Redemption

chapter 12

"Hadia-" he started but Hadiya spotted her son running towards them and left to catch up with him, hameen waved at his father and left his mother to go running towards his papa to greet him.

"Mamas sad" Hameen whispered and Zaryab gave him a tight lipped smile. Nodding his head, Zaryab took his little hand in his and walked towards his wife, who was now making her way to the car.

"Hadiya listened to me" he grabbed her arm to stop her, he instructed the driver to take Hameen home and took Hadiya with him much to the child's annoyance.

"She's my friend, why do you hate her so much? I don't get your dislike for her Zaryab '' Hadiya yelled as she got in the car and Zaryab sighed, running a hand over his face.

"Hadiya she's not your old friend, she's not a college student who used to roam around on her bike freely, why don't you understand that if you get caught hanging out with her you'll only end up in a situation that you fought tooth and nail to get out of. Her background nearly cost me your life Hadiya" he exclaimed and Hadiya scoffed.

"You work for her Zaryab" Hadiya mocked and Zaryab let out another groan, his hands tightened on the steering wheel as he tried to focus on the road.

"For you" Hadiya turned to look at him at the sound of his voice.

"I don't like the life I'm living right now Hadiya. I'm not happy being part of this bloodbath. I'm stuck in this whirlpool because she provides security for you all." he spoke and Hadiya stared out of the window in silence, she knew Zaryab hated this life and she had asked him to leave all of it so he can follow his path but what she didn't get was why he wouldn't leave. Zoya wasn't holding him hostage then why?

"Why don't you just leave it then?" she asked and Zaryab parked the car at the side, he turned to his left to face her, his eyes looked tired and he lowered his head on their intertwined hand.

"Hadiya the moment i leave my place as Zoya's right hand, our lives will only be spent running. Anyone who steps foot in the mafia is stuck forever, you can't outrun the people looking for a moment of weakness, i don't hate Zoya. I pity her. Words cannot describe what she faced in those months in Arbaz's cellar. Hadiya I've lost consciousness listening to her screams every night. Those dark places have turned her into this monster only because she chose to not give in easily. I know the war she's fighting and it takes a lot more than just yourself to get out of it. Her father died trying to save her from this, i don't want to lose you all to something that's not your fault" he spoke every syllable slowly to make her understand but Hadiya could only feel her tears glide down her cheek.

"What- what do you mean screaming?" she asked and Zaryab pursed his lips together.

"I can't say," he said, hanging his head and starting the car without another word. It took Hadiya a few seconds to go still as the realization and assumptions flooded her head, her hands turned cold and her hiccups slowed.

"He- he- z- zo- Zoya- he r-"

"You really think Arbaz would've just kept her locked for amusement. It was torture for me to stay there she was a woman in the lions den" he whispered and shuddered as the image of her bloody frame crawling out of her cell filled his mind, her right hand help a bloody knife and the left tossed a mans detached member in the hallway.

Zaryab had held his breath as she walked towards the cell adjacent to her, she pulled at the lock trying to open it but she could barely move, there wasn't a single part of her body that wasn't bleeding, the clothes that she had taken off the guards body hung loose on her, the light blue shirt slowly turning red, Ahmer who had been the witness of her misery scurried back staring at her face, that had been cut open on the left side. The wound had been infected and white puss leaked from the sloppy stitches. Her mouth was smeared with blood and other fluids, he had heard her throwing up the whole night before this and maybe it was then when all the fight in her died. She had embraced the death of her purity, the freedom of her soul. All Zaryab heard and saw was a living corpse taking revenge in her last hour that she hoped would be the end.