Dasht-e-ulfat
Written
by.
Shazain
Zainab
"Who knows what this boy is up to. It's
not like he cares that his wedding is just around the corner. And he hasn’t
even shown up at home!" Roha Begum fumed as she spoke to Kamran Sahib in
anger.
"What’s wrong, Roha? Why are you so
upset? The boy is just busy with work," Kamran Sahib tried to calm her
down.
"Tell him to get married to his work
then! If he dares to come home, I'll break his legs and hand them to him!"
Roha Begum retorted furiously again.
"Roha, why are you trying to raise your
blood pressure?" Kamran Sahib gently placed his hand on hers.
"You and your son have always been the
cause of my high blood pressure!" Roha Begum glared at Kamran Sahib
angrily, while he lowered his head, suppressing his laughter. Laughing now
would mean he'd be thrown out of the room!
Durab, who was on his way to meet his mother,
paused outside the door, hearing the heated exchange. Letting out a sigh, he
knocked on the door and then opened it, knowing full well that he was about to
get scolded.
"Assalamu Alaikum," he greeted as
he entered, winking at his father. Kamran Sahib looked back at him as if to
say, "Why did you come now? You should have stayed wherever you
were."
"Wa Alaikum Assalam," Roha Begum
responded curtly, turning her face away.
Durab walked up to his mother and sat beside
her on the bed. Hugging her, he asked, "Are you upset with me,
Mother?"
At that, Kamran Sahib felt an overwhelming
urge to pick him up and throw him out of the room!
"Stay away from me and don't talk to me!
Go ahead and marry your work instead of Noor. You don’t even care about this
house or your mother!" Roha Begum pushed him away.
"As you wish, my sweet butterfly."
Durab took Roha Begum's hand, placed it on his eyes, and kissed it.
"Durab!" Roha Begum grabbed his ear
in response, while Kamran Sahib finally felt at peace. Durab intentionally
spoke like this in front of his father just to annoy him.
"Okay, okay, let go of my ear, Roha
Begum!" Durab started pleading again, as Kamran Sahib now had a slipper in
his hand.
Roha Begum eventually hugged her son. After
all, she was still his mother, and though she could get angry, she couldn’t
stay mad for too long.
But Durab was in a mischievous mood again. He
laid down with his head on her lap and, winking at his father, said,
"Mother, massage my head, please."
His innocence was off the charts.
"If you don’t get out of here right now,
I swear I’ll fix you!" Kamran Sahib finally lost his patience.
"What’s wrong? She’s my mother!"
Durab replied, pretending to be innocent.
"And calling her ‘Roha Begum’ and
‘Butterfly’—what's that all about?" Kamran Sahib shot back with a glare.
"I call her jaan (beloved) too. Have you
forgotten?" Durab was shamelessly proving his point.
Kamran Sahib got up from his seat, and Durab
quickly lifted his head from his mother's lap, kissed her forehead, and darted
out of the room.
"Stay busy with your work, you insolent
man!" Kamran Sahib shouted in frustration, while Roha Begum, by now used
to these antics between father and son, just smiled.
Meanwhile, after reaching his room, Durab
pulled out his phone and started typing a message to Kamran Sahib.
"Take care of my butterfly," the
message read, followed by a shy face emoji.
When Kamran Sahib read the message, he felt
an overwhelming urge to throw him out of the house. But gritting his teeth, he
replied:
"Shut up and go to sleep before I break
my shoe on you, you disobedient son!" This was accompanied by an angry
emoji.
Durab laughed as he saw his father’s message
and put his phone aside. That was enough for today. If he had pushed any
further, his father might have actually followed through with his threat!
*****************urdunovelnests
He lay in his bed, wearing a maroon t-shirt
and white trousers. His hair was slightly wet and messy, falling across his
forehead as if he had just taken a shower. Sleep was nowhere in sight, and the
image of a certain "beloved enemy" was consuming his thoughts.
Suddenly, his heart ached for a glimpse of her. Acting on the sudden impulse,
he got up from his bed.
Leaving his room, he descended the stairs,
passed through the TV lounge, and entered the kitchen. From there, he made his
way to the back garden. Lifting his head, he glanced up at the balcony of the
room above. The curtains were dancing in the breeze, and the door was slightly
ajar, with the room’s light off. He saw his chance.
Grabbing hold of a nearby pipe, he began to
climb up, reaching the balcony in no time. He placed one foot on the edge,
grasped the railing with one hand, and within moments, he was standing on the
balcony of Noor's room.
"Huff..." Durab caught his breath,
composed himself, and took a step forward.
The room was completely dark. He carefully
walked to the side of the bed, avoiding bumping into anything. There, a figure
lay wrapped in a blanket from head to toe.
“Noor, wake up,” Durab whispered, gently
shaking the figure.
“Noor, come on, wake up, please,” he said
again, shaking the figure a bit more when there was no response.
Amna, who was lying under the blanket, opened
her eyes.
"Noor, please, wake up, my love... my
sweet baby girl," Durab spoke softly, with affection in his voice.
Durab, more surprised than Noor, said,
"If you're here, then who's that?"
