15| You Took It Too Far

Y O U   T O O K   I T  T O O

I T   T O O    F A R

W O R D C O U N T: 2313

A few days had passed by in a blur.

Anaabiya had tried to contact Nabiha multiple times, but her calls went unanswered. It wasn't like they were on the best of terms, nor was Nabiha the kind to care much, but still—this silence was unusual. She couldn't help but wonder if something was wrong. Was Nabiha in some kind of trouble? Had she even received the money Anaabiya had sent through her aunt for her education?

The thought nagged at her, but there wasn't much she could do except wait for a response.

And then there was Humza.

He had changed after that night.

It wasn't like he was ignoring her—that would have been too obvious. He was just... disinterested. The teasing, the taunts, the sarcasm that used to drive her mad were gone. He didn't pick fights, didn't make an effort to provoke her, didn't even smirk at her the way he used to.

The only time they interacted now was when Rafiya Aunty was around. Then, he played the perfect husband, responding to her, nodding along, pretending like nothing had changed. But the moment they were alone, it was as if she didn't exist.

And it should have been a relief.

It made things easier for her, didn't it?

So why did it bother her a little?

Was he playing a little game?

Anaabiya wasn't sure.

At first, she had thought he was just sulking—maybe annoyed that she had practically asked him to leave her alone with Ahad. But days had passed, and he still hadn't gone back to his usual ways. He wasn't ignoring her outright, but there was a clear shift in his behavior.

No sarcastic remarks. No smug glances. No attempts to drive her up the wall just for his own amusement.

It felt... off.

Was he doing this on purpose? Was this some twisted way of getting back at her?

She hated that she even cared.

And yet, every time he walked past her without a second glance, every time he acted like she was just another person in the house instead of the woman he had practically made a sport out of teasing, she felt it.

Something was definitely wrong.

With him.

With her.

With everything.

Anaabiya was in the middle of folding her clothes when her phone buzzed. She picked it up absentmindedly, but the moment she saw the name on the screen, her hands stilled.

Uzair.

Her heart gave an uneasy lurch.

With hesitant fingers, she opened the message.

Anaabiya, what the hell is going on? Did you seriously get married? And you didn't even tell me?

She exhaled, pressing her lips together.

Another message popped up before she could even think of a response.

You knew how I felt about you. You knew, Anaa. How could you say yes to someone just like that?

Her brows furrowed.

She knew this would happen. The moment he found out, she had expected this reaction. Uzair had always been... intense when it came to her.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard before she finally typed a response.

Uzair, it wasn't my choice. It was your mother's decision. It happened fast.

He replied almost instantly.

Fast? So that's it? You just accepted it? You didn't even fight?

Anaabiya let out a slow sigh. She stared at the words for a long moment before locking her phone and setting it aside.

Uzair had always been there, ever since she had moved in with them after her parents' death.

He wasn't just a childhood friend. He was family.

And she knew he had feelings for her. He had never said it outright, but she had always known. The way he looked at her, the way he got jealous when other boys spoke to her, the way he always stood up for her—even when his own mother treated her cruelly.

He had protected her in ways no one else had.

And if things had been different—if her aunt had asked her to marry Uzair instead—she wouldn't have said no.

Not because she loved him.

But because she wouldn't have had a reason to refuse.

Uzair was tall, with deep brown eyes that held a quiet intensity. His sharp jawline and always slightly messy hair made him look effortlessly put together. He had always been kind to her, always made sure she was okay.

But she didn't feel for him the way he felt for her.

And now... it was too late.

Her phone buzzed again.

I don't care what happened, Anaa. I'm coming back.

Her breath hitched as she read the message.

Before she could respond, another one came through.

I know my mother forced you into this. I should have been there—I should have stopped it. But I'm coming now. This isn't over.

Anaabiya's fingers trembled slightly as she typed.

Uzair, don't. It's done. You can't change anything now.

Watch me.

She swallowed. Uzair had always been stubborn, but this... this was different.

Listen to me, Uzair. You don't understand—

I understand perfectly. You think I'm going to sit back and let you suffer in a marriage you never wanted? You think I don't know you, Anaa?

She closed her eyes, exhaling slowly.

I'm not suffering.

A long pause.

Then—

You're lying.

She felt something heavy settle in her chest.

I'm coming, Anaa. And this time, I'm taking you with me.

Anaabiya stared at her phone, her fingers tightening around it. There was no point in telling Uzair not to come—he wouldn't listen.

And that terrified her.

She knew Uzair. He wasn't one to back down. He had always been protective of her, always standing up for her even when she hadn't asked him to. But this? This was different.

This wasn't some childhood scuffle or a petty argument with his mother. This was Humza.

And Humza was unpredictable.

She had no idea how he would react. Would he even care? Would he act indifferent? Or would this wake up that sharp-edged possessiveness he had displayed before?

The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Because if there was one thing she had learned about Humza, it was that he didn't like when people crossed boundaries. And Uzair? He was about to bulldoze straight through one.

Anaabiya took a deep breath, her mind racing. There was only one thing she could do—she had to talk to her aunt.

Uzair would be furious, but she didn't care. This wasn't about his feelings anymore. This was about protecting him.

If he showed up here, if he confronted Humza, she had no idea what would happen. And she wasn't willing to take that risk.

Her fingers hovered over the screen before she finally dialed her aunt's number.

This was the only way. Even if Uzair hated her for it, she had to stop him before it was too late.

Her aunt didn't receive her call. So she made a note to try later.

