His Revenge

➺Chapter Eleven

A/N: I am back in Pakistan! WHOO thank God Alhamdulillah. My country is so precious like I seriously felt it in those 20 days. I couldn't even stop anywhere for a SUBWAY! It was the worst. And cheese pizza over and over again is not fun. Pakistan is a huge blessing. I would not trade my place here for any other. People who die for American citizenship- I don't know what's wrong with them. They clearly haven't tasted halal subs, afghani fries, and Barbecue Lay's. Imagine how I freaked when I started eating Barbecue Lay's over there and found out they were haram . . . It's right what the elders say:
"Apna mulk apna hota hai."
Ain't no Donald Trump kicking me outta this country.

➺Eleven

Aaida felt a shiver rake down her spine.

Zaeem climbed out of the car and the chauffeur held the door open for her. Her husband didn't look back but walked into the cemetery as if knowing she would follow. Aaida had never been here before and she had no idea what he wanted her to see.

They walked in between gravestones on a stone path. There were large statues under which the richer folk were buried and some graves didn't even have markers. Finally, finally, Zaeem came to a stop in front of two tiny gravestones. He bent down in front of them and reached out to wipe the dust which had gathered on the stone. Aaida knelt beside him and read the tiny lettering on each stone slab.

'Junayna Usman

Daughter of Mahra

Sister to Zaeem

June 1917-July 1917'

The second one read,

'Safiya Usman

Daughter of Mahra

Sister to Zaeem

February 2, 1918

Lived for two minutes, thirty-six seconds'

Aaida paled. Her eyes went wide and her heart dropped. "These were your sisters?" Her voice was quiet and hoarse. She had never known.

"They were," Zaeem nodded. "Junayna was Jabir's daughter even though her last name isn't my father's. Usman was my mother's maiden surname." He took a small breath and continued. "My mother . . . married Jabir without her parents' consent. She was the daughter of an aristocrat, one of the richest men in our country. Till this day, I have never talked to him." Aaida did not know of any of this. She waited patiently for him to continue. "Mamma met Jabir at one of their parties. He had just entered the business world and didn't have much a name for himself. My grandfather, Mamma's father, wanted Mamma to marry someone who had a name in their society. He could not fathom the idea of her marrying someone beneath them. But Mamma was in love. And she would not marry anyone else even though she was only 15 years old at the time and Jabir was 36."

Aaida nearly fell back in shock. Zaeem smiled slightly, sensing her dismay.

"So my mother ran away," Zaeem said softly. "She left the family who had loved her and raised her and wished the best for her. And she married my sorry excuse of a father. She gave birth to me a year later and all was well. Jabir made his empire. He rose higher and higher in the world of fame. And then . . . he met Aliya."

Aaida stiffened. Zaeem didn't stop.

"Aliya was my father's brother's ex-wife. They'd been together for two short months before he found out that both you and Aaus were not even birthed from the same father before him. He divorced her instantly upon learning what a harlot she was. Yet, despite my Uncle's warnings on how much of a leech she was and her whorish ways, my father fell for her charms."