"What are you both doing in Noor's
room?" Durab tried to hide his awkwardness as he glared at Amna and Jaza.
"Brother, first tell us what you're
doing here at this hour. What kind of trip were you planning?" Amna
crossed her arms over her chest and scrutinized her brother.
"Or are you going to say that you forgot
the way to your own room?" Jaza suppressed her laughter.
"By the way, I didn't hear the door
open. Where exactly did you come from?" Amna squinted her eyes at her
brother.
"Why are you two suddenly interested in
investigating me at almost two in the morning?" Durab was just trying to
escape the trouble he'd unintentionally walked into, thinking to himself how
unfortunate it was that he ended up in Noor's room at this time.
"We had no intention of investigating
you at two in the morning; you gave us the opportunity yourself!" Amna
shot her brother a pointed look.
"Be thankful, Sawera didn't stay here
tonight, or else she would've had a terrible impression of you," Jaza said
as she got up from the sofa and sat on the bed. Meanwhile, Noor was silently
praying for Durab, hoping he'd leave quickly.
"By the way, Durab Bhai, you're quite
impatient," Amna shook her head in disbelief.
"What is wrong with you two?" Durab
finally asked, feeling exasperated.
"The problem isn't with us, it's with
you, brother," Amna and Jaza said in unison.
"What do you mean?" Durab glared at
them both.
"What were you doing here at this time?
What kind of stroll were you taking?" Amna asked, returning his glare.
"I wasn't out for a stroll!" Durab
snapped, irritated. He was angry at Noor—why didn't she just wait for a minute
before running off as if she'd seen a ghost?
"Amna, he wasn't taking a stroll. He
came to meet his baby girl," Jaza elbowed Amna playfully.
"Oh yes, of course! So, did you meet
your baby girl?" Amna teased, trying to suppress her laughter.
"Please, give me just five
minutes..." Durab pleaded, realizing he had walked right into trouble by
asking his "enemies" for help.
"Sure, take your five minutes!"
Both Amna and Jaza got off the bed, grabbed Durab by the arms, and dragged him
toward the door. They opened it and pushed him out.
"You can finish your five minutes out
there. Goodnight!" They said, shutting the door behind him.
Durab was left standing there, completely
baffled by their actions. "I won't let you two witches get away with
this!" he muttered through gritted teeth as he headed back to his room.
Inside the room, Amna and Jaza knocked on the
bathroom door and called out, "Baby girl, you can come out now!"
They stifled their laughter, knowing that if
it wasn't the middle of the night, they'd both be laughing like crazy.
When Noor finally stepped out, her face was
as red as a tomato.
"Omg, just look at her blushing!"
Jaza teased, nudging Noor with her shoulder.
"Both of you go to sleep and stop
bothering me," Noor said, quickly climbing into bed and covering herself
from head to toe with the blanket.
Noor blushed even more after reading the
message. Lying under the blanket, she felt flustered, and sleep seemed
impossible now.
***********urdunovelnests
As soon as Shehzad arrived in Pakistan, he
went straight to his father. Akram Sahib, who was sitting in his study
engrossed in a file, stopped when he saw Shehzad walk in.
Shehzad closed the door behind him and turned
to face his father. The study was soundproof.
"Shehzad, what’s the matter? You just
arrived in Pakistan... Why are you in such a hurry? What’s wrong with
you?" Akram Sahib asked, observing his son closely, noticing the pale look
on his face.
"I've been trying to reach you for so
long! Where were you? Where was your phone? Do you even know what Zak is
planning to do?" Shehzad shouted.
"What happened? Has the world come to an
end?" Akram Sahib replied, sounding irritated.
"Have you tried calling your
brother?" Shehzad asked, looking at his father.
"Why? Is everything okay?" Akram
Sahib, now concerned, asked seriously.
"Just try calling him once,"
Shehzad insisted.
Akram Sahib picked up his phone from the side
and dialed his brother’s number. The call kept ringing, but no one answered. He
tried once, twice, and several times, but the phone wasn’t picked up. Now Akram
Sahib was starting to get worried.
He had no idea that Saleem's chapter had
already closed, and his phone, laptop, property papers, and everything else
were now in the hands of someone else. This person was feeling quite satisfied
seeing Akram’s repeated calls on Saleem’s phone.
"What happened, Dad? He’s not answering,
right?" Shehzad asked, looking at his father with a sarcastic expression.
"Where is Saleem, Shehzad? Do you
know?" Akram Sahib asked his son, his face filled with worry.
Zak has taken them under his control. Shehzad
sat down on the couch, exhausted.
“What nonsense are you talking, you
disgraceful man? How can they be with Zak? He…” Akram Sahib couldn’t understand
what Shehzad was saying.
“They were supposed to go to America, but
Zak's men kidnapped them and took them to Dubai, where Zak is,” Shehzad explained.
“Stop this nonsense. You think Zak can reach
them? Zak doesn’t even know they were going to America.” Akram Sahib spoke in a
calm manner, struggling to understand how Zak had managed to reach them.
Shehzad took an envelope from his coat pocket
and placed it in front of Akram Sahib.
As soon as Akram Sahib opened the envelope,
he was taken aback and almost fell from his seat.
