The relationship between a husband and a wife should be like the relationship of an eye and a hand. If the eye cries the hand should always be able to wipe its tears. Just like the husband wipes the wife's tears.

“Wh-what do you mean? You just said that Rehan is your child.” Rida said her heart taking up pace. She did not know what she wanted to hear but whatever it was she wished it to be something that would not break her Rehan.

“He was never my child; all the while I was betrayed, betrayed by my own wife. How can I have a child when I am sterile?” He looked away from Rida and she felt her heart breaking into pieces, not because of the information but because her Rehan had been the victim to this man’s hatred from the very start for something he had never done.

“How? How could you do this to him? He was never to be blamed for something his mother did so how could you torture him his entire life?” Rida yelled inhaling deep breaths. She thought that she might end up having nervous breakdown at the moment but thankfully nothing happened.

“Because every time I see his face it reminds me of her and the pain she gave me.” He exclaimed making Rida to look at him in disbelief.

“Did you do a check-up? Did you do a DNA test?” Rida questioned him while he mock laughed at her.

“The moment I came to know that he is not my child I did every test I remembered, and every test told me the same thing and if you don’t believe me let me tell you it was his mother’s sister who happened to be a nurse gave me all this information while that…” She noticed him gulping hard trying to find words, “…lady did a great job of hiding it.” He said fisting his hands while Rida did not know what she was supposed to say.

“Then why did you not just give him to his father?” She asked trying to keep her words steady. She looked around to see if they were loud to gain attention but when she found silence around her she sighed. She was glad that their house was at the end of the road while the only building situated was a little at distance.

“That’s why I hate Saif.” He said with an evil grin while she furrowed her eyebrows. She had completely forgotten that Saif too was a victim to this man.

“What do you mean?” She asked and he raised his eyebrow at her, “I don’t know whether you are pretending to be dumb or are actually naïve?” He questioned making her angry.

“Saif’s father was my best friend, with whom she cheated me.” He said making Rida to gasp in disbelief.

“I trusted the two blindly to only be betrayed by them and I took my revenge on their sons. I might be satisfied torturing Saif but Rehan I can never see him live peacefully. I will destroy his life until my death or until his death.” He said and Rida couldn’t hold herself. She fell down on her knees rewinding his words.

She couldn’t stop her tears. She did not know how she was supposed to protect her husband from this evil man who had just confessed to make his life hell.

“Leave him, he does not even know about it. He knows nothing about his mother or her sins so why? Leave him on his own. You have tortured him enough to mark it on his soul.” She said looking up at him through her tears. He laughed at her condition making more tears to fall down from her eyes. She knew if this man tortures Rehan he would never voice it out to anyone because for him he still was his father.

“What will you take to leave him? I will give you whatever I have, my money, jewellery anything that you ask for but leave him. Go away from his life.” She said wiping at her tears standing up on her feet. She would do anything in her power to remove this man from Rehan’s life.

“Now we are talking business, are we?” He taunted with a smirk on his face making Rida to think whether this man even had a heart.

“How much money do you need?” She asked knowing his greed for money might make him leave Rehan.

“You.” He stated while Rida looked at him perplexed. She did not understood what he said while she waited for him to clear it out.

“I want you out of his life. Divorce him and I will leave him alone for the rest of his life.” He said making Rida to stop breathing. She could hear the thudding of her heart, while she felt herself shivering.

“What?” She whispered trying to push the thought away thinking it to be a mere joke but when she saw the satisfied smile on his face she knew what she had heard was absolutely correct. He wanted her out of his life. He wanted her to leave the love of her life. He wanted her to leave her husband.

“I exactly want what I said. I will never even come in his eyes or around him if you leave him. You want to see his happiness so this is what it will cost you.” He kept his words wickedly brain washing her.

He knew such fools, emotional fools who would do anything to keep their loved ones happy for at one time he too was an emotional fool but not anymore.

“The choice is yours, I will give you a few days to think about it and will be back soon to know your answer. One more thing, I hope this remains between us or you know what I am capable of doing to your husband.” The man said glancing at Rida one last time before walking away while Rida stood there rooted to her place unable to move.

Just when they had started living their life, they had to witness the hurricane of evilness. She hadn’t even confessed her feelings to him yet, and the man was asking her to walk out from his life.
There were several questions in the back of her mind, several complaints yet there were no answers.

