24th July, 2019

Eram's eyes opened and her gaze landed on the plain white ceiling of her room. She kept lying, not wanting to get out of bed and just kept staring at the plain white ceiling of her room. The bed and pillow which was once warm no more felt comfortable, probably because she had grown use to of the comfort of her husband's arms which she used to use as her pillow. On the thought of it, her eyes filled with tears and a few rolled down from the side of her eyes, disappearing in her pillow.

The shifting in bed and the sound of the blanket being removed which dropped on the floor making a crisp sound, brought her out of her trance and she was quick to wipe away her tears. She sat up in her bed and tied her hairs in a bun, as she got out of the bed, putting her dupatta on her head. She walked to the single bed in front of her, where the blanket was lying on the floor and took a hold of it as she placed it on the bed.

"Zai." She called out as she sat beside the sleeping form of her 13 year old brother. "Wake up." She said, shaking him. She couldn't help herself but make her brother lie in a comfortable position from the weird position he was sleeping in, and tried to wake him up again. "It's school time Zai. Come on! Wake up already."

She ran her hand on his hairs caressing his head with affection, and everytime she took a look at him, she felt happy that she was able to win back his custody. Everytime she was reminded of how he was taken away by the Children Welfare Association after her parent's death because she had no source of financial support, she ended up crying and the trauma that he would be given for adoption if she couldn't provide them the proof that she was financially stable and that she could support her brother's education and wellbeing, had resulted in her getting nightmares of him being snatched from her and sometimes her situation had worsened so much that she had began to get panic attacks.

She was all alone, with no one to take care of her, and to that she wasn't even helpful in getting any wellpaying jobs. The final notice from the Association that her brother would be given in adoption to have a good life ahead if she fails to give them the proof of her income within 6 months, and her brother's tears that he would be separated from her for ever, were like a torment for her, breaking her from the inside and she found herself all alone.

Maybe that's the reason she did what she did?

"Why did you lie to me?" Shumail who had his back facing her and his hands behind his back, questioned to her looking at her from his shoulder.

Eram was in shock. She couldn't believe that she was wrong all the while, and she felt stupid to even think that he was oblivious about everything while in reality he knew everything from the very start but still stayed silent. Her eyes were fixed on the floor and she was so bewildered that she didn't even know how to answer him let alone meet his eyes.

"How was I suppose to tell you!" Eram's answer rolled out of her lips in a mere whisper that it failed to reach Shumail's ears. She had a million questions to ask him. How he knew everything? Since when he knew everything? And even after knowing everything why did he stayed silent? Did he knew everything from the very start or he found the truth after their marriage? So many questions but she had no courage to speak even a word.

"Even after I asked you about it, you lied to me on my face!" He stated, his tone was totally calm and she feared the tone of his voice. Chills ran down her spine, and for the first time ever she was afraid in his presence.

"I'm sorry." She cried out finally, bursting into tears.

"Not everything can go back to normal with a sorry but yeah even though you didn't trusted me enough to tell me the truth, I can't stay silent and do nothing when an innocent life is at stake." Shumail spoke, making her look at him who still had his back facing her. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she tried to think what exactly he was talking about.

Shumail was talking about Zain. He had asked her who he was, knowing well enough the answer but he hadn't expected a lie from her. All the while he didn't let the fact known that he was well aware of the game that was being played. He knew if he broke their marriage then Eram would be left with nothing and that will worsen the case for her even more and getting Zain's custody would become impossible for her.

Maybe that's the reason he did what he did?

"Aapi? Why are you crying?" Zain, who was now fully awake and tensed seeing his sister cry, questioned to her looking at her with concerned eyes, bringing her back from her train of thoughts. He quickly sat up on his knees and wiped her tears with his fingers.

"It's nothing." Eram answered, trying to look normal as she wiped her tears in haste.

"Missing Shumail bhai?" He asked with a boyish grin. She looked at him on the mention of his name and gave him a small nod. "I miss him too. When is he coming back?" He asked with his lips twisted.

What am I supposed to answer you?

Eram thought to herself and wrapped her hands around him, letting the tears roll down her cheeks. "He'll be back soon In Sha Allah."

***

After she had dropped Zain to his school, she took a bus to travel to her workplace. His school was at a walking distance of 5 minutes from her parent's home, where she had shifted back to and was currently living with her brother, but it was a good half an hour distance of bus ride to her workplace and only the travelling was taking half her energy. But she had to work, without one complaint, for herself and her brother.

She didn't knew how she was to thank Shumail. If it wouldn't have been for the financial support that he still was providing her for Zain's schooling and education, she didn't knew how she would've managed to enroll him in a reputed school. She was doing two jobs in a day but the amount that she could make was only sufficient for both their food and living.

