Trust Me (An Islamic Love Story)

Chapter 59

I pass my hand over "your proudest father", my heart aching as I try to imagine him writing it. I read the letter thrice before folding it back and putting it down. I wipe away the tears of happiness and pain.

"I'm sorry for your loss. They do sound like genuinely good people," Abbas attempts to console me anyways. "When I read the letter, I realized the story Raheesh had told me about your parents' death and about you didn't seem to match. He told me you had tried to kill your parents thinking they were your kidnappers in one of your episodes, and you put the house on fire. I thought the scars you have are from that incident and are self-harm as..." He pauses, and I wish I didn't notice his guilt. "Raheesh told me they were self-harm, so I just believed him. When I found the letter, my conviction in Raheesh began to waver. I decided to keep very close to him, but I didn't entirely understand why he lied to me about your parents' death. I thought there must be a reason, but when you mentioned hitting the kid, I had to check if you were telling the truth, and the footage confirmed it."

"You didn't know?" I can't help but ask. "You took me to the room where he whipped those children."

"I thought Raheesh was up to something, but I didn't know it was so gruesome," he insists, sounding revolted.

"I never thought there was a limit to your violence. You hit Basma, and you treated her like filth," I remind him again, confused by his double standards.

"I am not a good person, Abeer," Abbas admits as if he was expecting me to say that. "I can't explain to you why I was the way I was with her... with Basma. Mind you, I didn't behave like that with every servant. She listened to me, did whatever I asked her to do, and she was so... submissive, and I am ashamed I took advantage of it. I forgot she was human, and I wanted to say sorry to her. I really did. I wish I had the chance, but... the least I can do is make sure she has a proper funeral." He pauses, breathing heavily. "But despite how I was with her, I couldn't stand the truth about Raheesh. After I saw the footage, everything started to piece together. I understood that Raheesh was not who he said he was."

His name still hurts me, but I try not to flinch.

"I started researching old newspapers and documents," Abbas continues, unaware of my state of mind, "but it was hard, as Raheesh kept an eye on me especially after I offered to do whatever he asked me to do to win his trust. It was easier to research when he left the country, and that's when I found an old newspaper in which your father had spoken against a terrorist organization. Just after three days, your parents issued flyers that said you were missing. I definitely understood the connection between the two things."

Abbas pauses, takes my cup, and asks the waiter to reheat it. "Raheesh came back when his mother passed away for her funeral and I showed him as much loyalty and sympathy as I could. Just yesterday, he told me he was the one who had kidnapped you, and he was a member of the organization your father spoke against. He told me that after your father's speech, it was his idea to teach your father a lesson by using his only daughter as a weapon. They had planned to," he shudders as he continues, "sketch on you and present you to the world through media to prove how much power they had and to instill fear in the people."

I feel sick and dizzy, but I do my best to remain calm. Raheesh was using me to punish my parents. My parents loved me.

"But when you escaped, his plan had failed quite miserably," Abbas adds, relieved. "He also offered me to take his place in the organization. You see, he got obsessed with you." My heart sinks at the choice of his words. "He didn't want to ever let go of you. After you escaped him the first time, the organization decided to execute him. They think his attachment to you led to this, but his mother being a very influential part of the organization, held his execution off. So, her death meant that Raheesh had to die too, and he wouldn't let that happen unless he took you down too. That's why he planned to frame you. I brought the police as he wanted, but I gave them the evidence, the USB."