THE FARHAN'S

~~~~21

Chapter 20:
Breaking Points

Farhan sat in his mother's living room, his face contorted with frustration. The tension between him and Fathiya had reached its breaking point, and he couldn't bear it any longer. His mother, a quiet and dignified woman, observed him pacing back and forth, clenching his fists.

"Ummah," he finally spoke, his voice trembling. "Dan Allah koh zakiyi wa Fathiya magana ta yarda? I can't lose her. She's my wife—"

"Farhan," his mother interrupted, her tone soft but firm. "How many times have I told you? Marriage is not something you force. I have counseled you, I have spoken to her, but nothing seems to be working. If she no longer wants to be with you, what can we do?"

"Ummah," Farhan insisted, his desperation palpable. "Please, one last time. I can't let her go like this. I know there's something still there between us."

His mother sighed deeply. She had tried everything to mediate between the two of them, but Fathiya seemed resolute. Still, seeing the pain in her son's eyes, she agreed to try once more. "Shikenan," she said. "I will talk to her one last time, but after that, Farhan, you must be ready to accept whatever decision she makes."

Farhan nodded, clinging to that small glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Ummah."

***
In Fathiya's house, the air was thick with unspoken words. She sat in her room, her head resting in her hands, tears staining her cheeks. The guilt, the confusion, and the shame overwhelmed her. Every time someone asked her what was wrong, she couldn't find the words to explain. It wasn't just about Farhan anymore. It was about Rayyan too. She had entangled herself in something she couldn't easily escape.

Anam and Hisham had been watching her, concerned, but no one knew how to comfort her. Nadeem, however, had been silently observing the situation for weeks now, and finally, he decided it was time to intervene. He stood up from the sofa in the living room, his voice calm but commanding.

"I think the time has come for me to do the needful," he said, leaving the room with a purposeful stride, leaving the rest of the family wondering what he intended to do.

Alone in her room, Fathiya was wrestling with her thoughts. The silence was unbearable, and her mind became a battlefield of conflicting emotions. She spoke aloud to herself, trying to make sense of it all.

"Would he listen to me?" she whispered. "Or would he just dismiss everything I say? Should I try?"

One part of her mind urged her to reach out, to try and salvage what was left . But another voice, louder and more cynical, told her it was too late. She was too far gone, and there was no turning back now.

Suddenly, in a moment of clarity, she picked up her phone. She began typing furiously, her fingers trembling as she crafted the message to Rayyan.

"We are separating, Rayyan. Don't get me wrong."

Her heart raced as she hit send. It didn't take long for Rayyan's reply to pop up.

"Are you sure?" he asked, as if challenging her resolve.

Fathiya hesitated, but she forced herself to respond. "100 percent. It's over."

There was a brief pause before Rayyan replied again. "I saw love and affection between the two of you, in both your eyes."

Fathiya's heart sank. He had seen something she had been too blind to notice—perhaps a sliver of hope, buried deep in the chaos. But she wasn't going to back down now.

"He has lost that chance," she typed back, her words more confident than she felt.

Rayyan took a moment before responding again. "I don't want to be harsh, Fathiya, but I hate dramas. I think it's best we talk after your separation, so we don't commit a sin."

Fathiya's fingers hovered over the keyboard. She wanted to respond, to explain herself, but before she could type anything, Rayyan sent one final message.

"Bissalam."

She stared at the screen, the weight of that one word hitting her like a punch to the gut. It was over. Whatever had been blossoming between her and Rayyan was gone, snuffed out before it could fully take shape.

Meanwhile, Farhan drove back home, restless and filled with dread. He couldn't shake the image of Fathiya with Rayyan, and the thought gnawed at him. He was losing her, he knew that, but he wasn't going to let it happen without a fight. As he parked his car outside, his phone buzzed again. It was Amal, and her timing couldn't have been worse.

"Baby," she said when he answered. "Ina ka je ne? Ban ji ka ba tun safe."

Amal," he said curtly, barely holding back his irritations ."Amal ba komai he said ", need to spend time sorting out this mess with Fathiya."

Amal's voice faltered. "But baby, we are married. Doesn't that matter anymore?"

Farhan sighed heavily. "I'm trying to be fair. Fathiya is still my wife too, Amal. I can't just abandon her. I will spend time with you, but not today."

Amal's heart sank, but she held her tongue. "Toh, Allah ya baka sa'a," she whispered, knowing she couldn't compete with the love he still held for Fathiya.

"Ameen," Farhan replied, ending the call abruptly. His mind was too preoccupied with how to salvage what remained of his marriage.

Back at Fathiya's house, she sat on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at her phone. She had severed ties with Rayyan, but that hadn't solved her problems. Her marriage was still in ruins, and now, she didn't know how to fix it. Tears welled up in her eyes again, but this time, she didn't wipe them away. She let them fall, feeling the weight of her decisions pressing down on her like a heavy cloud.

She heard a knock at the door, and Anam's voice called softly. "Fathiya, please open the door."

But Fathiya didn't move. She was trapped, not just in her room, but in the turmoil of her own heart.

~~~~
As salamu alaikum beautiful people
We have come to end of this chapter

Don't forget to like ,vote and comment

How is the story going ?
Do you think rayyan will be back ?