The first few days she felt as a part was missing from her. She didn't go to her university and stayed in his house trying to feel his presence in whatever way she could. She cries her heart out.

He was a man with a plan.

Besides that his brother was there to pull her out of the fake comfort she was building around her, her husband also appointed a driver to take her wherever she wishes to, a guard to protect her and a maid at home to help her with work.

He has left his card with a sufficient amount of money with his brother to pay for her tuition and living expenses and it is the card where his monthly income is deposited by the army.

She had asked his brother how will he manage if all his money will be in her hand and his brother said that he had focused him to take one of his card (brother's) with him so they know he is alive whenever he takes some money out.

Though she knows that's not entirely the reason for handing him the card. His brother loves for him is clear in his eyes when he has seen her inform her of his departure, his brother's eyes held a deep pain in them. The pain of not knowing if his younger brother will ever come back to him again.

The fear of the unknown.

She knows she showed him that she will not be affected by his absence. But deep in her heart, she feels his absence in every step. The difference is that she didn't allow her to dwell and stop it from achieving her life goals.

For starters, her degree.

She finally was able to get out of his house and back to her university. She wishes she has friends who she can speak to without having to feel that she was being judged. She also knows that the moment she feels like anyone with who she is acquainted is making her uncomfortable with her decision is the time to end it.

She has done it without any remorse.

She had one friend before she went into the fiasco of marriage in the two weeks winter vacation from her university. She had called her to told her that her mother brought an unknown man hand for her.

It did not end well.

She remembers her friend telling her how her life will now end and how she won't be able to live anymore. That her mother was forcing her to get rid of her and whatnot. That her husband is in the army so he will be an unfaithful and rigid man who will force her to do things.

That's exactly when she ended it.

Maybe she wouldn't have felt those things that badly. But her heartfelt pain from her words, her mind was clogged and her poisonous words made her feel extremely cold and uncomfortable.

Her father always taught her that friends are important, only good friends whom you don't have to change yourself or fake.

She knows that one friend probably spread her marriage details around the campus. Since her heart is hurting already, she doesn't care about that.

The day started with her sitting in the front row of the class and whispering around her until someone taps her shoulder.

She turns to one of the girl- Reena looking at her, "Did you get married?"

She nodded, "Yes".

"Why so soon? Was it forced? How can you marry someone you didn't even know or loved?" Reena questions only have her head hurt

"It is truly my decision at what time I wish to marry and I wished to marry right now. I am happy with my husband and I don't care if it is an arranged marriage. He is the best man for me". She said irritated as she turns around to the teacher entering the class making her release a breath

The next two hours of the lecture went by in a blink. She looks at her hand where the bracelet he gifted her shines brightly and she smiles.

"Kubra". She heard someone say as she raises her head to find her classmate- Imran

"Yes?"

"Are you ok?" Imran asked taking a step forward and she takes one back

"Why are you asking me that?" She asked confused because she never spoke to him in all these years

"I heard your husband left you just after two days of your marriage. You must be heartbroken. You can talk to me if you want". Imran offered

"I don't think so". She said walking past him to the library hiding away with a thundering heart

She has never encountered such situations and she has no idea what she can possibly do.

The next couple of weeks she waited for a letter from him because that is the only way she can hear from him. Phone calls from where he is are rare and dangerous so she didn't expect that.

She heard her phone ringing with messages as she looks at her phone frowning.

She opens the message,

Hi! This is Imran. Hope you remember me.

She closes her phone when it rings again.

It is not nice to ignore someone who you have been talking to for weeks.

No, she hasn't. He always tells her he understands how sad she must be and all those sweets words but she never spoke a word back. She doesn't like the way he looks at her and his advances, she just doesn't know how to handle them.

I wonder what your family will think if I were to tell them about everything between us.

Her heart stopped.

Is this real? Is this man real? How can he talk about ruining her this easily?

"As long as you make sure you are safe and understand the need to draw a clear line for anyone who tries to disrespect you anyway, I am more than happy to see you succeed"

She remembers her husband words and trust in her and she knows she is not going to be someone who gets blackmailed by this disgusting man.

She needs to learn to draw a line.

She leaves her room with the phone tightly in her hand as she knocks on his brother door which opened after a few minutes.

"Can I please speak to you?" She asked politely, "If you are not busy".

His brother nodded closing the door behind him as he stands in front of her looking at her.

"Is there something I can do for you?" His brother asked after a few moments

She took a deep breath handing the phone to him as she explains the details to him.

