LOST IDENTITY

Chapter Twenty Four

MUKARRAM

To say that I was shocked is an understatement. I hate you more than I hated your mother. The vile words resounded in my ears as if she has spoken them right then.

"Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun" Ahmad lamented. Holding me by the shoulders.

"What do you mean by that Furera? " Dad asked sounding like he has just received the shocking news of his life.

"Ohh yeah!  You heard me right Abdulhamid.  I hate your son more than I hated his mother.  I thought I can keep up with the pretence that he's my son but by Allah seeing him alive everyday is hard.  I wished I had killed him that same day I sent his mother to hell, where she came from" The funny thing is that I didn't even know that my so called mother's name is Furera.  If not because of the seriousness of the situation I would have laughed out loud.

"I don't get you at all.  Please Mukarram tell me that this is a nightmare " dad said clutching his head,  looking for something to hold unto for support.  Ahmad hurriedly went towards him and helped him sit back on the couch.  It was like I was paralyzed at where I stood.

" I was never pregnant to begin with.  I pretended to be pregnant so that you'll show the same enthusiasm and happiness as you expressed upon receiving the news that she's pregnant. I kept up the facade, lying that even our EDD is the same.  She suffered during labour but still manage to bring this stupid fool into this world.  Seeing that she's too weak to fight me,  I used a pillow and finish her off. 

He looks so innocent  and beautiful which weakens my resolve to end his life too. Taking the situation to my advantage,  I plotted with a nurse to get a dead baby and told you that the baby and your beloved wife are gone. As naive and trusting as you always are,  you believed me. " She narrated with an evil smirk on her face. Does she have a heart?  I wondered.

The evil smirk still plastered on her face she continued " You loved this boy with all your heart,  you often skip work just to take care of him and I can only take so much. I asked for advice and I was directed to Niger Republic where the diviner did what he did making you become uncaring towards him.  You only pay for his fees out of obligation and I made sure to make him have everything so that I'll keep up the facade of being his mother.

Surprisingly though, for the past few months you start to get concerned about him asking why he's not visiting blah blah blah.  Connect the rest of the dots yourself. I have some work to do " with that being said she left the living room laughing like a maniac.

Dad started coughing holding his chest which finally made my limbs go to him.  I poured water in a cup and handed it to him.  Everything is too much to process right then. I just feel numb and kind of dizzy.  Like my dad, I wanted that moment to be a horrible nightmare but there's still a feeling of reprieve that the evil witch isn't my biological mother. Mine is gone and in shaa Allah She's in a better place.

"I never knew you had two wives.  Even when I used to visit your relatives I don't think anyone has mentioned that before " I said reflectively.  Ahmad made an attempt to give us some privacy but I held him back knowing that I can never be able to get through this without him by my side.

"The memory of losing her is too painful to share my boy. By Allah she was the most dear thing to me in this world,  the reason why I am rich,  the only person that loved me unconditionally. She was the most beautiful woman in my eyes and to know that I treated her own son,  our son,  the best gift she left behind the way I treated you breaks my heart" he bursts into uncontrollable sobs.