Early update, cause you all wait for me till late. Thank you! 🥺❤

*****

She looks around the places that Zakir said he could be hiding in. She continued to search all day, afternoon and it was dark now. The rain was pouring heavily as she drives through the city.

The worry starts to settle in her because her thoughts were starting to turn bad. She heard her phone ringing, so she parks her car on the side.

"I found him". Zakir said and she sighs  relieved

He holds his head in his hands as the rain continues to drench him for hours. He didn't have the strength to face anyone. He has never been in such situations and he has avoided most of them.

Yes, he was offered the money. He didn't accept them. He didn't know how the video came out, probably to blackmail him since he didn't fall prey to them. 

He remembers when he was offered the money, all he could think of her words about a short-lived luxury. He didn't want to do anything illegal and forbidden.

Something forbidden is always bad.

"I told you to keep your fame to yourself". He heard her voice as the rain stops pouring on him

He raises his head to find her in front of him, on her knees, with an umbrella over them.

"I-I-". He couldn't even form a sentence

She gulps her emotions as she moves forward, wrapping her free hand around him. She was sacred. She knows she wants to do this, but she can't just end the years of suppression.

"You don't have to force yourself". He said in a low tone

She shakes her head, placing her head on his shoulder as she mumbles, "Just accept the hug when I am offering it nicely or I can move--".

She didn't even finish her sentence when his arms wrapped around her tightly. After a moment she heard his sniffing knowing he must be crying.

"I am sorry". He repeated over a hundred times in a few minutes

She pulls back, not that far, as she looks in his eyes, "Have you done something wrong?"

"Will you believe my answer?"

"Yes". She said, without hesitation, "If I can't trust my own over the stranger, that is not how the relationship works".

"What if I did it?" He asked, out of curiosity

She shrugged, carelessly, "Then repent".

"What if I didn't?"

"Then don't apologise".

He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her comfort, "I didn't do it. I didn't make any money".

"But, you are taking advantage of my kindness".

He smiles slightly, pulling away from her, but keeping his hands around her waist, "I promise, I didn't do it".

"Then why are you hiding?" She asked, hitting his shoulder, "Do you have any idea how worried Zakir was?"

"And you weren't?"

She shrugged, "I will break your head for that later. I am hungry and I want to go home".

He stands from his place, taking her hand, as they move towards her car. She decided to drive because he didn't look well.

"If you get sick, I will throw you out". She complained as she watches him sneeze, "Maybe somewhere far".

"How about near my ex?"

She snapped her head towards him, narrowing her eyes, "Try saying that again and I will throw you out of this fast-moving car".

He chuckles, "Ok. Sorry".

They stand in the middle of their house, which was completely destroyed by the angry mob.

"My things". She cried, as she looks at all of her things, "This was my first space suit".

"You work in spaceships?" He asked confused

"Yes, I do. Why? My father didn't explain that?"

"Maybe my parents do know. I have no idea".

"You should have taken interest in your future wife".

"Yeah. I am regretting that".

"What?" She said, looking at him as he packs a bag for them

"I said, you didn't take any interest in me before marriage too". He said smiling, "What was that you said? Oh, you were disgusted by me".

She rolls her eyes, sighing, "That wasn't the best time to be introduced to you".

"Why not?"

"My parents wanted me out of the house because they want to marry my sister".

"I-".

"What have you done?" His mother shouted, entering their room, "Why did you do that? Was it because of her?"

He could feel his heartache, "You didn't even ask if I did it".

"I know this woman was not right for you. I know you must have done it to fulfil her demands". His mother said, placing her hand on his cheeks, "She made my poor son a sinner".

She rolls her eyes, "At least, let the man speak".

"Don't talk back to me". His mother shouted at her

"We can't stay here". He said, moving towards her, "It's not safe".

She nodded, standing from her place, "I know. I don't mind stay anywhere else until everything calms down".

He turns to his raging parents, "We will stay with you".

She sits in his parent's house room, looking at his old achievement. She saw his pictures from a very young age where he was playing cricket.

"Do I look that good?" He said, standing behind her as he places his head on her shoulder, "You have been looking at my picture for the past few minutes".

"I am just wondering what happened". She said, hiding her smile, "You used to look good".

He turns her around, in his arms, raising his eyebrows, "And, I don't look good anymore?" He leans closer to her, inhaling her spicy scent, "You are not talking".

She places her hand on his chest, hearing the loud sounds of his heartbeat, "Your heart doesn't match your cocky words".

He rolls his eyes, moving back, "Are you ok with my touch? I don't want to make you uncomfortable".

She sighs, "It will take some time to get used to your touch. But, it doesn't make me uncomfortable. Until, you give me a reason to be uncomfortable, I am fine".

"I will do my best". He said, sitting beside her and it seems he can't just move away from her, "I want to tell you that I will go to the police station for investigation and file a case later. I will hold a press conference..".

