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*

Arshiya

A week had passed by and I hadn't heard from Adam.

All I had heard was from Furqaan, reassuring me that his big brother was safe. I had no idea what that meant, as I had no details. I'd told him that I was going to come to London, but he had told me that I was safer here in Lahore,  in our own territory, and that Adam wouldn't want me to come. Qirat reassured me that she would keep me updated as soon as she heard anything.

I was surrounded by reassurances and sympathy, and frankly speaking, it was irritating me to no ends. I decided that we had to be productive, and so I called a meeting.

Selena, Sasha, Daniyal Bhai and Ehsan all looked curiously at me, and Furqaan had a similar expression as his face appeared on the projector screen via a video call.

"You've all repeatedly reminded me that we're vulnerable." I began. "That's unacceptable. We cannot be vulnerable. We need to show the world that we are as strong as ever. To the world, Adam might as well have gone abroad on a holiday.  We all need to continue as if he's still here, still in...in charge." My voice broke. "I want everything to carry on as normal. Any issues, I trust you all to resolve within yourselves, because you are more experienced in this than I am." 

"We'll do everything as normal, Bhabi." Daniyal Bhai nodded.

I cleared my throat. "I've also made a decision. I'm going to London."

They all looked at me shocked.

"Bhabi, I told you, that isn't a good..." Furqaan began to argue.

I held up my hand. "Furqaan, I'm currently in Adam's position, which means what I say, goes. I want to meet your Nano. What's her name?" I thought briefly. "Huma Aslam."

"Bhabi, that's not a good idea!" Furqaan shook his head vehemently.

"I'm doing this with or without you, Furqaan." I spoke stubbornly. "The Aslam family have a lot to answer for."

"Arshiya, I get that you want to do something." Sasha spoke cautiously. "But walking into the enemy's lair like that...?"

"I'm not saying I'm meeting her at their home. It'll be a neutral location." I've heard Adam plan meetings with rivals various times, and he normal chose neutral locations. 

"Bhabi..." Furqaan sighed.

"With or without you guys." I repeated, standing up, before walking out of the conference room.

I saw them exchanged worried looks as I turned to head out of the room.

I'm not going to sit back and do nothing. My husband was shot, and I haven't seen him or heard from him in over a week. I'm pregnant and I'm worried sick about him. 

And whose fault was this? The Aslam family's. One way or another, they were going to have to pay.

*

The days I survived, the nights were a nightmare.

First, I could barely sleep. I tossed and turned, missing his presence beside me. I missed snuggling up against him as we talked or kissed. I felt lonely and cold in my bed these days. 

When I did sleep, my slumber was ridden with nightmares that made me wake up either screaming or crying. That, in turn, led me to worry about my baby. I'd already visited my doctor three times this week, telling her how stressed I was, and asking her to make sure that my baby was okay.

Nobody knew about my pregnancy, and it was getting harder and harder for me to hide it. I yearned for someone to take care of me, but I didn't dare ask. A part of me wanted to ask Mama to come and stay with me, but I didn't think that she would. In all of these, I kept bottling up all my feelings. I never spoke about my pain with anyone. I never told anyone how I missed Adam so much that it hurt me physically. More than a few times I'd ended up screaming at Furqaan over the phone to tell me what was happening, but he said that even he didn't know much.

I started to feel paranoid. I started doubting everyone around me, as if they knew something that I didn't. Every exchanged look, pursed lips, hesitation, seemed like a sign of guilt. 

This was partly why I decided to go to London. If nobody was going to give me answers, I'll go get them myself. 

I headed to see Dr Khan the very same day after the meeting, and I got clearance for her to travel. She was even kind enough to give me contact details of a gynaecologist she knew in London who'd help me if needed.

"It's a long flight. Keep yourself hydrated, and try walking around whenever it's safe to do so." She advised me. 

"Thank you, Dr Khan." I smiled at her.

"I know that sometimes circumstances are not in our control, Arshiya, but it's vital that you avoid stress as much as possible. Stay happy, stay positive. It may seem like the most difficult task in the world right now, but you need to try, for the baby."

I nodded. "You're right. I try, but..." I pursed my lips, feeling like I was going to cry again. "You've seen the news regarding Adam. My mind has been all over the place, my emotions are uncontrollable."

