“Two lives, two cities, one silent thread pulling them closer.”
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The ticking of the clock echoed through the quiet room. Faint sunlight slipped in through the half-drawn curtains, brushing against Tuba’s face. She opened her eyes with a soft groan, already irritated.
“Tuba! Come downstairs right now or you’ll be late again!” Zubaida’s voice travelled up the stairs.
Tuba snatched her phone from the bedside table.
“Ya Allah… not again.”
She rushed into the bathroom, nearly tripping over her slippers.
By the time she came down, Zubaida’s worried eyes scanned her face.
“Why are your eyes red, beta? Did you not sleep well?”
Tuba froze for a second.
She remembered last night, how the silence felt heavier than usual, how badly she missed her father, but she could never say that aloud. She didn’t want her mother to become sad.
“I’m fine, honestly. Just tired from yesterday’s work,” she said, avoiding Zubaida’s gaze. “I’m going now. Take care.”
“Tuba…” Zubaida’s voice softened.
“Were you missing your father again last night?”
Tuba’s steps halted.
Of course.
She should’ve known, she could not hide anything from this woman.
She turned back, a defeated little smile on her lips.
“Yeah… but I’m okay now. Don’t worry, Ammi.”
Zubaida opened her arms, and Tuba instantly melted into her embrace.
“You never let me feel his absence,” Tuba whispered, voice trembling slightly. “I love you. Always.”
“I love you more,” Zubaida murmured, kissing her forehead gently.
⸻ ❦ ⸻
Sweat dripped down his face. His breaths came sharp, uneven. His eyes were glued to the road, but his mind was nowhere near it.
**** “Malik sarkar… he’s not sharing anything.” Fajal’s voice echoed through the speaker.
“He seems loyal. We tried everything. If you give permission… can we go harder?”
Haider’s jaw ticked.
“Wait. I’m coming,” he replied, voice low and dangerous. “Let’s see how long his loyalty lasts.”
The corridor was silent when he entered, empty except for a few guards standing at attention. The air reeked of rust and dried blood. Haider walked forward, followed closely by guards. He stopped outside a door, opened it, and stepped in, ordering them to stay behind.
The room was dark, only a strip of sunlight slipping through a high window. A man sat tied to a chair- beaten, bruised, barely breathing. As soon as Haider entered, the air shifted, like the walls knew who had arrived.
“Sir… he’s still not talking,” Fajal muttered.
Haider walked up to the man, whose eyes widened with terror.
“I don’t have time to waste,” Haider said quietly, dangerously. “So tell me, who sent you to spy in our company?”
“S-S-Sorry… chho-chhote sarkar…” the man stuttered.
The title made Haider’s jaw clench.
Before the man could blink, Haider grabbed his collar and punched him in the stomach, hard. The scream echoed off the walls.
“I don’t repeat myself,” Haider warned, fisting the man’s hair. “Last chance. Spit. His. Name.”
“I… I won’t-”
A gunshot exploded through the basement.
The man screamed, body jerking in pain.
Haider leaned closer, cold and unyielding. “You have no idea how serious I am,” he said, his voice low, dangerous. “One wrong move, and you’ll regret it.”
The man’s panic was palpable, his breaths ragged, eyes wide with terror. “Please… I’ll tell you! Just… don’t- ”
Haider’s gaze never wavered. “Talk. Or face the consequences.”
The fear in the man’s eyes said it all. He knew there was no escaping Haider’s wrath.
“I… I was working for Shahs… they sent me. They told me to leak all the information. Please sarkar, I won’t- ”
Haider’s eyes darkened, blood-red with fury.
“Shahs,” he repeated, voice hollow. “So you were their puppet… deceiving me.”
He kicked the man’s injured knee, then nodded at Fajal. “Do what we always do with traitors.”
“No - no, please! You can’t! I told you the name! You can’t cheat me like this.”
Haider turned toward the door.
