Chapter 30: Consent Given

The hiccups shook her whole form as soon as she entered her cabin. Sliding down against the door, she broke down in tears.

She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to think about his vile offer. She didn’t want to think about her friend’s fragile health. She didn’t want to think about the ticking clock counting down the hours until she had to give him an answer.

But what could she do? Not thinking about it would not erase those situations. She would still be in this situation whether she tried to deny it or not.

Her mind kept flashing these bleak scenarios, crushing her heart piece by piece. She was heartbroken, disheveled, vulnerable, and utterly alone at that moment.

This could not be real; this just could not be real was all that she could think of. She just wanted to run away, far, far away from everything. Or better yet, she wished for an escape she had not thought about before. An escape that would wipe her away from this planet and take her to a place where nobody, not even Shehryaar, could come after her. She would rather sell her organs if it meant she could get the money she needed without sinking so low.

How had life come to this? Her brain almost immediately reminded her how desperate she was to get a job at this company. This company had become a cage for her.

This building that she so badly wanted to enter, the building she wanted to belong in, now only sparked the desire to run away and never, ever come back again.

But her hands and legs were tied. She needed the money, desperately. She was in dire need of that money. Sheherzaad had never experienced this kind of pain before. She thought losing her parents was the worst thing to happen to her. But if only that were truly the case.

She had no one to tell about her predicament; she could not tell her dying friend what situation she was stuck in.

She was in a nightmare, and there was no way out.

She wiped her tears roughly, forcing herself up and walking to her seat. Crying wouldn’t help, she told herself. Tears wouldn’t change anything, wouldn’t buy her friend’s treatment.

Yet she needed a shoulder to shed a tear or two. She needed to let it all out. She needed someone to whisper soft words in her ear. She needed someone to give her hope.

As if on cue, Hannan walked in. He stopped mid-stride, frowning as he took in her red, blotched face. “Sheherzaad, what happened? Why do you look like you’ve been crying?”

She looked up, forcing a smile, but it broke in the middle, and before she knew it, the tears were back, harder and faster. Her shoulders shook, and she didn’t know when or how, but she began to sob in front of him.

Hannan rushed toward her and shook her shoulders.

"What happened? Sheherzaad? What happened?!"

"Please don't ask me this," she cried, "I can't tell."

"Oh my god, Zaad. What happened to you? Please don't cry. I'm here. I'm here to console you. Don't worry. Everything will get better and be fine. Don't worry," he pleaded while pouring a glass of water for her and handing it over. She refused, but he insisted, so she gulped the water.

"Don't cry. You're such a strong girl," he tried to lift her morale, "and there is no need to get depressed and worried. I'm here for you."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." Listening to such encouraging words from him, she engulfed him in a hug, taking him by surprise.

Hannan consoled her as she cried on his shoulder. Once she was done releasing all the tears she had stored, Hannan forced her to have a cup of coffee with him in a nearby café. He kept throwing jokes to lighten her sour mood, and for a moment, she did forget everything.

He took his leave and dropped her at the office, as she still had some work left. Once she was done with her job, she opened her phone to find numerous texts from Ahmed, who was asking about money. He said he could arrange some money, but still, a huge amount was left. Then there was a message from the doctor, who had sent her a report, saying Amna's situation was critical. The treatment needed to start now or within a week, or she would die.

Her heart ached as her eyes ran over that message again.

"She can die any second if the treatment does not begin now."

She put down her phone and began to count her options, yet only one option was making its ugly face appear on the surface.

No bank was giving a loan; even if she considered the money Ahmed arranged, still, a significant amount was left. No friend of hers was rich enough to give her a huge amount. In fact, she only had Amna as a friend.

She threaded her fingers through her hair, trying to find a way out, but nothing came. Her mind was blank. Only one option was left. Just one.

It was do or die for her.

Do or die.

And she decided to die.

Standing up on her shaking legs, she walked to his office. She would die so her other half could live.

One has to make sacrifices to get something. So she gave the sacrifice of her body and soul to save the body and soul of her friend.

She entered his office and found him indulged in his work, just like always. Noticing her presence, he looked up at her. His eyes keenly observed her.

She was ready to become a corpse. She was ready to give him the chastity she had protected throughout her life. She was ready.

With a broken heart but a determined look, she matched his gray eyes with hers.

"I agree," she uttered, and oblivious to her, a tear escaped her left eye.