She stumbles back as Zafar's mother starts to scream at her shaking her until her husband wrapped his arms around her pulling her behind him shielding her away from the wrath of these peoples.

"I have always wanted to see you". Saif snapped, "I have been wanting to meet you since you killed him. But you never stepped out of the house and there was no other way to see you. When I found out that you got married I knew this was the way". He moves closer to her while her husband stops him, "How does it feel to kill him?".

She clenches her hands on her side taking a deep breath, "Should I kill you just to be descriptive?".

Saif glare at her leaping towards her when her husband punches him hard moving him away from her.

"Get out of my house". Her husband snapped raged

She hasn't seen him getting this angry before, he is not even simple angry, the way he looks at Saif ready to kill him at any wrong move of his made her heart starts to beat rapidly. He turns to look at her briefly and the moment their eyes met she knows he is going to protect her, no matter what.

She heard the guard coming in informing them that her brothers were here and her face pale. She turns to Saif and his mother.

"Don't say a single word". She snapped hurriedly, "I am warning you, not a single word in front of them".

She watches her brother coming in and if possible her face pales further watching the knowing smirk on their faces. She clenches her hands on the side of her dress trying to stay alert while she worries about everyone in this room.

"My dear sister, it's been so long since we saw you". Wasim said coming closer to her and she steps back immediately making anger flash his eyes, "That's no way to meet your brother".

"What do you want from me?. Why are you here?". She asked wanting them to leave right this second

She clenches her phone that was in her hand tightly feeling her palm starting to hurt.

"We came to invite you to your birthday party that we arranged". Zain said coming forward and her eyes move to him

She frowns, "My birthday is in two months".

"Not anymore". Zain said handing her a small envelope

She takes the envelope as she reads the content that states her birthday is in a week.

"What is this?. What did you do?". She asked worriedly

She feels her phone buzzing as she looks at her brother who smirks at her and she looks at her phone to find her father's most loyal lawyer (Yusuf) and a friend calling her.

She answers the call when Yusuf said, "Yusra, save me. Help me, please. They will kill me".

Her heart starts to thunder in her chest as she was about to speak when the call ended leaving her still in her position.

She looks at her brother throwing the card at them, "I told you already I will sign them when I am 25. Why are you doing this?.

"We wanted to be sure". Wasim shrugged making her heart stop, "So, will you do it or not?".

"I will do it. I will do it. Please, please, stop this". She begged as her eyes brimmed with tears

"Make sure you are there or there are a few more on the list". Zain said as her brothers leave

Her shoulder slumped as she feels everyone's gaze at her and she turns to Zafar's family.

"Don't ever think about revealing who you are to them". She said clenching her hand as she feels nauseous from the memories

She heard her phone ringing again from the same caller as she answers it hoping that he is safe and alive.

Just as she answers the call, she heard the gunshot and scream following it. It took her a minute to realise what has happened and she fainted.

He watches her eyes rolling back as the phone fall on the ground before her body starts to follow but he runs towards her holding her in his hands before she does touch the ground. He pats her cheeks screaming for his people to get him a doctor and a glass of water before heading towards their bedroom.

He tries to sprinkle water on her face but she didn't move and her face remains pale which only worries him. He doesn't know what that encounter was but the way she acted, there is something big happening.

The doctor explained that she fainted from shock and will be awake in an hour and with the IV and a few medicines, the doctor left.

He turns towards Saif who has mentioned her previous lover as he takes threatening steps towards him banging him against the wall as he moved his face closer to him and his eyes turning red with his anger.

"If something happens to my wife because of you". He snapped, "I will send you where your brother is so better to start praying she is ok".

He stayed beside her holding her hand as he tries to warm her cold hand feeling the sudden loss of life in him. The night starts to fall and he looks at the moon feeling no comfort inside of him and all he felt is the need to look in her eyes even those empty ones, just once.

His family and Saif's family came back inside when she starts to stirs awake. He places his hand on her cheek calling her name anxiously waiting for her to open her eyes which she did.

She opens her eyes sitting on the bed with his help watching the needle in her hand as she holds her hand feeling the dizziness still there.

"What happened?". She asked hoarsely as her throat felt dry

Her eyes widen when she remembers what had happened and she looks around until she found her phone with 100+ missed calls from Yusuf's wife and she feels her heart starting to stop looking at it.

