Dasht-e-ulfat
Written
by.
Shazain
Zainab
"Peace be upon you." She was
sitting in her office, going through some files when suddenly, a familiar voice
reached her ears. Aziza immediately looked up. Yes, it was him—dark brown eyes,
black hair now streaked with a few grays due to age, a commanding personality,
and the calmness that always lingered on his face. His gentle tone truly
reflected his status as an alpha. Even today, the aura of authority in his
personality hadn’t faded.
"Alpha..." Aziza stood up from her
chair.
Returning her greeting, he said, "Aziza,
when will you understand?" He walked forward and pulled a chair to sit
down.
"A person can respond even in a lower
voice, Alpha," Aziza said, using the same line she always did.
Alpha smiled and lowered his head, shaking it
in amusement.
"Where have you been all this time? What
were you doing?" Aziza immediately began her barrage of questions.
"I've been around, Aziza, with my
family, trying to appear like a regular citizen while gathering evidence
against Akram and figuring out who brought him into the underworld. I haven't
left the army, and the Alpha within me hasn’t gone away either. I was an Alpha,
and I will remain an Alpha. And as for the one who deserves this title after
me, I’ve already made that clear. For years, I’ve been collecting evidence
against Akram," Alpha explained in a calm tone.
"But how are you managing all of this,
Alpha?" Aziza was astonished.
"Don’t you know, Aziza? My sister is
Akram’s wife." He smiled faintly.
"So, did your sister...?" Aziza
hesitated to ask.
"No, she didn’t. I have a principle,
Aziza: I don’t use my relationships for my own benefit. I’ve never involved my
sister in this, because if Akram had even the slightest suspicion, he would
have done something terrible to her. And that’s something I would never
tolerate."
"I just regret that Shehzad shouldn't
have gotten involved in all this. He caused my sister a lot of pain," he
said while staring at the paperweight in front of him.
"So, what’s the plan now, Alpha?"
Aziza leaned forward in her chair.
"Aziza, I want to bring Akram to his
end, no matter what. And if I fail or get killed, the second Alpha will
complete this mission," he said firmly.
"And yes, there's one more thing. I want
to get my daughter into the army. She’s brave and fearless," he said
thoughtfully.
"Hmm, Sawera?" Aziza tried to
suppress her smile.
"My Sawera is very innocent and
kind-hearted, as if you don’t already know that," he glared at her.
"And you’ve raised a wildcat
first!" Aziza said with a stifled laugh.
"I’ll make that wildcat very dangerous.
Got it? Don’t underestimate her," Alpha said with an air of nonchalance.
"More dangerous than MZ?" she
asked, curious.
"Absolutely, any doubt? She’ll be at MZ’s
level," he said after a moment of thought, then smiled slightly.
"And tell me, how's work going? Why
haven’t you retired from the army yet?" He stared at Aziza.
"Alpha, I joined the army by choice, and
I’ll leave by choice. I don’t want retirement just yet," Aziza said
casually.
"There's no hope for you," he shook
his head. "Tell me, how’s your poor Afridi doing?" This time, he
deliberately teased her.
"Alphaaa..." Aziza was instantly
annoyed.
"He’s my husband! Show some
respect," Aziza scolded him with a glare.
"I'm already showing more respect than
you," Alpha’s words hit the mark, and Aziza’s flushed face was proof of
it. How could she forget that he had once thrown a vase at Senior Doctor Aga
Afridi’s head in a Pak army hospital just because he had been ignoring him a
little lately?
"Alpha, did you come here just to tell
old stories about me?" Aziza gritted her teeth.
"No, no, my dear sister, I wouldn’t
dare," Alpha raised both hands in surrender.
"Alpha, I wanted to talk about
something. Yesterday, I had a discussion with Khan about this, and today I want
to talk to you too. Girl trafficking has started again," Aziza said
seriously this time.
"Aziza, when did the trafficking of
girls ever stop for it to start again? As long as the matter was in the hands
of the police, trafficking was easy. Now that the army has gotten involved
again, everything is coming to the surface once more," Alpha explained
calmly.
"Alpha, you..." Aziza tried to
speak.
"I killed the Inspector General of
Punjab Police. It wasn’t a suicide; the honorable officer had sold his
conscience. DSP Abdullah Rana’s car accident wasn’t an accident either. I
killed him. Be grateful I showed him some mercy, making it look like an
accident, though my heart wanted to give him a dog's death. And all the other
police officers who’ve died recently, they’re all on my account. They all sold
their souls," he revealed, as if narrating a casual story.
"I had a feeling," Aziza smiled.
"Where are you off to now? Stay a bit
longer, brother," Aziza said, noticing Alpha was getting up. For the first
time since his arrival, Aziza had addressed him as "brother."
"Do you want your sister-in-law to kill
me today? I have to take her shopping. I’m already late," Alpha looked at
Aziza helplessly, while Aziza stared back as if saying, You still won’t be spared.
**********
She was sitting alone, feeling bored, while
every man around kept stealing glances at her. There was no doubt that her
light blue eyes were incredibly beautiful. Now, with the white mask covering
her face, her eyes looked even more captivating.
Finally, she got up from her chair and headed
outside because she wanted to go to the pool area. But suddenly, someone
grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.
Hadid, who had stepped out for some work, had
already assigned the remaining tasks to Farooq and sent him off. As he made his
way back inside, he saw Lily heading towards the poolside from another
corridor. He immediately followed her and pulled her by the arm towards him.
