::::::::::::::::: Chapter 35::::::::::::::::::

The young police officer, brimming with confidence, stood in front of her. Yasmeen felt as if this was the last straw; all her courage drained away. In a fleeting moment, she felt thankful that Shamim wasn't here,it would be easier for her to accept the charge of murder alone.

"Are you sure you've cleared all the evidence? Because you left these in there," he said casually, as though he were asking about something mundane. Yasmeen's gaze shifted to his hands, where he held their college bags, the ones they'd left in the room where she had hidden Shamim.

"Oh, you're Yasmeen. Where's Shamim?" He crouched slightly, trying to meet her gaze. Yasmeen couldn't control her fear. It was all too much to endure. First, Wahab had assaulted her, and now this interrogation.

Suddenly, something clicked in her mind, and she stared at the policeman.
"How do you know my name?" she asked, puzzled. From their bags, he could have gotten their names, but how did he recognize her face?

"Oh, my dearest innocent criminal, are you sure you killed him? Just turn your beautiful eyes towards your pocket," he said, his voice laced with feigned concern as he gestured toward her.

She tilted her head and found her student card hanging from her pocket. Her heart skipped a thousand beats in a second. She felt her entire body drenched in cold sweat. Her blood pressure dropped, and she could hardly stand on her feet. Dizzy with a mixture of grief, horror, disappointment, and betrayal, she felt her nerves weaken.

"Where is Shameen, by the way?" he asked in a casual tone, one that reflected how such incidents were just routine for him. He tilted his head, gazing behind her for Shameen.

"She has no concern with all this. I killed him," she confessed with a blank expression.

Shameen had sacrificed her whole world for their friendship, and now it was her turn to protect Shameen. After all, she had killed the man she loved to save her friend's life.

"Oh, she has nothing to do with killing that man? Then, please, may I also have some ice cream from the parlor inside, where she had gone to get some? My favorite is chocolate chip," he said with a hint of hilarity, beaming at her.

"Madam, this is not a joke. You are part of a crime scene, and your fingerprints are on the weapon used in the murder. Besides, the taxi driver who was waiting for another passenger to save fuel told me the whole story. He can easily identify both of you," he said abruptly, his expression now serious.

"Why don't you get it? For how many times will I have to tell you that I am the murderer? I killed him!" she spat, desperate to convince the stubborn officer.

"She's lying! She has no evidence to prove it," Shameen appeared out of nowhere, clutching a rod in her hand.

"I killed him with this rod because he was a monster! He betrayed both of us. He was my childhood fiancé but tried to kill my best friend. To save her, I hit his head with this rod," she admitted, lowering her head, ready to face the consequences of her actions.

The place fell into a heavy silence for a moment as everyone processed what was said.

"Huh," the policeman let out a deep sigh. Both girls turned to him, their eyes searching for meaning in his pause.

"So, you killed him. He was your fiancé," he said. "This case is crystal clear. I have every piece of evidence to declare you guilty. But..." He stopped, and a glimmer of hope flickered in their eyes.

They stared at him, waiting for the rest of his sentence, hanging onto the weight of his "but."

"But in my eyes, you are an angel and a savior," he finally said, offering a kind smile, a smile that radiated reassurance.

"The man lying lifeless on the ground was a devil, a wild animal. He had killed many innocent girls after satisfying his filthy desires. I have heard the cries and screams of their families, but whenever I tried to arrest him, my superiors ordered me to leave him. Today, I planned to kill him myself to save other girls from his dirty games, but I found him dead here instead." The agony and frustration of those families were evident in his voice.

"So, there's no need to destroy your future for that bastard. I will cover everything up here," he declared.

His words were like a lifeline to their drained souls. They couldn't believe what they heard. Tears of gratitude streamed down their faces as they looked at each other, as if waking from a dreadful dream together. They were about to embrace when his voice interrupted.

"But on one condition: from now on, you will be strangers to each other. Never contact one another. Leave the college you are studying at because if someone finds you together, I won't be able to save you. The taxi driver can recognize you and knows about your college. And remember, if your identities are exposed, don't come to me. The three of us will part ways here and never meet again," he ordered firmly.

Both girls exchanged a sorrowful look and, holding hands, began walking away.

"Wait, wait, wait! Is this an amusement park where you stroll around hand in hand?" he said sarcastically.

"Go in different directions! My team is arriving, and if they find you together, we are finished!" he scolded, glaring at them with sharp eyes.

The two friends, who had sworn never to break their bond, now had to say farewell after mere months of friendship. They vanished into the dust of time, their paths diverging forever.

When Yasmeen reached home, she hugged her mother and couldn't stop the tears from falling. She told her mother about the boy she had loved and how he had cheated on her. Her mother embraced her tightly, reminding her that she wasn't alone and promising to help her overcome this ordeal.

Back at the college, no one ever learned where the two best friends had disappeared to.

