Hey all! So here I am with the next update and I really wanna say a big SORRY to all of you first...actually my exams are coming up and I hardly get any time to write or come to IF properly. So sorry that I have not been replying to the wonderful comments you guys leave me...seriously I am so so sorry. But I hope you guys understand.
Also I can't say when I will update next...most probably in December, once my exams get over. And also
big thanks for sticking to the story and leaving me all that love.
Love you all!🤗❤️
|| Married To Darkness ||
CH-7
Zoya was pacing back and forth in her room desperately trying to curb the restlessness inside her. It was already the dead of the night but sleep was the last thing on her mind. One side of her just wanted to leave everything and give up while the other part of her was just plain confused. Yes she was angry, very angry in fact, but at the same time she felt that there was something else, she was missing.
In the last few days Asad's behavior had done nothing but infuriated her to an extent that every shred of her being wanted to get away from him as far as possible. But there is no denying of the fact that surely there was a missing link she had been overlooking, which all the more attracted her to seek answer from him. Her memory once again took her back to that girl's photograph and how she had agreed upon the girl's relationship with Asad. Is there some truth to it? Or I am just accepting the obvious and ignoring the reality? And then there were those marks she had seen just a while back on Asad's wrist, which have forced her to rethink her conclusions. The marks are not fresh...at least I know that. Looking at them you can make out that they were there from sometime before. But are they what I think they are? Did he ever try to slash his wrist to commit suicide? But why will he?
From what she had read from Asad's personality, this might not entirely be impossible. Maybe she was over thinking it or maybe not? There is definitely a possibility, however remote.
With all these questions clouding her mind, sleep deprivation was quiet justified. How could she sleep when she knew that she will once again wake up to a clueless day?
All this thinking had only brought her to a single conclusion. That she needed answers. Going back to New York would be an easier route and obviously Anwar and Zeenat will believe her but she will have to at least at some point give them explanations. And if not to them, then to her own self. For her own sanity. She had to find out about Asad Ahmed Khan. About his past, and most importantly, what reduced him to a ruthless and a heartless man.
With this resolve, Zoya found herself reaching up to some clarity if not more. She slipped under the duvet and shut her eyes to get some much needed rest. At least she had decided what she had to know. The only thing she had to figure out is how?
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Allah Miyan! Is it morning already?
Zoya woke up, rubbing her eyes and dodging the bright sun rays falling on her face. For a strange reason she felt particularly cheerful today. She had a feeling that it's going to be a good morning for a change.
She quickly freshened up, took a bath and changed into her favorite pink track pants and a casual white tee-shirt. Unlike all other mornings she had spent here; today she was actually feeling hungry.
Oh My! Seems like the rats in my stomach are having quiet a race!
She made her way to the kitchen and made a quick sandwich for herself. She couldn't help herself from remembering how her darling Aapi used to make them for her with smileys, cartoon faces and lots of mayonnaise; her favorite. Oh! Aapi I miss you so much! A sad smile crept on her face and tears threatened to come out but she managed to control herself.
Also today she had planned out the entire day for herself. Before anything she had decided to visit the local market and buy some grocery items. She was in a desperate need of some fresh air and not to mention, some alone time, away from all the things that were remotely related to her miseries.
She was only heading out when she saw Asad walking towards the kitchen. Due to his leg injury, he was not able to walk properly. Seeing this, Zoya immediately rushed to his assistance. She grabbed his arm and supported him by his side but Asad rudely jerked her hand away. "I'll be fine; you don't need to help me"
She noticed him looking at her with the same cold look and lost eyes. "Mr. Khan, your leg is hurt...Let me help you". Asad was too tired to fight so he let her take him to the kitchen and even took the glass of water she handed over to him.
Mr.Khan is not throwing a fit? Now that's what you call a good day! Has the sun risen from the west today?
On an impulse she touched his forehead, "Mr.Khan I think you have fever...let me get you some medicines". Asad found himself speechless or in his case defenseless, her care for him was slowly breaking the walls he had made around himself. But until when?
"I think it's enough-..." But before he had the time to complete his sentence Zoya had already gone back to fetch the medicine box.
"Here...take it...It will bring down the fever", she said taking out the tablet for him.
Frankly his head was throbbing and he did need the medicine and so he didn't refuse.
He gulped down the tablet and saw Zoya staring at him with her mouth wide open.
What is she doing?
Allah Miyan What's wrong with him? Have the aliens invaded the earth and taken away the real Asad Ahmed Khan and have left this sweetheart of a man for me?...wait a minute...Did I just call him a sweetheart?
Zoya broke away from her endless thoughts and said clearing her throat, "I am heading to the supermarket."
"Why are you telling me?" he said coldly.
