The Twins Chapter 19.
As soon as Yusuf left, Zara went straight to her room, shutting the door forcefully behind her despite Lukman's calls for her to stop.
She lay on the bed, her tears flowing freely. But soon, she heard the door creak open. She knew it was Lukman.
Quickly, she sat up and glared at him.
"Leave my room! What are you doing here?" she demanded furiously.
Lukman took a step forward.
"Zara, calm down. I just want us to talk," he said gently.
"Don't come any closer!" she warned, now standing up as she stepped away from the bed.
"Zara, please," he pleaded, strolling toward her.
"Did you not hear me? I told you I don't want to talk! Please, go away!" she snapped, her voice shaking with emotion.
Lukman sighed. "Zara, I can't leave you like this. Especially if you're crying. What if you get headache?"
"And how is that supposed to matter to you? When did you ever care?" Zara asked, her voice laced with anger and pain.
"It matters to me, Zara. I care about you—a lot," Lukman said, closing the distance between them.
Without hesitation, Zara slapped him. "You're selfish! You hurt me, yet you won't let me go. I hate you, Lukman! I hate you for coming into my life!" she yelled, her chest rising and falling with emotion.
Lukman stood still, the sting of her slap nothing compared to the pain of her words. Hate. She hated him. And he knew—he was the cause of her suffering. He had no excuse, nothing to say to justify himself.
"Zara, I'm sorry," he whispered. "I know 'sorry' isn't enough, but please… give me another chance. I'm willing to change. I want to make things right."
"No, I can't," Zara choked out, her voice breaking as fresh tears streamed down her face.
"Please, Zara…" Lukman reached out, trying to hold her.
"Don't touch me!" she sobbed, pushing him away.
But his grip was firm. She struggled, hitting and kicking him, yet he didn't let go. Eventually, exhausted, she collapsed into his embrace, crying uncontrollably against his chest.
An hour passed. Lukman sat down, while Zara remained in his embrace, her breathing calmer now.
"Zara," he murmured, "tell me what to do. I'll do anything to prove my love to you. I want you back in my life."
At his words, Zara immediately sat up, forcing him to release her. She turned to face him, searching his eyes.
"Anything?" she asked, her voice steady.
"Yes, Zara," Lukman responded without hesitation. "As long as it doesn't mean letting go of you."
She studied him for a moment before asking, "Then tell me—why did you change after we got married? Why did you hurt me all this time?"
Lukman's expression darkened. He looked away, avoiding her gaze.
Zara's heart sank. She had been hoping for honesty, for an explanation—but his silence spoke louder than words.
"It looks like you've already failed my test," she said coldly. "And I won't ask again."
Lukman sighed, defeated. "Fine, Zara," he muttered.
Lukman exhaled deeply before speaking. "Two years ago, our families arranged for my sister, Afra, to marry your brother, Alamin," he said, his voice heavy. "But their marriage didn't go well. Your brother's heart was never with her—his only love was Atika."
Zara listened carefully, absorbing his words. She tried to compare Afra's life to her own, but she knew nothing about this woman—not even her name until now.
She had never known much about her family. She, Zainab, and their brothers—Yusuf and Alamin—had spent most of their lives away. While Yusuf and Alamin had settled in this state earlier, she and Zainab had stayed behind with their Gramma. It wasn't until Gramma passed away, after they finished secondary school, that they finally returned for thier higher level studies. Even then, Zara had barely known Lukman until he proposed to her.
A strange unease settled in her chest.
"Where is Afra now?" she asked, hesitant.
Lukman fell silent. Seconds passed, stretching into what felt like an eternity. His jaw tightened, and he lowered his gaze.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"She's no more," he whispered.
Zara felt her breath hitch.
Lukman clenched his fists, his voice raw with pain. "She left the house that day… just to get some fresh air. But she never came back. I lost her the day your brother married his second wife, Atika."
Zara's heart pounded in her chest. "What do you mean, you lost her?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
Lukman's eyes darkened with grief. "She was in an accident," he said hoarsely. "She was crossing the road when a car hit her. The driver didn't stop. She was rushed to the hospital, but… it was too late."
A heavy silence filled the air.
Zara stood frozen, stunned into silence. Her mind raced, struggling to process his words.
"I'm sorry for your loss. May her soul rest in peace," Zara said softly.
"Ameen," Lukman murmured, his voice filled with sorrow.
A heavy silence settled between them. Minutes passed before Zara finally spoke again, her voice steady but sharp.
"Are you planning to take another wife?" she asked, her gaze unwavering. "Or were you planning to kill me too—to complete your revenge against my brother?"
Lukman's breath caught in his throat. He stared at her, stunned.
"No, Zara," he said, shaking his head quickly. "Please, don't say that. I swear I never planned to harm you. I just—" He exhaled shakily. "I only wanted to hurt your brother, not you. I made a terrible mistake marrying you for revenge, and I regret it every single day."
Zara's heart clenched. Hearing this from him is painful.
Lukman continued, his voice filled with regret. "I know Alamin can see you're not happy in this marriage. We talk almost every day now. I watched him move on so easily, as if Afra's suffering meant nothing to him. I thought if I married you, it would be a constant reminder of what he did to my sister." His voice cracked. "But I was wrong, Zara. I was so wrong. I punished the wrong person. And now, I'm begging you—please, forgive me. I never meant to put you in the middle of this."
Zara inhaled sharply, trying to steady the storm inside her.
"You lack tawakkul and faith," she finally said, her tone cold. She wanted to say more—to lash out, to tell him how selfish and cruel he had been. But looking at him now, seeing the weight of his grief, she held back.
Lukman closed his eyes, his expression full of self-loathing. "You're right," he admitted. "I know I do. And Allah is punishing me for my sins. I hate myself for everything I've done. But most of all…" His voice grew softer. "I hate that I hurt you."
Zara clenched her fists. A storm of emotions raged inside her—anger, pain, sadness, and something else she couldn't quite name.
She had been nothing but a pawn in his revenge. And yet, despite it all, she could see that Lukman was truly broken.
But was his regret enough?
"Zara, I swear I started liking you from the first day I saw you," Lukman admitted, his voice raw with emotion. "But I buried my feelings—for revenge. And in the process, I ended up hurting both you and myself."
He took a step closer, desperation evident in his eyes. "Please, Zara. Forgive me."
He looked at her hopefully, waiting for her response.
Zara took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "I'm deeply sorry about your loss," she said, her voice measured. "And I regret that my brother's marriage to your sister didn't work out as hoped." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "But I need some time to process everything. Please, give me some space. I need to be alone for a while."
Lukman's face fell. He opened his mouth to protest, but she lifted a hand to stop him.
"Didn't you say you'd do anything to make things right?" she asked, her voice firm.
He nodded slowly. But then, after a pause, he added, "Anything… but letting go."
Zara exhaled, her heart pounding.
"I'm not going anywhere," she finally said. "But while I stay here, I need you to give me space and time to think things through."
Lukman hesitated for a moment before nodding again. "Okay, Zara. I'll give you space," he said, though his voice carried the weight of his reluctance.
Lukman walked out of the room, closing the door behind him gently, as if trying to leave the weight of the conversation outside.
He paused in the hallway, leaning against the wall, his mind racing. He had confessed, he had apologized, but now he was left with nothing but the silence of the house and the uncertainty of what Zara would decide.
For now, all he could do was wait.