Dasht-e-ulfat
Written
by.
Shazain Zainab
Ep
# 11
"Why don’t you stop, Leena?" Nuraiz
said softly as he stood in front of her. He was currently in her room, which
was mourning its beauty after Leena had destroyed it in anger. Everything was
in disarray.
"Why should I stop? Tell me why?"
Leena replied, looking at Nuraiz with complete fury.
"Can’t you understand? He is not
interested in you. You should let go of him; he doesn’t have interest in women
anyway," Nuraiz said, disregarding her anger.
"He has become interested in me, and I
will make him," she spoke wildly.
"Are you crazy?" Nuraiz felt pity
for her state.
"Leena, you are doing wrong to yourself.
Stop this; you don’t even know what he is right now," Nuraiz was trying
every possible way to make her understand.
"Who are you to advise me?" She
picked up a vase from the nearby table and threw it hard onto the floor,
glaring at Nuraiz with fiery eyes. "Why are you getting angry instead of
understanding?"
"I like him," she declared loudly,
tapping her finger on her chest.
"Leena, there is a world of difference
between liking and lust. Your eyes clearly reflect lust, not affection,"
he replied, looking into her eyes with a stony tone.
"Are you going to explain the difference
between lust and liking to me? You, Nuraiz Usman, who spends every night with a
new girl," she retorted, stepping in front of him and punctuating each
word with her finger on his chest.
"I accept that, but at least I don’t
deceive myself by calling my lust affection like you do. And I don’t look at
the person I like through the lens of lust," Nuraiz replied, gazing at
Leena with eyes that burned with frustration. Her behavior and movements seemed
to be testing his patience.
"Keep your lecture to yourself, Mr.
Nuraiz, and get out of my room right now!" she snapped, glaring into his
eyes and gesturing towards the door. She was struggling not to lose her temper
and attack him.
"You will face great loss, Leena,"
Nuraiz tried once more to make her understand.
"Whether I face a loss or gain, it shouldn’t
matter to you. Just get out of here!" Leena shouted, her eyes red with
anger.
"I'm leaving, but listen to one thing.
When you get the chance, look around you and step out of Beast's thoughts. You
might find someone who loves you immensely right beside you." With that,
Nuraiz exited her room. His eyes were red with anger, but now, hidden within
that anger was an unspoken pain. A tear escaped from his ocean-green eyes. He
wiped his tears harshly and walked out of the mansion.
"I don’t know what he thinks of himself,
giving me a lecture on liking and lust," Leena fumed as she paced back and
forth in her room. Frustrated, she took off her lacy nightie and threw it on
the floor, then plopped down on the nearby sofa.
"Beast, you must be mine at all costs.
You are making yourself my obsession," Leena said, leaning back against
the sofa and staring at the ceiling.
***************
"Welcome, fairy..."
He remained calmly seated, explaining.
He stood up and left the study. As he exited,
the same maid who had left her there entered.
In front of the bed was a large dressing room
filled with all kinds of clothes, shoes, and everything Lily might need.
Attached to the dressing room was a modern, all-white bathroom. Lily stood
there, mouth agape, taking it all in.
Now, sitting alone in the room, Lily looked
around at everything, each item more valuable than the last. She was unsure of
what to do, and she slumped onto the nearby sofa, resting her head in her
hands.
*****************
"Is she okay?" Muzamil Begum asked,
smiling.
"She’s fine, but she needs rest, and I
have to return because of some matters," he replied, looking worried.
"Hadid, she is with your mother. Don’t
worry; I will take care of her," Muzamil Begum said, sitting beside him
and placing her hand on his head.
"Son, the environment in which she grew
up does not consider this so wrong; it is not her fault. However, if she does
not take advice from it and does not improve herself, then it will be her
fault. As for accepting her, she is my Hadi's love, so why wouldn't I accept
her?" Muzamil Begum spoke in a tone full of love, and each of her gestures
made the feeling of motherhood evident.
Hadid smiled softly. Muzamil Begum kissed him
on the forehead and held him close in her embrace. It was as if happiness had
finally graced both of them after a long time.