She dials her number back when she answers the call she heard the screaming and she immediately leaps out of the bed almost falling when he wraps his hands around her holding her. She looks at him pushing him away as she rips the needle out of her hand starting to move but he holds her hand pulling her back to him.

"I need to go. I need to go. Now". She said as tears start to brim her eyes

He nodded understanding the situation holding her hand as he asks his guard to prepare his gun, just in case. He held her hand through the ride without any words being exchanged but with every minute she got worse.

She stops the car and she was already running inside screaming their names. She enters inside with him behind her when she finds Yusuf's wife body on the floor, bleeding. She falls on the ground with the weight she felt on her shoulder shaking her body which has no life in it pleading her to not leave her.

She went screaming Yusuf's name when she finds his body in the bedroom with a bullet to his head which made her almost vomit with the familiar feeling she had before.

She starts to cry when she remembers someone is missing from here.

"Hasan". She said in a whisper before she starts to look around calling his name louder and louder in pure desperation while he could only watch the whole thing

After calling the police.

He holds her hand when she was almost going to lose her mind pulling her in his arms tightly as she starts to cry.

"Appi". She heard his soft voice (sister)

She turns around watching his tiny leg running to her before they wrap around her legs and she bends down hugging him apologising to him.

"I am sorry". She cried harder as she moves back looking at him, "Are you hurt?. Are you ok?".

Hasan nodded timidly, "They hurt mama and papa".

She feels her heart clench as no words came out of her lips and she nodded.

Hasan leaps to hug her again, "I am scared".

Knowing she didn't have power in her he bends down holding Hasan in his hands after introducing him. He holds her hand tightly walking out of this place. He needs to take them somewhere safe and safe is his home.

She closes the door after making Hasan sleep in the guest house leaning against it trying to hold back her tears. Her heart rips off her body and she is barely trying to hold it all together. Her anchor was gone, she believed that in the wildness of her life, she had two anchors. One was her love for Zafar and his presence and the second was her father's friend and his family.

She lost both of them to the same person. She lost her love, again.

She feels a pair of arms wrapping around her waist in a gentle touch as she was pushed away from the door she was slipping off from to a strongly built body as his arms held her tightly perhaps trying to hold her broken piece together.

"I am here for you, baby. Until the end". He whispers softly over her unbearable pain that was pounding in her head numbing all her optimistic thoughts

She nodded gulping her tears down leaning further into him, "Please, take me to our room".

He didn't even hesitate before wrapping his arms around her leg effortlessly holding her body in his arms and silently entering the room. He moves away bring her changing clothes leaving the room while she changes quickly and he came back with a warm glass of chocolate milk handing it to her.

She didn't realise many things in the whole commotion.

He was right beside her.

Even when he had zero ideas of what is happening and what was going on. He silently and patiently stayed by her side, not asking her a thing. She remembers she runs out of the house without any shoe on her and now that her eyes go to the shoe she took off just a few minutes ago she realises, it is his shoe.

That means he was barefoot the whole time and in her worry, she didn't even think that he made her wear his shoe and then his jacket that was securely wrapped around her body just a while ago.

He had held her hand and hugged when she needed it the most, he took care of Hasan and pushed everyone (his family and Zafar's) away from coming after her.

He is shielding her away from everything that could have hurt her further.

"The police took them for investigation. They might call you in". He said taking the glass from her placing it on the table

She chuckles dryly, "The investigation won't proceed".

He places his hand on her cheek tilting her head to look into her red eyes and even her voice is sour and low, that is not her, he knows.

"Why is that?".

"They won't let them investigate like every time".

"Do you wish this investigation to proceed?"

"I don't know".

She isn't ready to lose more people who start to bring her comfort.

Her heart clenches at the thought as she looks at him thinking what it will be like to lose him too. Her heart aches worse than ever as her eyes brimmed with tears and she leaps at him wrapping her hand around him.

"You can't leave me, Rami, please". She knows pleading might just be pathetic but she is desperate to hold onto him

He wrapped his hand around her pulling her on him, "I am not planning to leave anyway".

She heard him humming a tune she had heard from him before and just in his strong arms and assuring presence he coaxed her into a deep sleep she never thought she will have.

