"Marry Maria, Azlan," Ismat Ara implored, her gaze falling upon her grandson's disheveled state. His hair was unkempt, dark circles etched beneath his eyes, a hint of sorrow lingering in their depths. He had returned to the US, his heart heavy with the weight of a crumbling marriage.Upon his arrival, another blow awaited him. Maria, his intended, had been the victim of malicious gossip. Someone had informed Maria's fiancé that Azlan and Maria were having an affair. This scandal had shattered Maria's engagement.News of such a scandal surrounding his young daughter shattered Maria's father's heart. Alamgir, their distant relative and family friend, echoed the same sentiment."The entire family believes that your affair with Maria is the reason Shahana left you," Ismat Ara explained, her voice laced with concern. "She's been disgraced in the eyes of society. You must marry her."Azlan, who had immersed himself entirely in work, paused, his fingers hovering over the laptop keyboard. He lifted his gaze to meet his grandmother's eyes."What can I do if she's been defamed? We did nothing wrong. Why should I marry her?""Her life will be ruined," Ismat Ara pleaded."She's an educated, mature young woman. I don't think her life will be ruined over such a trivial matter," he retorted sarcastically. "And once the family finds a new topic to gossip about, they'll forget about us and move on. So, let's bury this issue today. I'm not getting married again. To anyone."But Azlan was forced to retract his words. Maria was no stranger to societal pressures, and her reputation was at stake. Alamgir's health had deteriorated rapidly, and in his weakened state, he clasped Azlan's hands, begging him to marry his daughter.How could Azlan refuse the dying wish of a man who had always been like a father to him? He agreed to marry Maria.-------Present:As Azlan returned home one evening, he found Shahana sitting alone in the garden, her head wrapped in a white cotton scarf, her gaze fixed on an unseen point. Azlan shook his head and continued on his way.That night, as he stood on his balcony, he was surprised to see Shahana still in the same position, her eyes fixed on the same spot. A wave of concern washed over Azlan. He descended the stairs and summoned Tahmina , their eldest domestic helper, to talk to Shahana."Shahana Madam, why are you still sitting here?" Tahmina inquired gently. Shahana started at the sound of her voice."Oh...""Madam, look at the time. It's past eight. And you're sitting out here all alone.""Eight o'clock?" she asked in surprise."Yes, madam.""I lost track of time."She rose to her feet and slowly made her way towards her room. Azlan couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong.------------Azlan had noticed that Shahana had been lost in her thoughts lately since he overheard her conversation with Haya."Shahana, what's wrong with you? Have you been forgetting things more often?" Haya inquired."Yes... I don't know what's happening to me. I can't seem to remember anything anymore," Shahana replied, her voice laced with a hint of despair."You left the food on the stove without turning it on yesterday, and then you put the cake in the oven and forgot it was there," Haya reminded her."Yes," Shahana admitted, her voice barely a whisper."Please try to be more careful," Haya instructed before walking away.Shahana nodded silently, her eyes downcast. Azlan watched her from a distance, his eyes held concern for her.Her hands, which had been chopping vegetables, stilled. She drifted off into a deep thought, her gaze fixed on an unseen point.Azlan glanced at the clock and realized she had been staring at the same spot for 15 minutes.He approached the table and placed a glass down with a loud thud, startling Shahana. She looked around in confusion as if trying to regain her bearings.Then she resumed chopping vegetables.Azlan observed her every move, a furrow creasing his forehead.---------Azlan was in the middle of an important discussion when he received a call from home. His manager and secretary were seated across from him, discussing the upcoming meeting.He answered the phone and stood up abruptly. His face drained of color, he grabbed his coat in a flurry and rushed out of his office. His secretary and manager exchanged bewildered glances.The meeting was crucial, and missing it would have significant consequences. But Azlan was oblivious to all concerns. He drove home as fast as he could.He had already called the doctor.By the time he arrived home, the doctor had already reached.Shahana's hands and feet were severely burned. She had accidentally picked up the hot oil pan with her bare hands, causing extensive burns.The doctor examined her