"Of course I can understand that, Arshiya, and neither am I disregarding the severe pain that you're facing right now. But you're responsible for another life too now. The baby is completely reliant on you right now, and will be for a long while after birth. As parents, we need to prioritise our kids on many, many occasions."

"I'll be more careful, Dr Khan." I promised. "I have to stay strong."

I need to be strong to be the Awan in charge.

*

Furqaan

"Bhai is going to kill me and bury me alive right here, not even transferring my body back to Pakistan." I paced the room. 

"Astaghfirullah!" Qirat glared at me. "Stop talking like that."

"Can you please speak to Bhabi and ask her not to come? Get your parents to talk to her."

"She's not going to listen. She has made up her mind, Furqaan." 

"She's risking herself by coming here. Shahood Aslam may be in police custody, but we have no idea how powerful the gang truly is. If they found out that Arshiya Bhabi is in London..." I ran my hands through my hair. "F**'s sake. Bhai will be p**sed. He won't say anything to her, but my neck will be wringed like a wet washcloth." 

"Furqaan, I have tried talking to her. She's determined." She pursed her lip together. "How about we just trust her? She has learned a lot from Adam Bhai. She knows how to be careful."

"I know she has learned a lot, Qirat, but this is the world of mafia. A few months of living with a mafia leader isn't enough. She hasn't been trained." 

"She'll be fine, In Sha Allah. Her heart is in the right place. Allah will protect her. Our religion expects us to stand up for injustice, and the Aslams have done great injustice to the Awans. She's standing up against them. She's not doing anything wrong." She placed a hand on my arm. "We're by her side, Furqaan. If necessary, I'll go with her for the meeting with Huma Aslam."

"Haan, ek nahin, do do jaao. Much better." I spoke sarcastically.

*"Yeah, not one but both of you go."

"Furqaan?" She grabbed my sleeve.

"Hmm?"

"Where is Adam Bhai?" Her eyes contained a world of worry and anxiety.

*

Arshiya

My first goal was to deal with the Aslam family. I was more determined than I'd ever been in my life, probably even more determined than when I'd wanted to open my bakery.

Daniyal Bhai got me in contact with Jay, the IT expert, and I asked him to forward me all the information he had previously gathered on the Aslam family. "Plus, I want further information on their business dealings, their illegal dealings, everything."

My law education was coming in handy at least. Plus, Selena was training me about how mafia empires operated. I was learning as I was planning.

By the time I landed in London, I felt a little bit more confident. 

Although, I regretted outfit. My clothes had now started to feel tighter and I could just feel my waistline starting to expand. I wore cream wide-legged formal trousers, a black blouse, and a long black blazer, along with black ankle-length boots. But by the end of the flight, I wished that I had chosen to wear my pyjama trousers.

I hadn't told Furqaan or Qirat my flight details, and I had told my group not to tell them either. I had things I wanted to do, and I didn't want anyone trying to stop me.

Selena accompanied me, acting as my PA now. "There's Jay." She pointed in arrivals.

I saw a guy with slicked back hair and glasses smiling at us. "Assalam Alaikum, Mrs Awan. I'm Junaid Pirzada, but everyone calls me Jay."

"Walaikum Assalam." I replied. "I received your emails, Jay. I appreciate that." 

"Ma'am, your luggage?" The porter who was automatically assigned to the airline's elite clients, asked me.

"I'll take it from here." Jay said to him.

"Jay, there's no need..." I began to protest. "I can manage it myself."

"I insist, Mrs Awan." He took the trolley from the porter, and started leading the way to the lifts that led to the car park.

I felt exhausted, and frankly speaking, I had to throw up a few times during the flight. I had tried to discreetly go to the bathroom, hoping that Selena wouldn't notice, but luckily she had either been sleeping or working on her laptop. "What have you found out, Jay? Anything other than what you emailed me?" 

"I've found something that can end them." He gave me a small smile. "I was actually already researching this for Mr Adam, but now I have reached a conclusion."

"Which is...?"

"Modern day slavery." He said. "They are involved in human trafficking. They bring in people, some minors, and use them for labour to get their work done. They have a construction business where they hire workers, paying them less than the minimum wage, and they get away with it because these workers have overstayed their visas and are now considered illegals."

"Damn." Selena's eyes widened.

