Areeba could not take her eyes off the envelope.

It was still in Zayan’s hand.

For some reason, she felt that the answer to every question she had ever carried was hidden inside that small piece of paper.

“My mother is not dead?”

Her voice trembled.

No one answered.

Areeba looked toward her father.

“Abu?”

Her father lowered his eyes.

That was enough.

Areeba felt her chest tighten.

“You knew?”

He remained silent.

“You knew all these years?”

“Areeba…”

“No.”

She stepped back.

“Don’t say my name. Just tell me the truth.”

Her father looked at her with tired eyes.

“There are some things a father does to protect his daughter.”

“By lying to her?”

His silence hurt more than any answer.

Areeba’s eyes filled with tears.

“What happened to my mother?”

Zayan finally spoke.

“We need to talk somewhere private.”

Areeba turned toward him.

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“You need to hear this.”

“I need to hear it from my father.”

Zayan’s expression hardened.

“Your father is not going to tell you.”

Areeba stared at him.

“How do you know?”

“Because I know him.”

“And you think you know my mother too?”

Zayan looked away.

For a moment, something dark crossed his face.

“I knew her.”

Areeba froze.

“What?”

Zayan looked back at her.

“I was a child. But I remember her.”

Areeba stepped closer.

“What do you remember?”

He tightened his grip around the envelope.

“Her running.”

“Running from what?”

He didn’t answer.

“Zayan.”

“From your father.”

The room went silent.

Areeba felt as if the ground had disappeared beneath her feet.

“My father?”

Zayan nodded slowly.

“She was terrified.”

Areeba shook her head.

“No. My father loved her.”

“You believe that because that’s what you were told.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“You don’t know anything about my family.”

“I know enough.”

“Then tell me!”

Her voice broke.

“Tell me what happened to my mother.”

Zayan looked at her for several seconds.

Then he handed the envelope to her.

“Read it yourself.”

Areeba’s trembling fingers took the envelope.

She opened it.

There was only one sheet of paper inside.

Her eyes moved across the first line.

And then she stopped breathing.

Areeba,

If you are reading this, it means I could not come back for you.

Her vision blurred.

She continued reading.

I did not leave you because I didn’t love you. I left because staying would have put your life in danger.

Areeba’s hands began shaking violently.

The next sentence destroyed whatever remained of her certainty.

Your father is not the man you think he is.

The paper slipped from her fingers.

She looked up at Zayan.

Her face was pale.

“What does this mean?”

Zayan didn’t answer.

Areeba took another step toward him.

“Why did my mother write this?”

“I don’t know everything.”

“But you know something.”

He looked at her silently.

She whispered,

“Tell me.”

Zayan’s eyes softened for the first time.

“I will.”

“Then why haven’t you?”

“Because when you learn the rest…”

He paused.

“You may hate me too.”

Areeba frowned.

“What do you have to do with my mother?”

Zayan looked at the letter on the floor.

Then he said quietly.

“More than you think.”

Before Areeba could ask another question, the lights suddenly went out.

The entire house fell into darkness.

A scream came from the hallway.

Then they heard the sound of glass breaking.

Zayan immediately grabbed Areeba’s hand.

“Stay behind me.”

She tried to pull away.

“Leave me.”

“Not now.”

His grip tightened.

Someone was inside the house.

And whoever it was…

Had come for the letter.