Hello everyone!😊 I am back with the next chapter! Thankyou to each and everyone who has read my story😃...Love you all! Keep the comments coming...I just LOVE them!❤️
Also I made a banner for this story...I am not very good with this editing stuff but have tried so please tell me your views on it too😳...Also I would like to thank -Elenaa- Di for helping me...she pointed out my mistakes and gave me suggestions...yeah I made a very crappy one before...Love you di! Thanks a bunch! You are AWESOME!❤️🤗
|| Married To Darkness ||
Chapter 5
Morning had already arrived and Zoya was still sleeping on the swing, oblivious of everything around her. It was only when the bright rays of the sun hit her, she woke up. Dazed at first, she tried to place what conspired last night. She remembered herself coming to the terrace and then loosing herself to the numerous questions and thoughts that circled her mind. Oh so I fell asleep here last night. Her back ached due to sleeping in an uncomfortable position the whole night and she could barely walk straight.
Asad on the other hand, had a rather eventful night himself. For the very first time he had thought about their marriage. No, he was not ready to accept it but had to think of something to come out of the mess . It is obvious that he couldn't get any sleep, which by the way, wasn't new to him at all. He had spent innumerable nights like this, just thinking and cursing his life. His only friend at a time like this was alcohol. He had learnt to dissolve everything, from his feelings to his aching heart, in this undying addiction. A new morning meant nothing to him; his past life clouded all the sunshine .He was sitting on the floor with his head resting on the bedside and a bottle in his hand. He woke up feeling a little thirsty and decided to go to the kitchen for water.
At the very moment Zoya started to head back to her room. Thanks to her paining back, she was walking slowly, almost in wobbly steps. She was looking down all the time and didn't even realize when she bumped into Asad. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second and Zoya found herself clutching his shirt for maintaining her balance. She immediately withdrew her hands and looked up to his face again, expecting some reaction. But like every other time, Asad Ahmed Khan didn't bother. He simply walked away to where he was going. This time there was another thing she noticed apart from his red eyes and pale face. Why does he smell of...alcohol? She peeked inside his room carefully and to her surprise saw bottles everywhere. Oh my god...does he drink...and that too this much? That would explain his red eyes and disorientation...oh no...
*FLASHBACK*(5 YEARS BACK)
"What is with you and alcohol Zee? Last night's party was so awesome but you just refused take a sip! And what is with this sudden distance between you and Mark?" said Muskaan, Zoya's best friend in New York, talking about their other close buddy Mark.
Zoya appeared to be lost for a second. Gathering her thoughts she replied, "It's nothing Muski! I just don't like Alcohol that's it. And about Mark...I never knew that he was a raging alcoholic...Did you even look at the way he was behaving at the party? Anyways you know that parties, alcohol, they just disturb me...you know that right..."
"Of course I know...in three months of college...that's something I really am sure about you honey! But there's gotta be a reason...you just seem very uncomfortable"
"There is a reason Muski"
"What reason?"
"A..a...Okay I told you that I was orphaned at a very young age, right? My parents died in a horrible car accident...You know why did they have that accident in the first place?" She tried to hold her tears back, "A drunk driver rammed his car into theirs...he was heavily drunk...when asked later all he said that he lost orientation and it was an irresponsible moment'... really? That irresponsible moment' of his took my parents away from me...I was subjected to the worst time of my life, all because of him and his commitment to alcohol! I just don't understand! If you can't even think straight when you are drunk then why do you have to?"
"I am so sorry Zee...I really am. But don't you think holding grudges against every person who drinks, is a little too extreme? I mean it's very common these days and not everyone is as irresponsible..."
"I know that Muskaan...I do...but I myself don't know why I do this. People who drink repel me like anything. Probably it's in my nature"
"But you can't always have this perception. Let's say what if you fall in love with a person who drinks? He's otherwise perfect, then?"
"Then he is not perfect' for me! He cannot be... And I don't think this feeling would ever go. My perfect guy would never have a habit of drinking. He just won't, I know."
"You never know when you fall in love with this imperfect guy who is perfect for you!" Muskan said cheekily.
"Nah Muski! I would know." Zoya said firmly, sure of finding the guy of her dreams one day.
*Flashback ends*
So I guess I never Knew, did I? She laughed at herself in self pity. Forget about falling in love I barely know the man I am married to! Only this one tiny detail, he drinks!
She finally came to understand how destiny plays games and never goes by the plans you have made. She didn't want to agree but from what she had seen up until now, Asad did not fit into the picture she had in her mind. But still her heart refused to believe that the life she had painted for herself in her dreams would never actually come to life. So she decided not to give the particular issue much thought. She had enough things to figure out already and did not want to add to her miseries.
Probably Asad has his own reasons. And this one thing does not make him a bad person and people can always change. Maybe I take this drinking thing very seriously. It does not shape a person and who he is, right?
Like most of the times, Zoya again managed to convince herself. She forcibly tried to take her mind off the things that disturbed her and tried to think about the day that lied ahead of her.
7 DAYS LATER
Zoya's Diary:
Dear Diary,
Okay I know that I have never maintained diaries. Never ever in my life. Maybe I was always too lazy to pen down my thoughts or maybe I never felt the need to. I have always had people around me. People I could laugh with, people I could cry with and most importantly people I could trust. But Now I am in this strange phase of life. The constant chattering has been replaced by moments, rather, days of silence.