“He’s been watching our every move. Was it
really that difficult for him to pick them up?” Shehzad said, sitting back on
the couch, rubbing his forehead.
“This is all nonsense! I don’t believe any of
this. You’re just talking nonsense,” Akram Sahib threw the envelope away,
frustrated.
“He’s here to catch our weaknesses, and you
think it’s nonsense?” Shehzad yelled.
“I’m telling you to stop your nonsense and
get out of here, you worthless man,” Akram Sahib grabbed Shehzad by the collar.
Once Akram Sahib calmed down, he said, “When
you see what happens to them, you’ll believe it because Zak is not one to
forgive.”
Shehzad pulled his collar free and walked
out. His gaze fell on kitchen as he exited and went down the stairs.
“How are you…” he addressed her mother.
“You don’t think it’s important to inform
me?” Khadija Begum didn’t even look up from her work.
“I’m your son! Don’t you care about me? We
were talking about the relationship between Jaza and you. You rejected him. I
haven’t been home for so many days, and you didn’t even try to contact me for a
single day?” Shehzad raised his voice.
“You are not my son. You are the son of that
beast whose footsteps you are following today. I didn’t raise you to be like
this. You are just like that beast. And I will never ask for someone like you
for my brother’s daughter. Do you understand? And you have been avoiding me for
days without telling me where you were. My questions are justified because the
way you behave, it’s obvious you’re spending your nights in some corrupt way or
indulging in forbidden activities,” Khadija Begum said with extreme contempt.
Her anger was directed at Akram Sahib, who had dragged their only child into
such a mess.
“What am I doing? What should I do to be like
my father?” Shehzad asked, turning to Khadija Begum.
“This will show you the depth of the mess
you’ve gotten yourself into,” Khadija Begum said, turning away and leaving.
Shehzad stood there, watching her leave, and
then walked towards his room
************
It was a quiet day at Afandi's house. Some
workers were cleaning outside the mansion when suddenly one of them spotted a
black bag. He went closer, unzipped the bag, and, upon seeing the contents and
the condition of what was inside, screamed and ran inside. The other three
workers, frightened, stood at a distance, unsure of what to do.
It was around 9 in the morning when Akram
Sahib, who had just come out of his room, noticed one of the workers, trembling
and scared, approaching him and stopping when he saw Akram Sahib. Akram Sahib
immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.
“What’s happening? Did you see a ghost?”
Akram Sahib's voice echoed throughout the mansion.
“W…w…sahib…b…b…outside…a…a…a bag…m…m…Saleem
Sahib…his…h…his…body…” The worker stuttered, struggling to articulate his words
out of fear.
Akram Sahib felt as if a mountain had fallen
on him. He immediately ran towards Shehzad's room. As he reached the room, he
saw a horrified Shehzad. The sight of his father's pale face made Shehzad
anxious.
“What happened, Dad? Are you okay?” Shehzad
rushed forward and grabbed his father’s arms.
“B…b…body…Saleem’s…” Akram Sahib’s words came
out in a jumble.
Without hesitation, Shehzad ran downstairs.
“Where’s the body?” he asked the worker and
went outside with him. Meanwhile, Akram Sahib, with heavy steps, climbed down
the stairs.
When Shehzad went outside, he encountered a
scene of blackened walls where Saleem Afandi’s residence had caught fire. There
were marks of bullets everywhere. The building was emitting a foul smell at
that time. He carried the body inside.
Akram Sahib was sitting in a large TV lounge,
and in front of him was Saleem Afandi’s burnt body. His eyes had turned red
from anger. Shehzad’s eyes were also red with rage, and he could hardly control
himself. He wanted Zak to be brought to justice.
Khadija Begum had emerged from her room and,
upon seeing the scene in front of her, her heart trembled. She was cautiously
moving towards the TV lounge.
This person is completely vile, a very
despicable man. A voice echoed in her ears: "The biggest mistake of my
life was loving this person." The voice echoed again: "What have I
done? Khadija gave all her wealth to this man, treated him like a son, and look
what he has done... Betrayal. He spends day and night with other women. With
every step, my cries echoed in his ears..."
Khadija asked herself, "Am I so
worthless? Do I have no respect? This person has bartered away my life for his
own gain. My cries echoed once more in my ears. I will never forgive this
person. May God grant him a painful death. His death should make people's souls
shudder. May Allah’s wrath be upon him. He has destroyed me. I will never
forgive him even in death. This merciless death should be his. He is my
criminal; I entrust my case to Allah. My Allah will take account of him."
The last words of her plea echoed in Khadija Begum’s ears.
After that, there were no more calls from my
Bakha. Then one day, she learned about Akram’s second marriage and the deaths
of my Bakha and his son. It was the day of reckoning for Khadija, as she shared
her grief. And today, it was the day of reckoning for Akram. A tear fell from
his eyes.
"Look at how Bakha fought your case. See
the dramatic end that befell the one who caused you pain. See the tormenting
death he faces today." Khadija spoke to herself.
