And, she left

"Azlan, I have spoken to Shahana, and it deeply saddens me to say that her mental condition is extremely poor. She is suffering from psychotic depression. In such a state, patients often feel very unsafe. They experience hallucinations and believe that everyone around them wants to harm them. The symptoms you mentioned about Shahana – forgetting things, staring at a single point for hours, and not feeling pain – are all dissociative symptoms. Our brain wants to protect us. Shahana's brain is taking these routes to shield her from all her pain, sorrow, and distress. I was surprised to hear that she is pregnant. Shahana has become very attached to this baby, perhaps because of her previous pregnancy."

Dr. Salma, a renowned psychiatrist in Bangladesh, was explaining to Azlan while referring to her notes. Fahad, sitting beside Azlan, looked confused. This morning, Azlan had brought Shahana to Dr. Salma under the pretense that it was a routine check-up since women often face depression during pregnancy. Azlan had noted that whenever the conversation involved their child, Shahana would quietly comply. Otherwise, she wouldn't even glance at him.

"Doctor, will my daughter be okay?" Fahad asked worriedly. Hearing about Shahana's alarming condition had left Fahad quite frightened.

"Yes, she will be fine. But you must take great care of her," Dr. Salma emphasized. "Keep Shahana away from any stress or tension. I've prescribed some medications. She must take them regularly. Today was just the first session. She will need more sessions."

"No, doctor. That won't be necessary. I'm taking my daughter to Turkey with me. I will get her treated by a better doctor there."

"Oh... Shahana is going to Turkey. That might be good... A change of place could positively affect her health," Dr. Salma said, handing the prescription to Azlan. With a despondent look, Azlan accepted the prescription. Dr. Salma gave some more instructions, which both men listened to attentively. After exchanging farewell pleasantries, they left Dr. Salma's cabin.

As they exited the cabin, Azlan exploded behind him. "Who the hell do you think you are, taking my wife away without a word?" Azlan's voice crackled with barely contained fury.

Fahad stopped, turning slowly. "She was your wife, Azlan," he countered, his voice calm despite the tremor in his hand. "You may want to take her back, but Shahana..." He hesitated, searching for the right words. "She doesn't want that anymore."

Azlan's jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring. "Did she say that? Did she utter a single word about leaving me?" he asked, his voice the very essence of desperation.

Fahad shook his head. "No. But tell me, Azlan. Given the condition you've brought her to, do you think she would want to stay with you? Should she stay with you?" Fahad asked, looking directly into his eyes, his tone still composed. "I know you love my daughter very much, but your family does not. They will never accept her. Those who couldn't tolerate her presence for so many years will not accept her in the future either. So, isn't it better to set her free?"

Azlan's forehead creased, a knot of anger tightening in his gut. "Knowing that she is carrying my child... you still want me to leave her?" He spoke, trying to control his anger.

"Yes. Because the fact that she's going to be the mother of your child makes it even more imperative that I don't leave her in this mess. Don't worry. If you want the child, you'll get custody. Besides, my intention is to marry Shahana off to my friend's son after your divorce," Fahad declared with firm resolve.

Azlan's face turned red with suppressed rage. His veins bulged, and he clenched his fists.

"Shahana is not going anywhere. Nor will I divorce her. Dispel the illusions you're harboring. Because I will never let Shahana go," Azlan stated firmly. If Fahad hadn't been Shahana's father, Azlan might not have shown any restraint. But the cruel twist was that this man standing before him was his wife's father, now playing the role of the villainous father-in-law in his story.

Fahad remained calm, as if he knew Azlan's helplessness. As if he understood that Azlan could do nothing. No one was willing to overlook his mistake, and no one was ready to forgive him.

"Let's leave it to Shahana to decide. I'll ask her if she wants to come with me to Turkey. If she says yes, I'll take her with me. You won't stand in her way. If she doesn't want to go, I won't say anything further. She can stay with you," Fahad declared,his voice firm . With that, he walked ahead.

