"Why am I not surprised?"

Her grumbling pulled him right out of his stupor. She turned back, narrowed her eyes at him, and then sighed. "A tantrum king, professional liar, and now a nepo-baby? You surely are on a roll."

He opened his mouth to contradict her. He was all of those but hey, she could've put it nicely now, couldn't she? It was technically his property she was standing on, and the least she could do was not insult him so openly.

Which brought him to his subsequent confusion. What was she doing here? And why and where was she dragging him to? Also, why did he let her?

That thought brought him right back to the moment, as he tried to free his hand from her hold. She gave him a look and immediately maintained her distance. They were, by then, close to the table in one corner, a group of people seated there and looking at them curiously.

"There you go, everyone. Mr. Shakeel's nephew aka our new novice on the team is here."

There was a myriad of reactions. A groan came from a twig of a guy, a chuckle from the bespectacled woman next to him, and an indifferent shrug from the dude with dolphin arms. No, seriously, he was so buffed Aahil wondered if he spent all his spare time in the gym.

But more than that, he wondered what the hell was going on. Who was Mr. Shakeel and why he didn't know he was the man's nephew?

"Nofil, right?" The bespectacled woman inquired. So far, she looked the most welcoming.

"Listen—" Aahil tried to tell her that he was no Nofil. He didn't even know any stud named Nofil. But his wife of convenience beat it to him. "No, don't listen to him. He'll either start with his spoilt brat spiel or tell you an elaborate lie. Don't take any chances, Shifa."

"Sila, do you know him?" The angry twig asked.

Sila. He had a vague recollection of her friend calling her from their car but he was too angry at that time to notice it and it wasn't like he planned on getting to know the woman he was having a screaming competition with that too in the middle of the road.

She gave him a knowing look. "Unfortunately, I do. Should've seen it coming. Him and Mr. Shakeel being related to each other really put everything in perspective."

Damn. This Shakeel dude was really not in her good books. Neither was he. Her scowl told him that much.

"Touche." Shifa grinned. Sila turned to him. "Did your uncle tell you anything about the kind of work you'll be doing? Just because he got you a spot on the team doesn't mean you will get special treatment."

Aahil's confusion eased a bit. Sooooo. She was misunderstanding him as someone else. And by the looks of it, she was pissed about this whole situation. Shakeel and Nofil really needed to run in the opposite direction. Him? He'll lounge here and enjoy the show while it lasted. Suddenly, he was happy that in maneuvering his way around, he stumbled here.

"I will be on my best behavior."

She eyed him suspiciously. "Why do I have a hard time believing that?"

"Maybe, you need to work on your trust issues."

"Or I need better luck. You, again? The universe surely has something against me."

"The love is overflowing, wife."

Her eyes blazed. "Don't you call me that! That show's up." She took a step forward, about to put him into his place but then thought against it. Heaving a sigh, she chanted under her breath. Her professional composure was intact. Aahil smirked. Little miss perfectionist, though she was on the tall side, it was more about her demeanor other than anything else. So yes, Lil miss perfectionist.

"Sila!"

Someone from her team called her. Giving him a seething glare, she went to them. He hid his smile. Who would've thought his first day at work would be this happening? He certainly hadn't.

His phone rang right that instant. He picked it up and as soon as he did, Faran's urgent voice reached him. "Where are you, Aahil? Don't tell me you got cold feet and ran already."

"Geez, Bhai. Have some faith in me. I'm inside the hotel, caught up in something right now."

"What? Do you even know the way of things around here?"

"I love it when you all show your unyielding trust in me." He rolled his eyes. "Hold Baba off for me. I really need to do this thing. Will see you guys in an hour or so. If he doesn't believe you that I'm indeed on Hotel premises, I can send a selfie."

"I really don't understand you sometimes. Be quick. Baba's patience isn't going to last for long."

"Don't I already know that? I'll be there. It's just a matter of some time."

Saying that he ended the call when he felt a presence behind him. He turned around and found Sila looking at him with her arms folded in her front.

"There are some rules we follow around here. No phone during work hours."

"We all are way out of middle school. Didn't you know?"

She was unfazed. "No talking back to your seniors, another rule."

"Pakistan is no longer under a dictatorship. I thought it was common knowledge."

Anger flashed in her eyes. His shone with mischief.

"You will be working under my supervision. And mind you, I hate tardiness. Keep your eyes and mind open. This event is important and we need to go all out." She gestured for him to follow as she walked to the stage.

Aahil grimaced. "Why you?"