"And... how significant is the construction business to their business in general? Like, do they have other businesses in other fields?" I asked as we stepped out of the lift.

"This construction business is their everything, Mrs Awan." Jay said.

"So... if this goes down...?"

"The Aslams will be finished." He finished for me. "For now they are handling the debts they own banks and other companies, but if their construction business goes down... they'll be majorly screwed." 

"Minors? Really?" I shook my head in disbelief.

"From what I've heard, they've used kids around eleven or twelve from least economically developed countries to work as maids and workers at their home." Jay said. "I've been doing this research or Mr Adam, but unfortunately, I didn't get to hand over all this information to him."

"No worries. I got it." I smiled at him. "I'll use this information the way Adam would have." 

*

I entered the hotel room, feeling like I was going to collapse any moment. 

The bellboy left my luggage in the room and then headed out. 

I walked over to the bed and flopped down on my back, staring up blankly at the ceiling.

I'm not just here for the downfall of the Aslam family, Adam. I'm here for you, first and foremost. But Furqaan said that you're safe, so I will destroy them first so that they never have a chance to hurt you again.

Tears filled my eyes and my hands clutched the throw spread over the bed. I started slowly sobbing, before I was full-on wailing. I placed my hands on my stomach as my body shook with sobs. I hadn't cried too much in the last week, as I had tried to remain strong. I had to be strong for the Awan empire, something Adam had dedicated his life to. I had to be strong for my baby. I had to be strong for Adam himself. If I had to get him back safely to me, I knew that I had to fight. I needed to defeat the people responsible for hurting him, for hurting the Awans in general. This war started decades ago, but now I wanted to end it. I didn't wan the threat of the Aslam family hanging over us because now my baby was in the picture. This will not continue into the next generation. I won't allow it.

I sat up, using the backs of my hands to wipe my tears. "I will not be weak until I make them pay." I'd felt the fear of losing the love of my life, and even now my heart was torn apart being away from him. 

They tried to take his life. I'm going to destroy them.

*

Adam

"Bhabi is in London." Furqaan informed me on a phone call made over Detective Rohaan's phone.

"What the hell do you mean she's in London?" I frowned.

"Yeah, but even worse... I don't know where she's staying. She didn't come to us. Selena is with her, but she didn't give the details of where they are."

"I don't care what you do, find out where Arshiya is." I said. "What is she up to?" 

"Bhai, she's determined to go after them." He said. "I don't think she's going to stop."

"F**k's sake." I muttered. "That girl is going to be the death of me, one way or another." I took a deep breath. "Furqaan, please find out where she is. You all need to take care of her until I'm back." I ended the call.

"Problem?" Detective Rohaan walked in the room, holding two takeaway cups of coffee.

"I need to leave."

"Adam, you are a very high-profile target. The news is buzzing with how you have been shot. And with Shahood Aslam being arrested, the mafia world is in chaos." He said. 

"So you put me under witness protection? I'm not a coward, Rohaan. I can handle the chaos." I stood up. "But Arshiya is here, in London. If they find her, they'll..." I couldn't even finish the sentence.

"I'm assuming that's Bhabi?" He guessed. 

I nodded. "I don't know what she's up to, but I have no idea about the gang politics now that Shahood is in police custody. He might be inside, but he still has resources, I'm sure. He's out for my blood, and what better way to avenge me than to get to my wife?" I paced around. "I need to leave."

"Adam, mate, listen. If not for your own sake, for your family's sake. You cannot go out there right now. You are the number one target for that gang." He said.

"It's my choice to leave, Rohaan."

"Okay, let me put this another way." He said. "They think you're out of the way, unconscious in a hospital somewhere. They're not truly on their guard yet, thinking that their most dangerous enemy is out of their way. This is the right time to capture them. If you go out there now, you can mess up the progress that we have made so far."

"I don't give a sh*t. Arshiya is out there. I'm not hiding like a coward while she's here in the city."

"Adam, we are this close to finishing off the Aslam family, someone who has been destructive to the Awans for decades. You want to give up the decades' old chance for closure?"

"My wife comes first." I said with finality.

Rohaan nodded. "If that's your final decision." 

"It is. I can't hide out here like a coward, when Arshiya is out there."

*

Arshiya

"These are the contact details of Huma Aslam." Selena handed me a folder. 