injuries, applied ointment, and provided the necessary treatment."Where was your mind? It's not a good idea to be so careless at work. You've burned yourself badly," the doctor reprimanded her."I thought the pan was cold," Shahana explained."It must be very painful," the doctor remarked."No. I don't feel any pain at all," Shahana replied."You've burned yourself so badly and you don't feel any pain?""Yes. I don't know why I don't feel any pain anymore," Shahana confessed.Azlan listened silently to their conversation. There was no trace of sarcasm or exaggeration in her voice. It seemed she was telling the truth. She genuinely felt no pain.Shahana's condition worried him deeply.As the doctor left, she advised Azlan to take good care of Shahana and seek psychiatric help."I think your wife's mental condition is not quite right. It would be best if you took her to a psychiatrist. I think she's depressed," the doctor suggested.She prescribed some medication for Shahana's injuries and left instructions for Azlan.Azlan shook his head and looked at Shahana, who was now lying on the bed, her eyes closed, leaning against the headboard. A pang of worry struck his heart.------------Sitting in his study, he pondered his next move. With whom should he discuss this? He had also noticed Shahana's tendency to get lost in her thoughts, sometimes sitting for hours at a stretch, oblivious to her surroundings. She often forgot things.Azlan wanted to talk to her, but he didn't know what to say or how to approach the topic of taking her to a psychiatrist.Lost in thought, Azlan stayed up late working. Just as he was about to retire for the night, he heard a rustling sound from the garden. He peered out of his balcony onto the garden below and was taken aback.Shahana stood there, her gaze fixed on the house. The clock on the wall showed 3:00 AM.He quickly descended the stairs and reached the garden. He observed her searching for someone."Muiz, where are you hiding? Come out. Why are you teasing your aunt?" she called out, scanning the garden for Muiz.Engrossed in her search, she didn't even notice Azlan's arrival.When he reached her side, he gently took her arm and turned her towards him."What are you doing out here so late at night?" Azlan asked with a mix of anger and concern."Muiz and I are playing hide-and-seek. I'm looking for him," she replied.Azlan closed his eyes for a moment."Shahana, it's 3:00 AM. Muiz isn't here. He's probably fast asleep at home.""No... he was just playing with me. How could he have gone home so quickly?""Shahana, come to your senses."Azlan gently patted her cheeks.Shahana stared at him blankly, as if his words were incomprehensible.Then, she moved away from him and resumed her search for Muiz, seemingly oblivious to his presence."Muiz, where are you?"Azlan sighed heavily. He took her hand and led her back to their room. Shahana protested weakly.Azlan gave her some water to drink and gently laid her on the bed. She still insisted on finding Muiz." No, I have to find Muiz.Let me go. I'm playing hide and seek with him."As Azlan stroked her hair, she finally drifted off to sleep. He kept staring at her face. There were dark circles beneath her eyes. Skin looked pale. Dried lips. Yet, she looked pleasant to his eyes.With his thumb, he brushed her cheeks.His worry for her deepened.-------The next morning, Azlan found Shahana behaving relatively normally, going about her daily routine as usual. He decided to talk to her in the evening.Returning from the office, he took some time to relax before heading to Shahana's room. He knocked on the door and entered to find her reciting the Quran.Her melodious recitation captivated his attention. He stood there, listening to her soothing voice as she recited Surah Rahman.He remained there until she finished her recitation. Closing the Quran and placing it on the nightstand, she turned to face Azlan, startled by his presence.Every time she recited the Quran, she completely lost herself in the divine words. Today was no different. She hadn't even noticed the knock on the door.Azlan's presence in Shahana's room baffled her. It seemed as if he understood her unasked question."I need to talk to you," he declared."Why?" Shahana replied, her voice laced with apprehension. She feared he had come to discuss the divorce.She pretended to be engrossed in her tasks, ignoring his presence."Can't you sit down and talk calmly for a moment?