Shoaib was sitting on the bench in the hospital, outside the room where his sister, Nayab was getting treatment.
The fact, 'as you sow so shall you reap' became a reality for him today and he has nothing in his hands other than regret and guilt.
Daniyal has been missing, for two weeks, there wasn't any sign of him. Last time when he left the home, he informed everyone that he has some important work to do as he is going out of station but Shoaib knew that he is going to the haveli.
But after that day, Daniyal never came back, also when he saw the pictures of the wedding of famous business tycoon Irtaza Haider Syed with her cousin Zahra Mujtaba Syed, fluctuating on the media, he inferred that something had happened to Daniyal and he was not able to run along with Zahra but he couldn't decipher it.
He tried and tried but he couldn't find Daniyal.
His sister, Nayab was raped.
She had been hospitalised since a week, her condition was serious.
The fact, 'as you sow so shall you reap' became a reality for him today and he has nothing in his hands other than regret and guilt.
It was all the result of his father and his doings. His father, Waqas was in the police department and one day when he got the case of a girl who was raped, he didn't file the FIR as he got a hefty amount of money to zip up his lips and to not file the case which he happily did. When his father, Waqas had asked Shoaib's suggestion in the whole scenario, Shoaib simply commended his father acts because of the amount of money he got.
His father himself was involved in rapes.
And then one day, his brother Daniyal approached him, demanding a strange thing from him.
Flashback
"Bhai how can you say she is of a hood character? She captured you in her charms, alluring you towards her beauty. She isn't a good woman." Nayab said, she was over possessive about her brothers. She didn't want to share them with anyone as she was the only sister.
"But I want her. She is the prettiest thing I have ever seen"
"Beauty is easy to find but not character. And she is characterless." She deadpanned and left the room.
Daniyal sat on his bed, deep in his thoughts, her beautiful smile, her sparkling brown eyes, everything about her was wandering in his brain He couldn't get over her features, her beauty, it was so exotic. He wanted her but he could not understand how will he get her. When a strange idea sparked in his mind. He can kill two birds with a stone.
He went straight towards Nayab's room, discussing his plan with her and then his brother', Shoaib's room saying that he want to talk about something important.
"Say" Shoaib said and Daniyal closes the door so no one could hear them.
"I want you to do something with someone"
"Like what?"
"That person is a she"
"Ok, now tell."
"I want you to harass someone."
"What?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
"Zahra. Will you harass her?"
Shoaib contemplated for a few minutes and then nodded his head, smirking. He would love to do that. Why he should not enjoy her, when his fate is giving her a chance.
"I will." Shoaib replied.
"Thanks brother. So listen how you gonna help me, I will create some circumstances, letting you both alone. And on getting the chance move closer to her, and if she tries to scream, muffle them by your hand, grope her ass, pull her body towards you, roam your hands over her but do not get more intimate with her. Sometimes, you can nuzzle into her neck but only sometimes. Uncle and aunty often leaves her to our house and thats the golden chance for us to put our plan into action.
"And the reason for which you are making me do this?"
"I love Zahra, but you know she always keeps her distance with everyone else and when you will be done harassing her, leaving her in a disheveled state, I will come as a knight in a shining armor and clear all her tears and by the time, when she will be fond of me I will engrave this in her mind that how much I hate those girls who allure other men to themselves. Through this, she will never be able to tell anyone neither me that you are harassing her and also in this way Nayab will be satisfied."
"Nayab?"
"Since last night, she had been eating my ears, as I had confessed her that I like Zahra, she is constantly blabbering that Zahra is characterless as she has allured me in her charms. When you will harass her, she will definitely show a cold shoulder to you and Nayab will be convince that Zahra isn't a magnet who attracts men towards her."
"Will Nayab know that am gonna harass Zahra on your call?"
"Yeah I had discussed the whole matter with her but she is consistent on her point about Zahra and she has challenged me that she will definitely melt into your arms." Daniyal said."
So when's the first action?"
"Tonight. I and Nayab will make a bet with Zahra which she will loose and then send her into the kitchen for making a coffee, then you will come and rest you know."
"Done, I will do that. But aunt hasn't dropped her yet here?"
