" You have an older brother! You never talked about him," Rubab was surprised. " In fact, your mother never talked about him too."
Dawood sighed," How can I tell you about him when I don't even remember what he used to look like?"
" Why is that?" Rubab straightened her back diverting her whole concentration on him.
Dawood looked outside having a longing expression on his face. " It's been years since I saw him," Dawood said. " I wonder how is he? What's he doing? What does he look like?"
" I am not understanding your puzzling words, Dawood," Rubab said with confusion.
Dawood continued saying," We were very little when my father came to take my brother. We were in Iraq at that time. The whole country was war-stricken and my mother was struggling for survival with me and my brother. My father came to rescue us but he could only take my brother with him. I and my mother were left behind. It was the last time I saw him."
" I am so sorry, Dawood," Rubab placed one of her hands on his shoulder. " By the way, what's your brother's name?"
Dawood smiled," Dar................"
Rubab opened her eyes with a severe headache. Breathing heavily she looked here and there and discovered herself in her room. She had no idea when did she sleep after showering. She spent hours in the shower after Darwish snatched her precious hair from her. With teary eyes, she touched her head again wishing to touch those silky long locks but there was nothing.
Wiping away the tears with the back of her hands Rubab got down from the bed and walked near the table. She searched for her medicines because she felt as if someone was hitting her head with a hammer. She needed to take the medicines immediately.
The nightmares she used to have regarding Dawood was gone for a few days but somehow they were back again. Rubab was fed up with her life because of everything. The guilt she was feeling after talking to Ayesha and then her father's accident, Darwish's behaviour had left crucial mental effects on her.
" Where did the medicines go? I put it here," Rubab's hands searched the drawers but there was nothing.
Rubab's ears stood straight hearing a whispering sound from the balcony as if there was someone. Out of curiosity Rubab peeked at the balcony and found a boy playing with her medicines. She blinked her eyes with confusion because she never saw this boy in the house before. The boy would be around 3/4 years old. She wondered who was he. Maybe he was one of the servant's kids.
Rubab cleared her throat," Excuse me." The boy looked at her with those big round innocent eyes of his.
" Those are my medicines," Rubab said. " Who are you?"
The boy shook her head in denial," These are Jerry's eggs." He started shoving the tablets into his tiny pocket.
" Who is this Jerry?" Rubab questioned sounding a bit irritated.
" My friend," The boy took out a lizard from his other pocket and showed it to Rubab.
With a scream, Rubab backed away. She was always scared of cockroaches and lizards. Looking at her frightened face the boy started laughing loudly.
" Omar..... Omar," Rubab heard a lady's voice approaching the balcony.
Rubab was still overcoming the shock she got after seeing the lizard when a lady entered the balcony. Grabbing Omar's hand she jerked it slightly letting the lizard run away. " How many times have I told you not to play with this dirty animal?"
" Mumma, he is my friend," Omar whined but his mother was not in the mood to hear anything.
Rubab kept watching this mother-son duo with confusion. She wondered who they were. How could they roam inside the house like that? Was Darwish related to them?
" I am sorry for the trouble, bhabhi( sister-in-law)," the lady returned the bottle of medicines to Rubab. " Don't mind him. He is always a troublemaker. Considering his age, forgive him," The lady requested.
Rubab questioned," Who are you? Why are you calling me bhabhi?"
" I am Darwish's sister, Razia," The lady answered making Rubab scratch her head with confusion.
Razia chuckled," Well, he considers me as his sister. My father was one of his loyal employees and my mother was his caretaker."
" This is my son, Omar," Razia introduced the boy who was glaring at Rubab because she took away his Jerry's eggs.
The boy pointed at Rubab," Mumma, look. She has hair like me."
Rubab's whole face got clouded with sudden sadness and embarrassment. She covered her head with her dupatta(stole) and noticed Razia looking at her with an unexplainable look on her face.
" Seems like the short hair is the new trend," Razia tried to act normal. " Short hair suit you, bhabhi," Razia tried to lighten up Rubab's mood.
Rubab was no child who won't understand flattering words. Letting out a dry smile she pulled the dupatta more almost covering her forehead. She wishes she could tell the lady what a monster her brother is. She did not say anything because she was less interested in tolerating Darwish's barbaric behaviour again.
" A crow should look like a crow always," Darwish entered the balcony startling everyone.
Looking at his face Rubab felt disgusted. She knew whom he mentioned with those mocking words. Before he could embarrass her in front of the guests she decided to leave. But, he grabbed her wrists tightly almost cutting her blood supply. She twisted her wrists glaring at him.
" Seems like something has happened between you," Razia said noticing the hatred in Rubab and Darwish's eyes.
Darwish answered taking a good look at Rubab," Not yet."
Rubab understood the meaning of his words noticing the devilish grin at the corner of his lips.
" At least have some shame in front of your sister," Rubab whispered.
Darwish ignored her and diverted his eyes at Razia," Take Omar with you. I need to discuss something important with your bhabhi."
Razia did not say anything further. Holding Omar's tiny hand she left the room hoping everything is good between het brother and sister-in-law.
The moment Razia stepped outside the room Rubab was slammed against the wall. Darwish grabbed her throat but did not put any pressure.
" My sister is here for a few days. She should not know whatever is happening between us," Darwish warned her.
Rubab sniggered," Why? Are you afraid that your sister will see your true face?"