She had come to my room after I'd taken a nap. 

"Thanks, Selena."

She looked uncertain. "Arshiya, you are family to me too, and I hate to do this, but I have to tell Furqaan and Qirat where you are. I have no choice."

"What do you mean by 'no choice'? I asked you to give me a day or two to just..."

"Boss' orders. He wants to know where you are."

"Adam? Where is he? He spoke to Furqaan? He knows that I'm here? Why isn't he reaching out to me?" 

"All I can tell you, Arshiya, is that I need to tell them where you are." She said, softly.

I felt annoyed. "Fine. Tell them." I felt like everyone was plotting against me somehow; talking and communicating with each other, but leaving me out. Once again, I was being treated like the weakest in the group. "I'm still jet lagged, Selena, so I think I'm going to go and rest."

"I can tell that you're annoyed with me." She looked guilty. "I'm an employee, Arshiya. I have to listen to the boss."

"How did everyone find out that I'm here?" 

 She dropped her gaze.

"You went behind my back and told them." I felt betrayed. "I didn't tell them because everyone treats me like a fragile doll, feeling this need to protect me. I'm trying to find my own strength, for the sake of my family, and yet nobody will let me have that opportunity."

"You don't have to do it on your own, Arshiya."

"Then what? I should sit back and let you all deal with it? They shot my husband, Selena. They are targeting my family!" I felt furious now. 

"Arshiya, we are all working together as a team! It's not you against us, or us against you. No. We all have the same goal. But we live in a world where teamwork is always safer than individual work." She placed a hand on my upper arm. "You are strong, we all know that. But if nothing else, do this for Adam's sake."

"I'm going to rest, Selena." I spoke pointedly.

She nodded and headed out. "Take care."

As soon as she left, I called Jay. "Jay, this is Arshiya Adam Awan."

"Yes, Mrs Awan?" 

"Have you got all the evidence for the human trafficking?" I asked. 

"I have enough." He replied. "I'm just going through some other activities of theirs, trying to find..."

"Is the evidence against them for human trafficking sufficient to destroy them?"

"It is. I was just waiting for Mr Adam to tell me what the next step is."

"I'll tell you what the next step is." I said. "I need you to bring the evidence to the hotel where I'm staying."

I couldn't waste anymore time. The longer I waited, the longer the Aslam family continue to thrive in their business, living successfully after causing so much harm to the Awan family. 

After my call with Jay ended, I made another phone call using the hotel landline. There was an option to dial an external number, thankfully.

"Hello?" A female voice answered.

"Am I speaking to Huma Aslam?" I asked, keeping my voice calm and composed.

"Yes, this is she."

I grabbed a notepad and a pen that were both placed by the phone, setting in motion the plan that I had thought of for a while. "My name is Meena Sheikh*. I'm a journalist, and I am writing an article about Marina Aslam."

*Yes, this is a little dedication to my previous character, Jasmina Sheikh, the first female lead I wrote on Wattpad.*

"What kind of an article?" She sounded sceptical.

"Well, during my studies as a journalist student at the University of London, I came across the case. We were going through previous articles, and her case was one that brought me to tears. I would like to write an article from your perspective, based on Marina Aslam." When she didn't reply, I felt a little worried. "I understand that your husband has been accused of murdering..."

"He hasn't been accused! He has confessed to it!" She burst into tears. "I took my anger out on the wrong people, whereas all along I shared a room with the man who had my daughter's blood on her hands."

"Is it possible for us to meet, Mrs Aslam?" I tried to sound kind and compassionate. "I would like to get the real story of Marina Aslam out, from your point of view."

"Sure. When will you like to meet?" 

*

My husband took risks every day. He did whatever he could to fight for what was right. He helped people get justice when the law had failed them,

It was my turn to help him and the Awan family get justice. Mom, a.k.a. Marina Awan, was a separate case, and the Aslam patriarch had already been arrested for her murder. I still needed to make them pay for the lonely, sad life faced by my husband his brother. For beating up Furqaan, with no regards to their blood relation. For shooting Adam.

When Jay had come to drop off the evidence, I had informed him that I was meeting Huma Aslam, and since I was unfamiliar with London, he was to drive me to meet her and back.

I was sitting in the café, looking through the menu.