She glanced back at him. "Would you rather it be Talal?" She gestured toward the angry twig who was already glaring at him. "And mind you, he's eager to give you a tough time."

Aahil made a face. "He should look into the mirror first. One proper neck slice and he'll fall like a haystack."

"No violence. Another rule."

"What about Shifa?" He asked, hopefully. She seemed to be the most cheerful on this team. Sila snorted. "She's in a relationship."

Aahil gave her an incredulous look. "How does that affect whom she has under her supervision?"

"It affects you because her fiance is Muji." She pointed toward the hulk. Aahil visibly blanched. "His name is Muji?"

"Short of Mujahid."

"I thought no violence was your policy."

Sila shrugged. "Can never tell with conviction when it comes to you men so have to be cautious." She turned around, facing him fully. "As it turns out, I'm your safest bet, Richie Rich."

"Ah, the joy."

He grumbled. She smiled, triumphantly. "Let's get some work done, now, shall we?"

𝄞

"Whatever someone says, one thing is clear. Ghar isn't Ghar without Amal Baji."

Nomi took a huge Pakora into his mouth and munched on it as he went on and on about how much he missed Amal during her recent fallout with Azra. Shamim, jerked his hand away when he tried to sneak another Pakora into his mouth. He pouted at her, the look extra comical on a grown-up man, tall and dark. Seeing his physique, no one could say he was way younger than Amal. But his antics would give him away instantly.

"You are no fun, Shamim Dadi." He made a point to tell her. She was unfazed, though, and didn't even look up from her current batch of Pakoras she was frying.

"Old age really does toughen people up." Shamim's apparent lack of response hadn't deterred him in the slightest. Amal and Azra shared a look and smiled lightly. They were labeling the now ready-to-dispatch containers of dried spices. Azra and the other woman in this house had found this way to make ends meet. Amal was already fighting for them on so many fronts. They didn't want to burden her further. So, they came up with a business. The art of preserving and pickling food and organic spices they had learned from their mothers, they put to work, and right now, they were delivering to a number of utility stores and local grocery shops.

"Nomi, did you apply to the place I told you about the last time?" Haleh asked, picking a piece of pickled raw mango from the container. Azra and Shamim turned a blind eye to this, much to Nomi's disappointment. He always maintained they were biased.

"Slipped my mind, Haleh Baji." He gave her a sheepish smile, making her sigh heavily.

"You know they were good people, right? I know the owner personally. She was my batchmate. You'll have no problems there."

Nomi remained silent. He trusted Haleh's word but that didn't mean he wasn't afraid to go out there. The place was in an upscale area, the one he knew he had no business in.

Nomi was from Lyari, a member of the small Sheedi community, the Afro-Pakistanis. Born into destitution, Nomi saw poverty and struggle as a lifestyle. Without any proper education, he was to follow the same path as his ancestors; small jobs here and there. In his teenage, he used to accompany his brother all around Karachi as they delivered packages for the factory his brother worked in. That came in handy for him when he took it up as a side hustle, along with his day job in the lea market.

That's how he got introduced to Azra and the other ladies at Ghar. He came to their place for an order and instantly hit off with all of them. His good-natured humor made the ladies his pal. Now, his visits to the place were an almost daily occurrence.

"Haleh is right. If the opportunity is good, what's stopping you? If they have no problem, you shouldn't as well. After all, from where would they find a driver who knows every nook and cranny of Karachi?"

Azra's words were true but Nomi hadn't forgotten the last time he took up one such job. His employers were a bunch of snobs and treated him like dirt. He didn't want to generalize but that experience made him wary of rich people more than the financial divide already had.

"I will think about it." He assured the ladies. Amal gave him a searching look, already seeing his bluff. But she knew his reasons. She just wished this world was a bit more accepting of everyone, not the playing field just for the rich and privileged. Though her own family could be one of those, she wasn't. That got to mean something, didn't it??

They got immersed in the task at hand when a confused Chandni came to the kitchen, a plate in her hand, and instantly, the aroma of Biryani hit them all.

"Chandni Dadi, I always knew you were the best among this oldie lot," Nomi exclaimed already reaching for the plate. Chandni pushed it out of his reach.

"Hate to break your bubble, Nomi but I'm not that generous. I don't think my old bones are capable of standing in the kitchen for hours to prepare Biryani."

"Then where did it come from?" Amal asked, eyeing the plate suspiciously. Haleh looked up from the task at hand and grinned. "I thought he was kidding!"

