Make Me Your Villain | ✓

Final Chapter

(A Few Years Later)

Hayat Azhar

"Congratulations, it's a girl."

My heart skipped a beat as I was handed a tiny bundle, wrapped in a soft green blanket. I held the baby close, feeling her in my arms and a wave of emotions washed over me.

She was so small, so delicate.

I'd never thought much about what it would feel like to be a mother and hold your baby for the first time. Was every mother overwhelmed with this mix of joy and fear?

My hands trembled slightly and I was almost afraid I might drop her.

Just then, I felt someone sit beside me, steadying my arms.

"Look at her," Mehwish grinned, pulling me from my thoughts. "She looks just like her aunty, doesn't she?"

The young girl I'd met years ago had grown into a confident woman with a bright smile. Before I could respond, a familiar voice chimed in with dry sarcasm.

"Yes, of course. She looks exactly like you, Mehwish, and not at all like her mother."

"Hey, check it out!" Mehwish turned to her brother who'd entered the hospital room, her smile widening. "There's the proud new dad."

I silently handed her the baby and she walked over to Jalal. "Here you go, your new little princess."

Jalal hesitated, raising his brows. "Uh..."

"Oh, come on, bhai," Mehwish nudged him, grinning playfully. "Don't you want to hold your own daughter?"

With a reluctant smile, Jalal finally extended his arms, gently cradling the baby as if she were made of glass. His nerves were obvious, but the sight was heartwarming all the same.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" I asked, watching him.

Jalal glanced at me before shaking his head. "Not yet. I'll have to talk to the family first. So, if you have any suggestions, I'm listening."

A smile settled on my lips. "The only name that comes to mind is... Sameera."

"Sameera?" He repeated, glancing down at his daughter once more, a softness in his gaze. "That's a nice—wait."

The smile faded as he looked right back at me, realization dawning. "Sameera, as in... after Sameer?"

I nodded my head.

He stared at me for a beat, then broke into laughter. "Wow. You sound just as corny as he did whenever he talked about you." He shook his head, stepping closer to the bed. "He should've been here to hear you say that. He'd be over the moon."

A chuckle escaped me which ended up trailing off into an apologetic smile. "Yeah..."

Jalal's expression grew concerned. "Hey, it's okay. Life works out in ways we cannot comprehend—have faith. And you know I'm here, always."

I gave a small shake of my head. "I'm fine, really. All we can do is hope and pray for the best. No matter what happens, we have to learn to move forward."

"Hmm..."

Forcing a smile onto my face, I rose to my feet and walked over to Jalal's wife, the new mother, lying quietly in bed. "Congratulations once again." I said. "Take care of yourself. And that little one."

"You're leaving already?" Mehwish pouted, tilting her head. Over the years, we had formed a close bond with each other. She felt like a second sister to me now.

"Yeah, I'll see you all later."

"Thanks for coming by." Jalal's comment stopped me, his tone genuine. I met his eyes and gave a small nod.

"Of course," I said, a knowing smile playing on my mouth. "You're Sameer's best friend after all, his chosen family. I owe you that much respect."

My remark made him chuckle and he shook his head, the inside joke being understood by only the two of us.

As I left the hospital room, I wandered down the halls and made my way outside.

The chill in the air hinted that winter was on its way and the breeze carried with it a flood of some bittersweet memories.

I found a bench in the garden and sat down, watching the world around me. I'd come here to congratulate Jalal on his daughter's birth, yet being in the hospital awakened memories I thought I'd long buried.

Sighing, I clenched my fists and looked down.

So much had changed. And yet, part of me was still frozen in that night—the night I lost someone who meant everything to me.

For the longest time, I thought I'd never move on, that the grief would swallow me whole. It felt like my world had ended.

Losing someone isn't easy.

Saying goodbye to someone who's gone forever... it leaves scars.

But I learned that time and faith, have a way of healing us. Allah heals all wounds with time.

We're all aware that death is inevitable, but we live as though it won't touch us—not until it actually does, until it comes so suddenly, we're left pointlessly begging for a moment longer to live. The thought of death hovers in the background, but as long as we're alive, we can't truly understand it.

In the end, we subconsciously forget that 'every soul shall taste death.' (29:57)

The past few years had taught me so much. I'd faced trials that felt impossible to overcome, moments when I thought I would shatter. But Allah doesn't burden a soul beyond what it can bear.

And though I'd been sure I would never find peace again, here I was, years after that night, with a life of my own—a family, a loving husband who stood by me through thick and thin as we prepared ourselves for the journey ahead.

Maybe I hadn't fully moved on. Maybe we never really do. We just learn to live with our losses and put our trust in Allah.

After all, it was in my hardest time that I learnt a simple, yet profound lesson.

A stray tear slipped down my cheek and I brushed it away as I stood up, ready to go back to my home, to the life I'd found again.

'To God we belong and to Him we shall return.' (2:156)

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A/n: This is an open ending, meaning the rest is up to your imagination.

Now, only the epilogue is left which will be out soon to wrap up the stories of the remaining characters.