-Chapter 13-

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Maan forced himself to keep his eyes open

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Maan forced himself to keep his eyes open. Every breath turned into a relentless battle. His body wanted to give up. He looked at the officer who was sitting beside him. He could not be sure if he was alive. He had tried to wake him up, but he never moved. They had served together for years. He had a young son waiting for him at home.

Maan's throat choked up with unshed tears. He had someone waiting as well. Maany. Tears threatened to come. He quickly blinked away the tears. His Manny knew what to do if he did not come. He prepared him for everything. He made sure that his child was not dependent on him for emotional support. But he wished he had not distanced himself from the boy. He had let his fear win and in the end his child paid the price. Two precious years were lost. If he died, Manny would not lose much. His child felt like an orphan. That was his cross to bear, but he could not take the burden to his grave. He had to make things right with Manny. Give him something to hold on to. Tell him how much he loved him. He hoped life gave him the chance.

He had too many regrets. His mother would be left behind again to shoulder all the burden on her own. Mahir..... Maan could no longer hold back his tears. He raised the boy as his own. The boy has always been his child, but he had a bond with him that went much deeper than any siblings bond. Mahir was his best friend. The child was willing to share his responsibilities and walked alongside him. Never once did the boy disappoint him. When he left, Mahir took away part of him. He could never be whole without Mahir.

Fate had given him a second chance with Mahir, but he had let his hurt dictate his actions. Made the same mistake he did with Manny. By trying to protect himself, he hurt the very children he raised. He felt a sharp pain in his heart. He could not be sure if it was the lack of oxygen or just his emotional trauma. No matter what it was, Maan knew he did not have much time left.

With every passing second his hope was fading away. He closed his eyes hoping to find courage; all he saw was Maah's pleading face. If he were to die, he could not die without saying goodbye to the people he loved. He could not give them what they wanted, but he could give them closure.

Maan took a deep breath and reached for his phone. His fingers were numb. The phone felt cold to his touch. He tapped on the screen. Pari's smiling face stared back at him. He had taken the photograph in the morning. The baby was glowing with radiance. His Mahir's child. He wished he had more time with her. Maan pressed a kiss on the baby's face. He wished the baby would grow up in her Aunt's footsteps. Become the princess that she truly was.

Once more, his vision became blurry. Time was not in his hands anymore. He swiped down and opened the camera. His face looked battered and bruised. That is not how he wanted them to remember him. He tried to wipe off the blood, but it was impossible. He sighed and turned off the camera. He opened the WhatsApp app. He had sent voice messages several times, this would be his last. There was no reception, but he knew how the app worked. Once the phone received the connection, it would send the message immediately. That was enough for him.

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