Author's POV.

He came out of the bathroom in a t-shirt with trousers and found Reema sleeping on the bed, covering herself. He felt bad for her, but not enough to move closer. He went to the window and unknowingly stared, hoping that Aina might come into the garden. She hadn’t stepped into the garden since that night. Maybe because she didn’t want to come in front of him. He looked up at the sky.

What is happening with me?

Why is my heart being so stubborn, wanting to see her?

My eyes long for her sight.

He was lost in his thoughts when he noticed someone walk into the garden. His eyes immediately went down and found her walking barefoot on the grass. She went to the bench and sat there, gazing at the moon. Saim’s eyes lit up upon seeing her. She wrapped her shawl tightly around herself, her hair tied in a loose braid.

Even in her simple state, she looked like the epitome of beauty.

She was staring at the moon—while Saim was staring at his moon.

"My moon," he mumbled softly, a small smile appearing on his lips.

"Saim." He heard Reema’s voice. He came out of his trance with a sigh, closed the window with a heavy heart, and turned.

"Yes," he said, walking towards the bed. "I thought you were asleep." He lay on his side, maintaining more than a safe distance between them.

"Just woke up feeling your absence," she said. The humiliation he had given her earlier couldn’t be seen on her face now.

"Hmm." With that, he turned his back to her and closed his eyes. Reema glared at his back with burning anger.

•••••••••••••••

Aina, with her heart pounding, walked towards her parents’ room. She found only her mother there.

"Baba kaha hai, Mama?" [Where is Baba, Mama?] she asked.

"Abhi tak aye nahi hai tumhare Baba," [Your father hasn’t come back yet] she replied. "Tum aao… yahan aao mere paas." [You come… come here, near me.] Zubaida lovingly called her closer.

Aina went to the bed and sat beside her. "I want to talk to Baba. I want his forgiveness. Mama, it hurts when Baba and Affan Bhai don’t talk to me," she said with moist eyes. Her mother caressed her arms.

"Your father will forgive you soon, insha’Allah," she consoled her. "You just take care of yourself. Be strong." She said the words she had repeated countless times.

Aina just looked down. Her mother’s heart broke seeing her once cheerful and lively daughter reduced to this state. Her hair, once left open or styled beautifully, was now tied in a plain braid with a few strands hanging loosely on her face. Her face, once glowing with light makeup after marriage, had become dull and drained of energy. Her soft pink lips were now chapped. Her shining eyes had turned void. Her bangle-filled wrists were now empty—just like her neck and ears, which were bare. She looked like a widow.

Her mother’s heart clenched, and she pulled Aina into her arms.

"May Allah ease your pain," she prayed with the deepest core of her heart. "Aina, you should concentrate on your studies. Forget everything, okay? Just think about yourself. Don’t waste your love and energy on those who are happy in their lives."

"Once I thought about myself, Mama… and that became my biggest mistake," Aina mumbled before getting up from the bed and walking out of the room.

How cruelly life had played its game with her. At the stage of her happiest life, it played its card. She thought she had everything—and in a single moment, everything was snatched away. She had done wrong, and now she deserved everything happening to her. She couldn’t blame anyone anymore. Reema and Saim had always wanted to marry—and now they were married. It was she who had come between them. And like Saim once said, she was his duty, his need, his responsibility. She was never his love. She was never his choice.

Lost in her trance, Aina walked toward Saim’s room—and froze. A small shriek escaped her throat.

They were fully dressed. Reema wore a beautiful emerald saree while he wore a black shirt with cream pants. But that wasn’t what startled her.

In front of her, Reema and Saim stood close. His arms wrapped around her waist while her hands cupped his face. It looked like they were about to kiss.

Aina stared at them with wide, broken eyes. "Ss… sss… sorry… sssorry… sorry!" Her whole body started shaking. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, and her eyes filled with tears. She turned and tried to run, but her legs trembled so badly that even walking became difficult. With the help of the walls and railing, she stumbled away, tears pouring down her face.

"Aina!" She was about to fall on the stairs when Zaid caught her arms. She clung to him as if her life depended on him. Holding his arms tightly, she cried silently. He looked toward his brother’s room, from where she had come. Saim and Reema stood there. Zaid immediately wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to console her, while Saim clenched his fists in fury.

He had come back from the office and found Reema already dressed, insisting they go out for dinner. He had tried to refuse, but she stubbornly said she would not eat at home unless he took her out. Saim had gone inside the bathroom to change, Reema was walking out of the room when she saw Aina walking toward their room. In her trance.