She got up and came close to Chandni Mausi, took off the cover, and inhaled the delicious aroma of rice, spices, and chicken.

"Who?" Amal and Azra asked together but Nomi was the one who seemed to get it. "Oh, my days! Is it from the new guy in the next lane?"

Haleh nodded. Nomi turned to Amal who felt out of the loop. "Remember, Amal Baji? The vacant house in the backyard lane?"

"You told me it got sold and the new family moved in."

"It's not a family, as it turns out. Just one guy. Brooding, keeping to himself, and if I'm being honest, kind of an ass."

"Oh, shut it. He's a nice guy." Haleh interjected. Nomi looked offended. "He refused to give us the Biryani when Ruki Dadi and I went to his house."

"You two shouldn't have been so obviously greedy." Haleh gave him a judging look. His reply was a wounded yelp. Amal had had enough of this.

"Fill me in you assholes!"

"Language!" The reprimand came from all directions. Amal shook her head, concentrating back on Haleh and Nomi.

"His name is Imran and he's a chef in a restaurant on the main university road. I told him he was bluffing. He said he'd send the proof and tada! Here it is." She pointed at the Biryani and grinned.

"And when did you have this chat with him?"

"Obviously when I was on the terrace with Auntie Shamim. She saw the whole thing."

Shamim grimaced. "Yes, I was there and for the most part, I thought she was talking to the neighbor's cat."

That made them all laugh out loud. Haleh was unfazed though, already arguing with Nomi that since the Biryani came because of her, she would get the biggest share while he refused to even acknowledge this fact.

"You should've seen the guy's shit-eating grin. In this short duration, he has been here, I've never seen him even crack a smile. It seemed like our Haleh switched something in him." Shamim leaned toward Amal and whispered as if she was telling her a top secret. Amal's reaction was just an eye roll. Color her surprised.

What dudes call one of those who gets all the ladies? Chick magnet? Well, Haleh was the dick magnet of their group. In all her years of knowing her, Amal had always found guys drawn toward Haleh, but she was always too thick to even notice. She was a bit of a dunce when it came to the attention of the opposite sex. Sila and Reen always said it was cute, and Amal always maintained it was stupid. Proven once again, she thought as she saw Haleh digging into the Biryani. The girl wouldn't bat an eyelash even if the one actually for her dropped right in front of her one day.

𝄞

"I really didn't expect Mr. Shakeel's nephew to be worse than him. But then again, maybe, I was expecting too much."

Shifa exclaimed. Talal and Mujahid agree with the statement as they watched Sila and the new guy sorting through another mess he had created.

Sila didn't remember when the last time she had so many mishaps was while organizing an event. If it were up to her, that would've never happened but...

"What's wrong in telling the sound tech team that they suck? They had it coming. People paid for this event that too with their hard-earned money. Just because you have bland taste in music doesn't mean everyone should be subjected to the same fate."

This.

This was why the event already looked like a major failure. She breathed deeply to calm her rage but his innocent act made him want to pull him from his hair and shove him to the exit.

"The sound team is the best in the business, at this point."

"Then the business must be in a miserable state."

She looked frantically toward the stage. As expected the tech team was shooting daggers at him and this guy. Sila wanted to scream into the void until her lungs gave out. Why her?

"Listen to me, you! I'm the boss here, not you! Stop with your unsolicited advice."

She seethed. It wasn't just the sound tech people he had problems with. He had his two cents to give in every operation going on right now.

The lighting was too bright, it would even show the teeth of the artists as they performed and who does even want to see their favorite singers' teeth? Only creeps. His words.

The catering and stage didn't have that much of a distance, which meant people would get distracted by the food while the artists performed what do you reckon their pick would be? Food, offuckingcourse. Again, his words.

And what about the area for the audience? Why there was no room for extra space? What if someone got all into their feelings and wanted to kiss their significant other as the music played on? We don't endorse public indecency but hey, a little PDA never harms anyone. Loosen up a bit. Undoubtedly, his expert opinion.

"Yeah, now act all high and mighty. Typical Pakistani boss behavior."

"Not one of your suggestions makes sense to me. Just say you are getting a kick out of it and go. Besides, I AM your boss. Don't pretend you know better than me."

He chuckled and took a step forward. She stood her ground, glaring at him. "How do you work in a team, I wonder."

"Well, we go with mutual agreement. None of us thinks their opinion is the last say. Especially, not someone who's just joined."

"Your team needs some flavor. And you need to get off your high horse."

"Tell me to do something one more time and I swear to God—"

She was cut off by an alert Shifa coming their way. "Sila! Ajwa is here and she's not alone. The Jahangirs are also with her."

