"What I know for sure is this: You are built not to shrink down to less, but to blossom into more. To be more splendid. To be more extraordinary."
-Oprah Winfrey
Sobs and whimpers was all she could hear, low cries of agony and helplessness and a distant voice of soft innocent whimpers. Both the cries had odd connection which was making her heart twist. She was standing in a closed bedroom with beautiful golden and white theme, in a room where there was no one she could still hear the voices, she tried to move forward, she was in frenzy and wanted to reach both the ones whose calls were making her heart shiver. Just as she took a step she noticed the chains clutching her feet.
Her heart skipped a beat.
What was happening?
Helplessness was running through her own nerves now.
Getting on her knees she tried to fiddle with the chains when both the cries got louder she looked forward to noticed someone leaving the room and a girl running behind them.
The door closed with a thunderous voice and suddenly all the whimpers stopped, before Daniyah could call out the girl she turned. A yelp left her mouth and her body froze looking at the disheveled girl in front of her. Soon the room filled with soft yet breaking voice singing a lullaby. A lullaby she herself had listened yhroughout her childhood.
But frozen in her place her mind didn't comprehend the familiar words but just focused on the face, she stared back at the girl with dangerously hollow cheeks and sunken eyes, her hair a mess as she kept signing and singing. Daniyah's heart was erratic as she kept looking at a horrid form of her own reflection which was no less than a nightmare.
Her eyes opened up with a jolt as a feeling of falling down consumed her system, her heart beat was an erratic mess and her chest was heaving. Daniyah took deep breaths to calm herself but she couldn't, in matter of seconds the whole dream was becoming a blur but somehow it was still imprinted on the curtains of her memory. Sitting on a soft mattress in an air-conditioned room with the night bulb she could still feel her feet chained. She tried shrugging her thoughts away but it didn't help much.
Getting out of the bed she first got herself a glass of water from the room refrigerator then in a desperate need of fresh air she left the room. Walking through the quiet hallway she made her way down the stairs and wrapping her dupatta around herself she went for the backyard. Past twenty four hours were a roller coaster ride for her and many events were yet to come. She was still in emotional turmoil from her expectant pregnancy to whatever ordeal Janaan was stuck in. Her life, to her seemed like a plotted Pakistani drama, a bitter laugh escaped her lips on the thought.
Her steps halted as she came out in the backyard, under the open sky where a large swimming pool was. On the opposite side Janaan was walking speedily while talking on a phone. Rooted to her place Daniyah saw her frantic movements but it wasn't longer that her presence was noticed. Surprised for few seconds, Janaan waved at her while she also ended the call and then walked past the pool towards her.
"What are you doing up so early?" Janaan asked with a smile, as if it was perfectly normal for them to walk in the backyard at this hour.
"Woke up and now couldn't sleep. What about you?" Daniyah intently looked at her expressions which didn't falter for a second, the impressive thing about the Kirmani siblings, she thought at that hour was, they don't easily let anyone read their mind. They were deceitful with their expressions.
"Same." Janaan gave another smile before looking away. Daniyah let her eyes stay at her for strong few seconds before shaking her head. She moved forward towards the pool as Janaan followed her. They both sat letting their feet getting soaked in the cool water as silence surrounded them.
"Sometimes I wish I could back to my childhood and stay there forever," Janaan broke the heavy silence with her mere whisper and a longing smile covered Daniyahs face.
"I would trade everything to get that back." she said as she moved her right foot to create small waves in the pool. That night after what felt like eternities the two of them sat and talk about anything and everything, laughter were shared and tears were shed, in the apocalyptic life they shared the burden of their shoulders.
***
His workout playlist was playing at the deafening volume through his headphones as he completed his 7th lap on the 400 meter track. His t-shirt was sticking to his toned chest while he was blocking all his thoughts through the music, his muscles were now starting to burn but he still had to complete his run. The sun was already out as he increased his pace. He wanted to stay here for the whole day and ignore all the troubles which were coming his way.
