In the Depth of the Heart - Chapter 42: Chapter 42
You are reading In the Depth of the Heart, Chapter 42: Chapter 42. Read more chapters of In the Depth of the Heart.
Zuhra’s House – Sunday Morning
It was Sunday — a day of rest. Zuhra didn’t go to the hospital today. She still felt the heaviness in her chest, the lingering exhaustion from yesterday, when her heart broke open again with a love she had long buried.
She stepped out of her room slowly, dressed in a soft pink Indian cotton top and loose trousers. Her hair was let down gently behind her, her demeanor calm and modest. Though her face carried a small smile, her eyes revealed the weariness and sadness she tried to hide.
In the dining area, she met her entire family — Mommy, Brigadier Imran, Amir, and Ruhan — enjoying breakfast in laughter. A soft morning light filled the room, as if joy had been switched on inside their home.
> “Doctor Zuhra is awake!” Amir exclaimed joyfully.
“A real doctor today!” Ruhan added.
Zuhra smiled and quietly sat near her mother. But inside her, confusion and the swelling pain of yesterday echoed like a haunting song. Her father said with a hearty laugh:
> “Work has started... now you're going to become a proper doctor. But be careful — doctors don’t get tired.”
Mommy poured tea for her with a warm voice:
> “When you’re done with breakfast, take the vitamins that arrived yesterday.”
Zuhra nodded, almost like a robot. Like a little girl once more — but this time without any will.
> Deep inside her, noise echoed — a chorus of tears and longing walked hand in hand.
Brigadier Imran continued:
> “Since it's Sunday, John and Usman will take you all shopping. Go and pick whatever you like. Let my daughter Zuhra relax on her day off.”
He turned to Mommy and said:
> “You hear that? Just leave everything to me — I’ll handle the Sunday budget!”
Mommy laughed, “When you say you’ll take care of your children, no one can stop you!”
Zuhra forced a smile. But in her heart, it felt like a label stuck over a wound still bleeding.
Munir – At the Door
Munir opened Kamal’s door abruptly. Kamal was seated, staring at the rain through the window.
> “Kamal, what happened yesterday?” Munir asked. “I told you not to go to the hospital.”
Kamal lifted his head and said in a soft voice:
> “I saw her, Munir. I saw her with my own eyes.”
Munir frowned.
> “Zuhra? So you saw her — and that one glance left you wrecked again?”
Kamal shook his head slowly.
> “I don’t know how I entered her world again. I don’t even know how I’ll leave it. But I know — I haven’t left her heart. Even if she never says it.”
Munir stared at him, then said with frustration:
> “Kamal, have you forgotten what Usman and John did to you? Another part of me feels like you’ll die if you keep chasing this.”
Kamal replied calmly:
> “I’d hurt more if I gave up on her than from any beating they could give me.”
Zuhra – Meeting Fans While Shopping
That Sunday, Brigadier Imran didn’t go with them. Mommy, Amir, Ruhan, along with John and Usman, went shopping with Zuhra to a big mall. They were walking around the women’s clothing section while Zuhra silently followed her mother.
She wore a simple long tunic and Indian-style trousers. Her hair flowed behind her gracefully. Her face wore a soft smile, though deep inside, her heart was boiling.
At one shelf of makeup products, she paused. Suddenly, two young girls spotted her from afar and rushed toward her, holding out paper and pen.
> “Miss Zuhra! Please sign this for us!”
She took the paper with a soft smile — this wasn’t new to her. She had a history in poetry and had once won Voice of Tomorrow.
She signed her name with a small emblem on the side — her signature style. The girls jumped with joy.
> “We got Miss Zuhra’s autograph! You won Voice of Tomorrow! You were meant to represent the country!”
“Are you joining SoulMic? You have to! Today’s the registration deadline!”
They left giggling and waving — like she had fulfilled a lifelong dream for them.
Zuhra – A Desire That Refuses to Die
Zuhra stood still. Her hand still clutched the pen. Her heart burned with their words:
> “Voice of Tomorrow...”
“You were supposed to represent the country...”
“You’re joining SoulMic, right?”
Her heart whispered to her:
> “I was the one meant to represent this country… and I was the one who was stopped.”
She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers together, as though trying to ease the fire burning from that simple signature. A part of herself — the one she’d spent months burying — had woken.
It was crying. It was saying: “I’m still alive.”
Usman peeked from a nearby aisle:
> “Zuhra! Are you done? Mama is waiting in the shoe section.”
Zuhra turned with a tired smile, lifted her bag, and walked toward them — but inside, her heart boiled like water in a sealed pot.