With a heavy heart, she made her way into the house; walking lifelessly her mind filled with so much. More than her mind it was her heart that was aching.  After their nikaah, she had dreamed about a happy life with her husband and their kids but she could already see it crushing down in front of her own eyes and she was helpless of it.
While a part of her said to be selfish and continue living her life with Rehan and forget about the incident that took place just some moments ago, there was another part that couldn’t forget the man’s evil words; how he had promised to destroy Rehan’s life.

She slumped down on the floor, no energy left within her. She brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around it while crying her heart out. She did not know how much time passed but now there were no trace of tears on her cheeks. All day she sat there devoid of any emotions getting up only when the adhan was called out and that moment her tears would make their way back. She would cry in front of the Almighty asking for guidance because all she felt was lost and helpless.

The entire day passed in a blur with Rida’s eyes swollen and a headache but as soon as she heard the ringing of the bell, she hastily got up running to the door and within no time she had opened the door and was in Rehan’s arms taking him by surprise. He was taken aback to find her hugging him as though her life dependent on it but when he heard muffle cries from her it made him worried.

He tried pulling her away but that only resulted in her pushing her more into his body. He wrapped his arms around her, caressing her back while she pushed more into him. The clock ticked and Rida pulled herself away from him avoiding eye contact. Rehan closed the door and slowly made his way towards the kitchen to find Rida washing her face.

“Rida are you alright?” Rehan asked looking at her and she nodded her face avoiding him. She couldn’t stop thinking about the man’s words. She wanted to tell Rehan everything so that he would find a solution but she knew there was none to it.

“Rida tell me, did something happen?” He questioned his voice alerting Rida. She knew he wouldn’t stop bringing the topic out until he would get an answer. Clearing her throat, she glanced at his face taking in his every feature. It was as though she was trying to picture his face in her mind, in her heart.

“Nothing, I just missed you.” She said giving him a small smile, walking towards him and caressing his cheek trying to assure him but he could clearly see her puffy face.

He touched her face caressing her eyes and she closed her eyes melting into his touch. Rehan looked at her intensely trying to read her mind but her face looked calmed. She opened her eyes giving him a small smile before wrapping her arms around his waist. Surprised he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, his one hand caressing her hair with a smile on his face.

“Rehan?” Rida called out to Rehan in a soft voice while Rehan hummed in response. He was enjoying her warmth after a very long day letting the tiredness wash away.

Rida was just about to confess her feelings for him when she remembered his father’s words making her stumble back abruptly taking Rehan by surprise. She felt as if someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water over her making her realise the hard truth. She gazed at him to see him with a questionable gaze that was trying to hide the pain behind it for the rejection making her heart to bleed.

She knew if she ever confessed her feelings, he would never leave her because she knew what she felt was not one sided. They may have not confessed it yet but the two were already aware of the others feelings and she did not want to make it difficult for him; for her.

“What’s wrong Rida?” Rehan asked repeating the same question he has been asking her from the time he had stepped into the house.

“Nothing.” She replied turning her back to him, wiping the tears and just as she was about to walk away she felt his hand on her wrist that made her throat tighten.

“You are lying; tell me what the problem is.” Rehan said his pitch a little high, turning her around to make her face him but she avoided eye contact with him. She knew he was losing his temper looking at her cry but she was helpless. She raised her eye lashes at her and taking one deep breath she said something that broke her much more than it broke him.

“You! You are my problem.” She snapped making Rehan to look at her with wide eyes at her sudden outburst. He stepped forward to touch her but she took a step backward because she knew his one touch would melt her and that was not what she wanted.

“Rid...” Rehan couldn’t even complete his sentence as she raised her hand stopping him midway. With every move she hated herself little by little because she was the one who was giving him pain when all she wanted was to see him happy.

“From the time we have married, I tried my best to adjust with you but I just cannot continue this act anymore.” She said looking everywhere else except Rehan’s eyes.

“I tried my best to let this marriage work but I cannot help it. I…I don’t think I can survive this marriage.” She said suppressing her sob glancing at his face that shattered her for his face was covered with pain.

“Rida are you hearing yourself?” Rehan asked looking at her and she looked away fisting her palms on her either side because in that moment all she wanted was to hug him and take away his pain.

