Love found me

23. She will stay with me

Relief washed over Dua as she discovered that Zaviyaar had only sustained minor cuts and scratches, and overall, he was doing fine. The inclination to turn on her heels and hastily depart from the hospital surged within her, but a compelling force restrained her. Ravi was assisting him, and, in the midst of consoling his mother, Zaviyaar's gaze collided with hers, causing him to freeze momentarily. The intense scrutiny shifted downward, landing on the little girl standing beside Dua, triggering a sharp intake of breath.

Farisha, with a quizzical look, locked eyes with her father, her widened eyes confirming that she knew him. The clandestine glances at his pictures and their chance encounter in Vancouver had revealed the truth to her. She had learnt it in Canada only that the man she had met in the park was her father. She had seen him in the picture that Dua secretly looked at. It was their Nikah picture. Farisha had wanted to ask about her father but she had seen Dua crying while holding the frame which held her back from inquiring anything. She didn't want to hurt her mother. But now as saw him, injured and bandaged...her throat clogged with emotion.

In a soft whisper, she addressed him as "Papa," casting a look filled with longing.

Dua sighed while looking at her daughter who had left her hand and was now slowly padding towards her father.

She wanted their first meeting to be different, desiring a more controlled and proper revelation, not in a hospital setting amid his injuries and her emotional breakdown, especially with the possibility of his wife and child's presence, though unseen as yet.

Seema, squeezed his hand while whispering words. "She is yours."

***

She was anticipating his outburst for hiding his daughter from him, and braced herself for his reaction. Surprisingly, he remained silent, choosing instead to cradle his daughter in his arms while smothering her with kisses as tears streamed down his cheeks. After a while he scooped her in his arms and sauntered out of the hospital, ignoring her presence and the renewed pain in his injured leg due to the abrupt movements.

Her heart raced within the confines of her chest. What if he sought custody? The mere thought petrified her; she vowed not to allow it. In fear, she offered no resistance as Seema guided her outside. Standing before the Abaan mansion after so many years, tears streamed down her cheeks, memories of their time together flooding her mind.

Seema understood her feeling and rubbed her back soothingly and, led her inside. She asked the maid to bring water for her. She glanced around nervously and Seema noticed.

Positioning beside her, Seema spoke, "He is in his room."

"In his room? His wife would mind," she fretted.

Seema frowned, "Whose wife?"

"H-his."

"He only married once, and now that you guys are divorced, he has no wife."

Confusion and disbelief clouded her mind. She had seen him with his wife and child. "But I saw him in Vancouver with his wife and a baby."

Seema chuckled, dispelling her misconceptions, "Last time he went to Vancouver with Shifa and her daughter."

Wide-eyed, she processed the information, her earlier assumptions shattered. Seema continued, "Haidar's assistant was with him too, as Ravi had to stay and manage things here."

However, an unshakable certainty gripped her— the person she had glimpsed was not Shifa. A deep breath failed to quell the unease that settled within her, leaving a lingering sense of disquiet.

Interrupting the tumultuous flow of her thoughts, Seema interjected, "And yes, Haidar's assistant was with him as well, because Ravi had to stay to manage things here."

As the weight of the revelation hung in the air, Dua sheepishly glanced at Seema. A wince crossed her features as the memory of her own pitiful behavior resurfaced. This behavior had manifested when she had prematurely concluded that Zaviyar was married to another woman.

"Dua," Seema gently held her hands, "I know you still love him, and he loves you too. In the years without you, he lived as if he had lost the most precious thing in his life. I witnessed his sleepless nights and saw him spend entire nights gazing at your picture."

Seema paused, wiping away tears that had streamed down her frail cheeks at the recollection of her son's suffering. Meanwhile, Dua sat in shock, absorbing the revelation that he had missed her all along.

"He missed you," Seema continued, her voice heavy with emotion. "Why did you two separate when you still love each other?"

"It was his choice," Dua replied, averting her gaze with pursed lips.

"Hmm," Seema moved away and leaned back on the sofa. "You should've stayed and made him realize that his choice was wrong."

Standing up, Dua, resolute in her decision, asserted, "I tried, but he didn't listen. I'm not taking all the blame for our failed relationship."

"I think it's late," she added nonchalantly. "I should leave. Can someone bring Farisha to me?"

"She will stay with me." Seema, caught off guard, started to respond, but before she could, Zaviyaar's voice resonated through the room. She looked up and found him standing on the stairs while Farisha was nowhere to be seen. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

Was she going to lose her daughter?

She shook away the negative thought and shot him a glare, declaring, "She would not."

Zaviyaar, his expression clouded with fury, glared back at her. The realization that she had kept their daughter away from him for so long intensified his anger. How could she? He hadn't had enough time with his daughter— hadn't memorized every nuance of her appearance, hadn't reveled in her scent, and hadn't heard her voice to his heart's content.

Dua's suggestion of taking Parisha away further fueled his rage. Was she seeking revenge on him through their daughter? If so, he vowed to protect his daughter from the conflict between them at any cost, even if it meant going to extreme lengths.

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