Reema quickly ran inside, Saim walked out of the bathroom fully ready she went to him and grabbed his hands, and placed them on her waist. She cupped his face deliberately. He was shocked and about to move when Aina stepped in.

Saim instantly pushed Reema away and ran after Aina. She was stumbling as she ran. He saw her about to fall, but Zaid held her arms in time, pulling her close. Aina wrapped her arms tightly around Zaid and cried.

Saim’s blood boiled when he saw Zaid’s arms holding her, his gaze locked into his brother's. There was something uncertain, something unspoken, in Zaid’s eyes.

"Aina," he called softly.

"Please take me to my room, Bhai," she whispered. Zaid held her arms and started walking her toward the guest room.

Reema watched the scene unfold, noticing the expressions of both brothers. She saw Saim’s clenched fists and jaw the moment Zaid hugged Aina back. Slowly, a smirk spread across her lips.

*************

After a few days.

"Aina... you can’t just accept defeat like this," Zaid said, sitting beside her on the bench in the garden. It was evening, and Aina was sitting outside for some fresh air, feeling suffocated in the room. Zaid came and started the conversation. He didn’t know why, but he felt Aina’s emotions were far more genuine than Reema’s. But seeing her so defeated pierced his heart. She was his best friend, his partner in crime.

He couldn’t see her like this. And when every relation had left her alone, only her mother and a friend stood by her side.

He knew she had made mistakes, and he had been angry too. But whatever happened afterward erased the weight of those mistakes. The way she suffered heartbreak, the way her husband married someone else, erased her wrongs. She had repented. She had already received her punishment. And now, she had to rise again.

"What do you mean? I didn’t accept defeat, Zaid bhai... Saim defeated me. I lost everything. He snatched everything away from me," she cried again. She didn’t understand how much a person could cry, how many tears a human body could even hold.

"Aina... you have to fight."

"No... no, bhai... I can’t fight. I’m done. I’m done, bhai," she placed her head on his shoulder, crying her heart out. After her mother, she finally had someone to lean on. She couldn’t cry in front of her mother because she didn’t want to hurt her further.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her cry.

"I want to go away from here. I don’t want to live here anymore. I can’t endure this anymore." She looked up with tear-filled eyes. Zaid felt a pang in his chest. His hand on her shoulder tightened.

"I will go crazy if I stay here any longer," she fisted his shirt and cried. She wasn’t in her senses, Zaid knew that. But Saim — whom Reema had brought to the window saying, “Look out” — stiffened at the sight of her in Zaid’s arms.

"Look at your innocent wife. You didn’t even divorce her, but she has already found someone else to rely on."

"Shut up!" Saim shouted, turning to her. Reema flinched.

"Don’t you dare question my Ain and my brother’s character. I trust them. Aina can be anything, but she is not a cheater." With that, he walked away.

He didn’t doubt them, but he couldn’t bear seeing her in anyone else’s arms — even if that man was her cousin and his brother.

Saim sat in his study room, holding his head.

"What is life doing to me?" he whispered. He hadn’t known until now that he was so possessive about her.

Aina was also possessive about you… but what did you do? You brought a sautan (co-wife) into her life.

His heart taunted him, making him feel guilty. But then again, she had wronged him too. She had humiliated him in front of everyone. It was karma. He couldn’t forget the pain he went through both times when rape-like allegations were put on him. The first time, he had somehow healed. But the second time — it was a wound he could never mend. The shame, the disbelief he saw in his father’s and brother’s eyes — it destroyed him.

After God knows how long, he got up from the chair and decided to talk to Aina. He would tell her to stay away from his brother.

He walked towards her room, but she wasn’t there. He went to the garden, not there either. He asked the maid, who said she saw Aina in the kitchen. He went there but stopped as he heard her soft giggle. His heart found peace hearing that melodious laugh. He smiled and peeked inside the kitchen — but his smile instantly vanished. Zaid was sitting on the counter while she was cooking on the stove.

"Aur wo kehti hai main hun hi pagla... Kaho, dikhta hun mai tumhe pagla?" (And she says I’m crazy... Tell me, do I really look crazy to you?) Zaid asked with an innocent face, making her smile again.

"Aap to bahut handsome ho bhai. Don’t worry, wo hi pagli hai." (You’re very handsome, brother. Don’t worry, she’s the crazy one.) Aina replied with a smile. Zaid’s jolly nature was helping her come out of her broken zone.

