A Tale of Hearts

Chapter Sixty Eight

Kamran's POV:

"Oh, the whole infantry is here today. Even Father. Please come on in, make yourselves at home." Wassal leaned casually against the frame, his hand resting on the door as if he were some host welcoming guests. His dark eyes gleamed with malice, his lips twisted into a grin so sinister it made my blood boil. His eyes landed on me and I felt his smile twist even more. "I see the little one told you. What was her name again? Anushay? Ah, no. I think she goes by Zoya now, right?"

That was it. That was all it took. It all happened in a flash. I couldn't take it anymore. Without a second thought, I launched myself at him.

"Don't you dare say her name with your mouth!" My vision blurred with anger as my body surged forward, fists aiming for his laughing face. The impact of my shove forced him back against the heavy door. The psychopath didn't fight back. He just laughed. A bone-chilling laugh that echoed in the cold, rain-soaked night. His head tilted back, his body shaking with the force of it, as if he found my fury downright entertaining.

"Oh, my dear cousin," he said between his hysterical laughter, his eyes wild and gleaming. "I've been waiting for this. You are so predictable. I wish Kainaat was too."

"Where is she?" I roared, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the door again. The wood groaned under the force, but his laughter didn't falter. My voice cracked with rage and desparation. "Where is Kainaat, Wassal? Where's my sister?"

Ibraheem and Fahad pulled me off him while I resisted but they knew we needed him alive to find answers and Kainaat. As much as I wanted to maul him to death, I had to stay sane. Uncle Buland stepped infront of me and looked down at Wassal while he grinned back at us.

"Where is she, son? Where is Kainaat?" He stopped laughing long enough to look us dead in the eyes, that same devilish grin never leaving his face.

"Kainaat?" he said, feigning innocence. "I wish I could tell you. I really did. But don't worry." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sent chills down my spine. "Let's find her together, shall we?"

I freed myself from Ibraheem and Fahad's hold, his words hit me like a punch to the gut. The psychotic piece of shit wanted death today. The sheer audacity of his game, the way he was toying with me, with all of us including his own father made me snap.

My chest heaved as I stared at him, trying to make sense of the madness in his eyes. Wassal straightened his jacket, as if our entire confrontation had been nothing more than an inconvenience. 

"Why did you do it?" Abbu looked at him with a pained expression. "How could you do this to us? To her?" Abbu paused for a moment. His usually indifferent demeanor was gone, replaced by a man broken, desperate for answers. Then his voice trembled with a raw emotion as he inquired, "Wassal, she is alive, right?"

"That's a very loaded question, chachu. And given how my beloved baby cousins are looking at me with blood in their eyes right now, I doubt you guys have the time to hear the details." I was about to attack him again for playing mind games with us but Uncle Buland beat me to it. The slap cracked in the air like thunder. Wassal's head snapped to the side and his face finally turned grim.

"Seedhi tarah jawaab dou, Wassal. (Give proper answers, Wassal.)" Uncle Buland stood just a few feet from Wassal, his face red with anger and betrayal, his hands shaking as they clenched into fists at his sides. Wassal spit blood out and then looked at each one of us slowly.

"Well, she is alive. I would never hurt her or let somene else hurt her. Funny how her name quite literally means the world, doesn't it? She is my world, my Kainaat. I would die before I allow anyone to bring her grief or pain. Never." Wassal's confession dropped a heavy silence over us. The only sound I could hear was the sound of rain. The confirmation hit me hard. Kainaat was alive. She truly was alive.

For a moment, I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. My knees felt weak, and the world around me blurred, fading into nothingness as those two words echoed in my mind. She's alive. After nearly fourteen years of doubt, despair, and endless nights replaying every memory I had of her, it didn't feel real. It couldn't be real.

My heart pounded so violently I thought it might burst out of my chest. I had counted the days—5,110 days to be exact since August 10th. Each one longer than the last. I had imagined this moment a thousand times, rehearsing how I would react, how it might feel to know for certain that Kainaat was still out there somewhere.

Tears stung my eyes, blurring my vision as my chest heaved with a sharp breath. I looked up at the dark sky and I felt alive. I closed my eyes, letting the tears spill over as they mixed with the rain. The surrealness of it all was overwhelming. Every moment of pain, every sleepless night, every prayer—it had all led to this. To the chance to reunite with her. To remind her that she was never forgotten, never abandoned. Relief crashed over me. My dear sister. Not a memory, not a ghost, but alive.

I held onto Ibraheem and Fahad's arms to steady myself as the weight of it all settled in. Far too many years had gone by in the guilt and anger at myself for not being able to have protected her. I looked at my father, he looked like he could finally breath again. Deep down I had hoped that I would find her again, listen to her nag at me once more and roast me for being lazy. And more than anything, introduce her to Zoya. 

And now, it wasn't just a dream. It wasn't some cruel illusion. It was real. She was real. The only thing that stood between meeting her again now was Wassal. The psychopath had given us a second to process the information and then clapped his hand to bring us all back to reality.

"Well, sorry to ruin the moment and I know I did tell you guys that Kainaat was alive so I am sure you are all just waiting to meet her now. There is just have one problem though." I knew it. I knew there would have been more. "She is alive but I don't exactly know where she is."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Ibraheem pushed him back this time. Wassal just raised his hands up in surrender.

"Right so it's a long story."

"Don't feed us bullshit." I was able to regain my balance and stood beside Ibraheem and glared at Wassal. "I swear Wassal, I am going to beat you-"

"Wait. Let's listen to him." Uncle Saqib intervened and all of us paused for a minute. Even Wassal straightened up a little. Uncle Saqib and Uncle Zubair had silently been observing the situation since we had entered the premises. "We will deal with Wassal later. He is not getting away from us any way. I have known and raised this child myself, he isn't lying. Kainaat isn't inside this house, is she?"

"As much as I wish she was, she isn't. You all can come in and see for yourself. Infact, you know what? I would search for her with you." Wassal gestured toward the darkness of the house behind him, his ominous grin returning. I am personally dropping this psychopath at the asylum after I reunite with Kainaat. I am not letting this menace run free.

"I know you personally want to a dig a hole for him 12 feet under the ground and toss him in there but I have a feeling that option is not on the table anymore. Even if Uncle Buland is angry at his son, he isn't going to let us kill him." Fahad tried to whisper in my ear but all 7 of us heard him loud and clear. 

"Good observation, Fahaday." Wassal replied while Uncle Buland face palmed.

"Don't call me that." Fahad grit his teeth at him.

"Oh come on, you never had an issue before. You are practically a cousin at this point." Wassal raised his arms as if he was going to hug Fahad. 

"That was before we found out you took our sister from us." Fahad snapped back.

"I had my reasons." Wassal shrugged and Fahad looked like he wanted to beat him up now. "Ah but yes, you are right on that. Blood for blood doesn't really apply when Kainaat is alive right dad? Uncles? You all can't kill me. We have the Narejo code after all. Oh but there is one other reason you can't kill me."

"Why the fuck not?" My hands had been itching to beat him up again. I know I needed Kainaat's location but I wasn't about to let go of fourteen years of anger like this. 

"Kainaat can't really become a widow at this age, now can she?"

Author's Note:

Hello and Asalam o Alaikum lovelies!

How many of you expected this twist?