Chapter 46: Chapter 46

As she uttered the words; Adyan felt the sound of his heart shattering pieces by pieces. Her cold husky voice resonated through his earlobes; deafening his eardrums. A part of his heart doesn't want to believe Hayfah's words, while another part could hear the utmost sincerity and determination in her voice.

She made him a living corpse also.

"Say you're joking please," he slurred, feeling how his eyes were being blinded with tears. They were not normal tears, they were bloods from his heart being transformed into tears. He knew he was scorched.

From where she was sitting, she felt her soul being swinging on a child's swing. It goes up the sky and came back in a thud, she knew she was just breathing_but everything in her couldn't be back to normal. Never.

"I wasn't joking, and would never be. The fact that I loved you would always be there, but as life changes in the blink of an eye_so was my bleeding heart," her eyes were clenched shut, but her tears still find their ways out of the closed eyelids.

"Was this the love we shared? Wouldn't you atleast tell me what ignited the hatred in your heart? You're slowly killing me, Hayfah," Adyan knew he would go nuts if he kept talking through the phone, and from all instincts; Hayfah wasn't ready to unravel whatever it is enshrouded.

"I'm already died, there would be no use wether you make it or not. I guess this would be a good bye then." She was just uttering the words without assimilating them, without knowing if it was right to utter the words to the person you've loved and would forever love.

Adyan knew he have to see her, he too have some questions to ask her. This wouldn't be how it will end. Could this prove what he was being told? No! He believed in Hayfah, and he knew she would never be like that. He believed in her love to him; they were eachothers halves_that he is sure of.

"Give me a minute." And he ended the call without waiting for her answer, he has to man up_being a coward would only lead him to losing the only one his heart cherish. He is going to lose his other half.

She heard when the call ended, and she didn't bother removing the phone from her ears. She kept looking into space, as all her life came back to her in a rush. Her childhood, the life she spend during her school days, the university days, the story Umma gave them, and now this. Isn't life rolling her between one phase to another? And upon all these phases; she couldn't find tranquillity that could last her for atleast a month.

'Rukayya!' She heard the name resonated through her already deaf earlobes. She has many questions about this name and its beholder. She wants to explore the secrets enshrouded within this name. She doesn't know why_but she wants to know who was Rukayya.

A slight knock made her quivered, she was long lost into a haitus that she forgot about the world and whatever is it in it. She wanted to ignore whoever it is; but hearing Rayhan's soft voice_she knew she couldn't ignore her for the world.

On her knees, she opened the door and crawled to the far end of the room before the intruder entered the room. Rayhan rushed towards her and sat beside her_seeing her halfy died body brought tears to Rayhan_she knew her Addah isn't herself anymore.

"Addah, what happened? Why are you looking like a zombie? Why are tears rolling down your cheeks? You look pale," Rayhan inquired in one breathe, she was distraughted upon sighting Hayfah that she almost forgot what brought her to the room.

"It's nothing, Rayhan_I'll tell you everything when I'm fully back to my senses," Hayfah whimpered with her drained voice.

Rayhan looked at her with teary eyes, "Addah, A is here_you need to see him please; he looked like someone that cried also," and she burst into tears, hugging Hayfah's hand as if her life depends on it.

Hayfah's eyes bulged like a saucers. He was here? What for? Was he missing his new bae that he couldn't spend an hour without seeing her or what? Haven't she told him it was a goodbye from her? Was he here to see her in the first place or not?

She shook her head, as the tears dried themselves from her eyes, she wasn't feeling anything_the soul and heart was as hard as a mountain. "I'm not going to see him, go and tell him he should leave!"

Rayhan looked at Hayfah as if she had grown wings, was this really her sister? She really said she wasnt going to see her A? This was quite unusual!

"Do you love me, Addah?" She asked, as an idea hits her noddle.

"You're the only female sibling I have; and the one I love with all my being. I love you more than you could ever imagine, Rayhan," Hayfah answered, as she engulfed Rayhan into a bone crushing hug_her tears dripping on Rayhan's back.

"Then do me a favour, go and meet him please_he looked distraughted too. Please, Addah, do this for me," she pouted her lips and made her best puppy face that made Hayfah's stiffened heart swooned. The girl was so cute that she couldn't deny her.

"Alright, for your sake. Go and bring me my hijab," and she stood up_mistakenly; her eyes landed on the mirror placed opposite her.

The lady staring back at her wasn't recognizable. She has a messy hair like a birds nest with sweat sheen on the forehead. Her eyes looked like an empty died vessel with nothing alluring in it. She looked like a monster. A died monster that could prefer it's death than the life it's living. She wasn't Hayfah Talhah Muhammad anymore.

"Addah here is the Hijab, try to calm him down please."

