Chapter 17: Qasam (The Oath)

It was a quiet afternoon in the Mohammad household. The relatives were seated in the veranda, sipping chai and talking among themselves, the way distant families often do when they visit during vacations.

One of the older aunties casually remarked,

"Veeresh is such a fine man... maybe it's time to think of a second marriage too. After all, if Poornima is too moody—"

She didn't even finish.

Veeresh, who had just walked into the room, froze.

There was silence. Heavy. Cold. Everyone looked at him.

Veeresh’s jaw clenched, his fists curled, and his eyes burned with fury.

He took a deep breath and said, his voice calm but filled with fire,

“A second marriage?”

He walked into the center of the room, looked everyone in the eye and said clearly:

“The day I did my nikkah with Poornima, I stood in front of Allah and made a vow. I swore that in every happiness, every sadness, every fight, and every failure — she is the one. Only her. Forever."

Everyone was silent. Not a sound.

"Even if she is angry with me, even if we argue, even if time tests us — I don't need a second woman in my life."

His words thundered in the room.

“So from now on,” he continued, “no one will speak about this ever again. Not even as a joke. Not even as a thought.”

He gave them all one last sharp look and turned toward the door.

“I married Poornima out of love. And I’ll stay married to her out of love, faith, and choice.”

He picked up his laptop bag, his anger simmering just beneath the surface, and walked out.

No one dared to speak.

As he drove to the office, his thoughts stayed on her.

“Mere begum ke alawa kuch nahi chahiye mujhe.”

(I need nothing else except my wife.)

Back at home, Poornima wasn’t there. She had gone to the terrace quietly, unaware of what had just happened downstairs