A walk on thorns

Chapter 55| Ramifications

Sabrina's POV

I was in the kitchen with Sarah, stirring the bubbling noodles on the stove, when I caught sight of Nadeera descending the stairs with Rubina. The girl looked like a ghost of herself, her timid posture screaming of fear. She clung to her arms, trying to make herself invisible in the shadow of Nadeera, who towered over her with the same smug dominance she always carried. I wanted to dismiss it as paranoia, but something about the scene gnawed at me.

We were just making dinner, but my heart was restless. I had just returned from the event center, exhausted yet grateful to be back. Anisha had left earlier with her so-called beloved husband, while mine, my own peace of heart, had promised to visit by six in the morning. He said he had something for both me and Rubina.

If not for the relentless passion that kept me going, I would have collapsed before making it to this house, and now I have class at seven in the morning. Now, at almost ten, I was still awake, still functioning. And yet, despite all my physical weariness, my mind refused to rest.

As we finished cooking, I glanced toward the living room, my conscience heavy with unease. Rubina was alone with Nadeera. It wasn’t Anisha this time; it was a little girl. A little girl. How could I sit still? How could I ignore the storm brewing behind those walls?

Finally, I went to check on them. I should have listened to my instincts earlier because what I saw made my blood freeze.

Nadeera was lounging on the couch, streaming 50 Shades of Grey, to Rubina. My heart stilled, and for a moment, I felt detached from my own body. My mind screamed What the hell is this madness?! This woman, this deranged human, chose to shatter a child’s innocence with such vile content. And for what? Revenge? To make a point?

The rage I felt was nothing compared to the utter helplessness that crushed me. I stepped into the room, forcing my voice to stay steady even though my chest heaved with fury.

“Nadeera,” I said sharply, but not angrily. My voice carried the weight of desperation. “We both know why you’re doing this. It’s for attention, for revenge, to settle some twisted score. But this, this is too much. You’re going too far. She’s just a little girl.” My throat tightened as I glanced at Rubina’s tear-streaked face. “You’re ready to scar her mind with something she might never forget. This is sensitive, dangerous content, outrageous even. Please, Nadeera. Just let her go.”

I took a deep breath, lowering my voice in a futile attempt to reason with her. “I’m not here to fight you. Fighting won’t help. It’ll only make this worse. I’m pleading with you, please.”

She slowly turned her head, her sharp, predatory gaze locking onto mine. Her smirk was poisonous, her confidence unbearable.

“Sabrina,” she began, her voice oozing with mockery, “do you know why I let you stay in this house?”

I shook my head slightly, my voice lost somewhere in my throat.

“Because I admire your courage,” she continued, her tone laced with venom. “But you know what I hate about you? You’re not evil. You refuse to be evil. And you never will be.” Her smirk widened, her eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure. “Evil is me. And haram is my domain. There’s no leniency or mercy in my world. Now…”

She leaned back into the couch, her movements deliberate, calculated. “I’m just showing her 50 Shades of Grey. But if you so much as breathe wrong around me, I swear, I will do something you can’t even fathom.”

With a slow, deliberate motion, she reached behind her and pulled out a gun.

Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. My heart sank into my stomach. My vision blurred as I glanced back at Rubina, her small frame shaking, her face drenched in helpless tears. I wanted to scream, to grab her and run. But how could I? Nadeera wasn’t bluffing. She never bluffed.