*************
Then the two of them started chatting about
various topics.
***********
**********
She had just exited her college, her high
ponytail swaying as her red-and-white uniform gleamed. She was about to get
into her college van when a familiar voice reached her ears.
"Will you come with me again
today?" Shehzad, who had stood behind her, asked without any hesitation.
For a moment, Sawera was stunned.
"Me?" Sawera replied, looking at
him in disbelief.
"Yes, you. Who else would I be talking
to?" Shehzad said softly, gazing at her.
"I...," Sawera felt a little
nervous, and for some reason, she was blushing while looking at Shehzad today.
"Hey, why are you thinking so much? I’m
your aunt's son," Shehzad said, stepping closer and taking her college bag
off her shoulder.
"Come on, how much burden are you going
to carry?" He added, taking the bag into his hands.
"But Shehzad...," she was about to
say something when Shehzad placed a finger on her lips. For a moment, Sawera
felt her heart race, but she managed to regain her composure.
Now, without any further argument, she
started walking alongside Shehzad. They hadn’t gone far when Sawera’s foot hit
a stone. Just before she could fall, Shehzad caught her in his embrace.
Sawera looked up at Shehzad, and for some
reason today, she felt something different while looking at him. The way
Shehzad treated her, speaking gently, stirred emotions in her heart. Perhaps
love had taken its first step into her innocent heart.
"Thank you..." she said, lowering
her head, barely able to utter anything else.
"Be careful. If you had fallen and got
hurt, I wouldn’t be able to bear seeing you in pain," Shehzad said, looking
at her with loving eyes, while Sawera could only nod in response.
As they walked a little further, Shehzad took
her hand. "You need to be careful. Walk alongside me," he said,
holding her hand as they walked together.
This scene had ignited a fire in someone
watching from a distance. Shehzad's closeness to Sawera had struck a chord in
that person's heart, who clenched their fists in frustration.
Meanwhile, Sawera was trying to control her
racing heart, which was inexplicably dancing to a different tune today.
They talked lightly all the way, but this
time, Sawera found herself blushing a little while being with Shehzad. For some
reason, her heart longed to keep listening to him. She was tangled in her own
feelings, lost in them throughout the journey.
Upon reaching home, she met her mother and
then locked herself in her room. Today, her heart felt restless; it longed to
be with Shehzad. Standing by the window in her room, she watched his car drive
away in the distance.
How beautiful this feeling of love is! The
first step is as lovely as it is, but the stages that follow can be bitter.
Sawera's innocent heart and eyes were sensing the beauty of this first step of
love, yet they were unaware of the bitter realities and phases of love.
Love had started to stir within her, but she
did not know what the outcome of this love would be. Would this love be hers?
Would it suit her?
***********
"Do you both know that Sir. Faraz has
assigned us a lecture assignment?" Noor said as she approached them in the
ground, looking worried.
"Yes, we know," Jaza replied
nonchalantly.
"Did you both complete it?" Noor
asked, looking at them in surprise.
"Yes, we did. Why, didn’t you?"
Amna said, looking at Noor, who stood there with her mouth agape in
astonishment.
"No... And when did Sir assign the
assignment? I didn't even know," Noor’s voice was filled with a mix of
surprise and worry.
"He assigned it last week. Were you even
paying attention in class?" Jaza said while looking at Noor.
"But when did Sir say anything?" Noor
still couldn't believe it.
"Sweetheart, why don’t you just sit down
and start working on the assignment? What else will you do?" Jaza said,
giving Noor a stern look.
"What about you both...?" Before
Noor could finish, Jaza and Amna interrupted her in unison.
"Absolutely not!" Their loud voices
silenced Noor.
Now, she sat quietly, trying to complete her
assignment, while Jaza and Amna started doing who knows what on their laptops.
The three of them had joined the university two weeks ago and were currently in
the computer department.
"Couldn’t Sir have given a shorter
assignment?" Noor sarcastically complained, as her hands ached from
writing.
"If you’re so eager to write, just write
the full topic and memorize it later, because Sir has also heard this," Amna
said, her eyes glued to the laptop screen.
