Dunya was really embarrassed as she woke up again after she fainted. She was in Usama's house and she couldn't gather the courage to go out and apologise for worrying everyone.
Why did she have to always embarrass people?
She groaned and as she was about to get up from the bed, there was a knock on the door. Before she could answer, the door was pushed and Usman entered the room.
He was dressed in his police uniform, carrying a tray in his hands. Dunya's cheeks turned red as their eyes met and she lowered her eyes.
Usama cleared his throat. "It's good that you are awake." He put the tray on the bed, in front of her. "I brought your breakfast, you can eat it in here since you don't seem well." He said the last few words with an amused smile on his face.
Dunya blushed even more at his implications. "I am fine, I would have came out to eat."
"It's okay. I'll take your leave now, I need to go." He smirked and turned to leave but not before taunting her. "Agar main thori dair aur ruka, kahin aap phir say behosh na ho jayen." ( I am afraid if I stay for some more time, you might faint again.)
He heard her groan as he left the room, a laugh escaping his own mouth.
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He looked at the file in his hand, a frown placed on his face. The more he read the file, the worse his rage and disgust got. His hands balled in fists on the file.
"He is more dangerous than we thought he was. How could we miss this all along? Hell, I am still wondering why he married Dunya's sister or why she married him and they are happy, well she is, until now? He himself has a daughter yet it seems he doesn't have an ounce of guilt in him." Vidaan shakes his head, his lips in a thin, straight line. "Twenty five. Twenty five girls in the span of four years, ranging from 12 to 30, all of them ending dead. How did that scumbag's wife never got a hint of his misdeeds?"
Usama closed the file in a harsh manner, running a hand through his face. "His wife is just a front. A front to show the world what loving and caring human being he is. She just there for his facade to make sure no one suspects his actions."
"But I don't understand why her? He could have married anyone from a rich family like him, why he chose someone from a middle class background?" Vidaan questions, looking at the file again.
"Again, to show the world how generous he is, marrying a woman of lower background than his. Don't you remember his father's politic career was on the verge of collapsing but when the news spread around that his son married a woman lower than him, it soared through because of the fake image they portrayed. He could have hired someone to pretend to be his wife but he knew it would have ended some day but a permanent one would have never. What better plan to portray a clean image in front of the media and raping and killing women behind the scene. He is a serial rapist!" Usama banged his fist on the table. He couldn't even begin to think what the victim and their families had went through. An image of a dead Dunya appeared in his mind and he almost threw his desk away. The anguish he felt was not anything he felt before. It was strong, as if his heart would shatter and rip itself out of his chest. He was grateful that Dunya survived, that she was save from his crutches, a bit beat up but atleast alive.
"Who's the eye witness that you were talking about? The one that is ready to testify against Malik Khawar and Zorawar Malik?" Vidaan questioned sighing.
Usama calmed himself down. "He's the brother of Zorawar's last victim, Maryam. He was there when all that happened with his sister, when Zorawar and his men entered their house. Although he ran away on the order of his elder sister, but he couldn't live with the pain and guilt that he ran away when he should have protected his sister, when his only family member was also killed because of his cowardinace. He came to me a month before Dunya's incident and testified against him. That's how a case against him was open and we could get more information on him." Usama explained, thinking about something.
"What's going on in your mind Khan?"
"I don't think Maryam's borther's words would be enough to get both of them in jail. We need more concrete witnesses. As much as these files help, it's not enough. We need to build a stronger one against him."
Vidaan thought about his words. An idea struck him but he wasn't sure of Usama would entertain that idea, he would put Vidaan's head on a platter for even suggesting it. He knew that Usama had fallen in love with Dunya and he knew what love can do to one person. He himself would be ready to die rather than put Dunya in any harm's way.
Still, he wanted to try. "I was thinking..." He began sheepishly. Usama raised an eyebrow at his tone, a streak of suspicion in his expressions. "Why don't we ask Dunya to testify?" He said slowly, trying to gauge Usama's reaction.
