Next day.....

Maryam got ready to go back to her home, Shifa was playing with Maham and Razi. After many days Maryam was very happy.

"Abbu I'm going" Maryam said to Sabir before going back and Sabir took Shifa in his arms with a wide smile and kissed her forehead.

"I'll miss my little princess, when will you come again to meet us?" Maryam smiled on her father's question

"Shifa say that you will coming soon and you will also miss Nana abbu" Maryam answer indirectly and Sabir kissed the forehead of Shifa.

"Allah Hafiz Abbu" Maryam mumbled and Sabir looked at her.

"Go" placing his hand on MARYAM'S head Sabir said without looking her as he was hiding his tears, somewhere Sabir knew How his stubborn daughter gave up her ego and stubbornness in front of Anwar and his family.

===============

After few days....

Maryam was laying with closed eyes when Anwar smiled looking at his both sons and wife, he thought Maryam was sleeping. Leaning down he kissed the cheeks of his sons, on that voice Maryam opened her eyes.

"Suniye..."

"Weren't you sleeping?" she shook her head slowly and turned her side to face him properly

“Maryam I have to talk to you" before Maryam could say anything Anwar said and Maryam nodded.

"Ji boliye (yes say)"

"Maryam, Hamdan is not your own son but Bilal is... I just want assurance that you won't discriminate between these two boys" Holding her hand Anwar said and Maryam smiled sadly

"They both are my sons, Hamdan is elder one but you never treat Shifa as your daughter" Maryam utter meekly and Anwar nodded

"Maryam Its true I don't love Shifa as my own children but if I have took her responsibility as a father then I'll fulfilled her every need, I'll take her care in every way possible for me" Maryam nodded on that as she believes on Anwar's words.

"Now our children are my life, our two sons and a daughter" Maryam nodded slightly and Anwar cupped left cheek with his right hand.

"Now take rest, this little boy will start crying after sometime then you have to wake up" Maryam closed her eyes with a smile and soon slept by the slumber.

==============

That was Sunday so Maryam decided to visit her parents, Rani was also there to meet her mother, Hamdan was playing with His cousin brother (Rani's son) both the boys were running then felt tired and sat down with Rani to drink juice.

Maryam was getting ready to go but not before cooking for Rani and Amma.

"Phuppo Nana abbu brings me chocolate pastry and Maham khala and Razi mama plays with me and Shifa... And I make fun of Razi mama by calling him Razu Mamu" Hamdan said very happily and Rani's blood got a boil

"Hamdan neither Shifa is your sister, nor they are you Nana, Nani and khala, mama" Rani said after huffing and little boy was confused

"Shifa is my sister" Hamdan said with determination

"No beta, Shifa is not your sister, she is your step-sister but Bilal is your real brother."

"But phuppo Shifa call me Daan bai and mummy also says...." Hamdan's confused question cutted off between when Maryam came out from the room, lifting her son with right arm and holding shifa's hand who was walking with her tiny steps, Anwar also came after Maryam.

"Hamdan let's go babu, Maham khala must be waiting for you" Maryam said and Hamdan nodded but his small brain was thinking about what she listened from Rani.

"Papa what is step-sister? Shifa is my step sister. Right?" Hamdan asked innocently making Maryam and Anwar shocked.

"Who said this Hamdan?" Maryam asked and Hamdan told the truth

"Hamdan go in the room" Hamdan nodded and ran to the room without knowing the reason of his father's order

"Rani don't test my patience, I don't want any step-relationship and rear relationship in my children, they three will love each other as real siblings and I don't want any drama in this matter." Anwar yelled.

"Bhai Why are you saying this to me, you can stop me to say this but what about all the relatives, they would also say the same" Rani said and got Anwar's glare

"So say to all the relatives that none of them do dare to poison my children's ear, they are living like real siblings and I don't want anyone to say to My sons that Shifa is their step sister or my step daughter... Even I don't wanna listen this word again..." Anwar shouted from the top of his lungs and Rani was scared after that.

"They three are our children, got it or not?" He again yelled...

"Maryam why are you still standing here? Do you wanna go or not?" Anwar shouted on her and she nodded quickly, she was also feeling terrified with Anwar's roar.

"Hmm.. I.. I'm going... Hamdan come beta" Maryam called him before going towards the main door.

"Anwar don't shout this much.. You will regret one day for what you are doing" Amma shouted when Maryam leave for her maternal home.