I have no one to talk to. And Yeah, in these seven days, I haven't had any proper conversation with my own husband. How weird is that? I know that I am supposed to understand his situation, his loss, his silence; but till when? I know nothing about him. Nothing at all. He leaves the house at odd hours, sometimes very early in the morning and sometimes very late in the night. Not to mention, he never informs me, the thud of the door does. This is so weird for me and I don't know what to do. I hardly feel like eating these days and I call myself a foodie!
On a serious note, there is something which I don't understand surely. About his behavior, I mean. But who would explain that to me? There is no one.
I feel hopeless but now I am sure of one thing...I have to do something. This can't go on forever. The loneliness, his silence, his indifference is killing me.
But till then I can only hope. But am I hoping against hope?
**************************
Zoya kept the diary down and let her mind wander in various directions. It was morning and she was sitting in the living room with absolutely nothing to do. Asad wasn't home and she did not expect him to come back until night time. Just then a thought came to her mind. I have never really gone around this house ever, have I? For some reason her heart told her to start with Dilshaad's room.
She went up the stairs to the room. The last time she was there, she had found Asad sitting on the floor, mourning his mother's death. The thought made her feel sad. He is going through a very bad time, he indeed is. The moment she entered, she noticed the same photo frame lying on the bed that had broken the other day. She could recognize it from its distinctive gold border.
It was lying upside down on the bed. She went ahead and picked it up. She flipped it over and what came before her eyes was no less than a shock. It was a picture of a girl she couldn't recognize. When Zoya has noticed Asad clutching to the photo the other day, she had guessed it to be Dilshad's. But instead it was of a young girl, probably in her twenties, smiling at the camera. She noticed the year marked in the photograph. It said, 2008'.
Who is it in the photograph? A family member?...but if she was then Jiju would have told me about her, right? And how is Asad related to her? He seemed to be very attached to this photograph...
Her head felt dizzy. This complicated things for her even more. And it was quiet expected what she thought. Was... or is Asad in love with her? Yes that's right...everything seems to make sense now...I came in between them...that's why he hates me...But why did he do this to my life? Oh god what should I do now? Am I jumping into conclusions? No...I am not...Not this time surely. Ya allah ab mein Kya karoon?
All this while Zoya did not even realize when Asad has returned back home. Like always he first headed to his mother's room, only this time he found an intruder there, Zoya. He couldn't contain his anger on seeing her as he disliked anybody interfering in his personal matters. And The moment he saw her standing there with that photograph, he lost his mind.
He glided across the room and snatched the photo frame from her hands, startling Zoya and scaring her at the same time.
"What are you doing in this room? Just get out!"
Zoya was enraged this time. She had already convinced herself about the photograph and the girl and was in no mood to be shouted at by the very person who has ruined her life completely. "I am not going anywhere Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan!"
"Stop meddling in my life. You have no right to you understand?" He walked a little closer to her, in a way to intimidate her.
"I have every right in the world to! I am your wife! Do you even understand what that means? I have every right to know what's going on here!"
"You are not my Wife...And you can never be! Haven't I told this to you already? I don't want to hear a word from you now! Just go!"
"Oh really? So I am not your wife? What about that marriage, haan? What about that? As far as I remember it's your mother and you who agreed to the Nikah in the first place! I did not come running towards you Mr. Khan! And who is that girl in the photograph?" By now she was almost pinned to the wall with Asad hovering over her. Both of them shouting at top of their voices.
"You have no business to know about anything of my life! If you did not understand before then do understand now...I was pushed into this marriage...And this means absolutely nothing to me nor should it mean anything to you! Now if you have your doubts clear, then its better you go back from wherever you have come from!"
Zoya was feeling very weak and tensed at the same time. She hadn't eaten anything for the past day and the shouting was not helping her condition. Asad's words were practically floating in her head. This time, after a very long time: everything made sense to her. "What about my family? It's so easy for you to say but not for me!" She pointed her finger towards him and said in a worn out voice, "You...You have spoiled my life Mr.khan...you married me for your interests...you used me...you played with my life...And trust me you will have to pay...you..w..w..will have to pay!"
Asad hadn't expected this but what she had just said pinched him a little. He couldn't meet her tearful eyes and her accusations were surely affecting him. But he had his reasons.
With all the screaming, Zoya was completely drained out. And before she knew it, her head started to spin and everything appeared to be blurry. On an impulse she tugged Asad's arm for support and the moment she did that, concern reflected in his eyes. At least that is what she thought she saw. She felt as if she won't be able to stand anymore, her face bent closer to his, his breath now fanning her face. He grip on his arms tightened and slowly her body started feeling light.
Asad noticed her face going pale and to be honest got a little scared. "W..what happened?" He nervously said in a soft voice this time.
But Zoya couldn't answer that. She lost all her balance and fainted right there in his arms.
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Please leave your comments, likes and loads of love for me! I just love reading your views!
IMP Note- One more thing, Yesterday my laptop fell and I guess I have lost everything on it...Yes I am screwed😭...Luckily I had mailed half of this chapter to myself and recovered this...So I am not sure when will I post the next update...at least not till my laptop is repaired...so I am so sorry ...you guys will have to wait a little longer for the next chapter...but please don't abandon this story...I will be back!😃
Loads of love.🤗
Edited by McdreamyKSG - 11 years ago
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Cricket
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