"I promise I never once spoke to this man". She added in the end

"I trust you". His brother said softly, "Your husband told me that you are still naive about things. I guess he figured that you will understand the world a little later than everyone else".

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that one day he wishes to see you standing tall and strong when the world pushes you down. I hope when he comes back to us, he gets his wish fulfilled. And that you stay safe and sound for him". His brother said smiling, "I will take care of this man, you don't have to worry about it. If there is anything please come and find me. Also, don't speak about this thing with anyone else".

She nodded smiling thanking him as she went back to her room. She opens his closet taking out his clothes changing them as she starts her assignment.

She received a letter.

A letter from him.

It states his bad working environment. He told her how innocent lives were leaving the world and all the people higher position only care about their power and lust for things. That he was failing to protect everyone.

In the end, he told her that she was the only thought that was keeping him sane in this war. That he wishes the best for her and that she needs to continue fighting like he was because they both will never give up on their lives until they are back together.

For worse or better.

She continued to receive letters after letters which kept her going for weeks, months and years. She understands the pain he went through when he lost his team, an innocent child of a farmer he was protecting and many more. She wishes she was with him to comfort him but she wasn't.

She had sent her a beautiful accessory that he said that he learned to make with the village woman. He told her how he always spoke to these elderly women about her and what he always wondered about her.

That in the morning the sun looks like her to comfort him and at night when he lay down on the cold ground looking at the sky, the stars shine like her.

He never spoke of any physical pain and she prays every day that he was not hurt. He always spoke how much he wishes he has a few days to come back to her. And she wishes he does, just a few moments so they can hold each other and confess their love.

To feel his warm body, his hand holding her and his deep voice comforting her as they do in her dream every night.

She wishes for him after spending all four years without him. There didn't go a day she never missed him. The waiting was never easy.

She did meet a person through his brother- Sanam.

She asked her to meet her in a cafe and she chooses the cafe she has been to with him for the last time.

"Sanam". She said smiling as she sits in front of her placing her bag, "Sorry, my work got delayed".

"It's fine. I was just admiring the place anyways". Sanam said softly as they order their food

"You wanted to see me? What for?" She asked unsure because they have only met once

"For a reason, I thought we both were familiar with". Sanam said smiling, "Army".

"What about it?"

"I heard from your brother-in-law that your husband is a very high ranked army officer". Sanam said and she nodded, "And that you haven't met him for years".

She sighs, "Yes. I haven't seen him in years".

"Waiting is painful, isn't it?" Sanam said sadly, "I used to wait for my husband too".

She frowns, "Your husband? But he is with you".

Sanam chuckles, "Not this husband, dummy. My late husband. He was an army officer".

"My husband is alive". She said not liking it

"I am just speaking about my story. I know your husband is alive". Sanam said softly, "I never saw my late husband body. All I had was his grave and for years I thought he might returns".

"They say that is highly unlikely".

"True. I just couldn't bear the thought that we were married after so many struggles and he left the next day of our marriage and never returned".

She gasps, "What?"

"Yes. He never came back. He said his promise to protect his land was something he will never comprise when I begged him to stay". Sanam said smiling lightly, "Pathetic. I know".

"No. No. I understand. If there was a chance I wish for my husband to stay".

"I know. The one who never been in this pain thinks we are dramatic and not understanding what important work our husband does". Sanam sighs, "They think we are simply not the person who should have married an army man when we knew they might die someday".

She didn't say anything because she knows Sanam was right.

"But isn't waiting beautiful?" Sanam asked smiling, "I waited for years and one day, right in front of my late husband grave, was the man who became my world. Who joined me together and presented me with love I have never seen".

"Waiting is beautiful. They don't understand us. They say we whine but they don't understand the pain we live in. That we are not complaining about that pain, we love that pain because it reminds us of them. That this pain reminds us of our love for our husbands". She said as she gulps because she has once shared her pain and received just words she doesn't want to remember

"You are right. I hope we can stay friend and I hope you know that one day he will be here. And if you ever want to speak with someone, you can call me. I will only listen and not say anything unless you want me to". Sanam said as they start to eat and talk

She became friends with Sanam and her overbearing husband rather quickly. Her husband has that love in his eyes for his wife that she loves watching. She was not envious of them but she was so happy to look at that respect and love in their relationship even when most of the time they are bickering.

The next surprise came after a month of her new permanent job.

Sarah.

She came to visit her.

Everyone told her to not meet her but she felt something asking her to meet her, so she did.

So she called her in the cafe.

"What can I do for you?" She asked looking at her

Sarah didn't look as sophisticated, arrogant and temperamental as before. She looks sad.