***

From the soft smack of the tiles floor_the ambience of the room changing, the beating of his heart and texture of his eyes_Adyan Aliyu Ardo knew the queen of his heart has arrived.

He gulped down the lump in his throat and looked at her; a stare he wished he hadn't_for all he saw was a died living lady; whose heart and life was filled with hatred and hardship. He wasn't sure wether she was the love of his life_this lady here looks scary. He doesn't even want to think of the volcano in her heart_that could scorch him more.

Hayfah moved to the sofa beside him and sat down_with head held up high and she wasn't looking at him_rather, the humming AC that was cooling the ambience. Hayfah wished the coolness of this AC would lessen the fire in her heart.

"Hayfah," Adyan called out, seeing how she was already lost in thought, with tears painfully rolling down her cheeks.

His voice jolted her out of her reverie, she gulped back her tears and cleared the already visible ones. With her bloodshot eyes_she looked at him, a look that screamed pain, and yearn for solace.

"What brings you here? Were you not satisfied with how scorched I sounded that you decided to see for yourself?" She asked, her intense stare that could melt a mountain unshaken on his face.

'You need to be strong, Adyan' his subconscious urged him. For he was at the verge of bursting into tears. He wanted to hug her and calm her down_but he knew that would never be possible_she has to be his atleast.

"I was here because I want to know the reason behind your outburt. I want you to unravel the secrets enshrouded, I want to know the real Hayfah Talhah Muhammad-for;this is surely a façade," there was a tone in his voice that unnerved Hayfah_and fear instantly hugged her soul. What she first thought was Umma! What has he been told? For his voice screamed uncertainty.

"What were been told? Tell me; I will surely unravel the secrets enshrouded beneath the façade of Hayfah Talhah Muhammad!" Her attention was now fully on him, so was her slackened figure that was completely facing him. Her face was devoid of any tear, as her heart was only beating to sustain her breathing figure.

Adyan closed his eyes; how would he start telling her all this? How would he begin telling her all he has been told? Just how? He too doesn't believed at first, but how she acted gnawed his doubts.

He palmed his face before breathing out deeply_this was just too much on him; but he knew it was more than too much on her. "Are you sure you really want to know? And do you promise to tell me the truth without shedding a single tear?" He inquired, for her tears feels like a molten magma being liquefied on his broken heart.

His inquiry brought a memory back to her heart. The day she was told the story of the mysterious Rukayya; and that was exactly what Umma said. A heart wrenching chuckle escaped her lips_as more tears gushed down her face.

"You really don't have to say that; else you want to end your day in a hospital today. Just tell me_and I will surely unravel the mystery behind Hayfah Talhah Muhammad." And she smiled, it was a smile that could set a forest ablaze. She was numb to the pain now_she feels nothing.

"Lets get this done. Words being uttered to me were like a scorching fire to my ears; I prefer your I hate you's for lifetime than them. Please, Hayfah; I beg you in the name of Allah_tell me the truth--were you born out of wedlock? Are you really a slut? And you're getting married to Malik because he tried exposing your secrets to the world?"

With each word he uttered; Hayfah heard how the veins of her heart splitted, and she could hear the rush of blood like a waterfall. She stared at him dumbfoundedly_his words reverberating through her earlobes. The hearing organs were already being shattered also. She wants the Malakul maut (Angel of death) to take her soul right now without her breathing for another second. The air she inhale itself suffocates her lungs; what kind of hatred is this?

Is this really because she was created like this?

She doubt.

Even without being told; she knew who was behind this mystery. From the words he uttered_she could see a mischievously smiling Umma and a triumphantly smiling Amna. Is this because she loves Adyan that Amna could go to this length in tarnishing her image? Could any of her words be true? At this point_she herself was suspecting herself.

She stared at his hazel orbs without uttering a word; his words were a hard blow to her already shattered heart. Through his eyes; all she could see was an undeterred love; but she isn't sure if all this love could let them pass through this phase. Why didn't they remain dream companions all their lives? Wouldn't it be easy than being in this situation?

She wanted to talk; even to deny or accept the facts he stated_but she got her lips glued. All her eyes could imagine was her Abba_she knew he was the only one that have these answers. But what he did to her made her thought he too might have believed she was a slut; and that made him accepted the consent of marrying Malik.

A child born out of wedlock? That made an etched pain dive into her soul. Umma! She really isn't her mother. But who is? Rukayya? No! The mysterious woman was already long died. Could she be an orphan or a daughter of a slut? Abba alone have the answers to her questions.

Upon all this; she placed her hand on the surface enclosing her heart and fondled it; as if sending a message that it should be strong_alot more awaits them.

"As you know; My name is Hayfah Talhah Muhammad..."