All that she did and was trying to do to destroy him, but he still was generous enough. She knew it wasn't because he loved her or something, that he was looking after Zain as his elder brother but it was solely because he didn't wanted Zain's life to be ruined due to financial problems. And she couldn't ask for anything more.

She didn't know how she was to thank him.

Everyday, she travelled to the company where she worked as a receptionist and then as soon as her shift would end, she would run to Zain's school to pick him up and then after she had dropped him at the day care where she used to work before, she would immediately run to her private turtoring lessons where she was teaching a high school rich kid. Her day would go by in a blink of an eye and when her lessons would finish, she would rush to pick her brother back from the day care, where he was always the last to go home. Though it was a day care for children between the age of 1-5 years but the owner of it, Mrs. Maria, was kind enough to understand her situation and let her brother stay at the day care till she was gone.

Eram wouldn't let a single day go without going to the Ibrahim mansion with a slight hope that she might see Shumail, but it was last an year ago that she had seen him. Her eyes were yearning for a mere look at him but he wasn't there. He had left the whole mansion for her but she couldn't bring herself to enjoy the luxuries and take advantage of his money anymore and hence she chose to live in her parents home with her brother.

Everytime she visited the mansion, she would just ask the guard if he had returned and the answer would always be in negative.

Shumail was gone.

Where? She had no idea.

Did she miss him? More than anything!

Has she fallen for him? Realised that after losing him.

Eram kept seated on the prayer mat even after she had finished her salah, and kept thinking how she was to seek his forgiveness. She knew it was impossible for him to love her, she wasn't even asking for that, but she just wanted for him to forgive her and she knew that too wasn't easy enough.

The only few minutes she could find peace was the time which she spent in praying, talking with her Rabb, asking him for his guidance. Every night she cried herself to sleep, but also taking care that her younger brother doesn't hear her cries, for she had to explanation to give him as to why she was crying.

As she stood up folding her prayer mat, she placed it back on its place. She turned around to the sound of the door opening and saw Zain walk in.

"Have you done your homework?" Eram questioned and he answered in a small voice. She looked at him with furrowed eyebrows and walked to where he sat himself on his single bed. "What happened?" She asked.

"I'm missing Shumail bhai."

I'm missing him too.

She silently walked to her bed and sat down.

"Wo kab aayenge?" Zain questioned Eram and she avoided his gaze.
(When will he come back?)

"He is busy with work that's why it is taking him time to come." Eram answered.

"Can you call him? I want to talk to him." He requested and she almost lost her control as her eyes glistened with tears. She wanted to cry out loud but she stopped herself quickly.

"He might be busy in his work. We shouldn't disturb him right?" She tried to make him understand. Zain's face fell and she felt bad for lying to him. Even she was dying to listen to his voice but she had no sources to contact him. "Okay don't be sad or he won't send you your favourite sports car. Don't you want it?"

"He will?" His eyes lighted up immediately as he questioned her.

"Only if you don't get sad."

"But I miss him."

"He misses you too." Eram said with a small smile. "And he will soon be back In Sha Allah."

Zain soon slept, happy knowing that his Shumail bhai will be back soon but little did that kid know what the reality was. She slowly walked out of her room and walked to the living room as she dialled Aahil's number, in a slight hope to know something about Shumail.

Without a single word to anyone, Shumail was gone. He didn't inform anyone about where he was going, he was just gone. Where? Not even his friends knew. They tried to search him the whole city, every place he could go but not a single thing they could find out. Probably he didn't wanted them to find out, and he even was successful in hiding himself for a whole year.

Probably, not just one but two hearts were broken.

Aahil picked the call on the third ring and she quickly said her salam.

"Bhai did you get any whereabouts of Shumail?" Her voice held the desperation to know about him. A deep sigh from the other end was the answer to her question and she already knew that there was still nothing that they coukd find about him.

"Because of me, his happy life is all ruined right?" Eram asked to Aahil with a sad smile as she closed her eyes, her tears rolling down on her cheeks silently.

"You really shouldn't have done that to him Eram. You broke him completely." Aahil said. As Eram cut the call, she burst into tears listening to Aahil's words.

Give me one chance Shumail. Please!

Assalamualaikum!

So since the last chapter had created so much suspense and people kept questioning how did shumail knew everything, I thought why not keep it for a little longer so be patient and wait for the upcoming chaps to know about everything.
Be curious cats! :p

So you know her struggles now...still hate her?

Let me know in the comments below how was this chap.

Until next time...Fee Amanillah!