Dasht-e-ulfat
Written
by.
Shazain
Zainab
This scene is set in Dubai's most expensive
hotel... The Palazzo Versace Hotel, one of the most luxurious in Dubai. It is a
vast, grand building that leaves onlookers in awe. Today, the hotel staff was
busier than usual, as the night party hosted by Dubai’s Don was about to begin
in a short while. The Palazzo Versace’s grand Gala Ballroom was fully prepared,
with every element a testimony to its luxury. Along with the spacious ballroom,
the pool area was also set up. Everything was absolutely perfect...
In just a little while, the guests started
arriving. Prominent businessmen from around the world, political leaders, many
gangsters from the underworld, mafia leaders, numerous undercover agents from
various countries, as well as many of Dubai’s renowned wealthy personalities,
including Dubai’s prince, were invited to Zak's party night...
Shehzad had just entered Palazzo Versace,
accompanied by his current girlfriend, Lily. Wearing black pants, branded
shoes, a white shirt, black tie, and a black coat, with his hair neatly styled,
he looked incredibly handsome. On the other hand, Lily was dressed in a black
maxi dress, black heels underneath, her golden hair lightly curled, wearing
deep red lipstick, light blue eyeliner, and mascara over her eyes, making her look
stunning. The two made a perfect pair. Arm in arm, they were heading toward the
ballroom, catching everyone's gaze...
But there was one person who couldn’t stand
seeing them together. His heart ached at the sight, and he turned his eyes
away.
“Shehzad, who are you looking for? Why are
you glancing around?” Lily asked in her broken Urdu.
“I’m looking for the one who organized this
party,” Shehzad replied, scanning the surroundings intently.
*********
***********
The ballroom was filled with guests. Everyone
was engaged in conversation with someone. All were waiting for Zak to arrive.
He was the Don of Dubai, but no one had ever seen his face. Those who had seen
his face only saw it when death was right in front of them. Despite this, women
were drawn to him, captivated by his mysterious ash-gray eyes and his commanding
personality.
Suddenly, masks were presented to all the
guests. Each person picked a mask of their choice and placed it over their
eyes, making it impossible to recognize anyone’s face. Just as the guests put
on their masks, the lights in the ballroom were turned off, leaving only one
spotlight focused on the entrance. All the guests looked toward the entrance in
surprise, where five tall men were walking in.
Their walk was uniform, dignified, and
authoritative. To one side was Hadid, with his golden eyes, and Hani, with his
brown eyes. On the other side was Sikandar, also with brown eyes, and Farooq,
with black eyes. In the center, with terrifying ash-gray eyes, was Zak. Hadid,
Sikandar, Farooq, and Hani wore black suits, white shirts, and black ties. Zak,
however, stood out in a black dinner suit. Among them, he was the most
distinct. While the other four wore white masks, Zak wore a black one, as he
loved the color black. He was like the color itself—wherever he went, he
absorbed everything around him, leaving no room for anyone else. No one dared
challenge him. He knew how to give both grace and death simultaneously. This
Arab prince, with his terrifying ash-gray eyes, entered the ballroom with his
loyal companions.
As they entered, prominent businessmen, mafia
members, and underworld leaders trembled with fear, while countless women lost
their hearts to the terror in their eyes. Fortunately, the five were wearing
masks. There was no doubt that they were all exceptional—handsome, dignified,
and brave. Every woman began to dream of becoming the queen of their hearts,
but little did they know which hands would eventually unlock the fountains of
love in these stone-cold hearts.
Within moments, the five of them had captured
the attention of the entire gathering. Zak walked to the center of the ballroom
and stepped onto the stage, while the other four stood at each corner of the
stage.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all for
coming to tonight’s party. I hope it will be a night you all will remember
fondly,” Zak said with a mysterious smile. Hadid, Sikandar, Farooq, and Hani
had the same smile on their faces. They knew very well what Zak was planning
for all of them tonight.
“Enjoy the night,” Zak said as he placed the
microphone down and stepped off the stage, walking toward the master table.
Hadid, Sikandar, Farooq, and Hani sat around
him, while Zak took the central seat of authority.
"Hey Zak..." Shehzad spotted Zak
sitting apart from the party with his companions and approached him with Lily.
