beyond the vows

chapter 13

The morning air was crisp as Musfira stepped out of the house, her heart heavy with the decision she had made. She clutched her bag tightly, knowing that today would change everything.

As she entered Shah Enterprises, she walked past the reception area with a blank expression, heading straight to the Human Resources Department.

The HR manager, Mr. Khalid, looked up as she placed the white envelope on his desk.

"What is this, Musfira?" he asked, confused.

She took a deep breath. "My resignation letter."

His brows knitted together. "Resignation? Why? Is there a problem?"

"No," she said quickly, forcing a small smile. "I’ve just decided to step away."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Does Zaviyar know?"

Her throat tightened. "I’d appreciate it if you could handle this without informing him just yet."

Mr. Khalid hesitated before nodding. "Alright. But you should think this through."

"I already have."

Without another word, Musfira turned on her heel and walked out of the office. She didn’t linger, didn’t allow herself to reconsider. She had made up her mind.

At Home

Musfira arrived home earlier than usual. Her father was sitting on the couch, reading a newspaper, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

He looked up, surprised. "You’re home early today."

She sat beside him and took a deep breath. "Abbu, I want to talk to you about something important."

Ahmad Ali folded the newspaper, sensing the seriousness in her tone. "What is it, beta?"

She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I don’t want to marry Zaviyar."

Silence.

He didn’t react the way she had expected. No anger, no disappointment—just silence. His expression remained unreadable.

His lack of response made her uneasy. "Abbu?" she pressed.

Ahmad Ali simply sighed, leaning back against the couch. His eyes seemed distant, as if lost in thought.

"We’ll talk about this later," he finally said.

That confused her even more. He always had something to say, always had a response. But this time, he didn’t.

Musfira frowned but decided not to push him. She stood up and went to her room, still puzzled by his reaction.

A Sudden Tragedy

Just as she was about to close her door, a loud crash echoed from the living room.

Her heart leaped into her throat.

She rushed out and froze in horror.

Her father was lying on the floor, his hand stretched toward the coffee table, where a shattered glass had fallen. It was as if he had tried to grab onto something before collapsing.

His face was twisted in pain, his right arm clutching his chest.

"Abbu!" she screamed, running toward him.

He gasped for air, his body trembling violently. "Musfira... beta..."

Tears blurred her vision as she held his face. "Abbu, what’s happening?!"

And then it hit her.

The way he was holding his chest, the way his arm seemed paralyzed—it was a heart attack.

Panic surged through her veins. "Abbu, stay with me! I’m calling an ambulance!"

Her hands shook as she fumbled with her phone, dialing the emergency number.

The next few minutes were a blur.

The ambulance arrived, and male nurses hurried inside, placing him on a stretcher.

Musfira sobbed as they wheeled him out, her mind spiraling into chaos. "Please save him! Please!" she cried, gripping the sleeve of one of the nurses.

"We’ll do our best, miss. But we need to get him to the ICU immediately."

She barely registered the car ride. All she knew was that the moment they reached the hospital, Haroon was already there, taking charge.

His voice was calm but urgent as he gave instructions to the medical team.

Musfira stood frozen outside the ICU, her body trembling, her face wet with tears.

"Ya Allah, please save him," she whispered, her hands shaking as she clutched them together.

Her world had just shattered in a matter of minutes. And now, all she could do was pray.