The next day she found Zafar's family again, she didn't know what to do so she busied herself with playing with her breakfast.

"What will happen to me?". Hasan asked and her heart starts to break at his innocent yet painful words as she clenches the spoon in her hand tighter, "Is it the orphanage again?".

She couldn't tell the boy that it is that again.

"You know what they said". Hasan said successfully grabbing her attention, "It wasn't your fault".

She feels her wall breaking that she's been building since opens her eyes.

"You don't know that". She said turning back to her plate watching everyone at the table looking at them

"No. No. That was the second last thing mama said to me". Hasan insisted, "I heard them talk. I heard them speak about a man who you love--".

She places her hand on his small hands, "Please, stop talking".

It is so much for her heart to handle the funeral in the afternoon. She doesn't need to be reminded of her dead love.

"I saw them". Hasan said again, "I saw the men".

"I know who they are". She stated hearing everyone gasp

"You will put those bad people to jail, right?". Hasan said looking at her hopefully and she didn't even know what she wants anymore

"You didn't kill them". Hasan shouted because she is not listening to his words, "They kept telling me to say it to you, no matter how many times until you believe it".

"They died because of me. That's the same thing". She said turning back to her untouched plate, "I did kill them".

"You can't kill anyone". Hasan insisted and she wonders how such a young boy can be so clever but he has seen the worse or parts of it, "I heard them that night. They thought I was asleep and they said something about a murder. They said you were involved and your name was used but it wasn't--".

She turns to him effectively stopping his words, "I get it, Hasan. I think I know everything you don't have to repeat it to me. Please".

"She is a murderer". This was Saif's voice as she turns to him, "She killed my brother. I don't even know how many more people she killed".

Hasan looked angrily at Saif, "She can't kill anyone. She cannot hurt anyone. She is not like that".

When no one believed him Hasan ran out of the room crying and she looks at his fading figure wondering if she has the right to comfort him.

"What is this about?". Saif said taking her attention away, "Did you killed my brother?".

"Are you ready to listen?". She asked raising her eyebrows challenging

They enter his office leaving everyone out beside him and Saif with her.

She turns to look at Saif, "Explain to me why was he not with your family and working in our house?".

Saif clenches his hands, "He hated our father. His mother died after giving birth to him and my father married another woman and when I came into the world, they might be a little more focused on me than him so he couldn't take it and went to live with his grandparents".

"Why was he working for us?". She asked again

"I am sure you have a pretty good idea that we weren't the richest people alive until a few years. He struggles with his studies and tuition so your house offered very good pay and he took it". The last word came out more angrily from Saif mouth, "You took his life by bribing him with that filthy money of yours".

She didn't speak.

She stands behind his desk in his office with Saif sitting in his seat while they both stands beside him. She takes out a small flash drive from her pocket putting it in the laptop as she asks him to open the video in it.

As the video starts to play, she went into her darkest memories. 

She sits in her room doing her work with a soft smile on her face because of Zafar who always made her feel safe and loved and in the next moment she heard the loud sound of her door-knocking through the empty silence.

She frowns as her door only knocks on rare occasions and when she is highly needed by her brother to follows some orders. She clenches her hands together breathing heavily when she remembers his words, 'you are a beautiful girl who have the courage to face any situation, Yusra. Don't be afraid'

She opens the door to find one of her older maid standing there horrified and she knows this maid is the only one who truly knows about her relationship with Zafar.

"What's wrong?". She asked as worry consumed her

"They took him. They took Zafar". She barely heard her speak over the pounding of her heart at those words

She didn't even hesitate as she sprinted through the house towards the garden where she found her brother and a very badly beaten Zafar which made the pounder in her heart worse.

"No. Stop. What are you doing?". She said starting to move to Zafar when her brother signalled someone and then  their men hold her hands stopping her effectively

She wiggles in their hands as tears start to make their way down her face as she looks at Zafar's body barely alive on the ground.

"Please, please, no". She begged

"I taught you the rules for years". Wasim snapped with so much anger that it made her heart stop at once, "Yet you defy us".

"No. Please. Please, I didn't do anything". She said trying to somehow keep him alive

A tight slap occurred through the silence when Zain raised his hand on her grabbing her from her hair.