"I was just kidding!" Noor replied,
barely managing to smile.
Jaza, looking at her expression, couldn't
help but suppress a laugh.
************
"Where are all your assignments,
students?" Professor Faraz, a rather strict man wearing glasses, entered
the classroom in a shirt and pants, ready to take his lecture. As he walked in,
he immediately began asking students about their assignments.
One by one, all the students had submitted
theirs. Now it was Jaza, Amna, and Noor's turn. Jaza and Amna had already
handed in their assignments, while Noor was sitting at her desk, sound asleep.
Amna and Jaza glanced at Noor, and just as they were about to wake her up,
Professor Faraz's voice echoed in the classroom.
"Where is Noor Durab's assignment?"
Professor Faraz's deep voice resonated in the classroom. "Sir, Noor is
still asleep," Rabia, who was seated next to Noor, Jaza, and Amna, said in
a thin voice. Meanwhile, Amna and Jaza, who were repeatedly trying to wake
Noor, looked at Rabia.
"I swear to God, this Chinese doll will
die in my hands," Jaza gritted her teeth as she said this, because Rabia's
features were quite delicate.
On hearing Rabia's comment, Professor Faraz
raised his eyebrows and walked over to Noor's desk, and now the situation was
slipping out of Jaza and Amna's hands.
"Noor Durab..." Professor Faraz
said loudly, tapping the marker he held on Noor's desk.
Who is...?" Noor, who had been in a deep
sleep, jerked awake in fear at Professor Faraz's voice.
"Jaza, I say we should just read Fatiha
for her," Amna leaned towards Jaza and whispered.
"Do you still need to read it? I’ve
already read it," Jaza replied in a soft voice that only Amna could hear.
"Sir, when did you arrive?" Noor,
now alert, saw Professor Faraz looming over her, nearly on the verge of tears.
"Do you come here to sleep or to
study?" Professor Faraz's booming voice echoed throughout the classroom.
"Sir, I..." Noor was at a loss for
words.
"Did you complete the assignment?"
Professor Faraz could see her nervousness and growing anger.
"Yes, sir, I completed it." She
quickly pulled out the assignment from her bag and presented it to Professor
Faraz.
"Alright, then you will explain this
assignment to the class." Professor Faraz stepped aside a bit to give her
space. Meanwhile, Jaza and Amna looked at Noor with pity.
"That poor girl, what can she do?"
So, she started to take small steps forward. The rest of the students,
meanwhile, would stifle their laughter at Noor’s innocent expression, feeling a
mix of sympathy for her. She thought to herself that if she had just handed in
the assignment, she could have explained it better. With an innocent smile on
her face, she said, "If I had known, I would have explained it
better."
"How so?" Professor Faraz looked at
his innocent student.
"Sir, I just made the assignment; I
didn’t memorize it," Noor said innocently.
"But you were supposed to memorize it,
right?" Professor Faraz glared at her.
"Sir, you told us to prepare the
assignment; you didn’t say we had to memorize it," Noor said, pouting.
Hearing her, all the students burst into
laughter, while Amna and Jaza facepalmed themselves.
"You will rewrite this assignment ten
times and also explain it now." Professor Faraz, seeing her talking back,
glared at her. It was now that Noor truly realized the gravity of the
situation, and she looked at Professor Faraz with pleading eyes.
After class ended, she walked out, sulking
between Amna and Jaza.
"This is so unfair..." Noor was on
the verge of tears.
"No, no, my dear, you should have kept
your mouth shut with Sir," Amna said, trying to hide her laughter as she
looked at Noor.
"First, you slept in class, and on top
of that, you talked back, and now you’re crying. This isn't fair to me,"
Jaza glared at Noor.
"Couldn’t you both have woken me
up?" Noor suddenly recalled, speaking up.
"You were so deep in sleep; how could we
have woken that beast?" Jaza retorted.
"What were you on to sleep in
class?" Amna teased, playfully tapping Noor on the head.
"I didn’t take anything; I don’t know
why I felt so sleepy," Noor said, thinking hard.
