The Addiction of Love

II

Inaya reached home in an overjoyed mood. She couldn't wait to tell her mother about the promotion. But her happiness flew out of the window when she found her mamu and mami(Maternal uncle and aunt) in her home. Just as Inaya had assumed, they were there to propose Murtaza, their son, and Inaya's marriage. Murtaza Abbas was a thirty year old man and the eldest son of his parents. He wasn't a bad guy, but he sure was a typical Indian man who believed in patriarchy. He had never tried to hide the fact how much he hated women who went outside and worked, and had made it very clear that his future wife would not be allowed any freedom.

Her mamu and mami had been proposing this marriage for the past two years, but Inaya had been successful in dodging it by saying she wanted to focus on her career and not wanted to get married to anyone, hoping that they'd get the hint and stop pestering. If it was in her hands, she'd rejected their precious Murtaza on his face, but for the sake of her mother, Razia, she kept quiet. After her father had passed away, her mamu had helped them a lot to settle in Mumbai. Even though Razia didn't like Murtaza for Inaya, she didn't feel it was ideal to outright reject them.

"Assalam Alaikum," Inaya half-heartedly greeted them.

"Walaikum Assalam, beta. Badi der kardi aapne ghar aane mein." Her mami replied.

Inaya glanced at the clock in their living room. It read 08:30 pm. "Ji, office mein zyada kaam tha."

"Vaise auraton ko itni der tak ghar ke bahar nahi rehna chahiye." Her mami commented, making Inaya flare her nose in anger. She wanted to retort back, but looking at her mother, she stayed quiet.

"Aacha hua Murtaza nahi aaya aaj hamare saath warna tumhe itni der ghar aate hue dekh kar bahut gussa hota." Her mami continued.

"Murtaza kis haq se gussa hota mujh par, mumani?" Inaya spoke in a hard tone.

"Kya matlab? Hone wale shohar ka koi haq nahi hai tum par?" Mami asked.

Inaya took a very deep breath to control her anger.

"Mai aap dono ki bahut izzat karti hoon. Aur mujhe is baat ka poora ehsaas bhi hain ki aapne hamari tab madad ki thi jab hum bilkul akele the. Lekin mami, iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki mai aapke ehsaan tale dab tak aapke bete se shaadi karungi. Mai pehle bhi mana kar chuki hoon aur aaj dobara kar rahi hoon. Murtaza se shaadi karne mein koi interest nahi hai mujhe. Toh acha hoga ki aap uske liye dusri ladkiyan dekhna shuru karde." She gritted her teeth.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got lots of work. Mujhe aaj hi bataya gaya hai ki mujhe Lead Designer ki post par promote kar rahe hai, toh abse mera kaam bhi badhega, aur working hours bhi. Allah Hafiz." She deliberately told them about her promotion to let them know how important her work was for her and that she'd never leave it for a godforsaken man. She then left for her room.

Half an hour later, she had freshened up and changed into her night clothes, when a knock at her door got her attention.

"Darwaza khula hai, ammi." Inaya said.

Unlike many desi parents, Razia had always believed that children deserved their own privacy and space too. And so, she never barged in Inaya's room.

"Mamu-mami chale gaye." Razia said.

"Hmm," Inaya hummed while scrolling her phone.

Razia walked closer to her daughter and took her in her arms.

"Promotion ke liye mubarak ho, meri jaan. Allah miyan khoob tarakki de meri beti ko." She kissed Inaya's forehead and blew some surahs over her head.

"Thank you, ammi." Inaya smiled back at her mother. "Ab khana khila dein, bahut bhook lagi hai."

They both went to the dining room and Razia served them both dinner.

"Mami kaafi naraz ho kar gayi hai aaj." Razia spoke in the middle of the dinner.

"Hone de." Inaya shrugged.

"Inu!" Her mother slapped her shoulder lightly.

"Kya? Mai unki bakwas baatein aur nahi jhel sakti thi. It was high time to make her understand that I'll never marry her stupid son."

____________

The next day was Saturday. Razia had gone out to meet some friends and Inaya was alone in the home. She was reading a novel when the doorbell rang.

When she opened the door, an enraged Murtaza stood in front of her.

"What are you doing here?" Inaya crossed her hands on her chest.

"We need to talk." He growled and tried to enter the home.

But Inaya didn't budge from her place and stopped him from entering. "Mom is not at home. I can't let you in."

"I don't care." He screamed and pushed her tiny body inside and got in himself. The door closed behind them.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Inaya didn't expect this kind of behavior.

Murtaza held her hand behind her back and pulled her to his chest. "This is the last time I'm hearing a curse word from your mouth. I want my wife to be obedient. Do you understand that?"

"What wife? I've said it to your mother, and I'm saying it to you too. I AM NOT MARRYING YOU." She spoke in a clear voice while trying to get her hand out of his grip.

Murtaza strengthened his hold on her and leaned towards her face. A wave of fear rushed in her heart when she saw him coming close and she started to wiggle more to come out of his grip.

"Leave me." She cried.

"Never. Get one thing straight in your brain Inaya Khan. You're getting married to me, whether you like it or not." He whispered near her ears. His breath falling on her cheeks disgusted her.

"I will never marry you." She shouted back as tears started to fill her eyes.

A dirty laugh left his mouth. "Your feistiness is what excites me the most about you. It would be so much fun taming you after marriage. Just a little more time, and then I'd be fucking you on my bed into obedience."

He leaned in to bite her ear harshly, making her hiss before finally letting her go. He gave a last look and walked out of the home proudly, as if he'd done something great.

Inaya bolted the door from inside as soon as he left and then slid down near the door. Tears started to flow out of her eyes and sobs left her mouth. And as much as she hated to admit it, she was scared. Scared of Murtaza. She had always thought of him as a narrow-minded man whom she pitied. But today his behavior had made her fear him. Her body shivered when her mind replayed the words he had said to her.

Still sobbing, she started chanting prayers and begged the Almighty to help her. Little did she know that God had already found the solution to her problem.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

Who is going to join me in killing Murtaza?