"And stop your wife to go her maternal home, her parents will spoil that girl.. What's her name.. Yeah.. Shifa..." Amma shouted and Anwar huffed.

"Amma stop it, Shifa is just a little baby" Anwar said with disappointment

"Anwar she is small now but be aware, she will spoil your reputation one day as her mother did with her parents. Maryam is their real daughter of them but you're the step-father. When Maryam didn't think about her real parents then how you're expecting that Shifa will think about your reputation?!... Take this girl in your hold otherwise one day you will hide your face shamefully from this world..." Anwar was shocked on what he listened, but those words made their place in his mind and heart, which made him really anxious about the future. He went to the room and sat down on bed holding his head with both of his hands.

'Will Shifa do something like Maryam? Can Shifa really do something like that in future?' Anwar asked to himself

'I don't think so..., Maryam will raise her in good way' his heart said

'But Shifa can do this...What If Maryam won't be able prove herself as a good mother?' His mind replied which made him terrified

'What if Shifa will run away with someone!' again a doubt came in his mind

'No... She can't... Maryam will be a good mother' again a wise mine put his opinion...

'But if she proved wrong then?' a doubt again knocked down his wise side

Anwar was captured by thousands of thoughts and in the end he went to a conclusion.....

'I have to be strict towards Shifa, it shouldn't be like this that I treat her like Maryam's father treated Maryam.... And that love and care would spoilt Shifa... Just like her mother. I should take Shifa in my hold so that she would be frightened before taking any wrong step in future.' Anwar concluded and closed his eyes while thinking everything deeply.

On the other hand.....

Maryam entered in her maternal home and she was surprised when two guests were already sitting in living room.

"Anisa you even didn't informed us that you married off Maryam" Maryam listened a voice and made her way towards the sofa taking her little son in her arms and Hamdan also followed her, he was holding shifa's finger in his small fist to lead the way to his little sister.

"Assalamualaikum...." Maryam greeted the guests and her mother.

"Maryam, you will get a long life.. We were talking about you just now...." one of the lady said and Maryam smiled happily.

"Chacha, chachi you really forget us after going from here" Maryam said while sitting beside her mother and giving her son to Anisa. That guests were use to live in neighbouring house of Maryam but some years back shifted from there and they came to invite their old neighbours in their daughter's wedding.

"Maryam I'm very offended with you, Fine that I'm not any of your relative, just old neighbour but you use to call me chachi haven't you remembered me to invite in your wedding?" That lady said and Maryam fake a smile. At the same time Sabir entered in the home holding many polythene bags in his hands, which was holding many snacks.

"Mummy Nana abbu is homeee..." Hamdan said happily and ran towards Sabir

"Nana Abbu have you bring chocolate pastry for me?" Hamdan asked happily and Sabir nodded with a smile.

"Indeed... I knew that you love chocolate pastries so I bring it for you" Sabir said and Hamdan smiled...

"Mummy.... Nana Abbu..!! Is he your son Maryam? The lady asked and Maryam looked at Anisa.

"Bhai sahab you take tea, it's getting cold" Anisa cutted off the question and both guests exchanged the look.

"We shifted from here before four years... At that time... Maryam was unmarried... But this boy must be five or six.." The lady said to Anisa... Actually that wasn't an statement but a question...

"It means what ever we listened wasn't a hearsay! That was truth..." The man (guest) said and Maryam looked at her parents.

"Many people told us that Sabir bhai marry off his elder daughter with a divorcy man who has a son, but we didn't believe..." The man said and Maryam looked up at his father who was looking pale.

"He.. He isn't divorcy his wife died in an accident" Maryam said meekly without making eye contact.

"Suna to or bhi bohot kuch tha hum logo ne Maryam ke bare me... Magar chodiye.. Raat gai so baat gai" The lady said and Anisa nodded with hesitation, but a taunt was clearly noticeable in her words.

(Actually we heard many more rumours about Maryam.. But leave it... What past is past)

"Yeah what's the matter of discussion about past!" Anisa said meekly and both guests nodded.

"Yes absolutely right, past is past but many people don't leave these type of topics easily." The lady said and Maryam felt hurt.

"Ammi give him to me, I'm going to my room" Maryam said while taking her little son from her mother.

"Hamdan, come to room with Shifa.."

"Mummy I'm playing with Maha..."

"Hamdan I said come inside..." Maryam said strictly and he nodded before marching next to Maryam.....

She closed the door of her room and cried silently before drawing her diary.

