The Woman Who Was Almost Me

Months passed, and the company continued to grow steadily in its early stages. Things were moving smoothly, just as Dina had predicted. The team, now composed of four members—Aamz, his friend Moeen, Dina, and myself—worked together with a sense of unity. Aamz took the lead, his confidence and vision guiding the direction of the company. Moeen brought a steady presence, and Dina was just as involved as ever, often pushing the boundaries of her role.

But there was something inside me that was still unresolved—something Dina had never fully addressed. She had involved me in this journey, yes, but it was clear that she still made the decisions. She dictated the pace, the direction, and often, even the way I was expected to contribute. There was a sense of power she held over me, and though I had always trusted her, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being used, even if it wasn't intentional.

I often found myself questioning her motives, wondering where I truly stood in this venture. Was I here because she genuinely wanted me involved, or because I was simply a tool she could use to help her advance? The lines between sisterhood and ambition had blurred so much that I wasn't sure where one ended and the other began.

I continued to work alongside her, alongside everyone, doing my best to contribute, but deep down, I knew something was still unsaid. The question of whether Dina truly saw me as an equal, or if I was just another asset to her plans, lingered in my mind.

One day, Dina came to me with her usual spark in her eyes, asking, "Are you ready for the next plan?"

I paused for a moment, my mind racing. Everything had always felt like part of some grand plan she had laid out for me—whether I liked it or not. But this time, something inside me snapped.

I looked at her and said, "No, Dina, no. I am not in your plans anymore."

The words hung in the air between us, heavier than I had expected. Dina seemed taken aback for a moment, her eyes searching mine for any sign of doubt. But there was none. I had made up my mind. I had been a part of her plans for so long, always following her lead, always playing the role she assigned me. But no more. It was time for me to stand on my own, to carve my own path.

Dina, always so composed, blinked a few times before speaking. "What do you mean? You're an integral part of this. We need you."

I shook my head. "No, you need me for your own purposes, Dina. You've always known what you want, and I've just been following along, pretending like I'm okay with it. But not anymore. I need to find my own way. I need to stop being a part of your plans and start making my own."

There was a silence between us, a long, uncomfortable pause. I could see the hurt in her eyes, but I also knew this was something I had to do for myself. I wasn't going to be swept along by her ambitions anymore, even if it meant losing that connection with her.

She looked at me, a mix of urgency and determination in her voice. "Just listen to me and let me explain everything, just once. This time it's about our family. We have to understand what we are exactly. Why do we have so few relatives? Why did our family name change twice? Why did we migrate twice?"

Her words hit me like a wave. For a moment, I was caught off guard. I had heard pieces of this before, hints and fragments of family history I never fully understood or had the patience to question. But now, Dina's plea seemed different. There was a vulnerability in her voice that made it hard to ignore.

I crossed my arms, reluctant but still curious. "What do you mean? What are you trying to say?"

She took a deep breath, her gaze distant as if she was recalling something deeply personal. "You've noticed, haven't you? Our family has always been... different. We've never really fit in anywhere. There's always been something off. And I think it's time we understood why."

I could sense the weight of what she was saying. She was right. We had never been close to extended family, and the few relatives we had were scattered across different parts of the world. The family name changing twice felt like a strange coincidence, but I never questioned it. Now, Dina was asking me to reconsider everything we had taken for granted.

I swallowed hard, trying to process her words. "So what do you think we should do? What does this all mean?"

She looked at me, her eyes serious. "I think it's time we uncover the truth. I think we need to understand why things are the way they are in our family. It might explain everything we've been going through. And once we know, we'll know what to do next."

I felt a mixture of confusion and hesitation, but something in her voice made me want to listen. For the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe Dina wasn't just manipulating things for her own gain. Maybe, just maybe, she was looking for answers too.

"Alright," I said slowly, "I'll listen. But I'm not sure where this will take us."

She gave a small, relieved smile. "That's all I ask for. Let's figure this out together."