"Noor, dear, the goddess of sleep is
always kind to you," Jaza said, looking at Noor, while Noor pouted and
started walking ahead.
As soon as the three of them stepped outside
the university, Jaza suddenly stopped for a moment.
"What happened to you?" Amna asked,
looking at Jaza.
"Nothing, let’s go, you two." Jaza
tried to change the subject and moved ahead, but she didn’t forget to glance
back once.
For some reason, it felt to her as if she was
always surrounded by curious eyes.
*************
It had been quite a few days since Shehzad
had been picking Sawera up from college. Today, he was once again waiting in
front of her college before her class ended. As soon as she stepped out, seeing
Shehzad made her heart race. He looked quite handsome today. After saying
goodbye to her friends, she walked straight up to Shehzad, who had opened the
car door for her. She slid into the front seat.
"How are you?" Shehzad asked as he
settled into the driver's seat.
"Very beautiful," Sawera joked with
a playful tone.
"There's no doubt about that,"
Shehzad said, giving her a thorough look, which made Sawera blush.
"Is there something special today?"
Sawera asked, noticing his preparations.
"Yes, today is a very special day,"
Shehzad said, looking at Sawera in a way that made her lower her gaze.
Now, as Shehzad drove, he chatted with her,
and Sawera enjoyed listening to him. For some reason, she found it pleasing to
hear his voice.
Shehzad stopped the car in front of a famous
hotel. Sawera glanced at the hotel and then back at Shehzad.
"What happened?" he asked, smiling
softly at her.
"Why are we here?" Sawera asked, a
bit confused.
"For lunch," Shehzad replied,
opening his side door. He got out and opened Sawera's side door, extending his
hand. Sawera hesitated for a moment, but Shehzad took her hand and led her
inside.
They walked towards their reserved table.
"Shehzad…" Sawera began to say
something when he interrupted her.
"Please, don’t talk," Shehzad said,
smiling at her.
Just then, the waiter brought the order.
"But we haven't even ordered yet,"
Sawera exclaimed as the waiter set down their food.
"I already did," Shehzad said,
looking into her eyes and smiling. "I ordered all your favorite
dishes."
"You haven’t told me what’s so special
today," Sawera said, confused by his gaze.
"Right, the truth..." Shehzad stood
up and took Sawera's hand, lifting her from her seat to stand in front of him.
Sawera was bewildered, not understanding what was happening.
Suddenly, Shehzad knelt down.
"Shehzad…" Sawera started to speak,
but he interrupted her.
"Let me speak, please," Shehzad
said, his eyes filled with emotion. He pulled out a small white box from his
coat pocket and opened it in front of Sawera. Inside was a stunning ring with a
beautiful emerald sparkling in the light. Sawera could only stare at the ring.
When Shehzad's voice broke through her daze,
she came to her senses.
"I don't know how to tell you this...
but Sawera, believe me, you are the only girl who has felt close to my heart. I
don’t know when, how, or why, but my heart has become yours. I have started to
love you immensely." Shehzad professed his love while kneeling.
Sawera was overwhelmed with joy; she had
never imagined that the person she longed for would be written in her destiny.
"Will you not betray me?" Sawera
asked, contemplating.
"Not even if I die," Shehzad
replied with determination.
Sawera extended her hand. Shehzad slipped the
ring onto her finger and, holding her hand, walked back to the table. Sawera
still couldn't believe her good fortune. Her love had been placed in her lap
without any struggle. She was incredibly happy, overflowing with joy.
Meanwhile, the person standing at a distance
felt pain for the first time. For the first time, he was hurt by Sawera's
laughter.
*****************
He had been sitting there, smoking cigarette
after cigarette. Ayan and Durab had asked him countless times, but he wasn’t
telling any of them anything. When Zuraiz entered with Hadid, Ayan and Durab
straightened up to look at them.
“How are you three?” Zuraiz’s words stuck in
his throat when his gaze fell on Rehan.
“What happened to him?” Zuraiz asked, looking
questioningly at Ayan and Durab, while Hadid was just watching Rehan.
