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The car cut through the darkness of the deserted roads, devoid of any signs of life. Suddenly, the driver's phone rang, interrupting the silence.
"Hello," he answered, his voice deep and husky.
"Zaniyah isn't well, where are you?" the woman on the other end said urgently.
"What happened to her?" he inquired, his concern mounting.
"She fainted," came the terse reply, cutting through the air.His patience waned, a surge of worry enveloping him as he pressed on the accelerator, desperate to reach her.
Little did he know, a storm of events was about to unfold.
Meanwhile, in a room illuminated only by the faint glow of the moon and a lone lamp, Zaniyah lay curled up on the bed, consumed by pain.
A sudden wave of nausea seized her, forcing her to rush to the bathroom where she emptied her stomach.
"ahh," she gasped, her words choked with agony.Her long hair, once neatly clipped, now cascaded loosely around her hips, a reflection of her distress.As she returned to the bed,
a woman in her 70s entered the room, her presence bringing a sense of solemnity.
"You're pregnant, Zaniyah," she uttered, her voice laden with gravity.Zaniyah remained speechless, grappling to comprehend the magnitude of the revelation.
"Arzel is going to be a father," the woman continued, enveloping Zaniyah in a comforting embrace.
The weight of the news pierced through Zaniyah, tears welling in her eyes as she attempted to process the implications.
"Where's Arzel?" she managed to inquire, her voice trembling with uncertainty. ___________________
"Go underground. Uncle's guards are hunting you," Kabir explained, his brow furrowed with worry.
"But she needs me, Kabir," Arzel's concern for Zaniyah palpable.
"Your safety is what she needs most right now," Kabir insisted. "We'll fake your death to keep her safe until you can return."
"We'll tell her you're dead," kabir's voice trembled with emotion, knowing the lie would tear them apart.
"But when you come back, she'll be fine," Kabir reassured, though the weight of their deception hung heavy in the air.
_____________________
"The warehouse," the man said on the phone, while the other man hummed in acknowledgment.
"Tighten security and call the press," he ordered before abruptly ending the call.
As he turned around, he spotted a woman standing at a distance, her gaze fixed on him.
"Zaniyah," he whispered, both recognizing each other's true identity.
He approached her, witnessing tears welling in her eyes. A lone tear trickled down her cheek until he gently wiped it away.
Kissing her forehead, he greeted, "Hi, sister and bhabhi," eliciting laughter from her.
"You're a good actor, Kabir," Zaniyah remarked, prompting Kabir to embrace her.
"I'm sorry, Zaniyah," she cried out upon hearing his apology. Shaking her head, she added, "We were too young for this."
"Momma's murder and Dad's death, we were too young for that pain, but we survived," she said between hiccups as Kabir hugged her tightly.
Realizing it wasn't the right time for her to know about Arzel, Kabir reassured her, "Arzel is in a meeting, so he'll come late tonight." Zaniyah nodded, planning the surprise she had in mind for him.
"But only if she!!" Kabir's words trailed off, hinting at an uncertainty.
"Zahra will come tomorrow morning," he assured, bringing a smile to Zaniyah's face as she giggled.
Kabir glanced at her, on the verge of tears, knowing everything would mess her up. With a nod and a smile, he said, "I'll take my leave," to which she nodded in acknowledgment as he departed.
Supporting himself against the car gate where Zahra was sleeping, he didn't want to disturb her. Meeting Zaniyah alone, he smiled, though today, his smile couldn't hold him together.
A tear escaped from his eyes as Zaniyah's face lingered in his mind, pondering what he would do after all this. He couldn't bear to see her hurt, let alone lose her.
He opened the door and stepped out of the gate, driving to his apartment. Though he thought to wake her up, seeing her peaceful sleep, he decided against it.
Wrapping his coat around her, he carried her inside, laying her gently on the bed beside his room. Locking all the apartment doors, he left, knowing this girl could do anything. ________________________
The clouds roared loudly, shrouding the sky in darkness. Standing on the balcony, she paced back and forth, her nerves tense with worry. His phone was switched off...
"Arzel," she whispered softly, closing her eyes and gripping the balcony's edge.
"Bhabhi," the room door swung open hurriedly, and she rushed out of the balcony to find Huraira standing there.
"Bhai," she gasped, breathing heavily as Zaniyah rushed towards her, gently caressing her back to calm her down.
But Huraira broke down in tears, and Zaniyah's head began to ache, fearing the worst for him.
"Huraira," she whispered softly, tears pricking her eyes.
Huraira sobbed uncontrollably as Zaniyah hugged her, trying to provide comfort, though she needed it herself. But there was no one there to comfort her. Not even him.
Her face grew pale as Huraira uttered those words that shook her soul.
"Arzel Bhai died in a car accident," she said, and Zaniyah's hands stopped moving. Her legs wobbled as she sought support from the cold floor and the edge of the bed.
"You're lying," she said, looking at Huraira, who shook her head, confirming the dreadful news.
Her only family was no longer with her.
"Please, Huraira, please just say it's a lie, please," she begged, but Huraira remained silent as she got up.
"Please, me mar jaaungi" she pleaded with Huraira, but her silence only intensified her pain.
Slowly, holding her belly, she whispered, "I'm sorry."
Only time would tell when he would do everything just for her, and only for her.