Dina's voice softened as she spoke, and I could feel the weight of her words settle in my chest. "Dear Dorsa, you are so precious to me," she continued, her gaze tender. "Now that I'm getting closer to my future with Aamz, something new has begun to take hold of me. It's like I need to solve these mysteries, these clues that have been lingering. Before we go forward, I need to understand everything, and so do you. Because soon, you'll be in the same situation. You'll find your own precious half, and you'll need answers too. So, it's better we face these questions now, together."

Her words struck me in ways I hadn't expected. For so long, I had been questioning my place in all of this, trying to understand where I fit into Dina's plans and, more importantly, what it meant for me. But now, hearing her talk about marriage, about Aamz, and the future we both were navigating—her sincerity about wanting to find the truth about our family, for both of us—made me pause.

I looked at Dina, trying to comprehend the deeper layers of her thoughts. "So, you think all of this... the family history, the name changes, the moves... it's connected to our futures? Our marriages?"

She nodded slowly, her eyes serious. "Yes, Dorsa. It's all intertwined. I feel like we're on the edge of something bigger, but we can't move forward until we understand what's holding us back. There's something in our family's past, something we haven't fully confronted yet. And I think, once we understand that, everything else will make sense."

I felt a chill run through me. It was like opening a door to a mystery I wasn't sure I was ready to face. But I knew Dina wasn't going to let it go. And, strangely, I felt like this was something I needed to understand as well.

I sighed, the weight of it all settling in. "Alright. Let's do this then. But I'm not sure what we're going to find."

Dina smiled, a quiet confidence in her expression. "Whatever we find, Dorsa, we'll face it together. We always have, right?"

Dina sighed, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes again. "You know?" she said, her voice unusually serious. "Darya thinks everything is rooted in our mother's death."

I felt something tighten in my chest. "She was your mother, Dina. And Darya's. But my mother is Mom." My voice was sharp, defensive. "And you two are so ungrateful, never truly accepting her as your mother, even though she's loved you like her own."

Dina exhaled, shaking her head. "It's not about that, Dorsa. It's not about love or gratitude. It's about something deeper. Something unresolved."

I folded my arms, still not ready to let it go. "Then what? What's so unresolved that you and Darya can't just live in peace? Mom raised you both, cared for you both. Isn't that enough?"

Dina's expression softened, but there was something unsettled in her eyes. "You don't understand because you never had to question where you belonged in this family."

That caught me off guard. "What does that mean?"

She hesitated before speaking again. "Darya thinks everything changed after our mother died. That something shifted, something hidden. She believes our family has been carrying a secret ever since."

A shiver ran through me. I had always known there were unanswered questions about our past—our limited relatives, our family name changing twice, the migrations. But I had never connected it to their mother's death.

I frowned. "Dina, this sounds like one of Darya's overdramatic theories."

Dina shook her head. "No. This time, I think she might be right. And I think we need to find out the truth."

That evening, we were at Darya's house. She made sure her little daughter, Negin, was sound asleep before she carefully pulled out an old photograph.

She placed it on the table in front of us. The image was slightly faded, but clear enough to see—a young woman, their mother, Maryam, holding a newborn in her arms. Beside her stood a little girl, no older than four or five, staring at the camera with wide eyes.

Darya traced her finger over the photo. "This is our mother," she said quietly. "That's me… and the newborn is Dina."

I stared at the picture, my mind struggling to process what she was saying. "That's impossible," I said finally. "She died when Dina was born."

Dina exhaled slowly. "That," she said, looking at me with an intensity that sent chills down my spine, "is exactly the point."

Silence settled over the room. The air felt heavier, as if we had just stepped too close to something we weren't meant to touch.

I swallowed hard. "Then… if she didn't die at birth, what happened?"

Darya leaned back, her expression unreadable. "That's what we need to find out."

Darya took a deep breath, her eyes fixed on the photograph. "I always had this faint memory," she said. "I remember seeing our mother holding newborn Dina in her arms… alive."

The words sent a chill down my spine. If she was alive after giving birth, then how did she die?

Then, Darya hesitated for a moment before saying something that made my heart stop. "What if… her death wasn't natural? What if it was a murder?"

