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Zainab had never seen the world, but she could feel its cruelty with every breath she took. She was born blind into a family that valued beauty above all else. Her two sisters were admired for their captivating eyes and graceful figures, while Zainab was treated like a burden, a shameful secret kept behind closed doors. Her mother died when she was only five, and from then on, her father changed. He became bitter, resentful, and cruel, especially toward her. He never called her by name; he called her “that thing.” He didn’t want her at the table during family meals or around when visitors arrived. He believed she was cursed, and when Zainab turned 21, he made a decision that would destroy what remained of his already broken heart.
One morning, her father entered her small room where Zainab was sitting quietly, touching her fingers to the braille pages of a worn old book, and placed a folded piece of cloth on her lap.
“You’re getting married tomorrow,” he said flatly. Zainab froze. The words made no sense. Getting married? To whom?
“He’s a beggar from the mosque,” her father continued. “You’re blind, he’s poor. A good match for you.” She felt as if the blood had drained from her face. She wanted to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth. She had no choice. Her father never gave her choices.
The next day, she was married in a small, hurried ceremony. Of course, she never saw his face, and no one dared describe it to her. Her father pushed her toward the man and told her to take his arm. She obeyed like a ghost in her own body. Everyone laughed behind her hands, murmuring, “The blind girl and the beggar.” After the ceremony, her father gave her a small bag with some clothes and pushed her back toward the man.
“Now it’s your problem,” he said, and walked away without looking back.
The beggar, whose name was Yusha, led her silently along the path. He didn’t say anything for a long time. They came to a small, broken-down shack on the edge of the village. It smelled of wet earth and smoke.
“It’s not much,” Yusha said softly. “But you’ll be safe here.” She sat on the old mat inside, holding back tears. This was her life now. A blind girl married to a beggar in a hut made of mud and hope.
But something strange happened that first night.
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