Raat bohot heavy thi.
Ghar mein ajeeb si khamoshi chayi hui thi… jaise har deewar humari majboori ka mazaak uda rahi ho.
Main apne kamre mein bethi thi, aankhon se aansu ruk hi nahi rahe thay.
"Mujhse shaadi karo…"
Zayaan ki awaaz baar baar mere dimagh mein goonj rahi thi.
Yeh sab itni jaldi kaise ho gaya?
Kal tak sab normal tha… aur aaj meri zindagi ka faisla ho raha tha.
Darwaza halki si awaaz ke saath khula.
"Emaan…" Mama ki halki si awaaz aayi.
Main ne foran apne aansu saaf kiye, lekin shayad der ho chuki thi.
Woh mere paas aa kar bethi, aur mere sar par haath rakh diya.
"Meri bachi…" unki awaaz bharayi hui thi.
"Mama, main yeh shaadi nahi kar sakti," maine toot'ti hui awaaz mein kaha.
"Woh insaan humse nafrat karta hai… main uske saath kaise zindagi guzaron?"
Mama ki aankhon mein aansu aa gaye.
"Humein pata hai beta…" unhon ne dheere se kaha.
"Lekin humare paas koi aur rasta nahi hai."
Mera dil zor se dharka.
"Nahi Mama, koi na koi rasta hoga!" maine zidd ki.
"Main kaam kar lungi, job kar lungi… lekin us se shaadi nahi karungi!"
Mama ne aankhein band kar li, jaise unke paas jawab hi na ho.
Tabhi darwaze par knock hua.
Baba andar aaye.
Unka chehra dekh kar mera dil aur toot gaya.
Woh kuch pal chup rahe… phir dheere se bole:
"Emaan… beta."
Main foran uth kar unke paas gayi.
"Baba please, aap mana kar dein na," maine unka haath pakad liya.
"Humein uski zarurat nahi hai…"
Unhon ne meri taraf dekha… aur unki aankhon mein aansu thay.
"Zarurat hai, beta," unhon ne dheere se kaha.
Jaise kisi ne meri saans rok di ho.
"Hum bilkul akelay ho chuke hain," Baba ne kaha.
"Bank… log… sab hum par pressure daal rahe hain."
"Mera ghar… tumhari Mama… tum…" unki awaaz toot gayi.
"Main sab kuch nahi khona chahta."
Meri aankhon se aansu behne lage.
"Lekin Baba… meri zindagi?" maine dheere se poocha.
Unhon ne nazar jhuka li.
Aur unki yeh khamoshi hi mera jawab thi.
Mera dil us pal toot gaya.
😱 Next Day
Subah bohot jaldi mujhe uthaya gaya.
"Mujhe kahan le ja rahe hain?" maine poocha.
Mama ne sirf itna kaha:
"Unke ghar."
Mere haath thanday ho gaye.
🏢 Zayaan Khan's House
Uska ghar nahi… mahal tha.
Har cheez perfect… har cheez thandi.
Jaise us ghar mein rehne walay logon ke dil.
Main hall mein khadi thi jab woh aaya.
Zayaan Khan.
Black suit… confident walk… aur wohi thandi nazar.
Jaise kal kuch hua hi nahi.
"Tum aa gayi," usne seedha kaha.
Jaise usay poora yaqeen tha.
Mujhe gussa aaya.
"Main majboor hoon, is liye aayi hoon," maine tezi se jawab diya.
Uske honton par halki si smirk aayi.
"Majboori hi insaan se sab kuch karwati hai," usne kaha.
Maine usay ghura.
"Mujhe yeh shaadi manzoor nahi hai."
Woh dheere se mere kareeb aaya.
"Mujhe tumhari marzi ki zarurat nahi hai," usne thandi awaaz mein kaha.
"Mujhe sirf tumhara 'haan' chahiye… contract ke liye."
Mera khoon khol gaya.
"Tum itne heartless kaise ho sakte ho?" maine kaha.
Ek pal ke liye uska chehra sakht ho gaya.
Phir usne file meri taraf badha di.
"Sign karo."
Maine file ko dekha.
Contract marriage.
1 saal.
Fake relationship.
Rules… conditions…
Aur sab se neeche:
Emaan Ahmed
Mera naam.
Mere haath kaanpne lage.
"Sign karo… aur tumhari family safe," usne dheere se kaha.
"Refuse karo… aur sab kuch khatam."
Aansu meri aankhon se gir gaye.
Maine Baba aur Mama ki taraf dekha.
Unki aankhon mein umeed thi…
Aur majboori bhi.
Maine aankhein band ki.
Aur us pal…
Maine apni zindagi ka sab se bada faisla kiya.
Kampte hue haath se maine pen uthaya.
Aur sign kar diya.
Zayaan ne contract uthaya… aur halki si muskurahat di.
"Good," usne kaha.
"Mubarak ho… Mrs. Zayaan Khan."
Mera dil doob gaya.
Yeh sirf shuruat thi.
end of episode 2.