2.4|Aafreen • Truth|

Aafreen woke up around six in the morning as usual. She yawned and opened her eyes to get a shocker. Shahaan was sleeping beside her. Her eyes widened. She tried to move away from him which resulted in waking him up.

He understood his peaceful time was finally over. He lazily got up from the bed. He rubbed the back of his neck, he wasn't embarrassed, just a little nervous.

Her eyes reflected all the questions she had in her mind. He was seriously confusing her. Firstly, he kissed her forcefully. Secondly, he slapped her. Thirdly, he locked her in the basement. But suddenly, he changed. Okay, maybe it's because she confessed that she was innocent in her panic state. However, she didn't want to raise her hopes higher when she knew he may be pretending, to take revenge. The same had happened years ago with her. Someone used her weakness against her. What if Shahaan was doing the same? Being mentally ill didn't mean that she forgot the cruel lesson life had taught her.

Shahaan wasn't good at reading people but Aafreen was an exception. He smiled lovingly and bent on his knees. Holding her both hands, he looked straight into her glassy black eyes.

"Aafi, trust me. I'll fix everything."

The dam of her self-control broke and tears rolled down to her cheeks without a pause.

"Don't try to fix it, Shahaan. Or else you'll yourself break down."

Her words held a deep meaning which he understood instantly. Whoever the real killer is, is someone close to him. Someone he trusts the most.

His heart shuddered. A thought crossed his mind, which made him forget how to breath.

He now had an idea of the original culprit. And yes, even a mere thought of it broke him. He was praying that he is wrong and Aafreen is lying.

His perplexed expression told her that he understood everything.

"Shahaan, you should have killed me. Because now the truth will kill you alive."

He looked at her, his eyes bloodshot.

"Then let it be. Let me get hurt."

With that, he left the room and went downstairs.

He banged on Hiba's door.

"Khala! Open the door."

But he didn't get any reply.

Rania came there hearing his rage-filled voice. She opened her mouth contemplating to tell him or not.

"Shahaan sir, last night I told everything to Hiba Bibi. About the misunderstanding, taking Aafreen Bibi to hospital and later your changed demeanor with her."

"Bring the spare key of Khala's room." He ordered and Rania rushed to do the same.

As he opened the door, the sight in front of his eyes shook him terribly. Rania screamed in horror.

Hiba was lying lifeless on the floor in the pool of blood flowing through her injured wrist.

She killed herself.

She suicide.

•••

Dear Shahaan,

When you would be reading this letter I know I won't be alive anymore. I am taking this huge step because my sins are making my life a living hell. I am a culprit of yours, Aafreen, and my elder sister Tuba.

You must have found out that Aafreen is innocent and... ( there was a stain of a teardrop on the paper)... I am the real murderer. I killed my elder sister and your mother.

I always dreamt of a luxurious life. And then I met Aafreen's widower father. He was just like Aafreen. Innocent, pure, and kind-hearted. I made him believe that I will look after Aafreen as my child. And he married me, for sake of his only child. He was unaware that I married him only for his money.

Unfortunately, he died in an accident. Aafreen cried all day and night but I didn't shed a single tear. Because I was the one behind that accident. I killed him so that I could inherit his property. But all of his property was in Aafreen's name. He didn't leave a single penny for me. Maybe because he got to know that my real motive to marry him was money.

I wanted to get the property at any cost. So I began drugging Aafreen. She was only five when all this began and it continued for the next ten years. The drug stopped her mental growth. She was growing into a beautiful girl but her mental level was that of a nursery kid. I did it so that one day I can inherit her property by proving her to be a lunatic.

But my biggest mistake was to shift into Qureshi villa to live with Tuba and you when your father died and Tuba got depressed.

Tuba was my only family. I cared for her. You know what, she wanted to get you married to Aafreen so that we could live together our whole life.

But ten years ago she came to know about my crimes. That I was drugging my stepdaughter as well as abusing and torturing her.

Tuba threatened me that she will get me arrested for my crime. I felt betrayed. She was my sister, she was supposed to support me. But she didn't. I killed her. I killed her to save myself. I killed the woman who raised me, who was like a mother to me.

Aafreen saw me with a blood-filled knife and a lifeless Tuba on the floor. I threatened her that if she told anyone the truth I will kill her and you as well. She kept quiet.

Investigation began. And I, to save myself, proved that Aafreen is the culprit. I bribed servants to give false statements against her. I did everything to get her arrested.