Azlan followed him in a numb silence. He outwardly projected a facade of composure, but internally, he was a tempest. Terror gnawed at him, a gnawing fear that mirrored the answer he dreaded to hear. Yet, a sliver of hope, fragile as a spider's web, persisted in his heart. Perhaps, just perhaps, Shahana would find it in her heart to forgive him.

When Azlan reached Shahana's room, a tremor of dread ran through him. He thought he saw a flash of Haya disappearing around the corner. Shaking his head, he pushed open the door.

A gentle breeze from the window filled the room. Shahana sat on the bed, eyes closed, with her right hand resting on her belly as if feeling the presence growing inside her. As the door creaked open, she lifted her head, her gaze flitting between Fahad and Azlan. A fragile smile, laced with a hint of sadness, touched her lips for a fleeting moment before vanishing.

Fahad sat beside her. "How are you feeling, Shahana?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Alhamdulillah," Shahana whispered, her voice barely above a murmur. Azlan observed her closely. It seemed she had been crying.

Fahad cleared his throat. "The doctor said you'll be discharged today." Azlan's heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing in the sudden silence.

Fahad continued softly, "I want you to come with me. I don't want to send you back to that house. You know I came to Bangladesh solely to take you with me. But if you don't want to come with me, I won't force you. I..."

Shahana didn't let him finish and eagerly said, "No, Dad, I want to go with you. I don't want to stay here anymore. Please take me away, Dad. Take me far away from here." Shahana suddenly burst into tears, as if she could no longer bear it. As if she was utterly exhausted.

And Azlan stood there like a stone statue. He had thought if Shahana said yes to her father , he would protest, beg for forgiveness, and plead with her. But he couldn't do anything.

Shahana's tears compelled him to remain silent. He quietly left the room like a defeated man.

As he exited the room, Shahana glanced at him.

" Azlan, Please forgive me. I know my decision is hurting you deeply. But I don't want to be a burden to you any longer. I've already hurt you enough. I don't want to cause more pain. Perhaps it was never written for us to be together." She thought to herself and watched him leave. Sometimes, some words are destined to remain unspoken and unheard.

Azlan shuffled down the corridor, a leaden weight pressing down on him. Oblivious to the bustle of the hospital, his world had shrunk to the red-rimmed blur of his own reflection in the shiny floor. Just then, a flash of movement caught his eye. A brightly colored ball bounced merrily down the hallway, coming to rest at his worn leather shoes.

A five-year-old boy, eyes wide with concern, rushed towards him . "Uncle, my ball!" he exclaimed, reaching for it with chubby hands.

Azlan looked at the boy, and then something seemed to click in his memory.

It was from the days when they had gone to Cox's Bazar for a vacation. After a delightful and splendid dinner, they strolled hand-in-hand on the wet sand, the full moon casting a silvery glow on the waves that lapped at their feet.

Azlan stopped, his gaze drawn to Shahana.

She was gazing at the moon in the starry sky, holding her niqab, which the strong wind was trying to unveil. Her beautiful eyes, visible through the niqab, had a unique sparkle.

Azlan stared at her lovingly. Feeling his gaze, Shahana turned to him.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice soft.

"You're looking at the moon, and I'm looking at my moon," Azlan said, moving closer to her, causing Shahana to burst into laughter. She had become quite comfortable with him. In the initial days after their marriage, she could hardly look at him directly, let alone speak. But Azlan's love and attention had given Shahana the strength to come out of her shell.

"Where did you learn to say such things? Did they teach you this in America?"

"Perhaps," he said, taking a step closer, his voice dropping to a murmur, "it's what happens when you fall in love with a woman as beautiful as you."

he replied playfully and then placed a kiss on the back of her hand. Startled by his sudden act, Shahana quickly pulled her hand back and looked around to make sure no one saw them.

"No PDA (Public Display of Affection) outside." Shahana admonished, glaring at him.

"Sorry, I just can't help myself when I look at you." Azlan winked and said.

