45~NaHabiba #3
The weight of those stares immediately made Hanan tense.
She couldn't bring herself to meet anyone's gaze.
Instead, she kept her head lowered, quietly greeting everyone they passed with a respectful nod.
Najib continued leading her deeper into the house until they reached a quiet hallway.
He stopped before a large wooden door.
"This is Uncle's private sitting room." He explained. "He only receives important guests here."
"Oh..." She murmured.
"Will Aunty be joining us too?"
He shook his head.
"No. It'll only be Uncle."
"Okay."
She unconsciously tightened her grip around his hand as they approached the door.
Najib knocked gently.
"Come in."
They stepped inside.
As soon as they entered, they released each other's hands.
Surprisingly, the room was empty.
The only sound came from behind another door deeper inside the room.
The faint sound of water suggested someone was in the bathroom.
"Have a seat." Najib said to her.
She nodded and sat carefully on one of the luxurious white couches while her eyes wandered around the room.
Everything about the place screamed elegance.
The white interior reminded her painfully of Faruk's apartment.
Her gaze eventually settled on one wall decorated with framed certificates and photographs.
Among them was a large family portrait.
Faruk...
Standing happily between his parents.
All three wore bright smiles.
The sight twisted something inside her.
Before she knew it, painful memories flooded her mind.
Mostly the bad ones.
She remained frozen, staring at the photograph until she felt Najib's warm hand resting over hers.
She blinked.
"Uncle's here." He whispered, gently caressing her fingers.
She lifted her head.
Faruk's father slowly walked into the room.
The sight of him startled her.
He looked noticeably thinner.
Older.
His once commanding presence now seemed burdened beneath grief.
His expression remained firm, yet exhaustion was etched across every line on his face.
"As salamu Alaikum, sir." She greeted softly, lowering her gaze.
"Wa Alaikumus Salam."
His voice carried a heaviness that immediately tightened her chest.
Unable to look him in the eyes, she kept staring at the floor.
"I'm... sorry."
Her voice trembled.
"About Faruk's death, sir..."
She swallowed.
"He shouldn't have died."
"I'm so..."
The words disappeared as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Wipe your tears, child."
His tone remained calm.
"I didn't invite you here to cry."
"I invited you here so we could talk."
But the tears refused to stop.
They flowed even faster.
Najib remained silent beside her.
He didn't interrupt.
Neither did he attempt to comfort her.
He knew she had been carrying guilt ever since Faruk's death.
Perhaps... She needed this tears to find relief.
Faruk's father leaned back in his chair before speaking again.
"Let me tell you a story."
He folded his hands together.
"When I married Faruk's mother in our younger days, we were deeply in love."
"So deeply that I cut ties with every family member who suggested I marry another woman simply because she couldn't give Faruk a sibling."
He sighed.
"After Faruk was born, she suffered two miscarriages."
"We visited countless hospitals and specialists, but nothing changed."
"So we accepted our fate."
"We decided that raising our only son would be enough."
A sad smile briefly crossed his lips.
"But little by little... Our marriage fell apart."
"We drifted away from each other."
"And eventually... we divorced."
He paused to sip from the glass of water beside him.
After setting it down, he continued.
"The day she asked for divorce was the same day I scolded Faruk."
"I had caught him bullying Najib."
He looked toward Najib.
"He had just lost his mother, my dearest sister."
"I couldn't stand by and watch my son acting cruel towards his grieving."
"So I disciplined him."
He sighed deeply.
"I never imagined that one incident would destroy my marriage."
Turning to Najib, he asked,
"Do you remember?"
Najib nodded quietly.
"I do, Uncle."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
Those memories still haunted him.
Faruk...
The cousin he once considered his best friend and brother.
After Najib lost his mother, Faruk gradually became hostile toward him, convinced everyone loved Najib more.
Yet Najib had never seen it as love.
But sympathy.
Faruk's father continued.
"I watched my wife leave with my son."
"And from that day onward... My relationship with Faruk slowly deteriorated."
"There were times I regretted taking Najib's side."
"I wondered if perhaps... had I ignored Faruk's bad behaviour... he would've never grown to hate his cousin."
"And maybe my own relationship with him wouldn't have become so strained."
He looked toward Hanan.
"The first day Faruk told me about you... I was genuinely happy."
"I wanted to support him."
His expression hardened. "But everything changed the moment I discovered that the girl he couldn't stop talking about... was Najib's ex wife."
"And when he confessed that he intended to help you seek revenge... I immediately opposed the relationship."
"I never believed he truly loved you."
"I believed he only wanted you just to hurt Najib."
"So... Once again, I chose to support Najib."
He paused before continuing.
"I invited all of you for dinner."
"It became obvious that there were too many unresolved issues between you and Najib."
"I didn't want my son getting caught in the middle of all that."
"I knew someone was bound to get hurt."
His eyes lowered.
"Unfortunately... Faruk did."
He looked back at Hanan.
"So... You owe neither me nor anyone else an apology."
"You did nothing wrong."
His voice softened.
"I only wish you had ended the relationship a little earlier."
"Before it reached the point where he proposed marriage."
A long silence followed.
"He really did fall in love with you."
"I..." Hanan struggled to speak. "I tried..."
The words barely left her lips.
She remembered all the times she attempted to end things with Faruk.
Again.
And again.
And again.
None of it had worked.
There was no point bringing that up now.
She swallowed her tears.
"Even so... Please allow me to apologize, sir."
She lowered her head.
"I still feel I owe you... Faruk... and Aunty an apology."
He slowly shook his head.
"As I said... You don't."
"This is our failure."
"In our desperate attempt to give Faruk the best life... His mother and I failed to be the parents he truly needed."
He paused before quietly adding,
"Or perhaps... It was only after reading his letter that I finally understood that."
He reached toward the table beside him and picked up a brown envelope.
"This is the letter he left behind."
He extended it toward her.
Hanan accepted it with trembling hands.
"May I read it?"
"Yes."
He nodded gently.
"Please."
Where do I even begin... I've never been good at expressing my thoughts or feelings to you Dad.
Why?
Because all my life, I've always felt a cold distant from you.
Sometimes... I even felt like you weren't my biological father.
I'm sorry, but I couldn't help feeling that way.
I'm sorry for being such a difficult son.
I'm sorry that I had to die.
Please forgive me.
Forgive your sufferable son.
I never intended to hurt any of you, but selfishness and jealousy got the better of me.
I write this letter with folded hands, asking for your forgiveness, Dad.
You never liked Hanan because of Najib, right?
It's funny... because now I agree with you.
I should have let her go.
I should have listened to you instead of following my feelings.
Now that I'm gone, I don't want my death to be blamed on anyone.
I chose death.
No one forced me into it.
My heart feels heavy as I write these final words, but I have one last wish.
Please... fulfil it.
If they decide to get married, bless them.
Don't hate them.
Because once again... I chose death myself.
Your sufferable son,
Faruk.
By the time Hanan finished reading the letter aloud, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
"I hope you understand what you just read." Faruk's father said gently.
"He doesn't want anyone blaming themselves for his death."
Hanan nodded slowly, forcing a faint smile through her tears. "Yes, Uncle... I understand."
"And thank you for sharing this letter with me."
He shook his head. "Thank Najib instead. He insisted that I speak with you and let you read the letter."
"He said he had a feeling you would blame yourself."
Hanan turned toward Najib.
"Thank you." She whispered sincerely, offering him the warmest smile she could manage.
For the first time since Faruk's death, she felt as though his chapter had finally come to an end.
Faruk's father looked at her kindly.
"Hanan... As his father, I'm asking you not to cry for him anymore."