Chapter: 16
The darkness of the night had cast its shroud over the massive trees of the farmhouse, but in Shahroz's heart, a new lamp of hope had been lit. As he applied ointment to Tania's foot and invited her to trust him, a strange conflict flickered in Tania's silent gaze. The man who, until a few hours ago, was a mere stranger had now become the solace for her wounds. Shahroz gently placed her foot back on the sofa and stood up. "Tania! I know this isn't easy for you. On one side is your father's hatred, and on the other are Almeer's messages that make you feel he is innocent. But remember, sometimes we start punishing ourselves for the sins of others."
Tania looked at Shahroz with tearful eyes. "Shahroz! Can a human truly change their destiny? My father wants to take me to a lawyer for Khula (divorce). Won't my silence be an injustice to Almeer?" Shahroz sensed the sadness spread across Tania's face and the redness in her eyes. He asked very softly, "Tania! Have you been crying again? Your eyes tell me you are in the midst of a severe mental war." Tania lowered her gaze; her silence was a clear answer for Shahroz. Lowering his voice further into a tone of deep familiarity, he said, "Almeer must have messaged you, right? And he must have asked to meet?"
Tania looked at Shahroz in astonishment, as if wondering how he knew. Shahroz smiled and said, "Tania! I am your friend, and friends can read the heart's condition. In the state you are in right now, it is very difficult to make a decision alone. I am with you; do not consider yourself alone. If meeting Almeer is necessary to lift this burden from your heart, then I will go with you. You will not go alone." A slight tremor touched Tania's lips: "But Baba... he will never give permission." Shahroz immediately interrupted her. "Do not mention this to Uncle just yet. We will go quietly and return together. Uncle is in a state of mind where he might not understand the reality of this meeting, but this final meeting is essential for your future and mental peace." Tania looked at Shahroz with immense gratitude. She felt that in this storm, Shahroz was the shore that would not let her drown.
Meanwhile, in another room of the farmhouse, Shahab Sahib and Jameel Sahib were lost in deep thought. Jameel Sahib began the conversation: "Shahab Bhai! We are childhood friends. I know you are worried about Tania, but my son Shahroz might be emotional, yet he knows how to maintain relationships. He is aware of Tania's past and is ready to accept her as she is. " Shahab Sahib let out a cold sigh. "Jameel! It's not Tania I'm afraid for, but this society and the people who made my daughter a mere pawn for revenge. I can never forget what Aasia and her husband did to me. Almeer is part of that same blood; how can I believe he won't be the same?" Rumaissa, who was listening at the door, walked in. "Uncle! Why punish the son for the father's sins? Almeer might not be bad, but only Shahroz Bhai can pull Tania out of the mental agony she is in right now. Just trust Shahroz once." Shahab Sahib placed his hand on Rumaissa's head. "Daughter! I cannot deny your words. But I will not force Tania. Let her decide for herself."
The next morning, as the first rays of the sun hit the farmhouse gate, Almeer's eyes opened on the sofa. He picked up his phone and sent the final message to Tania: "Tania! I know your father hates me, but I will wait for you at 3 PM today in the same park where we first met. If you don't come, I will understand that my destiny is nothing but solitude." After sending the message, Almeer spoke bluntly to his mother, Aasia Begum. "Mama! Do you have even a shred of regret? Because of you, I am a criminal in the eyes of my wife today." Aasia Begum's silence added fuel to Almeer's anger. He stormed out of there in a rage, leaving a deep sense of worry and fear behind for Aasia Begum.
It was three in the afternoon. Tania and Shahroz reached a remote corner of the park. Shahroz encouraged her: "Don't worry, I am right here. Go and talk." When Tania reached Almeer, the dark circles around his eyes told the story of his sleepless nights. "Tania! You came? I thought your father would never allow you to meet me." Looking at Shahroz standing behind her, he asked, "Who has come with you?"
Tania replied seriously, "This is Shahroz, the son of my father's best friend and our family friend. We were staying at the farmhouse for his sister's wedding festivities. It was Shahroz who gave me the courage to come here, Almeer; otherwise, I had lost hope. He is a true friend, unlike you, who threw relationships into the fire of revenge." Almeer desperately tried to offer explanations, but Tania's decision was firm. "Almeer! Love is not just the name of possession. Your family dragged my father's honor through the mud. How can I return to a house where my father's enemies reside? I am taking Khula. My path and yours are now separate."
Almeer's face turned pale. "Tania! This isn't you speaking; this is the influence of your father and this Shahroz." Tania turned and looked at Shahroz. "No Almeer! This is my self-respect speaking. Shahroz! Let's go from here." As Tania and Shahroz walked toward the car, Almeer kept calling out from behind, but Tania did not look back. Sitting in the car, Tania burst into tears. Shahroz drove in silence, knowing that these tears were the shedding of an old burden.
But would Almeer let everything end so easily? After Tania left the park, Almeer sat down right there on the ground. His tears fell from his chin onto the dry earth. He spoke to himself in a trembling voice: "How can I let Tania belong to someone else? She is my life, my breath. I will fall at Uncle's feet, I will beg for his forgiveness, I will fold my hands before him... but I cannot lose Tania. Why am I being punished for my parents' hatred? What is my fault that my love is being snatched away from me?" In Almeer's eyes, instead of revenge, there was a lethal helplessness. He considered Shahroz responsible for his ruin, but his broken heart was only begging for Tania's return.
Evening was falling when Shahroz and Tania returned to the farmhouse. Shahab Sahib was pacing restlessly in the lounge, waiting for them. As soon as he saw them, his brow furrowed, and he said, "Tania! Shahroz! What took you both so long? We need to start our journey back before evening. " Tania lowered her eyes and spoke the truth in a hushed voice: "Baba! We... we went to meet Almeer."
Upon hearing this, Shahab Sahib's thunderous voice echoed through the hall: "What? You went to meet that man despite my forbidding it?" A wave of anger and shock washed over his face. Seeing Tania's nervousness, Shahroz immediately stepped forward and said in a calm but firm voice, "Uncle! Tania didn't go alone; I took her myself. " Shahab Sahib remained stunned for a few moments at Shahroz's bold confession.
After a few moments of silence, the wave of Shahab Sahib's anger subsided slightly, as if he were moved by Shahroz's honesty. He sat Tania down beside him and said softly, "Daughter! Jameel Sahib and Shahroz had already spoken to me. I have made a new decision for you." Tania looked timidly at Shahroz, who was now smiling. Shahab Sahib looked at Jameel Sahib and said, "If Tania has no objection, I am ready to accept Shahroz's proposal. But first, we must legally separate from Almeer."
It felt as though a years-old, heavy burden had been lifted from Tania's heart. Blushing, she slowly lowered her head—it was her silent consent. Rumaissa clapped with joy and chirped, "Congratulations, Bhai! Didn't I say that happiness would surely come with the spring?" But on the other hand, in the heart of the broken Almeer, left alone in the park, only one question circulated: would he really let the spring of his life belong to someone else so easily?
[End of Chapter]
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Disclaimer: This story is entirely a work of fiction. All characters, names, places, and events are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead) or real events is purely coincidental.
All Rights Reserved © 2026 Ishrat Khanum
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