As mentioned earlier, Haseeb took Dua back to Pakistan. The whole family was surprised to find the couple there. Her father had stopped everyone from asking any questions from Dua and let her relax so no one pressed her. He did not yet disclose about their nikkah to the family. He was just finding the right time.
The right time that would come after knowing the reason behind his grandfather's hand in Dua's escape. Dua did not tell him anything, and he did not press her further as well.
He had a hunch that there was something going on. Something heinous which had been kept from the whole family. The more he thought about it, the more puzzled he got. So he stood up and decided to confront Dua on his own again.
The haveli was drowning in silence as the night had sprawled in the sky. Haseeb advanced towards Dua's room. Slowly, he turned the handle and entered and found her laying on the bed, turned to her left. Her eyes glimmering under the moon ight. Quiet yet conveyed her emotions.
He cleared his throat, startling her. Her face shot towards him as she sat up, wrapping her arms around her knees.
Haseeb closed the door before going near the bed and sat beside her.
"Kesi hou?"
(How are you?)
"Theek," Her voice was dry and heavy. Her eyes were looking down.
(Fine)
She was awfully quiet.
His brown eyes fell on her hands as he looked at her and their eyes met before looking back at her hands, "can I?" he asked and she just nodded.
After getting her permission, he took her hand in his as now he had her full attention. He grasped her chin, making her look up at him, "are you angry at me?" he asked, retreating his hand from her chin.
"Do you care?"
"I do.... because... I'm scared of an angry and a grumpy, Dua. You know I am,"
Dua smiled at her before her smile faltered.
"Even I am... scared of an angry Haseeb, now,"
He sighed, "I'm sorry... for talking to you like that. I know there is no justification for it... I can just apologize,"
Dua slightly nodded, "it's okay. About our nikkah... I'll tell my baba on my own,"
"Alright. But no apologies to me?" he asked with a frown.
"For what?" she feigned ignorance.
"For running away before our marriage, Dua,"
She fell silent before sitting up properly, "I did not want to marry you... or anyone at first place. They were forcing this wedding on me... and I didn't like to be forced. You know that very well, Haseeb. After my past experiences with men... I just wanted to be on my own. I was scared of emotionally depending on anyone. I did not want to give that status to any man in my life again. That was why I planned with Zahra to escape from this wedding. But that night, how you sat me down, held my hands, brought me in confidence, and convinced me.... it made me want to live again. It pressed me to give another chance to life. Else you know, nobody can forcefully make Dua accept anything," She told, making him laugh as he hugged her.
"I've always loved you... I don't know since when... but I've," he muttered before they disengaged.
"Who else know of our nikkah?" Dua asked.
"I just told Irtaza Bhai,"
"He knows?"
"When I was finding you, I've told him that I'll come back to Pakistan only when I'm married to you. And he warned me to take care of his sister or else..." Haseeb laughed making her laugh as well.
"Where is Saif? I didn't see him?"
"He has shifted to Karachi. He is establishing his business there... and also... strengthening the roots of mafia there... since our internal family matters had us ignore Sindh so someone has to take control over there. Once the matters are settled, he might come back. Also, he comes to haveli once or twice a month. You can meet him then,"
"And Haya?"
"Married. And now lives in UK,"
"Ohh," she rounded her lips in an O. Alot has changed in these two years.
"Dua, I've to ask you a question," Haseeb's voice suddenly became serious and she frowned.
"Did something happen?"
"Why did Dada help you escape... and why did he send Jamal with you?"
On the cue, the door was knocked and Shehryaar came inside, followed him, Sheharzaad.
"Dua, I need to talk to you,"
His grey eyes were blood red and they could see his hands shivering as they both stood up.
"Are you okay, bhai?" Dua approached him, holding his hands.
"I'm not. Come with me,"
Dua's eyes went to Sheharzaad, "he knows everything. I told him what I knew... you knew," and then her grey eyes went to Haseeb's, "your father knew,"
Shehryaar held Dua's hands and walked out of the room, leaving Haseeb and Sheharzaad alone there.
"What happened?" Haseeb asked, worriedly. "What does he know?"
....
Sheharzaad and Haseeb were in the terrace, as Sheharzaad narrated the whole incident to him. Zahra too was sitting with them as slowly tears were slipping out of her eyes as well.
Zahra told that she and Irtaza was sleeping when Shehryaar walked in with Dua and took Irtaza along with him. The trio was in their grandfather's study now and they didn't let anyone enter. They were in that room for an hour now.
"How will Irtaza get over it?" Zahra whispered, "he loved grandpa so much... even more than his father,"
"It will take a lifetime for them to digest and process everything. Decades of their life have been spent in detesting their mother and adoring their grandfather. It will take time," Sheharzaad patted at Zahra's shoulder.