Zak didn’t respond, but he gave Shehzad a
sharp look from head to toe.
Shehzad glanced at his own outstretched hand
and then back at Zak, smirking sarcastically. “Don't you shake hands with
guests, Zak?” His tone was condescending.
“I don’t shake hands with hypocrites and
snakes, Shehzad Akram,” Zak’s voice was as cold and steady as ice.
“What do you mean by that?” Shehzad struggled
to control his anger at Zak’s words.
“You know exactly what I mean, Shehzad
Akram,” Zak's mocking gaze made Shehzad squirm.
“Can we talk?” Shehzad asked, eyeing Zak’s
companions as if suggesting he wanted to speak in private.
“Whatever you have to say, say it here. Sit,”
Zak gestured for him to sit.
Shehzad sat down with Lily, who was clearly
bored by their conversation.
"Zak, if you want, I can help you take
Beast down from the underworld—kill him, even." Shehzad’s cunning eyes
were fixed on Zak.
Hearing this, Zak leaned back against the
sofa. His posture indicated he was unimpressed, as if Shehzad were dreaming
beyond his means.
“Oh, so Shehzad Akram, you’ll help me, will
you? Help me kill Beast?” Zak smirked sarcastically at him.
"Yes, I will, in every way
possible," Shehzad replied, his smile dripping with malice.
“Shehzad Akram, I’ve seen many dogs and bulls
in my life, but I swear, you’ve proven to be the lowest and most despicable
breed of them all. You’re licking the very plate you're eating from, and now
you’re offering to kill the one whose feet you’ve been licking all along?
Remember this: Zak only shakes hands with men of integrity, and dogs are only
raised when their breed is known. You, in my eyes, are a dog licking anyone’s
feet for survival. And what if I were to tell Beast all the things you just
said to me? He’d surely kill you with his own hands,” Zak said each word with
eerie calmness, unsettling Shehzad, who felt as though he was being stared at
like filth. Around them, Zak’s companions threw mocking smiles at Shehzad,
especially Hadid, whose golden eyes turned colder each time they glanced at him
and Lily sitting beside him.
“Watch your tongue, Zak!” Shehzad hissed,
trying to suppress his rage.
“Know your place before you bark, Shehzad
Akram. I don’t tolerate dogs barking, and when one barks too much, I don’t
hesitate to kill it. Get this straight: if I ever need to kill Beast, I won’t
need someone like you, who’s planning to betray him today. What’s to stop you
from betraying me tomorrow with someone else? You came here to attend the
party, so attend it and get lost,” Zak’s ice-cold tone stoked Shehzad’s anger
further, while the burning in Hadid’s golden eyes seemed to subside a little
after watching the exchange.
“Zak, I’m telling you one last time, think
about it. You might find I’m actually useful to you,” Shehzad tried his best to
keep his voice steady.
"What use could a dog like you possibly
be, other than barking?" Zak shot him a scornful glance and stood up to
leave. But just as he was about to walk away, he stopped, as if struck by a
thought.
“Oh, and before you leave Dubai, would you
like to meet someone?” Zak asked, turning back.
Shehzad looked at Zak in confusion.
Hadid silently got up and walked away, while
the others continued watching Zak.
“Bring him,” Zak said, directing his words to
Sikandar, and then he left the ballroom, heading toward the meeting room.
Farooq, Sikandar, and Hani followed closely behind him.
“Hadid...” Farooq started to say, but Zak
silenced him with a gesture.
“He’s busy with something,” Zak replied
softly. Meanwhile, Shehzad, walking with the guards, was struggling to maintain
his composure.
They entered the meeting room, where one of
Zak’s men stepped forward and turned on the LCD screen.
The scene on the screen showed a man hanging
by iron chains. Seeing his condition, Shehzad couldn’t help but whisper a
prayer to Allah. Small beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.
"This is..." Shehzad had just
opened his mouth to speak.
"Yes, this... If you don’t want to end
up like this, then stay as far away from my sight as possible. Because once Zak
sets his eyes on someone, he keeps track of every breath they take..." Zak
had tightly gripped Shehzad’s neck, his tone cold as ice.
"Zak..." Shehzad looked up at him,
panic clear in his eyes.
"Hope you really enjoy tonight’s
party..." Zak said, placing a firm hand on Shehzad’s shoulder before
walking out.
