

Wahaj sat in the study, fingers tapping restlessly on the table. It had been two days since those cursed photos surfaced, two days since the accusation hung over Dilara like a dark cloud.

Every time he closed his eyes, they flashed before him, taunting, questioning. How could he trust his own judgment when such damning evidence was staring back at him?

But he knew Dilara, her innocence, her unwavering loyalty. She would never betray him. And yet... those images lingered, casting a doubt that gnawed at him. Taking a deep breath, he picked up his phone and pulled up the photos again, forcing himself to look, to really examine them this time.

As he stared at them, a strange feeling crept over him. Something wasn't right.

The lighting—it was different around Dilara's face compared to the rest of the scene, almost as if it didn't belong. He zoomed in, noticing a faint outline around her figure, a subtle inconsistency. The edges of her hair appeared strangely blurry, unnaturally softened against the background.

His heart began to race, and his mind quickly worked through the possibilities. He adjusted the brightness, looked at her hand placements, her shadow—small details that seemed slightly off. He noticed that her reflection didn't match her posture, as if it had been pieced together rather than captured naturally.

His hands clenched as realization dawned on him. This wasn't a mistake, nor was it reality. Someone had tampered with these images, altered them to paint a lie, to tear them apart.

A deep rage filled his chest as he locked his phone, finally seeing the truth beneath the deceit.

Wahaj's suspicion sharpened into certainty as he recalled Asfiya's smug expression during the entire incident. Her smirk hadn't gone unnoticed while Dilara was being humiliated, and now, it fueled his anger further. He stormed out of the study, he found Asfiya in the kitchen, lounging on a chair, munching on snacks with a self-satisfied look.

As soon as she saw him, she offered a smile. "Wahaj? Chai bana doon tumhare liye? Tumhari biwi toh banane se rahi," she said with a mocking tone.

[Wahaj? Should I make tea for you? Your wife certainly won't bother to make it.]

"Apne muh se meri biwi ka zikr bhi mat karna," Wahaj growled, his voice cold and sharp.

[Don't you dare mention my wife.]

She raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Kya tum bhul gaye ho tumhari biwi kya gul khila kar aayi hain? Kaise uss ladke ke saath–"

[Have you forgotten what your wife has been up to? How she was with that boy—]

"Bakwaas band karo!" Wahaj interrupted, his voice filled with venom. "Kuch nahi kiya hain Dilara ne. Ye sab tumhara kiya karaya hain. Tumne wo photos forge ki hain!"

[Shut your nonsense! Dilara hasn't done anything wrong. This is all your doing. You've forged those photos!]

Asfiya gasped, putting a hand to her chest in mock horror. "Ya Allah! Main bhala aisa kyun karungi? Maine toh bas tumhe sacchai dikhayi hain," she said, feigning innocence. Her eyes began to glisten as she conjured up tears, her voice shaking with false hurt. "Mujhe yaqeen nahi aata tum mujh par ilzaam laga rahe ho."

[Ya Allah! Why would I do something like that? I just showed you the truth.I can't believe you're accusing me.]

At the sound of her sobs, Wahida, Aina, and Dilara entered the kitchen, concerned by the raised voices. Wahida hurried to Asfiya's side, her face set in worry.