His life had just been a roller and when he jumped off a hurdle another one is waiting for him. Though Janaan was back but tension was far worse, his own father was still raging, nothing was affecting the man, there were fair share of suspicions and fear about the entire case. Then there was Daniya, her sudden claim of being pregnant was making Emaad frenzy. He didn't even want to think of what could be possible outcome if she is actually right. The personal life he had would face the biggest storm of his life if it would be true, he won't only lose the woman he loves but his son, his own flesh and blood and losing Zaviyar wasn't an option, child was the only way to get Mishaal in the family. Daniyah and her child was never the part of the plan, or at least his plan. It was like the entire universe was letting his father have an upper hand on him.
Completing his jog of an hour he finally got out of the park and back to his home, after many years Emaad went out of his personal gym for his jog and though there wasn't much difference in his restless state but being alone and away from everyone really did gave him a great chance to actually breathe. He needs to be more strategic about his plans.
As soon as he entered his mansion, he saw his father coming from the passage where their gym was and he internally groaned to face the man first thing in the morning. He quietly made his way towards the internal entrance when he heard his name being called. Taking a deep breath he turned and faced Faisal Kirmani who was dressed in his track suit.
"Morning, dad." He pushed a small smile before pressing his lips in a straight line.
"You know what you have to do," in a terse voice Mr. Kirmani reminded Emaad of a job.
"Dad, I think we should give her couple of days. I promise—"
"I have seen enough of your promises, do as I say or I have ways of doing it." His bitter tone boiled Emaad's blood but he nodded nevertheless and without saying anything else Faisal Kirmani walked inside.
Sighing Emaad shook his head and followed the way in and rushed up to his bedroom which was- like every other morning- empty. His dress for the placed on bed with a fresh pair of towel and all what he needed arranged in the room. The sudden change in Daniyah and her more than usual kindness, innocence, carefulness, thoughtfulness, he didn't know what to name her actions, but whatever it was, was making him uneasy. Where he wasn't sure of what to name her actions, he was unsure of his own heart. He was tired of torturing her, he wanted to ignore her at all cost, he wanted to build a wall between them but lately she wasn't making it easy. Despite everything what had happened between them she had proved herself from moments to moments.
If only she wasn't choice of his father.
If only time had given them a chance.
If only he had met her first.
If only...
His chain of thought took a break as the door clicked and he turned to look at the disruption. Was it the devil or the angel who mark their presence as soon as they are remembered? He wanted to laugh at his thought but quietly picked his towel and turned towards the ensuite washroom while Daniyah walked to her side of the bed. Before he would enter the washroom he remembered about her appointment with the gynecologist. Turning back he looked at her back which was bent towards the drawer and for few seconds he stood there before composing himself.
"Listen," he saw Daniyah startling at her place, "Be ready after breakfast we'll go to the doctor together." She turned as soon as his sentence ended with wonder and worries both dancing in her eyes.
"It's not a big deal, I'll manage." She fiddled her fingers and he ignored her anxiety.
"Just get ready!" and with that said he entered the washroom.
***
Cold feet and sweaty palms were never a good combination, Daniyah knew this pretty well from quite a long time but she never knew that when she would be nearing the time to find about a very important phase of her life this would be her exact situation. She didn't really had big dreams but being a girl with dreams she had hopes and it was nothing like the way she was having it. She was sitting beside a so-called husband with no heart or feelings in a waiting room freezing to death with a confused state of mind because of everything happening. Shrugging her thoughts away she shunned her mind for the umpteenth time because she was tired of thinking of the same thing, about the same betrayal, and her unknown sin. She just wanted to get done with the appointment and go back.
As soon as her name was called Daniyah robotically stood up and picked her bag, she had everything already planned out in her mind. If it would be negative she was ready to face for whatever worse was yet to come and if it will become positive she would have to strengthen herself for the innocent life which was joining her at the very wrong period of time. Despite all the scenarios she made and went through a thousand times her hands were now starting to shake as she neared the doctor's office, unlike many husbands she saw in last half an hour Emaad was walking behind her without any expression.
"Good afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Shah," Daniyah snapped as her eyes too look up at a completely foreign face with a far more crisp tone than the one she met and her heart skipped a beat as she found a new person altogether. Highly professional one thing, Daniyah knew that the woman in front of her would be anything but friendly or patient like the another woman she met, her crisp dressing, perfectly dyed hair tied up neatly in a bun, the branded glasses and watch and the spacious office probably the size of a small flat meant only one thing; work and no help.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Tajwer." Emaad moved forward and shook his hand, a smile on his face which was one which seems like speaking of gratitude. "I am really glad that you agreed on setting up an appointment with us on such a short notice." He continued without acknowledging Daniyah and reluctantly she took a place beside him.