As Zak moved ahead, Sikandar, walking beside
him, asked, "Zak, you gave Shehzad his surprise, but what about the
others?"
"Hadid has gone to wait for them. Very
soon, they’ll get their surprises too. They thought the Don had gone silent for
a while, so he must be dead. They don’t know that every single move of theirs
has been under watch. Now, the real fun begins..." Zak’s smile was full of
wrath as he confidently strode forward.
No one could have known how this party night
would end...
*********
"Ouch... I'm dead!" Noor shouted
out loud. "Hey, go a bit easy! It's not like I hurt your baby!" she
said to the beautician, whom Amal Begum had called over to the house for the
girls' treatments.
"No, no, I'm not taking any revenge.
It's just that it does hurt this much during threading," the beautician
replied professionally, her tone soft and calm. She had taken a liking to these
three friends.
"Alright, can I go now?" Noor asked
pitifully, glancing at the beautician.
"No, no, where are you going? We're just
getting started," the beautician said, and with that, she moved the thread
towards Noor’s eyebrows again.
"Amna, are you thinking the same thing I
am?" Jaza whispered near Amna's ear.
"Absolutely, Jaza," Amna replied,
looking at her friend with a pitiful expression.
"Come on, let's get out of here.
Otherwise, we'll be screaming just like Noor is now," Jaza said as she
stood up and headed toward the door, with Amna following close behind.
Just as the door opened, Amal Begum and Roha
Begum walked in.
"Where do you two think you're
going?" they both asked simultaneously.
"We don't want to do this," Amna
blurted out.
"Why?" Roha Begum glared at her
disobedient daughter.
"Noor is the bride, not us. So, please
spare us!" Jaza pleaded helplessly. Watching Noor’s condition made both of
them feel faint. They weren’t used to this sort of thing, especially what was
about to happen to them.
Roha Begum grabbed Amna by the ear, while
Amal Begum grabbed Jaza's. Both mothers took their daughters back into the
room, and two more girls entered as well.
The scene now was that Noor was on one side,
Jaza on the other, and Amna was there too. The other two girls were trying to
do their threading and upper lips, but each time the thread touched them, they
would jump up again. Just a little while ago, these two were laughing at Noor,
and now Noor was laughing at them as she watched them squirm.
********************
"What kind of revenge have these women
taken on us?" Jaza said, looking at her face in the mirror.
"They’ve peeled off my entire
face," Amna said in a tearful voice.
"Not just yours, all three of
ours," Noor said as she pushed Amna aside and stood in front of the mirror
herself.
"I swear, the pain is unbearable!"
Jaza said, collapsing onto the bed as if she were exhausted.
"A song is coming to mind," Amna
suddenly said. Lately, everything reminded her of songs.
"What song could you possibly be
thinking of after having your face ruined like this?" Noor asked, glaring
at Amna.
"Don’t glare at me like that, dear
sister-in-law," Amna shyly bit her dupatta between her teeth.
"Okay, sing it. Let’s hear what song has
come to your mind." Jaza said, laughing at her theatrics.
"You make me repent, O cruel
one..." Amna started singing but before she could continue, both Jaza and
Noor jumped up and covered her mouth.
"Thank you! Don’t sing another
word!" Jaza warned her with a glare.
"Your voice is so awful, I don’t want to
go deaf!" Noor glared at her too.
"No, no! Now I won’t stop until I finish
the entire song. Do whatever you want!" Amna said defiantly, pushing them
aside.
She was about to start singing again when
Noor and Jaza pulled her back. One of them tied her mouth with her dupatta
while the other tied her hands.
"Silence! Complete silence!" they
both ordered as they glared at her. Amna shot them a look that said, "Just
wait till I get free, I’ll show you!"
"Alright, girls, listen up..." Amal
Begum entered the room but stopped mid-sentence when she saw Amna sitting there
with her hands and mouth tied with a dupatta. Noor and Jaza, who were dusting
off their hands, straightened up immediately when they saw her.
"Mom, Aunt..." Noor said to her
mom, while Jaza addressed Amal Begum.
"Yes, your mom and aunt! Stop right
there, both of you!" Amal Begum had already taken off her sandal.
