This chapter isn't that good, I am currently in a writer's block but I forced myself to write this one...

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"Haan Minister toh mar gaya... zeher dediya usse, (Yes, the minister is dead, I poisoned him) "Sajjad said through the telephone, Saad sat on the bed, his legs were still gauzed up, but the head injury had almost recovered. His work was shifted to his new room- Seher's room. But Seher hardly stayed in it, so this shifting was a fail.

Saad was looking out the window, "Aur saboot? (What about the evidence?)" Sajjad laughed, "Tujhe lagta hai koi choda hoga? (You think I would have left any?)"

"Hmm...", he could hear footsteps approaching, his eyes went to the door, it was Razia, "Madam ne juice bheja aapke liye.. (Madam sent juice for you)"

He raised his eyebrows curiously asking her 'which?' Razia controlled the urge to roll her eyes the fact that he had to ask 'which' made her enraged.

"Ayesha Madam", the crest fallen look on his gave Razia immense satisfaction.

Why was he acting like this? He had no idea. He had hated her, hated her to the point he wanted to hurt her, cause her pain, he didn't want a kid from her...

Why did his heart ache now? He couldn't face his own kid, there was a sinking feeling in his heart. He felt a sense of dejavu, from Seher's window he could see the tower he grew up in. The windows were broken, the house abandoned because it haunted him as a kid. When he heard the cry of a baby he was reminded of Andalib, when she was an infant, his sister.

He remembered how it all happened, she was close to him, shared each and every secret of hers with him. When she shared that she was in love, he tried to stop her, he tried to warn her, but she didn't listen. Andalib was stubborn, she had their father's spirit, like Nawab Khan she listened to none. The man she loved wasn't from the same caste, and Saad feared the outcome of all of this.

It will end our bloodline...

Your kids will be non believers, this is a sin.

His words didn't reach her ears, she remained stubborn and didn't care about the way it would affect his reputation and the name of their family. So for days she was locked in the tower, she had nothing to eat. Saad didn't had the strength to kill her, so he let time do its work.

She had a strong will, as a brother when he felt guilty he went to the window to meet her and offer her one last chance. But she simply laughed. Her laugh triggered him, he couldn't understand how could a person fall that low, that they would death over giving up love. He didn't understand her then but he remembered her words, 'Bhai jaan I wish for you to fall in love with someone, and that love not be reciprocated."

He was woken up one day and told that she escaped. The servants she grew up with, one of them let her free, and she ran away. He picked up his rifle and charged in motion. She had escaped with that man, in his mind he justified what he was doing as 'Saving her from the sins', 'From the fire of hell' and 'Destroying their family tree'.

That's what he reassured himself with. But when he shot her, he purposefully aimed for the abdomen, when he could have shot her in the heart.

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Seher entered Saad's room, it was plain a bed, a study table and a cupboard. There were no photo albums on the walls, no decoration. He had occupied her room, and she wasn't allowed to stay in the guest room so she found refuge in his room. She could still hear his words and wondered, if she hadn't seen the world would she have fallen for his manipulation? A part of her felt sorry for him, but with those emotions came hate too. How could words makeup for all the trauma he inflicted on her?

Before she had hope now that was gone as well, she looked at the open sky and wondered what would she have said to him if they had met at the Bazaar. There were so many questions in her mind, she knew she was being delusional. But she was far too gone, her mind wasn't working the same anymore, with Saad she was physically in this castle but her mind was always stuck on that man. He was polar opposite of Saad in every aspect, Saad grew up in a wealthy family with a loving mother, he believed he inherited his father's characterstics. He was passing on the blame for his actions on his father, but Seher's father was abusive too. She didn't took after him, and if she did, she didn't believe in violence. Was it because she was a woman?

She couldn't hurt others, she didn't find joy in making other's suffer but Saad was different. He was sadistic, he was manipulative with his words and she wasn't falling for his words.

She was upset that the man hadn't apologized to her and the humane side in her still felt sorry for his condition. His words made her relive her trauma, she had lost her kid and he had barely reacted. Where was his humanity? He had slapped her, raped her and even said to her that he liked the tears in her eyes. His words were disgusting, he was a disgusting man.

Her eyes went to the shelf and she went over to read the books, there were a few papers and there she found a diary. She was unsure... hesitant to read it. But the tiny miniscule part in her was still curious, she had no hope at a better life anyway. She had to live with him, she had to tolerate his presence, she had live with his abuse...

Seher turned the pages and read the entries. The tiny miniscule hope in her died as she read till the end.

.... I relished the power I held over her. She was mine to control, to dominate, to break. Every scream, every tear was music to my ears, proof of my authority over her fragile existence. I reveled in her pain, in her submission to my will.

She dared to question me, to defy me, but I quickly reminded her of her place. She was nothing but a pawn in my game, a plaything to be discarded when I grew tired of her. My other wife may have my love, but she was my possession, my toy to abuse as I pleased.

I felt a surge of satisfaction as she fought back, her futile attempts at resistance only fueling my desire to crush her spirit further. The taste of her blood on my lips only served to remind me of my dominance, my superiority over her feeble attempts at defiance.

But even as I exerted my control over her, a part of me knew that this was a game I could never truly win. She may bend to my will for now, but there would always be a spark of rebellion in her eyes, a glimmer of defiance that refused to be extinguished.

And so I would continue to break her, to mold her into the perfect obedient wife, until there was nothing left of the woman she once was. For in her destruction, I found my greatest pleasure, my ultimate triumph over her shattered soul.

Her fingers trembled, why was she so surprised... but the words 'toy', 'plaything' and 'obidient wife' made her stomach churn and her heart ache. He was truly a heartless monster...

I wanted to love my life, but I turned into my father

"Saad now I will turn into my father", she removed the vial of arsenic she hid in her pocket and swirled the bottle around.