"Obviously Mr. Kirmani, it's an honour to be of any help!" nothing in the words or the conversation was to mean help, Daniyah knew this, like everything else Emaad also wanted to control her pregnancy and she knew how much money he must have thrown away to get this appointment done. She knew about the doctor in front of her as one of the highest paid Gynecologist of the country and the hospital they were in was her own.
"Now without further ado let's get to it. I have got the reports from Dr. Nabila but before that let's have a small examination," doctor spoke standing up in any other case she would have asked her assistant to do all this but doing herself confirmed all the suspicion in Daniyah's heart. Her weight was measured, her blood pressure and temperature was checked and then they were back on the seats.
"Everything seems good except your weight, it's not good for you or the baby," and Daniyah took a sharp breath, "Yes, congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Kirmani according to the reports Mrs. Kirmani here is pregnant and as it's a very early stage you have to be really cautious about everything especially your diet and physical activity. No lifting up heavy materials, no careless movement, and now please don't stop moving at all, slow walk is good and keep yourself active and maintain a good diet as you really need to gain weight." She heard everything yet her mind was making it hard to register the word. It was all happening and it was happening fast. Daniyah started feeling panic rising in her as she tried to normalize her breathing.
A baby!
Questions and fears all were attacking her. The hold on the seat she had turned harder turning her knuckles white as she heard the doctor directing and answering all the questions Emaad was asking, his sudden interest was making her claustrophobic. Why acting like an interested father when he was anything but that? She will never understand this man, she realized.
The rest of the appointment for her was a blur, all she got to know that there was a life inside of her, a natural phenomenon yet a miracle, it was almost of two weeks, it was there and she had to protect it with whatever she had in her.
"I want you to take care of my child if anything happened to him I will not forgive you," they were back in the car and this time there was no guard or a driver, the words were cold yet the voice was soft. She looked at him who was looking ahead and igniting the engine.
"What if it's a," she stopped thinking about her words, she feared the answer.
"A girl?" she sensed the smile in his eyes and turned to look at his face, there was warmth and certainly a smile, with wide eyes she waited to let it fall apart and felt his palms against her cheeks, his thumb caressed her cheeks softly as their eyes met. "Then she will have a brother soon."
And it fell apart so hard that the shredded pieces wounded her in the worst way possible.
***
"Just one more piece," Daniyah shook her head as her mother in law passed her a sliced apple.
"Mama I have already eaten all what you have given me that's it." She pleaded as her Talat Kirmani forced her again.
It had been a week from her appointment and from last one week she had seen changes she could only dream of, Emaad was back to who he was before their marriage, kind and tender but unlike past Daniyah was aware of who he really was. Sometimes she would gave in and accept him but his words with hidden meaning would blow everything away. Faisal Kirmani on the other hand acted as if not Janaan but Daniyah was his daughter, the two men had changed their attitude so much faster that at time it appalled Daniyah and she wanted to run away. Emaad announced about her pregnancy on the dinner table on the day of appointment. The family rejoiced the moment or pretended to rejoice. Emaad was directed by his parents to take good care of their 'heir' and his mother.
She would smile and participate but day by day she was getting tired of sharing their enthusiasm, they even took her right to be happy on entering such a precious phase of her life by imposing the demand of a son. She couldn't believe that even in 21st century a family so well educated can be so barbaric but then when was the moment they didn't prove it.
She was dwelling about her thought while sitting with the rest of the family except Janaan who was not allowed to join the family in any part of the day, or precisely when Faisal Kirmani was in the house while the rest of the family was being there for her. Daniyah was surprised when the next day of Janaan's return Mr. Kirmani called her all the inhumane names and insulted her before banishing her completely. In her almost twenty five years of life Daniyah never saw any men having such a malicious behavior with their child especially a daughter and that day Daniyah understood the lack of interest Janaan had in her father.
"Sahib jee," her thoughts were interrupted as the head guard entered the living room they all were sitting in, "there is someone along with IG sahib who wants to meet you and Janaan bibi."