Looks like the aliens did not invade the earth after all? The pain-in-the-you-know-what Asad Ahmed Khan is back!
"I wasn't telling you, I was speaking to the walls!"
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Zoya glanced at her reflection in the glass window and yes, she was gleaming. She was happy like a little child brought to a day fair. She found herself smiling for no reason in particular as she walked to the supermarket just adjacent to the lane where she lived. Probably it was the feeling of freedom or the fact that she had come out practically after ages that made her feel ecstatic.
She was amongst real people for a change. Real people, who laugh, smile and most importantly talk. Something she hadn't been doing for a while.
She entered the grocery shop and grabbed a big trolley bag to put her things into. Thanks to God she had exchanged American currency at the airport and had sufficient amount of money in hand.
Firstly she headed to the vegetables counter, then to the bakery products and finally to the rack which had canned food items on display. She was only scanning for her favorite sweet corns, when she bumped into a lady.
"Oh I am so sorry! Shit! I dropped your things." Zoya bent down and gathered all her things that she had dropped on the floor and gave it back to the woman who was now smiling at her.
"It's all right and thankyou!" The woman said sweetly and walked past her to the billing counter. Zoya followed her after she was finished with her shopping.
Once at the billing counter she again had one of her clumsy incidents. But this time it was more embarrassing as she again bumped into the same lady she had met before.
"Allah Miyan! What is wrong with me?! I am so sorry...I swear I didn't do it intentionally! God I am so clumsy!" Zoya's face was red with embarrassment when she saw how she had completely squished one of her boxes.
"It's all right...it happens...don't worry!" the young woman again smiled at her and said nothing and walked out of the store.
Zoya was quickly done with the billing and immediately ran towards the woman standing at the corner of the road.
"Hey! I am so sorry...here take this...I have ruined that chocolate box of yours...so please..." Zoya said sheepishly as she handed a new box she had picked up for the lady at the last moment.
"Its fine...please don't say sorry...And anyways...I am sure nothing has been damaged"
"No, Please you have to take it...otherwise I will keep apologizing"
"Okay, fine, If you say so..." the woman took the box from Zoya.
"You live here?"Zoya asked politely.
"No actually I live three lanes away. I am new here so I don't know any good stores, except this one which is pretty far way from where I live but being new, you can't do much, right?!"
"You are new here! Oh my god! Me too. I am Zoya by the way." Zoya felt nice meeting someone who was as clueless as she was, if not more, about this place.
"Oh Wow! I am Sumna, Sumna Sadaqat." They both shook hands.
"So you got married or you shifted here for work purposes?" asked Sumna.
"Uhh...I got married recently...a month ago actually. I lived in US previously. And you?"
"We have so much in common! I got married only a month ago too! I used to live in Indore. Would you like to sit for coffee or something? It's nice to have found a friend here!"
"No no it's alright Sumna...I'll head back home! And ya it's great to have found a friend in you!"
"Friend bhi kehti ho aur itni formally baat karti ho? Chalo yaar I am sure your husband won't mind?!" She grabbed Zoya by her arm and both of them went to a local coffee place.
"Tho batao? What magic did your husband do on you that brought you all the way from US to Bhopal, haan?"
What was Zoya supposed to say? From the way Sumna was talking, it was evident that she was living a very happy married life. She preferred lying to her than burdening her with the sadness in her life.
"We had an arranged marriage actually"
"Oh My God, really? I am completely different from you then. You see, I am one of those diehard romantic kinds. I could have never settled for an arranged marriage. But I am sure falling in love after marriage has its own thrill, isn't it?"
"Oh ya...you are ermmm...right" Zoya felt sad for herself. All her life she had believed in love and the whole feeling of falling in love but now that life has presented itself in a way starkly opposite to what she dreamt, pitying herself was the least she could do. How would you feel when the fairy tale you believed in turned out to be the most preposterous reality?
Sumna's cheerful voice brought her out of her reverie, "I have been with my husband for the last eight years! We were the best of friends...You know what? I never knew that getting married would be such a great feeling! But I am sure that you know that yourself...It's amazing...like a fairytale you know!"
Only if you find your prince charming.
"hmm.."
"So have you thought of getting a job or something? I am opening my boutique here...hope everything fairs out well...I get bored most of the time at home..."
"Oh wow that's great Sumna...Well I haven't thought about a job really...Even though my life is the definition of boredom right now...I have majored in English...wanted to be a writer...but now umm, I don't know...It's a new place.."
"A writer? I see...I have a friend who works in the editorial department of a Newspaper company here...If you would like then she would love to help you"
"Oh! Thanks...really? I would love that Sumna". It's not like Zoya hadn't thought of getting a job, she had, just never got an opportunity like this before.