"Aunt has to do the night shift, tonight and she will be dropping Zahra here, I talked to her."
"Ok" Shoaib smirked, creating scenarios in his mind which involved being closer to her.
Flashback ends
A tear escaped down his eye.
Her sister was raped also because of what he did to Zahra. She was deprived of the attention she wanted from her family only because of his family.
Flashback
"How much money is required to initiate the business?" Waqas asked from Asim, his friend.
Waqas was the husband of Neelam, Ammara's sister.
"19 millions." Asim replied.
"Thats such a huge amount" Daniyal said.
"How we gonna gather it within a few months? Our business has to start within a month otherwise we will suffer severe loss" Shoaib stated.
"Devise some way son." Neelam said.
They all were sitting in Waqas's drawing-room, having a conversation with Asim, there family friend.
"I have a solution" Asim said, sipping his coffee.
"What is it?" Waqas asked.
"My co-worker, he wanted a loan from the company but company couldn't grant it due to limited resources. We can frame him."
"What and how?"
"I know a mafia man, Yawar Shahid, we can demand from him a loan of 20 million rupees, and then I will make that guy sign the documents as he needs only 1 million rupees, for the construction of his house, while we will fly away with the rest 19 millions."
"Thats a great idea. Who's that man?" Waqas asked.
"Someone Mujtaba Shabbir Syed."
"What?" Neelam drew in a sharp breath.
"He is my sister's husband." Neelam said.
"What?!" Asim replied in shock.
"Neelam, we will have to do this, this house cant work on my mere salary, we will have to do this. Asim's idea is a perfect one."
"But-"
"Asim uncle is saying right" Shoaib supported his father.
They all were selfish people who didn't care about anyone else but themselves.
"Yes mom, try to understand, our business will flourish, we will live in a splendid haveli, having several servants." Daniyal persuaded
"I am already in son. Who cares when money is coming." Neelam smirked, she was so jealous of her sister, Ammara and this was the best chance to show her off who has got more money.
"So, I will talk with Yawar tomorrow and get the files but before that I'll have to gain Mujtaba's trust. Our mission starts now." Asim said.
Flashback ends
He inhaled a sharp breath, his family had done loads of injustice with his aunt, Ammara's family. And due to this, his father had committed suicide, his mother is in mental asylum, his brother, Daniyal is missing, his sister, Nayab is raped and he is here drowning with guilt and regret.
"What I had done?" he whispered, pulling his hair.
"What had we done?" his voice at the edge of crying.
All those scenes were lingering infront of his eyes when he had harassed that pour soul, stealing the bright spark from her eyes, stealing his father away from him.
It was all because of him and his family.
His father's lust for money.
His mother's jealousy for her sister.
His sister's over possessiveness for her brothers..
His brother's fondness for Zahra.
And his desire for Zahra.
All of them had their part in destroying Zahra's family.
Even after demanding forgiveness from his aunt, Ammara, his heart couldn't find rest, though the guilt subsided but not so significantly.
A week ago, he had went to the haveli, because he could not bear the amount of regret his heart was feeling, and confronted the whole situation to Ammara, telling her each and everything from the start and then asked for her forgiveness but Ammara ordered him to get off of her eyes that instant.
He wanted to talk to Zahra too but he didn't know about her whereabouts, the address of haveli was given to him by Daniyal.
.....................
"Did Shoaib harass you?"
"No mama" Zahra denied, shaking her head in negative.
Thousands of questions, covering her mind.
"Don't lie to me, Zahra, I know everything."
"There is nothing like that" she denied again, her eyes widened with horror and dread.
"Do you still love Daniyal daughter tell me the truth, I beg you."
Zahra gulped. Should she tell everything to her mother but it will increase her stress.
"I beg you Zahra. Your mother is begging you. Are you still in love with Daniyal, despite being married to Irtaza?!"
"Yes" she whispered.
"He isn't worthy of your love Zahra, forget him"
"Why mother?"
"Because he was the man who asked Shoaib to harass you, he and his family are involved in your father's death, it was him, Daniyal, Shoaib, Waqas, my own sister who had sent Asim to your father"
Her mouth hung open and her eyes widened to the size of saucers.
