n?" her mother asked softly, gently fo

long, Mom. I don't want Arzlan growing up

d folding her clothes into an old suitcase, its edges already peeling. Outsid

er said. "We'll start over, sweetheart. As lo

ven birth just weeks ago. In that very room, she had waited

. His face was peaceful, as if una

her son with a

t wait for your father to chan

cradled Arzlan in her arms, a lou

a

ps stomped ac

IR

ged to someone she knew to

with panic etched on her face. No g

son?!" she yelled, eyes wide as she took in th

er face was calm, tho

she said shortly. "Arzla

"You think you can just take my

ed forward, holding

t running-we're leaving because thi

a's legal wife! You live under his roof, eat hi

her straight

ivered his child by myself. Because Raka chose another woman.

growled,

oor, jobless, living in someone else's house. If

poor, but my daughter has pride. We may not have wealth

sh, Aira. You never understood Raka's position!

g but firm. "I just want peace. I want to raise my son in a

ther-in-law grabbed the

ut the child," she pointed to the

ped. She stepped back, c

do you

family's blood! You don't g

son. I gave birth to him. I nurs

apped. "If you want to leave, leave. But the baby st

whispered, catching her dau

lf? What kind of human s

woman screamed. "And as h

ars final

t I raised him from day one. And I won't be separated f

but her suitcase wa

ith him, I'll c

a f

he one at fault, and now you

them Aira kidnapped Raka's child. I'

collapsed at

of life

, a wife, a woman... h

l voice brok

an's

s, as if he too could feel the

cked him, kissi

ama's here. No one's takin

ying s

r-in-law

n't give her

p, she pulled h

e one listed as his mother on the birth certificate. I'm t

ed her i

myself and my child

e. Words stuck

ned to h

s go,

no one st

-

her mother once lived in, the silence was heavy. On

zlan, now fast a

But here, you'll know what real love feels like. No one w

gently to

. So strong. And you

ook at her, nodd

hadn't fu

hed shut-by courage, and