"My grandfather could be so evil.... I never expected that... not even in my wildest dreams. My whole life I considered him a bad person because he sent my father away for marrying my mother and go against his decision. But he changed... he apologized to me. He told me that he missed baba. I thought I might have misjudged him... but I was wrong. He had layers and layers of personas to his personality, to his real self. I think nobody knows who he actually was. He had created so many faces of himself... that it'd have taken a lifetime for anyone to know who he truly was. Nobody knows him. Neither Shehryaar nor Irtaza. Not even his own sons,"
"That's the truest depiction of him. I think, he himself was unaware that who he was. What truly he was," Sheharzaad commented.
"Jaha Ara.... she was raped. Who do you think can do that.... because your grandfather knew that person," Sheharzaad turned her attention towards Haseeb who had been quiet the whole time.
"Someone he trusted... any old servant of haveli... anyone," Zahra added.
"I know someone who I think might know the truth but he isn't spilling it out,"
"Who?" Haseeb asked.
"Agha. Your grandfather's best friend,"
....
His old and weak bones couldn't sustain anymore beating.
"I don't know!" he shouted for the umpteenth time. He never thought that a time would come where he'd be in this condition, getting a good beating from the same mafia that he established along with Shabbir. And the irony was, the same mafia men were beating him, who did not even have the audacity to look directly in his eyes whenever he used to go to Shabbir's haveli.
"Please! Please!" he begged, but another lash of whip pierced through his back, making him shriek. It has been more than a week since he had been kidnapped by Sheharzaad and Haroon and getting investigated. Never did Agha thought that kidnapping him could be Sheharzaad's intention while visiting his house a week back.
He couldn't simply tell them the name of the person who raped Jaha Ara because if he did then... Jamal might tell everything to them.
"Say it!" The man with a heavy voice, who had a whip in his hand, growled.
"I don't know!" he shouted and again got whipped.
His head was hanging as his arms were tied to the ceiling. He was tired and wanted it to be over but that man wasn't getting tired. The beating he was getting stood out as an inspiration for him not to tell them the truth.
He heard distant footsteps approaching the cell and soon the metal door of the cell opened. He slowly opened his eyes and found the men, who were earlier beating him, standing with respect with their eyes down, not looking up at the lady... who was Sheharzaad. And along with him stood Haseeb.
The truth was now surfacing up.
Since that Syed boy brought a shovel with him.
And he saw nothing but blood in his eyes.
...
Agha was now on the verge of consciousness but Haseeb's next words had his eyes widened.
"You've a lovely daughter and granddaughter in the states, uncle," Haseeb's voice was cold.
"You can't... do anything to... them,"
"I've. I've been to USA for quite a time that was enough to join hands with the US mafia and now they're on their way to get bring your lovely daughter and grand daughter to you,"
On the cue, Haseeb's phone dinged with a message. He immediately retrieved it and played the video before turning the screen towards Agha.
"Papa save me... save me!" his daughter was crying.
"I never expected you to stoop so low! You bastard!" Agha spated when Haseeb punched on his face.
"Fucking tell me the name or these two lovely ladies are dead. Dead."
"Agha," Sheharzaad said, grasping his attention as he looked towards her, "you're already of the age to go back to God now. We won't kill anyone if you give us the name.... and maybe have the courtesy to give you peaceful last breaths as well,"
His lips were shut.
"Haseeb, I think you should make the call," Sheharzaad suggested and Haseeb was already dialing a number, before placing his phone against his ear while looking at Agha's badly beaten form.
"Marcus. I want you to kill them... but," his eyes went upto Agha, "I want to make it painful. Start by cutting their fingers. Start in two minutes,"
"You've a little time left to save your family, Agha. Tell the truth and atleast save them if you can't save yourself," Sheharzaad's low voice was now playing with his senses now while Haseeb cut the call.
"You've 1 minute and 50 seconds left to save them" Haseeb stared at his watch and then back at him, "And mind you, if you told me the truth after the given timeframe, I wouldn't care then. The both would have to die at any cost after these 110 seconds... which are now just a hundred seconds,"
"Agha, say the truth..." Sheharzaad spoke and his old eyes went from Haseeb to Sheeharzaad, "and save that little girl. We will save you from Irtaza and Shehryaar as well who now know that their mother was subjected to what cruelty and you were aware of it all the while. They'll be coming for you anytime soon,"
"Ninety seconds, uncle" Haseeb said, as now his eyes went from Sheharzaad's face to Haseeb's.
The word 'uncle' was nothing but a taunt and sarcasm from Haseeb.
"The time is running," Sheharzad whispered.
"Eighty five seconds,"
And his eyes kept on dancing between both of them. Time was running, his heart was beating and the truth was surfacing. His mind was thinking fast, calculating fast to somehow save himself from this situation but only the ugly truth protruded its head out.
That sunny and quiet afternoon in that bleak motel, where she was kept, played in his mind.
And he closed his eyes.
"Last ten seconds," Haseeb's voice, brought him out of that trance.
"Five seconds," It was Sheharzaad.
His heart started to beat wildly.
"Four,"
"Three,"
"Two,"
"One,"
"I'll tell the truth," he atlast spoke. "She was raped.... by me,"