She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The reason why she left home and was still wary of coming back was getting away from her without any effort. Why was Haider doing this for her? She meant nothing to him and they were about to get divorced then why doing this? Perhaps it was out of his loyalty to his profession. Maybe he wasn't as heartless and impassive as she had been thinking of him as. He knew her problems and now he decided to help her in his own way. Ironic but true. And that was something where she couldn't stand a chance against him because it happened so dramatically.

"Ammi..." Ishmal whispered as now finally police had dragged Abid towards their police mobile.

It was weird how her mother hadn't uttered a single word of protest for the benefit of her husband. She never asked the cops that they shouldn't take him. She remained silent though Abid had revolted very much. She could even find him glaring at her when he was eventually made to sit in the vehicle.

Farah's teary eyes found her and she again hugged her tightly. "Ishmal, my love. Where were you?"

Ishmal's jaw dropped. That wasn't the welcome she was expecting. She had thought of everything worse but here her mother was referring to her as her love and even hugging her. This caused her to sob more. She had missed her way too much.

Ishmal then narrated every single happening to her. From her stepfather's second attempt to assault her, her getting fearful after hitting her painting board on his head and then he that becomes the reason for her fleeing. How she met a police officer in the night and out of need and pressure, she married him based on a contract. And how everything led to this day.

Ishmal held her hands. "Ammi please forgive me. I...I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have fled. I should've come to you that day but...but I was very frightened and then I didn't know how that fear made me take this big step."

Farah shook her head and wiped her cheeks. "No, my dear. It wasn't your mistake. It's mine that I couldn't have protected you enough. And you wouldn't have been able to reach me that day, Ishmal because that bastard had fed me and your grandparents some sleeping pills mixed with juice. But I am so grateful to Allah SWT for protecting you."

Ishmal was stunned. Was she hearing it right? Her mother had never become suspicious of her and still thought of her safety.

"Ammi, do you believe me?" She asked, impatiently.

Farah kissed her forehead. "There's no way I would have doubted you. Abid tried to disgrace you but I always knew it was he who was behind all of this. Why did you marry someone, beta? You shouldn't have left the house. You should have hidden anywhere but even if you did, you should have come back home quickly. I would have protected you."

Ishmal licked her lips while moving her head from left to right. "It wasn't easy, Ammi. I was totally dumbfounded. I thought I had killed him. And if he had survived, my presence would become a disaster for you and my brothers. You guys still needed him.

Farah clenched her jaw angrily. "I would have been happy if he had died. He is such a pathetic man and I didn't even know that there's such a horrible personality behind all those sweet gestures by which he made a fool of my parents and then me."

Farah then cupped her cheek. "You married someone. Did he give you a divorce already?"

Ishmal bit her lower lip before shaking her head. "Not yet. But soon."

Farah face palmed herself. "Oh my God, Ishmal. What did you do?"

"I had no other choice, Ammi. I had no place to go," she muttered.

"But marriage wasn't a solution for it, Ishmal." She then held her arms and moved her hands up and down. "He didn't try anything with you, right?"

Nothing except a try to make her fall in love with him in which he succeeded. He got her heart, mind, and soul without even trying. Her first touch, first kiss, and love. Everything! But that wasn't what her mother should know.

"No, Ammi. It was just a paper marriage. We will get divorced soon," she told her.

"He is an ASP, right? Did he get Abid arrested?" Farah implored, shockingly.

Ishmal shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe yes. I don't know."

"Why he is still getting involved in your matters, Ishmal? I am getting worried. He must be a dangerous man. Why would he marry like that then?" Farah has another problem to think about.

Ishmal grabbed her hands and squeezed them. "Perhaps it's his duty that's why. Don't worry about that, Ammi. We have nothing in between us even before as well. It was all for a show. I needed a refuge and he needed this marriage. He will give me a divorce discreetly anytime soon and no one will be able to to know that I ever got married."

"You come inside. You must be hungry. I'll get you a meal. Next morning, we will shift to your grandparents's place permanently," Farah offered her and led her inside.

Ishmal raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I don't want to live in that disgusting man's house anymore, Ishmal. I will get a divorce from him as soon as possible. My son doesn't even deserve to get raised in his shadow," Farah argued sternly.