They talked for another hour or so, about the most random things in the world. Zoya loved hearing all the cutesy tales of Sumna's marriage and her wonderful husband and the funny stories of their honeymoon. God! She's one lucky girl, Zoya thought. They bonded in the most amazing way and within no time were chatting like the best of friends. And Zoya was more than glad. She desperately needed someone to talk to and she was extremely thankful that both of them met.
They exchanged numbers and Sumna promised Zoya to give her a call after she had talked to her journalist friend. Finally things were falling into place and Zoya had things to look forward too.
Life surely has its own way of doing things.
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Somewhere during mid-afternoon Zoya returned back to the Khan Villa. Asad was home all day and did not even go to the office.
She immediately rushed to the kitchen, stacked everything in the right place and arranged the refrigerator according to her convenience. At least for the time I have to stay here, I can have everything according to me...
Zoya freshened up and went back to the kitchen to make something out of the items she had bought in the morning. Okay so let's see... there are the aubergines?...ummm...no...I don't know how to cook them! Potatoes? Not today...Beetroot?... C'mon Zoya, Why the hell did you even buy them? ... Allah Miyan, why am I always in a fix?
After a whole lot of thinking she made up her mind on the 2-minute noodles!
So what? They are easy, edible and most importantly do not require top notch culinary skills! Don't worry Zoya all you need is a good cook book and then you'll be cooking like a pro in no time! Till then noodles' it is!
And as promised by the noodle's company, after a good two minutes, Zoya had her food plated up. She had also made some for Asad and even though she would hate to even see his face right now, she knew that he needed to eat, considering the fact that he was not well. And there was also the fact that Asad behaved comparatively well with her, so there were chances that he wouldn't mind this time too.
But if that good for nothing jerk-face husband of mine gives me that attitude...boy! I am going to show him what Zoya Farooqi is capable of!
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*Knock Knock*
She stood in front of Asad's room with the food but soon realized that the door wasn't locked and hence made her way in.
Asad was resting on his bed with his eyes closed and the moment he acknowledged her presence, he stood up.
"No no Mr. Khan...keep sitting...I just-''
"How many times have I told you not to interfere in my life?"
Oh God! This man will never learn, will he?
"And how many time have I told you that I will?!" she said making her point, "I don't want to fight today Mr.Khan...I am happy today...You are not well so I brought you something to eat. Don't you see that I am here caring for you? And instead of being thankful you decide to put up your worst behavior every time?"
Asad closed his eyes in frustration. What is that she can't understand?
"I don't want you to take care of me. You are not my wife"
"Oh! Sad! I have some legal papers that say otherwise", she said sarcastically.
"It will be better for you if you get out, now!"
She walked close and extended the plate towards him, "And it will be better for you, if you eat this!"
Asad was leaving no stones unturned to spoil Zoya's mood. Since morning she had tried to be happy and to look beyond her miseries but Asad completely ruined everything in a matter of seconds.
Asad looked into her determined eyes and saw something that he hadn't noticed before. It was as if she was trembling from within but was putting an act of being strong.
"You don't know what's better for me...you don't know anything about my life! I don't want anybody around me...so please just leave. And about the legalities, I will take care of it! Life is not fun for all of us here. This might be fun for you but it's nothing more than a burden for me."
Did he just say that living with him in this godforsaken place is fun? Oh Ya Zoya, you are having the time of your life!
"Oh My God, are you under some kind of an illusion that I want to live here because marrying you is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I should be sad that my presence is burdening you?", She paused, "WOW, you have an imagination!" Zoya could feel anger boiling inside her. She has had one of the most difficult times of her life in the last few days and here he was making a joke out of everything.
"I don't have time for drama here...So please just leave and go back. Don't you understand? This one simple thing?"
"No, I don't understand!", she said loudly, "Mujhe nahin samajh aata ki aap mujhe kya samjhana chahte hain. And if you think that without getting answers to my questions, I will forget everything and leave, then Mr.Asad Ahmed Khan, You are wrong!" She couldn't stop her tears this time. All her life she has never seen a person as insensitive and thankless as him.
She sat down in front of him and looked him in the eye, "You have ruined my life and I have said it before...until and unless you realize your mistake, I am going nowhere". Asad could see hurt reflecting in her eyes but couldn't bring himself to say something comforting.
"Aapko pata bhi hai apne kya kiya hai?" she wiped her tears and said pointing to herself, "I was a very normal girl and had a very normal life. I was made to leave everything, from my family, my life in New York, everything, to come here and marry you with a promise that my life will change for good. And what did I get? A husband who doesn't even acknowledge me as his wife! In what world is that just, Mr.Khan? I had my dreams too, Kuch masoom si kwaishein thi meri, lekin ab unke bare mein soch kar bhi dar lagta hai." She was shaking as she spoke; thinking about her unfulfilled dreams saddened her even more.
