VENGEANCE

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Startled, she quickly averted her gaze, burying her face back into her mother's shoulder. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she cursed herself for getting caught staring. She wished the ground would swallow her whole to save her from this mortifying moment. Even though she couldn't hide entirely, she clung tighter to her mother, feeling small and exposed. It was as though Khizr’s gaze had placed her on a pedestal, vulnerable and unprepared for the weight of his attention.

"Ji?" Khizr asked, a hint of curiosity and annoyance in his voice, as though the mere mention of his name had summoned him from his thoughts.

"Bhai, have you met bhai? He’ll be so—"

"Your brother came, shouted, created a scene, and left," Khizr interrupted, his tone cutting, mocking even.

"Khizr," Ayza’s reprimand was immediate and firm, silencing him before he could escalate the situation further. Amal, slightly surprised by how quickly Khizr obeyed her mother, recalled the rare moments when he was gentle in her presence, their past connection reminding her of how close Khizr had once been to Ayza.

"Is this how you talk to my–" Ayza started, but her words were interrupted by the sharp ring of Khizr’s phone.

"Sorry, I have to take this," Khizr said abruptly and walked away, as though the phone call offered him an escape from the conversation he was keen to avoid.

---

Khizr spotted Raheem sitting alone in the hospital waiting area, hunched over with his head in his hands, gripping his hair in frustration. His brother-in-law looked like a man burdened by guilt and sorrow, lost in thought. Khizr hesitated. Speaking to Raheem was the last thing he wanted to do. Seeing him only brought back memories he had fought so hard to bury. Memories of betrayal, of broken trust—things that Khizr was not ready to forgive. But there was no other option. He had to confront Raheem, if not for himself, then for the larger plan he had set in motion.

Raheem, already overwhelmed with guilt over his mother’s condition, felt as though his world was collapsing around him. He blamed himself for her deteriorating health, cursing his impulsive actions and regretting his harsh words. His mother’s worsening condition had left him paralyzed with guilt. To make things worse, Rania’s betrayal weighed heavily on his mind, further clouding his judgment and intensifying the storm of regret. He had lashed out at Ayza, blinded by his anger, without ever considering her side of the story. All he wanted now was a chance to apologize, to make things right.

“She’ll be fine, don’t worry,” Khizr’s voice was calm but distant.

Raheem looked up, startled. He hadn’t expected Khizr to speak to him, much less offer any kind of comfort. He had pushed Khizr away, distrust simmering between them for years, but now, in this moment of vulnerability, Raheem realized how wrong he had been. He had allowed his pride to cloud his judgment, assuming the worst of Khizr. Guilt gnawed at him. He had thought of Khizr as an enemy for so long that he had never truly considered how deeply Khizr had once cared for their family.

Now, as he sat there in silence, he regretted every moment of distrust. He regretted not seeing through the lies, not recognizing that Khizr had always been more than just a ruthless rival—he had once been family. The weight of his guilt pressed down harder, and yet his pride held him back from apologizing.

"She’s strong. She’ll pull through," Khizr added, though his tone held a distance, as if even these words of reassurance were more for formality than sincerity.

As Khizr stood there, Raheem’s mind replayed the countless moments he had doubted him, rejected his attempts to reach out. He should have trusted him then—believed Khizr when he had first warned him about Farooq’s true nature. Instead, he had clung to his anger, blinded by pride, and now the consequences of that mistrust weighed on him. Had he believed Khizr sooner, maybe things would have been different. Maybe his mother wouldn’t be in that hospital bed, and maybe he wouldn’t be standing at the edge of so much loss.