How thoughtless are people who, before
destroying another’s life, do not think about how they will be judged if they
hand over their case to the One who controls our lives. What if that One, who
cools the fires of hell with just a tear from His servant, accounts for the
tears of the innocent? If He holds them accountable, what will happen? You, who
act as a judge of the innocent and cause them undue suffering, do you think the
Eternal Judge will let you go so easily? Allah loves the innocent, the
oppressed, the weak, and the helpless. Every injustice against them is
accounted for by God, both in this world and in the Hereafter.
The tyrants of their time forget that there
is an entity known as the All-Knowing, the Protector, the Reckoner, the
Avenger, the Just, the Owner of Sovereignty, the First, the Last, the Powerful,
the All-Aware, the Just, the Subduer. It is beyond human capability to describe
each of His attributes. When this entity manifests in His grandeur, the
tyrants’ ability to escape is diminished. It is this entity who becomes the
advocate for the oppressed, the weak, the helpless, the innocent. Justice and
fairness are His. He is the ultimate authority and the One who accounts for
deeds. Allah is the Eternal, the Beginning, and the End, the One who is in
control of everything.
Thus, another tyrant met his end today.
Justice was served by God’s court. The punishment delivered made every soul
shiver. All relatives, friends, and business partners were informed of Saleem
Afandi’s death. Soon, the house was filled with people. Seeing the condition of
the building, even I didn’t have the courage to approach it to give him his
final rites. The state of Saleem Afandi’s body was so terrible that people were
afraid to come near. Finally, some people were called, and payment was made for
the burial. However, they also refused to perform the ritual because the body
had been so riddled with bullets that removing them was very difficult. It was
such an end for Saleem Afandi that no one was willing to perform the final
rites. Eventually, the body was wrapped in a shroud.
Akram Afandi’s friends, all those who had
visited Saleem Afandi, Akram Afandi and Saleem Afandi’s business partners, and
many renowned businessmen and ladies were present at his house at that time.
Akram Sahib was silent, and Shehzad was receiving condolences from everyone.
“Peace be upon you, Uncle...” Seeing Shahid
Sahib approaching from the front, Shehzad went to him.
“And peace be upon you...” Shahid Sahib
placed a hand on his shoulder.
“I’m deeply sorry to hear about your uncle’s
death. Where is your father?” Along with offering condolences, he also inquired
about Akram Sahib.
“They are inside,” Shehzad responded to
Shahid Sahib, while his gaze was on Zuraiz, Durab, and Ayan, who had entered
the room, followed by Ibrahim Sahib, Ahsan Sahib, Kamran Sahib, and Afzal
Sahib. It was hard to believe that all these people could be here. Zuraiz had
recently signed a project with him, while the rest were known to him through
business connections, his father, and his uncle, as well as Shahid Sahib's
friendship. He had met Ayan and Durab once in Zuraiz's office.
“How are you, Zuraiz? I’m deeply sorry to
hear about your uncle’s death,” Zuraiz placed a hand on his shoulder.
“What can be said? It’s Allah’s will,”
Shehzad sighed deeply.
“I heard that your uncle was murdered. Did he
have any enemies?” Durab inquired.
“Good people don’t have enemies, Durab,”
Shehzad replied with a pained smile.
“May Allah forgive him,” Ibrahim Sahib said
in a subdued voice from behind.
“Well, you all go inside. The funeral will be
soon,” Shehzad directed them to enter.
When they entered, they were saddened to see
the condition of the body. They were expressing their condolences to Akram
Sahib while Ibrahim’s gaze was searching for someone. That person stood in the
corner with his sister.
“I’m sorry for your brother-in-law’s death,”
Shahid Sahib addressed Khadija Begum.
“I’m not saddened by this person’s death,
Shahid. I am only regretful about his end,” Khadija Begum sighed coldly.
“When the tyrant’s time is up, his end is
indeed painful,” Shahid Sahib said, looking at the body.
“Shahid, how could you…” Khadija Begum wanted
to say something.
“Who isn’t aware of Saleem Afandi’s
misdeeds?” He looked at his elder sister. “May Allah grant peace to his soul.
He has received many curses from the innocent,” Khadija Begum said regretfully.
“I didn’t trouble my siblings, did I?”
Ibrahim Sahib’s voice made Shahid Sahib turn to look.
“No, no. You both, please pray for the
deceased. I will attend to other matters,” Khadija Begum said and left.
“How are you, Alfa?” Ibrahim Sahib, who was
standing nearby, asked.
“You’re right in front of me, Khan,” Shahid
Sahib looked at Ibrahim Sahib.
“What do you think, who could have done
this?” Ibrahim Sahib looked towards Shahid Sahib.
“Don’t look at me like that; this isn’t my
doing,” Shahid Sahib gave Ibrahim Sahib a scrutinizing look.
“Then whose hand is behind this?” Ibrahim
Sahib asked, thinking deeply.
“Time will tell who is behind this. I can
only sense Don’s involvement; beyond that, nothing can be said,” Shahid Sahib
said, looking at Saleem’s body.
“And why do you suspect Don’s involvement,
Alfa?” Ibrahim Sahib asked, surprised.
“Because recently, Don has been active. He
even arranged a party night at All Star’s,” Shahid Sahib replied. “I’m not
saying you don’t know this.”
“Nothing can be said for sure,” Ibrahim Sahib
said, turning to look at the body once more.