"What?" Sila almost shouted. No, this couldn't be happening to her. She had had such a rough start, all thanks to this spawn of satan and now she'd have to face Ajwa and worse, the Jahangirs. God, she wanted to ram her head somewhere. Running a frantic hand through her hair she covered her face with her palms.

"Are you having a meltdown?"

She mustered the nastiest look and sent it hurling his way. "Be grateful, be very grateful that beating someone is illegal and I don't think myself above the law."

"Your threats are cute. I'll love to see you try."

"Arghhh!" She groaned and pasting a professional smile on her face, left from there. Aahil couldn't help a chuckle. Not just her threats, she was also cute but he'd be damned to let her know. He cared for his body parts intact.

"How is everything going?"

Ajwa asked as all of them stood around her and the Jahangirs. The atmosphere wasn't charged with nervous energy. That was about Sila and her team, they always knew how to remain calm even amidst the chaos. They didn't have a steady start but they would have a nice epilogue, they vowed. But right now, giving Ajwa and the owners of the venue the impression that everything was okay was their priority.

"Perfect, so far," Shifa answered knowing Sila needed backup more than anything right now. Sila sent her a look full of gratitude. Her eyes went back to Ajwa and then narrowed at the person behind her. If looks could deceive, Mr. Shakeel would be the most professional person in this whole universe. He was on his best behavior and just beside him, Sila could see another guy, who looked eerily familiar to him.

Something clicked into her mind. At the same time, Faseeh Jahangir, the man Sila was too scared to even converse directly, looked behind her and his eyes narrowed just like hers had, just now.

"Where have you been!?"

Everyone looked in the direction he was glaring into.

Nofil, with a self-satisfied grin, gave Faseeh Jahangir a mock salute and stopped right next to him. "Lost my way, Baba."

Baba? BABA? B A B A?

Turned out, that twat wasn't Nofil after all.

"How do you do that? What are you? Two?" The woman next to Nawar spoke. Sila recognized her. Adan Jahangir. She could also see Faran Jahangir and Sahira, Jehan's operation coordinator.

All of this pointed in only one direction. She closed her eyes momentarily. Just her luck.

"Ajwa, I believe you haven't met Faran and Adan's youngest brother," Nawar said excitedly. Ajwa nodded. "I believe I haven't."

On cue, the imposter, that bloody moron, put on his most charming smile and extended his hand for Ajwa to shake. "Aahil Jahangir. It's nice to finally meet the person behind my Bhabhi's favorite event management company."

Sila felt she was on fire. Rage and mortification simmered beneath her skin. He fucking gave another performance. Aahil raised an eyebrow in her direction. Tit for tat.

"Ajwa Jadoon. Well, I'm flattered. It's nice to finally meet her dearest brother-in-law as well. She always has such nice things to say about you."

"That makes her the only one in the family."

Adan snorted. "Don't listen to him, Ajwa. My mother and grandmother can give anyone a run for their money when it comes to rooting for him. Poor Nawar got nothing on them."

"Well, can't deny that, really." Aahil agreed. He was talking to Ajwa and Adan but his eyes were trained on just one person. Her fury wasn't hidden from him and if he was being honest, he was loving every bit of it.

"What brought you to my team, if I may ask?"

They all had seen him immersed in a conversation with Sila when they entered the hall. Ajwa was immediately interested in knowing what was going on there.

"Nothing. I was lost as I said before and here I saw a familiar face so thought of saying Hi."

He pointed at Sila and in an instant, all the eyes went to her.

"Do you two know each other?" Nawar asked, pleasantly surprised by the information.

"Yes, totally."

"Kind of."

The two answers came at the same time. Sila bit her lip. Totally? TOTALLY? Was he out of his mind? In what universe does having an argument on a road, pretending to be a couple on the verge of a divorce with three children in the mix, and pulling a fucking identity disguise equate to totally knowing each other? Nuts. The guy was nuts.

"Yeah, we have met a few times." Sila amended.

"That's great. Aahil, do you know Sila is an asset on Ajwa's team? The number of successful events she has under her belt."

"Is that so?" He raised her eyebrow. Sila plastered a genial smile but she wanted to wipe that look from his face. Who the hell was he to doubt her credibility?

"Yes, Sila definitely is. My whole team actually. I wouldn't know what to do without these people."

"Then, we expect a very good event put together," Faseeh said.

