LOVE TRIALS

Epilogue

Sufiyan wrapped his hand around her dainty wrist.

"Let's go," He said, pulling her to her feet from the bed.

"No," Maysa groaned and dropped down on the bed for the umpteenth time.

"Maysa," Sufiyan drawled with his hands on her arm. "Trust me."

Maysa took a deep breath as he descended the stairs with her in tow. Slowly. A small smile curved her lips as she gazed at the back of his head.

"I am sorry," Maysa spoke at the foot of the stairs and Sufiyan stopped, his eyes shifting to her hand covering his own.

"It-" He stopped, he had opened his mouth to tell her it didn't matter. He wanted to tell her that It was okay but it wasn't and it mattered. He mattered and his feelings mattered. She'd rejected him and refused him time and time, again for nothing but to satiate her unfounded hate because her parents, their grandfather had chosen him for her. He couldn't tell her okay because she had turned her back on him, it felt like it.  She should have talked to him- explained to him her distaste for their union. Trusted him and their relationship instead of playing games with him because before they were anything else, they were cousins, friends, they had grown together. She had known him all her life. She should have respected his feelings instead of trampling over them as if they meant nothing. He meant nothing.

He couldn't be dishonest, he had never lied to her and he could no longer hurt himself. He wasn't the self-sacrificing man, anymore but he realised she wasn't the same woman, either.

"I am sorry, too," He caressed her cheek, standing beside her as he had vowed to do.

He wouldn't go back on his word, he loved her too much to sacrifice their marriage to his hate, this time.

So, he apologised for not forcing himself to forgive her as he would have done so and for forcing himself on her against her wishes. He apologised for being an unwanted presence in her life, for taking away the choice from her to choose her own life partner and he apologized for driving her so far away from himself because he couldn't accept her decision as she hadn't accepted their elder's decision.

He was no better than her.

Maysa swallowed, thickly and sighed when she heard her mother calling for Sufiyan.

"I am with you," Sufiyan spoke in her ear as he gently pushed her in front of him and began walking towards the dining room.

Silence engulfed them once their parents noticed her presence, her father rose to leave the room. Goosebumps rose on her skin. There was no forgiveness for her in their cold hearts.

Sufiyan said, "Chachu. Please, sit."

Hot tears swam in her eyes, Maysa struggled to breathe when Sufiyan moved past her to pull the chair beside his own. He directed her to sit on it, pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and sat in the middle chair, a barrier between her father. He served her food, put morsels in her mouth and wiped as her tears as she silently wept. He hovered over her resembling a worried father, cared for her like a mother while their parents bristled with anger.

"Darling, follow my lead," She heard him when she tried to push his hand away.

She couldn't pretend. Agony burnt in her chest. Her family had ostracized their own daughter, a gut-wrenching sob wracked her and wrecked Sufiyan when he heard her.

Fat tears rolled down her flushed cheeks when Maysa broke down right in front of their parents and Sufiyan couldn't help but send a murderous glare in their direction.

"Would you have done the same if it were me?" He grated out, questioning their double standards. Under no circumstance would they have disowned the only son of the family."Of course not!"