"Is this any way to treat her? Look what
you’ve done to the poor thing!" Amal Begum hurled the sandal at Noor,
hitting her square in the back.
"She’s not poor, Aunt!" Jaza, who
had jumped onto the sofa to save herself, spoke up.
"And what do you two think you
are?" This time the sandal was aimed at Jaza, but she managed to catch it.
"Nice catch!" Noor said excitedly.
"Nice catch, my foot! Before I give you
both a real beating, untie her!" Amal Begum ordered.
Noor glanced at Jaza, who signaled with her
eyes, as if saying, "If you want to get beaten, go ahead and untie
her."
Reluctantly, Noor went ahead and untied Amna,
who sat there with such an innocent look that Noor nearly burst out laughing.
After giving Noor and Jaza a long lecture,
Amal Begum left the room. As soon as she was out, Amna's laughter echoed
through the room.
Jaza and Noor looked at each other, and before
they knew it, Amna’s laughter grew louder, followed by her screams as they
began to chase her around the room again.
"My goodness, now... it's really
nothing," she said with a laugh, struggling to speak.
"No, no, sing that same song
again!" Jaza said, tickling her and insisting.
After a while of tickling, they finally tired
out and lay down next to her, and all three of them started laughing. Just
then, Sawera walked in.
"When did you arrive?" Jaza asked,
noticing her.
"I just got here with Mom," Sawera
said, sitting on the bed.
"I feel like I've missed out on so
much," Sawera commented, looking at their expressions and the state of the
room.
"Yes, yes, you’ve definitely missed a
lot. And especially, you missed the bride-to-be getting hit with a
sandal," Amna said, running out the door. Noor threw her slipper at Amna’s
back, while Jaza and Sawera laughed, watching Amna rubbing her back.
************
"Well done, girls. You're all learning
very quickly," Aziza said, looking at the girls standing before her.
Today, she seemed anything but weak; instead, she appeared very strong and
determined.
"The more dedication you have to
learning, the quicker you’ll pick it up, ma'am," one of the girls said.
"Very good," Aziza said, surveying
them with a look of approval.
"Now, listen up, girls. You all need to
help us with a mission, which is why you're being trained. You’ll have a few
more weeks of training where you’ll learn to handle guns, aim, jump from tall
buildings, administer first aid in case of injury, help your teammates, and
much more. I hope you’ll all learn quickly," Aziza said, addressing them.
"Insha Allah, ma'am," they all
responded in unison.
"But ma'am, what mission are we being
prepared for?" one of them asked.
"Time will tell you, girls, why you’re
learning all this. But rest assured, you’ll make sure that everyone who has
caused you pain will be punished by your own hands. And promise me you’ll
deliver them a lesson they won’t forget," Aziza said, staring at the wall
in front of her.
"We promise," they all said together.
"And another promise: whenever this
country needs you, for its children, its generations, its daughters, for its
protection—whenever your help is needed, never hesitate to risk your lives.
Always remain courageous, never fear, live with dignity, and embrace a
dignified death. Never bow to anyone except Allah," Aziza said, looking
into their eyes.
"We promise, ma'am. Whenever this
country needs us, we will offer our lives," they all said with
determination, their voices filled with resolve and fervor.
"Alright, girls, focus on your practice
now," Aziza said, watching them as they continued their training. She was
deep in thought when suddenly her phone rang. She was initially surprised when
she saw the screen, but then a beautiful smile appeared on her face, as if she
had just seen a dear friend after a long time. She answered the call and walked
outside.
"Hello, partner," Aziza said
enthusiastically.
"How are you, Aziza?" came the
familiar, muted tone from the other end of the line.
"I'm fine. How about you? It’s been a
while since you contacted me. Did you finally get some time off from the
family?" Aziza’s tone was slightly resentful, as if she were complaining
to a sibling.
"Oh, little one, you’re starting to get
upset. Anyway, I’m coming tonight. I need to talk to you and clear up all my
complaints," the caller said with a laugh.
"Everything alright? If there’s any
problem, I can inform M-Z, Sikandar, and Farooq right away," Aziza said,
worried.
"No, no, there’s no issue. I just need
to discuss some work-related matters. We’ll meet tonight," the caller
said, ending the call.
"Oh, Alfa, your old habit of worrying me
and then hanging up," she said, looking at the phone screen. A scene from
the past flashed in her mind.
