To fully appreciate this part of the story, it is recommended that you read the earlier chapters linked below:
• A Silent Murder – The Story of Mr. Farid
• A Silent Murder – The Man Before the Fall
• A Silent Murder – Story of Mrs. Fareed (Part 1)
https://mansoormasood.com/a-silent-murder-story-of-mrs-fareed-part-1/
These chapters provide essential context and emotional depth that will enrich your understanding of what follows.
The Fall of Innocence – Lubna’s Path to Betrayal and Ruin
When Saniya and Ismat were married off, Lubna was just stepping into the treacherous waters of adolescence. She was barely twelve, a child on the cusp of becoming a woman. Ismat’s marriage took her far from the city, to an unknown life. But Saniya remained close, living only a few lanes away—a decision that unknowingly would twist all their fates.
Lubna had a peculiar habit, even at that young age—she became overly frank, almost flirtatious, with her brothers-in-law. It was seen as childish mischief by some, overlooked by others, but none realized the dangerous seeds that were quietly taking root.
Saniya’s marriage to Arif had been arranged in haste through a matchmaker. No one knew much about him—a shadowy figure who had carefully hidden his past. Only later did the family discover the chilling truth: Arif had been married thrice before. He had kept his wives tucked away like dirty secrets while pursuing new ones, all under the mask of charm and a modest demeanor. In reality, Arif was a wealthy government contractor who had spotted Saniya as she walked home from her office and decided he must have her. He cloaked his riches and his sins behind simple clothes and humble words, weaving a trap around an innocent girl.
At first, Saniya believed she had found a steady, if imperfect, partner. But with time, the dark corners of Arif’s soul began to emerge. His temper, fueled by alcohol, turned their home into a battlefield. Violence became frequent, casual. The frail-hearted mother of Saniya, burdened by the survival of her younger children, could offer no safe harbor. “Endure it,” she would whisper to Saniya. “Every woman must.”
When Saniya became pregnant, she clung to hope, thinking a child might heal the wounds Arif had torn open. But at eight months, a savage fight ended in horror: a brutal punch from Arif, blood pooling at Saniya’s feet, the life inside her extinguished before it ever saw the light of day. The tiny boy, whose arrival had been so dearly awaited, was lost. His death was hidden from Arif, and Saniya’s soul shattered in silent agony.
Throughout this, Lubna stayed close—too close. She nurtured Saniya, yes, but selfish motives lurked beneath. Living with Saniya meant better food, cleaner clothes, and Arif’s money fulfilling her smallest whims. Arif, charmed by her youthful vivacity, indulged her every wish. Lubna, now fifteen, was no longer a child. She was blossoming into a cunning, beautiful young woman—one who understood far more about the world than anyone knew.
Their mother grew uneasy. There were signs, whispers. She recalled the past, the strange questions Lubna had planted in Shabana’s mouth, the sly games she played to learn adult secrets. But love, and a deep exhaustion from life’s brutalities, made her hesitate to act.
Saniya too brushed off her mother’s concerns at first. She had loved Lubna like a daughter. She wanted to believe in her. But she began to notice things: how Arif’s eyes lingered too long on Lubna, how he laughed too freely at her jokes, how her smallest demands were immediately fulfilled. Saniya confronted Arif, pleaded with him to maintain boundaries. He nodded, smiled, promised—but nothing changed.
The cracks widened after Saniya’s miscarriage. She had thought about leaving, about severing the poisonous marriage. But poverty chained her feet, and her mother’s desperate pleas kept her bound. So she stayed, even as Arif’s soul grew blacker, even as Lubna’s presence filled her with growing dread.
When Saniya became pregnant again, Arif transformed—at least outwardly. He showered her with care, but always kept Lubna close. Saniya begged her mother to call Lubna back home, but Arif intervened, suggesting both sisters stay to “keep each other company.” Saniya realized too late that this was no kindness; it was a trap.
Shabana became the unwitting chaperone—busy with chores while Arif and Lubna found stolen moments together. Saniya’s heart withered with suspicion and helplessness. She was too heavy with child, too weak to fight.
Finally, a daughter was born—a beautiful baby girl. The household rejoiced, but Saniya’s joy was hollow. She returned to her home, the baby in her arms, while Lubna and Shabana were still under her roof. Soon after, Shabana was called away by their ailing mother, and Saniya was left alone with her worst fears.
It wasn’t long before Saniya caught them—Arif and Lubna—in an unmistakable embrace. Their denials were furious, but hollow. Saniya’s world crumbled. She rushed to her mother, who dragged Lubna home and beat her severely, but no amount of punishment could cleanse the filth that had seeped into Lubna’s soul.
In a chilling, emotionless voice, Lubna proposed the unthinkable: **”Get Saniya a divorce… let me marry Arif.”** Her mother, stunned beyond words, slapped her hard, but Lubna only smirked, already lost to shame.
Meanwhile, Arif had begun to distance himself from Lubna. True to his vile nature, he had found someone younger, richer, and more “worthy” of his wealth. Lubna, betrayed and humiliated, was left to drown in her own disgrace.
By seventeen, Lubna was uncontrollable. She learned to use her skills with Mehndi (henna) as an excuse to leave the house. She made friends with parlour girls—worldly, reckless women—who became her guides into darker worlds. They opened doors to places where boys with eager hands and loose morals waited. Lubna, experienced beyond her years thanks to her illicit past, knew how to take precautions. She knew how to manipulate. Her liaisons grew in number, but she wore a mask of innocence at home.
Rumors swirled. Her brothers, once blind, now saw the signs. Confrontations erupted, and each time, Lubna lied with practiced ease. Her mother’s heart broke daily, but she could find no way to stop the wild fire consuming her daughter.
Marriage was seen as the only solution—the only hope to save what was left of Lubna’s dignity. Matchmakers were summoned urgently. But another problem loomed: Shabana was still unmarried. How could they marry off the younger sister while the elder waited?
Finally, a solution emerged. Shabana would marry a cousin from the father’s side, and Lubna would be given to **Mr. Farid**—a man fifteen years older, yet desperate enough for marriage to accept without question.
Lubna protested, but her mother crushed her rebellion with finality. The marriages were scheduled for the same day. Lubna, now eighteen and a storm of fury, resentment, and secrets, was to be wed.
The stage was set for a new chapter—one far darker than anyone could foresee.
(What happened after the marriage, and the tragic fate of Mr. Farid, is covered in the stories published earlier on www.mansoormasood.com )