Chapter 75

Ayzel was numb after hearing the words of Aliya Khanum. It was Zain who was giving murderous looks to Ayzel. Crying Farheen was still in his embrace.

Zikria was in pain and Aliya Khanum was in guilt.

Out of a sudden, Ayzel picked up Farheen from Zain and left the room in a rush.

Zain tried to go after her, but Zikria stopped him.

"I wanna cut her hands now! How did she even dare!" Zain was barking in anger. He gripped his hair in anger and frustration.

"Don't you think Ayzel's action is justified? Somehow we are responsible for it." Zikria's words confused Zain.

"She slapped Farheen to save us from our wrath." Zikria looked at Aliya Khanum with a bitter and painful expression. He was right in a sense. If Farheen had done such trouble, they wouldn't have spared her. So, Ayzel gave her little punishment to save her from big punishment.

**********

Along with Farheen, Ayzel was also crying hard. The room was reverberating with her loud wails.

"I am sorry, my life. I'm sorry. Mama is very bad. I am sorry." She was hugging Farheen tightly. The little girl was still in trauma.

After some hours, Zikria visited them. But by then, Farheen was sleeping.

So, he had words with Ayzel.

"You know what Ayzel, your particular action has hurt me more than your previous actions." The old man sniffled.

"Burhan's injuries did not pain me that much but Farheen's tears burnt my heart." He complained in anger. He was displeased with Ayzel. His eyes were moistened. He was feeling an unfathomable pain.

Ayzel's eyes were red. She sniffled as well after hearing Zikria's words.

"Did not your hands shake before slapping her? HUH!" Zikria gripped her hands hard. But in answer, she only shed tears. She was silent too. She had no justification for her crime.

Zikia left soon. But oblivious to everyone, Ayzel had taken a decision. One final sacrifice before her freedom.

It was 6 a.m., early in the morning. Ayzel came to the gate of the mansion along with Farheen. She was carrying a small duffel bag. The guards found it very strange. It appeared that she was waiting for someone.

"Ma'am is everything fine? Are you going somewhere?" A guard asked her. "Does Boss know about it?". The guards wanted to inform Zain about it. They thought Ayzel was escaping from the mansion.

"No. I am not going anywhere. Farheen is leaving." Ayzel replied with a stoic face.

After a few minutes, Saliha's car appeared in sight, and she came out of it running.

Ayzel crossed the gate with Farheen in her arms. The eyes of both women filled with tears.

Saliha took Farheen in her arms from Ayzel. But Ayzel's hands were shivering by doing so.

"Ayzel, don't worry. Just a wait of a few days more. Have patience." Saliha assured her. But why she was saying such words?

"Mama, when will you be with us? When will you come?" Farheen asked in a painful voice.

"Soon my baby, son. Mama will come to you soon. Mama is not leaving you. Mama is yours." Ayzel cupped her face and cried out. She embraced her daughter.

Saliha was taking Farheen with her. This was decided by Ayzel. She was again bearing the pain of child separation. She was making this sacrifice to protect her girl from the wrath of Skinders.

It was a very heartbreaking scene. When Saliha's car was out of sight, she collapsed on her knees. She cried very loud. She was wailing. The eyes of the guards filled with tears as well.

A helpless mother crying at her helplessness.

She did not even imagine that in her wildest dream.

What happened to her happened.

But why her children were bearing the consequences of her mistake?

**************

The breakfast went in silence. No one noticed the absence of Farheen in the mansion. Ayzel came to work in the kitchen but she was extraordinarily silent.

Jojo and Asma exchanged silent looks with each other but did not say anything. After that, no one saw Ayzel the whole day.

It was dinner time when Shazeal joined the founders as well. She came for Farheen with lots of toys. She wanted to cheer up her mood. She also came to know about yesterday's accident.

"Umm, Arham have you done the dinner? Let's go to Farheen. We will play with her." Shazeal said in her jolly voice.

"Why are you interested in a maid's daughter?" Warda put her poisonous question before Arham could say anything.