"Alfa… where are you? For God’s sake,
answer the call!" Aziza’s voice was tinged with tears.
"What’s the matter, Aziza? Don’t be so
worried. He’ll be fine," Khan said, sitting beside her.
"How can you be so relaxed? He’s a
friend and like a brother to us. You don’t know, but for me, my family is him
now. You stay here, and I’m going to help him," Aziza said, heading
towards the scene. Just as she moved forward, there was a sudden explosion at
the place where Alfa had gone.
In an instant, Khan jumped out of the car.
"No… no… Alfa…" Aziza started
moving forward, and Khan followed closely.
Their state was heart-wrenching, as if they
had lost something dear.
There was fire everywhere, and Aziza and Khan
didn’t know which way to go or where to find Alfa. They were determined not to
leave without him.
For a long time, they searched for Alfa.
Aziza was crying uncontrollably, and Khan had tears in his eyes. Though he was
a strong man who never cried, the grief of losing a friend had deeply pained
him. For Khan, Alfa wasn’t just a friend; he was more like a brother.
Both of them, exhausted, sat in a corner.
There wasn’t a place they hadn’t checked.
"Where are you, Alfa? I can’t find
you," Khan’s voice was weary, like a traveler who had lost everything.
"Are you guys looking for
something?" Suddenly, a voice caught their attention.
The words made Aziza and Khan look up. First,
they looked at each other, then turned towards the direction from which the
voice had come.
There, leaning against a tree with an air of
indifference, stood Alfa. Blood was dripping from his head, his shirt was
dusty, and his hands and arms were also injured.
"Where were you?" Khan demanded,
his tone mixed with anger and sorrow.
"I was right here. I don’t know what you
guys were searching for," Alfa replied with an extreme sense of calm.
Aziza and Khan both felt like grabbing him
and tossing him somewhere. On one hand, they were worried about him and whether
he was okay; on the other, he seemed to be taking it all too casually.
"How could we forget that Alfa has a
habit of making everyone worry?" Khan said, pulling off his shoe and
chasing after Alfa. Alfa was darting from side to side, trying to evade Khan,
who was shouting loudly at him.
Meanwhile, Aziza sat to the side, watching
the scene with a tearful smile. Alfa had gone to great lengths to get Aziza out
of the situation she was in, and he had become even more significant to her
than a real brother.
She smiled faintly and headed towards her
office.
**************
He had just returned to Lahore a little while
ago and was lying on his bed when Mahair opened his room door and walked in.
He glared at his brother with anger.
"What are you staring at?" Mahair
said, giving him a stern look.
"How can you be so rude? You don’t even
know basic manners, like knocking before entering a room," Ayan snapped
back, irritated because his sleep had been interrupted by Mahair barging in.
"What privacy are you talking about?
Since you’re neither married nor in a relationship, what privacy could you
possibly have? And if I'm disturbing you, well, that's just too bad,"
Mahair jabbed, highlighting Ayan’s lack of a romantic partner.
"What do you mean? Just because I'm not
married doesn’t mean I have no right to privacy," Ayan retorted, standing
up in frustration.
"What's with all the rage? What privacy
are you so worked up about? What privacy does a single person even have?"
Mahair said with a mocking smile.
"Don’t you dare give me lectures about
being single. The day I get married, I won’t even spare you a glance,"
Ayan threatened, grabbing Mahair by the collar.
"Well, if you’re single, I’ll make sure
you remember it. And don’t talk about not paying attention, because if your
wife ever ignores you, you’ll come crying to me," Mahair said with
nonchalance.
"I’ll—" Ayan was about to retort
further when Mr. Afzal’s voice was heard.
"What’s going on here? Is there no
decorum, no shame?" Mr. Afzal glared at Ayan, who was still holding
Mahair’s collar.
"Dad, I—" Ayan began to explain.
"Stop the excuses and come to the study
with me," Mr. Afzal said, turning and walking out.
Meanwhile, Ayan, still annoyed, couldn’t
resist punching Mahair in the stomach.
"That cruel person just came from eating
minced meat paratha," Mahair complained.
"Did Mom make it for me?" Ayan’s
mouth watered at the thought of the paratha.