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration."No," she retorted, determined to maintain her façade of busyness."What were you doing in the garden last night?" he inquired, his voice cutting through her feigned composure.Shahana's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice laced with innocence."Last night at 3 AM, you were searching for Muiz in the garden. You claimed you were playing hide-and-seek with him. Don't you remember?""I don't understand what you're talking about. Why would I be in the garden at night? I was sleeping in my room last night," she replied, her voice rising in anger."But you were there. I brought you back to this room myself.""What are you implying? Are you calling me a liar?" Shahana's voice grew louder, her eyes flashing with fury.Azlan approached her and gently said, "You need a psychiatrist. I've made an appointment for Friday...""Psychiatrist... for what? Are you calling me crazy? Now you want to prove me insane, Azlan? What's your problem with me? How much more pain do you want to inflict on me?" she screamed."Shahana, please listen to me," he pleaded, his voice filled with concern. "Just go and see the psychiatrist. Your condition isn't right.""You don't need to worry about my condition," she retorted vehemently. "And get out of my room! Don't ever show your face to me again!" she yelled."But, Shahana...""Get out now! I don't need a psychiatrist. I'm not crazy. I understand your schemes perfectly well," she hissed, pushing him out of the room and slamming the door shut.Azlan stood outside the door for a while, knocking repeatedly.Shahana's hysterical outburst left him deeply troubled.Exhausted, he turned to leave when he froze, startled by the sight of his grandmother standing behind him. Ismat Ara was staring at him with a stern expression."Did you talk to her about the divorce?" she asked, her tone laced with assumption that he had been discussing the divorce with Shahana.Azlan remained silent. He knew if he didn't answer, his grandmother would continue her interrogation.She nodded in satisfaction."Good that you talked to her about the divorce. Every time something happens, the talk of your divorce gets pushed aside. This time, finalize it. She'll be leaving in a few days anyway. Her biological father finally remembered he has a daughter. It's better if she leaves. God knows what bad luck..."Azlan interrupted her mid-sentence."Dadi, I know you don't like her. But I don't appreciate you talking about her in such a derogatory manner.""You're still taking her side, even after all that's happened? Have you forgotten that this girl is your sister's killer?""Dadi, my sister died in an accident. Shahana is not her killer.""She betrayed you, Azlan," Ismat Ara reminded him."Yes, she betrayed me. That's between her and me. No third person has the right to interfere," Azlan asserted firmly. Then, he gently took his grandmother's hand and said in a softer tone, "Dadi, you are the eldest in our family, and I respect you for that. But what's wrong is wrong. It would be better if we didn't discuss this topic again."Ismat Ara opened her mouth to speak but then fell silent. She lovingly stroked Azlan's head. Azlan turned and left.Ismat Ara, however, remained fixated on the closed door of Shahana's room. Her hatred for Shahana had intensified today.-----------Azlan sat in the easy chair in his room, a gnawing unease settling in his heart. He was caught in a strange internal conflict. Over the past few days, he had noticed that the household treated Shahana no better than a servant. Despite the presence of numerous servants, she did all the work.In particular, Fariba mami, Hena, and Meem had practically turned her into their personal maid. She didn't eat with the family. Azlan had observed that she would eat whatever leftovers remained after the servants' meal. Even after her hands and feet were burned that day, she had done all the housework.Azlan had specifically instructed the servants not to let Shahana do any work. It also appeared that Shahana had been wearing the same clothes for months, washing and rewearing them endlessly.Witnessing all this, Azlan was filled with a sense of bewilderment.That morning, Azlan had decided to talk to Haya. Shahana desperately needed psychiatric help. And Haya was the only one who could convince her to seek it.Haya's PerspectiveHaya was preparing to leave for another social work engagement. She was waiting for her husband, as they were supposed to go together.When Azlan knocked on the door, Haya smiled upon seeing him."Come in, son""Can we talk for a minute?" Azlan asked respectfully."A minute? Take as long as you need," Haya replied with a warm smile."I need to talk to you about Shahana."Hearing Shahana's name, Haya paused for a moment and then said, "I was just thinking of talking to you as well. About your divorce. The papers are ready. All that's left is for both of you to sign..."Azlan interrupted Haya."That's not why I'm here.""Then why did you