That evening, as Anaabiya stepped out of her room, a commotion from down the hall caught her attention. The raised voices, the sharp edge of anger—it was enough to make her quicken her steps.

Anaabiya stood in the shadows of the hallway, watching the scene unfold. Malika was seething, her arms crossed as she glared down at the two women in front of her. The house maid looked terrified, while Maliha, despite her obvious frustration, kept her head held high.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Malika's voice was sharp, filled with anger. "Do you even realize who I am in this house? If I complain to Humza, he'll throw both of you out without a second thought."

The maid flinched, her head bowing lower, but Maliha held her ground.

Anaabiya clenched her fists. She had no idea what had happened, but she knew Malika. If she was making a scene, it was because she wanted to.

Just then, Humza walked in. His presence alone was enough to shift the energy in the room.

The moment Malika saw him, her anger melted away. She took a slow breath, schooling her features into something softer, something almost vulnerable.

"Humza," she said, her voice quieter now. "They were being disrespectful. Talking behind my back, saying things about me, questioning why I'm still here." She sighed dramatically, her eyes glistening. "But tell me, Humza, where should I go? I have no one. You know it."

Anaabiya's eyes snapped to Humza. She saw the way his expression shifted—first unreadable,a flicker of guilt, then something almost like hesitation, then anger.

"How dare you?" His voice was cold, sharp, directed at Maliha and the young maid.

Anaabiya felt something inside her snap.

"They didn't do anything," she spoke up, stepping forward.

Humza turned to her, his jaw tightening. "Stay out of this."

"No," she said, standing her ground. "Maliha and her friend are innocent. You're punishing them for something they didn't do."

Malika scoffed. "You weren't even here. How would you know?"

Anaabiya's eyes flashed. "Because I know you."

Malika narrowed her eyes. "I get it that you are jealous of me and you dislike me but you don't have to do this."

Anaabiya let out a sharp breath. "I don't hate you, Malika. I certainly don't feel jealous. I just don't trust you." Then, her patience finally gave out. "But honestly, if you're so desperate to stay in this house, why don't you just marry Humza?"

The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.

Humza's eyes snapped to her, his entire body tensing like a predator who had just been provoked.

"What did you just say?" His voice was dangerously low, his tone a warning.

Anaabiya felt a sickening sense of unease creep into her bones, but she refused to back down. Her pride wouldn't let her.

"I said maybe you two should get married. I could talk to Bashar Uncle about this for you," she said, lifting her chin stubbornly.

The reaction was instant.

She barely had a second to process what she had done before Humza moved.

His hand shot out, grabbing her by the throat.

The force of it sent her stumbling back, her breath vanishing from her lungs as she slammed against the wall behind her.

Anaabiya's hands flew to his wrist, trying to pry his fingers away, but his grip was like steel—unyielding, merciless.

"Don't you dare take my father's name," he growled, his voice raw with fury. His face was inches from hers, his breath hot against her skin, but all she could feel was the pressure tightening around her throat. "And don't you ever—ever—address that man as my father."

His grip tightened.

A choked sound escaped her lips.

She couldn't breathe.

Black dots swam in her vision.

Her nails dug into his wrist, scratching, clawing—desperate to make him let go—but he didn't even flinch.

She tried to say something, but no sound came out.

She was suffocating.

Was this it?

Was this how she was going to die?

Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over despite her will not to let them fall.

Her knees felt weak, her body sagging against the wall.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to ask why.

Why was he doing this?

Why wasn't anyone stopping him?

Maliha.

The house maid.

Other staff members.

They were all there.

Watching.

Frozen.

No one dared to interfere.

All she could see was Humza—his expression twisted with something dark, something terrifying.

She wanted to fight. She had never seen him like this, in such fury. She knew he had a restrained relationship with his father but she never knew that mentioning it would mean the end of her.

She wanted to push him away.

But her strength was fading.

Her fingers loosened from his wrist, her hands falling limply to her sides.

Everything was blurring.

The edges of her vision were turning black.

She was slipping away.

Then—

A loud crack echoed through the hall.

The force of it made Humza's head jerk to the side.

Anaabiya barely registered what had happened before his grip vanished.

Air rushed into her lungs.

She gasped, her body collapsing to the floor as she coughed violently, clutching her throat.

Her vision was still spinning, her body trembling.

She looked up through teary eyes—

And saw Bibijaan.

The elderly woman stood before Humza, her frail frame trembling with anger. Her hand was still raised from where she had slapped him.

The entire room was in stunned silence.

Maliha was beside her now, crouching, her hands hovering uncertainly over her. "Anaabiya, are you okay?" Her voice was shaking.

Anaabiya couldn't answer.

She could only stare at Humza.

His face was turned slightly to the side, his cheek already reddening from the impact.

For the first time, he looked stunned.

Shocked.

He wasn't looking at Anaabiya anymore.

He was looking at Bibijaan.

"This time, you took it too far." Bibijaan said, her voice steady despite the raw fury in her eyes.

Humza didn't say a word.

Didn't argue.

Didn't fight back.

He just stood there.

Anaabiya swallowed hard, wincing at the pain in her throat.

She knew it would bruise.

She knew she would feel this moment for days to come.

But more than the physical pain, it was the weight of realization that settled over her.

She had survived.

This wasn't just a toxic marriage.

This was dangerous.

She needed to leave.

Somewhere far away.

Maybe Uzair was right.

Maybe she did needed to be rescued.

Rescued from him.

Phew!! I am done now. Ok bye!

E D I T E D on 16.5.2025