Chapter 75

After many days the hall room of the mansion was filled with Skinderd and their chatting. Aliya Khanum finally broke the cold walls between her and the grandchildren. Warda was there too along with Burhan and Zikria. Abraham and Zain were there too. The engagement drama between Zain and Shazeal was still going on.

Ayzel was keeping Farheen in the requested quarantine. She bribed her daughter to stay in the room. Ayzel was just doing it for her safety. She did not want Farheen to catch the eyesight of Aliya Khanum or Warda. She was a sour thing for them.

In the middle of the day, Ayzel went upstairs to fetch some eatables to Farheen. She only had breakfast in the morning. But to Ayzel's misery, the room was empty. Ayzel checked every corner of the room and called Farheen many times. Ayzel checked the store room along with other rooms but there was no sign of Farheen.

Ayzel rushed downstairs and went to the kitchen, where Asma and Jojo were present.

"Asma...Khala..my..daugh..my fairy" Ayzel was breathless.

"Calm down Ayzel! Breath for Allah's Sake!" Asma tried to decrease her panic. She rubbed Ayzel's arm.

"Asma Khala, Farheen is not in the room. I swear I left her there and asked her not to leave the room. But now I went to look for her, she was not there." Ayzel was sobbing like a child. She was afraid. There are many people ready to haunt Farheen.

On the question of Asma and Jojo, she told them that she had checked every room along with other rooms.

"Okay, okay. I call Arham here and ask him. He might know something about Farheen." Jojo gave her suggestion.

Jojo beckoned Arham from a distance. Anxious Ayzel was also standing there. Everyone saw that Arham got up and went in the direction of the kitchen.

"Arham, my baby, have you seen your sister? Is she hiding somewhere? Mama can't find her." Ayzel asked Arham.

Arham shook his head. "No, Mama. I don't know where the is fairy."

"Asma Khala, it must be Warda. She went upstairs for some time. I am sure she must have done something to my daughter", cried Ayzel.

Everyone was looking at the anxious trio. Zain went to them as well.

"What happened? Is everything fine?" Zain asked.

Ayzel gave her a seething look, which made him wonder about the reason behind Ayzel's worry and fury.

"My daughter is missing and your sister is behind it!" without thinking Ayzel leashed out on Zain making him shocked.

Ayzel marched toward the rest of the people sitting in the main hall. "WARDA SKINDER! Where is my daughter? What have you done to her?" Ayzel yelled. She was boiling in anger.

The eyes of all the skinders including Aliya Khanum, Warda, Burhan, and Zikria widened.

"Stupid woman, have you lost your mind? How can I know about your disgusting daughter?" Warda yelled back.

"Ayzel do you even know what are you saying? Why Warda would do something to your daughter?" Aliya Khanum was displeased by Ayzel's accusation.

"Ayzel beti, what happened? Why are you saying such things?" Zikria asked helplessly.

"Uncle, I left Farheen in the room. I strictly told her not to leave the room because the women of this family were not pleased with my daughter. But when I went upstairs Farheen was not in the room. I checked every room but I could not find my daughter. But before me, I saw Warda going upstairs. She hates my daughter. She attacked her already in the past." She complained in one go and wiped her angry tears.

"Ask her where is my daughter!" She cried again.

"Warda, I swear if you are behind this... " Zain's face turned red. But before he could complete it, they all heard the crying voice of Farheen. A guard brought crying Farheen inside.

Ayzel immediately picked her up from guard.

"I found her like this in the backyard. Her foot was hurt that's why she could not move from there. She would have been crying there if I did not go there. Kindly don't let her go there again because no one usually goes there." The guard informed them and left.

"Fairy, my baby, why did you go there?" Ayzel kissed Farheen's face and checked her foot. It was injured.

"Mama...I..was getting bored in the room...And I didn't want Aunt Warda and Old Lady...to see me...so, I went to the backyard to play. I did not want them to scold me. " Farheen said in hiccups while weeping.

Ayzel was crying along with her. It was a killing moment for her. Her daughter was scared and caged. But she was helpless. She wanted to kill herself at the moment.

All of them felt bad for the poor girl, except one person.

"Now accuse me again. Tell us how your daughter jumped in the backyard." Warda yelled at Ayzel.

"And Zain bhai, you were again about to cut my throat for that cheap woman and her so-called daughter!" Warda was out of anger.

"I don't know what were you thinking while adopting her, Ayzel. Were not you aware of the sufferings that you tag this little girl with you as well?" Aliya Khanum just expressed her confusion in a calm and disappointed way. But somehow it triggered Ayzel.

"Aliya Khanum, adopting an innocent soul is far better than raising the snacks containing your blood," Ayzel answered Aliya Khanum, making her eyes widen. She picked up Farheen and was about to leave. She was taking her to the doctor.

"Come with me, Ayzel. We will take Farheen to the doctor." Burhan offered his help.

"NO! MY daughter and I do not need the help of any Skinder!" Ayzel did not regard him. Even she denied Zikria's help as well.

But when she went outside, Shazeal just arrived and by force, she took them to the hospital. Ayzel could not deny her. On the way back, Farheen was sitting on the lap of Ayzel in the backseat of the car. Both mother and daughter were looking outside through the window of the car.

"Mama, when will we leave this place? When will we go to Aunt Saliha's house? I don't want to stay here anymore." Said Farheen while looking at the roads.

"Soon. Very soon, my only little one." Ayzel said in a tired voice while looking out at the roads.

Shazeal cast her head down. She estimated the helplessness of the duo by their voices. She felt very bad for them.

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

Farheen's injury was fine after the rest and medication for two days. She was playing with the ball in the corridor. While playing, her ball jumped to the other side. She went to get her ball.

She was about to leave when she heard the screams of Aliya Khanum. Her little feet froze there. She was in a dilemma about what to do. She was standing at a very small distance from the room of Aliya Khaunm.

Unwillingly she opened the door but the scene in front of her frightened her. Aliya Khanum fell on the floor and was crying. The broken pieces of a scented candle were scattered on the floor and burning the carpet in front of Aliya Khanum.

"Old nanny, don't cry." Farheen rushed to rescue her.

A maid came there too but she misunderstood everything. Instead of helping Aliya Khaum, she ran downstairs.

"Aliya Khanum is in trouble. Farheen did something." She scared everyone with her news. Zikria, Zain, and Ayzel ran upstairs after hearing the maid's words. They heard the screams as well but the screams ended when they were very close to the room of Aliya Khanum.

Farheen was sitting on the floor. With the water and her tiny hands, she burned off the fire. But the elders were too blind to see it.

Zain and Zikria rushed to help Aliya Khanum. Her feet were surrounded by a wire. Both males helped her to get up.

But another tragedy happened.

Without understanding anything, Ayzel slapped Farheen twice. The sound of slaps resonated in the room, freezing the rest of the people.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND MY WORDS? YOU HAVE MADE MY LIFE HELL! WHY DID YOU COME OUT OF THE ROOM? WHY?" Ayzel was shaking Farheen by her shoulders.

Due to fear, Farheen went to one breath. Zain snatched Farheen from Ayzel's grip. Ayzel's action terrofied her little and innocent soul.

"Fairy, my angel, look at me. Talk to me. Papa is here." Zain put efforts into restoring her breath. After some time her voice came out. Zain took her in his embrace. His heart burnt on seeing her condition. Only he knew how he had controlled himslef on doing something irrartional.

"Ayzel, I think you have misunderstood the thing. Farheen has saved my life. She even burned her hand to save me." Aliya Khanum said in her weak and tired voice. Her voice was laced with guilt as well.

But her words snatched the earth below Ayzel's feet.