"Aap meri baat suniye..." Asad finally decided to speak.
"Nahin aap meri baat suniye Mr. Khan! Nikah apke liye bhale hi ek mazak hai lekin mere liye yeh ek wada hai jo ta umr nibhaya jaata hai. Aur aap chahte hain ki bina kisi wajah ke main sab kuch chod kar waapis chali jaoon? Taki duniya kahe ki is bechari ladki ko iske shauhar ne nahin apnaya' ", she looked at him confidently, " Lekin main koi bechari nahin hoon! Samajhe aap? I am not scared of you and nor do I want to live with you. I just need answers so that I can tell the world what a coward of a man I was married to!"
Listening to Zoya's outburst surely shook Asad's resolve. He hadn't anticipated that something that he had agreed to in a moment of weakness had the potential to destroy someone's life so drastically. At least now he knew that what had happened shouldn't have. Only he didn't know how to answer the questions that this girl had raised.
"Batayiye Mr.Asad Ahmed Khan, Kya aap mere sawalon ka jawaab de sakte hain?...Nahin naa? Tho mere saath jeene ki aadat daal lijiye!", and saying that she stormed off from his room. Asad didn't know what to say or feel. Did he feel sad or is it the feeling of guilt that had finally dawned upon him? By now he was sure that Zoya wouldn't leave until and unless her questions were answered but was he capable of providing them to her?
He looked at the food she had brought and like a flash her innocent eyes appeared before him.
His mind could not stop thinking about her now.
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Zoya had lost the will to eat or even think for that matter. All the happiness that she had forced into herself the whole day had vanished in thin air. The clouds of darkness had reappeared and so had the feeling of cluelessness.
Why is Asad like this? Sometimes he is quiet...behaves nicely...and sometimes he is nothing short of a monster! Allah Miyan koi tho raasta dikhao?
She was sitting on her bed, again thinking, when suddenly her gaze fell upon the note lying on her bedside. It was the note that Farida Bi had left for her the other day.
She picked it up and read it again. Farida bi had left for an orphanage, it said. She recalled what Afzal had mentioned the night when she came to the Khan Villa, Farida Bi had been with the family for three years'.
Three years is a very long time. Maybe she can give me some answers?
She quickly took out Afzal's visiting card and dialed his number.
"As-Salaam-Alaikum, ji mein Zoya Fa-...uhh...Zoya Ahmed Khan bol rahin hoon"
"Wa-Alaikum-Salaam Mrs.Khan, Ji mein Afzal, batayein?"
"Afzal ji apse kuch madat chahiye thi. Ji darasal Farida bi tho ab orphanage ja chooki hain lekin unka kuch samaan ghar par reh gaye hai. Mein soch rahi thi ki yeh mein unhe jaa kar de aaoon. Magar mujhe nahin pata ki who kaun se orphanage mein rehti hain...agar aap mujhe unka address de dete tho bahut accha hota..."
"Mrs.Khan aap kyun taklif kar rahin hain...Main driver se keh deta hoon ki who saaman bhijwa de"
"Arrey nahin Afzal ji, mein unse milna bhi chahti hoon"
"Ji theek hai, jaisa aap theek samjein. Woh kai saalon se Holy Child' orphanage mein rehti hain. Aapko jab bhi jaana ho mein driver ko ittila kar doonga aur who aapko le jayega."
"Bahut bahut shukriya Afzal ji. Lekin haan, ek aur baat hai"
"Ji kahiye"
"Iss bare mein agar Mr.Khan ko na pata chale tho behter hoga."
"Aaap fikr na karein Mrs.Khan, mein unhe nahin bataoon ga"
"Shukriya".
She cut the phone and analyzed what she had just done. Probably she was trying to intrude but she was left with no other way. Farida Bi was her last hope.
She prayed to Allah that this time what she had decided sheds some light on her darkened life and not complicates it all the more.
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Do tell me your views because I cannot write without the motivation and love from you guys...hope it matched your expectations and you enjoyed reading this!😊
One more thing, I really want to apologize to all those people who send me PM's that I've not been replying to for the same reason of my exams approaching...Once I am back I will definitely make it up to you guys so please don't delete me from your PM's list coz I love reading stories here!😃
Also this chapter is for my dear friend ishita(ishiluvsksg-vd)...hope you like it sweetsss!❤️
Thanks for waiting!
Ps. Buddy me for PMs!😃
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-EDITED-
Edited by McdreamyKSG - 11 years ago
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