Chapter 129

A few moments of silence elapsed between them. The silence was not empty; it was filled with the weight of what she was about to say. Burhan waited patiently, giving her the space she needed. He could see the way her fingers twisted the edge of the blanket again, the small nervous habit she had picked up whenever her thoughts grew too heavy. Then she finally spoke, her voice low and hesitant.

“Did you kill Hayder... in that bomb blast... in the love garden?” Roshanay muttered, barely loud enough for the words to carry across the room. The name Hayder landed like a stone dropped into deep water, sending ripples through the quiet.

Burhan’s eyes narrowed just slightly as he tried to place the name. “Who is Hayder?” he asked, genuine confusion threading through his tone while he searched his memory for any connection. The confusion was real; she could see it in the way his brows drew together.

“The boy I loved,” she answered quietly, her gaze dropping to her hands. Her