"Dadi...." Shezan ran down the stairs as soon as her heard Mom's voice. Before I could even stop him he was already halfway down the stairs.

Taking my very own time I stepped down the stairs, my gaze solely fixed on the steps I took with my heart beating. By the time I got down the last step, taking a deep breath I put my right leg forward first to take my next step when a hand came and wrapped around my waist.

Looking at my side I couldn't help but feel content with this small gesture by him. Even though I wanted to stop my heart from making any assumptions but my heart was not in my hands. Ashar, has very slowly had already taken it away from me.

Bringing me close to him we both walked together to the front.

"Assalamualaikum" we both said together stopping right in front of them.

"Walekumasalam" and I closed my eyes as tears gathered in my eyes.

"How are you my child?" Dad asked coming forward but I could only nod my head. But soon, a large hand was placed on the back of my head and a soft kiss was placed on the top of my head. "You know well that I don't like to see tears in your eyes." And I quickly wiped my tears away before looking up and smiling at him.

"That's like my girl!" He hugged me and I couldn't be more happy and content.

"Daduuu...." Shezan came and hugged him while Dad just pinched his cheeks as they both went inside. Looking straight I saw Mom, "Assalamualaikum"

"So, you got what you wanted?" She asked

"Yes, I got my family back." I replied looking straight in to her eyes but on the insides I was shaking.

"Will he accept you?" She asked.

"That's my problem, Mom, but what about you? Will he love you?" I asked

"How dare you?!" She hissed

"I didn't dare, yet! But I will if someone will try to break apart my family." I said straightening up.

"What will you say to Shezan?" She asked coming forward

"Truth...and only truth." I replied without any fear in my tone.

"I'll see to it." With that she walked away.

"If I would have been in your place I wouldn't bee seeing into it because if I'll lose my husband and child so do you!" I replied before walking away the other direction.

Breakfast was awkward but at the same time it was fun with Shezan and Dad. After finishing it off with everything, I went up to my room to gather my things before I leave for office. Last time looking around for did I forget or not something, I walked towards the door when I felt a pair of hands encircling my waist before pulling me back to it's owner's chest.

"I'm sorry for the morning" he said burying his face in the cook of my neck.

"I'm not angry with you" I replied

"Upset?" He asked and I turned around coiling my hands around his neck before place my head on his chest, "No."

"Will you listen to me if I'll tell you something?"

"Why won't I?" He asked.

"Pick me up at eight in the evening from my office." I said.

"Your wish is my command" he placed a kiss on top of my head.

"Ashar" I said looking up.

"Yes?" He said caressing my cheek

"I Love You" I said leaning on to him while his grip tightened as he pulled me more closer.

"Love you too" he said tapping his forehead with mine. He has taken off from his work but I have work. Reluctantly he let me go. Getting inside my car, I rolled down the window to my side and looked up, there he was standing by the window blowing kisses, shaking my head and waving back at him I wheeled out.

"Laiba?" I turned to my right to see the receptionist calling me to her desk.

"Yes?"

"You have a visitor"

"Now?" I asked

"Yeah"

"Who--" Before I could even complete my question she got a call. After thanking her I walked towards my cabin. Stepping out the elevator with only one thought in my mind who could be?

Opening the door of my cabin, "Good Morning, I hope you didn-" And just like that the words died in my throat.

The shock came in such a force that I couldn't stop myself from stumbling backwards. All the colours drained from my face.

"Laiba..."

"Mother..."

Thousands of questions kept on running through my mind but I couldn't tear my gaze away from her. She looked so pale and weak. Gone was her beauty, attitude, poise...she looked extremely weak.

"Laiba" and the next thing was her hugging me. Closing my eyes, I gulped but didn't hugged her back. "My baby...I missed you so much" cupping my face in her hands she kept on kissing my face. Tears poured out from her eyes as she kept on hugging and kissing me. Lifting my hand up I removed her hand from my face walking past her.

"What do you want?" I asked in a mono tone.