Shahana shook her head in annoyance and looked the other way. But behind her niqab, a beautiful smile spread across her lips.

Just then, a ball rolled near them. A small child came running for the ball but stopped a little distance away, hesitating to come closer. The child was quite young, maybe two or three years old.

Azlan picked up the ball and handed it to the child.

"Thank you, uncle," the child said in his tiny, tottering voice.

"You are most welcome," Azlan replied, bending down and ruffling the child's hair. The child laughed and ran back to his parents.

When Azlan returned, Shahana was still looking at the child.

"The child is very cute, MashaAllah." Azlan said, his hands in his pockets, still looking at the child. Shahana turned to him and asked, "Azlan, do you like children?"

In the sound of the sea waves, Shahana's voice emerged.

"Yes." They started walking together again.

With each step, their footprints sank into the wet sand, a fleeting inscription of their journey together.

"Azlan, how many children do you want?"

"Two."

"Just two?" Shahana stopped in her tracks and looked at him.

Azlan, looking at her mischievously, asked, "Yes, two. Why, how many do you want?"

"A lot," Shahana quickly replied, like a child talking about candies rather than children. Hearing her response, Azlan laughed.

"A lot, huh? Can we get a number on that 'a lot'?" Azlan teased, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Hearing Azlan's question, Shahana seemed to fall into deep thought. The wind whipped at her niqab, momentarily obscuring her expression and Azlan looked at his beloved wife with intense admiration.

When she spoke, her voice was barely a whisper, "At least five, maybe six."

Azlan's laughter erupted again, booming across the beach.

"What happened? Why are you laughing?" Shahana asked in irritation, holding her niqab tightly as the wind was too strong and there are some non-mehram men nearby. She didn't like his sudden burst of laughter, as she was seriously discussing this matter. She genuinely wanted many children. She wanted to hear the sounds of many children playing in her house.

"If five or six are the minimum, how many are the maximum? Let me guess, 20 or 30..." Azlan said in the same thoughtful manner, teasing her.

"Ten..." Shahana mumbled, making Azlan look at her in surprise.

"Why one less... make it 11... We'll have our own cricket team, InshaAllah," Azlan said enthusiastically and burst into laughter. However, his tone revealed that he was teasing her.

Shahana glared at him in anger and started walking ahead alone. It was clear that she was very angry and now needed to be pacified. She hadn't shown such tantrums before. She never knew how to sulk or show tantrums. But after marrying Azlan, she had learned how to show tantrums. She had learned how to sulk. Because now she knew that there was someone who would tolerate her tantrums. If she got angry, he would come to pacify her.

And Azlan followed her, trying to pacify her. Taking care of her tantrums.

He jogged to keep pace with her, his playful facade crumbling slightly.

"Alright, alright," he conceded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Ten it is then. We'll have a whole nursery full of little ones. Can you imagine, Shahana, us walking down the street with ten kids? Like our own little parade."

She remained silent, the only response a ghost of a smile playing on her lips, hidden from Azlan's view by her niqab.

"Uncle, my ball?" The child's sudden question brought Azlan back from his journey down memory lane to reality.

He bent down, picked up the ball, and walked slowly towards the child. He handed the ball back to the child.

The child thanked him and Azaln weakly smiled. He ran back to his father and disappeared inside a room.

Azlan started walking again, directionless and aimless. He didn't know where he was headed or why. He moved like a defeated man, a lost traveler searching for his destination, and in that search, he had grown weary.

Azlan reached the garden outside the hospital and slumped down on the same bench as before.

It was noon, but the sun wasn't too harsh. The lush green grass swayed gently in the breeze, and the garden was empty at this time.

His eyes brimmed with tears. Shoulders slumped, he let them fall freely, a silent expression of his helplessness.

Just then, the old man from the previous day came and sat beside him.

"What happened?" The old man asked worriedly, seeing him in such miserbakestate.