Dina and I exchanged glances, both of us caught between disbelief and a strange, unsettling feeling that we had just stepped onto dangerous ground.

I shook my head. "That's impossible. Daddy never spoke of anything like that. And if it were true, wouldn't there have been— I don't know— some kind of investigation?"

Darya's jaw tightened. "That's exactly the thing. No one ever talked about it. It was like one day, she was here, and the next… gone. No questions, no explanations."

Dina's voice was quieter than usual. "Then we need to start asking those questions now."

I felt my whole body tense. "If she was murdered… why would Daddy never try to find out who did it?"

Darya's expression darkened. "Because he was always the one who tried the hardest to keep everything hidden."

A cold wave of shock rushed through me. "Shut up, Darya! Just shut up!" My voice trembled with anger. "How can you even suggest that? How can you think Daddy—our own father—was a killer?"

Darya sighed, rubbing her temples. "I'm not saying he killed her. But I am saying he knows more than he ever let on. He buried the past like it never happened. Doesn't that make you wonder why?"

I looked at Dina, searching for her reaction. She wasn't as shocked as I was. Instead, she looked deep in thought, her fingers tracing the edge of the photograph.

Dina finally spoke. "If there's even a small chance that he's hiding something, we need to find out the truth."

I swallowed hard. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Tears welled up in Dina's eyes, spilling down her cheeks. Her voice trembled. "This is the hardest for me. At least you, Darya, got to see her for a few years… I never even had that."

Darya reached out, gently squeezing Dina's hand. "I know, and I'm sorry," she said softly, trying to calm her down.

After a moment of silence, Darya took a deep breath. "There's one person who might have answers—my mother's friend, Houriya. She was close to her back then. If anyone knows the truth, it's her."

I frowned. "Do we even know where she is?"

Darya hesitated. "No… but we have to find her."

I crossed my arms. "Why didn't you try harder before?"

Darya sighed. "I did try, but I failed. She disappeared without a trace."

I raised an eyebrow. "And now, suddenly, you think we can find her?"

A small, knowing smile played on Darya's lips. "Because this time, we have a zippy boy on our side."

Dina wiped her tears and let out a weak chuckle. "You mean Aamz?"

Darya nodded. "He's sharp, resourceful, and tech-savvy. If anyone can track someone down, it's him."

Dina hesitated, looking skeptical. "I doubt this is something Aamz can handle. It's too complicated."

Darya smirked, a hint of pride in her tone. "Daddy always says, 'If I ask him to make eggs from soil, he'll fail twice, but on the third try, he'll get it.' That's the kind of guy he is—persistent, resourceful. He might surprise you."

Dina looked thoughtful for a moment, still unsure but a little more convinced. "I guess it's worth a shot."

I felt the tension in the room shift slightly, but it was clear that we were all about to embark on something unpredictable.

Dina insisted, "Dorsa, you ask him to find Houriya."

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "Why me? He's your boyfriend, not mine. I'll just support you, but I'm not going to get tangled in this."

Both Dina and Darya nodded in agreement, accepting my decision. Dina gave me a small, knowing smile, and that was the end of the discussion. It was clear that this was a path we were going to tread carefully, and I would stay in the background, helping as quietly as possible.

A couple of weeks later, while we were at the office, Aamz suddenly announced, "I found her, Dina. This is the address of the high school she works in, but it's not in this city."

Dina's eyes widened with excitement, but there was also a hint of anxiety in her voice as she asked, "Are you sure it's her? How did you find out?"

Aamz simply nodded, handing her the details. "I had to dig a little, but I'm sure it's her. It wasn't easy, but I made sure to cross-check everything."

Dina's expression shifted. "Thank you... Thank you so much."

I stood back, watching the exchange. There was a strange feeling stirring inside me—relief mixed with unease. Finding Houriya seemed to open a whole new chapter, one that was going to change everything.

Dina and Aamz were preparing for their one-day trip to meet Houriya. As they got ready, I could see the tension between them. Aamz's face was tight with discomfort, a look that suggested he wasn't fully on board with this plan. Dina, on the other hand, was eager but cautious, trying to keep her excitement under control while also sensing the pressure she was putting on him.