"Miss Sheikh?"

I looked up and found myself looking at an elderly woman with kind eyes. Kind eyes, my foot. None of these people are trustworthy. "Yes. Mrs Aslam?"

She nodded, taking a seat opposite me. "The media has been hounding us all week... I couldn't bear to deal with them."

"Yet, you agreed to meet me?"

"I wanted my side to be heard as well. I wanted to talk about Marina." Her eyes filled up.

I held up my phone. "If it's okay, I'm going to be recording this interview, so that it can help me when writing the article."

"Sure, no problem."

She seemed so naïve that I almost felt guilty. Almost. "Please start." I picked up my notebook and pen, getting into the role of a 'journalist'. As she talked, I made notes.

She told me about how she had two daughters: Marina and Saboohi. She adored them, but as expected, Shahood Aslam wanted a son to be his heir. He did, however, love his daughters. He ran 'businesses', but the main business was their construction business.

One fateful day, the elites held a masquerade ball, and the whole family was attending.

*

FLASHBACK

Marina

I did not want to be here.

I always found these parties to be extremely boring. Well I enjoyed the luxurious lifestyle, I did not enjoy the company of these people. 

I was wandering through the crowd, my black masquerade mask on, wearing my full-lace-sleeved, floor-length black gown.

I wasn't stupid. I knew this was the party of mafia gangsters. There were probably more weapons here than at a small country's army base. 

That's when I saw him.

He stood by the wall, holding a glass of soft drink in his hand, a tensed frown on his face. He was the only one not wearing a mask. 

Itna pyara banda maine apni zindagi main nahin dekha. I couldn't help thinking.

*I haven't seen such a handsome man in my life.

Astaghfirullah, Marina! What are you thinking? I shook my head at my thoughts.

He suddenly looked up, and our gazes met... well, I thought our gazes met since my eyes were hidden behind the mask. My cheeks burned.

"Marina, come...." Saboohi came by my side and grabbed my arm. "The fountain outside looks so beautiful with the fairy lights and all. Let's go!" 

Giggling like schoolgirls, we rushed towards the exit, but not before I tossed one more look in the mysterious man's direction... but he was no longer there.

*

A while later, Saboohi had left me by the fountain, exploring the beautiful hotel grounds with the other girls her age. I sat at the wide edge of the fountain, enjoying the soothing sound of the water.

The sound of footsteps made me look up and I saw the mysterious man walking my way. "You're missing out on such an epic ball." He gave me a grin.

"Says the man who chose not to wear a mask at a masquerade ball." I shot back.

"I don't need to hide who I am behind a silly mask."

"And I feel a taste of freedom that I yearn for behind this mask. Briefly, I'm someone else, not me." I sighed happily, tilting my head back.

"Your hair is touching the water." He nodded, making me realise that as I tilted my hair back, the tips brushed against the fountain water.

I didn't bother moving my hair out of the water. "So... why do you seem like someone pointed a gun at you to make you attend this ball?"

He chuckled. "In our world, that's a high possibility. But no, nobody can threaten me into attending this circus. I'm here willingly."

"You could have fooled me." I reached down and dipped my fingers into the water. 

"Are you here willingly?" 

"Yes."

"You could have fooled me." He smiled.

"I like the concept of a masquerade ball. If only the company was better." I laughed lightly.

"Wow. Should I feel offended?" 

"Since you seem to be enjoying the company of the guests in general as much as  I am, no, you shouldn't be offended." 

"Well, the jury's still out on my opinion of the present company."

"Likewise." I stood up. "I heard the gardens are very pretty. Want to go have a look? A bunch of other people headed that way too..."

He shrugged. "It can't be as bad as the ball itself. Let's go."

We strolled down the cobblestone paths flanked by flowerbeds that had gorgeous flowers. The sight was beautiful, the scent enticing. We talked about everything and anything; our interests, our hobbies. He told he was from Lahore, but he'd done his higher studies in the UK. I told him that I'd always wanted to explore Lahore. The city's history attracted me. Throughout the conversation, we didn't exchange names.

"Do you not want to inherit your father's mafia kingdom?" He asked curiously, when I told him that I enjoyed pottery. 

"I've been surrounded by crime and murder my whole life. I want to see the other side of life, the beautiful, sweeter side." I shrugged. "Love, family, safety; that's all I want." I suddenly realised how quite it was. "What time is it?"