He wants to add that he wants her to come with him. But, she already had two panic attacks in front of the media.

"You will do good". She said, placing her hand over his

She stands in the kitchen, making her tea when she heard his mother walking in. She greeted her to which she didn't reply and she didn't care enough to start drama this early.

"You have to quit your work". His mother ordered

She raises her eyebrows, as she sips her tea, not knowing which tea is better, "For what reasons?"

"You have a family now. You need to think about them first". His mother explained

"I know how I have to handle my family".

"No. A woman cannot handle or create a good family if she is out of the house".

"That thinking is for people who were born in your age. Our generation learned the art of multi-tasking". She said shrugging

"Are you implying that you will not do as I say?" His mother snapped

"Exactly that. I know when I have to do what. I can decide how I want to take care of my family. I don't need interference". She snapped, as she stands from her seat, "If you wanted a daughter-in-law who stays at home, you should have looked for the one who wants to. Not the one who works her entire life on her career only for some stranger she met a few days ago to tell her that her hard work was useless".

She hates it in here. Haris told her to avoid her office until things calm down, but she can't stay here with his mother over her head. She had enough of this same long episode drama in her house and she was not looking for it here.

"Do you have any idea how much your daughter insulted me?" His mother cried

As much as she tried to avoid the drama, she came back home to find that his mother had demanded her parents' presence and now it was a whole show.

"I did no such thing". She said shrugging

"Apologise to her". Her father snapped

"You should know your words don't do a thing to me". She said, angrily, "As I said, I did nothing wrong. His mother ordered that I quit my job and I said no".

His eyes turned to his mother, "Is this true? Did you ask her that?"

"She needs to build a house". His mother shouted

"We can build our house, Ammi". He said angrily, "Even before marriage I told you that I will not have my wife do anything that you want from her. I never told her that she needs to quit, how can you? She can do whatever she is doing. We can decide for our future".

"See, this is what she did to my son. First, he took that money and now this". His mother screamed

"Apologise to her, Dalila. This is not the time to be stubborn. She is his mother. You need to understand that. You cannot cause their relationship to turn sour because of you". Her mother pleaded

"So what? I didn't do anything that I have to be guilty of. His mother is wrong and she should be guilty-".

Her mother raises her hand and she holds her hand, pushing it away. She clenches her hand tightly as her chest tightened. She turns her eyes to look at him, as she takes a step back, another and his arms immediately wrapped around her.

He pulls her behind him, as she clenches the back of his shirt in a tight grip.

"I think I can decide if she needs to apologise and I don't think so". He said, narrowing his eyes at her parents, "Don't ever come here on my parents' command. And, this is the last warning, don't ever raise your hands and voice on my wife. I do not appreciate it".

He holds her hand, bringing her to their room. She sits on the bed, holding onto his wrist in a tight grasp.

"Dalila". He said softly and she opens her eyes looking at him, "I am here for you".

She leans her head on his chest, breathing in deeply, nodding, "I was wrong about something".

He kept his hand on his side, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, "What is that?"

"You can take a stand when needed". She said, moving back with a sad smile, "It looks good on you".

"What does?"

"Bravery".

"I will look for a place tomorrow". He said, placing a strand of her hair away, "I don't want you to go through all this for no good reason".

She holds his hand, bringing it to her cheeks, "What happened today?"

"The police took most of my time so I couldn't hold the press conference. Also, they are looking for proofs, so that will take some time".

Her eyes softened, "Are you ok?"

He shakes his head, "I thought that match will open new places for me. I was so excited. I was looking forward to it. I was hoping I can finally show some of my skills to you". He let out a painful laugh, "Everything I worked so hard for can go to waste in seconds, Dalila. I can lose everything and it scares me".

"No, you won't". She said firmly, "We will fight. And, whatever the results are, we will accept them. If they are good, that's great. If not, you are not that old to start fresh. There is no such thing as losing in this world, Haris. I will stay with you even if you lost everything. You won't lose me".

"Promise?"

"Promise".

She sits in front of his house fountain as she moves her hand in it. She places her head on its edge, looking at the light of the moon falling on it. She is tired. Not tired because of her husband problems, but hers. She had fought for 27 years and she fought till 18 years for her parents' affection. She never won any of her fights.

She lost them to her sister. All of them.

"Kia soch rahi hain meri begum?" She heard his voice as he sits beside her, looking at her concerned, "Kuch howa hai?" (What is my wife thinking?) (Something's wrong?)

She shakes her head, sadly, "Kia muskil hai insaan bunna?" (Is it hard to be human?)

"Kia matlab?" (What do you mean?)

