Author POV,

Arshad stared at her, making her shiver. He wasn’t looking at her the way a husband does, not even the way a man looks at a woman, but as though she was the one who could destroy his marriage. He was afraid. He was terrified. He couldn’t believe he had married someone else. He had married this little girl. What would happen when his family came to know? What would happen if Sofia found out? She would leave him.

“No,” a whisper escaped his lips. Isha stared at him with those innocent eyes. She didn’t know what he was saying or what he was thinking at that moment.

“I can’t let that happen,” Arshad spoke, looking at Isha.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I can’t accept you.” He shook his head repeatedly. “Look, girl, I had to save you. And I did. And for that, I had to marry you. And I did. But I can’t accept you. I’m already married. I love my wife. I love my Sofia. She is my everything. If she finds out, she will leave me. She won’t understand why I did this. So please, please just forget about this marriage. Forget that it ever happened.”

Isha’s eyes widened, tears filling them. Her lips trembled, but she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Forget it ever happened?

How could she forget that she was married to him? He was her husband, and she was his wife. How could he say he couldn’t accept her?

“Look, Isha, right?” After pacing back and forth for a minute, he spoke again. She nodded.

“Isha, I know it wasn’t your fault either. And don’t worry, you can stay here. It’s my apartment. And from now on, it’s yours. I will give you everything you want. I will take care of your expenses. I will help you with whatever you need. And when you’re strong enough, and if you want, you can go wherever you like. I will divorce you. You can start your life over again.”

Isha turned her back to him, her face twisting in pain.

“Just please don’t let anyone know about this marriage. I only told Adil about it, because he had the keys and his apartment is in front of mine. If I hadn’t told him, he would have thought wrong about me. So, if you need anything, you can tell him. I’ll send you money every month, okay? You don’t have to worry about anything. You’re my responsibility, and I’m not going to back off.”

He explained himself while Isha kept her back to him. Arshad waited for her to say something, but she remained silent. He walked to the table, took out some cash and his card, and placed them there.

“Here is some money and my card. If you need anything, you can call me or ask Adil for help.”

He walked toward the door but turned back once to look at Isha. She still had her back to him. An uncomfortable feeling crept over him. His subconscious nagged him to talk to her, to know what she was thinking. But he didn’t want this. He wanted to stay away from her, so he simply walked out, closing the door behind him.

As Isha heard the door close, she fell to the ground as tears began streaming from her eyes.

Is this what is written in my fate? Will I have to live like this? She looked around with her innocent eyes, finding no one — only money left on the table.

I don’t want your money. I don’t want anything from you. Just a little support and love — but I know you could never give me that. I have a husband, but still, I am alone in this world.

She wept, thinking of his words. It was night, and he had left her alone here. He hadn’t even thought about how she would adjust. She was scared, and no one was there to comfort her. He hadn’t even considered that she was just a 17-year-old immature girl. How was she feeling?

Why would he care about me? Who am I to him? He was right. He had to marry me to save my life. He just saved my life, nothing else. And in return, he wants me to seal my lips. He wants me to hide our marriage from this world. But if I stay here in his apartment, then anyone could think wrong of him. I should give him what he wants. He saved me, and I can’t ruin him in return.

She was alone. She had the strongest support in the world — a husband. Yet, she was still alone.

She curled up, crying silently all night, her innocent little heart trembling in the quiet emptiness of the apartment. She wept, missing her father who used to make her feel protected and loved. Covering her face, she prayed to her Almighty to give her strength and show her the right path.

Isha didn’t know what she was going to do, but she knew one thing: she could never destroy his marriage with the first wife he loved so deeply. He had saved her life, and for that, she would always be indebted to him. So, she would always choose his happiness over her own.

---

Arshad’s POV,

I came home with a pounding heart. I was afraid to face Sofia. I knew what I did wasn’t wrong. I had only done it to save Isha. But marrying her — that was something Sofia would never be able to tolerate. I knew she would leave me in an instant.

“Where the hell were you, Arshad!?” Sofia shouted as she entered the living room and saw me. She rushed over. “Where were you? Since yesterday I’ve been calling you but your phone was off!”

“I was stuck…”

“Stuck!? Do you know how embarrassing last night’s party was for me!? That party was for us, Arshad! How could you…” She kept shouting angrily, but I pulled her into my arms and hugged her tightly.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m very sorry. Trust me, I was stuck. I was on my way, but then I found all the roads blocked due to heavy rain. That’s why I couldn’t make it here. Please forgive me.” I mumbled into her neck. I knew she was softening. She wrapped her arms around me, and we pulled apart after a couple of minutes.

“It’s okay. I’m forgiving you because I heard the news about the road being blocked. Otherwise, I would’ve thought you were cheating on me with some other girl.”

My body stiffened instantly, all color draining from my face as Isha’s face flashed in my mind.

“Hahaha… I was kidding. Why did your face turn pale?” she laughed, then asked.

“No… no… I’m just tired,” I tried to smile.

“Okay. Have you eaten anything?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” I glanced around and asked, “Where is Amma Jaan (respected mother)?”

“She retired to her room. She wasn’t feeling well and was worried about you, so I told her to rest. I said I’d inform her once you came back,” Sofia informed me. I nodded and walked to my room with her by my side.

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

“I was really worried about you, Arshad. Please don’t do this next time,” Sofia said as she walked toward me when I stepped out of the bathroom after showering. She wrapped her arms around my neck. “Now give me my wedding anniversary gift,” she demanded.

I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

“What gift do you want?” I asked with a smile. I forgot everything when I saw her beautiful face.

“You promised me you would give me a diamond necklace,” she said with a grin.

“Sorry, baby. I couldn’t find the time to buy it. But I promise I’ll get it soon,” I assured her.