They were now standing behind a large pillar
in the corridor where no one could see them. Besides, everyone else was busy
with the party.
Hadid placed one hand on the pillar, partly
shielding his and Lily’s faces, while his other hand rested around her waist.
His golden eyes, peeking out from behind his white mask, locked with Lily’s
light blue eyes, which were also visible through her white mask.
Coincidentally, their masks were identical. Lily’s silky golden hair brushed
against Hadid’s hand, stirring up even more emotions within him.
"Who are you..." Lily gritted her
teeth as she spoke. But whoever this person was, for a moment, she got lost in
those golden eyes. There was something in them that she had never seen in
anyone else's eyes. They seemed familiar to her.
"You don’t remember who I am?"
Hadid’s voice was soft. Lily was momentarily surprised. She had heard this
voice before. In fact, it was perhaps the only voice in her life that she had
remembered. She didn’t know why, but if there was any sound she ever wanted to
hear again, it was this one. Yes, it was this very voice. How could she forget?
Whenever she was in trouble, someone always came to her aid like a shadow. But
she had never seen his face, only recognized his voice. Soft, gentle,
soothing—whenever she heard it, she felt herself getting lost in its sound.
"You..." Lily started to saysomething.
"Yes, I am... my fairy,"
Hadid said in an incredibly deep voice.
"Fairy..." she repeated
the word, her mind flashing back to a distant memory. In the background, she
recalled the voice of a young boy trying to comfort a younger girl who was
crying. Finally, he called her a fairy, and she had stopped crying, simply
staring at him.
Lily’s eyes lifted again to meet the golden
ones before her. That teenage boy had golden eyes, and the girl had light blue
eyes, just like now...
They say that humans remember every special
and painful moment from their past. Memories can be both cruel and merciful.
Sometimes they bring back a beautiful moment, and sometimes they recall a
painful one, making the agony feel just as real in the present as it did in the
past. The joy of finding someone, the grief of losing them. The thrill of
possession, the regret of what is unattainable. Sometimes memories bring back a
stranger who once felt close, or a loved one who turned out to be a stranger
after all. Memories bring the story of the past with them—sometimes they bring
joy, sometimes sorrow—but whatever they do, they always leave a new mark on the
present when a page from the book of memory is turned.
Lily was just as confused, unable to figure
out if this really was him or someone else. She was tangled between her past
and present. She wanted to ask him something, but just as she opened her mouth,
he placed his finger gently on her delicate lips and leaned in close to her
ear.
"I think I should go now. See you again
soon, fairy..." he whispered and turned away.
As he walked off, he didn’t forget to glance
back at Lily, who remained standing there. There was something in her eyes
that, for a moment, tugged at Hadid's heart, but he kept walking. This wasn’t
the right time yet. There was still so much left to happen, so many masks yet
to fall.
Why do you always leave me alone? Why
don’t you show me your face? Why don’t you tell me the truth? Why don’t you tell
me who you are? I don’t even know what this feeling is. Why don’t I feel the
same way about Shehzad when he’s my boyfriend? Why are you playing hide and
seek with me? Why????
She stood there, questioning someone who had
already left, someone who had to leave, someone who was yearning for her as
well but couldn’t accept her being with someone else. One thing had become
clear to her, though—the feelings she had for Shehzad and the emotions she felt
for this mysterious person were completely different, vastly different.
A single tear rolled down her cheek. Instead
of heading to the pool area, she turned back towards the ballroom.
But there was someone who had witnessedeverything...
***************
A black envelope was placed in front of each
guest. Zak's guards stood beside everyone who had one of these envelopes in
front of them. Zak scanned the room with terrifying eyes, his lips curling into
a dangerous smile.
As soon as they opened the envelopes, the
pictures inside left them all stunned. The evidence of their wrongdoings was
glaring back at them, a silent confession of their crimes.
"I think we should leave now,"
Sikandar suggested as they moved towards the entrance.
"Hmm... Farooq's already left. Hani, you
should go too. Your flight's in two hours," Zak said, looking at Hani.
"And me?" Sikandar asked, drawing
Zak's attention.
"There's a task for you. Finish it, then
you can go," Hadid said, barely containing his laughter.
Sikandar turned to Zak, who pretended as if
he had no idea what was going on.
"Kamina..." Sikandar barely managed
to get the word out before Zak shot him a sharp glare. Instantly, Sikandar's
words came to a halt as if someone had slammed the brakes on his tongue.
He knew better than to push his luck when Zak
gave that look.
************
Shahzad was driving very fast, and Lily,
sitting in the passenger seat, was terrified by his reckless driving.
"Shahzad, please..." Lily started
to speak, but suddenly Shahzad’s thunderous voice echoed.
"Can you please just shut up..."
She fell silent because he often yelled at
her in anger.
Upon reaching the hotel, he took off his coat
and threw it on the bed. His anger was not diminishing.
Lily was sitting on the sofa, watching him as
he continuously dialed a number on his phone.
"Where the hell are all of you..."
Shahzad’s frustration was evident as a servant picked up the call.
"Mr. Shahzad, everyone is asleep at
home. I just came from the servant quarters," Aslam Baba, who had been a
servant at their house for a long time, spoke fearfully.
"Where is Dad? Why isn’t he answering
the phone?" Shahzad demanded angrily.
"Mr. Shahzad, Mr. Akram hasn’t come home
yet. If you want, I can put you through to Mrs. Khadija," Aslam Baba said,
trembling. As good as Khadija Begum was, her husband and son were a thousand
times worse.
