Plot
The story is set in Hyderabad and begins with the village’s head, Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan on a stroll in the fields to discern the progress of the crops when one of the farmers mournfully informs him of the threats they are agonised with and enlightens him of the rising menace to their fields imposed by a cutthroat rival in the village named, Malik Mukhtar and his vile son, Malik Zubair. Being the village’s premier, Murtasim heeds the whole situation and it quite incenses him. He’s known to be responsible as well as ruthless when it comes to protecting and ensuring his people’s safety. When Malik tries to create problems over a mere land that he desires which is owned by Murtasim, it’s the cue for Murtasim to assert his true dominance. Hence, to instill terror and warn his foes of further barbarity against his people and meddling in the village’s peace, Murtasim barges into Malik’s mansion and threatens to kill his son —thus fueling the red-hot rivalry further.
Meerab’s hatred towards Murtasim continues to flourish as after a lot of entreaties, her parents refuse to change their decisions and try to make her adjust to the fact that Murtasim is the man of dreams and will keep her happy. She doesn’t stop imploring her father to defy Salma Begum’s decision and take her to her home in Karachi. Meerab is left in disbelief as a family secret from the past resurfaces before her. It is revealed that Muratism’s uncle Anwar is the biological father of Meerab who abandoned her after the demise of his wife and Meerab’s mother, Nazia, during childbirth. To have the baby in the right hands, Shahnawaz Khan and Salma Begun make Waqas and Anila foster Meerab and raise her as the couple both did not have children. Meerab is utterly devastated by the fact that her whole life had been a lie fabricated before her beautifully yet so cruelly. She gets despairingly lonely as Salma Begum sends Waqas and Anila away to Karachi with Meerab left behind. After realizing the rights Anwar has upon her, Meerab agrees to the marriage, much to Murtasim’s surprise who still is adamant about his refusal. But he starts pondering upon finding out that the alliance was set in place since Meerab’s birth as it was his late father, Shahnawaz’s, decision and wish to have Meerab become Murtasim’s wife and “Khaanum”.
After seeing that Meerab’s beginning to soften towards him and pitying the recent tragic revelation of her life, Murtasim agrees to the marriage as well being unaware that Meerab’s planning to marry him solely to make the family repent for everything they did to her. The marriage rituals begin, and Haya in her power tries to disparage Meerab before everyone though Meerub claps back at her after each of her failed tactics. On the day of the marriage, much to everyone’s surprise, Murtasim brings Meerab’s foster parents from Karachi himself just to make her feel better but she refuses to acknowledge them. Amidst the Nikkah, Meerab declines the nuptials and walks away before everyone and it incenses Murtasim and his family. She proposes a contract to her future husband stating that Murtasim can’t ever close upon her and should refrain from making any physical contact with her even after Nikkah, without her consent. Murtasim signs the pact with askance and takes her back to the wedding. Ultimately, they get married to each other.