Jamie was a young, ambitious girl who dreamed of finding love. She fell for an older man, Shahrul, but her parents forbade them from being together, devastating Jamie. Later, she was sexually assaulted by a friend, changing her outlook. Years passed as Jamie had brief relationships but still longed for real love. She met Ryan online and felt a connection, but his conservative family rejected them. Jamie remains hopeful that one day she will find the love and family she desires, but wonders if her future remains in the hands of fate.

1. In The Hands of Fate
By
Yaqeen Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander
In the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur dwelled Jamie, a young girl, still innocent and untouched by
the harsh, persistent realities of life. She was youthful, pretty and ambitious. Her life was
rejoicing, her ways full of spirit. She was humorous and easy going, a girl who seemed to
possess all the delighting qualities and aura that would appeal to any decent man. She was
not privileged, royal or rich but she was unique in her own ways, making the best of every
moment. And like every other girl she too harboured and cherished the dream of having an
ideal man in her life, a guy who would love her unconditionally for what she is, make her
feel special and precious.
Jamie was a science student and completed her bachelor’s in science from a reputed local
university. Soon afterwards she applied for a job and got appointed as an English teacher in
a local government school. She was smart, well-read and loved new experiences. She was
the member of a regular family with parents, a brother and a younger sister. Her family was
her greatest priority and she made all efforts to make them comfortable especially after her
job when she got a chance to serve her family financially. Her income was reasonable but
her parents had too many expectations from her many of which were unrealistic. She had
everything except she didn’t feel the freedom which she wanted to have. She worked on
weekdays and on the weekends she had to drive her parents to their relatives or friends’
places. She felt shackled with no freedom to choose on her own. But she always continued
happily, thinking that it was a means to see her family glad.
In the later days of her college, Jamie often used to see a man in his forties at the library. He
often used to search through books and do his work at a table. Once Jamie was borrowing
some books and she passed by his table. He looked at her and smiled and it just happened
that they exchanged some greetings. She came to know that his name was Shahrul and he
was doing his research. Afterwards, they met in library few more times. Jamie found out
that his personality was dynamic and he was good looking, besides being soft in his tone and

2. manners. He talked to her with respect. All this was enough for Jamie to fall in love with
him.
Shahrul now became the first love of Jamie. They both adored each other and wanted to get
married and stay together for a lifetime. But when her parents discovered about their
relation and the fact of their age difference, they outwardly rejected the proposal and
refused Jamie of any meetings or connection with him. Eventually, it led to their breakup
and her life changed drastically until the point she got convinced that love wasn’t meant for
her. This event had a profound effect upon her and since then, the meaning of life became
different for her.
After this incident, Jamie in order to forget her woes would hangout more with her friends.
She used to go out and ‘chill’ with her friends which included some guys as well. It so
happened one night that she got late and going back home wasn’t possible due to some
unavoidable circumstances. So a friend invited her to stay overnight in his home and due to
the trust, she agreed. Once they reached there, he started making advances towards her,
attempting to seduce her. She resisted to her utmost level but it didn’t move him until he
became violent. The house was empty and the skies and the earth then witnessed the
torment of an innocent girl whose chastity was torn by this monster.
Losing her virginity forcibly completely changed the course of her life. She no longer cared
about who she went out or met with. She thought she had nothing more to lose now.
Nothing worse could come to her now. She fell down from the abyss of morality and there
was none to take her hand and guide her faltering steps. She then went for occasional dates
and had physical relations for short periods. She started to derive pleasure out of this short-
lived fun. She continued making new friends and getting intimate to the ones she liked
more.
After certain years then, she met a guy online from a foreign country who was studying at
some university in Kuala Lumpur. And just after some initial conversation, she felt an
intrinsic longing for him in her heart. His name was Ryan and he gave her respect and made
her feel special. He was decent and more of an intellectual kind. She was twenty-eight while
Ryan was twenty-one. They met once in a cafe and just afterwards, her heart opened once
again towards love and she expressed her desire to marry him after all these long years. He

3. liked her too but due to his conservative family background he was compelled to reject this
proposal of hers. So once again she felt shattered and her dreams of having a loving partner
faded away. As of now, she feels that her future lies in the hands of fate.
Epilogue
Ryan is currently completing his degree at the University. He never fell in love since. Jamie
continues to live in Kuala Lumpur with her parents and occasionally visits her grandma.
Nothing much has changed over the years. She still works as a teacher in a government
school and tries her best to satisfy everyone around especially her family. She is twenty nine
now and still awaits her soul mate, the one who will look into her eyes and speak to her
heart. She is hopeful in her longing and believes that a day will come when she will get
married and settle down finally. She desires an affectionate and romantic husband who will
give her cute and adorable babies. Will she be able to follow her dreams and get what she
has been waiting for through all these years of emotional exploitation? Will she ever get the
one who will bring her out from the clouds of her dark past towards the sunshine and light
of a new, bright and blissful future? The question lies in slumber.
(Based on a true life experience as narrated to the Author)
(Yaqeen Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander is the Executive Director of Inspire ME™ & can be reached
at www.yaqeenulhaq.com)