Usama was calm, extremely calm. "Sure, that's not a bad idea."
Vidaan smiled excitedly. "Seriously?"
"Are you out of your bloody mind!!!" His cold tone boomef in his office, a glare directed towards Vidaan. "Why would you even suggest this stupid idea, Vidaan. You want Dunya to become their target, when they think she is dead? Even if I take her to the court, you know how these people work. They are going to tarnish Dunya's dignity if it hasn't been already."
"I understand Khan, but she is our last hope. Are you suspecting your capabilities in protecting someone? I know you will protect her. Aur woh shakhs jo hamesha kehta hai kay sach ka saath dena chahiye, bahadur ban kar galat kay khilaaf awaaz uthao, chup aur darr kar an betho, aaj wohi shakhs keh raha hai uski jaan ko khatra hoga, kay woh chup rahe? Do you not want justice for Dunya and those 25 girls that were not able to save themselves? Besides this is her only chance at proving herself innocent not only in front of the world but her family as well?" Vidaan explained his point of view calmly, making Usama really think about his words. (Are you not the same person that use to say that one should raise their voice against injustice, that they should become brave and speak against the bad, that one should not keep quite and tolerate the injustice and not be afraid? Why is the same person saying that she should remain silent because if the danger?)
There was silence for few minutes in Usama's office when Vidaan spoke again.
"Please Usama, speak to Dunya, let her chose what she wants to do."
Usama pursed his lips, his eyes going red. He knew that if Dunya agrees, what she would have to go through. He couldn't let her go through all this again, he wouldn't be able to tolerate her pain. He remembered how Dunya fainted when Zorawar Malik called, what would happen if she went in front of him. But at the end of the day it was Dunya's call to make and he would let her choose what she wanted to do
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"Mujhse shadi karaingi?" (Will you marry me?)
Tumhara umar bhar saath panay ki
Dekho yeh aas jaagi hai.
Dunya sputtered on the food she just took a bite of, coughing. She kept coughing as the food choked her. A hand holding a glass of water appeared in front of her which she took hurriedly, drinking it one gulp.
Once her coughing fit subsided, she looked at Usama with wide eyes and red cheeks. But as soon her eyes met his, she averted them.
Silence.
Usama cleared his throat. "So...?" He aske again, nervously. "Will you? Marry me, I mean?"
Tumharay labon say haan sun'nain ki
Dekho yeh aas jaagi hai.
"M-ma-main?" Dunya stuttered, palms sweaty. "Aa-aapsay sh-sh-shadi?" (M-me? M-m-marry y-you?)
Usama chuckled. "Shadi ka pucha hai, phansi ki saza toh nahi sunayi." (I asked you about marriage, not give you a death sentence.)
Dunya gulped. "Why do... why do you want to marry me?"
Usama smiled. "I will tell you that after our nikkah, that is if you want to marry me."
"Why me? Mere jaisi badnaam aur-" Before she could continue, Usama interrupted her. (Someone who is tainted and-)
"Mujhe aap kay mazi say koi farq nahi parta. Waisay bhi woh apka sach nahi hai. Agar sach hota bhi toh mera faisla yehi hota. Aur aapbhi yeh sab na soch kar iss faislay ka sochain. There is no rush, you can take all of your time." He placed took hold of a flower from the vase on the dining table and placed it in front of her. "If your answer is yes, I would like you to place this flower in my room." He have her a breath taking smile, wiped his hands with the napkin and put hid cap on his head before leaving for work. (Your past doesn't matter to me. Besides that is not your truth and even if it was, I would have had no problem with it. And please don't think about your past while making the decision.)
Dunya was left with a beating heart. With a shaking hand, she took hold of the flower on the table. She looked at it for few seconds after which a smile appeared on her lips.
The same lips he had kissed.
A blush appeared on her face at that thought and soon laughter bubbled out of her mouth. If someone would have seen her now, they would think of as mad. With the laughter, tears came out of her eyes which caused her to neglect laughing and cry out to her heart's content.