"By the way All these things will make problems for Maham... Now take example of our elder daughter, she lives so good in her in-law's home that my younger daughter got many proposals because everyone believed that younger sister follows the way of her elder sisters" Maryam listened that voice from outside the room and bite her lower lip to held her sob.

"My Maham is my pride she won't make me feel disappointed and disrespect in society" Maryam listened her father's voice and a tear rolled down from her cheek.

"Indeed Maham will not do anything like Maryam but at the time of Maham's marriage her in-laws would ask about the Maryam's in-laws.. And.. Everything... I just wanna say... It shouldn't be like this that Maryam's past will effect Maham's future."

A loud sob left out from Maryam's mouth after listening that....

{A/n: I remember a sher of AHMED FARAZ on this situation.....

Hum na hote to kisi or ke charche hote,

Khalqat-e-sheher to kehne to fasane mange.

Khalqat- inhabitant}

Maryam open the diary and started writing that...

Dear Diary,

Why with me? I was happy that today 'he' said.. _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Never... Never...

_Maryam Anwar

"Hamdan, beta wear your shoes we are going back" Maryam said while placing back her diary in the cupboard and turned before lifting her son.

"But mummy I want to play with Maham khala"

"No beta we have to go back" Saying that she make Hamdan wear his shoes and stepped out from the room after wiping her tears...

"Allah Hafiz... I'm going" Maryam said to her mother.

"But Maryam aapi you come just now..." Maryam didn't let Maham complete the sentence

"When will you come back?" Anisa asked and Maryam lifted her gaze towards the guests and then looked at her father, who was sitting with lower eyes, then she lifted her eyes towards her mother.

"Never" Maryam mouthed while controlling her tears

"What?" Anisa pardoned

"I'll never come again, you can say to everyone that you have only one daughter and one son" Maryam said with tear filled eyes and left the home.

*****FLASHBACK END*****

AFIFA'S POV:

Dear Diary,

Why with me? I was happy that today 'he' said that Shifa, Hamdan and Bilal they three are our children, we don't have any step-relationship in out family. I was thinking that my life is become better... But why my past is not letting me live...

But now the problem is much bigger because now my past is going to make my sister suffer. My Maham is very innocent she haven't did anything wrong why would she suffer due to me!!

I don't want to trouble my family anymore, Abbu and Ammi is listening everyone's taunts because of me but I won't tolerate if my deeds will effect my sister's life... I don't want that my daughter or sister do anything what I have done with me..

Love is the my biggest mistake of life.

Once I wrote that I love Aatish more than anyone else, but now don't have any other way to accept that I hate Aatish more than anyone else.

I wish I never met with Aatish...

I wish I never believe on him...

I wish I never decided to marry him...

I wish I would never love him..

But all these things are just past from now onwards I'll never come back here..

Never... Never...

_Maryam Anwar

I closed the diary after reading the last page... And I literally had tears in my eyes... I can't imagine that Maryam aunty who always smiles happily in front of everyone, she is hiding so much pain in her heart and Shifa is not Anwar uncle's real daughter...

Hamdan bhai and Bilal are her step brothers... And Shifa knew all these things... Now I understand why Shifa always felt afraid of boys and love...

I am sure due to all these things she is not ready to accept her love for Faraz bhai...

After placing back the diaries I picked the mobile and dialled shifa's number

"Hello" She received the call and her voice was sad.

"Shiffo Are you crying?" I asked and I listened a sob

"N.. No.. Why would I cry?" she said with in almost whispered

"Stop it yaar.. I read both the diaries" I said and I didn't got any Answer from other side. Removing the mobile from my ear I looked at the mobile screen to check if the call was on going or ended but that was continue

"Shifa talk to me yaar" I said and she hummed.

"Affo can you come to my home tomorrow? I want someone to talk with... Who listen to me."

"Shifa please don't cry yaar I'm coming to your home tomorrow" I said and hanged up the call but she was sounding broken. She never said to anyone what she is feeling, she hides her emotions very well. But that day she wanted to share her feelings to me. For the first time she was going to show me her broken side, but she is my Shifa...

I couldn't let her break down..

================

Assalamualaikum

my dear readers...

❤️

I know in last update I said that I'm updating the next part in just 10 minutes... 😬

But...

But...

There is a reason for my late update...

🙊🙊🙊

Now...

Are you happy that flashback is over?!

🤨

I know answer wi

_Naaz Jamal