The Politician's Girl

22. Chasing My Past

-Some choices demand a sacrifice-

Naina

Holding in a sob while constantly shaking my head in disbelief, I rushed away from my spot and began heading back towards the front of the building. My head was just filled with so many questions, complaints....betrayed cries....screams!

My grandpa...how could he do this to me?

How could anyone do this to me?

The torturous nights spent in cages...the moment I had seen my grandpa offer me comfort and protection, I had trusted him. He had raised me as his own, and he was such a blessing. Yet, he had allowed me to live in this lie, to believe that I was unwanted, why? I couldn't understand anything. The thoughts were crushing. 

Tears were blurring everything, and my head was hurting. I wasn't sold. I wasn't given away. I wasn't unwanted...I was beloved. Why did my grandpa do this to me? Shaken and so ruined, I kept running toward the tractor until a hand grabbed me by the wrist and tugged me around. 

"Naino!" The intense worry, horror and concern were clear in the tone. 

Immediately, my need to complain, to have my husband shield me again and punish those who hurt me made me rub my eyes with a round fist and pitifully, in a rather childish manner, start sobbing out my shattering pain. 

"S-Sher K-Khan," I couldn't speak without hiccupping, without constantly rubbing my eyes with my round fist. "I w-went to the backside of the building. T-They were talking about us." I continued crying. 

Zaroon looked so alarmed, so alert and shocked, as he listened attentively with his hands on his knees...making sure to understand what was going on. Constantly his gaze was scrutinizing my stance to make sure I wasn't injured in any way. 

"Who was talking?" He managed to pick some words, tenderly patting away my loose strands of invisible hair. 

"Grandpa and s-some other men. T-They said I-I wasn't s-sold. Grandpa lied to me, Sher Khan. He had been lying to me all this time!" I started hyperventilating again, as I covered my face with both hands. My real family...I missed them so much. I had been thinking they sold me. I had been hurting for such a long time. 

"Shhh...it's okay, Naina. Don't cry. Wait here. I will go and find out what this is about. Go and sit inside the tractor. I will see what is going on. Okay?" He quickly assured me, wiping away my tears with his thumbs. I nodded, rubbing my eyes with the back of my fists now. 

"Okay..." I sniffed to gulp back my tears.

Somehow, Zaroon's presence had calmed me. I knew he would handle this, find out what exactly was going on. 

"Good. Now go and wait for me in the tractor." He stood up straight again and turned around. 

Seeing him move towards the backside of the building made me feel so anxious. 

I just hope Zaroon managed to handle everything. 

***

I was sitting on the tractor, nervously chewing on my nails, staring at absolute nothing...until I saw Zaroon emerging from the backside of the building again. He quickly jogged towards the tractor, causing my impatience to finally leap over, and I almost hang out of the tractor to get the answers I needed. 

"What happened, Zaroon?" I asked worriedly. 

He moved to stand before me, grabbing both my hand in reassurance. His expressions were serious yet gentle under the moonlight. "There is no need to worry, Naino." His thumb rubbed circles of comfort. "I went back there, caught Zafar Malik and Sulaiman in the middle of some discussion. I asked them what they meant about the sold part. Zafar Malik has assured me that your family wasn't...umm...worth your time." He rephrased it to protect my emotions. "He saved you before they could sell you. They had given you away to be sold, but your grandpa swiped in before they could." He explained, yet it wasn't making any sense.