A known stranger | Ft. Abhyutami

Chapter 24

Recap - somebody was at naaz's hospital room door after nasir left.

Somebody opened the gate after nasir left.. It was no other than aalim with moist eyes filled with guilt.

He entered the room with hesitation and saw naaz on the ground shivering.
(Remember she fell down seeing aalim's video)
He quickly but gently held her by her shoulders which were still covered with bandages. He knelt down to her.. They were just smiling looking at each other. Before aalim could say a word, gulnaaz just tightly hugged him and started sobbing.. Soon after aalim started crying too.

The room was filled with 2 types of sobs and cries. One of guilt and sorrow and the other of relief and happiness.

After a few moments, aalim broke the hug and gave gulnaaz a soothing and reassuring forehead kiss.

Aalim - I'm so sorry naaz, aapki ye halat meri--

When he was about to start apologising to her, she quickly placed her index finger on his lips indicating him to not say a word.

Naaz - aalim, aapko mujhse maafi maangne ki koi zarurat nahi hai, aapne jo kiya vo apne mulk ke liye kiya, vo bhi forcefully, aap to 3rd way ke khilaaf the aur mere liye unse bheekh tak maang rahe the ye jaante hue ki isse shayad aapki naukri khatre me naa aa jaye, mai bhale hi unconscious thi lekin sab sunai de raha tha, aapki jagah mai hoti to shayad mai bhi yahi karti.

Aalim - kaise naaz?? Kaise itna bada dil hai aapka.. Abhi tak aapko mujhe dhakka marke talaq de dena chahiye tha aur aap ye keh rai hain?
I don't deserve you...

Naaz - aap mujhe deserve nai karte sach me..

Abhi nods in sorrow and guilt facing down.

Naaz (held his chin up) - ek aisa insaan jo apne ishq ko bhi mulk ke liye qurban kar sakta hai, vo to mujhse kai guna achi ladki deserve karta hai.. Haina??

Aalim (sighs in disbelief) - kyu karti hain aap mujhse itni mohobbat aakhir? Aisa kya hai mujhme... Apko dard ke alawa shayad kuch nai diya fir bhi? Itna ishq? Itna pyaar?

Naaz - aapke liye apne mulk se badkar koi nahi hai, mai tak nahi hu, yehi mere liye aapse beintehaan mohobbat aur bharosa karne ke liye kaafi hai meri jaan.
(Meri jaan 🥺)
And i know ki aapki iss incident me koi galti nahi hai alright.. Guilt me mat rehna aap.

Abhi - aap itni achi kaise hain??

Naaz - vo to mai hu (laughs)

Abhi also laughs.

Naaz - vaise aalim, aap theek haina? Aapke saath kya kiya tha unhone? Kahan chot aayi hai aapko?

Abhi - dont worry naaz, mujhe kuch bhi nai hua hai?

Naaz - matlab?

Abhi - vo actually..

Flashback -

When nasir reached the hospital, he saw aalim in naaz's room, he ordered him to come out.

Abhi - ab kya karna baaki hai sir? Mere haathon uska gala bhi dabvayenge kya?

Nasir - relax Mr. Ali.. Abhi jo mai chahta hu aap karein, usse kisi ko dard nahi hoga.. Only a little test you know..

Abhi - ab kaunsa test sir? Lie detector + 3rd degree se bura aur kaunsa test hai aapke paas ab?

Nasir - aapko bas zyada kuch nahi karna.. Aapka ek video ham record karenge, jisme ham dikhayenge ki we've held you hostage and aapko bohot taqleef pohocha rahe hain ham.. Ye video ham siddiqui ko dikhayenge and vo aapse itni mohobbat karti hain ki aapke liye to vo saara sach ugal hi dengi.

Abhi - sir mujhe apni chaalon ka mohra banana band kijiye please..

Nasir - aapke mulk ki baat hai aalim, orders follow kijiye varna aapko nikalne me hame 2 minute nahi lagenge.. Got it??

Abhi (with disappointment) - yes sir..

Nasir - good, now go and record the damn video, all the props and all are in the hospital basement..

Flashback ends.

Naaz - to ye sab ek natak tha? drama tha?

Abhi - haan.. I know maine firse aapke saath dhokha kiya hai lekin---

Naaz - are kya bol rahe hain aap ye?? Aap ke saath kuch nahi hua hai ye jaan ke mujhse zyada khush shayad koi bhi nahi hai.. (Hugs him)

Abhi - maine pata nahi kya punya kiye the pichle janam me jo aap jaisi begum mili mujhe..

Naaz - shh.. Pehli baat, ab tareefon ke pull bandhne band kariye and dusri baat, ham paap punya ko nahi gunah aur nek kaamon me maante hain.. Yaad kijiye..

Abhi - haan haan.. (Chuckles)

(If you didn't get it, basically she's saying to not use hindu ideologies ie paap and punya here as nobody except her knows that he's a hindu)

Abhi holds her up in his arms and lays her down on the bed.

Abhi - doctor ne aapke liye kuch nai dawaiyan prescribe kari hain.. Mai vo leke aata hu.. Aap rest kijiye..

Gk - hmm.. (Smiles)

(He leaves)

Gulnaaz's pov

Aalim has just went to get me medicines.. How adorable of a man he is..

You might be thinking that this whole drama thing must've shocked me and you might also think that I'm a bitter person for not saving my love if I had a chance to confess and save his life, when I wasn't aware that this whole thing was just a drama..

I don't this you've understood me very well.. As soon as I saw the first clip of the video I immediately knew that this whole thing was a drama?? You ask me how??

You think that I don't know my man yet??
He's the sort of guy who can uphold a smile even if he's almost dying.. You think this guy would scream when just a little piece of tape is being ripped from his mouth.. Do you really think that even after being in such a huge guilt of behaving so merciless with me (that's what he thinks about himself) he would dare and tell me to confess just to save his life.. This guy who's life is his least priority would beg me to save him??

That's the reason why I knew he was acting and this was all a drama..
And it was fairly easy for me to control my emotions from confessing anything, although even if it was real I would've not said a word but I would definitely be absolutely traumatized with guilt..

Also, I started pretending that I believe this whole thing so that Nasir thinks that I'm badly being affected by this and if I was a real agent, I would confess.
I'm a pretty good actor? Ain't I?

My heart was definitely in my throat when I first saw the glimpse of the video but then the whole video made me realize that it's just acting.

I'm also genuinely not angry with aalim at all, even though first it definitely hurted the depth of me but then I decided to put myself in his shoes and then I realised that I would've done the same and perhaps even would tragically follow the 3rd way order.. So there was no fault of his..
Even thinking practically, seperating with him would lead to loss of information to share with my country so in both aspects, I easily forgive him.

I didn't notice how much I loved him until now honestly, that I forgave him so easily..this feeling is so beautiful until the thought of "I'm using" Him and "betraying him" Arrives.. But I still do love him with all my heart and I cannot deny that.

Pov ends.

___________________________________________

𝐘𝐞 𝐥𝐨 𝐧𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐚 ❤

𝐀𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐤𝐢 𝐤𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐛𝐡𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐢 𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐭.

𝐃𝐨 𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 ❤