"Don’t mess with me. Hang up the
phone..." Shahzad said, cutting the call and dialing his father’s number
again.
"Come on, Dad... Pick up the call,"
he shouted in frustration.
Annoyed, he threw his phone aside. Suddenly,
his gaze fell on Lily sitting on the sofa, and he remembered the scene when he
was leaving the meeting room and saw Lily standing close to another man.
In a moment of fury, he stood up and grabbed
Lily’s golden hair in his fist.
"Who’s he?" he asked in a single,
harsh word, his eyes filled with rage.
"I don’t know what you want to ask
me..." Lily replied, trying to stay calm despite her fear.
Lily answered with a trembling voice, as she
was in a lot of pain. Shahzad was gripping her hair tightly.
"Do you think I look crazy? Who was the
person you stood with by the pillar?" Shahzad asked angrily, still holding
her hair tightly.
"I don’t know..." Lily said with a
sobbing voice, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"You don’t know, huh? So how can you
allow him to touch your back and put his finger on your lips? Give me an
answer..." Shahzad pulled her hair even harder, causing her head to tilt
further back. Shahzad was now close to her face.
"I... sai... said... I... do... don...
don’t... kn... know... hi... him..." Lily barely managed to say through
her pain and tears. Her mascara had smudged from crying, and her nose was red.
Slap! Shahzad's harsh hand left a mark on her
delicate cheek, splitting her lip on one side.
Another slap landed on her other cheek.
Lily's vision blurred; her fragile self could not endure his brutish behavior.
He grabbed her hair again.
"Ahhhhh... Sha...shah...shahzad...
it’s... hu...hur...hurts... me..." she could barely speak, her eyes filled
with tears. Shahzad’s face kept blurring in her vision.
"If I see you with anyone else again, I
will kill you. Understand?"
This time, he grabbed her face with his hand.
For a moment, Lily felt her jaw was dislocated. Shahzad threw her onto the sofa
roughly.
She continued to cry; her face was in pain,
blood trickling from her lip down to her neck. She wiped her tears with her
hands. As she tried to get up from the sofa, her head suddenly felt heavy, and
she staggered back onto the sofa. Her hands trembled as she poured water from a
jug into a glass on the table next to the sofa. After taking a sip, she
immediately felt nauseous. She ran to the bathroom.
Shahzad watched her entire state in silence,
sitting motionless.
She came out of the bathroom and collapsed
onto the sofa. At that moment, Shahzad got up, grabbed his car keys and wallet,
and left the room.
***********
He had been driving aimlessly on the roads
for quite some time. His anger was still unrelenting. He had underestimated Zak,
and now Zak had become like a noose around his neck—something he couldn't get
rid of or swallow.
He kept recalling Zak's every word. The image
of Saleem Afandi's condition repeatedly flashed before him—how, in a single
moment, Zak had created a storm in his life. Every word of Zak echoed in his
ears.
Aaaaahhhh! He suddenly slammed on the brakes
and began pounding the steering wheel in frustration.
"I'll kill you, Zak! How dare you call
me a dog, Shahzad Akram a dog! I'll make you suffer a fate worse than death, Zak.
I'll destroy your existence. How dare you bring my uncle to this state? I won't
let you get away, Zak!" He continued to rage, hitting the steering wheel
with his fists. He was so enraged that he wanted to set Zak on fire or do
something drastic.
He had stopped his car on the roadside, got
out, and began staring at the beach. He couldn't find any peace; the fire of
vengeance was burning fiercely within him, consuming him as well.
On one side was Beast, and on the other was Zak.
He couldn't decide who to deal with first. Who knew what lay ahead? Death had
yet to embrace anyone, and while he was plotting to destroy another’s existence
and kill someone, he was uncertain about his own fate and what was to become of
him.
****************
"Let me go... Is anyone here??? I’m
telling you to let me go; I will destroy your entire lineage..."
The two men were sitting in front of the LCD
screen, watching the scene unfold. His shouting and screaming provided them
with a sense of satisfaction. His condition was worsening; he had a blindfold
over his eyes and his hands and feet were chained.
They had just returned from leaving Sikandar,
Farooq, and Hani behind. It was well past midnight. The surprise they had given
to the guests was enough to shake them to their core. They were relieved that Zak
had only shown them the evidence of their black deeds and not their families;
otherwise, they would have been left without a face to show. The pictures of
their misdeeds were displayed for all to see. They thought they could act
recklessly because Zak was silent. But how could they forget that he was the
Don, watching every move silently? If he was silent, it didn’t mean he was
retreating; it meant he was observing, waiting for the right moment to strike.
In the party the previous night, he had made
it clear that they were all on his radar, just waiting for the right moment to
attack. And now, the two men sat in calmness, observing Saleem Afandi, a
renowned businessman and the elder brother of Akram Afandi. Saleem was known as
the most decadent businessman, constantly surrounded by a new woman every
night. For him, sin was a routine, and the intoxication of wealth was
ever-present. He had done every conceivable and inconceivable thing to earn
money. He had even traded his own wife for wealth and, after her death, married
her friend. He had left no sin uncommitted. Perhaps today was the end of his
dark chapter, and the one to end it was the person he had thought was dead for
23 years.
Zak rose silently from his place, while
Hadid, sitting beside him, had a blood-red glare in his golden eyes but
remained motionless.
"Aren’t you getting up?" Zak asked,
turning to him.
