Forgiving Riaz.

One Month Before Riaz Leaves For Good.

"Are you sure you want to meet him?" Fahd asks his wife.

"Yes, I am. I want to end that chapter of life that I would rather not remember ever", she answered him.

A few days ago, Riaz contacted Fahd so that he could apologize to Hanan and maybe see Armaan for one last time.

But Fahd was unsure of what he should do, so he had to ask his wife.

He knew that Hanan needed this because it was the only way to get past what happened between them.

"Okay but I will be there with you and as for Armaan, she will be the one to decide if she wants to see him or not. I want to give her the freedom to choose what she wants to do about this", Fahd tells his wife making her smile.

"Yes, we will. Why don't you talk to her?" Fahd asks raising his eyebrows.

"You know why. Because she listens to you more than me. You are her Superhero, remember?", she tells him.

Fahd couldn't help but remember the first time he met her. He fell in love with her from the moment they met.

His parents were right when they told him that Armaan is special and she is.

"Fine, I will talk to her...."

"Asalam Aleikum dad and mamma. Are you alright, mamma?" Armaan asks her mother as soon as she enters the room.

"Waleikum Salaam. I am fine alhamdullilah. Your dad wants to talk to you about something", Hanan says to her daughter.

"What is it dad?"

"I want you to your mind open about what I am going to tell you and it is your choice, habibty. Your mamma and me will never force you to do anything. Riaz wants to meet you and your mamma...."

"I...I am scared Dad. What if he hurts me again?" Armaan stammered.

"I will be by your side always. And I promise that I wont let him hurt you. Besides, Aru this is your choice, if you want to see him or not. We will never force you to do something that you don't want, remember that?", Fahd advises his daughter.

"I know that dad. But what do you think that I should do? Do I see him or not?" Armaan asks her dad.

"What does your heart want? To see him one last time or to never see him".

Armaan looked at her parents and knew that she had to do this for her mother so that they could move on and let go of the past that was still holding her mother back.

"I will see him but dad I want you to be by my side. And never leave me alone", Armaan says to her father who nods at her.

"Okay then I will be right by your side no matter what".

Fahd knew that Armaan was still scared of Riaz after what happened to her when he took him. Especially when she clung to him when he saved her.

The day to see Riaz arrived, wasn't a normal day for both Armaan and her mother because of what he did to them in the past.

It wasn't like they hated him, it was because they didn't feel anything, especially Armaan who knew Fahd as her dad and no one else.

"Asalam Aleikum...."

"Waleikum Salaam", Fahd replied to Riaz's greeting.

"I want to say that I am sorry for everything that I ever did to you and to you too Armaan. I was blinded by money and the fact that I didn't have to work because I married someone rich. I know what I did was wrong but I didn't have anyone to tell that what I was doing was wrong including my parents", Riaz says to Hanan. "They didn't care about anyone or anything else. They cared about money that came from you and me. Before I met you, I used to work three jobs just to support my parents but they didn't even care about my health", he added smiling sadly at Hanan.

Riaz looked at Fahd who was holding Hanan and Armaan close to him. He knew that he didn't belong there as he had never been Armaan's father from the beginning.

Fahd has always been there for her.

"I forgive you. This is for me and not for you. I want to be happy with my family. And for Armaan, she will tell you what she wants to say", Hanan tells him. And then turned to face her daughter and nodded at her to say what she needed to say.

"I forgive you but I am sorry to say this, I don't consider you as my father. I hope you can understand, sir. Fahd Zain is and will always be my father", Armaan tells Riaz surprising Hanan and Fahd.

"I understand that. And you are right about Fahd being your father. He was there when you got sick, when you fell down and hurt yourself. I am not and will never take you away from him. You are Armaan Muhsin Zain and you are Fahd and Hanan's daughter. He deserves to be your father more than me", Riaz tells her. "I have to go now. Thank you for meeting and forgiving me. I have a flight to catch. Fahd, thank you for giving me a second chance at redeeming myself. I real appreciate it", he added.

"You are welcome. Everyone deserves a chance to correct themselves. And goodluck in your life. I hope you will get your dreams to come true", Fahd says shaking Riaz's hand.

Riaz got up from his seat and walked out of the café.

This is it. I wish I could turn back time and fix the mistakes I made. But I am also thankful to Fahd for giving me this opportunity to ask forgiveness from Armaan and Hanan. I needed it more than anything else.

"Are you alright, habibty?", Fahd asks her daughter Armaan.

"Yes dad. I promise you that I am fine now and its all thanks to you. Thank you for making me safe and for loving me as your own. I love you dad", Armaan says to her father.

Fahd hugged his daughter with unshed tears in his eyes.

"I love you so much, Aru. You and your mamma healed me from what I went through. You two...three are my life", he says kissing his daughter and wife's foreheads.

Forgiving isn't about the person asking for forgiveness but it is for you. You need it more than the other person does.

Remember forgive but don't forget because a fox can never be a sheep and vice versa.