She couldn't believe it.
"What?" she whispered.
"Yes daughter, Shoaib told me everything...." and them Ammara told her everything from the start, every single thing which Shoaib had told her, how Daniyal had persuaded Shoaib to harass her, how Shoaib, Daniyal and her own sister had gave their consent to betray her husband, Mujtaba.
Everything was clear now.
The truth has been revealed.
By the end of her story, Ammara and Zahra both were in tears. Ammara was crying because of the harassment her daughter had to face due to her negligence and Zahra because of the betrayal she had received from the love of her life, Daniyal.
She had no words, her feelings couldn't be described in words. The amount of pain, the remarkable amount of pain her heart was feeling was ineffable, it could not be expressed in words.
The worst pain of all, betrayal. And that too in the worst form.
For five years she was facing this harassment, she could still feel Shoaib's hand touching her inappropriately, groping her ass, caressing her sides, being closer to her on getting every chance, his breath falling on her neck to intimate her, she could feel it, still feel it.
"Now listen to me carefully Zahra, never tell Irtaza about Daniyal. Take this secret of yours to your grave. He is your husband and you don't know men daughter, their nature of possessiveness, for the people related to them, you have no idea about it. Don't tell him about Daniyal, its my request Zahra" Ammara begged, tears flowing down in her eyes.
"Yes" Zahra whispered.
"Zahra what Shoaib used to do with you?" Ammara asked, with a heavy heart.
A new set of tears formed in her eyes, when an incident came into her mind, that horrible incident, she could still feel goosebumps.
"Mama" Zahra hiccupped, she wanted to share it with her mother, everything has been collected inside her since so long, tears flowing down her eyes, her throat clogged with tears, her heart beating fast, "one day when you dropped me at Khala's house, there was no one but Shoaib their. I went straight into Nayab's room and locked it so he could not come inside and then I slept. When I woke up, the lights of the room were turned on and when I looked around, Shoaib was sitting by my side on the bed only in his vest. I shrieked and was about to get up when he snatched my arm and dug his face into my neck, biting and nibbling my skin, I fought him but he was too strong, he kissed me, mama, his lips touched my lips and that was then I slapped him hard and ran away. He used to say, its all my fault that he is harassing me, its all the fault of my beauty, he had engraved it in my mind, I couldn't tell anything to you because he said he will blame me that I used to allure him towards him, if I don't want my parents to face humiliation due to their daughter's action then be quiet and I kept quite. Constantly for five years he had harassed me, touching me, coming near me" she sobbed, tears freely falling down her eyes dropping on her lap and then she hugged her mom, crying with large heavy sobs shaking her whole body.
"Aunt" Irtaza said and there head snapped towards him.
He was standing near the door, his eyes showing surprise and he immediately called the doctors who came and check her blood pressure and other things saying that the patient will be discharged this evening.
"Go and eat something Zahra" Irtaza said, he, Dua, Zahra and his uncle were in the hospital room as Ammara was taken at some room for further check up.
"I dont want to eat anything." Zahra said, she felt too heavy as if a boulder has been placed on her heart.
"You haven't eaten anything for three fucking days, Dua take Zahra along with you to cafe and make her eat something."
"Ok bhai" Dua whispered and stood up.
"Come Zahra" she said.
"I am not hungry."
"Zahra go" he gritted, clenching his jaw which made her immediately stand up and leave the room with Dua.
On reaching cafeteria, they both bought sandwich and juice and sat on the table to gulp them down but both of them didn't eat anything.
Zahra could still recall, Dua's rude attitude on the day of her rukhsati and last time at that haveli. She wasn't talking much to her, ignoring her on purpose and this thing was bothering Zahra so she decided to ask her.
"Dua, a?"
"No" she answered, her eyes fixed on her phone.
"Tell me Dua" she insisted.
"Its not the right time."
"It is, now tell me dua what happened, why are you ignoring me?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes tell me please"
Dua placed her handbag on the table and got a paper out of it, forwarding it to her before placing the handbag back and Zahra unfolded the paper reading what was written on it, her eyes widening.
"How did you get it?" she whispered, in a state of trauma.
"I went to your room that day and found this letter instead of you."