He glanced at his wristwatch. "It's almost ten."

I gasped. "I have to go. My father is very punctual, and I'm sure he must be already heading out towards the car." 

"Wait!" He called out as I started to run.

I stopped, glancing at him over my shoulder. "What?"

"I'm Zulfiqar Awan." 

My eyes widened slightly. I had heard the Awan name before, but never in a positive light. Yet everything I'd heard contradicted what I had experienced today. "Marina Aslam."

Even he looked surprised when he heard my name.

In that moment, I felt that it was over. We might as well be living a Romeo/Juliet story. 

But then he smiled softly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Marina."

"It was lovely meeting you too, Zulfiqar." 

*

PRESENT

Arshiya

"They fell in love at the very first meeting." Huma Aslam told me. "They fell in love as they talked to each other. It wasn't love at first sight, but love at first conversation." She smiled sadly. "Eventually they eloped because my husband would have rather died than allow Marina to marry Zulfiqar Awan." She then narrated the story that I already knew. The couple had Adam, and then around a decade later, they had Furqaan. As she spoke about the murder of her daughter, she sobbed hard.

I have to do something that goes against my morals, but this is necessary. "Mrs Aslam, can I ask you something?" 

She dabbed at her cheeks with a tissue. "S-Sure."

"Would you ever forgive Mr Aslam for what he did?" 

She glanced at me incredulously. "A mother can never forgive the killer of her child, no matter who the killer is. My husband is more or less dead to me."

"As a female, I have great sympathy for Marina Aslam." I said. "I would very much like for her to have justice. But, I'm curious to know. Is he only guilty of committing the murder of Marina Aslam?" 

She looked at me, and heartbreak was etched across her face. "He is a horrible man. And I am no angel myself for remaining with him till now." She cleared her throat. "His entire construction business is surviving on illegally overstaying people, who are working well below the national minimum wage. They are working in inhumane conditions, simply because the earning in pounds makes a lot of difference when the money is sent back home and transferred into local currency. Our home had children working as maids and doing other housework, again because they get paid only the minimum, but they are efficient workers."

"You didn't stop it?" 

"A woman's word has no meaning in the house of Shahood Aslam." She sighed. "But what can I expect from a man who's willing to murder his own grandsons?" She started sobbing again. "Marina will never forgive me. I remained with her murderer all these decades, and I allowed him to try and kill her sons."

I turned off the recording. "I cannot determine whether she will forgive you or not, but when it comes to Allah, there's always a path of repentance." I said. "If you see your husband facing justice, do not become a hindrance to it. And if you face the law for allowing child labour and human trafficking, then accept your punishment and face it." I stood up. "Thank you for this interview." 

"My heart feels lighter now." She smiled weakly.

I turned to go.

"Your first one?" 

I looked at her, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"Is this your first pregnancy?" Her gaze moved towards my stomach.

I didn't even think that my pregnancy was obvious right now.

"I'm experienced, dear. I can spot the signs." She said. "Your heart seems to be in the right place, and may Allah greatly reward you for it by blessing you with a healthy baby who has strong iman. Ameen." 

"Ameen. Thank you." I was surprised by this unexpected dua, and realised that this was the first time ever I had been given a dua by a senior from my in-laws.

*

"Where are we going?" Jay asked me from the driving seat.

"We are going to destroy the Aslam empire." I replied.

As per my instructions, he drove me to one of the biggest media corporations in the country. I'd asked him for recommendations, and he had suggested this one because- unsurprisingly- Adam had connections here.

"I'll call up the contact to meet us here." Jay told me. 

We were parked outside and he called someone, while I waited in the back seat. I had no idea how this was going to go. 

"He's here. He's coming out now." Jay glanced at me over his shoulder.

I nodded. "Thank you."

Soon, I saw a man in his late thirties walking towards us. 

"That's him."

I got out of the car, and the man walked right up to me.

"Mrs Adam Awan?" 

"Yes, Arshiya." I said.

"My name is Robert Browning." He said. "I have known Adam for a few years."

"Robert Browning?" I blurted out. "Like the poet?"

He chuckled. "Yep, I have heard that a lot. Let's just say that my mother was a fan. Please, come inside. Hey, Jay." He shook hands with Jay.