"We will show you what will happen every time you try to love someone". Zain said with a sinful grin that made her shiver in fear of what is to come

She watches her brother standing in front of Zafar. Zain picks his body holding it tightly beside that Zafar wasn't even fighting them and right after that second, her brother took his gun out pointing it to his head.

Everything stops.

"No. No. Please. I promise I will give everything to you. I will do it. Please, don't kill him. Please, please--". Her words of plea came to halt when her eyes meet Zafar's and those similar pair of rare blue eyes she came across and fell for

At that moment of his death, he had a smile on his face and his eyes filled with their love as he nodded telling her she is going to be ok even if he was gone.

The thunders struck hard perhaps as the last warning.

Then she heard the gunshot.

A whole minute passed or perhaps many passed as she watches his body fall on the ground and instantly the smile disappeared and his eyes closed.

She thrashed around in the men hands trying to reach him, to touch him or to feel him but they didn't let her go. She screamed, cursed and cried altogether which her brothers simply enjoyed.

"Moving on". Zain said looking behind her and she turns her to head to find the same maid coming in

She pulls the flash drive before it can show any further feeling the piercing appearing in her heart. The way she felt her life ending that night, the cries and the trauma she has to live in for the next years never came to halt.

He pulls her tugging on her arms in a hug knowing she is holding herself together. He knows her brother was trash but he never thought they killed someone, and he never thought she killed someone either. It was all confusing and no facts in it.

"I will kill them". Saif said lounging forward when she blocks his way

"You can't do that". She stated calmly, "You do realise I am their sister yet I wasn't able to fight them off until now".

"So what?. You are going to let your brother live?". Saif snapped

She feels his hand holding her as he glared at Saif, "Hear her out properly before you throw more words at her. You have insulted her enough and there is only so much I will allow because she knows your brother. But, one more word and I will not even let you walk out of here on your legs".

She sighs, "I have found this recording just a year ago, luckily. I knew my brother had it somewhere and I have been searching for it. I know my brother took his case down till the end and all the high in power were involved in it so I couldn't just go to the police with the last bits of proofs". She pauses, "I have a plan. All you have to do is not speak about this to anyone, not even your mother. I promise I will fight my brothers, just trust me this once".

After convincing Saif, he went back to his place while she stumbles her way to their room while he follows behind her in a close distance so in case she is close to falling, he can catch her in time.

She enters the room leaving the door open and once she feels the familiar warmth of the room, she broke down.

Before she could hit the ground his arms wrap around her yet again pulling her in his comfort and she feels all the pain resurfacing as she cried harder. She has lost everyone she loves, what is she supposed to do?.

"It hurts. It hurts so much". She cried in his arms while he stayed quiet allowing her to say her mind and not give her any words of wisdom until she is back to herself

In the most crucial of times, not everyone needs to hear that everything will be ok, sometimes they just wanted to be heard so that scream that was buried inside of them could be let out in open. All the others have to do is listen, quietly.

He places her in the bed still in his arms as he looks down at her face where the tears were still there. He uses his thumb gently wiping away her tears hoping someday she gives a tiny piece of her heart to him because he has lost all of his heart to her.

She prepares herself for the special birthday party and Hasan was already taken by the orphanage. It wasn't her decision, she could have kept him with her. It was Hasan's decision saying that is the place he belongs because that is his home no matter how many homes he goes to live. She cannot believe a young child has to be a witness to such a harsh world yet she hopes someday he finds someone who can help him.

She enters the venue with her family (Rami's family) and Saif along with them. Her brothers greeted her enthusiastically but Rami didn't let go of her for her brothers to completely greet her. She watches the various media outlets and some of the most prestige people such as the royals here.

Her brother did play big.

"Before we get started on my sister birthday". Wasim said taking the microphone, "My sister said she will be honoured to give something back to me as a reason for us to raise her in the beautiful woman she is today".

She fake smiles taking her hand out of her husband who looks at her concerned but she nodded walking confidently to stand beside her brothers.

"It's true that my brother is the one who raised me". She said looking at everyone, "And there is only one thing they ever asked from me and that is to transfer everything that my parents named to me such as the company to them. Before I sign those papers, we will have to see how much my brother has done for me".

