Three days later…
Lilith's birthday was next week Tuesday.
Nikolai still wasn't back.
Mila and Lily were laughing while watching a movie.
They laughed so hard that Nikolai couldn't help but smile as he watched them through the security cameras.
Lilith's phone rang.
"Yeah?" she answered.
After listening to the caller, she ordered drinks—Nikolai's favorite.
She gave them the office address before ending the call.
As the sun rose, both mother and daughter were asleep.
"Lily! Time for school! You're running late!" Zafraan shouted.
Lilith immediately woke up, bathed, got dressed, and ran out of the house.
Nathan carried Mila while Sarah bathed her, fed her breakfast, and took her to the office.
Hammed booked a luxurious hotel for Fariha while he searched for her mother.
When he returned, he looked at her.
"I got something. We are going now," he said.
She gently shook her head before handing him a letter.
He took it.
He immediately understood what she wanted.
"Of course, Jaan (Love)," Hammed said.
He quickly ate, bathed, got dressed, and prepared to leave.
"Can I go to the mosque? I will be there for a while. You come meet me there?" she asked.
"Yes, Jaan (Love)," he replied.
He blew her a kiss before leaving.
They were in the city of Lucknow.
Hammed's car stopped in front of a mansion.
He walked inside where several people were gathered.
"Assalamu Alaikum (Greetings)," Hammed greeted.
They answered his greeting.
"Please, am looking for Mrs. Qamar Jahan. Is she here?" he asked.
"Yes, that's me. How may I help you?" she replied.
"This is for you. Read it," he said, handing over the letter.
Mrs. Qamar accepted it.
The moment she saw the name "Farhia," her eyes widened.
"M…My daughter… Is she okay? Is she fine?" she asked.
Hammed folded his arms.
"Nine years… and you really have the guts to ask such questions? Not once did you go see her. Just read it. I'm doing this for her."
She hurriedly opened the letter while everyone watched.
The letter read:
Dear Mrs. Qamar Jahan,
I really didn't want to write this to you, but I can't come to you because not once did you check on me, see me, or call to ask about my condition.
I suffered for nine years.
I was a beggar for nine years.
After you got married into a rich family, you forgot about your own child.
Because I am a girl, nobody cared about me.
Papa was never at home.
His second wife made me pay for leftovers to eat with all the money I worked hard to earn.
The day I called you, I heard them saying you gave birth to a boy and that I should never call you again.
These past nine years have been hell.
I was thrown out of the house.
Papa wasn't there.
You never stayed back.
You ran away with your rich lover.
I left Lucknow years ago.
From cities to villages, I begged every day for years.
I met other beggars and we wandered together until Allah sent an angel to us three years ago.
She was at the temple.
We asked her for food.
I was very, very hungry.
She smiled at us, took us into her small home, raised me, and took me to school.
Until her husband from Russia found her and her daughter.
We thought she would leave us behind, but instead she took us with her to Russia.
She enrolled me in the best university.
The man standing in front of you is my soon-to-be husband.
He asked Amma (Mother) for my hand in marriage and she accepted.
I remembered that you gave birth to me.
I promised that one day you would be at my wedding.
I asked sir, and he agreed.
The wedding invitation is inside the envelope.
Please come.
Signed,
Your abandoned daughter,
Farhia
Mrs. Qamar screamed as tears streamed down her face.
She collapsed onto her knees.
Her family rushed toward her.
Her husband, Mr. Hashmat Ali, slowly read every word of the letter.
His heart shattered.
"My Faru didn't want to come here to face you. When she first came to Russia last year, it was the best thing that ever happened to her. She's the top student studying History and International Studies. No man has touched nor seen her face because of her love for Islam. She follows the laws faithfully. She wants you to be there," Hammed explained.
"Please… please… please… I beg you! Let me see her! I truly never forgot about her! I… I thought she was gone. That's what my ex-husband's second wife told me! I went looking for her, but they said she ran away!" Mrs. Qamar cried.
Mr. Hashmat gently held her.
"I left because he kept taking my hard-earned money while seeing another woman. I swear by Allah… they lied to her."
Hammed knelt.
"If I bring her here now, it will break her to see you again after nine years. Do you want to see her pictures?"
She nodded immediately.
He snapped his fingers.
One of his men handed him an iPad.
He turned the screen toward them.
The family saw Farhia wearing her beautiful niqab, hijab, and abaya.
"She is so very beautiful," Mr. Hashmat whispered.
"My baby…" Mrs. Qamar cried again.
"I can bring her here. She didn't want to come. She only wanted me to deliver this letter and your wedding invitation. The wedding will be in Russia. She wants every one of you there. Everyone abandoned her, yet she still wants you to attend," Hammed said.
"Please bring her here… please," Mrs. Qamar pleaded.
"Don't cry. I will."
He stood.
"I'll be going now. Have a good day."
Then he quietly walked away.
At the office…
Mila sat by the large glass window watching the city wake up.
