When our Hearts Aligned

9

Haseena’s ears caught the faint sound of a hushed conversation, pulling her from the anxious silence that had settled over the corridor. She turned slightly, the voices muffled but growing clearer as she strained to listen, the urgency in Amar’s tone was unmistakable.

“Haseena’s condition is delicate,” Amar’s voice drifted through the air. “We need to delay the inquiries. Her mother’s health is critical, and this is not the right time to push her.”

Haseena’s heart sank as she realized what Amar was trying to do. Her initial reaction was a mix of surprise and anger. Amar, the last person she’d expect to act behind her back, was trying to shield her. Somehow the realization stung more than it comforted.

She hadn’t anticipated this, and it felt like a betrayal—a well-meaning but misguided attempt to protect her. Her emotions flared up as she overheard snippets of the conversation, and she felt a surge of determination.

"I don't understand" Amar almost hissed over the phone, "I took back the complaint then why are these inquiries happening now."

She could feel the heat rising in her chest, a mix of anger and disappointment swirling inside her. Without thinking, her feet moved on their own, carrying her towards him, each step fueled by the burning resolve in her heart.

“Amar Vidrohi...Sir... you don’t need to do me any favors,” Haseena’s voice cut through the corridor like a sharp blade, forcing Amar to turn.

The staff around them froze, their eyes darting between the two officers.

“You don’t need to do me any favors, I don’t need any special treatment”she continued, her tone firm.

Amar’s eyes narrowed, disbelief clouding his expression.

“Haseena ji,” he started, trying to keep his voice calm, but the frustration slipped through, “You don’t understand what’s at stake here. They’re not just questioning you; they’re looking to destroy you. This isn’t about doing favours; it’s about keeping you safe from a system that’s set up to fail you.”

She stepped closer, her eyes flashed with a defiant light. “I’m not going to hide behind excuses or special considerations."

Amar's breath hitched for just a while as he took in the closeness between them though Haseena barely seemed to notice.

"I’m ready to face whatever comes. I’ve always stood by my principles, and I’m not going to back down now” she continued insisting, her voice steady but carrying the weight of all the battles she had fought, both seen and unseen.

This time however, Amar’s frustration finally cracked through the surface, his control slipping as he leaned in, daring her to look away.

“Miss Mallik, this isn’t just about principles. Do you think they care about the truth?" Amar said, his voice lowering but gaining a sharp edge. “They want a scapegoat, and they’re coming for you. They’ll twist your words, exploit your vulnerabilities. You’re walking into a trap. This isn’t the time to be stubborn.”

Stubborn?” Haseena shot back, her own voice rising, anger and hurt fueling her words. “What do you think I’ve been doing all these years? I’ve stood by my principles when no one else did. I’ve faced threats before, and I’m still standing. I’m not going to back down now, not when it matters most.”

Amar’s jaw clenched, his frustration palpable as he took a step closer, closing the distance between them.

His voice dropped to a harsh whisper. “Do you think I’m blind to what’s happening? You think I didn’t see what you did? Helping that girl escape... the media is already crucifying you, Haseena! And now, this inquiry— it’s not just a formality. They’ll chew you up and spit you out with no real justice served to anyone."

Haseena’s heart pounded, the truth in his words striking a chord deep within her. Her face hardened.“That girl was innocent, Amar! She was driven to the edge because of her in-laws. I wasn’t going to let her life be ruined by a mistake she almost made out of desperation! If that’s a crime, then let them charge me.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with conviction, as Amar’s frustration reached its boiling point.

"Why do you have to make this so much harder for me? Why did you have to confess that now?” he muttered, his voice tight with barely suppressed anger, “You think you can fight them with just your ideals?  Well, congratulations Haseena ji you finally convinced me that your jazbaat (emotions) make you nothing but an emotional fool!"

The distance between them was almost nonexistent now, their faces mere inches apart, the tension crackling in the air like electricity.

Haseena’s breath caught, her pulse racing, but she forced herself to hold his gaze, to not let the heat of the moment sway her resolve.

“First of all Mr Amar Vidrohi I know how to handle my emotions well. And second, I won’t hide. I won’t be the officer who backs down when things get tough. If they want to frame me, let them. I’ll stand by what I did, and I’ll face whatever comes,” she declared, her voice steady but laced with an underlying tremor, betraying the inner turmoil she refused to show.

Amar’s eyes flashed with something that was neither anger nor frustration—something deeper, more conflicted.

For a brief moment, the mask of the hardened officer slipped, revealing the vulnerability beneath, the fear of losing her to a battle she couldn’t win.

He didn't know when or how that vulnerability had set in but seeing Haseena so numb and barely responding right after Santosh Sharma had to be hospitalized had triggered something in him he couldn't quite name.

But he quickly masked his emotions again. He glanced around briefly, their sharp exchange caught the attention of a few hospital staff members, who watched with a mix of curiosity and concern but were too afraid to intervene. He clenched his fists.

“You’re making a mistake, Haseena ji,” he whispered, the words cutting through the air like a blade “A mistake that might cost you everything.”

His voice was low, almost pleading, but laced with the sharpness of someone who knew the stakes all too well. His fists remained clenched at his sides.

Haseena didn’t flinch, didn’t let his words sway her. She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. “I’m willing to pay that price, Amar...Sir. Because if I compromise now, I lose everything that makes me who I am. And that’s a price I’m not willing to pay."

Their eyes locked in a silent war of wills, the tension between them thick and suffocating. His hands itched to pull her away, to make her see reason, but he knew it would be futile. Haseena Mallik would never back down, no matter the cost.

Finally, he exhaled, the fight draining out of him as he took a couple of steps back. “Fine,” he said, his voice hollow, defeated, though Haseena was certain she saw a flicker of earnest pleading in his eyes even as he said his next words “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

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Hi guys

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