“Okay, then you can give me something else, for now,” she smirked mischievously. I raised my eyebrows.

“What?”

Sofia bit her lips and leaned closer.

“Another passionate night,” she whispered, nibbling on my earlobe.

I smirked. “As you say, my love.”

We connected our lips in a sensual kiss. “Happy anniversary, baby,” I whispered between the kiss. Even though our anniversary had been yesterday, we were celebrating it tonight.

“Happy anniversary to you too,” she murmured while unbuttoning my shirt.

**********

I was staring at the ceiling as Sofia took her sleeping pills before going to bed. I couldn’t sleep. The thought of Isha being alone in that apartment made me uncomfortable. It’s not like I think of her as my wife, it’s just that I was feeling bad for her—after all, she was just a little girl. I heard she was only seventeen years old.

I trusted Adil. He was my childhood best friend, so before going to sleep, I told him to check her door—to see if it was locked or not—without disturbing her. It was purely for humanity. Nothing else.

I tried all night but couldn’t get any sleep, as that nikkah and Isha kept roaming in my mind. I sat up on the bed. It was 7 in the morning. I got out of bed and slowly went to the balcony, closing the balcony door. I dialed Adil’s number and waited for him to pick up. He didn’t. I tried again but no response. I did it once more and finally, he answered.

“What the hell, dude! What do you want from me at this time!?” he yelled from the other side. Seemed like he was deep in slumber.

“Don’t yell at me! Can’t you pick up my call on the first ring?”

“Man! This is sleeping time, and I kindly ignore every call at this hour.”

“It’s 7 in the morning, Adil… Anyway, uhm… have… have you checked up on my apartment?” I asked hesitantly.

“Oh, you mean, on your wife’s door?” he teased. But it made my stomach churn. The thought of me hiding my second wife from my first wife, like some kind of cheating husband, disgusted me.

“She is not my wife, Adil. I only have one wife, and that’s Sofia,” I said angrily.

“Okay, okay. And yes, I did check her door, and it was locked last night,” he replied to my earlier question. I thought for a second before speaking again.

“Can you please give her breakfast? We hadn’t eaten anything since we met,” I said in a hesitant tone.

“Okay, but let me sleep for now. It’s just 7 a.m. She must be sleeping,” he said, yawning.

“Okay… but call me after that.” We hung up and I went inside. Sofia was still asleep. She wouldn’t wake before 8:30 a.m. She had a problem with sleeping, so without her sleeping pills, she couldn’t rest.

I went to the kitchen to grab something to eat. I found some fruits and began eating. I couldn’t tolerate my hunger.

“When did you come?” I heard Amma Jaan’s voice as she entered the kitchen.

“Last night. You were sleeping,” I said, walking toward her, and then hugged her.

“I was really worried about you. I couldn’t sleep the whole night,” Amma Jaan complained.

“Sorry, Amma Jaan. I was stuck,” I said and looked away.

“Is everything okay, Arsh?” Amma Jaan asked. I looked at her and felt my heartbeat skip at her suspicious expression.

“Y… yes. Ev… everything is okay. Why are you asking?” I tried to sound normal, but my heart was racing rapidly.

Amma Jaan belonged to that village. It was possible that someone could tell her that… that I had married someone there.

“You look pale. It seems something is bothering you.”

“No, Amma Jaan… I was just hungry. And I couldn’t find anything here, so just…” I said with a convincing smile. She smiled, making me feel relieved.

“Okay, I will make something for you. As you know, it will take time for the cook to come, and your beautiful wife, taking her beauty sleep, can’t come,” she said, chuckling, while I joined her.

---

After breakfast, I went to my room and got ready. It was better if I just checked up on Isha. I wasn’t a heartless man. I always held a soft corner for poor people.

“Where are you going?” Sofia woke up just as I was about to walk out of the room.

“Uhm… I… I’m going to meet Adil,” I said hurriedly. She nodded and lay back on the bed.

“Come soon. We need to go to my parents’ place,” she informed me, closing her eyes.

“Okay, baby.” I kissed her forehead and walked out.

I drove toward my apartment with guilt and a pounding heartbeat. I was feeling guilty for lying to Sofia and hiding all this. But how was I supposed to tell her? I couldn’t say, “Sofia, I married someone to save her life.” No. She would leave me that instant. She wouldn’t even let me explain—I knew her.

Reaching there, I was about to get out of the car when my phone rang.

“What, Adil?” I answered.

“Yaar, your wife isn’t opening the door.” For a second, Sofia came to my mind and I got confused. But then I realized he was talking about Isha.

Even if I tried to forget this, this man would never let me.

“I’m coming.” I hung up.

I reached my apartment and saw Adil standing outside with a plastic bag in his hand. He saw me and walked toward me.

“Dude, your wife is so stubborn. I’ve been ringing the bell for the last twenty minutes now, but she won’t open. Why do you get wives like them? First that stubborn and bold Sofia, and now this one.”

“Are you done?” I asked, narrowing my eyes. He raised his hands.

I took out my keys and opened the door. I went inside with Adil. I looked everywhere but couldn’t find her.

Walking toward the bedroom, I knocked. “Isha,” I called. When she didn’t reply even after a few knocks—

“Dekh, kahi behosh-vohosh to nahi ho gayi bhook ke maare (See if she fainted due to hunger),” Adil mumbled. I glared at him and walked inside. But she wasn’t there. I looked everywhere, but she was nowhere. I turned to Adil—he also had the same worried look.

“Her suitcase and bag are also not here,” Adil said. We walked outside.

“What the hell? Where has she gone?” I yelled in frustration. Couldn’t that girl stay here without making me worry?

“Arshad, look,” I heard Adil’s voice and turned to him.

★★★★★