"Hadid????" Receiving no response,
Zak spoke again and, this time, came back inside to place his hand on Hadid’s
shoulder. Despite being a ruthless and merciless Don, he could not bear to see
his friends in pain. For him, his friends were nothing short of a blessing. He
always said he was fortunate in friendship, having been blessed with one
excellent and genuine friend after another.
There was no doubt that having the best
friends in life was crucial. Those who lacked trustworthy and loyal friends were
the poorest individuals in the world, as they had no one to offer good advice
or stand by them in times of need. Such people were the most impoverished.
"Well... Did you say something?"
Hadid asked, lowering his head.
"Hadid, get up." Zak extended his broad
hand toward him.
Hadid hesitated for a moment, then looked at
him. In the distance, a very old scene appeared.
Past:
A child was lying on the ground in the park,
blood streaming from his head, and there were marks of someone’s fingers on his
neck. His body had bruises as if someone had repeatedly pushed him away to
protect him from another. Tears streaked down his face.
The small hands of the attacker were on the
innocent child’s face.
"Hey... open your eyes..."
The child kept hitting the attacker’s face.
From a distance, his father saw this.
"What happened??"
His father looked at his son and, bending
down, saw the child unconscious. He immediately ran to his wife, sent them to
the children, and began retrieving the first aid box from the car trunk. With a
bottle of water in one hand and the first aid box in the other, he rushed back
to them.
He threw water on the child’s face, and he
regained some consciousness. He immediately administered first aid.
"Boy, are you fine?"
The child looked at the older boy, who was
about two years older than him, standing in front of him. The older boy’s hand
was extended toward him. When the child didn’t reach out, the older boy stepped
forward, took his hand, and helped him stand. He then placed the other hand on
his shoulder to support him. This was Hadid's first meeting with Zak.
Present:
"Will I be the one holding your hand
again today, or will you hold it yourself?" Zak had also recalled that old
memory.
Hadid gave a slight smile and took Zak’s
hand, standing up
************
As soon as the door opened, the sound of two
heavy footsteps was heard.
Saleem, who had been sitting exhausted after
shouting, suddenly lifted his head at the sound. He had a black blindfold over
his eyes, and his face was marked with bruises, which were also present on
other parts of his body.
"Who are you people? Let me go, or I
will kill you all," he yelled, sensing the footsteps coming closer.
The two figures said nothing and continued to
advance towards him.
Zak sat down with his feet up and gripped
Saleem afandi’s hair tightly with his right hand.
"You’re so eager to know who we are,
aren’t you? Well, listen up, Saleem afandi. We are your death—a painful and
torturous death." With a jerk, Zak released his grip on Saleem’s hair and
stood up. He signaled one of his men, who then picked up Saleem Offendi from
the ground, placed him on a chair, and tied him up with ropes. A noose was
fashioned from the rope and placed around Saleem’s neck, and the man stepped
back.
Zak and Hadid sat down on the sofas facing
the scene. They had loosened their bow ties.
"Who are you people?" Saleem
repeatedly asked, his voice trembling.
"I’ve already told you, Saleem afandi.
You’re about to meet your end," Zak said in a calm tone, gesturing for his
man to remove Saleem’s blindfold.
As the blindfold was removed, Saleem’s eyes
were immediately blinded by the light, and the scene in front of him became
blurry. This time, Saleem afandi opened his eyes wide, and his golden eyes
widened in shock upon seeing the two figures before him. (Does anyone remember
the golden eyes?)
"Zakk, Amell..." Saleem’s voice
quivered with recognition.
Saleem, who had been yelling and sitting
exhausted, suddenly lifted his head at the sound. His eyes were covered with a
black bandage, and there were bruises all over his face and body.
“Who are you people? Let me go! I’ll kill all
of you!” Hearing the footsteps approaching him, he shouted again.
The two men did not speak and continued to
walk toward him.
Zak was sitting on his feet, holding Saleem
Afandi’s hair in a tight grip with his right hand.
“So you’re eager to know who we are, huh?
Well, listen up, Saleem Afandi. We are your death... a painful and torturous
death.” Zak released Saleem’s hair with a jerk and stood up. He signaled to one
of his men, who lifted Saleem Afandi from the ground, placed him on a chair,
and tied him with rope. The rope was looped around his neck, and the man
stepped back.
Zak and Hadid (Amell) sat on the sofas in
front. They loosened the ties on their necks.
“Who are you people?” Saleem asked
repeatedly.
“I’ve told you, your death, Saleem Afandi,”
Zak said calmly, gesturing for his man to remove Saleem’s blindfold.
As the blindfold was removed, Saleem’s eyes
were blinded by the sudden light, and the scene before him became blurred. This
time, Saleem Afandi fully opened his eyes and, upon seeing the two men sitting
in front of him, his golden eyes widened in shock. (Does anyone remember the
man with golden eyes?)
Zak, Amell...
Saleem’s voice trembled as he spoke.
Amell’s lips curled into a faint, cold smile
behind his mask. Everyone knew that Zak’s companion with beautiful golden eyes
was always by his side. Both Zak and Amell had strikingly beautiful eyes.
People would stop to look at the men with such stunning eyes, but they could
only yearn to see their faces. Everyone knew Zak had ash-gray eyes, while the
golden-eyed man was known as Amell. His eyes were sharp like a hawk’s, and his
grip on his prey was as fierce as that of a hawk. He was a man of high
principles, a fearless one who kept his flight high. He was truly Amell.
“Yes, we...” Zak and Hadid (Amell) said
together.
“What do you want from me? Let me go!” Saleem
Afandi begged for his life, and Kaise found some solace in his plea.
