As they made their daring escape, their hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline, Maryam and Mahjabeen found themselves running through the dark, secluded. The moonlit path provided them with little cover, and they could feel the weight of the gazes that followed them from a distance. They knew they had to be swift and cautious to evade capture.

It was night, they had to crouch down to not be detected by Malik's men as they ran towards their car. To their horror, Maryam's car was missing from the road and some men lingered in the bush ready to attack. Sweat dripped from Maryam's forehead as she realised the gravity of their situation, her hands trembled as she took Mahjabeen's hand and they hid in Malik Zubair's khaith.

Back at Khan Mansion, Maa Begum, urgently dialed Murtasim's number. She informed him about Maryam and Mahjabeen's disappearance, adding that they had left in their car, claiming that he had summoned them. Maa Begum's voice trembled with worry as she relayed the unsettling news to Murtasim, desperate for his swift intervention.

Murtasim listened intently to Maa Begum's words, his mind racing with concern for his sister and wife's safety. He realized the urgency of the situation and the need to act swiftly so on his way to Panchayat he instructed his men to take Malik Zubair to Panchayat as he figured out where the two went. He called Bakhtu, who had witnessed their departure, to provide any information he could.

"Bakhtu, tumne unko jaate hue dekha tha. Batao, kya tumhe unka rasta ya koi aur pata hai?" Murtasim questioned, his voice laced with a mix of worry and determination.

Bakhtu, felt guilty realising it was his mistake if he had double-checked with Khan wouldn't have taken place. Bakhtu told him the entire story, when and how the two of them went out.

When Murtasim realised the two were in the village, he cursed out loud. Grabbing his shawl he took the gun and directed all the men to find his sister and wife. Half an hour passed, and the entire village was searching for them with torches in their hand. They screamed their names, on the other side, Maa Begum was praying for their safe return.

Mahjabeen, catching her breath, turned to Maryam. "Tumhe raasta maalum haina?" she asked in a hushed tone, her voice filled with fear.

Maryam nodded, her face reflecting a mixture of fear and resilience. "Haan, ye zameen Malik ki hai haveli do kilometre dur hai, humein khamoshi se jaana hoga" she responded, her words carrying a sense of cautious optimism.

"Theek hai chalo," Mahjabeen whispered, her voice filled with determination and a hint of relief. The two knew they had to rely on their wits and stealth to navigate their way to safety.

With hearts pounding and their bodies crouched low, Maryam and Mahjabeen crawled and crept through the darkness, careful to avoid any prying eyes. Every step was taken with caution, their movements slow and deliberate.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the haveli, a sanctuary amidst the chaos. Their tired bodies found solace within its walls, and they were taken in by servants.

Inside the haveli, Maryam and Mahjabeen took a moment to catch their breath. Their eyes met, reflecting a mix of relief and exhaustion.

A servant called Murtasim informing him that his sister and wife had reached the haveli. He sighed in relief and went back to the Panchayat, and the villagers joined him.

The first question the clown-faced Malik Zubair asked him was, "Maryam theek haina?"

Murtasim glanced at him his eyes bloodshot as he pointed the rifle at him, and snarled out, "Meri behen ka naam lene ki jurrat kaise ki?" his hands were trembling as he glared at him. People tried to calm him down but the anger was bursting inside him, all he could see was red.

"Aur tumhari behen mere kamre mai aaye akele-" Before he could complete his sentence, a shot was fired silencing him and the entire panchayat.

Malik Zubair dropped to the ground clutching his leg that bled out, the bullet had passed through his leg missing it narrowly. His men all pointed their weapons at Murtasim, ready to fight before the old sarpanch intervened.

"Panchayat kal baithegi, aaj aap dono ghar jaye wapas"

He knew if this went on there would be more bloodshed, Malik and Khan were the most powerful feudal lords here, and their rivalry could destroy the entire village. Everyone dispersed but Murtasim stood there with the gun in his hand, he didn't move glaring at Malik Zubair his rifle still pointing towards him as he whispered.

"Ye galat faimi me mat rehne ke mera nishaana chuka hai, kal panchayat me agar tum marhum Shahbaz Alam ke qatil nikley toh ye bacchi hui goliyan saari tumhari khopri mai utar dunga", he whispered with anger, there was angst in the air as Malik Zubair was helped up by his men, the paint on his face was melting off due to tears and sweat. The entire Khan family in a single night had wreaked havoc in his life, and the worse thing was he knew Murtasim could shoot him dead right now and get away with it. The authorities here were all on Khan's side, they would never intervene unless Murtasim called for it, he was the law here.

Malik Zubair didn't turn his back on Murtasim, because his eyes told him that he could fire another shot. And he didn't want to take this chance so he walked backwards not breaking eye contact with Murtasim, till he reached the van. But before he could enter he heard a click stopping him in his tracks, he turned towards Murtasim who had his phone in his hand and the flash went off capturing Malik Zubair's frightened joker face in his. He sighed in relief realising it was just a picture, not a gunshot so he rushed into the van and drove off. Murtasim finally dropped the rifle and called for his driver.

***

"Bhai ne .... Malik Zubair ko goli maardi", Maryam stuttered as she read Maa Begum's text and it was all because of them. Mahjabeen who had just come out of the bathroom stopped in her tracks, speechless.

"Ab kya hoga Maryam?" Mahjabeen cramped starting to bite her nail tensed. Her face lost its colour as she tried to connect the dots, then asked her timidly, "Ye humarey wajeh se hua hai kya?"