“I don’t know what happened. Since he
arrived, he’s been smoking one cigarette after another and hasn’t said a word,”
Ayan said, glaring at Rehan.
“Don’t just stare at him; at least find out
the reason first,” Hadid said, giving Ayan a scolding look.
“Rehan, what’s wrong?” Zuraiz asked as he sat
down in front of him.
“Nothing,” Rehan replied, bringing the
cigarette back to his lips.
“Tell us, Rehan. I’m asking you for the last
time,” Zuraiz said, taking the cigarette from his hand and crushing it under his
foot, his booming voice echoing in the room.
“I’m in a lot of pain right now,” he said,
closing his red eyes.
“What’s causing you pain?” This time, Hadid
was sitting next to him.
“Man, I can’t see him with someone else. I
can’t handle it. My blood is boiling,” Rehan said, making fists with his hands,
trying to control his anger.
“Who can’t you see? Who is it?” Zuraiz asked
directly.
“No one, I’m leaving... I have some work to
do.” Saying this, Rehan got up from his place and started to leave when Zuraiz’s
voice reached his ears.
“Whoever it is, if your feelings and desires
are pure, then express them in front of their parents. Just feeling restless
won’t help. Go and tell the person for whom you have feelings,” Zuraiz said to
Rehan in a straightforward manner.
“I just don’t have the courage to tell her.”
With that, he left the room.
**************
Two years later...
She was standing in front of her college. Her
eyes seemed to be waiting for someone. She kept checking the time on her
cellphone. Just as she was about to type a message, a black car stopped in
front of her.
Shehzad immediately got out of the car.
Before Sawera could say anything upon seeing him, he spoke first.
“Sorry, I got a bit busy in a meeting today,”
Shehzad explained.
“Oh, so you forgot that someone was waiting
for you,” Sawera replied, pouting. In these two years, she had become even more
beautiful, and she had grown a bit taller too. Shehzad was left speechless,
just looking at her sulking expression.
“Sorry, ma’am. Shall we go now?” Shehzad
touched both his ears and smiled slightly. Sawera couldn’t help but smile at
his antics and got into the car.
A little later, they were at a restaurant.
They had already ordered their food.
“Shehzad, when will you talk to Baba and
Phuphi?” Sawera asked thoughtfully.
“I’ll do it very soon... but for now, I’m
planning something special for your birthday,” Shehzad said, taking her hand in
his.
Sawera blushed at his words. Over these two
years, Shehzad's love had firmly established itself in her heart. It was her
first love at a tender age. In these two years, Shehzad had captured her
thoughts in every possible way.
They finished their lunch and were now
leaving the restaurant, with Shehzad driving her home.
***************
These days, she was mostly at home because
she had completed four semesters, and now her semester break was going on. She
was sitting by the window in her room, reading a novel, when she heard the
sound of a car stopping. She lifted her head and was stunned by the sight in
front of her.
Sawera, who had just gotten out of the car to
see Shehzad off, turned around and her gaze fell on Jaza standing by the
window. She halted for a moment. Meanwhile, Jaza was still looking ahead in
disbelief. She couldn’t believe her eyes. Against her will, her heart raced
with a hint of fear.
After meeting Annam Begum downstairs, Sawera
came upstairs, and Jaza followed her into her room. Over these two years,
Shahid Sahib had given Jaza and Sawera separate rooms because their routines
were different. He wanted both of them not to disturb each other.
"Who did you come with?" Jaza asked
as she entered Sawera's room. Her voice wasn’t loud, but there was definitely
bitterness in her tone, and perhaps for the first time, she was speaking to
Sawera with that bitterness.
"I..." Sawera was about to say
something when Jaza interrupted her.
"Don’t lie, Sawera. Answer the question:
Who did you come with?" Jaza said, enunciating each word carefully.
"I came with Shehzad..." Sawera
replied, lowering her head. But those words felt like a blow to Jaza because
she had seen a boy in the car, but she hadn’t seen his face.
"Shehzad who?" Jaza asked, looking
at Sawera for confirmation.