“This worthless life of yours...” Zak said in
a low voice.
“You must have learned about what happened to
Raouf, haven’t you?” Zak stood up from his chair and leaned on the table in the
middle.
For a moment, Saleem felt his soul being
consumed. How could he forget what Zak had done to Raouf?
“Zak, spare my life, and in return, I’ll give
you so much you’ll be pleased...” Saleem made a desperate offer to the wrong
person.
In an instant, Zak’s strong grip was on
Saleem’s hair again. “So you think you can make me happy? I don’t need your
dirty money, Saleem. I have plenty of what is lawful and pure.” Saying this,
Zak freed Saleem’s hair from his grip and punched him in the face.
“Ahhh...” Saleem’s scream echoed through the
basement.
“Let me go, Zak, or he will kill you. He will
erase your existence!” Saleem tried one last desperate attempt to save himself.
“Why should I let you go? How many times did
I tell you, Saleem Afandi, to stop your actions? You didn’t stop, nor did
Raouf. I dealt with Raouf, and now it’s your turn.” Zak took out a thin, sharp
instrument and struck Saleem Afandi’s cheek with it. Saleem cried out in pain.
“I... I... I will not... let you... live...”
Saleem could barely speak through the pain.
“If you survive, then you can kill, right?”
Zak said with a sarcastic smile, and then removed his mask.
As soon as Zak touched his face mask, Saleem
knew that his pardon would not be easy today because anyone who had seen Zak’s
face, or had tried to see it, had met their end. When Zak removed his mask, Saleem
was struck with shock, unable to believe his eyes.
“You... you...” Saleem could barely utter the
words.
“Yes, it’s me,” Zak said, slightly bowing.
“No,
how can you do this...” Saleem tried to speak.
“Why
not?” Zak asked with a mocking smile.
“No,
how can you...” Saleem tried to speak again.
“I am the sole heir of a traditional mafia
family,” Zak said in a confidential tone.
“You...
Black...?” Saleem’s words trailed off.
“Yes, I am the son of Black Devil, the same
Black Devil whom you and Kabir Khawar tried to kill. I am the son of that Black
Devil. Do you think I’ll let you go? Not at all. I won’t spare you or Kabir
Khawar, who is now known as King in the underworld. I will prepare such an end
for you that no one will ever dare to challenge Zak and his family again. And
one more secret for you—your efforts were in vain. Black Devil is still alive.”
With these words, Zak struck Saleem’s other cheek with the sharp tool he was
holding.
Saleem cried out in pain. At that moment,
Hadid stood up and walked over to stand in front of Saleem. He grabbed Saleem’s
hair in his fist.
“Are
you feeling pain, Saleem Afandi?” Hadid asked, lifting Saleem’s
bloodied face to meet his gaze.
“Amell...”
Saleem Afandi uttered, looking at the person in front of him whose eyes were
just as golden as his own. For a moment, he was stunned. Suddenly, Hadid
removed his mask.
With his golden, striking eyes, sharp
features, and milk-white complexion, anyone who saw Hadid with Saleem Afandi
today would say that he was indeed Saleem Afandi’s son. Saleem Afandi was
reminded of a small child when he saw Hadid’s face.
“You...
You can’t be. You’re Amell, aren’t you?” Saleem Afandi spoke in
a barely audible voice, but both Zak and Hadid heard him.
“I am Hadid, Saleem Afandi. In the mafia, I
am known as Amell. My mother named me Hadid Afandi,” Hadid said, staring
directly into Saleem Afandi’s eyes.
“How
are you alive? I killed you with my own hands...” Saleem Afandi
couldn’t believe that Hadid was alive and standing in front of him as a
personification of his own death.
“Your
attempt was a failure, Saleem Afandi.” Hadid said with
contempt.
“No
one can save you from me today, Saleem Afandi. You killed my mother in front of
me. You murdered her. I will not leave you alive.” Hadid kicked
the table in the middle, which fell on Saleem Afandi, knocking him and the
chair down. Hadid signaled to a man standing aside, who then moved forward and
untied Saleem Afandi’s ropes.
“Forgive
me, Hadid. I am your father. I will give you whatever you want. Just forgive
me. Look, son, your mother wasn’t a good woman, which is why I...”
Before Saleem could finish his sentence, Hadid struck him in the chest.
Hadid had
certainly kicked him with his foot. Saleem Afandi remembered that kick vividly;
once he had delivered such a kick to an innocent soul. Hadid was now on his
knees, grabbing Saleem Afandi by the hair and lifting his head slightly.
"If you say
one more word about my mother, I will make your death very painful, Saleem
Afandi. How dare you call yourself my father? You killed my mother, you traded
her, and you tried to kill me. Now, faced with your own death, you suddenly
remember that I am your son? The day you sold my mother, my father died. Today,
you will pay for my mother’s blood."
Hadid released his
grip on Saleem Afandi's hair, causing his head to fall to the ground. Hadid
then stood up and grabbed one end of the rope that had been tied around
Saleem’s neck, dragging him to a corner. The tightening of the rope made Saleem
feel as if he was suffocating. He remembered the figure who had begged for
mercy, but now it was Saleem who was being strangled by the very rope he had
once used to strangle someone else. The same kind of death he had once
delivered to an innocent was now being delivered to him
************
"Saleem, I
have endured all your cruelty. I will never do this. How shameless and
despicable are you? You come here after trading your own wife..."