“I can clearly hear what I am saying.” She said confidently but she could hear her heart breaking with every word.
“You are lying to me Rida.” Rehan said his voice holding anger but much more pain in it. Rida could hear the pain in his voice but she couldn’t break down because she was doing it for him, his future. He might be in pain or hurt but he would have a better future which can heal the pain from the past.

“I am not lying and this is the truth. I want to end this once for all.” She said while mentally calming herself.

“So what do you want me to do?” Rehan asked and Rida wanted to cry out loud hearing him give in so easily. While a part of her heart wanted him to fight her, the other part was relieved knowing that he wasn’t making it hard for her.

“Divorce me.” She said those two words that broke her completely. Never for in her wildest dream had she imagined that she would speak such words to someone she loved with her every existence.

“Let me free from this marriage.” She blurted out with great difficulty. And with those words said she hated herself completely knowing that she was the reason behind his pain. She had promised herself that she would give him the comfort, the happiness of a family but she was the one who was snatching it away from him.

Unable to stand with the immense pain, she turned around walking slowly to the kitchen her energy completely drained. She felt as though someone had just sucked out blood from her every vein.

“So this is how you are going to let him win?” She halted when she heard his low voice. Maintaining her expression she turned around to notice him giving her a sad smile while walking towards her. With his steps she started taking steps backward but before she could completely walk away from him, he had pulled her to his chest wrapping his arms around her shoulder.

“I thought we were strong enough to fight things together but you are already ready to leave me and for whom? The man who knows nothing but brain washing?” He questioned his voice shaking a little while Rida felt her eyes brimming up.

Rehan pulled back from her to see her hot tears sliding down her cheeks while he caressed them away making her to sob more.

“You…how?” She couldn’t voice out her query due to her dry throat but he was well aware of what she was asking.

“The tyre of my car got punctured on my way to the office so I cancelled the meeting and thought of spending time with you but before I could even reach the main gate I heard his voice so I peeked to find him blurting out the truth. When I heard him asking you to divorce me I wanted to come and stand by you, but I knew he would make things more difficult for you and that’s why I simply walked away from there to calm myself down.” He enlightened Rida and she was very grateful that he had heard everything.

“Nothing pained my heart, not even a single thing that he spoke caused me hurt but when you said that you wanted a divorce broke me Rida. I have endured his tortures my entire life but you are the one who take away my pain. The happiness I felt in this year with you besides me is much more than the pain he has caused me. I wouldn’t mind getting tortured by him for the rest of my life but all I need is you besides me to hold me, to take care of me, to love me.”

“He might not want me in his life and I can live with it but not having you in my life is something I can never imagine. You unknowingly made a place in my life a long time ago when I first saw you but I could never name those feelings because that time my only focus was to achieve something in life so that I do not have to beg anyone for anything.”

“I thought that we understood each other to not speak those three words out loud but today I confess my feelings for you, I love you Rida. I love you very much.” Rehan confessed his throat going dry all of a sudden while Rida felt more tears escaping her eyes hearing him. She wrapped her arms around his torso sobbing on his chest while he too wrapped his arms around her shoulder closing his eyes.

“I love you, I love you too Rehan but...” Rida confessed but before she could precede further Rehan pulled away from her making her looking into his eyes.

“Look at me and forget every single thing he told you. You have nothing to worry about him I will talk to him and get things cleared out. All you have to do is be with me.” Rehan said and she nodded her head smiling a little before Rehan took her in his embrace.

“Now tell me what did you say, I couldn’t hear you due to your hoarse voice.” Rehan demanded and Rida was sure that he would be smirking making her face to go red while she hid her face in his chest making him laugh.

“I had thought of saying those words in some unique way but you had to ruin it all.” Rehan complained glaring at her but instead of fighting him, she smiled softly on his chest while he too felt her smile that brought a smile on his face.

They were happy to be in each other's embrace, mentally promising each other to fight each battle strongly but Rida couldn’t bring out the man’s words out of her mind. Rehan might have assured her that he would take care of it but she knew that the man was capable of going to any extend to harm her Rehan and she wouldn’t let that happen. She wouldn't simply sit back while Rehan would fight for their relationship. She knew she had to do something, that would stop this all at once and for that she had to dig out from the very start. She needed to find Rehan’s aunt, the nurse to know about his mother’s past.