"You will not be disappointed, Mr. Jahangir," Ajwa assured the shrewd man. He gave a scrutinizing look around. If he found anything out of place, Sila would tell him it was his son's doing. The guy wasted their time for nothing, for fuck's sake.

But he kept his opinion to himself and soon he and his entourage were out of there. Their team, taking a breath of relief, dispersed. But Sila stood there with her arms in her front. And as if on cue, he turned around and smirked in her way.

Aahil Jahangir. What a fucking loser.

"Sila, can you come here for a second?" Ajwa's voice came from behind her. Sila saw her standing there with Mr. Shakeel and the guy he had come with.

It was time to finally meet the real Nofil. Ah, the joy.

𝄞

"So, what do you think?"

Shani placed his arms behind his head and gave him a searching look. Osama looked up from the folder in his hand, the initial sketch of a script Shani had come with.

"You want my honest opinion?"

"No, Osama, I want my part in your inheritance. Of course, I want your honest opinion. You will be directing this movie. Your say means a lot to me and Neha and also to further progression of this project."

Osama knew that. Shani and Neha were the power duo in the media fraternity. The husband-wife duo was the owner of the most successful production house in Pakistan. Working on any of their projects meant a career boost. Gladly, Osama already had that. His career had grown steadily, without any such push.

Blind Pigeons, the social satire which gave Osama a niche in the industry was once rejected by Shani on the grounds of not having the potential for being a commercial success. No one wants raving critical reviews, everyone wants fill-to-brim cinemas, his exact words.

Osama hadn't taken it to the heart, he wouldn't be in this profession if he did. The next week, Sajawal Noorani, another producer who happened to be Shani's rival, took up Osama's script and started the work on the film. In some months, the movie hit the cinemas, and not only was it a critically acclaimed success, as expected, but it also became a nationwide phenomenon. It started slow at the box office but once the reviews started coming in, people became interested in watching the movie, and soon, it was pulling the numbers as well. Osama got his breakthrough success, Sajawal got a hit under his name, and Shani got the boo for rejecting what was a recipe for great things.

This was Shani's redemption arc, sort of. He wanted Osama on board for this new project. Osama was ready. There's no place for grudges if you want to be successful. So, here they were.

"This is good. But to make it more than good, we'll have to work some more on it."

"That's up to you. If you want the script to be refined some more, that can be arranged. I just want to know if you are sure you are on?"

Osama looked at Shani and then at the script. "Yes, It has the potential."

"Perfect! You don't know how happy Neha is going to be when I tell her that."

Neha was on the sets of their ongoing web series so she couldn't make it to this meeting.

"Who do you have in mind for the leads?" Osama asked, closing the folder and pushing it toward Shani.

"For the male lead, Ahmed is booked. I kind of promised him he will be in my next."

Osama nodded. Ahmed was a decent actor and this role could be his next big thing. Whatever promise Shani made to him wasn't Osama's concern. Ahmed could act so he was clear.

"For the female lead, we have two options. Neha is inclined toward Mina Raja while I'm thinking of Rimsha Ismail. What do you think?"

Osama was surprised. Rimsha Ismail. But he didn't let it show on his face. "I don't think I'm in the place to say anything."

"Oh, come on, Osama. Didn't I tell you I want your input in everything?"

Osama thought about it. For him, acting prowess was the top priority. Mina was good but Rimsha was better. Rimsha also had the kind of range this script needed. If he put his personal matters into consideration, he'd never consider Rimsha. But that was the thing about him, he was professional, thorough, and thorough.

"Rimsha seems like a better candidate."

"That's what I also think. Neha is friends with Mina and let me tell you, that woman is a pain to have on board. I don't want my movie set to have any kind of drama."

Osama scratched his brow. Oh, Shani had no idea that the potential for drama wasn't less with Rimsha as well. But Osama would be damned if he let Rimsha's personal interest in him come between their professional commitments.

𝄞

"Is it a cheat day for you?" Alina asked, eyeing the woman in front of her. She was continuously gobbling down food while getting ready for the shoot.

Rimsha gave her a strained smile. "Just the nerves."

"Stress eating isn't going to help much, Rimsha. It's just a shoot. It will be over before you know it." She said giving Rimsha a slight smile. The rake of clothes in front of her still needed to be selected.

Rimsha Ismail was a rising film star in Pakistan. Her more than fine acting skills were the main thing going for her but at the same time, her impeccable fashion sense had also put her in the spotlight many a time. Alina was her favorite stylist and their collaboration had always taken fashion circles why surprise and awe.

"It's not the shoot I'm nervous about."

