The Deception Of Silence

Areeba was an intelligent girl filled with dreams. She was simple, pure, and romantic. When she met Karim, a confident and kind young man, she found in him a companion who made her feel alive. His words were sweet, his promises deep. He gave her attention, care, and eventually, love that crossed physical boundaries.
In her heart, Areeba believed they were destined to be together. But just when she began talking about marriage, Karim suddenly vanished. No message, no explanation. Days turned to weeks, and silence turned to pain. Areeba felt used, betrayed — convinced that Karim had only desired her body, not her heart.
Crushed by heartbreak and under her family’s pressure, she was married off to Hassan, a man chosen by her parents. But the trauma followed her. On the wedding night, when Hassan discovered that Areeba was not a virgin, he humiliated her, labelled her impure, and divorced her that very night.
Areeba returned to her parents' home, carrying not just broken dreams but shame placed on her by others. Her family treated her like a stain, whispering behind her back, blaming her for things they never tried to understand.
One evening, unable to bear the pain, Areeba walked silently toward a nearby well. She stood on the edge, closing her eyes — ready to end the nightmare her life had become.
Just then, a familiar voice broke through the silence: “Areeba! Stop!”
She turned around. It was Karim — older, exhausted, with eyes full of tears.
“I know you hate me. I know what you think. But I never left you to betray you,” he said, stepping closer. “I disappeared because I wanted to earn enough, build a home — a life for us. I worked day and night abroad. I wanted to return as someone worthy of you. I never imagined you'd be forced into marriage… or that you’d go through all this.”
Areeba froze. The truth shattered everything she had believed.
Tears streamed down her face — not just for the pain, but for all the moments lost between silence and misunderstanding.
Karim continued, “I came back for you, Areeba. I still want to marry you — not to fix the past, but to build a future with honesty and love.”
She looked into his eyes, and for the first time in years, saw sincerity… not deception.
They married in a simple nikah ceremony. Life was never perfect, but together they built peace from brokenness. The wounds remained, but love began to heal them.