“Did I ever promise to let you go?” he asked, smirking. “You deceived us… and expect loyalty in return?”
“Leave me! PLEASE - ”
The door shut. *****
“Saale, kitna bhagega? Ruk ja, bhai!”
The voice dragged him out of the flashback. He didn’t even look back, he knew who it was.
Suddenly.....
“AHHH! Pagal hai kya?! Leave my throat!” Abeer coughed, prying Haider’s hand off his neck.
“I won’t,” Haider snapped. “Because of you, maa sarkar almost caught me. Why the heck did you call her?”
“Agar calls nahi uthani toh bech de phone!” Abeer fired back. “I was calling you for ages! Where were you?”
“Busy. Unlike you.” Haider slowed his steps.
“You were neither at the office nor at home. Where exactly were you?” Abeer asked, suspicious.
Haider exhaled sharply.
“It was Shahs. Before all this.”
Abeer’s eyes widened. “I KNEW it. It had to be them.”
Then he added dramatically, placing a hand over his chest,
“And do you know why I called your mother? Because I thought you eloped with someone! Mai zamane ko kya muh dikhata?! Thank God you didn’t run away!”
“Scumbag…” Haider rolled his eyes and walked ahead.
“OYY! Wait for me!” Abeer yelled, running after him.
⸻ ❦ ⸻
Tuba dug into her tote bag, pulling out her ringing phone as she stepped outside.
“Hello, Ammi? Yes, yes, I reached office. Don’t worry, I’ll have lunch here.”
She exhaled deeply and turned toward the glass building towering above her. Shah Industries. Her workplace.
“Thank God I didn’t get late today,” she mumbled to herself, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I mean… what would it look like if the junior HR came late every other day?” She sighed and walked in.
“Good morning, sir,” she greeted politely.
“It’s good afternoon, Tuba.”
Her eyes widened. Oops.
She coughed lightly and changed the topic, “Uh… why so much hustle today?”
“Mr. Shah is coming personally. That’s why.”
⸻ ❦ ⸻
Meanwhile, Haider sat in his office, fingers pressed to his forehead, thoughts tangled like wires.
A knock.
“Come in.”
“Sir, this is Shah’s new number, used by the Dehradun branch. According to my sources, he’s currently there.” His PA handed the phone.
Haider hummed. “Call the company. Let’s see if he picks up.”
The PA dialed.
“Sir… someone’s calling.” Tuba’s voice shot up in confusion.
“Pick it,” her senior ordered.
She walked over, completely unaware that this tiny decision was about to twist her entire life.
“Hello…” Haider’s voice came out calm, composed, deadly steady.
“Hello…” Tuba answered softly, politely.
A pause.
And then...
“Hello? Is anyone there?” she asked, voice gentle yet unsure.
“Hello… hello...” Haider stood up sharply, something tugging inside his chest.
And then the call disconnected.
Silence.
Haider stared at the phone, jaw tightening.
Who picked it? Why did it feel so… strange? Why did her voice, no, her silence do something to him?
He walked to the window, heart inexplicably restless.
⸻ ❦ ⸻
That evening, Haider was in the garden at home, phone to his ear.
A figure approached.
“I’ll call you back,” he said, cutting the line immediately.
“Abbu sarkar? You came… is everything okay?” he asked Saqib.
“Nothing. I just heard Shah is behind all of this. So I wanted to know, personally… what are you planning to do now?”
Haider’s jaw clenched. “I tried calling. I think he knows we’re onto him.”
“So? Now what?” Saqib asked.
Haider looked away, eyes dark, voice low, controlled.
“I’m going to Dehradun. Tomorrow morning.”
The wind rustled.
Something unnamed shifted.
But what he didn’t know was this.... the soft ‘hello’ he failed to hear today would soon become the only voice his heart searched for.
❀ 𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ 𓈒 𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𓈒 ࣪𓂃 ❀
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~Love, love🤍
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