"Then?" Alina asked, raising an eyebrow. Rimsha chewed on her bottom lip and immediately got scolded by her MUA. She gave her a sheepish smile and turned back to Alina.

"My manager called me in the morning. Something I was manifesting for ages finally has the chance of coming true. I might get the confirmation today or tomorrow. That's making me both nervous and giddy."

Alina laughed lightly. Rimsha might be a dive on screen and a powerhouse of talent but off it, she was such a goof sometimes. Someone who'd worry over the smallest of things and get excited over little joys. Alina appreciated that about her. The media industry hadn't changed her genuine self. Not yet.

"Well, all the best. You will get it, I have a feeling."

"Will I?" Rimsha asked hopefully.

"Ahan. You will. Now be a good girl and change into this dress. Get up! Quick!"

She didn't need to be told twice. Alina watched her leave for the changing room and sighed happily. It was a good day at work.

𝄞

The sprawling white bungalow in the f-7 sector of Islamabad welcomed him with open arms as always. The golden plate of LASHARIS glinted in the sunlight. The guard greeted him and he reciprocated with a smile.

Covering the lawns, he took hurried steps through the front porch and came into the living area. It was almost time for lunch. His father must be at the office and his grandfather in his room. As a habit, he climbed the stairs and stood outside the door of the second bedroom. Knocking at it, he waited patiently and on getting the cue, went inside.

Bakhtawar hadn't been expecting to see him. So, her face broke into an expression of unbridled joy. "Mahad!"

She opened her arms and he wasted no time in losing himself in his mother's warmth. God, he missed it.

"You could've informed me!"

"And missed seeing this smile on your face? Nah."

She caressed his hair as he hugged her. Who could say this son of her hers was all grown up and running a business empire on his own? In front of her, he'd always be her little boy.

"Baba's at the office, I think."

Bakhtawar nodded. "Where else would he be?"

Mahad sensed a hint of annoyance in her tone but that was nothing new. He had seen this all his life.

"Mama,"

Bakhtawar shook her head. "No, you aren't advocating for your father."

"Come on, why shouldn't I when I know the guy has done nothing wrong."

"Maybe, not this time around," Bakhtawar admitted begrudgingly. Mahad smiled at that. His mother wasn't sticking to her stubbornness. That wasn't a rarity but was also not a common occurrence.

"Don't be always at each others' throat, Ma. Don't you get tired of these constant arguments?"

"Don't talk about the things you don't know. You've grown but not to the extent to understand everything." She ran her fingers into his hair. He sighed. He understood enough. He didn't have to be told explicitly. When you see your parents always going at each other, you not only get used to it but also get the gist of why and how as well. His mother's lack of trust in his father was the driving force behind their every argument. Something had happened in the past that brought Bakhtawar and Mehrab where they were today. But he also knew his father wasn't that kind of man. This puzzle was still unsolved and would remain so.

"The lunch will be ready in about half an hour. You should get freshen up."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Your Tayi Ma is out, she will have lunch with her friends. Abba Jaan is in his room and I think Abgina is with him."

Nodding at her, he came out of his parent's room and then downstairs. He could hear the sound of chatter coming from the last room in the hallway. He stopped outside it.

"Your Dadi was totally enamored by me. I was also smitten. That's important for a good relationship."

Mahad stood on the threshold. Abgina was the first one to notice him. She smiled widely and gestured for him to come inside. By then, Dada Jaan had also stalled his recollection of his and Dado's love story. They had made quite waves back in their day and he still loved to narrate their love story to anyone interested. According to him, it was his way of keeping his late wife and the great love of his life alive in his memories.

"Aren't you a man of your word? You told me you'd be home soon and here you're." Angina hugged him sideways. Mahad smiled at her. Well, whoever knew him also knew this fact about him, commitments were important to him.

As soon as he turned to his grandfather, his eyes narrowed considerably. Agha Murtaza Lashari wasn't perturbed by much in his life but his grandsons' disappointment wasn't something he took lightly.

"What? You've just gotten here and you've already taken out your weapons."

"My parents fought once again. All because of you."

"How did you—Oh, this Gina must've told you."

Abgina raised her hands. "Someone had to."

"Whatever. It's not like your parents need any reason to fight. Their arms are always on standby. Ready to shoot."

That was the truth but he hadn't ignored how conveniently his grandfather got out of it as if he had nothing to do with this situation. He took his seat next to him.

"I told you to not take your usual detour this time around."

"Bulshit! It had been so long since my last visit. I had to."