"Here, baby. Milk," Nimra said.
"Tank oo, pwetty auntie," Mila replied.
Nimra smiled and kissed her forehead.
The board meeting began.
Nikolai joined through a live video call.
Everyone discussed business while Mila happily sipped her milk.
Adrian wasn't there.
He had gone shopping with Diya for the wedding.
"That's all, Boss," Alexio said.
"Waawwww!" Mila gasped.
She pointed outside.
"Pwetty!"
A rainbow stretched across the sky.
Nikolai continued giving orders.
Everyone nodded.
"Mimi?" he called.
"Dada here?" Mila asked as she waddled toward the laptop.
"Hi, baby!" Nikolai laughed.
"Hiiiii Dadaaaaa! I come now!"
She tapped the screen repeatedly.
"Huh?"
She tapped it again.
Everyone struggled not to laugh.
"Baby, you can't go inside. You can only see and talk to your Dada," Emil explained.
"Ohhhhhh…"
"Hi, Dads. You otay?"
"I'm fine, my princess. How is Mama?"
"Mama sad. She miwss you biggggg."
"I miss her and you too very much."
"Nappy time now. Dads come, otay?"
He chuckled.
"Yes, my baby. I will."
"Ba ba, Dada! Muwh!"
She kissed the screen.
Nikolai smiled.
The call ended.
He remained in Russia, waiting for the dance.
Meanwhile…
Hassan entered his office.
Waiting inside was his ex-girlfriend, Lena, wearing an extremely short, tight dress.
"Hassan… hi," she smiled.
"Who let you into my office? I made it clear you were never to come back. Why can't you understand?"
"Listen… I really love you. I can't let you go. Please forgive me. Baby, we're meant to be. I can be your second wife."
"You are shameless. Very shameless. How dare you!"
She stepped backward.
Nimra hurried inside.
"You bitch! How did you get in?"
"Please listen—"
"Hassan?"
Everyone turned.
Noor had arrived holding Zain's hand and carrying a small bag.
"Meri Pyari (My Darling)," Hassan smiled.
He walked over and kissed Noor in front of Lena.
Jealousy burned across Lena's face.
"Baba! Mama gif you!!" Zain cheered.
"A gift?"
Zain nodded excitedly.
"Come sit."
"Get out of here! You have no business with my brother. He's married! Don't you understand?" Nimra snapped.
"He is mine! This will all be gone soon!" Lena shouted while pointing toward Noor and Zain.
"Touch them and you die."
Lena laughed.
"Really? Remember those nights we spent together?"
Noor gripped her veil tightly.
Zain pouted.
"Just because she gave you a child, I can do the same thing!"
Suddenly…
Lena threw water onto Noor's face.
"HEY!" Hassan and Nimra shouted.
Noor sadly wiped her face.
Zain slowly clenched his tiny fists.
"You make Mama sawd…"
"Shut up!" Lena yelled.
Zain looked ready to explode.
Everyone rushed in.
"What happened?" Nathan asked.
"She huwt Mama… an… an… I HUWT YOU!!"
With tears streaming down his cheeks, Zain shoved Lena backward.
He grabbed Hassan's long measuring ruler.
He struck Lena.
She crashed against the glass wall.
It cracked.
"You huwt Mama!!!!"
He hit her again.
"ZAIN!" Hassan shouted.
The glass shattered.
Lena screamed.
She fell from the high-rise building.
Far below…
Her body landed on a car.
"Bad…" Zain whispered.
Everyone stood frozen.
"Bloody hell!" Nolan muttered.
"Jesus Christ…" Darya breathed.
"I am very proud," Kenan said.
Zain burst into tears.
He covered his face.
Mila woke up.
She rubbed her eyes before waddling over.
"Hey… what?"
She saw Zain crying.
She hugged him tightly.
"No cwy… no cwy… no cwy… wook… Mama and Dada here."
She pointed toward Hassan and Noor.
"Come sit."
Holding his hand, she led him away.
A guard entered.
"Sir… she's dead."
"Say it was an accident," Nimra ordered.
"Yes, ma'am."
Noor carried Zain.
He buried his face against her.
"Shhhhh… it's okay, baby."
He sniffled.
"Baba… gift…"
He pointed at the small box.
"For me?"
Zain nodded.
Hassan opened it.
Inside was a pregnancy test.
Nimra gasped.
"Baby number two!"
Noor shyly nodded.
"I'm three months pregnant."
"Congratulations!" everyone cheered.
Mila clapped happily.
Hassan hugged Noor tightly while trying to hide his tears.
"I am so happy… I'm going to be a Baba again."
He gently rubbed her stomach.
Zain wiped away his tears.
"I gonna be big bubba! Mama got baby here! Me so happy! I help Mama!"
Everyone smiled.
Later that evening…
Lilith received the drink orders.
She placed them inside the fridge to cool.
In two days, the dance would finally arrive.
Tomorrow, after class, she and her friends were going shopping for her dress.