Re: Unfortunated rishta stories.
This one is sad, I will only say that it is a distant relative and I won't reveal which character in the story I am actually related to for the sake of privacy.
So there was a man living in the US who was a bit older (30ish) and was receiving pressure from his family to get married. However, he was involved in extra-marital affair with another Pakistani woman. This woman had a love marriage, or marriage by choice, and was married for less than five years. He was tall, darker skinned and handsome. No one was sure why he couldn't find an unmarried woman. She was of the some complexion, attractive in her heyday, but had since then gained a lot of weight due to health related issues. Everyone was under the assumption she was happily married, after all, it was not forced, no one knew why she was cheating on her handsome, successful husband. I believe the affair started out of convenience as they both lived in the same apartment complex and saw each other frequently.
The woman revealed to her husband that she was having an affair and wanted out of the marriage. The husband, prideful as he was, said he would not grant the divorce and apparently, would rather be cuckolded. They stayed together, despite the affair and everyone thought the wedding was restored.
Shortly thereafter, the man who was having the affair decided to marry. Everyone considered it a good rishta. She was from Karachi and he quickly applied for her visa and she emigrated from Pakistan. I remember people saying that she was much better than the married woman; younger, slimmer and with fairer skin (all totally superficial presumptions, but you know how the chatter goes). I'm not sure what her life was like when she got here but I imagine that she was excited and nervous to be moving to a new country with a new husband and a new life.
Meanwhile, in the household of the married woman who was involved in the affair, there were new developments. The husband found out that his wife's boyfriend was now happily married, so he agreed to finally grant her a divorce. His intent was to keep them apart and since the guy had secured himself with a new wife who was seemingly better than his own, the man followed through with the divorce.
That's when the poop hit the fan. As soon as they were divorced the boyfriend dropped his newlywed wife and went on to continue his relationship with his mistress. He had only married the Pakistani girl to fool the other man into granting the divorce. The poor Pakistani girl quickly divorced him, packed up her belongings and left to stay in Canada with relatives.
The two that were formerly involved in an affair were now, surprise, surprise, newly single! They eventually married themselves and I have not heard of any discord. Both have lost touch with their families. The guys own mother is treated improperly in her son's house, and as such she no longer visits him although she lives in the US as well. The woman's sickness has compounded and she is infertile as a result. They have no children and no ties to their family. I am told, though, the woman's mother now lives with them.
I was visiting their state 7 or 8 years ago, in my teens. I was out to dinner with some friends and cousins and ran into them at a restaurant. They knew who I was but I hardly got a hello. I rarely hear anything about them, and it is probably best that way.