She had nothing to live for, but thought of him dying by her hands brought her a strange sense of satisfaction. People say as time passes you adopt the qualities of your spouse.

She was losing her compassion, her kindess, she was turning into a sadist, she was turning into Saad.

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He had a letter in his hand, as he stood outside Jahangir Shaikh's abode. He knocked twice on the door, and a servant opened it, "What are you here for?"

"I want to meet General sahib"

A sense of nostalgia hit him, and he held back a smile. He had stood at a similar gate and asked Malika, 'Pakistanis are into mansions too?'

That sounded silly, but months of captivity had messed with his brain. Now that he was free, alive, and in his country, Saahil felt he could finally heal from months of trauma. The door opened, and a man with a beard entered, looking his posture and the attitude he carried himself with Saahil automatically saluted him.

"This is Captain Saahil Singh reporting, I heard you were looking for me," Jahangir's eyes widened. He had asked the current general to send him details about the martyr soldier, but he never thought the general would send the dead man on his doorstep.

Saahil noticed the shocked look on his face and started explaining. A look of disappointment passed through Jahangir's eyes, which he concealed quickly.

"I am glad that you are alive, captain," he said with a forced smile. "Saahil didn't play around he went to the point, "And I heard your daughter was looking for me as well," he had the letter in his pocket the words still echoed in his brain.

Jahangir Shaikh held the doorframe and, with a solemn voice, gave him bad news, "She is dead," the words didn't register in his brain and when it did he was unable to speak. Unable to say words of condolences, and it seemed Jahangir didn't care because as soon as Saahil stepped back, the old man closed the door.

The moment Seher uttered the words, that she was in love with another man, Jahangir knew if this rumour spread his reputation, the name, the position he had in the village all will be lost.

Saahil mindlessly walked towards the gurudwara and sat there, worshippers came and left. He sat at the stairs, where he was first found as baby, this was home, trying to lessen the ache in his heart. Why had he returned? Before this, he had a motive now that was gone...

He had one last thing to do before he rejoined the army camp, before he had left for India, Sajjad had given him a task, 'Help my brother's family cross the borders'.

"One last mission..."

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Seher was watching the sunset when she heard a knock at her door. She slid out of her seat and walked towards the door with a sigh. Ayesha stood there, she greeted her with a smile, "Mai dargah jaarahi thi saath chalogi?"

"Kyun?"

Saad had neglected Ayesha. He didn't even ask to see his own son after they returned. Her heart was a mess. She always knew he didn't love her, but this made her heartache. But she couldn't complain because he was unwell and in pain. His comfort and well-being were most important to her. Her feelings should be secondary.

"Woh Saad k theek honey ki dua maangni thi (I wanted to pray for Saad's recovery)", Seher blinked, "Mai saath chalu? (And you want me to come with you?)"

Ayesha nodded, "Tum bhi toh uski biwi ho (You are his wife as well)."

Wife...

She pursed her lips, "Biwi hu shayad... magar mai uske liye duaein nhi maangsakti, haan bad dua deskti hu (Yes I am his wife, but I can't pray for his wellbeing... I can only curse him."

Ayesha was used to her hatred for Saad. Maybe that's why she stopped considering her as a competition, a part of her even pitied her. Ayesha had destroyed their marriage, and Seher carried no feelings for him, except hate. Saad had wronged Seher, that was true, he married her a month after their wedding. Which woman would believe the words of a man who had disrespected them by taking in another wife?

"Na bad dua do, na dua. Shauhar k liye nahi toh khud ke liye chalo, aaj apne liye dua maanglo (Neither curse nor pray for him. Today, pray for yourself)." Seher hesitated for a moment, contemplating Ayesha's words. She realized that she had been so consumed by her resentment towards Saad that she had neglected her own needs and desires. Taking a deep breath, she nodded slowly.

"Maybe it's time I start thinking about myself for a change," Seher murmured, a glimmer of determination flickering in her eyes. "Let's go to the dargah. I'll pray for clarity and strength to move forward for myself."

As Seher stepped into the tranquil courtyard of the dargah, a sense of peace enveloped her. The soft glow of the lanterns cast gentle shadows on the intricately patterned tiles beneath her feet. Fragrant incense wafted through the air, mingling with the distant strains of qawwali music.

She made her way to the heart of the dargah, where the marble shrine stood, adorned with vibrant flowers and shimmering silk scarves. Folding her hands in prayer, Seher closed her eyes and allowed herself to be immersed in the serene atmosphere.

As she whispered her prayers, a sudden movement caught her attention. Opening her eyes, she glimpsed a figure standing at the edge of her vision—a man with piercing brown eyes that seemed to hold a depth of sorrow. Before she could fully register his presence, he vanished into thin air, leaving Seher momentarily startled.

She had seen those eyes before, those eyes followed her everywhere...

Seher focused once more on her prayers, sending heartfelt wishes for clarity and strength not only for herself, "Ya Allah give me strength to become the woman once I was, I am tired of being weak, being a plaything in my husband's hand. Show me the right path... show me the way out of this misery. You are merciful, my lord. Show me your mercy."

The dargah seemed to respond to her entreaties, the flickering candlelight dancing in harmony with her words, casting ethereal patterns on the surrounding walls. Outside, the moon bathed the courtyard in a silvery glow, lending an otherworldly beauty to the scene.

As Seher continued to pray, a sense of calm washed over her, soothing the turmoil in her heart.

When she finally rose from her prayers, the dargah was cloaked in a serene stillness, as if the very air shimmered with the echoes of her whispered hopes and dreams. With a peaceful smile, Seher stepped out into the night, feeling lighter and more determined than she had in a long time.

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One of the lovely readers sent me this:

Thanks for this beautiful art @Enchanted_Awards