Ammi lifted her eyes toward the ring. The moment she looked at it, the red seemed to replace the white, and tears immediately welled up and began to spill from her eyes. She tried to hold them back, but they overwhelmed her. With a desperate effort, she rushed into the room, slammed the door, and began crying uncontrollably.

Every mention of the ring brought her deep anxiety. Any reminder, any comment, would send her into a panic, and it often took a long time before she could return to herself.

Today was no different. As she sobbed in the room, she whispered through her tears,

“Oh God… my sister… I swear I will never forget you. Please forgive me… my life is meaningless without you. May God reunite me with my parents, even if only in a dream.”

Her cries pierced the heart.

Leeya tried to soothe her, helping her to her feet. They moved outside to inform their father of what was happening. Aleena, holding her hand, pleaded through her own tears,

“Please, don’t be angry with me. I didn’t mean to forget… I really thought she would stop crying if the ring was mentioned. Please… let me go with you to apologize.”

Aleena’s sobs broke out again, and Leeya too began to cry. She struggled to hold herself together, but could not. At that moment, Abbi arrived, alarmed by their crying. Leeya spoke first, quickly explaining what had happened.

Abbi’s body trembled as he reached the bedroom door. Seeing Ammi’s condition, he summoned all his strength and flung the door open. It crashed to the floor. Everyone rushed inside, frozen at the sight of her — as if some unseen pain had struck her.

“Innalillahi wa'inna ilaihirraji'un! Faheema!! Faheema!!! Faheema!!!”

He called her name with all his strength, and then instructed Leeya to fetch transportation to take her to the hospital immediately.

Leeya, barely able to move, wrapped her face in her scarf and ran to meet a taxi driver, guiding him to their home. The driver sensed the urgency and took them swiftly to ECOCO Hospital.

At the hospital, Ammi was admitted, placed on a drip, and waited for a senior doctor. Dr. Tauqir called Abbi into his office.

“Hamraz Awais? Is that you?”

“Yes, doctor.”

“Your wife is deeply troubled by something she cannot let go of. From the beginning, I warned you to be careful. This condition requires delicate attention, and I know she has been exposed to something troubling her.”

Abbi, his eyes red and tear-stained, responded:

“Yes, doctor. She has been troubled by something… it surely has to do with my sister’s ring. That is why she became so ill before at this hospital. I wasn’t home when I heard the children crying… when I arrived, I found her in that state.”

Dr. Tauqir proposed a careful solution. He explained that separating Ammi from the ring — without her awareness — could provide her the relief she desperately needed. Abbi was hesitant, fearing it might distress her further, but the doctor assured him it was the safest approach.

Meanwhile, Leeya and Aleena stayed by Ammi’s side, still crying, as she lay weakly, her eyes closed and tears quietly streaming. Abbi prayed silently, hoping for his wife’s recovery.

The nurse carefully removed the ring and handed it to Abbi. Leeya secured it in her hair, tying it so it could not fall or be noticed.

By the time Abbi returned, Ammi’s eyes were open slightly. He helped her sit up and asked softly,

“How do you feel, Faheema?”

"I feel better," she whispered, weakly forming words.

With Abbi’s support, she began to regain her composure. Aleena and Leeya stayed close, still emotional, while Dr. Tauqir oversaw the procedure.

Ammi, with difficulty, asked Hamraz for a favor: to reconcile with her parents, to take care of Leeya, and to ensure Aleena remained safe and hidden until the right time. Her voice, weak yet urgent, carried the weight of her plea.

Even after this, Abbi’s mind remained heavy with worry. He prayed quietly, contemplating life without his wife. Dr. Tauqir removed the ring, carefully ensuring Ammi would not be aware, to safeguard her recovery.

As Ammi gradually stabilized, Leeya observed everything carefully. She realized they were in Mama Hujra’s house, not their own. Tension arose as Adam, Mama Hujra’s husband, challenged their presence, angry at the girls’ intrusion. Leeya tried to explain the fragility of the children, the losses they had endured, pleading for patience and understanding.

Through it all, the women remained vigilant. Ammi slowly regained her strength, and Leeya and Aleena continued to support her, ensuring that the children were safe, the ring hidden, and that Ammi’s recovery would continue without further trauma