Warning: Mahjabeen's character is a little grey in this chapter.

***

As Malik Zubair reflects on the events that led to his separation from Maryam, a profound sadness washes over him. He recalls the moment when he discovered Maryam's true identity as Murtasim Khan's sister, a revelation that shattered their budding love.

Initially, Malik Zubair had been captivated by Maryam's charm and sincerity, falling deeply in love with her. He cherished their moments together and had even begun to express his emotions through his poetry, finding solace and inspiration in their connection. His verses became a testament to his affection, as he crafted lines that celebrated her beauty and the depth of his feelings.

However, when the truth of Maryam's identity came to light, Malik Zubair realized the implications it held for their relationship. Knowing the deep-rooted enmity between his own family and Murtasim's, he understood the potential consequences of their association. The realization that their love was entangled in a web of familial strife weighed heavily on his heart.

In that moment, Malik Zubair made the difficult decision to distance himself from Maryam, believing it to be an act of selflessness and a way to protect her from the conflict that would inevitably arise. He sacrificed his own happiness, pushing aside his desires, and turning his focus towards his poetry instead.

However, as he reminisces about their time together, Malik Zubair can't help but feel a pang of regret and longing. He remembers the tender moments they shared, the warmth of her presence, and the beauty of their connection. The memory of their love fills him with a deep melancholy, and he wonders if things could have been different, if fate hadn't played its cruel hand.

As Malik Zubair's heart sank deeper into sorrow, he sought solace in the only companion who would listen without judgment—his faithful servant, Omar. Pouring himself another glass of wine, he sat in the dimly lit room, his voice laden with melancholy as he recited his verses to Omar.

"Omar, why is it that two hearts bound by love are destined to be torn asunder? Why does fate relish in the agony of separating two souls meant to be one?" Malik Zubair's voice trembled with a mixture of pain and frustration, his words echoing in the empty space.

He took a sip of the bitter drink, its warmth providing temporary respite from the ache in his heart. With each gulp, he drowned his sorrows, seeking temporary escape from the harsh reality that tormented him.

His poetry became a refuge, a vessel through which he poured out his anguish, his unrequited love flowing through the ink of his pen. The verses he penned carried the weight of his longing, the depth of his despair.

"Yaar juda hoke bhi, tera saath meri ruh se nahi gaya,
Dard mere dil ka, tere bin sukoon se nahi gaya."

(Translation:
Even after parting, my beloved, your presence didn't leave my soul,
The pain in my heart didn't find solace without you.)

As the words left his lips, Malik Zubair's voice wavered, laden with unshed tears. His heart bled with the realization that his separation from Maryam was not driven by choice but by circumstances beyond their control.

He continued to share his verses with Omar, each line etched with raw emotion and the weight of his yearning. Through his poetry, he could express the depths of his emotions, encapsulating the essence of his love and the agony of their separation.

Yet, despite finding solace in his art, Malik Zubair's heart remained heavy. The echoes of their lost love reverberated through his being, tormenting him like a never-ending lament. He questioned the merciless hand of fate that had conspired to rob him of a love that he held dear.

In his darkest moments, he saw himself as a modern-day Devdas, drowning his pain in a sea of intoxication. The wine blurred the edges of his reality, providing a fleeting escape from the cruel world that had snatched away his happiness.

As the night grew darker, Malik Zubair's voice grew softer, his poetry transforming into a whispered prayer. He prayed for the day when destiny would relent, when love would conquer all obstacles, and when he could once again hold Maryam in his arms.

But for now, he immersed himself in the depths of his sorrow, seeking refuge in the melancholic beauty of his verses. Each line became a testament to his love, a testament to the heartbreak that consumed him—a heartbreak born out of genuine affection, untouched by malice or revenge.

**

Haya's arrival at the haveli was nothing short of dramatic. She stormed in, disbelief etched on her face, crying and throwing tantrums like a whirlwind. Furniture trembled and broke under the weight of her frustration, but soon, she managed to compose herself, wiping away her tears with determination.

In her mind, she firmly believed that Mahjabeen had seduced her brother, and it was Malik Zubair who had committed the crime. She couldn't fathom the idea of her brother being capable of murder, let alone attempting to harm the man she loved. With blind trust in Hasan, she couldn't help but break down at the realization that if he were to face severe punishment, she would be left all alone in the world, with no parents to turn to.

