Wasim's loyalty never wavered, but curiosity evolved into compulsion. Asma's tales from Miami had rewired something deep inside him. The detailed texts that arrived in the middle of his workday, photos of bite marks and red handprints with faces carefully blurred, voice notes capturing her breathless

Asma's first solo trip post-agreement was to a medical conference in Miami. Wasim dropped her at SFO, kissing her deeply in the terminal amid the bustle of travelers hauling carry-ons and the distant announcements echoing overhead. "Be safe. Come back to me," he said, eyes shining

Asma and Wasim's wedding in Lahore had been a whirlwind of silk saris, fragrant jasmine garlands, and the rhythmic beat of dhol drums echoing through the night. Their families, bound by years of shared neighborhood gossip and Eid celebrations, beamed with pride. Wasim, the quiet computer science prodigy