I could tell by the way he avoided eye contact with her that he wasn't happy about the situation. He'd never been one to shy away from challenges, but this felt different. This was personal. And from the way he silently followed Dina's lead, it was clear he had been pushed into this—possibly more for Dina's sake than his own.

Dina, ever determined, seemed focused on the task at hand. She reassured him, probably hoping to mask the strain in their dynamic. "It'll be a quick trip, Aamz. Just a visit, we'll be back soon. Trust me, you'll see."

He barely nodded, his response more of a resigned acceptance than any real enthusiasm. "Yeah, I know," he muttered.

It was clear: this trip wasn't just about meeting Houriya—it was about unearthing pieces of their past, and possibly a truth they weren't sure they were ready to face.

I kept checking Daddy's schedule, making sure everything aligned so that their actions would stay hidden from him and Mom. I was cautious, paying attention to the smallest details, monitoring Daddy's plan for the day and making sure he wouldn't show up at the office. I had to keep everything smooth, or else the whole plan would fall apart.

By the time evening came around, Dina and Aamz returned. Dina looked exhausted, but there was a sense of contentment in her. Her tiredness wasn't from failure, I could tell—it was more like the aftermath of a long, emotionally draining journey.

I greeted them with a question I had been thinking about all day. "So, what did you find out?" I asked, half-expecting her to say something that would shed light on this whole mystery.

She let out a tired sigh, her face softening as she replied. "Almost nothing... but the travel, it made me and Aamz closer. That was the only good part."

Her words left me confused. "What do you mean? You didn't find out anything about Houriya?"

Dina hesitated, looking down for a moment before meeting my eyes. "There's nothing more to uncover right now. Houriya's been out of touch for years, and the little we found doesn't help much. But... Aamz and I, we talked a lot. It's like we finally got past all the tension between us."

It wasn't exactly what I had hoped for, but it seemed like there was progress in some unexpected way. Still, something was off. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this trip than she was letting on. But for now, I kept quiet, letting her process the trip in her own way.

The sudden sound of Daddy's voice broke the silence of the morning. His tone was sharp and filled with anger, unmistakable even through the walls. I could hear him demanding something from Dina, and my heart sank as I realized what it was about. The ticket.

"Dina, come here!" he shouted. "Why did you travel to that city? And who was the second passenger? Why wasn't their name on the ticket?"

I felt a cold shiver run through me. I stayed in bed, frozen, unsure of what to do. Dina had been so careful, so secretive, but it seemed like her cover had been blown.

I could hear Dina's footsteps, slow and reluctant, as she entered the room. She must've been embarrassed, and I couldn't imagine how she was feeling. Then, there was a pause. And in the next instant, I heard the sound of a slap. The unmistakable sharp crack of skin against skin.

"Answer me!" Daddy's voice was filled with rage.

I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. It felt like time stopped, and everything was collapsing around us. I knew how strict Daddy could be, but this... this felt different.

Dina was silent for a long moment. My heart ached for her as I imagined her standing there, trembling under the weight of his fury.

The sound of smacks echoed in the room, each one harsher than the last, and my body tensed in response. I had never seen Daddy act this way before—never imagined him capable of such violence. Dina remained silent, and the tension in the room became unbearable.

For what felt like an eternity, Daddy's fury raged on, his hands landing on her again and again. He was so angry, so lost in his own emotions that nothing seemed to matter anymore. He didn't care that Dina remained silent. He didn't care that she might be hiding something. He just kept going.

I could hardly bear it, but I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. It felt like the world was closing in around me, the sound of smacks drowning out everything else.

Finally, it was Mom who intervened. I heard her voice—sharp, desperate—and I saw her rush into the room. She stood between Daddy and Dina, her hands reaching for Daddy's arms to stop him.

"Enough!" Mom shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. "I permit her! I permit her!"

I was stunned, watching in disbelief as she lied to stop Daddy. Her voice was shaky but firm, and it seemed to shock him into silence.