come to see me?""I want you to take Shahana to a psychiatrist. I've spoken to a very good psychiatrist and have an appointment for her. Please take her to see her."Azlan's words caused Haya's forehead to crease with worry."What do you mean?""Aunty, Shahana might be suffering from severe depression. She forgets things. She's always lost in her own thoughts. She has no sense of time."Azlan explained.Haya sighed deeply."Look, son, you're overthinking things. Shahana is perfectly fine. She's probably just behaving a bit abnormally because you're still in this house. That's why I want you to divorce her as soon as possible so she can go back to Turkey with her father. She'll be back to her normal self once she's there.""Aunty, you're not understanding. She needs a psychiatrist.""Look, Azlan," Haya said, her voice laced with exasperation. "Try to understand. If I take her to that psychiatrist, people will think she's crazy. And I can't seem to grasp why you're suddenly suggesting we send her to one."Azlan, his face etched with frustration, remained silent. Haya sighed, her voice softening, "Look, honey, if you genuinely believe Shahana needs psychiatric help, then fine, I'll talk to her father. He'll show her to a good psychiatrist in Turkey. Okay?"Azlan felt as if she was treating him like a child, patronizing him. He nodded silently and turned to leave, realizing that it was futile to argue with Haya.--------As Azlan approached home that evening, he spotted the house's gardener, a middle-aged man named Malik, engaged in a heated conversation with the guard at the gate."When I arrived, the gate was wide open," Malik grumbled. "Thank goodness I got here on time. If someone from outside had gotten in, everyone would have been furious. Don't you understand?""But I had locked the door and went to use the restroom," the guard replied sheepishly.Upon noticing Azlan's presence, both men fell silent. They greeted him respectfully, and the guard promptly opened the gate wide for his car.Azlan made his way to his room, but his feet seemed to have a mind of their own, carrying him towards Shahana's room. He pushed open the door, only to find it empty. The bathroom was vacant as well.Puzzled, Azlan searched the kitchen, but it too was empty. There was no one home except for the servants, who were all in their quarters.After scouring the entire house, Azlan's mind finally clicked. He recalled Malik's words.A sense of unease crept over him, though he couldn't quite pinpoint the source of his anxiety. Without a second thought, he rushed out of the house.He knew Shahana rarely ventured out of the house. So why would she leave in the middle of the evening?His heart pounded in his chest as images of her fragile state flashed before his eyes. Her eyes, once vibrant and full of life, were now clouded with despair. She seemed to be fighting a losing battle against her inner demons.As he ran down the street, his eyes darted from side to side, searching for any sign of Shahana. But she was nowhere to be seen.His breath grew heavy, his anxiety mounting.I don't know why I don't feel any pain anymore.He heard Shahana's voice echo in his mind.Home isn't where you live, Muiz.She continued, her voice weak and trembling. Home is where you find respect, love, and security.How much longer are you going to torture me, Azlan?Her words pierced his heart.And then he saw her.She was wandering aimlessly, her long, unkempt hair cascading down her back. Her dupatta was draped loosely over one shoulder, and she was barefoot, walking along the deserted street. She was not in her senses. If she was then she would have come outside without covering up from head to toe.The sky was dark and ominous, filled with heavy clouds. A strong wind howled, sending shivers down Azlan's spine. Perhaps that's why the street was deserted. There were no shops or houses nearby.Seeing Shahana, Azlan's pace quickened."Shahana!" he called out, but she didn't stop.The street stretched out before them, empty and eerily quiet. The only illumination came from the dim streetlights.Raindrops began to fall, first in scattered drops, then in a steady downpour."Shahana!" Azlan called out again, his voice laced with urgency.They were both in the middle of the road now. Azlan's eyes widened as he spotted a car approaching at a high speed."Shahana!" he screamed, but it was too late.Shahana, oblivious to the danger, continued walking, her gaze fixed on some distant point in the horizon.The car screeched to a halt, inches from Shahana's body.Azlan's heart sank as he rushed towards her, his mind reeling with shock and disbelief.---------------Are you liking this story so far? Don't forget to vote. Also, Comment your thoughts...