I was silent the whole ride and was lost in my deep thoughts after hearing him. Dad really loved mom so much to the point that he would lay the whole world under her feet, just to make her happy.

Soon the car stopped which pulled me out of my thoughts, I looked ahead and saw an unfamiliar house. Dad rolled down his window and nodded at the guards standing near the gate. They quickly opened the gate and dad drove inside and stopped the car where other cars were parked.

"Promise me one thing, Daniel. No matter what you will never hate your mother or misunderstand her," He said, unbuckling his seatbelt and looking at me.

His voice was serious and hard which also held a little fear. Maybe because he was afraid that I would not promise him and hate my mother.

"Promise," I said, looking in his eyes because I wanted him to be rest assured that I would never hate my mother, no matter what.

He unbuckled my seatbelt and both of us stepped out of the car. I looked at the big house in front of us as I followed him inside. There were 5 men in the living room and in those five men, one was Asher's father and second was his father's business partner and best friend, third was a man who had one whole village under him and other two were dad's loyal politician friends.

"Sir, please follow me," One of the maids said, coming near me as dad greeted the men.

He turned to look at me and nodded his head, silently telling me to follow the maid. The maid took me on the second level and soon I heard Asher's voice coming out of a room where the maid was taking me.

"Stop. I said stop right now and give me your toy gun," He was ordering someone.

The maid stopped before the tinted glass door and slided it open. There were five more boys in the room other than Asher.

"Oh! Daniel! Come and give me a hug. It's been such a long time since I last saw you," Asher cried, fakely as he opened his arms for me.

"Such an overactor!" One of the boys commented, smirking at Asher.

"But not like you," Asher said, smirking back at him then pulled me with him in a corner, away from him.

The other boy tried to come after him to fight but his twin brother stopped him and told him to sit quietly. Asher grinned at him teasingly then looked at me.

"Did you ask someone the meaning of that word? The one that guard said?" Asher asked me in a quiet voice while looking at the other boys.

"I tried but...," I whispered, narrowing my eyes at the floor, and thought how I hurt mom unintentionally.

"I asked my guard. He told me the meaning and it isn't any good... it's mean a woman who engages in doing anything for... money and living. You understand what I am trying to tell you," He said, quietly and carefully with hesitation.

I was stilled and anger arose inside me. My mother was not a woman who would do anything for money because I believed her. But I wanted to kill that man who said my mother was that woman.

"Daniel... don't do anything without thinking," Asher said, sincerely, putting his hand on my shoulder.

I nodded my head and now I knew why dad made me promise him to never hate mom.

"Never mention this word beside my mother's name," I told him in warning and clenched my fists to stop the anger.

He nodded his head and stood beside me silently while I was thinking about my mother. I remembered the burn mark under her feet and there were few more scars on her body which she made sure to hide from me but I saw a scar on her shoulder.

Whatever she used to do before meeting dad was not something good and the scars on her body were the proof of this. I would do anything to protect her and made sure Haleef never got near her.

• • •

I was reading a book while sitting beside mother and noticed a frown on her forehead with her eyes closed. I closed the book and observed her carefully.

"What's wrong?" I asked her in a soft voice.

"Nothing. Just my head hurts," She whispered with a sigh.

I put my book on the side and quickly moved my hands to her head. I massaged her head softly and looked at the maid who happened to pass near the living room.

"Sister, call the doctor quickly," I told her in a low voice because I didn't want to increase mom's headache by talking loudly.

She stopped and glanced at mom then quickly her head and rushed away.

"There is no need for the doctor. Mom just takes a cup of tea and her headache will be fine," Mom whispered, opening her eyes.

"Dad said not to compromise with your health. If you feel a slightest pain anywhere then call the doctor quickly," I told her what dad had instructed me.

She looked at me with glare but didn't argue because she knew it was no use. Soon the door came and checked mom. Dad also came and patiently waited till the doctor was done and wrote down the medicine name then handed it to dad.

"She is fine? Nothing serious? Right?" I asked dad once the doctor left.

"Nothing serious. She is just weak and fragile. You need to keep an eye on your mother and make her eat every hour. And everything must be healthy," He answered me and told me, a little strictly.

I quickly nodded my head and agreed with him because I knew my mama was fragile like a delicate flower. If you touched her without gentleness and softness, she might become the stem whose petals fell off.

Dad took her to their room to take rest and ordered Laila maa to make something for mom. I also went back to my room with my book and put it back on the book shelf. My book shelf was filled with many books and all were selected by my mom because she wanted me to read all the child's books.

I laid on my bed and looked at the left nightstand. There was a frame on it, of me and mom, smiling and playing together when I was 2 years old.

It had been a week since I visited Asher's house with dad and learnt the meaning of that word. During this one week, the more I thought about what my mom had gone through, the more I hated her family, my maternal family to make her do anything for money.

But now mom had me and dad. We both would do anything to protect her and bring all the happiness under her feet.

