Namal {COMPLETED} (English Translation) By Nimra Ahmed

Chpt 23 : I am Haneen, and I am ordinary!

"Do you know what the difference is between your darkness and mine? I can face my wrongdoings and accept them, while you are busy covering your mirror with a white sheet! The difference between my sins and yours is that when I sin, I know it's a sin, whereas you have fallen prey to your own fabricated illusions. I am a mermaid. I know how beautiful I am dancing on the waves of the sea. But I also know that in the depths of this sea, I can tear apart bones and flesh. You are a magician. A trickster. Your spells are like the bubbling words of hell! Yet, you still wander around wrapped in a white sheet. Yet, you still roam around wearing the white wig of justice.

Hashim walked slowly into the courtroom, each step feeling heavy. Everything around him seemed to be moving in a slow-motion film, as if muted; only lips were moving. He sat down in his chair, leaning his back against the backrest, placing his right leg over his left knee. Mentally, he was still paralyzed, numb.

He felt as though a sad song was playing in the background, filled with the pain of broken trust and the blood of unfulfilled desires.

It felt as if someone had left him and joined the ranks of strangers. With those dazed eyes, he looked back at Abdar, who was seated behind him. She was preoccupied with her cellphone, continuously frustrated as it wouldn’t turn on. The sounds around him, with papers rustling and whispers, seemed to echo as if coming from a deep chasm. His heart felt shattered, and it seemed as though blood was still oozing from his chest.

Standing in the witness box was Mary, while Zumar stood in front of her. Hashim tried to focus on them with great difficulty. From this angle, he could see Zumar's curly ponytail swinging as she spoke, or he could spot Mary's emotionless face a few steps ahead. There was a void between them, and Hashim's mind began to spiral into that emptiness.

“How many years have you been employed by the Kardar family, Mary?” he heard Zumar ask in a monotone voice, as if his mind were clouded.

“Twelve years.”

“What country are you from?”

“The Philippines.”

“Did your agency, through which you came to work for Mr.Kardar, allow you to work in any other household?”

“No, that is legally a crime. I can only work in one household at a time.”

“Do you recognize this young man?” Zumar pointed to Saadi, who was dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt, looking intently at Mary with his hazel eyes. Mary glanced at him briefly.

“This is Saadi Yousuf,” she said, turning her face back to Zumar.

“When did you first meet Saadi Yousuf?”

“Eight years ago. He came to the mansion, and I opened the door for him. After that, when did you meet him again?”

“Whenever he came to the mansion. I was the head housekeeper, so obviously, we would meet.”

“Did you ever have personal conversations with him?” Mary paused for a moment, glancing down at Saadi, then fixed her eyes back on Zumar.

“No.”

“So, you never discussed your son’s cancer and treatment with Saadi Yousuf?”

“No, I didn’t have that kind of relationship with him to discuss my personal matters. Saadi just kept watching her.”

“Okay!” Zumar nodded in affirmation. “Mary, is it true that you stole Mrs. Kardar’s necklace, which is the basis for...”
They order your dismissal from your job and deportation?”

“That’s false. I have never stolen anything, nor was I ever dismissed from my job.”

“Is it also incorrect that instead of deporting you, Nourishan Kardar illegally sent you to Colombo, where you were with Saadi Yousuf for eight months?”