Maryam nodded now tears dropping from her face as she cried, "Humein ye sab nahi karna chahiye tha, meri galti thi pata nahi ab bhai ka kya hoga... woh log badla zaroor lenge bhai se"

Mahjabeen shook her head as she tried to comfort her by saying, "Maryam humein thodi pata tha ye sab hoga, aur ye mere plan tha. Tum fikar mat karo mai kuch sochti hu"

They heard the horn of a car and realised it was Murtasim.

"Tum soney ki acting karo jaldi", Mahjabeen whispered as she tucked an unwilling Maryam in bed. She was worried, and Mahjabeen was scared for him and of his wrath. She could have hidden inside the room and faked sleep but she wanted to make sure he was alright. So taking a deep breath she peeked into their room. His back was towards her, she felt the room grow colder as she tiptoed closer. Her heart raced as she mustered the courage to speak.

"Murtasim," she called out softly, her voice barely a whisper.

He turned around, his eyes reflecting a mix of exhaustion and anger. The tension in the room was palpable as he took in her presence. Without a word, he approached her, his steps swift and deliberate.

Mahjabeen looked into his eyes, seeing the storm of emotions raging within him. She reached out, her hand trembling, and gently touched his arm. "Aap theek haina?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine worry.

Without wasting a moment, he tightly grasped her hand and forcefully pulled her towards him, his grip conveying his displeasure with great intensity.

"Tum aur Maryam yaha kyun aayi?" Murtasim's voice dripped with irritation, his eyes burning with a volatile mix of fury and concern.

Mahjabeen's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by his sudden outburst. She tried to explain herself, her voice quivering with guilt and trepidation.

"Mujhe gao dekhna tha..," Mahjabeen's voice trailed off, her gaze shifting downwards, unable to meet Murtasim's intense glare and lied straight to his face.

Murtasim's frustration swelled, his brows furrowing deeply as he struggled to comprehend her actions. His voice quivered with a seething combination of anger and disbelief.

"Mujhe kyun nahi bataya?" Murtasim's words erupted from his lips, laced with disappointment and exasperation, he knew she was lying to him.

Mahjabeen's face flushed with guilt as she realized the impact of her decision. She stammered, desperately attempting to justify her lie. Her voice quivered with remorse and innocence.

"Aapko surprise dena tha," she murmured, her words carrying a sense of regret and vulnerability.

Murtasim's anger intensified as she continued to lie, and he released her hand, pacing back and forth in the room. He struggled to find the right words to express his exasperation, his frustration exuding from every movement. He paced with a restless energy, his actions displaying his simmering fury.

"Sach batao Mahjabeen"

"Sacchi mujhe gao dekhna tha toh maine Maryam se request ki yaha lekar aaney ko", Mahjabeen lied yet again, she knew if she told him the truth he would lash out at Maryam. She had no idea that Murtasim knew the truth and her deliberate lies were making the situation much worse. He wanted to know what had happened between Malik Zubair and Maryam for him to use her name so disrespectfully in front of him. Endless scenarios rushed through his brain and they were driving him crazy.

"Jhoot, tumlog teen ghantey pehle ghar se nikley, aisa tha toh do ghantey pehle pohoch jaatey. Mahjabeen mujhe sach bolo"

Murtasim's voice grew even more intense, his frustration reaching its peak. He stared at Mahjabeen, his eyes demanding the truth, not willing to tolerate any more lies.

Mahjabeen's heart sank as she realized she could no longer hide the truth from him. She took a deep breath, mustering her courage, and finally spoke.

"Mai sach bataungi magar aap Maryam ko nahi daatenge"

Murtasim sighed realising the reason behind her lies was Maryam. She was protecting his sister, and at that moment he felt like he was the worst brother ever. Why was his sister scared of him? He nodded at her request and Mahjabeen stalked closer to him out of habit, whispering the entire event that took place in his ear.

"Tum pagal ho kya? USKE GHAR MAI GAYI THI Mahjabeen tumharey akkal par taaley lag gaye they kya?" Murtasim's voice trembled with a volatile combination of anger and concern, his disappointment palpable.

Mahjabeen controlled her tears as his words pierced her heart once again. She clasped her hands together, her voice quivering with remorse and her pure-hearted nature shining through her words.

"Aapne kaha tha ki daatenge nahi..," Mahjabeen's voice trailed off, her innocence permeating her words as she desperately sought his understanding.

Murtasim's frustration turned into despair as he let out a heavy sigh, realizing the impact of his words on Mahjabeen. He looked at her with a mixture of concern and disappointment, his tone softening.

"Haan Maryam ko nahi, Mahjabeen tum stupid ho kya? Thodi bhi akkal hai tum me?" Murtasim's words were imbued with a fusion of frustration and genuine concern, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness.

Mahjabeen's eyes teared up when he said that, and then the anger inside her blew up.

"Aapne bhi toh kaha koi samajhdari ka kaam kiya, goli maardi na us Malik Zubair ko. Maine agar uska mu kharab kiya toh usme masla kya hai?"

Murtasim's eyes widened as he listened to Mahjabeen's words, her anger matching his own. He opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words. He realized the truth in her words, that his actions had consequences beyond his control.

"Aur ye jo aap mujhe stupid, kam akkal bularahey hai, bolrahi hu gunnah milega aapko!" Mahjabeen said angrily as she took her pillow from the bed, and stormed out of the room.

***