• • •

Four months had passed and there was no sign of Haleef. Dad had been worn out because of this and also because of the elections which were yesterday. I overheard dad that Haleef had joined hands with the opposition party and they had helped him in running away from dad after selling the news of mom's to them.

The opposition party tried to make a move by exposing mom's past and her past job by using the media to make him lose this year's election and never step forward in the future's elections.

But the good thing was dad had destroyed all the evidence a long time ago and made sure whoever tried to sell this information never saw the light of the next day. And furthermore, he threatened the opposition party if they tried anything dirty then dad would be very merciless and would present the report of their all illegal work in front of the whole country.

Thus, in the end, Dad won the election and became the Minister for Defense.

"Isn't your father looking so handsome?" Mom asked me 99th with a sigh as she looked at the TV with a smiling face and eyes.

I looked back at the TV for the 99th time as the news channel was announcing the results since yesterday and was giving congratulations to all the people who won.

I hummed silently and picked the plate of fruits then handed it to mom. Her health had become much better than before.

"My wife is in a happy mood nowadays," Dad's voice came from behind us.

I turned around and saw him coming near us. He kissed mom's head then patted my head gently.

"Dad, can I sleep with you two tonight? Because when my sister comes, she will be the one who sleeps with you both," I requested him because I knew once my little came, I would never get a chance to sleep with them.

"Sure!"

"No!"

Mom and dad spoke at the same time. I looked at them while they looked at each other then again looked at me.

"You can't. What if you hit her or kick her in your sleep?" Dad explained it to me while mom looked upset.

"He will not kick me nor hit me. Let him sleep with me," She requested him with a smile.

Dad looked at her for a second then nodded his head reluctantly. Mom smiled and stood up, putting the plate on the table. Dad picked me up in his arms and wrapped another arm around her and took us to the room.

Dad put me on the bed and went to the washroom. Mom laid on the bed and I put the quilt on her and laid beside her after kissing on her cheeks.

"Daniel?" Mom whispered, softly.

I hummed and faced her with a smile.

"Most fathers are strict with their kids so the kids can't be spoiled so much when they grow up. Never hate your father for being strict to you because he cares for you but never shows it to you. He doesn't know how to show the fatherly love to you so he just does everything for you that he can," She said to me and creased my cheek with a smile.

"Do you understand what mom is saying? Right?" She asked me.

I nodded my head with a smile because a few months before dad also said similar words. They both were afraid that I would hate them.

"He never shows you but he is afraid secretly that one day his son will hate him because he starts your training early. He doesn't want you in danger where you can't protect yourself. He wants you to protect yourself when you face a dangerous situation and your father's not near you," She said and kissed on my forehead then pulled the quilt on me.

Soon dad came out of the washroom after changing his clothes and laid on my left side. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me near him, making a big space between mom and me.

"Sleep in my arms and let your mom sleep peacefully," He said then wished good night and turned the lights off.

• • •

"Mom, I will report to dad if you don't listen to me," I warned her, softly with my eyes narrowed at her.

Next week was my fifth birthday and she wanted to go shopping and buy clothes for me to wear to my birthday party but that wasn't the real reason. She shouldn't go out because the doctor told her to have complete bed rest.

"I am bored of staying inside the house. Come on. It's just for one day. For a few hours. And your birthday is also coming next week," She told me, softly and looked at me with pleading eyes.

Slowly, I was melting then I remembered dad's words that her health came first and quickly controlled my melting heart. I looked away from her and picked her phone. I dialed dad's number and handed it to her.

I went to Laila maa and told her to give mom her juice. Then went back to the living room and saw the excitement in her eyes.

Ah! He agreed!

"Your father gave us permission. But only for one hour," She said, putting the phone beside her and taking the glass of juice from Laila maa.

While she was finishing her juice, Zamin came to our house and arranged guards and cars outside. Soon we drove to the mall near our house.

"What do you want to buy?" I asked her, looking outside the window.

"We will see," She answered me.

I knew the main reason for her going out was not because of shopping for my birthday but finally going out of the house after so many days and without dad.

"You bribed dad," I said in a low voice with an amused smile.

I side glanced at her and saw her looking at me with an eyebrow raised and a smile.

"You are a kid and that type of word shouldn't come out of your mouth," She said with fake anger and knocked her knuckles on my head gently.

When we reached the shopping mall, I held mom's dupatta so I won't lose her. Behind us and mixed in people were dad's men, martial arts experts, guarding us. Mom went towards an alley where kids shops were.

"Mo--,"

Just as I called her, lights went out and darkness circled us. There were hooting of many people, crying of babies and talking sounds. Slowly many people were turning their mobile's flash on and I was going to hold mom's hand with my other hand when someone injected me.

"Zamin! Mom..!" I yelled before I lost my consciousness.

• • •

"..niel!"

"Daniel!"

"Daniel!"

I heard mom's shouting voice and someone's laughing.

"Please.. Let him go.. I beg you..."