"Kia muskil hai insaano ki tarha raha? Acha bolna, acha sochna, acha karna aur dosre se narmi aur mohabbat se baat karna. Dosro k jazbaat, privacy aur zaat ka ehtaram karna? Yeh ittne muskil kaam toh nahi. Phir kyun nahi karty?" (Is it hard to be human? To speak good, think good, do good and to be kind and loving to another person? To respect others privacy, feelings and to be careful to not cross the line? These are not that hard to do. Why don't we do it?)

He places his hand on her cheeks, as a tear escape her eyes, "Kyun k insaan apni insaaniyat maar chuka hai. Ab bus apni zaat aur apni zaat se agay us ko kuch nazar nahi ata". (Because human killed their humanity. Now all they think about is their self and nothing beyond that)

"Bohat takleef hoti hai, Haris. Mera dil subha shaam bus isi aag mai jalta hai. Rozana mai apna ap marti hoon per koi mere se mohabbat nahi karta. Mohabbat toh dor ki baat hai mere se toh kisi nae shafqat se baat bhi nahi ki. Kia mai ittni buri hoon?" (It hurts so much, Haris. My heart is burning day and night. I kill myself every day, but no one loves me. Love is a far away thing, no one even speak kindly to me. Am I that bad?)

"Nahi. Duniya buri hai. Tum toh bilkul sahi ho". (No. This world is bad. You are good)

"I am tired of this world".

She closes her eyes and he panics as he moves closer to her. He places his hand on her head to find her burning in fever.

He carries her in his hand as he enters his house and his mother stopped him.

"Don't you have any shame?"

"She is sick, Ammi. What is wrong with you?" He asked as he hurries towards the room

He calls for the doctor who explains that she is under stress which causes the fever. After a few medications and more information, the doctor went away.

He holds her hand, "I am sorry. I promise I will take you away from everyone".

He stayed beside her, placing cool patches and checking her temperature all night. He messages Zakir to find a place instantly because as soon as she is up, they are leaving.

She blinks her eyes, feeling the heavyweight in her head. She groans, opening her eyes to find her husband sleeping beside her. With his body on the chair, his hand in her hand and his head on the bed.

She smiles, moving her free hand through his hair. He stirs in his sleep, opening his eyes as they fell on her, they widened.

"You are awake". He said smiling, placing a hand over her forehead to check her temperature, "Your fever is gone". He sits back on the chair, taking her hand, "You scared me, Dalila. If something is troubling you, please share it with me. We are partners, we can work anything out if we are working on it together".

"It's not because of something recent". She mumbles

"You don't have to spe--".

"You know when was the first time my parents hit me?"

She sits on the swing after so many days. The park was filled with children and her mother rarely take her here. She likes playing on these big things, she doesn't know their names yet. She asked her mother once, but she said she was busy to tell her.

So, she just calls them the colours that she learned from her kind teacher. She thinks her teacher is better than her mother. Her teacher helps her when she is stuck at something, her mother gets angry and call her stupid. She is not stupid, she just doesn't know what to do. Sometimes whenever her mother is angry, she hits her too.

But, she is a good kid, so, whenever her mother is crying, she hugs her. She stays with her to tell her it's ok. Something her teacher told her when she cried in class because she was afraid of the mistake she did in her classwork and being hit by the teacher for it.

"Me too". Dayna said, standing on the side and she shakes her head so Dayna shouted, "ME TOO".

"Dalila". Her mother screamed from the side, "Give your sister the swing".

"No. I want more time, please". She said, verge of tears

She knows her mother will push her away again.

"Now. Don't make me come there. You know I am not well". Her mother said, emotionally blackmailing her

She sighs, as she moves to her sister, "Mama, I don't know how".

"Then learn". Her mother shouted

She tried for a long time until a stranger helps her put Dayna on the swing and she smiles at her. She starts to push Dayna who fell because she wasn't holding on.

Dayna starts to cry.

She went to her, trying to calm her down when she saw a shadow over her. She saw her father standing, she can't yet read the expression so when her father forwards his hand, she thought he was asking her to place her hand.

So, she forwards her hand to him and he slapped her.

In a matter of few seconds, she felt her heart breaking into pieces. Her chest tightened and the fear grips her small innocent soul.

She turns to look at her mother, caring for Dayna and her eyes turn to her mother's swollen belly (pregnant).

As she wishes, "I hope she never comes in this world so she doesn't have to see all this"

The wish came true. Her sister never came to this world.

He can hear the pain in her voice and he didn't have it in him to question her.

So she speaks, "When I was only six. You know why they did it?" Her eyes filled with deep sorrows, "Because of my sister".

"Isn't Dayna your younger sister? Then why?"

She chuckles bitterly, "She is not my sister".

"What?"

"She is my stepsister. She is from my father's second wife".

*****

If heartbreak was a chapter, it was this. I can still feel the flashback in my heart 🤧. I wish I can hug my characters 🥺.

Also, do you realise why she is afraid of touch?

Next is the last chapter :( which will be out in an hour (original publishing time).

Your author,

Faiqa