Soon, the time for the funeral arrived.
Saleem’s funeral prayers were performed, and he was laid to rest in his grave.
Everyone then went straight to their respective tasks.
Akram Sahib had returned home and gone to his
study. Most of the guests had already left.
Shehzad also came to the study. “Dad, what
are you thinking?” he asked as he arrived.
“I’m wondering where Saleem’s property papers
are,” Akram Sahib said. “Now that he’s gone, all his wealth should rightfully
belong to us, shouldn’t it?”
“We’ll need to check his office and other
places for the papers,” Shehzad suggested.
“And one more thing—his second wife is still
alive. If she demands her share of the property…” Shehzad looked at Akram
Sahib.
“If she’s still alive, how could she make a
demand? Besides, she has been seeking a divorce for years. She probably doesn’t
even know Saleem is dead,” Akram Sahib looked at Shehzad with a shrewd gaze.
“True,” Shehzad said, looking at his father
with a smirk.
This was human nature. Saleem had just been
buried a few hours ago, and his brother was already eager to claim his wealth.
The greed for wealth often manifests even over a dead body.
If there were pockets in a corpse’s shroud,
its relatives would not take a minute to empty them. People first covet wealth
before lowering the body into the earth; at that time, all angels and
intermediaries are remembered. In this way, Akram’s gaze was also fixed on
Saleem Afandi’s wealth. The greed for wealth is a severe ailment; it even kills
the sense of relationship.
***********urdunovelnests
The plane had landed at Lahore Airport.
All the passengers were disembarking from the plane. Today, after twenty-five
years, Hadid had set foot on this land once again. He remembered that he was
just four years old when people started leaving from here. He had cried a lot;
he wanted to stay in Pakistan, to live with his friends, but the people had not
stopped him. They had left for Dubai. Back then, he had gone with his parents.
Today, he had returned to this land alone. He had come back to take revenge for
his mother.
Dressed in black pants and shirt,
with a black coat draped over his shoulders, he walked with an air of
arrogance, moving forward. Everyone was turning their heads to look at him. He
had worn black sunglasses over his golden eyes. He was truly very handsome.
Outside the airport, his car was
parked. A black Mercedes-Benz S-Class was waiting. A man was standing in front
of it, who opened the car door upon seeing him. Hadid got into the back seat of
the car, while the man, as the driver, sat in the front seat.
“Welcome to Pakistan, sir,” the man
said in a flattering tone.
“Hmmm...” Hadid did not respond
much.
“Sir, you have arrived quite late;
your father’s burial was held a while ago...” The man continued in his own
tone, while Hadid felt a surge of anger at the mention of Saleem but managed to
contain it.
“Are you Saleem Afandi’s personal
secretary?” Hadid asked him.
“Yes, sir, absolutely,” the man
said, lifting his chin with pride.
“You seem used to such flattery. I
am not. Only speak when necessary, or when I ask something. Otherwise, keep
quiet,” Hadid’s cold tone silenced the man.
“What was your name again?” Hadid’s
commanding voice echoed.
"Khawar..." the man replied in a
soft voice.
"Hmm, Khawar... Do one thing. Take me to
Saleem Afandi’s second wife’s house," Hadid instructed after a moment of
thought.
*************
The car had just entered DHA, Lahore, and
after covering some distance, it stopped in front of a large white bungalow.
Khawar stepped out and, upon seeing him, the guard opened the gate. The car
then drove up a long driveway and stopped in front of the main door of the
house. Khawar quickly got out and opened the door for Hadid.
Hadid stepped out of the car, unbuttoned his
coat, and advanced forward. Khawar went ahead and immediately opened the front
door of the house. Hadid entered the house and took a moment to look around.
The entire building was much the same, with only a few changes made over time.
"Saleem Afandi, you didn't even spare my
grandfather's house," Hadid said with a wounded smile.
"Who's there outside?" a female
voice called out from inside. When Khawar came into view, she fell silent, and
when her gaze shifted to Hadid standing behind him, she was struck with
surprise.
"Who's there outside, Nargis?" a
faint voice called from the drawing-room. A fifty-year-old woman emerged from
the drawing-room. She was wearing a white dupatta on her head and a white
outfit. Her hair had turned gray, and she wore glasses due to aging. Despite
her age, she still appeared beautiful.
As she came out of the drawing-room, her
first glance fell on Khawar, but when she saw Hadid standing in front, she
seemed to forget to blink.
Golden eyes, a proud demeanor, a handsome
face with striking features... Brown hair and a neatly trimmed beard. She
looked exactly like Saleem Afandi in his youth. Muzamil Begum simply continued
to stare at him, taking one step at a time towards him.
"Hadid... my Hadid..." Muzamil
Begum spoke in a soft voice, yet her words reached Hadid's ears clearly.
"Yes, it's me, Hadid... your Hadid...
and you are Hadi," Hadid said with a faint smile.
Saleem had mentioned you... Muzamil Begum
couldn't manage to say anything further.
She moved closer and began to weep, clinging
to Hadid’s broad chest.
"He is very cruel. Hadid, you should
leave. He might harm you," Muzamil Begum said fearfully.
