Afaan was eating with his sister when he spotted Farida peeping through the door. At first he thought that she was there for business purpose but why would she be peeping. He was sitting on a golden carpet with his index finger in his mouth as he watched her. He just prayed that she wouldn't appear in front of everyone because that would be a disaster.
"I'll get the file." Sudais said to his elder cousin as he got up.
"I'll get it for you brother." Afaan said. He wanted to save the woman that was about to put herself in trouble from humiliation.
"Don't worry, you should eat your food. Thanks." Sudais replied and proceeded to the door where Farida was but luckily for her, she saw him coming and ran upstairs.
Sudais picked up the blue file from his table and went back out. Unaware of the woman hiding under his table. Her heart hammered in her chest, her eyes darting around in fear.
She knew she shouldn't have been there but that chef was her only ticket to finding out the facts.
She heard the door close and breathed in relief.
Meanwhile, Sudais was going back to the dining room when afaan dashed inside and climbed the stairs as if he was in a hurry. He silently prayed that his brother wouldn't make things complicated and get her caught.
Although he still had the love inside of him, sometimes he hated her.
Afaan had promised her mother to not give her daughter a hard time or let anyone in his family ruin her life but if she was to be seen inside there home that night, his mother would make her life a hell on earth because she made that promise the very day Sudais had divorced Farida.
Sudais saw his brother approaching with a look he couldn't comprehend.
"Afaan, what's wrong?" Sudais asked and held his brother's shoulder.
"Nothing Sudais, I was just going to get the contract we got from his Highness. I want to show it to father." Afaan replied, thankful that nothing happened judging by the fact that his brother was still in the same mood from when he was eating with their older cousin. That could mean that he didn't see her, or maybe she didn't go into his study but his room. There were only two doors there, she must be in one of them.
"Oh brother! So you have decided to participate in the project. Dad will be proud of you." Sudais exclaimed and walked away.
Afaan watched as his brother close the door behind him. He found that his bedroom door was lucked. He knew that she didn't go in there so she must had entered the study.
The study was just a few steps away from sudais's bedroom. Afaan opened the door, preparing the questions he was going to ask her but he was left agape by the sight in front of him. The woman had her knees on the floor, her eyes stained with her mascara and tears and her eyes were bulging out. She looked shocked, confused and scared. Probably scared because she was caught but why was she looking so defeated and on top of it she had tears.
He opened the door wider and stepped inside the study, making sure that the door was slightly opened, he didn't want to scare her.
Her eyes turned away from his and he followed her gaze. Both of their eyes landed on the reason behind her tears. Afaan stood still as his eyes landed on the big picture. It wasn't there the other night he went in there to keep the envelope, he was sure if it. His brother must had hung the picture there that morning. Bad timing.
He parted his lips to talk but he couldn't, he was beyond speechless. He didn't even knows how to start explaining things to her. Should he tell her that she was accused falsely and kicked out and that she was in that coma because she attempted suicide?
"You knew all along." Farida broke the dead silence.
Afaan couldn't answer her or even look at her. He wasn't the one who did her wrong but always felt guilt when he looked into her clueless eyes.
"I have been searching for his family. You were right under my nose and I wasn't even aware of it." She started to speak loudly and he feared that someone would hear.
"Okay, you have to calm down." Afaan said to her. If only he could make her understand that it wasn't a good idea.
"Everything makes sense now. The shock in your eyes when you saw me that day." She stood up from the floor and faced him.
Despite being in a sticky situation, afaan was still glad that she had found out everything by herself and there was no need to hide anything anymore.
"It was my fault, isn't it? I was the reason he died." Farida asked and hoped that he would say no. But his silence made her heart sink.
Afaan's shoulders dropped. She still had no idea that her husband was still alive and was under the same roof she was right there and then. And a few seconds ago, he was glad that he wouldn't have to explain anything to her.
"That was the reason your brother hates me. Your whole family hate me. And you all don't want to see my face!" She said and ran out of the room without stopping. Afaan followed her, he thought that she was going to confront his family but she ran past the door. He was thankful for that. It won't be good for such drama to take place when the other family members were around.
He stood by the staircase and watched her run towards the kitchen where she bumped into Maryam at the entrance. Her mascara stained eyes were looking down and her body was shaking. Maryam held her shoulder and looked at the direction Farida came from. Her eyes met with Afaan's. But Maryam knew that Afaan wouldn't have said anything that would hurt her. She teared off her eyes from afaan and embraced Farida in a warm hug. The poor thing looked like a lost puppy.
"I'm going home now. You stay and do your work and please call me so I can save your number." Farida requested with shaky voice.
"I have already called you. I didn't find you in my room. I thought you had left." Maryam replied and Farida nodded.
They departed and soon, Farida was approaching her car with shaky legs. She wished that she had requested Maryam to drive her home but she didn't want to stop her from doing her work or even stressing her out.
"You have to learn to take care of yourself." Farida said to herself.
She pulled out her car keys from her pocket and pressed the remote. The headlights flickered and the locks clicked as they unlocked.
"I would never show my face to this people again if I were you." A voice came from a corner in the dark. Farida turned around swiftly to see who it was but she only saw some shiny pieces. Probably, thousands of shiny stones from a female dress, it was easy to guess.
The figure stepped into the light and smirked. It was zaynerb and she was up to no good.
Zaynerb slowly and slyly walked closer to Farida. She stopped right in front her and smirked again when she saw the mascara stains.
Zaynerb being as cunning as a fox had excused herself and followed afaan when Sudais returned to the dining room. She happened to hear everything and decided to make use of the big opportunity. She could make Farida disappear from their lives forever.
"Yes Darling. You heard me right. They hate you, they don't want to see you or even talk to you." Zaynerb added.
Farida's heart sank deeper. She began to sob and that only made zaynerb happier than she was already.
"You see that woman you called your mother in law, she never liked you since day one. She's always thought that you were an outcast. But what made it worst was the fact that her son died because of you." Zaynerb said. Without realizing the damage she had done to the other woman's brain. Even if she knew she would be happy about it.
"I have heard enough. It was an accident. It wasn't my fault." Farida snapped back at zaynerb and opened the car door. She had a hard time inserting the key and cursed loudly. Those were music to zaynerb's ears as she watched Farida struggle to compose herself.
After successfully starting the car, Farida drove away furiously.
Zaynerb smiled to herself and went back inside. The family had already finished eating and were chatting happily, except for Afaan. He wasn't being himself and his sister noticed it.
"Brother what happened, you look disturbed." Nazmeera asked her older brother, holding his hand.
"Its nothing, really. I'm just very tired." He assured and kissed his sister's forehead. Sudais smiled at the both of them, completely oblivious to the event that took place under his roof.
Zaynerb eyed afaan warily. If she didn't know that he had feelings for Maryam, she would have thought that he loved Farida. He cared too much for her. She looked over to Sudais and saw him smiling happily. He must had been happy after reuniting with his lover. That was the reason he decided to hang her picture in the place he spent most of his time when he's at home.
She mentally promised herself to make him despise her like he used to. She would stop at nothing to ruin the Union because Sudais is hers and hers alone and if she cannot have him, then nobody will.
****