Ahsan opened his eyes. A little confused at seeing a white colourless ceiling above him. His wrist ached slightly, due to the cut he made out of trauma previously. A beeping sound, ticking of a clock and that's all. It was pure silence wherever he was. He felt little weight on his other hand. Looking into it's direction he found Aram sitting on an uncomfortable chair, holding his hand and asleep. His hand working as a pillow for Aram.

"Bhai..." he mumbled. His voice was a mere whisper, hard to hear.

"Bhai..." this time he said a little louder to catch his attention.

He moved his hand which woke up Aram immediately.

"Bhai..."

Aram looked at him as if making sure he wasn't hallucinating. And then smiled. A teary smile.

He wanted to hug him, to scold him. But he didn't. With a blank look, he stood up and left, much to Ahsan's guilt.

Tears escaped his eyes and traced the path to his scalp and lost its existence.

Now he was regretting it. In his agony, he forgot about Aram.

The door opened and Qainaat entered. Her condition was no better. Her face was void of anything artificial. A shawl wrapped around her body. Her long hair clipped together, was trying to get it's freedom.

Taking slow steps she moved ahead. Ahsan was keenly looking at her movements, he could sense her nervousness.

"Qaina..."

Holding his hand, she sat on the chair.

"I am sorry, Ahsan. I shouldn't have believed in someone's lie."

"It's not because of you. Qaina, I... I am an illegitimate child."

"Aram Bhai told me. Everything."

"But there is something which he doesn't know?"

"What?"

He took a deep breath, gathering the courage to reveal this truth.

"I was raped by Ahana... not once, but many times. That night before our engagement, I was with her. Qaina... I was really afraid of her. She killed my father. She threatened to kill Aram Bhai. I... I wasn't strong. I don't... I don't deserve you."

"Stop saying this, Ahsan. No one deserves to be harassed for his parent's sin. Trust me, it doesn't affect my love. I loved you and I will love you. And you truly deserve it."

"Qai--"

"Don't you dare utter a single word?" She put her finger on his lips. "We are marrying as soon as you get discharged from the hospital."

"I love you... Qaina." That was all he could say.

She smiled, for the first time in the last five days.

Cupping his cheeks, she kissed his forehead. He closed his eyes, feeling this blissful moment.

"I love you too."

🤍🤍🤍

Zania was trying to concentrate on the book kept in front of her eyes. But her mind was wandering among her thoughts.

Zoya left.

And before leaving, she gave her diary to Zania and told her to give it to Zahra.

That diary was Zoya's secret-keeper. She had penned her heart out in it. Her crime as well.

Ahana was her college friend and was the person who brainwashed her. Zoya was ready to forget Hanzal but it was Ahana who manipulated her into planning Asifa's accident. It wasn't Zoya, but the effect of being in bad company.

However, even after she replaced Asifa in Hanzal's life, who married her for sake of his young year old daughter. She was happy. She felt guilty for snatching away Hanzal's love from him. He loved Zoya, but could never forget Asifa. And maybe he always tried to find Asifa in Zoya. While poor Zahra didn't even knew about her biological mother. Zoya was her mother, who raised her. The woman who killed her mother.

Zania must be sixteen when she out of curiosity read that diary. And that was the day she began hating her mother.

But now when Zahra will get to know the truth that Zoya is not her mother, what will be her reaction? The woman she thought of as her mother was the one responsible for her real mother's death.

Zania was scared. She regretted reading this diary. It ruined her relationship with her mother. And she doesn't want the same thing to happen with Zahra as well.

Some secrets are meant to be untold.

She understood that it's a true saying. If truth is destructive then let it be kept hidden.

Knocking on the door brought her out of her conflicting thoughts.

"Door is open." She said and looked in the door's direction.

Qaran entered with a tray carrying two giant glasses of his favourite mango milkshake. Before she could react or ignore him, he kept it on her study table beside the book she was trying to read. Pulling a chair he sat on it facing Zania.

"What are you doing, Qaran... Bhai?"

"Nia, call me Bastard, Rascal or whatever you want to, but don't call me Bhai."

"What's this?"

"It's my favourite milkshake. "

"Like I can't see. What's with this behaviour?"

"We need to talk."

"About? "

"You should forgive your mother. "

"So Mamu told you."

"Yes."

Zania was quite disappointed to be exact. She was expecting him to apologize for his bad behaviour. But here he was defending Zoya. It wasn't like she didn't like it, but she desperately wanted to end this tension between them.

