Gereksiz İntikam

epilogue

Authors pov

The baby cried first.

A soft, hoarse wail.

She hadn’t found her lungs yet.

But her presence filled the air like incense—warm, clinging, delicate.

Taniya didn’t wake.

She was curled on the edge of the bed, thumb tucked under her chin, hair half-braided—one side done by Dawood before he fell asleep beside her.

Danish lifted the baby gently, cradling her against his chest.

His eyes were red.

He hadn’t slept.

Not much.

Not really.

Not since the wedding.

Not since he’d carried Shoaib’s daughter out of that hospital and swore he'd keep her safe—even if her mother didn’t recognize him half the time.

Dawood woke up when Danish was warming the milk.

He didn’t hear him sit up.

He watched him quietly—his hands slow, careful, like he was scared the bottle might shatter.

Then he  looked at her.

Tani maa.

His maa.

She was murmuring in her sleep.

Something about red curtains and tea that tasted like blood.

Ihe walked over and tucked the teddy bear under her arm.

Then padded to Baba and held out his hands.

“I can feed her,” he whispered.

Danish looked surprised.

But nodded.

“She’s your sister,” he said, voice soft.

He took the bottle.

Held the baby like Tani maa once held her —clumsily, but with his  whole heart.

“She has Shoaib chachu’s face,” he said.

Danish smiled faintly.

“But your mother’s eyes”

---

She woke to the sound of cooing.

And for a second—

She was there.

Whole.

She sat up, groggy.

Saw Dawood feeding the baby, his tongue poking out in concentration.

Saw Danish beside him, one arm behind the boy’s back in silent support.

And for a moment…

Just one soft, stolen moment—

She  remembered everything.

Shoaib’s death.

Danish’s vows.

The baby crying in the delivery room.

The pain. The surrender. The quiet decision to keep living.

She touched her  stomach.

Gone now.

Hollow.

But not empty.

Because she was here.