Happy birthday AyushM001  I love you❤️

"You don't feel remorseful. I am not getting married to her because I want to ruin her life. I want to right my wrong. I am not like you, Junior!"

Junior hissed out loud and rolled his eyes. "I am your brother and I know you very well. You can't deceive me, Sameer."

"You disgust me, Junior. You know I would have never done something that disgusting if I was in my right state of mind. I am not that heartless. We have ruined her life. Don't you think we have done more than enough bad. She is our cousin."

"Do not preach to me, Sameer. Ruqayya is not my cousin. Her mother is our mother's stepsister. She is our half-cousin. That doesn't make sense to me so I can as well say she is not our cousin."

"Since when did you become so heartless? Mum must have poisoned your mind. Don't let her use you, Junior. She is our mother, but she won't hesitate to turn her back on you when you need her the most." Sameer opened the door and bump into Aliya on his way out.

"Sorry" He was quick to apologize.

"Why?" Aliya asked instead. He raised his eyebrows in confusion and later realized what she means. Maybe she heard his conversation with Junior.

"Why did you do something like that? I have been supporting the wrong people and blaming the innocent all this while." Aliya closed her mouth with her hand, staring at her brother with teary eyes.

"I-I am sorry" Sameer apologized, avoiding eye contact with his sister. He can't bear to see the disappointment in her eyes.

"You are a monster, Sameer. I hate you! You have ruined an innocent life. How could you do something like that?" Aliya shake her head, sobbing. She doesn't expect such thing from her brothers.

"Please Aliya" He tried to touch her hand, but she was quick to move back.

"Don't touch me! I am scared of you, Sameer. If you can do something like that to Ruqayya, who am I that you cannot hurt? I am scared of you. Please stay away from me." Aliya ran to her room in tears. She thought her brothers were innocent all this while.

Sameer closed his eyes briefly and sighed. He didn't want Aliya to find out like this. He wanted to personally explain things to her.

"We should tell Aunty Hassana the truth and ask for her forgiveness." Adnan said, startling Sameer a bit. He was standing opposite the room.

"We can just ask for forgiveness. We can't tell her the whole truth. No mother should hear something like that."

"You know she will ask us right? What should we say? We should lie again and take the whole blame when we are not partially at fault?" Adnan glared at him and hiss out loud.

"But..."

"But what?" Adnan cut in with a deep frown on his face. "The truth will come out sooner or later, Sameer. We can't hide it forever." Adnan walk away, leaving Sameer in the corridor.
......

"Where are you going to Afnan?" Hassana asked, frowning her face. Afnan almost bump into her coming out of Ruqayya's room.

"I-I am just going to the Mallam's shop nearby. I want to get something." Afnan said to which she nodded.

She went to her room, leaving a nervous Afnan in the corridor. She is too tired to start asking Afnan why she is nervous. Exhausted, she slumped down into the bed. The past few days have been exhausting. Ruqayyah's rape case and Farida's murder is enough to make her tired. Her husband trying to get Ruqayya married is also giving her headache. She has explained everything to Omar and he still doesn't believe her. She has given up on convincing him. He can go ahead with his plan while she goes on with her plan too. She has managed to come up with a solution.

The only person that can help her is Hamida. She will inform Hamida about everything and also tell Farida's mum those who are responsible for her daughter's death. Hamida is a lawyer and she won't hesitate to fight for her sister. She isn't about to let them go scot-free because they are family. They have committed an offense and they will face the law. She doesn't care if they are family or not.

She picked up her phone and dialed Hamida's number.

"Assallamu'alaikum mamana" Hamida greeted.

"Wa'alaikum sallam. How are you and my son-in-law?" Hassana asked.

"Alhamdulilah I am fine and he is also fine."

"Can you come and see me? I have something important to discuss with you." Hassana doesn't want to beat around the bush. Hamida will find out sooner or later. So she sees no reason hiding the truth from her.

"I will tell Sudais to bring me later. I hope everything is okay?"

"Can you come alone please?" Hassana doesn't want Sudais to come with her. They won't have enough space to talk.

"Okay"
........
"I need you to calm down, Ruqayya. Remember we are just doing this to be sure."

"I don't have to do this, Afnan. I don't have to doubt myself like this. I don't want to do this." Ruqayya shake her head, wiping away her tears.

"Remember we just want to be sure. Please Ruqayya. Do this for me."

"I am only doing this for you, Afnan." Ruqayya said and entered the bathroom. She came out shortly and sat on the bed.

"Take" she handed over the pregnancy kit to Afnan. She nodded and kept it on the table. Ruqayya close her eyes, waiting for the result that will change her life or not. She has been feeling sick for the past few days but she didn't pay much attention to it. At least not until she missed her period. She had to tell Afnan about it because she somehow knew something was wrong with her. Afnan insisted she have a pregnancy test done. She told her she is not pregnant but Afnan insisted. There is no way she will get pregnant. That is the last thing she wants now. She silently pray the result comes out negative.

"It's showing two colored lines, Ruqayya." Afnan said, interrupting her thoughts.

"What does that mean?"

Afnan gulped, staring at the floor. She remembered what the pharmacist said when she asked her how the pregnancy kit works.

"You are pregnant."