Of Broken Hearts and Tears

Chapter 4

Another update for my lovely readers!!

The light Maya had slowly died down after that incident. How could she meet her father's eye? Her father had taught her one lesson: to be careful around males. It was her carelessness. It was her fault and she would never be able to forgive herself for that.

She was very careful around non mehrams now. She had learned her lesson and she was never going to forget it.

Even Areesha thought something was off about her.

"Maya do you want to go shopping with me for the baby?" Areesha asked her as she entered her room.

"No you go ahead I don't feel like it." She replied dully.

"Now that's new. You were always so enthusiastic for shopping. Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine Areesha."

"You don't sound fine to me. Let me check if your temperature." Areesha came forward and checked if she had fever but she was fine.

"Did you have your lunch?"

"Yeah I had it in the hospital." Maya lied. The truth was that she had been neglecting her diet a lot these days.

"Ok. If you need anything just tell me." Areesha told her sister-in-law.

"Ok." Maya said and went to her room.

She sat on her bed and opened the novel she was reading. She read a few pages only to realize she hadn't taken in a word of what she had just read. She was reading absent-mindedly with her brain somewhere else. Great! Now she couldn't even focus on the task at hand.

She had lost interest in her favourite things now. Things she loved to do earlier held no meaning for her now. She was losing her spark.

Her thoughts were interrupted with her phone beeping a message. She put in the password of her phone and unlocked it.

She opened the whatsapp message. It was from an unknown number. She downloaded the image that had been sent. When the image downloaded she opened it and gasped. 

It was a picture of Daniyal kissing her and it had been edited. Maya's eyes were closed in it. As if she was enjoying it. Astaghfirallah.

When did he take this picture? Her grip on the phone tightened. She didn't realize tears rolling down her cheeks. The images became blurry through her teary eyes. He was going to destroy her. Her heart thudded in fear of what he might to with these pictures.

Her throat constricted. She deleted the pictures from her phone with trembling hands. But they only got deleted from her phone. Daniyal still had them probably. 

What if someone found out? Suddenly she heard the door of her room opening and she wiped her tears off. She turned and found her mother standing near the door. She slipped the phone under the pillow and attempted to smile at her.

"Maya? Beta I need to talk to you." Her mother said to her.

"Why do you look like you have been crying?" Her mother said narrowing her eyes at her. Her mother knew her so well.

"Oh something went in my eye. Why would I cry?" She said laughing it off. She could hide her emotions given her profession. As a doctor, she had to hide her emotions from families of the patient and the patients themselves.

"Maya beta we got another proposal for you-" Her mother was saying but Maya paid no heed to that. She was so conflicted about marriage.

She was a career oriented person and marriage fitted nowhere in her plans as of now. But if her spouse would let her work then she would at least consider it. But her mother being the typical desi mom would not here of it. 

According to her mother, she had to get married before any man refused to look at her.

And could she marry someone now? When Daniyal had proof? Something that could destroy her future. She shuddered at the very thought. What had she ever done to him?

If her brother or parents found out they wouldn't let her work. At all. Fawad was so strict about her mingling with boys even in college. If he found out all hell would break lose. She couldn't believe he did that to her. No one would believe her when he showed the pictures to anyone.

Once in college a trip was going for a holiday and it consisted of boys and girls alike and there was no adult supervision. Maya wanted to go too as all of her friends were going but Fawad didn't let her even though her mother had vouched for her too.

 He was so overprotective that sometimes it overwhelmed her. But he wasn't like those typical elder brothers who didn't trust their sister. He trusted her a lot. And she couldn't break that trust now.

She had to somehow beg Daniyal to delete the pictures and let her live her life in peace.

"Maya are you even listening to me?" Her mother snapped at her and Maya was startled out of her train of thoughts.

"Sorry. What were you saying?" She asked her embarrassed.

"Where are you lost these days? Any problem?" Her mother frowned at her.

"No, I-I just zoned out. Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Ok so I was telling you about the proposal. The guy is an engineer and he has no problem with you working after marriage. And the good thing is that he lives here alone and his parents live with their older son."

"Ammi I am not ready yet. Maybe in a few years?" She tried to convince her mother but she was unmoved. No one would believe her if she said that she had not been involved in anything haram and that he had forced he.

"Maya till when are you going to use that excuse beta?" Her mother said losing patience with her. How could she tell her mother that she was like a black spot on her family's honor.

"Mama please try-" She started but then closed her mouth. What was her mother supposed to understand? Could she share something as big as this with her? Would her mother be able to bear it? Surely no. She had to solve this problem herself.

"Maya do you have someone else in your mind? You can share with me." Her mother said patiently.

"No mama. Astaghfirallah. Even if I did have someone else in mind I would have told you first."

"Okay. I just want you to know that you have a big say in your marriage. After all you are the one who is going to spend your life with the guy. So it is going to be who ever you like and no pressure from us on that part, but you have to at least think about getting married." 

"Yes Ammi, I will." She said and her mother left her with a kiss on her forehead and Maya's mind went back to the pictures. Her brain was so conflicted she thought it would burst from all the worry.

***

Salam everyone!

I would love it if you introduce this book to other people as well!!

Tell me honestly how you liked the chapter! Did I overdo it or was it fine??