The hall was silent, the only sound coming from the projector as old memories flickered on the screen. Faces glowed faintly in the dim light, laughter from the past echoing against the present silence. What was meant to be a celebration had shifted into something far more intimate—painful, raw, and unforgettable.
***
After the clips ended, the projector turned off and the lights came back on.
The room filled with whispers as the guests exchanged glances.
Inaya noticed Meher's tears and quickly stepped forward, holding back her own.
"I think I gave the birthday girl the right gift… but at the wrong time," she said softly. "She needs a moment to herself."
Her words were clear. She wanted everyone to leave. Quietly, the guests began to exit the hall.
Meanwhile, Zayn and Danish stood off to the side, caught in a different moment.
Zayn leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on the recording from Aaira.
"So… she's your beloved sister," he murmured, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "That love—unshakable… unconditional."
Across the hall, Meher's tears slipped silently down her cheeks. Zayn's gaze lingered on her for a moment, unreadable.
Danish leaned closer, his tone casual though his eyes were sharp.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" he asked with a smile.
Zayn returned the smile—cold and deliberate. "So… back with the same personality, huh?"
Danish chuckled. "We've just met, Zayn," he said, placing a hand on Zayn's shoulder. "There's plenty of time. I'll show you every side of me—slowly. Just wait and watch." He ended with a playful wink.
Zayn's expression didn't change, but he removed Danish's hand from his shoulder. His voice dropped, low and dangerous.
"Maybe… you don't have as much time as you think."
One eyebrow lifted, the faintest smile forming—a silent warning.
Just then, Faqair stepped in.
"I think we should leave too," he said quietly.
As Zayn and Faqair turned to go, Inaya stood at the main door, apologizing to the guests.
Meher stood in the middle of the hall, right in front of the stage. Her tears wouldn't stop, her legs trembling.
Asad's voice suddenly broke the silence, making Zayn, Faqair, and Danish stop at the door.
"There were so many people—our business partners, shareholders," Asad said angrily. "How could you create a scene in front of them?"
He pointed toward Zehra, who sat crying in the corner. "I expected this from her. She never learned to control her emotions. But you? You embarrassed me."
Inaya groaned. "Not again…"
She rushed toward Asad, trying to stop him, but he kept shouting at Meher, who only stood there, crying silently.
Zayn muttered, "He's not going to stop. Faqair, you know what to do."
"Yes, boss," Faqair replied.
He quickly stepped forward, trying to distract Asad.
"Mr. Asad, I think there's an issue with our contract. Should we go over it now?"
Asad paused. "Hmm… okay. Let's discuss it over there."
Zayn thought to himself, I knew exactly what would shut him up—money.
Danish leaned toward him with a smile.
"Nice move, Zayn. If you hadn't stepped in, things could've gone really bad. Not because of Asad Khan… but because of me. You know how much I care about the one I love."
Zayn's eyes turned cold. "Stay away from Meher—and from me."
Their attention shifted back to Meher and Inaya.
With a trembling voice, Meher asked, "When did she give you those videos?"
Inaya wiped her tears. "It was your birthday gift. From my parents. Aaira Aapi gave them the videos every year… after seeing how close we were. She knew how happy you were—with us. That's why she trusted my parents with them."
"But why now?" Meher asked. "Why not earlier?"
"She asked them to give them to you when you turned twenty. but due to some reasons, my parents weren't able to give you those clips last year. They are so sorry for that too."
Meher's voice cracked. "Inaya… Did I take everything from her? Did I make her feel alone? Did I never truly love her? Was I a bad sister?"
Inaya hugged her tightly. "No, Meher. Never. You were the best sister—Aaira Aapi always said that. She just wanted you to see how much she loved you. Don't overthink it. Just breathe, okay?"
Zayn noticed Meher needed space and gave a quick signal to Faqair.
"I think that's it, Mr. Asad," Faqair said smoothly. "We should leave now."
"Alright," Asad agreed.
While Faqair went to get the car, Zayn grabbed Danish's arm and pulled him outside.
"Who are you really here for?" Zayn demanded.
"Relax, man," Danish replied. "We haven't seen each other in years. Can't we start with, 'How are you?'"
"You look fine. No need for small talk. We're not exactly on friendly terms."
Danish smirked. "Aren't you curious how I met Meher? Or… have you already seen the photo?"
Zayn narrowed his eyes. "How do you know I saw that photo?"
Danish's smile widened. "No one finds me unless I want it to happen. Anyway… should we talk?"
At that moment, Faqair pulled up with the car.
"I'm busy," Zayn said coldly. "Let's talk tomorrow at Velaria restaurant —5 PM."
"Alright. See you tomorrow, then," Danish replied.
Zayn slammed the car door shut, and it sped off.
Inside, he muttered to Faqair, "He deliberately placed that photo in the file."
"What?" Faqair asked.
"Yeah. I need to find out what he's planning—fast."
Faqair hesitated. "Hmm…"
Zayn caught the tone. "Are you… afraid of him?"
Faqair shook his head. "No. It's just… we lost to him once before. What if it happens again?"
Zayn's gaze shifted to the window, his reflection merging with the night.
"This world runs on power. I was powerless back then. But now?" A faint smirk touched his lips. "Now the world bends to me—legally… or illegally."
To be continued...
As the car disappeared into the night, silence settled between Zayn and Faqair. Outside, the city lights burned bright, but inside Zayn's gaze was darker than the shadows passing by. The war that had once slipped from his hands was now crawling back into his life, but this time, he wasn't powerless. With a smirk that carried both promise and threat, he knew one thing for certain—no matter who stood against him, the world would bend.
[ Relising date 6/9/25]