Mirab, with her
dark eyes, long black silky hair, and fair complexion, looked like a delicate
doll. She didn’t seem like a mother of a six-year-old child in any way. She was
shouting angrily in front of Saleem.
"Shut your
nonsense, Mirab. Just three nights with this man...," Saleem's words were
cut off as Mirab slapped him across the face with her delicate hand.
"You vile,
despicable, and dishonorable man! I gave you everything—honor, all my wealth,
my father's entire business, which was in my name. All the fame you have is
because of me, and now you are trading me. Curse on you, Saleem Afandi, curse
on you!" Mirab was overwhelmed with anger.
Saleem, enraged,
began to hit Mirab, slapping her face repeatedly. Unaware of what was
happening, a small figure on the other side of the door was watching.
Eventually, the child came inside. The love between a mother and her child is
unique; he couldn’t stand seeing this happening to his mother.
"Daddy, stop
hurting Mommy!" the little boy cried out, hitting his father's leg with
his tiny hands. Suddenly, Saleem kicked the child aside, throwing him away.
Saleem threw Mirab
onto the bed and began to strangle her. The little child came back and tried to
pull Saleem's hands away from his mother’s neck.
"You're such
a filthy father! Let go of Mommy! Get your hands off!" the child pleaded,
trying to remove Saleem’s hands from his mother’s throat. Saleem, frustrated,
shifted his attention to the child, lifting him and throwing him down from the
bed. The child fell hard to the ground.
"Mirab...
Mirab... Hadid..." Mirab, in distress, called out, trying to regain her
composure as she stood up.
As Saleem Afandi
tightened the dupatta around Mirab’s neck, he increased the pressure.
“Say it, or not?”
Saleem asked, pressing harder on the dupatta.
Mirab felt her
breath growing shallow.
“No... no...
not...” Mirab’s response was weak.
Saleem dragged her
toward the TV lounge, while Mirab tried desperately to free herself.
Hadid, whose head
was bleeding, ran behind to save his mother.
“Saleem, for God’s
sake, don’t do this to me, please!” Mirab begged, falling at his feet and
pleading for mercy.
When Saleem kicked
Mirab away, she fell a little farther, and a wave of pain surged through her
abdomen. She realized the extent of her injury intensely and cried out in
agony. Saleem remained unmoved, continuing to kick her. Hadid ran up and
embraced his mother, receiving some kicks himself.
Saleem bent down
and grabbed Hadid’s arms, throwing him onto the sofa.
“My... my
child...” Mirab cried out, unable to bear seeing her child being harmed.
Saleem grabbed
Mirab by her hair and jerked her head back. “Agree to my terms if you want to
live,” he said coldly.
“No...” Mirab
replied firmly.
Saleem drove the
knife into Mirab’s abdomen. A scream echoed throughout the house. He withdrew
the knife and thrust it back into her.
Mirab placed her
bloodied hand on Saleem’s collar, gripping him tightly.
“This day... the
world... is the day of reckoning... Saleem... your death... will be very
bad...” Mirab said, her voice trembling with pain.
Saleem pushed
Mirab away and moved toward Hadid, who was semi-conscious.
“You have to die,
Hadid, or you will become a problem for me,” Saleem said, beginning to apply
pressure on Hadid’s neck. Within moments, Saleem felt Hadid’s breathing cease.
He gathered the necessary items and money into a bag and left the house. For
him, this chapter was over, but Hadid's death was just beginning.
Saleem had
forgotten that Hadid was skilled at holding his breath.
As soon as Saleem
left, Hadid got up, stumbling and making his way back to his mother. He was
also severely injured.
“Mom, open your
eyes!” Hadid cried, tears streaming down his face.
Mirab, in a
semi-conscious state, felt her son’s tiny hands on her face and began to open
her eyes.
“Mom, nothing will
happen to you,” little Hadid said, sobbing.
“B... Baby...
you... you must become strong, like your father. Your journey is now without
your mother. You... you have become my Hadid... my life. God... keep you away
from all evil, Hadid.” Mirab, with her fading breaths, spoke, while Hadid’s
heart was sinking.
“M... My Hadid...”
Mirab’s breaths ceased, and her soul had left her body. She had lost her life
at the hands of a beast, but she left behind her son. Today, this six-year-old
child was no longer just a child; he had lost his mother, and his father was
the killer. He had to continue his journey alone in this world.
“Mom...” He shook
his mother’s lifeless body, hoping for some movement, hoping she would call
him.
“Mom, answer me...
Mom, get up. What will I do alone? Mom, get up, Mom, Mom...” The child was
crying.
“Allah, my mom...”he screamed.
“I will not leave
him alive. He killed my mom...” The six-year-old had seen his mother’s blood
with open eyes and was now about to embark on the path of revenge. Who could
have known what these innocent, beautiful eyes had witnessed at such a young
age? He picked up his mother’s blood on his hands. His innocent heart was
wounded, but blood was in his eyes. That night, his golden eyes had cried a lot
because the mother who used to kiss and soothe him every night was now silent
forever. She had left her son and her death in the hands of God. The cycle of
retribution was about to begin.
The next day, the
maid arrived and, upon seeing the scene, placed her hand on her heart. She
informed everyone and gathered people. She hugged Hadid and everyone knew who
could have done this. Everyone was silent because they lacked the courage to
confront him. The women of the area gave Mirab her final rites. Mirab was laid
to her final resting place.