"Haina? I know. Wo hi pagli hai." (Right? I know. She’s the crazy one.) He said and stared at her face, which finally had a smile after so many days. "Hasti raha karo... acchi lagti ho." (Keep smiling... you look good when you smile.) He tapped her nose, and she looked down.

"Jo dusron ki hasi churate hain, unhe koi haq nahi hasne ka." (Those who steal others’ smiles have no right to smile themselves.)

Saim entered, his voice dripping with venom. Aina’s hand trembled. She didn’t look up. She didn’t dare to.

"Bhai! Yaar, aapko kya chahiye ab?" (Brother! What do you want now?) Zaid’s annoyed voice pierced Saim’s heart. Gritting his teeth, he glared.

"Ja yaha se. Mujhe baat karni hai Aina se." (Go from here. I want to talk to Aina.)

"Kya baat karni hai? Aap dono ke beech kuch bacha hai baat karne ke liye?" (What is there left to talk about? Is there even anything left between you two to discuss?) Zaid asked.

Aina started sweating on her forehead. Since that day, she had been avoiding coming in front of Saim. She knew she would break again and again if she faced him. With great difficulty and countless tears, she had accepted that Saim was not hers anymore. That day had been an eye-opener for her. Since then, she kept herself busy in studies, with her mother, or in Zaid’s company — anything to forget her pain for a few minutes.

"Zaid!" Saim clenched his jaw and fists to control his anger. "Mujhe meri biwi se baat karni hai. Aur I don’t think ke tum koi hote ho jo humare beech me ao." (I want to talk to my wife. And I don’t think you have any right to interfere between us.)

Zaid smirked mockingly.

"Oh! Beech mein to aap le aaye ho Reema ko!" (Oh! But you already brought Reema between you two!) Something burned inside Saim.

"Zaid, leave!" he roared. Zaid, being younger, got scared and stepped toward the door, but Aina held his hand.

"Mujhe... mujhe in se... baat nahi karni." (I... I don’t want to talk to him.) Aina mumbled, trembling. They both heard it. Saim shot a glare, while Zaid looked at her with sympathy. Her body was shaking. She wasn’t scared of Saim — she was just terrified he would say or do something that would break her all over again.

"Bhai..."

"Leave, Zaid!" Saim said through gritted teeth. Zaid removed her hand from his arm and left.

"Zaid bhai!" Aina called, trying to follow him, but Saim grabbed her arm and pulled her back. He pushed her against the counter and stood blocking her view. She was silently praying someone would come and take her away from the man who owned her heart but could shatter it at any moment.

"Bahut zyada dosti nahi ho gayi tumhari Zaid se?" (Haven’t you gotten a little too close to Zaid?) He gripped her arms tightly, pulling her closer. Aina turned her head away, shutting her eyes. She didn’t want to look into his eyes.

"Meri taraf dekho. Main kuch puch raha hoon." (Look at me. I’m asking you something.)

She still didn’t respond, standing there with her head bowed and eyes shut. Saim gripped her chin and lifted her face. Tears streamed from her closed eyes.

"Open your eyes. If I have to force them open, you won’t like it."

Just as he expected, her eyes flew open. Her broken, tear-filled gaze melted him.

"Please... please leave me," she pleaded.

"Kyun? Just a while ago you were smiling and enjoying with Zaid, then what happened now? He isn’t even your mahram (permitted relation), while I am your husband. Still, you feel comfortable around him?" His jealousy spilled without his awareness.

Aina stared at him for a few seconds before gathering her courage. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him away. Saim stared at her, shocked.

"Aap kisi aur ke sath sh... shadi karein... use ki... kiss karein... uske sath raatein... bitaayein... aur main kisi ke sath has kar baat bhi na karun?" (You can marry someone else... kiss her... spend nights with her... and I can’t even smile and talk with someone?) Her broken words cracked through her voice. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Jab... aap kisi ko meri jagah itni aasani se de sakte hain... to main kya kisi aur ke sath comfortable bhi feel nahi kar sakti?" (When you can give my place to someone else so easily... then can’t I at least feel comfortable with someone else?)

She stepped forward.

"You said everything between us was just duty... and... physical needs." She closed her eyes as those words still tore her apart. "Then why did you expect me to live in those moments where everything was just duty and needs? There was no love. No emotions. There was nothing."

She spoke as if she were talking to herself, mumbling repeatedly, "There was nothing... nothing." Slowly, she walked past him.

And at that moment, he realized what scars he had carved into her innocent heart. He turned back. She was walking slowly out of the lounge.

**********