She didn't know for how long she sat there crying, thinking about everything that happened to her.
If she said yes, would she be doing the right thing? Does she really deserve Usama Khan? She knew that he could get any girl with his looks and personality. He was perfect and she? She was tarnished and accused and her own family never believed her. If it wasn't for Usama Khan, she would have been living on streets or in a Edhi Centre.
Mujhe aap kay mazi say koi farq nahi parta. Waisay bhi woh apka sach nahi hai. Agar sach hota bhi toh mera faisla yehi hota. Aur aapbhi yeh sab na soch kar iss faislay ka sochain.
His words rang in her head, was it the right division for her and him? Why would he even want to marry a 19 year old with minimum education of 12 years? Why had he chosen her?
Will she do the right thing?
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It was twelve at night, he opened the main door of the house and entered, locking it behind him. He looked around, the lights were all off as it should have been at this time of the night.
He placed his car keys and cap on the dining table in the kitchen. Stretching, he switched on the lights of the kitchen and searched through the fridge for something to eat. He wasn't hungry but he was procrastinating entering his room. He was anxious and nervous of what Dunya's decision was. He knew by now she would have made a decision by now, he desperately wanted the flower to be in his room, her answer in his favour.
He knew that he loved her and he knew two months is a really short time to fall in love with someone, but what should one do about their heart?
He sighed and shook his head, the more he would think about it, the more stressed he would get.
Besides he was suppose to ask Dunya if she wanted to testify but he couldn't gather the courage. He wanted to ask her that but on thinking about it, he proposed marriage. He knew once he got married to her, he will have full right to protect her, that she wouldn't have felt alone in that courtroom if she wanted to go ahead, that she would have someone who will never let anyone hurt, who will be her friend and companion. He didn't want anyone to raise fingers at her that she was staying at a man's house and prove all those allegations on her to be right, which he knew it wasn't.
He knew that Dunya needed someone to call her own after everything that happened to her, after everyone that refused to acknowledge her, call her as their own and he wanted to be that support. He wanted to call her his own. He wanted to give her all the love that she didn't get. He wanted to get rid of all of her fears and tears. He wanted to give her all the happiness in the world.
He left the kitchen and entered his room with slow steps. Closing the door behind him, he switched the lights on. Without looking around, he went to the closet and took white slawar and kameez out before entering the attached bathroom and changing out of his uniform.
Splashing cold water on his face, the gathered the courage to come out of the bathroom and look if she placed the flower in his room.
He looked around, on his bed, on the nightstand, on the sofa, the bathroom and even on the balcony, the furniture to make sure it didn't fly away.
The flower wasn't there.
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He stared the wall in front of him. What could be the reason behind her not marrying him? Did she love someone else before the incident? No it couldn't be. There must be another reason. Maybe she still feel scared, maybe she doesn't trust me yet, maybe she is angry at me for kissing her, for committing a sin. Maybe, maybe, maybe...
It was starting to give him a headache. He looked at the time on his phone to see it was five in the morning. He spent the whole night in his thoughts.
With a heavy heart, he got up to do ablution and pray, only Allah can help him attain the peace he desperately needed right. Her rejection hurt him really bad, only Allah can put a salve on it.
He finished his prayer and got up to start getting ready for the day. He didn't know how he would face her after this but there was no other way now. He will tell her about the case and prove her innocence and after that she can go back to her family and he wouldn't stop her. He will respect her choice, he will not force her in anyway no matter how much it hurt him
All these thoughts were starting to give him a headache so he tried to get rid of them. Opening the closet, he searched for his washed uniform. Without really looking at it, as his mind was somewhere else, he almost threw it on the bed and went to take a shower. When he returned, he took hold of the shirt and when he really looked at it, his heart skipped a beat in his chest. He was shocked as he looked at the pocket of his shirt.
The flower was there.
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To be continued...