"Don’t worry. He is no longer in this
world. He can't do anything to me," Hadid spoke with great calmness.
Muzamil Begum's astonishment was diminishing.
"Saliem..." Muzamil Begum tried to
say something.
"Yes, he is dead." Hadid's calmness
was remarkable.
"Who did this good deed?" Muzamil
Begum's face showed signs of joy.
"That’s enough. Let’s talk inside,"
Hadid said, guiding her to the sofa and sitting down with her.
"How grown-up you have become,"
Muzamil Begum said, holding his face in her hands. Her eyes were moist.
"I had grown up before my time,"
Hadid's words carried hidden pain, suffering, and sorrow.
Muzamil Begum embraced him. She understood
the pain concealed in his words. Even today, from his presence, she could still
smell the fragrance of her friend.
"I could never forgive Saliem for his
sins. I felt that he had caused my husband's death in the car accident, but I
was wrong. With time, each secret was revealed to me. He had killed my child.
He had killed my father. He had killed your grandfather. He had ruined the
lives of countless girls. I had been asking him for a divorce for a long time,
but he wouldn't grant it. He committed every kind of cruelty. He was a terrible
man." Tears flowed from Muzamil Begum’s eyes.
Hadid drew her close to him.
"Sit here. I will get food for
you," Muzamil said, standing up and heading to the kitchen.
And today, after many years, she had finally
entered the kitchen, happily preparing something to make. It felt as though her
maternal instincts were being fulfilled today. Her whole life had been spent in
the sorrow of her parents. Today, she had the one she had been happiest about
when he was born—the one she had always held in her lap. Even if it was late,
her empty lap was now filled.
**************urdunovelnests
I’ve checked every nook and cranny of their
room, but there’s no sign of the property papers,” Shehzad said, sitting with
his head in his hands.
“We’ll have to check the office,” Shehzad
added thoughtfully.
“Whatever it is, find those papers quickly,
Shehzad,” Akram Sahib said, visibly unsettled. “Well, I’m heading out for a
breakfast meeting. Today, Zuraiz and Ibrahim have a meeting.”
Saying this, Shehzad exited his father’s
room, and Akram Sahib followed him out.
As they sat at the table, Khadija Begum,
carrying her plate, was heading out of the dining room. It had been a while
since Khadija Begum had stopped sitting down to eat with them. As she was about
to leave, the sound of a car stopping outside the house caught everyone’s
attention.
Shehzad and Akram Sahib exchanged glances,
while Khadija Begum turned towards the door.
The heavy footsteps approached as a man in a
maroon shirt and beige pants entered with a regal stride. His golden eyes had a
unique gleam today. His hair was neatly styled, and he wore an expensive watch.
He looked like a prince from some state, arriving at the threshold of victory.
Seeing him, Akram Sahib felt as if he was
holding his breath, while Shehzad was astonished.
“This cannot be happening…” Akram Sahib
muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, Khadija Begum was bewildered,
wondering if this was a trick of her eyes. He looked exactly like Taya Jan.
Shehzad, equally astonished, commented, “He
looks just like Taya Jan.”
“What happened? My coming here wasn’t
expected to be good… I never hoped to confront you like this,” Hadid said,
glancing at Akram Sahib and Shehzad.
“Hadid…” Khadija Begum said in astonishment.
“Yes,” he responded, smiling faintly at
Khadija Begum.
“You… you were dead, weren’t you?” Akram
Sahib said, struggling to speak.
“Well, well, well, your brother made a
useless attempt to kill me,” Hadid said, calmly settling into the armchair of
the sofa.
“Hey, get up from here. This place is
reserved for the head of the household,” Shehzad said, moving forward.
“So, the head of the household is sitting
here,” Hadid said, his calm demeanor noticeable.
“Doesn’t this idiot know how he got here? Do
you have any proof that you’re the son of Saleem Afandi?” Akram Sahib said
angrily, barely able to control his temper as if he wanted to kill Hadid.
“Do you still need proof?” Hadid asked, with
a touch of sarcasm. “My face, my eyes, everything resembles Saleem Afandi.”
“I don’t believe it…” Akram Sahib said, his
anger growing.
“Even a blind person could tell that I’m
Saleem Afandi’s son,” Hadid said, brushing off the question with a dismissive
gesture.
“Do you have any DNA proof?” Akram Sahib
asked, almost losing his composure.
“Look closely. If you still don’t believe me,
get a DNA test to confirm whether I am indeed a member of the Afandi family,”
Hadid said, winking at Akram Sahib.
Before Shehzad could say anything, Hadid
spoke up, “Didn’t your father teach you that when adults are speaking, children
should keep their mouths shut?”
Hadid spoke in a cold tone. Throughout this
exchange, Khadija Begum stood silently, watching the scene unfold, her heart
quietly relieved.
“Yes, so you’ve come for the truth,” Hadid
said, glaring at Akram Sahib from head to toe. Akram Sahib, on the other hand,
was completely at a loss for words.
"Get up and get out of my house!"
Shehzad moved forward to grab Hadid by the collar, but Hadid's booming laughter
stopped him in his tracks.
"Whose house?" Hadid asked,
suppressing his laughter.