Mom's pleading and crying forced me to open my eyes. I blinked my eyes several times and gasped for breath.

"AAhha! Your son woke up!"

That familiar voice...

I moved my sore neck and tried to move myself but found I was tied. Mom was in front of me on the chair and also tied with thick rope that could leave bruises on her sensitive skin. Her tears were streaming down and her face was pale.

"Mom!"

I screamed her name in panic and tried to lift myself from the ground and crawled towards her.

"Tch! Tch!"

Someone stood in front of me and blocked my way. I looked up and saw the guard who told me he was my mother's brother.

"You..."

Before I said, he squatted down in front of me and held my face in his one hand. I glared at him angrily and pulled my face away from his hold.

"Isn't his face like you?" He asked mom with a taunting tone.

"Please. Let him go... please.. Haleef," Mom pleaded and sobbed.

"Mom..," I struggled to free myself the rope and tried to crawl towards her but Haleef didn't let me and chuckled at me.

"You didn't beg me like this when you were at my mercy last time but.. Today you beg me... not for your life but for your son's," He chuckled and paused, looking at me with a menacing smile and said, "OK. Because this is the first time my dear sister asked me something then I will grant this wish... or maybe last wish too."

"Leave my mom. Don't even think of doing something to her," I yelled at him and tried to free myself but he chuckled and pulled me in front of him.

"Haleef!" Mom called him, loudly and in panic.

He freed my one hand from the rope which I tried to pull from his hold but he held it tightly.

"You are truly Taimoor's son but.. Alas! You are just a kid with not too much strength," He said in my ear with amusement in his voice.

"My father will be here soon and--,"

I was telling him and looking at mom's pale face which made my heart clenched painfully.

"He will not. I have blocked your GPS device till I leave," He answered and put a gun in my hand.

I tried to not to hold but he held me with one hand and held my hand with the gun in other hand which was making me panic and tremble. In the background, mom was crying, sobbing and pleading for me.

"Ay! Scared? I haven't done anything properly. I wish I could play with you guys a little more but I don't have time so..," Haleef said with a whine and stood up with me in his arms.

"No.. No..! Don't!" I yelled and struggled in his arms but he didn't leave me.

My vision was getting blurry and I was feeling my breathing slowing down.

"Have fun sister!" He snickered and pulled the trigger with my finger getting cut.

Bang!

"MOMMMM!"

I kicked and struggled to get away from him but he didn't leave me and kept laughing. He pulled the trigger again and

Bang!

Mom fell on the ground and I felt numb at the same time.

"I.. Killed.. Her.." I whispered and felt myself being thrown on the ground.

But I didn't feel any single pain at that time. All I felt was numb outside but inside my brain and heart was messed. Everything in front of my eyes was getting dark. Black dots appeared and a painful siren echoed in my ears.

"If you didn't run away then this would never happen," These were the last words of Haleef that I heard before his faded footsteps sounded.

My consciousness was returning and going. My free hand moved on its own and opened the rope as quickly as possible.

"Mom..," A whisper escaped from my lips and my legs ran towards mom.

Slowly everything became clear and all I saw in front of me was her blood which was slowly pooling around her. I untied her quickly and laid her properly and straightly then sat near her and put her head on my lap and patted it.

Her breathing was slowing and her eyes were opened half, without any focus.

"Da.. Neil. My.. Son..," She whispered in low voice and breathed heavily.

"I'm here. I'm here. Please don't leave me. Stay with me. Dad will come to save us," I told her as my tears slipped and fell on her cheeks.

"Let.. me ho..ld you," She said with a smile and lifted her one arm slowly and shakingly.

I quickly laid beside her and put her arm on me and put my own arm on her. I patted her head softly and wiped her face.

"I love you, mom. Don't close your eyes," I whispered and kissed on her cheek.

"Be a.. good boy and.. a loyal doc..tor. Sa..ve people," She said and faintly rubbed my back.

I talked to mom and made sure she didn't close her eyes. Her eyes were closing but she fought and held me in her arms like she didn't want to leave me alone in this strange and unknown place and was waiting for someone because her eyes were moving towards the door.

I had tried to look for help outside this place but we were currently at an abandoned place. There wasn't any sign of living near this place.

Soon her breath was becoming heavy and her arms were loosing. I panicked and patted her cheeks.

"Mom..."

"Forgive.. your mo-ther.. I can't give... you sister..," She whispered in a low raspy voice with gasps of breaths.

I shook my head and wiped her tears as sobbed escaped from my lips.

"No. It's my fault. I couldn't protect you and..," I sobbed and stared at her pale ghostly white face with tearful eyes.

"It's not... your.. fault. Don't think.. about it. It's just my.. ti-time. Always remember.. mom loves you... and.. and tell your dad that to raise you and..," -She took a long gasp then continued- "..Make you a good man and.. ah.. I.. I will always look over.. you. And never for..get... what.. I.. I.. taught you.. both...," Her voice became weak in the end and her eyes dropped along with her breath that stopped.