Silence enveloped the place as the information was laid out; everyone looked at Mr. Kirmani while his face was expressionless. No one knew what to say and especially they all were wondering about the person who came with the police officer who was leading the case of Janaan's disappearance.
"Make them sit in the drawing room." He replied before standing up as the rest of them joined him. "Emaad come with me, bring her," he said without looking at the women and then walked towards the guest living room.
Mrs. Kirmani and Daniyah quickly went to Janaan's room surprised to find her dressed in a fresh and new dress and in a condition far better than she had been dressing.
"You are here to take me, I know, let's go." She said standing up from her bed making Daniyah and Mrs. Kirmani freeze in their place. Mrs. Kirmani was the first one to gain her consciousness and turned to lock the door.
"What have you done, Janaan?" first time in her life Daniyah heard Talat Kirmani talking in a cold voice to anyone and that too to Janaan.
"Why do you think that I have done something mama?"
"Why? Why are you doing all this? Why are you bound to make mine and your life miserable?" and then she broke again like a thousand times before.
"That's the problem mama; I am trying to NOT make my life miserable unlike you who wasted it on him."
"He is your father."
"I wish I would be an orphan."
"You will get nothing by doing this." Her mother pleaded.
"If by nothing you mean his money, thank you, but I don't need it. If his love, huh! I never had it. In fact none of us had it. But you know what I will get? I will get a revenge for all what he had done to us."
"Janaan, love—"
"Let's go mama!" Janaan pushed past them and left the room. Daniyah on the other hand wrapped her arm around the old lady and whispered what she thought was right and led her outside.
Daniyah, Mrs. Kirmani and Janaan entered the living room together but as soon as they entered there was another storm waiting for them. Before anyone could say anything Janaan ran and hugged a guy not much older than her. Standing tall on almost six feet, he was built with quite a good figure and as Janaan reached him without having any fear he wrapped his arms around her while placing a soft kiss on her head. Gasp left from the mouth of both the women as men lunged towards them but IG was soon to act as he shielded Janaan and who Daniyah remembered as Misbah.
"I think we should talk calmly, Mr. Kirmani." Were the words the IG said.
"To hell with calmly you bastard! I got you where you are today and that's how paying me? I will ruin you!" Mr. Kirmani's voice thundered across the guest living room and this time Emaad did nothing to stop him. Janaan was hiding behind the young man who was standing calmly beside the IG.
"First of all you did nothing to help me whatsoever! I mean let's not forget the past shall we? But I don't care about it. Misbah is my nephew and I know he loves and respect your daughter as much as she does and that's why their nikkah had been done." Storm was fatally enveloping the Kirmanis, Daniyah bit her lip and gave Mrs. Kirmani support who was inaudibly sobbing.
"I will kill all three of you—"
"Now, now, Mr. Kirmani that wouldn't be such a great idea as my police force is standing right outside your mansion. We don't want you to have dirty hand and that too right before elections, do we?" IG Sind smiled as if he was announcing about the weather.
Daniyah could feel her senses getting numb as the events unfolded. Nothing was making sense and she didn't know what was yet to come.
"Let's sit and talk—"
"Listen IG enough of this drama—"
"My name is not IG, its Akbar, and now if you don't want to sit then its fine with me. I am here to announce that Janaan is officially my daughter-in-law, next Saturday I will be coming along with the rest of my family to finalize and decide the dates for events and functions. We don't want any unpleasant incident happening. Now, the important point is, if I got to know that after my departure Janaan is tortured or stressed for anything whatsoever you know the consequences which can follow. You know the cases; I mean I don't have to remind you. We can't wait to be finally become family." He smiled and pushed his hands forward but Mr. Kirmani moved ahead.
"I will destroy you IG. I will end your family."
Pulling his hand, the police officer looked at Janaan and Misbah and then looked back at Emaad and Faisal Kirmani, a calm and confident smile covered his face before he recited a worse out loud,
" وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاءُۖ "
----
A.O.A
How are you guys? How is life?
So here's the chapter again! The support from you guys is tremendous! Now I really hope you guys have enjoyed the chapter (Ignore the errors .-.)
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Till the next time,
TC,
Zehra :)