            -----YASMEEN-----

For many years, the memory of that night haunted her. She rejected many proposals, fearing she might encounter another man hiding behind a facade like Wahab. Though she always missed Shameem, she never tried to meet her, lacking the courage to face her. She could never shake the thought that she was the one who turned Shameem into a murderer, forcing her to kill her own fiancé.

One day, Yasmeen decided to write a letter to Shameem. Mustering her courage, she went to her house, covering herself in a niqab and abaya. She handed the letter to an elderly guard stationed at the large gate.

"Please give this to Shameem. It's from her friend living abroad," she pleaded softly.

"I'm sorry, but she doesn't live here anymore. She's married now and living abroad with her husband," the old man said.

His words filled Yasmeen with overwhelming relief. She felt a wave of happiness knowing Shameem had moved on from the past.

"But I will keep this letter. If it's from her best friend, I'll make sure to give it to her if God grants me enough life until her return," the old man said, smiling as he took the letter.

Yasmeen left with a lighter heart, as though a heavy burden had been lifted from her soul.

Time moved forward, as it always does. Yasmeen couldn't continue her studies after leaving college. Her family had to vacate their rented home when the rent increased. Life moved on for everyone except for two hearts, longing for each other yet held back by fear.

One evening, after offering her Isha prayers, Yasmeen's mother sat beside her.

"Yasmeen, you are almost thirty now. I've respected your refusal of proposals all these years because I wanted to give you time to heal from that man. But it's been ten years since that incident. The time has come, my daughter. If you keep rejecting proposals, you'll be left alone in life. Who will support or care for you then?

You didn't complete your education to build a secure future for yourself. Your brother will support you, but he has his own family, and his income barely meets their needs. Your father and I won't be here forever. This proposal, Yasmeen, is a blessing from God. His name is Kareem Khan. He's a police officer and has no one in the world. He seems to have seen you somewhere and likes you."

After her mother's persistent urging, Yasmeen agreed to the proposal. However, she was stunned to find that Kareem Khan was the same policeman from that fateful night.

It was truly God's mercy to send Kareem into her life. He was everything a woman could want in a husband. But above all, despite knowing her dark past, he accepted her unconditionally.

Yasmeen and Kareem had two children: Majida (Fareed's mother) and Amjid Khan (Zarmeena's father). Though her later life was peaceful, the horrors of that night never left her.

          -----SHAMEEN-----

Shameem's life, on the other hand, took a different turn. When she returned home that night, the house was eerily silent. Sensing something was wrong, she called out to a maid.

"Rashida, what happened? Where is everyone?" she asked nervously.

The maid hesitated, her face pale with sorrow.

"Madam, where do I even begin? These are matters of God, beyond our control," she said with a trembling voice.

Shameem stared at her, confused and anxious.

"Madam, Wahab sir had an accident. His jeep slid down a hill. There's no final confirmation yet, but rumors say... he is no more." Rashida's voice broke into sobs.

Shameen froze, her mind reeling. Wahab was dead-killed in an accident. So, this was how the policeman covered up everything.

Her family soon took her to Wahab's lifeless body. She gazed at the man she had once loved madly, the man she was to marry in just a week. She had chosen a red bridal dress for him, and his name was still dark on her palm in henna. But all her dreams had been cruelly snatched away, leaving her in the harsh light of reality.

Wahab's family wept, embracing her as if she were the last piece of him. His mother and sisters cried on her shoulders, unaware that she was the reason for his death. Their love and care only deepened her guilt, drowning her in an ocean of regret and remorse.

Life became a curse after that. People pitied her, constantly reminding her that her life was ruined. But one man saw her pain and decided to act-her cousin, Nawaz.

Nawaz had loved her deeply for years but had never confessed because she was engaged to Wahab. Seeing her in constant anguish, he stepped forward and proposed.

Her parents, desperate to see her alive again, accepted his proposal instantly. Only a month after Wahab's death, Shameem married Nawaz.

Nawaz proved his love every day of their married life, shielding her like a precious gem. Over time, Shameem began to reciprocate his love.

One day, Shameem told Nawaz the truth about the incident that changed her life. Instead of judging her, he appreciated her courage and her friendship with Yasmeen. Nawaz promised to help her find Yasmeen someday.

However, his business required them to move abroad, where they built a happy life together and had children.

Years later, Shameem returned to her home country with her children while Nawaz stayed behind for work. When she visited her parents' house, a young servant approached her with an envelope in hand.

"Madam, my grandfather left this for you. He said to give it to you whenever you returned," the servant said respectfully.

She took the envelope, its color faded with time. It was evident it had never been opened. Turning it around, she read the words:

To: Shameem
From: A friend lost in a whirlpool.

Shameem stared at the writing, her hands trembling. Life had shown her mercy, granting her this connection to a long-lost friend. She wiped away her tears and carefully opened the envelope.