"Murtasim se baat karungi mai, usko galatfehmi huyi hogi. Hasan bhai aisa nahi kar sakte, Mahjabeen jhooti hai," she tried to convince herself, holding onto a wooden horse in her hand. This horse was a gift from Murtasim, a reminder of the time when her parents had passed away. She had kept it with her all these years, regretting the moment she fell in love with him.

Filled with a sense of urgency, Haya rushed to the Khan mansion, her heart pounding with both fear and hope. She spotted Murtasim standing near the window in his room, seemingly lost in his thoughts. A surge of emotions overcame her, and she rushed towards him, throwing her arms around his back, seeking solace. Tears streamed down her face as she traveled back in time, remembering how Murtasim used to console her.

But as her arms clung to him, Murtasim couldn't help but smile, thinking it was his wife, Mahjabeen, seeking his embrace. However, his smile quickly faded as he realized the arms around him didn't belong to Mahjabeen. He was stuck, unsure of what to do, until he heard a voice.

"Yaha kya chal raha?" It was Mahjabeen's voice, and as Murtasim not so gently pushed Haya away making her stumble, he came face to face with a furious Mahjabeen. Her face was flushed with anger, her bloodshot eyes glaring at them, arms folded across her chest. He realised how bad it made him look, he wanted to strangle Haya for creating a misunderstanding between them.  Murtasim's heart sank, he knew how it appeared to her, and he couldn't bear the thought of causing her pain or betraying her trust.

"Mahjabeen, tum jo samajh rahi ho waisa kuch nahi hai-" Murtasim began to explain, but Mahjabeen interrupted him with a smile that lacked sincerity.

"Aap par bharosa hai mujhe, magar Haya baji... Nahi, Behaya pe bilkul nahi. Izzat ke kabil nahi hai dono bhai behen. Bhai mere peechey padha tha aur behen mere shohar ke. Sharam hai ki nahi tum logon me?" she questioned, her gaze piercing through their close proximity. Murtasim backed off quickly, he knew.

"Tum kya sharam ki baat karrhi ho? Pehle mere Murtasim ko apne jaal mai phasaya, fir bhi mann nahi bhara toh mere bhai-" Haya tried to defend herself, but Mahjabeen cut her off.

"Himmat kaise hoyi mere shohar ko haath lagane ki?" she spat, walking towards Haya with anger in her eyes. Haya trembled, her gaze shifting towards Murtasim, but Mahjabeen noticed and clutched Haya's neck, her fury uncontrollable. How dare this Haya embrace her husband?

"Mahjabeen ruko," Murtasim attempted to intervene, pulling at her hand, but she glared at him, her anger undeterred. Seeing Mahjabeen's unwavering fury and realizing the depth of her pain, Murtasim knew he had to tread carefully.

"Durr hatto, iska gala dabadungi mai," she warned, and Murtasim nodded, understanding the intensity of her anger. Mahjabeen unleashed her wrath upon Haya, choking her on the bed, her eyes filled with an uncontrollable rage. Light flashed before Haya's eyes, and she could feel the pressure on her neck intensifying, gasping for breath.

"Mahjabeen, ruko!" Murtasim desperately tried to intervene, but Mahjabeen didn't release her grip. She stared at Haya, her voice now softer but still filled with anger, demanding an apology.

"Bol sorry," she screamed at Haya.

"S...sorry," Haya stammered, realizing that Murtasim wouldn't come to her defense, and instead, he watched the situation unfold like a spectacle.

But Mahjabeen wasn't satisfied. She refused to let Haya go, pushing her to her limits. "Tera koi bharosa nahi hai, pata nahi kab palat jaye. Bol bhai jaan sorry," she enunciated, her serious expression instilling fear in Haya's heart. Mahjabeen's grip on her neck tightened, making it harder for her to speak. Haya's eyes widened in horror; she had never addressed Murtasim as "bhai" in her entire life. She shook her head, choosing death over calling Murtasim her brother.

"Nahi bolegi?" Mahjabeen asked, her voice chillingly soft, and it terrified Haya. Feeling the pressure on her neck increase, causing her to gasp for air, Haya mustered the strength to utter the words that shattered her heart into a million pieces. "Bha... Bhai jaan sorry."

The man who stood there, seemingly unaffected by the entire situation, replied nonchalantly, "It's okay, behen."

Murtasim's apparent amusement, observed by Haya, masked his true emotions. In reality, he was far from unaffected. Inside, he felt torn apart, witnessing the chaos surrounding him and the heartbreak it caused his wife. However, he chose to adopt a nonchalant demeanor to defuse the tension, trying to ease the situation without further aggravating Mahjabeen's anger.