"Phuphi’s son, Shehzad. What’s wrong,
Jaza?" Sawera said, lamenting her sister's lack of understanding. But
Sawera's words felt like a chokehold on Jaza's breath.
"Why did you come with him?" Jaza's
voice felt strained. She was praying that what she feared wouldn’t be true. But
Sawera's words extinguished her last hope.
"I mostly come with Shehzad..."
Sawera replied, lowering her head. If only she had looked up at Jaza once.
Those words felt like molten lead in Jaza's
ears.
"Shehzad is older than you. Why do you
come with him?" Jaza's voice rose a little this time.
"I won’t call him 'brother'..."
Sawera said, raising her nose slightly.
"Why?" Jaza couldn’t believe
Sawera's words. Her surprise was beyond measure.
"Because I love Shehzad, and he loves
me..." Sawera spoke, lost in her own world.
Hearing this, Jaza felt unsteady on her feet.
She had to lean against the bed to avoid falling. For a moment, Shehzad's voice
echoed in her ears: "I will ruin you. You will pay the price for that
slap, with interest."
Jaza was still looking at Sawera in
disbelief.
"What have you done, Sawera..."
Jaza's tone was very wounded.
Sawera turned to look at Jaza.
"Jaza, he’s not what you think. He’s
very good..." Sawera wanted to defend him.
"He’s very bad, Sawera. Please stay away
from him," Jaza looked at her sister with teary eyes.
"It’s not like that. You are being
suspicious of him..." Sawera began to glare at Jaza; she couldn’t tolerate
hearing anything bad about Shehzad.
"You don’t know the truth, Sawera. Stay
away from him. He’s a snake; it’s in his nature to bite." Jaza shook
Sawera by both shoulders.
"It’s not like that, Jaza. Don’t say
such things about him, or I won’t consider you my sister..." Sawera said,
her eyes filled with anger.
"I’m your sister, and that’s why I’m
telling you to stay away from such a lowly person. Why don’t you understand,
Sawera?" Jaza said, holding Sawera’s hand.
"He’s not lowly; do you understand?
Don’t say a word against him..." Sawera replied, pulling her hand away
from Jaza angrily, while Jaza could only stare at her.
"Stop it, Sawera. Just stay here. The
best thing for you is to avoid him. He’s very bad, Sawera. Please, listen to
me. I’m your sister, and I would never think wrong about you. If he were good,
I wouldn’t be telling you to stay away from him." Jaza took Sawera’s face
in her hands.
"Jaza, he’s good... and very soon, he’s
going to talk to Baba and Phuphi," Sawera said, ignoring her words.
"Sawera, stop. He’s a deep, dark pit...
he will only hurt you." Jaza raised her voice this time.
"It’s just your imagination, Jaza,
nothing more..." Sawera glared at Jaza.
"My imagination? No, Sawera, believe me,
he’s not good..." Jaza tried to grab her hand, but Sawera pulled it back.
"Get out of my room for now. It’s
pointless to talk to you," Sawera said, pointing towards the door.
"He’s not good..." Jaza repeated.
"Time will decide that. Just go!"
Sawera turned her face away.
Jaza could only look at her as she left the
room.
Today, the two sisters stood facing each
other, tangled up, who once used to be each other’s mirrors.
************
She was repeatedly punching the punching bag
in the gym that was built in her house. Memories of her encounters with Shahzad
kept flooding back to her... Shahzad hitting her, Shahzad threatening her...
Ugh, Shahzad Akram, I never imagined you would stoop this low for revenge.
You’ve entangled my sister in the feelings of love... A tear rolled down her
cheek, breaking as it fell from her honey-colored eyes. In anger, she started
hitting the punching bag again. Her honey-colored eyes were completely red at
that moment.
"Get out of my room for now. It’s
pointless to talk to you... Time will decide your fate. Just go!" Her
sister Sawera’s words echoed repeatedly in her ears. Those words had poured
into her ears like molten metal. Tears streamed down Jaza's face, sliding down
her cheeks.
She was drenched in sweat. Finally,
exhausted, she sat down on the floor.