"I guess your name is not Arham. So, talk only when someone calls you." Shazeal did not back down.

"Come, Arham, let's go upstairs." She chirped again.

"Farheen is not here, Aunty Shazeal. Mama..I mean her mama sent her away." Arham replied in a sad voice.

His answer shocked everyone. Zain stood up from his chair and went to Arham.

"Arham, what do you mean by Farheen is not here? Where did Mama send her away? Tell me!" Zain was panicking.

Arham looked in between Shazeal and Zain. He was too nervous to say anything. Shazeal understood he was not confident due to her presence. So, she left the scene.

"Arham, tell me. Please." Zain begged him. He ran his fingers through Arham's hair.

"Papa, Fairy was not happy here. She can't play here freely. Aunt Warda and Dadijaan do not like her. She was scared here." His words made Aliya Khanum look down in guilt. Warda just made a face.

"Papa, please let go, Mama. I promise I will love you and Shazeal Aunty. I will be a good boy. I will do whatever you say. I know you can't forgive Mama. But please let her go. Let her be with Farheen. She is alone there. She does not have a Papa. She only has Mama. Please Papa please" Arham was crying while saying his tiny pleas.

Burhan's heart could not afford this. He took Arham with him. He provided him comfort at that moment.

Zain stood in his position in a motionless manner. His senses got numbed.

"Only for this moment, only for this day, I feared your forced marriage. I swear to Allah if I had even the slightest doubt about the agenda behind your marriage, I wouldn't have let it happen." Zikria wanted to curse Zain. His voice was full of loathing.

"Your heart must be dancing with joy. Are you delighted now to hear the pleas of your son? A little boy begging his father for the happiness of his mother and sister. Your forced marriage was not enough that you add the poison of revenge to it. HOW YOUR HEART IS EVEN DARING TO BEAT!" Zikria roared at the end.

"Zikria!" Aliya Khanum cried out his son's name to stop the hateful words.

"NO, Mother, No. Don't you dare to stop me? I want to shed the tears of blood. How shameful it is for us that a five-year-old innocent child is afraid to breathe among us. How shameful!" Zikria hiccuped at the end.

"I could not sleep the whole night, Mother. I could not. Whenever I tried to close my eyes, the scene appeared in front of my eyes. A child was slapped in front of me whom I called my granddaughter." Zikria was expressing his pain. He cried his heart down.

Aliya Khanum's face showed the amount of remorse she was feeling. Warda did not dare to even say a word. She knew it wouldn't end well. Zikria does not lose his temper so easily. But when he does, it is not good to mess with him.

Another night of sadness passed in the Skinder Mansion.

A mother was crying alone in the room for her child. Tonight Ayzel kept Arham with her. It was the first time, Farheen was not with them. It was the first time, Arham was not with his sister in a place.

Ayzel already had passed this phase, when Zain caged her. At that time she believed that Farheen was with Saliha.

But why this time, it was hurting her.

Jojo brought dinner for her but she refused.

"Ayzel don't burn your soul that much. Saliha will be taking good care of her." Jojo tried to make Ayzel eat.

But she sobbed again. Even Arham tried to make her eat a bite but it triggered Ayzel more. She instantly hugged Arham.

"Tell me Arham, how mama will live without you? A day without Fairy is hurting me. How will I stay away from you?" She was crying at the shoulder of her seven-year-old son. Jojo could not restrain her tears as well. Arham's tears were also wetting the sleeves of Ayzel's dress.

Zain was in the Farheen's room. With heavy steps, he made entry into her room. He sat on the bed and cried with sobs and hiccups by hugging Farheen's pillow.

He couldn't fathom the reason behind his sudden misery and pain. The scar given by Ayzel made him yell in madness. But Farheen's departure broke him. He was crying like a child who had lost his precious toy.

He was not Farheen's father yet the pain was killing him.

Why? He asked himself. The temporary attachment was not enough to justify the reason behind his new pain.

Another day of gloominess in the skinder mansion was marked in history.