I got everything I wished for. But I lost my sister. I ruined an innocent life for my greed. And your agonized state made me feel even more guilty.

God served me right. My lower body got paralyzed. And the money, the sole reason for my crimes, could not save me.

But I had you. I loved you like my child. I did everything to make you happy. But I forgot that your happiness was with Tuba and Aafreen whom I snatched away from you.

There were moments when I wanted to tell you the truth. But I feared, I could not see hate for myself in your eyes.

But now when Aafreen has returned. I know the truth will be revealed soon. You never hated her. You forced yourself to hate her. It will take just a mere second for you to again trust her and unveil the truth.

And I am ending my life. My sin is unforgivable. Don't forgive me, but remember that I always loved you. I regret not loving Aafreen as my child. I regret ruining her whole life. But I know you'll fix everything. You love her, right? Give her the love she deserves. And pray, no Aafreen get a mother like Hiba.

Your Khala

•••

Tears filled his eyes as he again read her suicide note. It had been a month since Hiba's death. He was in deep grief. The woman who was like a second mother to him. The woman who was the sole reason he was still alive, was the woman behind all the pain he suffered all these years.

She killed her husband.

She killed her sister.

She drugged and abused her stepdaughter.

But she loved him to no end.

He couldn't forgive her, but he couldn't hate her either.

At this moment he realized. Even the biggest of the sinners has done the tiniest of good deeds. And those tiniest good deeds are enough for God to forgive their sins.

"I forgive you, Khala. Whatever sins you did, God punished you for that. I am no one to judge you."

•••

"Hiba aunty was a gold digger. She even had affair with a man, who left her when she got paralyzed." Gauri told.

Gauri had searched about Hiba's life history with the help of a detective.

She and Shahaan even appealed in the high court to reopen the case. The people whom Hiba had bribed were arrested. Aafreen was now declared innocent.

"Gauri, leave this topic. You tell me about Aafi's progress."

"There's no progress. She isn't cooperating with me. I think she is traumatized because of Hiba aunty's death."

"So what will we do now?"

"It's only you who can do something. Try to make her share her feelings with you. So that she can move on from it."

"And what about her mental immaturity?"

"Shahaan, mental growth is a natural process and Aafreen has passed that phase in which this process takes place. However, there are two methods to improve it."

"What is it?"

"Education and life experiences. Education plays a major role in a child's mental growth nowadays. The children of this era are more intelligent than the children in previous times because they are educated. Moreover, real-life experiences make us learn what life is. However, it will take a long time."

"I am ready to do it for her."

•••

Shahaan entered Aafreen's room with her dinner. She was sitting near the window and looking at the shining full moon and twinkling stars.

"Aafi..."

He sat beside her on the couch and put the plate on the side table.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

She shook her head still looking high above at the sky.

"But I am very hungry." He said faking sadness.

"Then eat." She replied turning to him.

"Not before you."

Her face fell.

How much this guy loves her!

He put a morsel in front of her lips which she silently ate. Then she did the same for him, he smiled. When they were done with the dinner, he picked her up against his arms and laid her down on the bed.

Not in the mood to leave her, he laid down beside her. He pulled the duvet over both of them and kissed her forehead. She put her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"Aafi..."

"Hmm?"

"What she did to you?"

A long silence followed after this.

"Aafi, tell me. We are best friends, right?"

She snuggled more into his chest. Her tears wetting his shirt. He caressed her back gently.

"She used to hit me. It hurt a lot. She will take me to a hospital, where a doctor would inject me with something. She used to say that I will become lunatic one day and then she will get rid of me."

That doctor was the man who had affair with Hiba, who left her when she got paralyzed but not before claiming a good amount from her in the name of love all those years.

"Aafi, she is dead. She will never return. You will be alright. You will be normal. And we will marry. We will have kids. They will annoy you, you will get angry, and then they will run to me. I will save them from you and you will get angry with me as well. And to make you happy, I will bake your favorite chocolate cake. Right?"

She lifted her head to look at him.

"Really?" She asked.

He nodded.

"But only if you want. Do you want it?"

She nodded with a smile. He kissed her forehead and then pecked her lips.

"Then get ready to become Mrs Shahaan Qureshi."

She smiled shyly and hid in the duvet.

"Oye! At least say I Love You." Shahaan teased her.

She peaked out of the duvet and gave an appealing smile.

"You love me!"

He laughed at her reply and hugged her in a bone-crushing manner.

"I love you, Shanu."

☆☆☆

I hope you liked the chapter.