"For your information, let me tell you,
Mr. Shehzad Akram Afandi, I am the sole heir to all the property and wealth of
Saleem Afandi." Hadid’s commanding voice echoed through the TV lounge.
"And if you don’t believe me, take a
look at these papers." Hadid tossed a black file in front of Shehzad and
Akram Sahib. Akram Sahib quickly grabbed it and opened it. As he read through,
his face drained of color, and he slumped into the sofa. The wealth and
property they had been scheming for had now found its rightful heir.
"Go have your breakfast and head to the
office. Don’t you have a meeting with Zuraiz and Ibrahim? I expect no
negligence in work... I will be taking account of every penny from both of
you," Hadid said as he rose from the sofa and began to walk towards the
dining room. As he passed Khadija Begum, he stopped.
"Could you serve me breakfast?" He
asked with a playful wink, which Akram Sahib and Shehzad missed.
"You sit; I’ll prepare it for you,"
Khadija Begum responded, hiding her smile, her tone now serious as she moved
towards the kitchen.
“Well, if you’re planning to go hungry, you
can leave just like that, but don’t you dare be late for the office,"
Hadid said, pouring salt on their wounds. "Maybe I’ll join you at the
office today. The choice is yours—leave hungry or have breakfast," Hadid
added, rubbing the tension in further.
Shehzad, fuming with anger, threw the file
onto the glass coffee table in front of the sofa and stormed off to his room.
Akram Sahib, still in a state of shock, couldn't comprehend how everything had
happened so quickly.
As Hadid sat in the dining room, having his breakfast,
Akram Sahib slowly rose to go to his room. Just then, a servant entered,
carrying some bags.
"Whose luggage is this?" Akram
Sahib asked angrily.
"It's mine. I’ll be staying here,"
Hadid responded, not giving the servant a chance to answer.
“This is your father’s house...” Akram Sahib
began to speak, but Hadid cut him off.
“This entire property that belonged to Saleem
Afandi is now mine. How foolish were you to keep buying property and putting it
in Saleem Afandi’s name? A person could at least put something in his own name.
Did you really think he would give you your rightful share?” Hadid asked with a
sardonic smile, turning his gaze from Akram Afandi.
“Get out of here if you understand,
otherwise...” Akram Afandi said, clearly enraged.
“Keep your voice down, Akram Afandi, or I
will have you out on the street in a moment. Do you even have anything of your
own? And the house you’re claiming as yours is not yours, it’s mine. I am the
sole heir to all the property and wealth of Afandis,” Hadid’s commanding voice
had taken the words right out of Akram Sahib’s mouth.
Akram Sahib, defeated, slowly walked toward
his room.
Meanwhile, Shehzad, fuming with anger,
stormed out of the house, ready for the office, and took the stairs two at a
time.
**************
He was getting ready and putting on his shoes
while simultaneously making a call.
On the other end, the call was answered.
"Hello..." came the groggy voice
from Durab on the phone.
"Are you still asleep?" Zuraiz
asked, surprised.
"Yeah, man..." Durab responded from
the other side.
“If you’re not up and ready in five minutes,
you’ll see what happens to you. The meeting with Akram Builders is waiting,”
Zuraiz warned through gritted teeth.
The irritated tone of Durab’s voice on the
other end of the line finally woke him up.
“I’m up now. I’ll wake Ayan too, and we’ll be
out of here in no time,” Durab said, sounding like a parrot.
"He’s been up for a while, and you
should get moving quickly yourself," Zuraiz snapped.
And with that, he hung up the call.
Zuraiz stared at the phone, reflecting on how
they had made him their business partner six years ago.
He got up and walked out of his
room.
“Good morning, Mom, Dad…” Zuraiz
said as he descended the stairs.
“Good morning, young man…” Ibrahim
Sahib looked at his son with admiration. Zuraiz was indeed very handsome. His
eyes had a charm that made them captivating, and while he resembled Ibrahim
Sahib, he was even more attractive.
“Good morning, my dear…” Ayesha
Begum embraced him warmly.
“Could you please serve breakfast
quickly?” Zuraiz asked as he sat down at the table.
“Well, it seems Mr. Zuraiz is very
hungry today,” Ibrahim Sahib observed, looking at Zuraiz.
“I’ve been so busy with work since
yesterday that I didn’t get a chance to eat. I’m starving now,” Zuraiz said,
swatting away a fly with his nose.
When Ayesha Begum placed toast and
two half-fried eggs in front of him, Zuraiz was scrolling through something on
his phone, trying to balance his breakfast.
“In my opinion, you should start
thinking about marriage,” Ayesha Begum said as she spread butter on the bread.
“Mom, let me finish my work first,
then I’ll think about it,” Zuraiz replied, trying to dismiss the topic.
“Durab is already considering it,”
Ayesha Begum said, exasperated with his reluctance.
“He’s only engaged; he’ll think
about the actual marriage after he’s free from work,” Zuraiz said in a low
tone.
“Well, you should also think about
it,” Ayesha Begum responded in the same tone.
“Do you think girls fall from
trees?” Zuraiz quipped, winking at his mother.
“Do you want me to remove my shoes?”