One day passed,
then the second, the third day, and soon everyone had forgotten who Mirab was,
and whether Hadid even existed. This is the reality of humans; after death,
people remember for a few days and then forget. But those close to you do not
forget; they feel your absence all the time. Just like Hadid did. It had been
four days; he had not eaten anything and was sitting in the same clothes
stained with his mother’s blood. His condition had become like that of a sick
person. He had not gone outside the house. Today, he decided to go out. In the
heat of Dubai, he went out, heading towards a park where he often went with his
mother. Due to not eating, he began to feel dizzy. As soon as he reached the
park, he fainted from hunger. The wound on his head started bleeding again. The
bruises on his body had turned to deep bruises.
Some children saw
him; his father gave him first aid. From his condition, they realized something
was seriously wrong.
Whats your name ....
A man placed his hand on Hadid's shoulder. To
Hadid, this man seemed compassionate. He had a handsome and imposing presence,
and his son, standing beside him, also seemed very attractive to Hadid.
Meanwhile, Hadid himself was not any less beautiful.
“Hadid...” was the single-word reply given.
“Is everything
okay? I think something is wrong with you...” the man asked again.
“I’m in search of
Black Devil. Do you know him?”
Hadid responded with a question instead of an answer.
“Why are you
looking for me, little boy?” the
opponent asked with a smile, looking at the child.
“Are you Black
Devil?” Hadid asked in Urdu this
time.
“Oh, you speak
Urdu too?” Black Devil ignored
his comment.
“Yes, because my
parents were from Pakistan.”
There was a trace of grief in Hadid’s voice that did not escape the opponent’s
notice.
“Hmmmm, we should
talk at home. Come on, let’s go.”
Black Devil took Hadid's tiny hand in his own.
Who could have known that today, Black Devil,
who was taking this little boy with him, would, after hearing his entire story,
introduce him as Amell in the mafia, and one day, Amell would seek revenge for
his mother’s blood?
*****************Dasht-e-ulfat ep no 4
He had become Amell, the six-year-old boy,
and now it was time for his mother’s revenge. He had indeed become different
from his father; he was not the one who inflicted suffering but was here to end
it. He was Hadid, his mother’s son, and today, Salim was close to facing his
retribution. His end was written by his own blood. Fate had marked his death at
the hands of his own blood, just as he had spilled his blood in his wife’s
womb. He was the first son to take revenge on his father for his mother’s
blood. Today, he was preparing to give his father a painful death. His father
was a predator, and he had become a predator to hunt down such beasts.
“Hadid...” Saleem Afandi tried to speak.
“Amell... I am
Amell for you, Saleem Afandi. Hadid is only for my mother.” Saying this, he kicked Salim in the same spot where
he had killed his mother. Zak, sitting at a distance, watched silently. He was
aware of every moment; he had been with him since he was six years old.
As Saleem tried to rise, Amell kicked him
again and, gripping his hair, said, “Today,
you will pay for my mother’s suffering, Saleem. I am your death. I am the
retribution that my mother spoke of. I am your cruel death, a death filled with
agony and suffering.” With a jerk, he freed his grip on Saleem’s
hair.
“Forgive me… Have mercy on me…” Saleem Afandi
pleaded, joining his hands in front of him.
"Beg for mercy… My mother also asked for
your mercy. Did you hear her?" Hadid said, giving Saleem another kick,
pushing him away.
He turned and picked up some papers from the
table. He presented the papers in front of Saleem.
“Look, Saleem Afandi, this is the decree of
your ruin. The wealth you pursued and did every illegal thing for is no longer
yours. Look, you have confessed to every sin. Look…” Hadid displayed the papers
that clearly stated Saleem’s confession: that he had killed his first wife,
seized all her father’s property, and took over all her wealth. He had traded
his wife’s property, giving 30% of it to his brother Akram, who had built a
factory on it. He also confessed to having orchestrated the car accident that
killed his second wife’s first husband. And now, he was transferring all his
wealth and property to his son Hadid, whom he had attempted to kill.
“This… this is all lies… How are my
signatures on these papers? I didn’t sign these papers…” Saleem Afandi, even at
this stage, was more concerned about his wealth, which wasn’t even his, than
about the reality of the situation.
“These signatures are yours, Saleem Afandi.
That’s why it’s said that you should always read the papers before signing
them,” Hadid said with a smile.
A week earlier…
When Saleem Afandi was preparing to leave
Pakistan, he was signing some important papers. His secretary came in and informed
him that someone had come to see him.
He allowed the person in because he had
received some papers from King that needed his signature. The person entered
the office dressed in black, wearing a long coat.
“What’s the matter?” Saleem asked him.
“King sent these papers,” the visitor said
directly.
“Bring them here,” Saleem gestured with his
hand.
The visitor handed him a gray envelope, as
King used gray envelopes for sending documents.
Saleem opened the envelope and signed the
papers inside, unaware that he was signing away all his wealth. After signing,
he returned the papers to the envelope and handed it back to the visitor.
The masked face smiled behind the mask. The
visitor took the envelope and left the office. As soon as he reached his car,
he removed the black lenses from his eyes, revealing his golden eyes hidden
underneath. “Fool… who signs papers without reading them? Now see what I do to
you Afandis…” he smiled and got into his car.
The papers King had sent to Saleem were
already taken by him. Now he just needed to give them to Zak.
Presently…
“Remember anything?” Hadid asked with
interest, observing Saleem’s changing expressions.
“No, how could you do this to me…” Saleem
Afandi said in disbelief.
“Very easily.” Hadid’s calmness was evident.
Hadid picked up a knife from the nearby table
and dipped it into acid. He then retrieved it and approached Saleem. Seeing the
knife coming towards him, Saleem tried to move away.