He did not like the taunting smile on her face. Slowly, he started putting pressure on her neck. Rubab tried to free herself but in front of his beastly body, she was nothing.
" Don't question me if you do not want to see my wrath again," Darwish warned. " You do remember what happened last time," he started massaging her head.
Tears stung her eyes remembering her black wavy long locks. She looked at him with pure despise.
" At least tell me what I did to deserve all this?" Rubab shouted.
Darwish barked back," You ruined his life."
" Whose?" Rubab questioned getting confused.
Darwish started shaking with anger," You don't remember or you have ruined so many lives that you couldn't be sure whom I am talking about."
" You know what?" Rubab paused. " It's in vain to talk with an insane person like you."
She kicked his right leg letting his hand loosen around her neck. She moved away from him hurriedly.
" If you can't give me a straightforward answer then just don't come to accuse me of something I couldn't remember doing," She forwarded her legs.
Before leaving she turned behind," And, I am not going to say anything to your sister because I don't give a shit about you and any of your relatives."
" If you hate me so much then why did you even marry me?" Rubab demanded an answer. " Ok. I get it. You want to torture me. Then, at least tell me the reason I am getting tortured for. I am fed up with this life, Darwish."
She ran away with teary eyes while he kept standing like a robot. He wondered how could she not remember what she did to Dawood.
The Next Day
Sitting in the garden Rubab was thinking about Darwish's words. She wondered why he accused her of destroying someone's life. She wondered if she did something to Darwish's family members or loved ones. But, how is it can possible? She barely knows any of his family members.
She remembered her friend's words that she used to be a bully in school. Maybe someone related to Darwish was bullied by her and that's why he was having grudges against her. Rubab wasn't sure because she could hardly remember anything about her school life.
" Dawood," A voice spoke in her mind.
Rubab straightened her back recalling that name. Automatically, her mind reminded her about the nightmare she had yesterday. She was talking to Dawood about his brother. She wondered if she was a bully to Dawood and then how she was talking to him so casually. So many questions were in her mind but there was zero answer.
" Where did you hide Jerry's eggs?" Rubab was startled by Omar's voice.
Rubab looked forward and found Omar standing there with a toy car in his head. Smiling at him she called him near her. Omar walked near her but didn't get too close.
" Those were my medicines, kiddo. You shouldn't be playing with medicines," Rubab said softening her voice.
Omar shouted at her," No. They were my Jerry's eggs. You stole them. You are a thief."
Rubab did not get offended by his words. Instead, she only chuckled. She shouldn't get offended by a whiny kid. She wondered how could she divert his mind from her medicines.
" Forget about Jerry's eggs. How about I show you some magic?" Rubab said pulling Omar close to her.
Omar sounded excited," Really! You know magic!"
" Yup. See, I will vanish this earring from my hand," Rubab said taking one of her earrings in her hand.
Doing some tricks Rubab managed to hide the earring and Omar was in awe after seeing the magic. He started clapping his hands becoming awestruck by the magic.
" Tell me how did you do that?" Omar questioned looking at Rubab with his round big eyes.
While Rubab was laughing and having fun with Omar, Darwish was watching her from the balcony. He was talking to someone over the phone when his eyes caught Rubab's smiling face.
" I will call you later," Darwish disconnected the call.
His eyes observed her thoroughly. He couldn't take off his eyes seeing that carefree smile, those squashy cheeks turning red while smiling and those doe-like eyes of hers. His barbaric action couldn't reduce her beauty even a bit. She was still looking pretty with her short hair. He intended to sell her to a brothel after using her to his heart's content but the way he was getting attracted to her was alarming for his disgusting intention. He hated her but at the same time, he could not refuse that he was attracted to her.
Darwish's concentration was broken by someone's presence behind him. He heard someone clearing their throat.
" Why don't you guys share the same room?" Razia questioned.
Darwish answered reluctantly," I am not habituated to sharing my room."
" That's your wife," Razia was surprised by his response.
Darwish rolled his eyes," Just in the papers."
Razia was going to ask more but Darwish diverted the topic," Anyway, when will Rahela bi return? It's been days since she has gone to Saudi for Umrah Haj!"
" Mamma will return this week," Razia answered.
Darwish hummed," Hmm."
" Once she returns tell her to stay at my farmhouse. She should not come here," Darwish added taking another glance at Rubab.
Razia curled her brows," Why? Won't she meet your wife?"
Darwish ignored her questions. Rubab should not know about Rahella bi this soon because he does not want to reveal his identity now. Today or tomorrow Rubab will come to know that it was him who kidnapped her but she shouldn't know about him this early.
" You question a lot, Razia," Darwish let out an irritated remark.
Razia rolled her eyes," And, you don't bother to answer."
Glaring at Razia Darwish forwarded his legs to leave when his phone started ringing. The moment he looked at the phone screen his facial expression turned serious. He received the call hurriedly.
" Are you sure?" Darwish sounded scared yet desperate. He almost dropped the phone. " I don't want to be disappointed again."
Razia was confused to see her brother's face. She touched his arm." What happened?"
" I am coming from tomorrow's flight," Darwish's eyes sparkled with sudden hope.
Disconnecting the call he looked at Razia with hopeful eyes. She was clueless about the sudden change in him.
" What happened?" she sounded curious.
Darwish replied letting out a wide smile," Dawood just opened his eyes."
Note- No update this month as I have exams. The next updates will be from June.
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