"Can't a mother come to see her daughter?" She questioned back

"And where that mother was from four years?" I turned to face her crossing my arms. Her eyes were still full of tears.

"A lot has happened" she replied

"Exactly, A lot has happened!" I uncrossed my arms turning around my table and taking a seat.

"Laiba, baby, you have every right-"

"I don't have any right!" I said pointedly.

"Please, listen to me-"

"Did you listened to me when I came running at your door all bruised and battered? Did you? Did you even opened the door?" I asked

"Laiba, I wasn't home that night" she said

"Yeah, that's why your car was parked right outside the house?"

"Baby, you have to trust me!",

"Oh please, it's better if you don't talk about trust!" I stood up.

"Baby, I know I've made mistakes, let me make it upto you" she came forward but I raised my hand to stop her where she was.

"How will you make it up, Mother? Will you be able to give me back those days when my child was hungry and he needed me or my husband who was on the verge of falling apart? And what about those nights when both my husband and child cried themselves to sleep?" I said in between of my own tears.

"Laiba-"

"And what about a year before I remarried Ashar? You weren't there to witness your own daughter shutting down herself. In fact there was no one, not a single soul. The sin that I committed for leaving my husband and child had made me repayed in such a way that even if I wished I couldn't wash it away." A slight shiver ran down my arms as I hugged myself around.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry my child!" She turned me and looked at me.

"Even I was sorry, Mother. I still am...but somethings can't been washed away." I replied

"I need you back"

"It's too late!"

"Please, just come for once!" She sobbed.

"I'll never repeat the same mistake that I made years back!" I turned around.

"You won't come to even see your dad?" She whispered and the arms that were wrapped around my body slipped.

"Dad?" I turned around.

She nodded, "Yes, your dad is back."

Just like that I again hugged myself back.

"If you think that you can win me back by using dad then you're wrong!"

"I am not. Aren't you able to see Laiba?" She asked

"When it comes to you then I prefer blindness!"

"How can you be so cold?"

"Life taught me many things"

"And it's all because of me." She whispered

"I'm not that cruel to put the entire blame on you but of course you played the bigger part because it all started with you manipulating me" I whirled around at her hatred dripping from my tone.

"What did you expected from me Laiba? I am your mother and every mother wants the best for her child" She gripped my arm.

"By manipulating her?" I asked removing her grip from mine.

"Laiba, you were very young at that time and Ashar had just started his business. You both were immature and not to forget you were pregnant!! Ashar should've behaved more maturely." She said

"Really Mother? So, now you put the blame on Ashar?"

"I'm not blaming him..."

"Then what? Why do you keep forgetting that Ashar has never forced himself on me. Never. And if this is the reason then you must have blamed Dad too for me?"

"Laiba!" She raised her voice

"Did I hit a nerve, Mother?"

"When we had you we were financially stable but you both weren't!! Did you forgot that how you both use to fought?" She asked.

"And did you forgot that our only reason was Shezan. We both wanted the betterment for him." I said.

"Ashar was struggling"

"Shezan was only ten days old, Mama" And I couldn't stop myself anymore from falling down on my knees. "He needed me Mama, my Ashar needed me...I couldn't give them both what they deserved. You robbed me off my every happiness."

"I only did what I thought was best for you, my jaan" she cupped my cheeks kneeling down before me.

"You both tainted my soul, Mother. You both. You took away my family while she took away my soul." I sobbed.

"Laiba, it was you who distanced yourself from me after your dad left!!"

"Because you breathed on money and I didn't wanted to become like you but guess what I did become like you."

"You're nothing like me, Laiba. Look at me, see, your mama is here, I'm here. I'll make everything right." She made me look at her.

I just gave her a humourless laugh, "You say you'll make everything right, Mother?"

She only nodded.

"Fine, then will you be able to give me back my chastity which was forcefully taken away from me? Will you be able to take away the pain of a miscarriage? Or what about when I was suppose to die in a run and hit case?" I looked at her without any emotion.

"Laiba"

"Yes Mother, I was raped, tortured and left to die"

"Who?"

"Daniyal"