Hadid advanced and stabbed Saleem in the
stomach with the acid-soaked knife.
“Ahhhhhhh…” Saleem Afandi cried out in pain.
Hadid twisted the knife inside once and then
pulled it out, stabbing Saleem again.
“Hadid…” Saleem Afandi could barely speak
through the pain.
“I am Amell for you. Hadid is only for his
mother,” Hadid said as he grabbed Saleem’s mouth and pulled out his tongue.
“You used this tongue to trade my mother’s
life, didn’t you?” Hadid was enraged.
He sliced through Saleem’s tongue with a
swift cut. Saleem’s mouth filled with blood, and he made strange noises.
Hadid now made deep cuts all over Saleem’s
body. Saleem Afandi was enduring more agony than he could handle. He joined his
hands in a plea, but there was no strength left in him.
“I won’t let you die so easily, Saleem. You
will feel the pain of your death intensely.” Noticing Saleem becoming
semi-conscious, Hadid threw water mixed with salt on him, causing him to writhe
in pain.
Hadid pulled out his gun and began shooting
at every part of Saleem’s body. He had reloaded his gun three times and now had
only two bullets left. He shot one in Saleem’s head and the final one in his
heart.
And here, Saleem Afandi’s dark chapter came
to an end.
He who had once killed his unborn child
before it could see the world, and had failed in his attempt to kill another,
who had taken the lives of countless people in his intoxication with wealth,
who had violated the honor of countless girls and traded his own wife... Today,
his end was written by his own blood. The son he had once tried to kill had now
taken revenge for his mother’s death. His cruel death was delivered by his own
son. He had reached his end. Hadid's revenge was complete. He had killed his
mother’s murderer, the man who had traded her.
Hadid took a deep breath and sat down there.
Zak stood up from his place. He had promised
not to intervene and let Hadid take his revenge. Now, he approached Hadid,
placed a hand on his shoulder, and sat down next to him.
“I have taken my mother’s revenge, Zak… I
have avenged the blood, Zak… I have killed this man today…” A tear fell from
his eye. His hands were covered in blood, the same blood that flowed in his
veins.
“Hadid…” Zak embraced him.
“I have taken my mother’s revenge, Zak…” He
repeated, as if a fire within him had been extinguished, as if a pain had found
relief today
****************
For the first time in 23 years, he visited
his mother’s grave after her burial. At the time of her burial, he had promised
his mother that he would not come to this grave until he had killed the man
responsible.
Sitting in front of the grave for a prayer,
he placed his hand on the dirt of the grave, and tears began to fall from his
eyes. Within moments, the 29-year-old man was sobbing like a child. After 23
years, he cried. He had not even shed a tear when recounting the entire
incident to the Black Devil. When the Black Devil had asked him why he had not
cried even a single tear while telling the story of his mother’s death, he had
replied that until he had avenged her blood and killed that beast, shedding a
tear was forbidden to him. For 23 years, he had kept that pain and sorrow
hidden inside him. But today, he cried. Today, all his promises were fulfilled.
He had killed that monster. The grief of twenty-three years was being released;
today, he seemed not like a 29-year-old, but like the 6-year-old Hadid.
Zak, who had been watching him from a
distance, came up to him from behind. He sat next to Hadid at the grave. He
gently straightened Hadid by his shoulder. Hadid embraced him and continued to
cry. Zak did not try to stop him; he wanted Hadid to cry his heart out, to
release the grief of twenty-three years. They stayed at the cemetery for a long
time while Zak waited for Hadid to regain his composure. Once Zak felt that
Hadid was now calm, he stood up, helped Hadid to his feet, and led him out of
the cemetery. The path they walked was quiet.
************** Dasht-eUlfat ep no 3
Shehzad was packing his bags in a hurry while
Lily sat on the sofa. They hadn’t had any significant conversation since last
night.
“I want to go now...” Shehzad said as he
continued packing his bags.
“Okay, you can...” Lily replied, her gaze
empty. This person hadn’t asked her about her well-being even once. He had been
out all night, returned close to morning, and smelled strongly of alcohol, as
if he had been drinking all night.
“Hmmm... What's wrong with you?” he asked,
tearing through the silence.
“Nothing, I’m fine...” Lily turned her eyes
away from him.
“You miss your new boyfriend?” Shehzad said
with a hint of sarcasm.
“I said I don’t know who he was. What’s wrong
with you?” Lily snapped back.
“Okay, okay... Relax, I’m sorry...” Shehzad
tried to keep his tone calm, while Lily offered no response.
“There is very important work in Pakistan, so
I have to go back. I will meet you very soon, sweetheart,” Shehzad said in a
gentle tone. He placed his fingers on the mark he had left on Lily's face the
previous night and leaned in, kissing her lips.
He picked up his bag and left the room, while
Lily remained behind, feeling dizzy and having to stop at the hotel.
*******************
"Have a safe journey, Amell..."
He had just sat down on the bed after packing
his bags when he received a message notification on his phone. As he read it,
he smiled.
"You too, bro..."
He typed a reply and sent the message.
******************dasht-e-ulaft ep no 2
Who's to say where Zak and Amell are heading
next? What will be their next target? What is their ultimate destination? What
are their plans? How will Hadid (Amell) use Saleem Afandi’s property papers?
Will Lily and Shahzad's relationship last? Zak and Hadid are about to make
their move. They are now on the verge of disrupting the case.
What will happen in the next chapter of Dasht-e-Ulfat?
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