Embracing Love [✓]

ᵗʰⁱʳᵗʸ ⁿⁱⁿᵉ ✓

Before Mr. Hakim could say anything, they heard a loud deadly voice.
"What did you say?"

Both Sherebano and Hakim Quraish looked at the owner of the voice only to gasp out loud. There he was standing. Shock, confusion, anger, and betrayal coursed through his veins, overwhelming him with a whirlwind of emotions.

"Imraan..."
Sherebano Quraish quickly stood up.
"Son, I..."

"Whatever you said..."
Imraan gulped as his vision blurred because of tears.
"... Is it true?"

"My dear, I -"

"Is it true?"
Cutting his mother harshly, he repeated himself.
"Answer me, damn it!"

Hearing all the yellings, Ayana came downstairs hurriedly before looking at everyone confusedly.

"Answer me!"
He gritted his teeth.

Slowly and almost silently Mrs. Quraish whispered.
"Yes."

Suddenly it felt like Imraan's ground was shaken. His faith, belief in his mother everything at once was replaced by betrayal. He felt suffocated to stay in the Villa where he spent almost his entire life.

"You lied... in my whole life... you lied to me."
He whispered back looking at the duo whom he considered his mother and uncle.
"All of you lied."

"Imraan, my son-"

"Don't!"
Glaring at his mother with his emerald eyes, he said in a low voice before dashing out of the room.

Ayana wanted to run after Imraan but seeing Sherebano Quraish's state she stayed behind with her.

Mr. Hakim instantly followed him by calling his name.
"Imraan, listen to me! Imraan! Imraan!"

Almost running behind him, Mr. Hakim grabbed his shoulder stopping him which Imraan roughly shoved away.
"Your mother didn't want to hide it from you."

"Yet, she did. For the past 21 years."
Imraan snapped at him.

"Why did she do it? What did she want to prove?"
Angrily Imraan spat.
"Did she want to show everyone how great of a woman she is by adopting the son of the woman whom her husband cheated on with?"

"Imraan!"
Mr. Hakim yelled back.
"I know you are angry but you can't talk about Sherebano in that manner. After what she did for you, how could you suspect her pure intentions?"

"You were the child of the woman who betrayed her trust, friendship. You were the child of that woman because of whom my brother, her husband wanted to leave her. You were the child of that woman who destroyed her life."
Mr. Hakim spoke as he remembered those days.

"That day I took Sherebano to that woman so that instead of mourning her fate, she could hit, curse that woman."
Indicating the day Imraan's birth mother took her life, Mr. Hakim spoke.
"But till the time we were there, that selfish woman took her life. In front of you."

"You were only seven at that time. This incident was too much for you to handle. You couldn't process the shock. You were unconscious for weeks."
Mr. Hakim spoke as Imraan processed everything.
"And when you woke up, you didn't remember anything."

"There was no news of your father and you had no relatives. Neither from your mother's side nor from your father's side."

"It was Sherebano who took care of you. She fed you, nursed you as if you were her own son."
Mr. Hakim added.
"She even terminated the divorce papers that she prepared after fighting continuously for days with Badar. She stayed in this loveless marriage just so she could give you a family name. She compromised her wishes and devoted her whole life just so she could be a mother figure to you."