Perhaps they would never see his shadow ever again. Ishmal thought. If Haider had captured him with his claw, then it was must have been the intention of no way out for the man.

Ishmal swallowed to wet her dry thought. "Ammi, if you are doing all this for me then please don't do this."

Farah patted her cheek. "I am doing what I want, Ishmal. Come on, let's go." She then led her towards inside.

But Ishmal's eyes locked onto her brother who was still looking at her warily. She put a hand over her mother's arm.

"Ammi, he was his and Ibad's father and your husband. That's not good for all of you," she murmured.

"We don't care about him Ishmal. He had put a bad eye on you and made you uncomfortable in your own house. A person like him should rot in hell. I would have already taken a divorce from him the first time I got to know his vile intentions for you, but he blackmailed me by using my sons. But not now. I will ultimately get a divorce for him and free all of us from his horrendous nature. we will not bear this anymore. Your brothers know this and they love you as their sister. They hate a man who doesn't respect a woman," Farah explained, as a matter of fact.

Ishmal turned towards Ayyan and stood in front of him. "Ayyan, how are you, my brother?"

Ayyan nodded then smiled. Ishmal quickly wrapped her arms around his small body. Kissing his head, she closed her eyes. She had missed her mother and brothers so much. She wished there was a way to lessen the loss of her all of them. They all had been doing it for her sake.

  
                    ______________

When Ishmal came into her room, her eyes did a journey of it. That was the place where she had spent such a long part of her life. Her childhood, teenage,e, and adult life. Before a disaster happened and took away everything from her. But still, it gave her that cozy feeling which she got from it before. She found all the things the same as before. The arrangement was the same and even the cleanliness was taken care of.

She walked inside with her suitcase in her hand. Placing it near the bed, she sat on it. Ishmal moved her fingers on the bed sheet and felt its softness. She didn't expect all of this to happen. All the time, she had anticipated a very simple life for herself. But now was a havoc. She reached her home and no one said any bitter thing to her. Her mother and her brothers all understood her condition.

But sometimes thinking about that night made goosebumps rise on her skin. The night she was so terrified and escaped from her house. All of this seemed dramatic yet bone-chilling.

Taking a long breath, she stood back. She needed a good shower to rub off this tiredness and weird feeling. Opening her suitcase, she wanted to get herself a fresh dress. She chose a random black one which was on top. As she removed it, something else caught her attention. It was a red small box. It was hidden by the dress. Was it it? She never remembered owning such things ever. All of the jewelry which she had before, were given to her by Haider. And Ishmal left everything purchased from his money back at his own home.

She grabbed the box and regarded it silently for a while. She opened it and it was revealed to be a ring. It was of pure gold having an intricate work on above. She narrowed her eyes holding it between her thumb and index finger. Where did it come from? It wasn't her but who put it in her suitcase then. Other than Haider, no one knew that she was going. Then Haider?

Ishmal put her palm over her mouth in alarm. Why was he doing all these things? What did this mean? Why he had given her a ring when they had no real marriage and they got separated? And then imprisoning her stepfather. What were all these actions referring to? 

                     __________________

AssalamoAlaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter for you.

I hope you like it.

Do you like that Ishmal's mother accepted her back and even took a stand for her?

That ring was the one that Haider purchased for Ishmal when he was buying Hiba's birthday present in case you can't seem to remember. He couldn't give it to her because he had seen Nisha and Ruhaan in the jeweler's shop which led to their heated argument and now directed to this day means their separation.

Why do you think Haider had put this ring in her suitcase?

What do you think will happen next?

One thing I want to say is that fleeing is never encouraged for girls. Even in this story, I am not encouraging it. It will not be shown in any negative or positive light. It will remain neutral because it is the necessity of the story. Yet Ishmal's circumstances made her get approval from her mother because she never wanted to do that and her fleeing was not meant to be selfish or for any disgrace to her family. So in any case, may Allah SWT protect everyone's integrity and no girl should see this day to even think about fleeing.

Do vote and comment if you liked the chapter. ❤

Till the next one, Allah Hafiz/ Bye. 💟