Mahad rolled his eyes. Stubbornness ran in the blood.

"Your mother should take it easy sometimes. It's not like I took Mehrab with me to—"

"Can you not?" Mahad didn't let him complete his sentence. Dada Jaan glared at him when Abgina came closer. "By the way, Dada Jaan, you never told me how is she doing."

At that, he perked up as if that was his favorite topic. Mahad gave Abgina an exasperating look. "Really, Gina?"

"What? Your mother isn't here. Don't be such a Mama's boy. We can talk about her here, can't we?"

"Of course, we can."

"No, we can't."

Both Dada Jaan and Abgina sighed. She held him from his bicep. "You know, Mahad? Sometimes I feel for your future. You are all in all a Mama's boy. The likes of you often don't make good husbands but you are different in that way as well. You will fall hard whenever you do so. I can already tell that. So, what if, your Mama doesn't approve of the woman you fall in love with? What will you do then? And Bakhtawar Chachi is not an easy woman. I can see a very difficult haul for you."

"Gina is absolutely right. You need to find a middle ground, son. Yes, you can love your mother as much as you want but at least grow enough courage to call her out when she needs to be called out."

"Both of you love lecturing me, don't you? I can see Dada Jaan has spoiled you, Gina. I should really call Armaghan and tell him his wife is heavily under Dada Jaan's influence."

It was only when he had uttered those words, did he realize he had crossed a line. A shadow passed on Abgina's feature. She smiled sardonically and got up. "As if anything regarding me will make any difference to your brother."

Saying that she was out of the room. Mahad and Dada Jaan shared a look full of dejection as they heard her footsteps outside.

𝄞

"It's okay, Sila. Think of it as an early April fool and move on."

Shifa told her for the umpteenth time but Sila's sour mood hadn't gotten better. They handled the situation better than many but still, the fact that good-for-nothing pseudo-smarty pants got the last laugh was making her blood boil.

"If it's any consolation, The real Nofil is a pretty innocent fella." Mujahid put in and Talal had to nod. "Yeah, and he's good with every task we have assigned him so far."

That didn't make her feel better though. That made her feel all the more stupid. Nofil was barely in his early twenties. He was still a student. How could she misunderstand someone who was around her age as a guy who was still in university? Mr. Shakeel wasn't that old so how could his nephew be almost in his late twenties? Gosh, the more she thought about it, the harder it got for her to get over her embarrassment.

It was lunch break and all of them were enjoying Shifa's homemade sandwiches. Sila was picking on hers when her phone rang. She sighed. Yes, today was really not her day.

"Hey!" Danish greeted.

"Hi." She grimaced.

"Busy? You must be on lunch break. It has been almost two days since we last called so I thought of hitting you up." Danish's voice was casual but Sila's approach wouldn't be.

"Yes, It's a packed day. When did you come back from Lahore? Or was it Islamabad?"

Silence. Then a sigh.

"We should talk, shouldn't we?"

"You tell me, Danish, because if you aren't willing to address it, there's no point."

Another sigh. Sila had never felt this infuriated over the simple task of inhaling air. Was he already tired by this imminent conversation?

"Where are you working today?"

"Jehan. The Civil lines one."

"I'm close by. Wait for me in the parking lot. I will take only a few minutes."

"Okay."

He cut the call and Sila got up. Shifa, Talal, and Mujahid gave her questioning looks but she only pointed to her phone and finishing her sandwich in two bites, was out of there.

𝄞

"You guys are embarrassing," Aahil told them for the umpteenth time but got only a duh look in return from his siblings and Nawar. He was hating the way they had all gathered around stating it was his first day at work and they needed to be there to witness the miracle. Adan had no business here, still, she was lounging on the sofa all the while going through her phone.

"You should be happy Baba ignored your slip-up. You were almost two hours late."

And he enjoyed every second of those two hours. He didn't tell that to Faran, though.

His father's core team which was instrumental in running Jehan met him. Faseeh had thought this through. He himself briefed Aahil about the working of things and at the last, left it to him to choose the department he wanted to work in.

Faran wanted him with him. His big brother's protectiveness was at play. He didn't want Aahil to be around people he didn't know and since he had never been involved, he'd most probably make a fool out of himself and Faran didn't want their employees to make fun of that. Aahil loved the sentiment and he loved Faran some more but he had opted to be in Sahira and Nawar's team. They ran the operations and all the events taking place at Jehan were under their supervision.