"It was made for you; I already ate
mine," Mahair said, heading for the door. But as he was about to leave,
Ayan grabbed him by the back of his T-shirt.
"I’m going to kill you," Ayan
lunged at him angrily. Mahair quickly pushed Ayan away.
"Have some shame; I’m older than
you," Mahair said, holding up a cushion to defend himself.
"If you're so much older, then show some
generosity. You ate my paratha, you ungrateful wretch," Ayan threw a
pillow at Mahair.
"Well, the paratha wasn’t yours; it was
the minced meat one," Mahair winked at Ayan.
"Ayan, I told you to come to the
study," Mr. Afzal’s voice called from the study, cutting off Ayan's
response.
“Dad!” Ayan said as he left the room. But
then he remembered something, returned to the room, punched Mahair in the back,
and ran off.
“Stop right there!” Mahair yelled, chasing
after Ayan. Ayan, on his way down the stairs to the study room, didn’t forget
to make a face at Mahair, who glared back at him as he descended the stairs.
***********
"Yes, Dad," Ayan said as he entered
the room and asked Mr. Afzal.
"Sit down," Mr. Afzal said, placing
a file in front of him.
"Are you giving me a share of the
property?" Ayan asked excitedly, making Mr. Afzal wish he could smack his
forehead.
"Don’t even think about it until you
become a responsible adult and start your own household, Mr.," Mr. Afzal
scowled at him.
"I am responsible enough. If something
goes wrong around here, the blame always falls on me, the innocent one. As for
starting a family, I’ve been saying for ages that I want to get married, but
you guys aren't making it happen," Ayan said, making a pitiful face.
"Innocent and you? God forbid. I am
certainly not in the mood to complicate someone’s life by marrying her off to
you. I don’t want to burden a girl with the responsibility of such an immature
child," Mr. Afzal said, hiding a smile.
"Dad," Ayan looked at his father
with a forlorn expression.
"Now listen, son. We have a meeting with
the Afridis today. All the details are in this file. You must do everything
possible to ensure this deal doesn’t go through. Got it?" Mr. Afzal said,
looking at Ayan.
"Yes, Mr. Afridi. They are the same
people with whom you were very pleased after the last deal ended, and you threw
a party for the whole family," Ayan said, thinking for a moment.
"Yes, they are the same. Just make sure
this deal doesn’t go through. Today is a test of your skills. I don’t want to
deal with that crazy man again. He keeps coming to the office every day, never
stops talking, and is just a strange man," Mr. Afzal revealed the real
issue to Ayan, which, unfortunately, he had shared with his son.
"Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll handle
everything. When is the meeting?" Ayan asked as he stood up.
"In four hours," Mr. Afzal said,
noticing the gleam in Ayan's eyes, which puzzled him.
"Okay," Ayan said and walked out.
"Here comes trouble. They’ve challenged
me—one ate my paratha and taunted me about being single, while the other thinks
I’m useless. Now, I’ll make them pay," Ayan muttered to himself as he left
the room.
Inside, Mr. Afzal was somewhat worried
because he had tasked a walking disaster with important work.
Ayan was in the office two hours before the
meeting started, and Mr. Afzal couldn’t believe it. Today, Ayan was looking
every bit the professional businessman.
The meeting soon began. Ayan, dressed in a
navy blue pinstripe suit with a white shirt and a navy blue tie, looked
exceptionally handsome. He discussed every point in a very professional manner.
If the meeting had been with anyone else, Mr. Afzal would have undoubtedly
praised Ayan’s skills. But little did they know, Ayan was demonstrating his
prowess just to get back at his father and brother. Mr. Afzal looked at him
with eyes that seemed to say he could hardly restrain himself from kicking him
out. Meanwhile, Mahair had already guessed that this was all part of Ayan’s
plan for revenge.
"I’m truly impressed with your younger
son, Mr. Afzal. Our side is finalizing the deal," Murad Afridi, an older
and authoritative figure, said as he shook hands with Mr. Afzal and bent to
sign the contract. As soon as they signed, Mr. Afzal had no choice but to sign
too, and only he knew how he signed.
Mahair felt sorry for his father, thinking
about the kind of trouble they had asked for help with.
"Let's talk for a while now, Mr.
Afzal," Said Mr. Murad Afridi. This was the one thing that Mr. Afzal
dreaded the most—spending six or seven hours listening to Murad Afridi’s talk.