Robert scanned his ID and led us into the building, before walking across the lobby towards the lifts. 

It was only when we were settled into his posh office that we started to chat. 

Jay and I showed everything to him, all the evidence, and got him to listen to my interview with Huma Aslam.

"Sh*t. This will end the terror reign of the Aslam empire." Robert looked impressed. "But... before we leak this in front of the public, there are other people who might be a little bit more interested in this." 

*

Adam

Furqaan hugged me. "Where the f**k have you been?" 

"It was lucky that I got your brother to wear a bullet proof vest underneath his shirt that day." Rohaan shook his head. "Otherwise, he would have been a goner. For now, the bullet just hit his arm."

I saw Selena standing silently in the hotel lobby. "Sel, where's Arshiya?" 

Furqaan and Qirat were suddenly averting my gaze too.

"Where the hell is Arshiya? Is anyone going to tell me?" I suddenly felt fear throughout my body.

"She told me she was going to take a nap. She didn't answer the door, and when I came downstairs, the receptionist told me that she had gone out somewhere." Selena spoke quietly.

F**k's sake, Arsh. What are you up to?

Rohaan's phone rang and he answered it. "Rohaan Rehan Tariq." Suddenly, he was frowning. "What? How? Okay, I'll check." He ended the call and tapped on his phone. "F**k. Look." He held out his phone for us all to see.

MURDER, HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND IMMIGRATION CRIMES: THE DOWNFALL OF THE ASLAM EMPIRE

Rohaan featured a video and I saw my friend Robert Browning on there.

"I'm here outside the Aslam family mansion, close to midnight, where the UK Borders have performed raids. Minor children, victims of human trafficking, have been found employed here, as well as other young adults who were brought here as minors. This is in sync with the raids at the Aslam Construction business, where it is believed the majority of the employed staff are paid under the table, in wages below minimum wages, because they have no right to work in the UK, due to overstaying or expired visas." Robert spoke into the microphone. "This is a huge day for the Home Office to have found the evidence against such a huge empire. The UK Border agents are working with the Metropolitan Police to arrest other members of the Aslam family, as well as staff who were aware of these illegal actions. For now, it is safe to say that the Aslam family's empire, their business, is facing its downfall. Shahood Aslam, already facing the charges of the murder of his own daughter, will now be facing further legal cases, the evidence of which has now been submitted to the police and the UK Borders."

"Wait...that's it? It's over?" Furqaan looked incredulous. "The Aslams are finished?" 

Even I found it hard to believe. 

"Arshiya did this." Qirat whispered. "This is why she came here. She was hell-bent on punishing the people who are the reason Adam Bhai was shot."

 "Where is Arshiya? She doesn't know the city, and it's almost midnight." For me, her being her safe was the priority right now. The happiness of the downfall of the Aslam empire was overshadowed by my worry for my wife.

"Bhai..." Furqaan grabbed my arm and I looked at him, surprised to see tears in his eyes. "Bhai, they are facing the consequences of their actions. Their deeds have caught up to them. The way they had treated our family... it's over. The Aslams are finished. They are f**king finished." 

Selena's phone rang and she answered immediately. "Hey, Jay...wait, what? Arshiya's with you?"

I glanced at her, sharply.

"Is she okay?" Selena asked, and then nodded reassuringly at me when she saw my concerned expression. 

"So, she's with Jay... is he fired, or will he be incapable of ever again being hired?" Furqaan teasingly looked at me.

"Let me speak to her." I said to Selena.

"Jay, Adam wants to..."She blinked, then glanced at her phone. "He quickly hung up, saying that they'll be there soon and you guys can talk on purpose..." She looked sheepish. "She's not happy with us though, Adam. She might be thinking that we were all communicating and scheming behind her back, without including her."

"Looks like Jay's not the one we should be worried about." Furqaan was clearly very amused.

They all chuckled at my expense. 

But my mind was miles away, a small smile on my face. Arshiya Adam Awan, you've stolen my heart one again. If anyone dares ever question your courage, or your love for me again, I'll f**k them up myself. 

The Queen truly does protect her King, and I'm so f**king damn proud of you.

*

FLASHBACK

Marina

"It's a cold night." I stared out at the dark mountains of northern Pakistan. My hair lifted up in the cool breeze as I turned to face him. "I feel so bad about leaving Adam behind. He would have loved it here." 