It was Sunday — a day of rest. Zuhra didn’t go to the hospital today. She still felt the heaviness in her chest, the lingering exhaustion from yesterday, when her heart broke open again with a love she had long buried.
She stepped out of her room slowly, dressed in a soft pink Indian cotton top and loose trousers. Her hair was let down gently behind her, her demeanor calm and modest. Though her face carried a small smile, her eyes revealed the weariness and sadness she tried to hide.
In the dining area, she met her entire family — Mommy, Brigadier Imran, Amir, and Ruhan — enjoying breakfast in laughter. A soft morning light filled the room, as if joy had been switched on inside their home.
> “Doctor Zuhra is awake!” Amir exclaimed joyfully.
“A real doctor today!” Ruhan added.
Zuhra smiled and quietly sat near her mother. But inside her, confusion and the swelling pain of yesterday echoed like a haunting song. Her father said with a hearty laugh:
> “Work has started... now you're going to become a proper doctor. But be careful — doctors don’t get tired.”
Mommy poured tea for her with a warm voice:
> “When you’re done with breakfast, take the vitamins that arrived yesterday.”
Zuhra nodded, almost like a robot. Like a little girl once more — but this time without any will.
> Deep inside her, noise echoed — a chorus of tears and longing walked hand in hand.
Brigadier Imran continued:
> “Since it's Sunday, John and Usman will take you all shopping. Go and pick whatever you like. Let my daughter Zuhra relax on her day off.”
He turned to Mommy and said:
> “You hear that? Just leave everything to me — I’ll handle the Sunday budget!”
Mommy laughed, “When you say you’ll take care of your children, no one can stop you!”
Zuhra forced a smile. But in her heart, it felt like a label stuck over a wound still bleeding.
Munir – At the Door
Munir opened Kamal’s door abruptly. Kamal was seated, staring at the rain through the window.
> “Kamal, what happened yesterday?” Munir asked. “I told you not to go to the hospital.”
Kamal lifted his head and said in a soft voice:
> “I saw her, Munir. I saw her with my own eyes.”
Munir frowned.
> “Zuhra? So you saw her — and that one glance left you wrecked again?”
Kamal shook his head slowly.
> “I don’t know how I entered her world again. I don’t even know how I’ll leave it. But I know — I haven’t left her heart. Even if she never says it.”
Munir stared at him, then said with frustration:
> “Kamal, have you forgotten what Usman and John did to you? Another part of me feels like you’ll die if you keep chasing this.”
Kamal replied calmly:
> “I’d hurt more if I gave up on her than from any beating they could give me.”
Zuhra – Meeting Fans While Shopping
That Sunday, Brigadier Imran didn’t go with them. Mommy, Amir, Ruhan, along with John and Usman, went shopping with Zuhra to a big mall. They were walking around the women’s clothing section while Zuhra silently followed her mother.
She wore a simple long tunic and Indian-style trousers. Her hair flowed behind her gracefully. Her face wore a soft smile, though deep inside, her heart was boiling.
At one shelf of makeup products, she paused. Suddenly, two young girls spotted her from afar and rushed toward her, holding out paper and pen.
> “Miss Zuhra! Please sign this for us!”
She took the paper with a soft smile — this wasn’t new to her. She had a history in poetry and had once won Voice of Tomorrow.
She signed her name with a small emblem on the side — her signature style. The girls jumped with joy.
> “We got Miss Zuhra’s autograph! You won Voice of Tomorrow! You were meant to represent the country!”
“Are you joining SoulMic? You have to! Today’s the registration deadline!”
They left giggling and waving — like she had fulfilled a lifelong dream for them.
Zuhra – A Desire That Refuses to Die
Zuhra stood still. Her hand still clutched the pen. Her heart burned with their words:
> “Voice of Tomorrow...”
“You were supposed to represent the country...”
“You’re joining SoulMic, right?”
Her heart whispered to her:
> “I was the one meant to represent this country… and I was the one who was stopped.”
She closed her eyes, pressing her fingers together, as though trying to ease the fire burning from that simple signature. A part of herself — the one she’d spent months burying — had woken.
It was crying. It was saying: “I’m still alive.”
Usman peeked from a nearby aisle:
> “Zuhra! Are you done? Mama is waiting in the shoe section.”
Zuhra turned with a tired smile, lifted her bag, and walked toward them — but inside, her heart boiled like water in a sealed pot.
End of In the Depth of the Heart Chapter 42. Continue reading Chapter 43 or return to In the Depth of the Heart book page.