"I still don't understand why did you choose to work with Nawar and Sahira." Faran voiced out his confusion. Aahil chuckled, standing in the glass wall that looked right outside in the parking lot. "Don't let Bhabhi hear you that. That will put a huge dent in your goals husband image."

"I'm not saying this because I think Nawar and Sahira can't handle you. Nawar is the superwoman. If she can handle me, the kids, our home, and the office altogether, you are a cakewalk for her. I just don't understand your inclination to work alongside her and Sahira."

Aahil was about to grace him with a retort when his eyes found a familiar face in the parking lot. He smiled devilishly. This. This was why he chose to be on Sahira and Nawar's team. The two hours today were worth it because he loved to annoy a certain short-haired woman. He wouldn't mind doing it again. She was an absolute delight when she was riled up. He had one-upped her today. He wasn't going to miss out on the chance of gloating about it in front of her.

He saw her checking the time on her watch when she had her phone right in her hand. A car stopped at some distance from her and a guy came outside. Aahil's brows arched. Ahan? Interesting.

"Aahil?"

Faran called him. He peered away from the scene and gave his brother a smile. "I just think I find that side of our business more challenging. Anything to keep things interesting."

It didn't make sense to Faran but he chose to stay silent. Sometimes, even he couldn't get his brother and everyone knows it was he who understood Aahil the best among all his family members.

𝄞

Danish's embarrassment was evident from the way he stood there. Sila gave him a disappointed stare and took several steps toward him.

"You lied to me."

"It wasn't lying, per se."

"Ommition. Hiding. It doesn't make it any better, you know."

Danish gave her an incredulous look. "Sila, seriously? I have plans for Lahore but it was canceled at the last moment. Dareer mentioned to me about his visit to Islamabad with Rafay and I couldn't let them go alone. I already had the off from work I got for my Lahore trip so I decided to accompany them. It was last minute decision and I didn't know it was important enough to let you know."

"Everyone knew, Danish."

"If by everyone you mean Reen—"

"No! No! Don't bring Rameen here. It's not about her. It's about us. And not just this. Why do I feel there's a wedge between us? A communication gap, of sorts? You don't include me in your life the way you used to, Danish. And I don't think I like it."

"God, it's really not that, Sila. I tell you everything about my life."

Only the achievements at work. She wanted to say but kept it to herself. He looked exhausted and wasn't she tired as well? This day wasn't hers, she had accepted it.

"I think this isn't the right time to talk. Forget I said anything. We will bring all this up when we are in a better mood and state of mind."

Danish's relief pierced her a little. She nodded and gestured toward his car. He could go. He opened his mouth, tried to say something, and then closed it again.

"I'm sorry that you felt left out. I will try that it never happens again. We are okay, Sila."

It wasn't a question but it didn't feel like a statement as well. A half-truth? Wishful thinking? Whatever it was, she couldn't respond to it because from where she stood, they weren't okay. Not really. So, she watched him drive away, wondering what the hell was going on here.

"Trouble in paradise?"

She closed her eyes. Yes, exactly what she needed. She turned on her heels and found him right beside her. "None of your business."

"Can I give you my unsolicited opinion?"

"Can I give you a written memo on how to stay the fuck away from people who don't like you around them?"

"Oh wow. She swears."

"She punches as well. Want to find out?"

Aahil raised his hand in a peace offering gesture. "Can I still give my two cents?"

Sila looked away. That was his cue to go on, or he thought. "I don't see it going for long."

She stopped abruptly, and he bumped right into her. "What the hell do you mean?"

"I meant you and the dude who looks like fuck ups are his everyday hobby. You plus he equals a short drive. I'd say you guys will not make it to even club road."

Club road was a one-minute drive from here. Sila didn't know whether to face-palm at his audacity or take his word for what it was.

"Why?"

"Hun?"

"Why, Einstein? Why wouldn't we make it to even Club road?"

"You should've seen your face when he drove away."

"What about it?"

"My ex-girlfriend used to look at me just like that. And she's an ex now. Get it?"

Saying that he took a step forward. "So, Sila, throw in the towel before it gets messy."

He hadn't gotten far when she stopped him.

"Aahil."

He turned around.

"Where is this ex-girlfriend right now?"

He knew where this was going. "Engaged to someone who loves her."

"And where are you?"

"Here, giving you free relationship advice."

She smiled sweetly and settled his shirt collar for him. "Here, get it? Get your shit together before it becomes any more embarrassing."

With that, she was gone.

And he was smiling. She got him good. As he said, never a dull moment with this one.

𝄞

Author's Note

Any guesses for the side ships? hehe