Mr. Afzal glared at Ayan with frustration,
but Ayan ignored it. He walked over to Murad Afridi, shook his hand, hugged his
father, and said, "Well, my work here is done. I'm heading home. You can
come back when you’re ready." He hugged his father once more.
"I feel like drowning you today,"
Mr. Afzal said with a forced smile.
"First, get rid of these guys,"
Ayan said, winking at his father while casting a furtive glance at Murad
Afridi. Then he looked at his older brother, who was glaring at him.
Ayan left the meeting room, changed his mind
about going home, and headed towards his office instead. Once inside, he turned
on his laptop, activated the camera recording in his father’s office, and
placed an order for food.
The scene was now that Ayan was seated in his
office, eyes glued to the screen, a smile on his face as he watched the scene
unfold. Murad Afridi was speaking, while Mr. Afzal and Mahair listened. Ayan
took a sip from a can of Coke on the side and didn’t take his eyes off the
screen as if it were his favorite show.
After a long while, Murad Afridi decided to
leave. As soon as he exited the office, Ayan also left his office and walked
towards his father's office. Mr. Afzal, who was scolding Ayan, saw him standing
by the door and opened it.
"Um, I just wanted to ask how the
meeting went," Ayan said, taking a seat with a casual attitude, while
Mahair began to pray for his safety.
"I'll break your bones, you insolent
fool. Get your face out of here," Mr. Afzal said, rising from his chair
and advancing toward Ayan. Ayan quickly moved a bit away.
"What have I done?" Ayan asked with
exaggerated innocence.
"You’ve put me through hell, you cursed
one," Mr. Afzal said, trying to grab him. Ayan hid behind Mahair.
"You told me to handle the meeting, and
I did. What’s my fault?" Ayan said, playing the part of the utmost victim.
"I told you to memorize that this deal
must not happen, and you had to show all your tricks today. Now," Mr.
Afzal said, picking up an iron scale from the side of the sofa.
"Hey, hey, what are you doing? Put that
down; it might hurt me. And as for showing my tricks, you specifically told me
to demonstrate my skills today." Ayan continued to use Mahair as a shield.
"You fool, I was talking about your
useless skills," Mr. Afzal said, gritting his teeth and advancing toward
him.
"Dad, don’t do this. There are employees
outside," Mahair intervened.
"Are you going to stand aside, or should
I break your bones first?" Mr. Afzal glared at him.
"Why am I being punished for your
benefit? You’re threatening to beat me," Ayan protested, breaking all
records of innocence.
"Get out of my office. This time, I’m
taking off my shoe," Mr. Afzal said, and Ayan ran out, clearly seeing his
impending punishment.
"Useless, idiot. If you ever show your
face in this office again, I’ll break your legs," Mr. Afzal continued to
scold him.
"Dad, please calm down. Your blood
pressure will rise," Mahair tried to calm his father.
"If I see him here again, I’ll break his
legs along with yours," Mr. Afzal’s anger didn’t subside. Meanwhile,
Mahair was suppressing his laughter as he recalled his mother’s comment that
Mr. Afzal and Ayan were like Tom and Jerry. History had shown that every time
Ayan visited the office, he left with a few kicks and had managed to raise his
father's blood pressure.
************* Dasht-e-ulfat ep no 3 click here
"Where are you?" Mr. Ibrahim’s
authoritative voice boomed over the phone.
"I..." Zuraiz hesitated, trying to
think of a response.
"No, not 'I'. I'm asking about
you," Mr. Ibrahim snapped.
"Sir, I’m out of town on some work. I’ll
update you when I get back," Zuraiz said dismissively.
"Mr. Zuraiz, Ibrahim Khan here. I keep
track of every minute of yours," Mr. Ibrahim said, leaning back in his
chair.
"Are you going to keep an eye on me too?
Have you discovered any affairs of mine?" Zuraiz asked with a slight
smile.
"Given how dry your temperament is, I
doubt you’d manage any affairs," Mr. Ibrahim replied with a grimace.
"Alright, tell me what’s happening. Did
you find out that you’re running a risk of something from my end?" Zuraiz
asked with a sarcastic tone.