"I permit her to go with Laleh only, visiting that city as her birth town," Mom continued, her eyes flicking nervously to Dina. "I'm sorry, but I permit her."

Mom's words hung in the air, and I could feel the weight of the lie, how fragile everything was in that moment. Daddy stared at her, breathing heavily, clearly processing her words. His anger had been defused, but it was replaced by something else—something colder, something calculating. I could see it in his eyes.

Dina, still silent, seemed to be frozen in place. The air around us was thick with tension, and it was as if the whole house was holding its breath, waiting for something to give.

Mom turned to Dina, her face softening. "Go on, Dina. Go back to your room," she said quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

Dina didn't say a word. She simply nodded, wiped away the tears I hadn't noticed, and left the room.

I ran to Dina's room, my heart pounding in my chest. I pushed the door open, and there she was—sitting on the edge of her bed, motionless.

Her top was ripped, the fabric barely hanging on her shoulders. Dark bruises were already forming beneath her skin, and in some places, faint traces of blood had surfaced. My breath caught in my throat. She should have been crying, should have been screaming, but she wasn't. She just sat there, staring at nothing.

I dropped to my knees beside her, reaching out but hesitating to touch her. "Dina…" I whispered, but she didn't react.

She was supposed to cry. She was supposed to say something. But she didn't. She was just… silent.

I hurried back to the kitchen to get some water for Dina, my hands shaking as I filled the glass. When I returned, Daddy was gone. The house felt eerily silent except for the faint sound of Mom crying in the living room.

But Mom wasn't the type to stay broken for long. Within moments, she wiped her tears, straightened herself, and followed me to Dina's room.

She sat beside Dina and wrapped her arms around her, pulling her close. "I don't want you to explain anything right now," Mom whispered gently. "Just cry if you need to. Just… try to overcome this for now."

Dina didn't respond. She didn't cry. She just let herself be held, her body still, her face empty.

I stayed with her the whole day, not leaving her side. She barely moved, only shifting once to wrap herself tighter in her blanket, curling into the corner of her bed like she was trying to disappear.

I tried over and over to get her to eat, bringing different foods, whispering to her, even lightly nudging her hand with a spoon. But she wouldn't take a single bite.

For hours, she just stared blankly ahead, lost somewhere deep inside herself. Then, finally, in a quiet, almost lifeless voice, she spoke:

"My Aamz will soon free me of this beast.

Daddy stood outside the room, looking in at Dina. He wasn't the kind of man to apologize or say anything comforting. He just stood there for a moment, then turned and left without a word.

As soon as he was gone, Dina's voice came out, weak and shaky:

"I… I can't breathe… Ch… chest… pp… pain…"

Then, suddenly, her body jerked—several sharp, uncontrollable movements.

I panicked. "Mom! Mom!" I screamed, running for her.

Everything blurred into chaos. We called an ambulance. The next thing I knew, we were rushing to the hospital.

The diagnosis was a kind of heart disease. The situation was worse than I could have ever imagined.

In the hospital, emotions ran wild. Mom, who had always tried to keep the peace, completely broke down. She started punching Daddy's chest with all her strength, tears streaming down her face.

"Just go apologize to her, you animal! You almost killed her!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the hallway.

Daddy didn't fight back. He just stood there, silent and stiff, letting her fists land against him. But he didn't move toward Dina's room either.

The silence hung over our house for days. No one had the energy to break it. Dina barely spoke, and I spent most of my time by her side, watching over her.

Aamz called multiple times. He was getting more and more worried about why Dina wasn't answering. I tried to come up with excuses, but I could hear the concern in his voice.

Then, one evening, back at home, Daddy finally spoke. His voice was flat, emotionless.

"It's hereditary," he said. "Her mother had this too… and died because of it."

I froze. He had never mentioned this before. Not once.

Dina didn't react, just kept staring at the wall.

But I couldn't let it go. If it was something we inherited, why had he never warned us? Why had he hidden it all these years?

And more importantly… was this really what killed Maryam?

Or was there still something he wasn't telling us?