In a flick of the moment, the screen appears and everyone starts to whisper when the video started and her brother stood shocked looking at each other and before they could process, the scene where they killed Zafar appeared making everyone gasp.

Her brother launched at her when her husband came in front of her ordering his guards to take him away and that exact moment is when the police came in too that she called with a lie for her protection. They cuffed her brother who was screaming at her as they start to drag them away.

She spoke, "They didn't kill just him that night".

Everyone pauses looking at her as she played the video where they next killed the maid who helped her all the time.

"The man in the video was my first husband and that was my caretaker that they killed". She declared and she heard everyone looking at her shocked

The most must be her husband.

The screaming of her brothers continued as the press went after them. She looks at Saif who looks close to crying as he starts to move away from the venue and she runs after him standing in front of him.

"I am sorry. I am so sorry". She choked as she looks at him for any words even insults if he has for her

Just as she was about to speak again the press came after her moving her away from Saif who turned around and left the venue.

She feels someone presence beside her and immediately the press moves back as she feels someone holding her hand and she turns to the Queen smiling at her gently.

"Come with me, please". The Queen said gesturing her guard to make way for them as they head towards the backside of the venue which was quieter

"I am Isra". The Queen said and she nodded nervously, "I know you are wondering as to why I am speaking to you". She nodded lost of words, "It's because I saw the look in your eyes".

"Look?".

"The look of pain and guilt. I had something similar to it. Why are you guilty?".

"It was all my fault. They all died because of me".

The Queen placed her hand over her hand, "They didn't. They died for you not because of you. Did anyone one of them even looked at you like you were at fault?. They all knew what they were going to get in the end yet they choose to be beside you".

She remembers Zafar's smiling face and Hasan's words from his parents and none of them blamed her.

"It's about time to open your cage to set yourself free". The Queen said softly, "Your brother is a criminal and you are not. You are not the one who let them hold the gun at someone nor to shoot someone. They were grownups bastard who chooses that and they didn't even regret any of it".

Her eyes widen at the curse word from the Queen which made The Queen chuckle, "I can curse sometimes, I am only human".

She nodded, "I don't know what to do next".

"It simple, really". The Queen said standing taking her hand as she turned her around to face her husband's worried face at a distance behind the Queen guards, "You have to open your heart to new findings. The one that is gone can be missed but the who is here is the one we should live for".

She breaks through the guards running towards him and he opens his arms as she leaps in a hug. She buried her face in his masculine scent trying to let go of everything tonight.

She knew The Queen will have her get justice from her brothers now.

She stands on her toes trying to reach the top cabinet huffing because that rude, stupid, idiot man just has to use his extra height to make things hard for her.

It's been a year to her new start.

She started her job. She visits Hasan often and she is learning to love.

"One day I will chop his legs in his sleep so he is smaller in height than me". She hissed

"That just breaks my heart, baby". She heard his voice near her ear as she shrieks glaring at him

"And it breaks my heart when you hide my cookies in that spot".

"I did it for reasons".

"What is the reasons beside torturing me?".

"That I love you".

Every single time he has said that in the last six months, she feels her inside starting to clench in a knowing passion that she has been trying to disregard.

"Ok. Cookies". She said crossing her hand over her chest

"What will I get in return?". He asked watching as her face turns red just like every time he has seen in a year

To know she has a husband wasn't much of a bad case to him. Yes, he was shocked with that information but does it have anything to do with him? No. That was her past life, decides and things and he was no one to ask for clarification and raise arguments.

Her past is hers and no one has a right to ask her a thing.

"What do you want?". She asked pouting and he couldn't help the smile that appears on his lips

She has been extra adorable after she gets comfortable with him after the overdue of that event. It took the next two months to fall into a routine and knowing she loves her work, he placed her back into it right away.

Her first husband died when she was 20, they met when they were 18 and got married in secret after she left high school. Though her brothers let her study and excel in the work field until she neared her age of 25 when she was about to be given her rights from her parents, they took her off work and caged her.

She thought her brother manipulating love was love however when Zafar came everything changed. Her father's lawyer found Zafar someday and showed him her parents will that he had been holding on to lying to her brothers that the will he gave them was real.

That is exactly why her brothers killed the old man. Because they found his lie and they needed someone to warn her.

He leans in closer to her, "You".