"Do you plan to come back and face the
consequences?" Mr. Ibrahim was displeased with his tone.
"Okay, let me know. What’s there to
hide? Anyway, your heart trusts me more, maybe I should make a recommendation
or something?" Zuraiz said, stifling a laugh. If his laughter reached his
father’s ears, Mr. Ibrahim would surely have made mincemeat out of him.
"Why do you think my heart trusts you
more?" Mr. Ibrahim asked, his tone irritated.
"Don’t you know? Your heart is my
sweetheart," Zuraiz said, covering his mouth to stop himself from
laughing.
"Come back at your own risk. You’re
being too cheeky, and you might end up getting a bite from this," Mr.
Ibrahim said, emphasizing each word. This time, Zuraiz’s laughter rang loud and
clear over the phone.
"Your father’s enemy, sitting there like
a snake, living off his love," Mr. Ibrahim said, ending the call with a
click.
He then turned his attention back to the open
laptop screen. Shortly after, there was a knock on his office door.
"Come in," he said, absorbed in his
work. When he looked up, he saw Mr. Kamran and Mr. Ahsan standing in front of
him.
"How come you two have forgotten the way
today?" Mr. Ibrahim greeted them as he stood up.
"Not forgotten the way, just thought
we’d spend some time with friends today and personally deliver the message
about the kids’ marriage," Mr. Kamran said.
Mr. Kamran took a seat and said, "Mr.
Kamran, Mr. Ahsan, Mr. Ibrahim, and Mr. Afzal were all business partners and
friends."
"By the way, where’s Afzal? We were
supposed to inform him as well and let Shahid know," Mr. Ibrahim said as
he sat back in his chair.
"I forgot, my bad," Mr. Kamran
said, placing a hand on his head.
"Well, if he comes and makes a scene,
don’t say we didn’t warn you," Mr. Ibrahim said, glancing at the glass
wall where Mr. Afzal could be seen approaching with a stern look.
Mr. Ahsan tried to stifle his laughter while
Mr. Ibrahim pretended to be busy with his phone. Mr. Kamran watched both of
them with a disapproving look.
As Mr. Afzal entered the office, he shot Mr.
Kamran a glare and proceeded to greet Mr. Ibrahim and Mr. Ahsan.
"Afzal, aren’t you going to say hi to
Kamran?" Mr. Ahsan asked.
Mr. Kamran looked at Mr. Afzal as if to say,
"Aren’t we like family here?"
"I should strangle him," Mr. Afzal
said angrily.
"Why, what happened? What did I
do?" Mr. Kamran asked in surprise.
"I’ve been calling him since last night,
but he hasn’t answered once. I told him to do whatever it takes to keep the
Afridi deal away from me. I had just managed to get rid of that crazy guy, and
now he’s back with the same problem. He was handling a good deal with you
guys," Mr. Afzal vented his frustration.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ahsan watched his younger
brother, who, despite his age, still hadn’t changed his ways.
"And who did you prepare for the
meeting?" Mr. Ibrahim asked, observing Mr. Afzal’s anger.
"The one who had to deal with his
leftovers," Mr. Afzal said, glaring at Mr. Kamran.
"Oh, he’s been thrown under the
bus," Mr. Ahsan laughed, while Mr. Ibrahim tried to control his own
laughter.
"Who told you to send him for the
meeting? And if you did, why are you complaining now? He’s your promising
child," Mr. Kamran said, glaring at Mr. Afzal, unable to tolerate any
criticism of his favorite.
"Promising? More like terrifying. Mr.
Afzal’s blood pressure seemed to be on the verge of a spike today," Mr.
Afzal said, his temper rising.
"Alright, sit down. Don’t raise your
blood pressure any further. Have some water and calm down. I’ll call Shahid and
get something for you all. And you’re all going to stay for dinner," Mr.
Ibrahim said as he turned on his phone.
"By the way, where is everyone? Ayan
came in this morning too," Mr. Afzal said, contemplating.
"Dorab, Zuraiz, and Ayan are all out on
work. Dorab and Zuraiz will be back by tomorrow, I’ve already spoken to
them," Mr. Ibrahim said before anyone else could ask.
"God knows where these kids are,"
Mr. Kamran said.
Mr. Ibrahim smiled faintly, as if he was
privy to a deep secret.
**************
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