"She's leaving me," Azlan replied in a sorrowful tone. He wasn't looking at the old man; his eyes were fixed on the ground.

"And you're letting her go?" The old man's eyebrows raised.

"She won't stay," Azlan said, wiping his tears with his fist in a defeated tone.

"Have you tried to stop her?" The old man sighed deeply and asked.

"I don't have the courage," Azlan seemed to have lost all hope.

"But love requires courage," the old man tried to encourage him.

"I've hurt her so much before," Azlan's tone was full of despair.

The old man placed his hand on Azlan's shoulder and smiled gently, "Every relationship faces difficulties, but if you truly want to see her happy, you need to show her that you realize your mistake and that you can fight for her. Everyone makes mistakes, but running away from your responsibility makes you a coward. Cowards are not forgiven. Those who make mistakes and then show remorse and try to correct their mistakes are forgiven. Right now, you're running away from your responsibility. Letting her go is easy for you. Show courage and correct your mistake. Fight for her. Show her you're sorry. Stop her."

Hearing the old man's words, Azlan turned to look at him. The old man's words were like a lifeline to him, showing the way to a lost traveler.

"But what if she still doesn't stay?" Azlan asked like a frightened child.

"Then accept Allah's will with patience. But I know she will agree, InshaAllah. Trust in Allah. He will make everything right."

Listening to the old man's words, Azlan nodded. He wiped his tears, stood up, and said, "Thank you, Uncle. Your words have given me strength. I can't let Shahana go like this. InshaAllah, I will stop her." Azlan said, smiling. He turned quickly and headed back to the hospital. He no longer looked hopeless. The lifeline the old man had given him was strong enough to overpower all his fears. His eyes now had a sparkle, and his lips carried a smile.

"May Allah grant you success," the old man sincerely prayed for his success.

Azlan ran back into the hospital. He bumped into several people while running, nearly colliding with a stretcher, but managed to avoid it in time. The man pushing the stretcher started yelling at him, but Azlan quickly apologized and kept running.

As he was about to reach Shahana's room, he saw the child again with his parents. His mother was holding a small baby in her arms.

Azlan's smile widened. He saw in them a reflection of his and Shahana's future. "I know you will forgive me. Everything will be fine." He thought to himself, his eyes filled with dreams of a beautiful future with Shahana and their unborn child.

When he reached Shahana's room, he barely managed to control himself. He almost slipped several times, but who cared?

He took a deep breath and opened the door to enter.

But,to his surprise , the room was empty. It was completely vacant except for his belongings. But Shahana's medicines and other belongings were missing. Azlan's forehead wrinkled in confusion. He quickly left the room and went to the reception.

"Where is the patient from room 201?" He asked, out of breath.

"She checked out with her father a while ago," the receptionist said, and without hearing anything further, Azlan ran towards the exit. Everyone around watched him as if they were looking at a madman. He was running frantically towards the door.

He saw Shahana with Fahad near the exit. Azlan's pace quickened.

Just as Shahana reached for the taxi door, Azlan's voice, raw and desperate, pierced the air. "Shahana! Stop, don't go!" She froze, her body a statue caught mid-motion. Slowly, she turned, bracing herself for the sight that awaited.

There he was, Azlan, rushing towards her like a man possessed.

Seeing her gave Azlan a bit of relief. He reached her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace without saying a word.

Shahana stood still and frozen. Fahad was also shocked by his sudden action.

"Please, baby. Don't go. Don't leave me," Azlan was crying, holding her close. His voice thick with emotions."I know I made a mistake. But please give me a chance. Please, baby. Please," Azlan choked. He seemed to forget the whole world as he held her close.

But , Shahana moved and untangled his arms from around her

"No, Azlan. No." Shahana stepped back and said with difficulty. She had wrapped her scarf tightly, covering her face, and Azlan could only see her eyes.

Azlan took a step forward and held her hands, saying, "Why are you doing this? Your eyes clearly tell me that you want the same thing I want. So why?"

Shahana pulled her hands away from his.