Ayesha Begum asked, holding another slice of bread in front of him.
“You don’t need to remove your
shoes; I’m heading to a meeting, and I have to go now,” Zuraiz said, getting up
from his seat. He picked up the glass of juice in front of Ibrahim Sahib, drank
it, and returned the glass to its place, bowing slightly near Ibrahim Sahib’s
ear.
“Mr. Khan, please talk to your wife. Why is
she making such a fuss over an innocent person?” Zuraiz said, bowing slightly
as he addressed Ibrahim Sahib, who was observing the father and son with
concern.
“I don’t know what these two think of
themselves,” Ayesha Begum said angrily as she rose from her seat, while Zuraiz,
smiling, stepped back.
“Alright, convince them. I’m heading to the
office. Goodbye,” Zuraiz said with a smile as he made his way outside. Ibrahim
Sahib watched the storm unfold, realizing that even at home, Zuraiz could be
quite tempestuous.
“May Allah grant you a match worthy of
yourself, Zuraiz…” Ibrahim Sahib said in frustration, watching him leave.
Little did anyone know which girl had been
chosen for this match.
**************urdunovelnests
The three of them were seated in the
meeting room at the Akram Builders' office. Shahzad stood in front of a large
screen, while Zuraiz had already introduced Durab and Ayan to him.
Just as the meeting was about to
start, Hadid entered the room in a three-piece suit. Seeing him, Shahzad’s face
turned red with anger, but he was doing his best to keep himself calm.
“What’s the matter? Start the
meeting, Shahzad,” Hadid said, taking a seat at the head chair. Shahzad
clenched his fists in response.
“What’s the matter? Why are you staring
like that?” Hadid looked at Shahzad with a mocking expression.
Shahzad, trying to compose himself,
began speaking, “First, I’ll introduce you to these three. They—”
Before Shahzad could finish, Hadid
interjected, “These three know me, and I know them. We’ve had a long friendship
with all of them.” Hadid smiled as he looked at them, while Zuraiz gave him a
knowing glance. On the other hand, Shahzad was taken aback, surprised that
Hadid knew these three.
“Mr. Shahzad, you can start the
meeting now,” Durab said, breaking the silence.
“Yes, certainly,” Shahzad replied,
opening his laptop, which was already connected to the screen.
Shahzad was detailing the current status of
the project and how much time each task would take, discussing every aspect in
detail. Zuraiz was attentively noting each point.
“Mr. Shahzad, as I’ve mentioned before, I
won’t compromise on quality,” Zuraiz said, addressing Shahzad. “I’ve been
observing for quite some time that your construction products are not of good
quality.”
Shahzad responded, “Rest assured, Zuraiz,
there will be no compromise on quality.” Hadid, who had been conversing with
Shahzad earlier, nodded in agreement.
“I hope so,” Zuraiz said, looking at Hadid,
and then everyone stood up.
“Well, I have some urgent work to attend to.
I’ll take my leave now, and we’ll meet again,” Shahzad said as he exited the
room.
“Who does he think he is?” Shahzad muttered
as he left, clearly annoyed. Hadid was unimpressed with him.
Hadid approached Zuraiz and gave him a hug.
“How are you?” Zuraiz asked as he separated from Hadid.
“I’m doing perfectly fine. How about you
all?” Hadid asked, meeting Ayan and Durab.
“We’re fine, just leaving him out of it,”
Ayan said, indicating Durab.
“Why, brother, why are you so annoyed?” Hadid
asked, looking at Durab, while Zuraiz and Ayan tried to hide their smiles.
“Let’s discuss this over lunch. I’ll explain
everything to you,” Durab said, fuming with frustration.
*************
The five of them were sitting in the Arcadian
Café. Ayan had also called Rehan to join them.
“So, tell me, what’s the issue?” Hadid asked
Durab.
“Man, I feel like I’m the first groom whose
sister, along with his sister-in-law, is making his life miserable,” Durab
said, adopting a pitiful expression. Ayan's face darkened at the mention of
Amna, revealing how deeply he was affected by the topic. He struggled to keep
his emotions in check when it came to his beloved.
“So, what exactly have they done to you?” Hadid
asked, hiding his smile.
Durab explained all the events in detail.
“It’s really very wrong. One shouldn’t be so cruel. Let’s at least see what the
person looks like. This is truly an injustice,” Durab said, emphasizing the
severity of the situation.
Hadid appreciated Durab’s seriousness. “By
the way, what was the need to take Noor to your room at midnight? What’s the
big deal?” Zuraiz said, stifling a laugh, while Hadid, Ayan, and Rehan couldn’t
help but burst into laughter. Durab looked at them with frustration.
“Alright, tell us how we can help you,” Ayan
said, placing a hand on Durab’s shoulder.
“I think we need to involve the boys and
girls,” Durab said thoughtfully.
The five of them, with their heads together,
were making plans. However, they had no idea what was really going on with
Durab and what his sisters-in-law and their friends were going to do to him.
*************
Don’t copy without
permission..... Must share with your friends and also share your reviews with
us .. thank you<3
For reading other epiosde of dasht-e-ulfat must click on link given below
Comments
Post a Comment