"Sawera, he’s not good..." Jaza’s
voice quivered. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Swear to me, he’s not good
for you... You’re innocent; he has taken advantage of your innocent
feelings..." Jaza was now crying openly.
She realized today how a single wrong
decision could shatter even the strongest of individuals. Sawera’s one wrong
choice felt like it had broken Jaza’s back. She had placed before her the very
person whose face she didn’t even want to see. She had suffered in a place she
never thought she would. She was her sister; how could her choice be like this?
She couldn’t comprehend it. The tears wouldn’t stop flowing.
Lost in thought, she got up and picked up her
phone. She started searching her contact list for a name and quickly found the
number she was looking for.
Reluctantly, she dialed the number. The call
was ringing on the other end.
"Hello..." as soon as the call was
received, she spoke.
"Hello. What made you call us
today?" a voice responded with a smile.
"Listen to me... Stay away from my
sister, do you understand?" Jaza said, ignoring his question.
"Why should I stay away from her?"
Shahzad replied with a smile.
"She’s innocent, Shahzad. She doesn’t
know your true nature... You can’t take advantage of her innocence..."
Jaza stressed every word.
"I’m not taking advantage of her
innocence," Shahzad said, suppressing the smile that was rising on his
lips.
"Stay away from her, do you understand?"
Jaza's voice was now quite loud.
"And if I don’t?" It seemed like
Shahzad was enjoying Jaza's helplessness.
"You can’t take advantage of my sister’s
innocence!" Jaza was fuming.
"When am I taking advantage of her
innocence? Just relax. Whenever I decide to take advantage of her innocence,
I’ll do it right in front of your eyes," Shahzad said before hanging up
the phone. A victorious smile was plastered on his face.
Jaza was left stunned by his words. Her
existence felt as if it had been frozen; it was like her breath had been taken
away.
She was a strong-willed person, but today
seemed to be a test of her courage. She had no idea what he was planning to do.
Trying to calm herself, Jaza stepped out of the gym.
************
Muzamil Begum had just finished her prayer
and was sitting down to make a dua when Lily entered their room. Under a white
cap, wearing blue jeans, and without makeup, she looked very beautiful with her
golden hair down. Over the past two years, she had become quite close to
Muzamil Begum, and now she spoke Urdu very well.
Seeing her making dua, Lily sat down beside
her. When she noticed the expression on Muzamil Begum’s face, a mixture of
surprise and worry filled her own. Tears were flowing from Muzamil Begum’s
eyes.
As soon as she finished her prayer and turned
away, she saw Lily sitting beside her, smiled softly, and gently patted her
head, adjusting the prayer mat in front of her.
"Why were you crying?" Lily asked,
looking at Muzamil Begum's back.
Upon her question, Muzamil Begum smiled and
turned to sit beside her on the sofa. "I was thanking my Lord," she
replied in a very soft tone.
"But who cries while giving
thanks?" Lily was puzzled by her words.
"The tears of a believer flow during
gratitude and repentance. If one repents and gives thanks sincerely, tears will
inevitably flow from the eyes in the presence of the Lord. This is about the
heart and intention, and He knows the secrets of hearts and intentions,"
Muzamil Begum said, looking into Lily's eyes.
"I’ve seen you here many times; you sit
for quite a long time. I see tears flowing from your eyes," Lily said, a
little confused.
"I like sitting here. I talk to my
Master, thanking Him for His blessings. I find peace sitting here,"
Muzamil Begum replied.
"Does your Lord talk to you?" Lily
asked, astonished.
"Yes, prayer is a means of communication
with the Lord. It brings us closer to Him," Muzamil Begum said as she got
up and walked toward the balcony, with Lily following her.
"Do you find peace in prayer?" Lily
asked, looking up at the open sky.
"I find a lot of peace. This is the
place where I can share all my secrets, where I can cry and express the state
of my heart. I can lay down the burdens of my existence because I know no one
will mock me here. No one will unveil my secrets. He won’t disgrace me; He will
hold me, support me, and ease my troubles. He is very self-sufficient,"
Muzamil Begum said, gazing into the distant horizon, a sense of tranquility on
her face.