"Ye hu mai. Darr gaye Murtasim?" Mahjabeen asked, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Murtasim's heart sank as he saw the mischievous twinkle in Mahjabeen's eyes. He knew that her anger was a defense mechanism, a way to shield herself from the pain and betrayal she felt. He had never wanted things to escalate to this point, but he also couldn't deny the tangled web of emotions he found himself in.

With a heavy sigh, Murtasim replied, his voice filled with remorse, "Nahi, Mahjabeen, mai bas tumhe takleef me nahi dekh sakta."

Mahjabeen's expression softened for a brief moment, and she released her grip on Haya's neck, allowing her to breathe again. The room fell into an uneasy silence as they all grappled with the aftermath of the intense confrontation.

Haya, still gasping for air, glanced at Murtasim with a mixture of confusion, hurt, and anger. She couldn't understand his reaction and why he seemed to distance himself from the situation, leaving her vulnerable in the face of Mahjabeen's wrath.

"Murtasim, yeh sab kya hai? Tum mujhe bachane ke bajaye...?" Haya's voice quivered with disappointment and betrayal.

"Haya issi wakt kamre se niklo", Murtasim warned realising the gravity of the situation, Mahjabeen was smiling but her eyes were filled with wrath.

As Haya made her way down the hallway, her heart heavy with regret, she stumbled upon a dimly lit room. It was an old study, filled with dusty books and forgotten memories. Seeking solace, she closed the door behind her and sank to the floor, her emotions overwhelming her.

Haya whispered to herself,  "Mein ne kya kar diya? Maine Murtasim ko bhai bula diya!"

Her mind raced with thoughts of the chaos she had caused and the pain she went through.

"Meri zindagi tabah hogayi", she cried to herself.

Feeling a mix of sadness and desperation, Haya knew she needed to find a way to make things right. She wiped her tears and composed herself, determined to face the consequences of her impulsive actions.

Meanwhile, back in the room, Mahjabeen started her verbal sparring with Murtasim, her anger fueling her words.

Mahjabeen said angrily as she placed her hands on her hips "Tum samajhte ho yeh mazaak hai, Murtasim? Tum usse apne paas itna chipkaane diya, jaise uska koi haq hai tumpar?"

Murtasim went closer to her and clutched her face tenderly as he calmly explained, " Mahjabeen, samjho please. Yeh ek galatfehmi thi."

She laughed ridiculing his statement, somewhere in her mind she knew Murtasim wasn't to be blamed but her heart was broken, "Galatfehmi? Kya mujhe bewaqoof samajhte ho? Mein ne dekha uski bechaini, uska pyaar aapke liye"

Murtasim shook his head and sighed  as he pleaded with her, noticing the tears in her eyes "Mahjabeen, mein jaanta hoon ki yeh tumhare liye mushkil hai, lekin hum isse humare beech nahi aaney denge"

His sentence broke something within her, she wanted to speak but then she saw Haya's duppata. Haya was watching them argue and might be enjoying the outcome of her actions.

Mahjabeen's anger intensified, and she decided to take a bold step to spite Haya. She passionately kissed Murtasim, hoping to assert her dominance and extinguish any doubts or desires Haya might have had.

As their lips parted, Murtasim's face remained expressionless, although his conflicted emotions were evident in his eyes.

"Mahjabeen, yeh hal nahi hai. Haya ko takleef dena humare beech ki buniyaad ko theek nahi karegi", He softly said when he realised the reason behind the impulsive kiss was Haya. He felt heartbroken as he wanted to wipe away all her insecurities, but situation never allowed him.

"Shayad sahi nahi hai, lekin isse Haya ko samajh me aa jayega ki humare beech nahi aa sakti woh kabhi", Mahjabeen replied her tone defiant, they heard soft footsteps and Murtasim went to close the door to ensure their privacy.

Murtasim sighed and embraced her tightly, comforting her with his touch. "Mahjabeen, kabhi kabhi pyaari ki azmaish hoti hai, mai chahta hu hum ek dusre par aitemad rakhein. Mai nahi chahta ke humara rishta in galatfehmiyon ke wajah se kamzor ho"

Mahjabeen buried her face in Murtasim's chest, her tears staining his shirt. She realized that her actions were driven by fear and insecurity, and she needed to trust in their love.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, a newfound determination filled their hearts. They knew that they needed to confront Haya and find a way to untangle the web of misunderstandings that had engulfed them.

***