"No. You're mistaken. I no longer wish to stay with you." Only Shahana knew how difficult it was to say these words. But she quickly turned away after saying them.

"Hurry up, Shahana." Fahad said and stood between them again.

Shahana quickly got into the cab. She felt if she stood there any longer, she might change her mind.

"You heard my daughter's decision, didn't you? So why are you troubling her? Let her go, Azlan. It's better for both of you." Fahad said, trying to reason with him, and then went to sit next to Shahana.

But Azlan seemed incapable of understanding anything. He pleaded with Shahana, "Please stay, baby. Don't go. I love you. I still love you."

Fahad locked the window on Shahana's side. But Azlan kept knocking on the window, begging for forgiveness, assuring her of his love. But Shahana didn't look back even once.

The driver started the cab. As it began to move, Azlan walked alongside.

"Shahana, listen to me. I am sorry. I am really, really sorry. Please, baby, forgive me."

Shahana's resolve seemed to break. Tears started falling from her eyes. The cab picked up speed, but Azlan didn't seem to care. He was still pleading and begging her to stay. He looked like a modern-day Majnun.

" Shahana stop. Shahana..." he kept calling her. But, she became completely deaf to his calls.

People around watched this spectacle. Some even started recording it.

As the cab sped up, Azlan couldn't keep up and fell to the ground.

Inside the cab, Shahana suddenly started crying uncontrollably. Fahad wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she leaned in.

"Don't cry, dear. This is best for both of you," Fahad tried to console her, but nothing seemed enough to comfort her.

---------

"Sit here. Actually, Fahad and my seats are a bit away from yours," Aiket said with a smile, and Shahana nodded.

Shahana had stayed with Fahad and Aiket at their hotel for the past two days. Haya had sent all of her belongings through a servant, ensuring she had everything she needed.

Shahana found Aiket to be kind and considerate. Her demeanor was consistently warm and welcoming. Initially, Shahana had been worried that Aiket might not be comfortable with the idea of traveling to Turkey with them. However, Aiket showed no signs of reluctance. Instead, she took great care of Shahana during those two days, making her feel comfortable and at ease.

Meanwhile, Fahad loaded Shahana's bags into the overhead compartment.

"We're close by. If you need anything, just call us," Fahad said cautiously, and Shahana nodded.

She got a window seat and gazed outside, her condition steadily deteriorating.

Azlan's face kept appearing before her eyes, and their beautiful memories began to torment her. Tears streamed down her face, soaking her niqab as she pressed her lips together to stifle her sobs.

She felt utterly alone in the world and silently called out to Allah.

She felt terrible. After all, she was leaving her love behind.

"You're going to be a mother, and I'm going to be a father. Our child is coming into this world, Shahana. You can't imagine how happy I am today."

His voice echoed in her head. She started missing him terribly. The plane was still on the ground, and people were still taking their seats.

"I know I made a mistake. No, I committed a sin. But why are you making the same mistake I made? Why do you want to leave me? Can't you forgive me? Forgive me for Allah's sake, Shahana. Just give me one more chance for Allah's sake. You used to say that those who forgive others for Allah's sake are forgiven by Allah. So, forgive me for Allah's sake, Shahana. Please, I beg you."

Shahana's crying intensified.

"Please, baby. Don't go. Don't leave me," Azlan had said, holding her close.

Shahana gripped the seat handles tightly.

"I know I made a mistake. But please give me a chance. Please, baby. Please."

She bit her lips so hard that they started bleeding.

"Why are you doing this? Your eyes clearly tell me that you want the same thing I want. Then why?"

There was so much helplessness in his tone.

"Please stay, baby. Don't go. I love you. I love you a lot."

She was now crying with hiccups.

"Are you alright, Miss?" came a voice from behind Shahana. She turned around quickly and, in a state of anxiety, looked at the speaker.

There he was, standing right in front of her—her nemesis.

Azlan removed his sunglasses and smiled at her.

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Farzana❤️❤️❤️