"Will He give me peace too? Will He hold
me? Will He save me from disgrace? Will He protect my honor?" For some
reason, Lily’s voice trembled with emotion.
"Why not? You go to His door, and He
won’t send you back empty-handed. My Lord is not like that; He listens closely
to broken hearts. He becomes even closer to those whose hearts are
shattered," Muzamil Begum turned her neck to look at Lily.
"But how do I go to Him? I don’t even
know Him. Where will I search for Him? No path, no place, no destination? I
have no idea… I’ve never seen Him," Lily turned her neck to look at
Muzamil Begum.
"You may not know Him, but He knows you.
There isn’t just one way to reach Him. He shows the way to those whom He
chooses. If you want to seek Him, you should look within yourself, my child. He
resides in the hearts. His home is your heart. Search for Him within yourself;
He is both manifest and hidden. Everything in this world gives a sense of His
existence. He may not be visible to the physical eye, but His power is evident,
isn’t it? For the wise, everything is a sign that there is a being who runs
this system," Muzamil Begum said, looking at the sky where the sunset was
becoming visible, and a slight redness began to spread across the sky.
"How does He know about me? How is He in
my heart?" Lily asked, somewhat bewildered.
"He knows everything about your past, He
is aware of your present, and He has determined your future. He is in every
human heart. Only those whom He seals their hearts from guidance cannot attain
Him; however, those from whom He removes the seal can find Him and hold on to
Him," there was something profound in Muzamil Begum’s dark eyes.
"How does one receive guidance?"
Lily asked, still gazing at the sky.
"Guidance doesn’t come by itself; one is
chosen for guidance. He gives guidance to whom He wills. For anyone who seeks
guidance, He paves the way for them," Muzamil Begum said while gently
placing her hand on Lily’s head.
Meanwhile, Lily remained completely silent,
as if deep in thought. As she looked at the distant sky, a tear of regret fell
from her eye.
**************
She had been sitting on the ground in the
same position for a while, lost in whatever she was looking at. Just then, her
phone, which lay nearby, rang. As soon as she saw the number on the screen, a
spark returned to her faded face. She quickly picked up the call.
“Hello…” she said as she answered the phone.
“How are you?” A warm voice filled with love
echoed from the other side—it was Shehzad.
“I’m fine…” she replied, trying to sound
normal.
“You don’t seem fine…” Shehzad said, his
voice laced with concern.
“It’s nothing, just like that…” Sawera
attempted to brush it off.
“No, tell me. Did someone say something?”
Shehzad's voice rang out, immersed in worry.
“I had a fight with Jaza a little while ago…”
she said, pouting.
“Look, she’s older than you. If she said
something, just ignore it,” Shehzad was trying to reassure her.
“She was saying bad things about you. I can’t
listen to anyone speak ill of you. She must be out of her mind…” Sawera said,
sounding offended.
“About me?” Shehzad asked, surprised.
“She said you’re not a good person…” Sawera
replied, her voice filled with concern.
“Just ignore what she says. She always
misunderstands me for some reason, but I will clear up all her doubts very
soon…” Shehzad said softly.
“Are you sure?” Sawera wanted reassurance.
“Of course, I’ve never lied to you…” There
was confidence in Shehzad’s voice.
“Absolutely not…” Sawera said with certainty.
“Then just have faith. Don’t pay attention to
Jaza’s words,” Shehzad said calmly.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.” With that,
Sawera ended the call, feeling confused. Who should she trust—her sister or her
love?
“My innocent little doll…” Shehzad smiled
softly as he looked at the phone screen.
Little did he know how many secrets were
wrapped up in that smile.
************** urdunovelnests
What colors will the love between Sawera and
Shehzad bring? Will Sawera's love triumph, or will Jaza's fears prove to be
true? What is Shehzad ultimately going to do? Will Jaza be able to keep Sawera
away from Shehzad? Will Lily choose the path of guidance? What twists and turns
will the story take next?
Stay update with us and waiting for episode
no 12........ Which is full of suspense.. DON’T copy without my permission ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌. Also share your
precious reviews with us and share with your friends.......
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