Like someone took her life from her.

"How are you?" Sarah asked softly

"I am good. You?" She asked curiously

"I know you are wondering why I am here". Sarah said taking a deep breath, "I wanted to apologise".

"Why?"

"Because I hurt you--".

"Why, Sarah? Why are you here?"

Sarah took a deep breath again, "I know the pain. The pain of losing someone you love. I know that pain".

"What are you talking about?"

Sarah closes her eyes in pain, "The reason I rejected him that day was that I lost my father".

Her eyes widen as Sarah continues, "My father was in the army. He was never home on my birthday or any other day for that matter. He would come for a while and act like everything was happy and ok. He will act like we were the perfect family when he was never in the picture. I saw my mother endlessly suffering all by herself to raise me".

"Then?"

"I wanted a secure man for myself. I thought that Rohan will take his father's work because his brother was a lawyer. I was in love with him in high school however he never spoke about the army. He told me exactly a month before the day he proposed". Sarah said gulping, "I was a mess for a month and I continued to look at my mother suffering she went through all those years and the final straw was when we received the news of my father leaving the world and leaving us to feed ourselves. I hated it. I started hating them".

"So you rejected him".

"Yes. I did. I rejected him the same day. But all the years to come I suffered silently. I suffered from knowing I broke his heart and never explained it to him. I was suffering from knowing I lost a good man".

"What changed?"

"My mother had enough of my tantrums about not marrying when I turned 30. She forced to marry a man who was a bank manager and a secure man like I wanted". Sarah shut her eyes again, "He died. A year after our marriage, he died in an accident".

She took a sharp intake of breath.

"The first thought that came to me as I was being punished. That I broke an amazing man heart which is why I am like this. My late husband was everything that I wished for and everything was so good. Just that the good didn't last that long. I understand that be it army officer or any common man, death is inevitable". Sarah said smiling sadly, "Will you ever find it in yourself to forgive me and ask your husband on my behalf?"

She nodded, "I don't have anything to hold you accountable for. My husband never gave me a reason to look at his past with envy. I do forgive you and I know he did too, just that we never want to associate with you".

Sarah smiles genuinely, "That is more than enough. Thank you!".

"He taught me something". She said smiling, "He told me that Lord has trails for us all and if we have a walkthrough them with beautiful patience, we will have a beautiful result. Maybe your time will come someday. Maybe your time will start again and your heart will beat again. Don't ever give up".

"I won't. I will leave now".

She nodded as she sits back watching Sarah stand from her seat when she bumps into a strange scary man. If it was her, she would have taken a step back but Sarah went on full argument with him and she looks at the man who seems to enjoy it until Sarah went out of the cafe in anger.

"You happen to know what that woman name is?" The man asked her

"Even if I know, I won't say. I don't know you". She said confidently

"I am someone you shouldn't know. But I do go by the name of Tauheed in my field of work". Tauheed said smirking

"Then you can find her by yourself". She said walking away

"Oh, I will". She heard him whispers

She enters her office because she took half a day off. She continued her work for hours until it was time to leave. She walks to the exit when her senior calls her.

"Yes?" She asked unsurely

"I just wanted to offer you a ride". Her senior said

"No, thank you. I have a driver". She stated firm

"Come on! It's been weeks I am trying, give me a chance".

"I think I told you that I have a husband".

"Who is never here. I do know that he doesn't stay with you. It wouldn't hurt to have a little fun".

She takes a step forward glaring at him, "If you think that you being my senior will stop me from reporting this harassment and slapping you then you are wrong".

"Who is even faithful these days?"

She snickers, "You will be surprised to see that some of the humans are decent and raised like a proper human who likes to be faithful to the one they love".

"He will never come back. He is invisble. Your husband is not going to be of any need. He doesn't even leave a child behind".

She knows that will come eventually. In these years even when she didn't associate with anyone. Many free mouths told her she should have slept multiple times with her husband to bear a child in case he doesn't come back or if he does come back, he will be too old to have children.

Nonsense and not logical talks.

She slapped him, "Maybe this will teach you to be faithful to your wife who stays at home thinking you are earning for her".

"It's a good things I didn't miss the action this time". She heard the voice she was craving for a long time

She turns around abruptly as her eyes widen looking at her husband and soon they brimmed with tears, "Rohan".

******
If you don't know who Sanam is, you will have to go back to my favourite couple in chapter 46.

And if you don't know Tauheed which you have to know then head to my favourite couple of all time in chapter 43.3.

And Trust me, I am not killing another of my army boy. 🥺❤ one time, the pain was enough.