"Qaran, our relationship can't go back to normal after the revelation. I am no one to forgive her. It was never like that. But... It has ruined me." Tears of frustration burst out of her eyes.

"Can't you even try to get back to normal?"

"Could you? If you were in my shoes."

"It's not about me, but you. I don't know what I would have done."

"Are you here only to defend Mom?"

"Yes, because I think I don't deserve to defend myself. You can't forgive your mother, then who am l?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"You have a reason to forgive me. You love... umm like me. Maybe you don't have the reason to forgive Zoya Phuppo."

"What reason?" She was kind of offended to hear his statement. Even if she loves him, it doesn't mean she will ignore the bitter truth that he did distrust him.

"I don't know. But you will find it."

He took a glass and began drinking it.

Zania was very much confused after hearing Qaran's words.

"Nia..."

"Hmm?"

He smiled and moved closer to her face. Now their faces were only inches apart when he confessed.

"I love you."

And kissed her left cheek, before leaving her room with the glass in his hand.

And now Zania was even more confused.

🤍🤍🤍

Calming her nerves Zania stepped into the lobby where Zahra was sitting and watching t.v.

"Aapi?"

"Hmm?" Zahra was more focused on the screen.

"Don't you wonder what happened to me three years ago?" Now that caught her attention. Zahra switched off the t.v. and gave her whole attention to Zania.

"Do you want to tell me something, Nia?"

"I do. Three years ago I read this diary." She forwarded the black leather diary she was holding.

"It belongs to Mom. And after reading it I couldn't bear her presence in my life... She told me to give it to you."

Zahra was calm.

"What do you think, Nia? Should I read it?"

Zania looked at her with unshed tears in her eyes.

"Don't read it, Aapi." Now she was on verge of crying.

Zahra smiled.

If the truth will make her hate her mother then she would like to be unaware of it.

Staying in darkness is better if the light gives you pain for a lifetime.

Zahra walked to the fireplace and threw the diary in it which in matter of seconds turned into ashes. Maybe even the fire was eager to ruin this article which ruined a mother and daughter's relationship.

"C'mon, let's do a Video call with Mom." Zahra grabbed Zania's wrist and dragged her with herself.

And Zania...

She felt relieved. As if she found her reason to forgive Zoya.

Zoya has repented for her crime. That's what matters.

🤍🤍🤍

Aram and Ahsan were playing ludo while sitting in the ward.

Aram was upset with Ahsan. But he got back to normal after giving a tight slap to Ahsan.

C'mon, Ahsan deserved to be slapped for almost giving him a heart attack by this whole suicide incident.

And Ahsan looked cuter with a cheek-stamp.

Aram was about to roll the dice but at the exact moment, his phone rang. He picked it up as it was Zahra's call.

"Hello." He said while rolling the dice.

"Hi, Aram. I wanted to say something."

"Okay, what is it?" He asked while keeping an eye on Ahsan so that he don't cheat.

"I... I.. umm.. wanted to say..."

"What you wanted to say?" He asked while taking his turn.

"We... I mean, you and I..."

"Yes, you and I?" Ahsan was six blocks away from victory while Aram needed only two. You can understand how much pressuring condition it is.

"We'll have three kids." And the line ended.

As well as the game ended with Ahsan winning it.

"I won! I won!"

"Oh hello, I am damn sure that you cheated. I know your old trick. You don't shake the dice. I was distracted that's why you won."

"Yeah, pretty distracted with your pretty girl. By the way, what she just said that your eyes popped out of their sockets?"

"She said we'll have three kids. What does it mean?"

"It means I will become uncle of three kids."

"What's with "We"?"

"It means she will be the mother of your three kids."

"And how you know it?"

"Oh my unromantic brother, she indirectly proposed you. She wants to marry you!"

"Are you sure?"

"Should I call Queen Elizabeth to confirm it?"

"Zahra proposed to me. We will have three kids. Two boys and one girl."

Ahsan was kinda shocked to see that his brother has already started his family planning. So he simply picked the glass of water kept on a side table. The very next moment Aram's face was as wet as the London streets.

"AHSAN!"

And what you can expect?

Ahsan's ears turned red due to the force Aram used while twisting them.

Finally, they could live like normal people. Enjoying these little moments without anyone's fear.

It was the beginning of their true happiness.