She blushes even worse and she groaned at his words, "Stop it. I want my cookies".

"Fine". He said grumpily handing her the jars watching her eyes lit up in pure happiness

"You are the best". She said munching on them because he made them for her

"Are we going to graves tomorrow?". She asked as she has yet to visit the grave of everyone who died for her

He nodded holding her hand, "We will. I will leave my daughter at a cafe with my guards"

His daughter was the most beautiful child ever. Even though her mother is not, she never tried to find the reasons for their separation as that was their affairs and she comes to terms that whenever his daughter is to visit, his ex-wife will never step a foot in.

His daughter was his precious gem however with her mother, his relationship became toxic. They met in the college where he was still young and emotional. He fell for her and they got married. However, the more he stays with her, the more he realised that there was no love, care or even compassion.

It was all his money she was in for. Things got worse when she started to gamble and go to inappropriate parties with his money.

He breaks their wedding off after two years.

Since his daughter was a minor, her mother had the upper hand and took her from him asking him to spends check for her care.

She shakes her head, "You don't have to do that. I will visit them and joins you".

He sighs nodding, "I want to show you something and I want my last wish from you".

"What is it?".

"Tomorrow. I will show them tomorrow".

She stood in front of Zafar's grave as no words came out of her mouth. As she thought that she would feel the same amount of pain, she didn't because she forgave herself before she visited them.

Saif never met them again and she is sure she doesn't want to see him either.

His sister got married.

She feels someone holding her hand and she turns to her husband who was smiling at her, "I couldn't stay there knowing you need me here".

She smiles gently nodding as he turns to Zafar's grave speaking, "I don't know but I hope you are in peace". He paused looking at her as she frowns, "This woman here is both our love and I hope you understand how I feel at the moment". He turns towards her smiling, "I am going to borrow a small piece of heart for myself".

She grins at him, "You are silly sometimes, Rami".

"Only in front of you, baby". He said chuckling, "And my daughter is drawing me, princesses".

Her head snapped towards him, "Excuse me?. She is drawing what and why?".

He hesitated, "Um, she said I need more princesses with me for um, car ride, plane ride and whenever you are not with me".

She glared at him taking her hand out of his hand and he whines, "Oh, really. Are you sure it is not you who suggested it?".

"No. I didn't".

"Tell her you have found a princess you needed".

"You are my princess?".

"No. I am your Queen".

"What's the difference?".

"Well, from the way it is portrait to the world a princess is someone who needs a prince for her rescuing while The Queen can do it all on her own".

He chuckles at her anger shaking his head as they head back home after dropping his daughter off.

He holds her hand taking her to his wood crafting place as he opens the door and the lights turn on. She found an object covered in a white sheet and he asked her to reveal it.

She gasps looking at her replica crafted with such details on the wood. Her hearts flutter when his arms wrapped around her.

She was wearing a black dress which looks family and her eyes were just desperate for something. She doesn't remember when she had wore this dress because she doesn't have it now.

"That is you I saw the first time". He said softly turning her around, "That was you that interest me to have you beside me".

"I thought you did that because of my brothers".

He shakes his head, "I did that to have you free from that place. I observed you the whole night and your eyes were screaming things that I was able to hear clearly. All I did is play a little to have you here".

"What about the fact that you asked me about lying about my lover?". She asked raising her eyebrows

"I never said that your lover is a lie". He said softly tucking a strand of her hair away, "I said about the fact that you were holding back from your feelings for me".

"What is your last wish?".

He wraps his arms tightly around her pulling her closer to his chest as he whispers against her lips, "Mujhe apni mohabbat day do ya meri qubool kar lo. (Give me your love or accept my love for you)

"Tumhae lagta hai mujhe tum se mohabbat nahi?" (Do you think I don't love you?)

He nodded sadly and she leans in closer to him watching his breathing hitched as she whispers, "Mujhe tum se zayada is duniya mai kisi se mohabbat nahi hai, Rami".

(I love no one more than you, Rami)

That was them.

Rami and Yusra.

The end.

*****

This has to be my best one after a while. I remember getting weird motivation and wrote three chapters in a go.

Tell me what you think?. I will appreciate your feedback ^_^.

See you all soon with Imran story coming up next.

Your author,

Faiqa.