"Meera will take good care of her, don't worry. I've hired only people that I can even trust with the life of our son." 

I held out my hands and he took them, stepping towards me. "When we are very old, retired, and our son is all grown up and married off, we'll move somewhere up here." 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He wrapped an arm around me and began to leave me inside. "Right now, I need to be warm." 

"But I like the cool night." 

"You're wearing a thin, cotton dress, Marina. You'll catch a cold." 

We stepped inside the lodge, and he closed the sliding door. 

I walked over to sit on the rug between the sofa and the fireplace.

"I'll make us some coffee." 

"Hot chocolate for me." I playfully fluttered my eyelashes at him.

When we sat together with our hot drinks a few minutes later, I looked at him. "I wish I can go back to the moment we met, with all my current experience. I wish I can relive the moment when I first saw you." 

"How about we relieve that moment now?" He spoke with a small smile.

"How?"

He chuckled. "So... why do you seem like someone pointed a gun at you to make you come here to this lodge?" 

I laughed. "In our world, that's a high possibility. But no, there's no need for anyone to threaten me into coming to this romantic break with the love of my life. I'm here willingly." 

"You could have fooled me." 

"Are you here willingly?" 

"Yes."

"You could have fooled me." I kissed his bicep. "But hey... I love being in a lodge in the mountains. If only the company was better." 

"Wow, I'm offended." 

"Since I'm here willingly, happily, I couldn't have found a better company. You are the best for me, so don't be offended." 

"Well, the jury's still out on my opinion about my present company being the best for me." He winked at me.

"Mean." 

We laughed and exchanged a kiss.

"I'm Zulfiqar Awan." He whispered.

"I'm Marina Awan." I softly brushed my lips over his once again.

"What a coincidence. You're an Awan too?"

"Maybe not by blood, but by heart, soul, and every other way, I'm truly an Awan." I kissed his cheek. "I'm yours, and only yours. For all eternity."

"And I'm yours, Marina. And I swear to love you till the day that I take my very last breath. In fact, I swear to love you in the Afterlife, with the hope that I'll gain enough rewards in my life to reunite with you in Jannah." 

"May Allah truly make our love eternal, continuing on in the gardens of Paradise, long after this world is over. Ameen." 

*

STILL FLASHBACK

OVER TWO DECADES LATER

Zulfiqar Awan coughed. His chest ached from the action and he just wanted the sweet relief. "May my sins be washed away with this repulsive disease that's cancer. Allah, I wish to see her again. Ameen."

He lay in the dark bed in his room in the farmhouse. It was his time soon, he could feel it.

A tear ran down the side of his face. "It's been too long, Marina. Ab to miljao mujhe."

*"Please meet me now."

It had been over two decades but he still thought about her; about what their life could have been like. He had become a bitter, miserable man. He had thrown himself into the world of wealth and power, often even ignoring his sons. He regretted that now, because Marina was going to be very upset about that. "Kaha tha na, marte dam tak mohabbat karoonga tumse?" He chuckle, but was interrupted by a violent cough.

*"Didn't I tell you that I'd love you till the day I died?" 

He had finished off the gang that had snatched her life away from him, but he was left with a permanent emptiness inside him; a void that he could never fill again.

He closed his eyes as he pictured her on the day of that fateful masquerade ball. "I will see you soon, In Sha Allah." And then, despite the sinful life he had led, he managed to recite the Shahadah as his last words. "La ilaha illa llah, Muhammadun rasulullah."

Even in the last moments of his life, Zulfiqar Awan had thought of only her: Marina. 

But a little known fact about him was that in the recent days, he had started making duas for his sons, that they found love as powerful as the one that he had felt for Marina, only for them to live out long, happy lives with their beloveds. He prayed that his sons never felt the pain of losing their soulmates, because it was a heartbreak that he himself had never gotten over.

*

The Aslams will finally face justice now. Evil may continue for many, many years, but its all temporary, like everything in this world. There comes a day when it has its downfall.

Arshiya has ensured that the people who have harmed her family so badly, throughout the years, are now punished.

I never expected Zulfiqar Awan to have such a tragic story, but as in real life, we don't always know what a person has gone through in their life.

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