Not edited.
"Listen carefully, Papa and I have already found a suitable place for everyone to move. On Friday night I will take Khala (mother's sister) and Alina to our home. Next day Khalo (khala's husband) will go directly to the house with some important household stuff. The furniture and remaining things would be left here, for time being. I will try my best to keep the promise I had made to you. Alina is also my sister and so are you..."
Maaz's words echoed in Kanwal's mind, as she sat on the bench in lawn and stares at the sun getting down on the west. Her father will also leave Shareefabad and soon her family would be in a safe location. Far away from here, where there would be no Black Eagles and Alina will live her life freely, chose the career she likes and marries someone better than a criminal.
Kanwal let out a heavy sigh and got up, as Azaan start echoing in the atmosphere. She took each step slowly looking at her mansion type cage, where she is trapped forever.
"Bhabi!" Kanwal heard a voice from behind and find the same big guard from the other day coming towards her. Kanwal tried to recall his name but couldn't remember.
"Ahad Bhai's wants to talk to you." He said giving his phone to her.
Kanwal didn't like this at all. She feels somewhat humiliated that she wasn't trusted by Ahad. She often thought that what these guards would think that why I am not allowed to have a phone and what's more, that the landline phone connection was removed after their wedding.
"Hello?" Kanwal turned around to hide the frown formed on her face.
"Assalam o Alaikum?" She heard Ahad's voice.
"Wallaikum Assalam!"
"Someone isn't in a good mood." Ahad shot a comment.
"Do you need anything?" Kanwal seethed.
"Yes, three words of the love confession." She wanted to slam the phone on the wall after hearing Ahad's answer.
Flirting with his wife on employee phone. What's wrong with him???
Thought Kanwal.
"Just tell me the reason, what do you need." She tried to remain calm.
Ahad sighed before saying, "Go to my study room. Open the right cabinet behind my desk. There is a brown colour file in there without any tags on it and Give that to Jahangir."
"...Okay." Kanwal said reluctantly. It is the first time Ahad was asking her to do something for him before he just irritates her by asking her to cook for him.
"Thanks. I will come home late tonight. Allah Hafiz." He said quickly and hung up.
"Allah Hafiz." Kanwal mumbled and return the phone to Jahangir.
"I will search the file after Maghrib Namaz (prayer/salat)" Kanwal said to him. Jahangir nodded in acknowledgement and left.
~*~
Kanwal has seen Ahad's study several times but she never thought that finding a single file in his cabinet would take this long. She kept cursing herself for not asking the exact location of the cabinet and because of it, she has been searching for more than twenty minutes and still, she hasn't succeeded. After a few more minutes, she finally found it in the last cabinet. Where file lying on the front shelf, along with something she never expects to found there. On the very corner of the shelf, there was her phone and the watch that Abdul Rafay gave him.
I remember giving the watch to Maaz and my phone...
Thought Kanwal staring at both watch and phone while holding the file in hand.
Ya Allah! Did he do something to Maaz?
The thought came to Kanwal's mind and she starts to panic.
Holding the file to her chest she almost ran outside towards Jahangir's office, who was already making his way to the door, find Kanwal in midway.
"Is everything alright Bhabi?" He asked briskly walking towards her.
"Tell Ahad to contact me or come home right now." Regaining her composure, she handed over the file to him. Jahangir abruptly nodded and turn on his heels to leave.
Burdened under several thoughts Kanwal made her way back to the house.
~*~
A warm comfortable bed and blanket, dim sunlight peeking through the window and a person lying beside. This was the scene that came in Kanwal's view when she opened her eyes. Unconsciously her hand reaches to her stomach which is growling because of hunger. She didn't eat last night, her mind was occupied by dozens of thoughts and none of them was positive. Kanwal waited for Ahad to call her or come home but he didn't and she ended up falling asleep on a sofa in the living room. She also didn't remember coming into the bedroom, perhaps Ahad brought her.
But I am not that heavy sleeper...!
Frowning on herself, Kanwal carefully left the bed. After freshening up, she made her way to the kitchen hoping that the maids have already prepared breakfast for her. But she found no one in the kitchen, it was as the maids left them last night. The dinner was still on the dining table.
Aby yar!
Kanwal mumbled, clenching her growling stomach and start walking towards the stove.
Why didn't they come yet???
Did Ahad tell them not to come???
Shaking her head she subsided all her thoughts and turn her attention to a frying omelette.
"What's your making for me?" Kanwal jumped on hearing Ahad voice from behind.
"W-What do you want?" She asked trying to control her anger.
"A same looking omelette like this one." He said peeking at the stove over from her shoulder.
Kanwal took out her omelette on a plate and turned to the refrigerator to take eggs.
"Leave it Kanwal, I am fine with tea only." Ahad said serving tea for Kanwal and himself. Then he put cups, omelette, and bread on a tray and take it to the dining table.
Kanwal kept watching him with wide eyes standing in her place until Ahad said pointing towards the plate, "If you didn't come here in one minute, I will eat it."
~*~
".... Can I ask a question?" Kanwal asked, putting her empty teacup on the table.
"No." Ahad answered calmly looking at his phone.
"Huh?" His answered surprised Kanwal.
Ahad sighed and ask, "What do you want to know?"
"I found my watch and phone in your study yesterday."
"And?"
"...Why you have them?"
"Am I prohibited to keep my wife's things?" He raised his brows.
"You're avoiding my question."
"Why are you interested in knowing the reason?" Kanwal startled when Ahad gaze at her a serious look.
"You ask your cousin to return it didn't you? Consider he had given to him."
"H-how did you know this?" She got a knowing look from Ahad as an answer.
"Listen, I don't care about the watch, I want to know how do you get it and how did you know about it? Did you meet at Maaz? You didn't hurt him, right?"
"Why would I meet him or hurt him?" He asked raising his brows.
"Because he...never mind." Kanwal said and got up. She was about to blurt out the secret that Maaz took her family away from Shareefabad but able to stop herself on time.
"I wouldn't hurt a person, just because he helped in escaping a family from my town and that family happened to be my in-laws." Kanwal froze in her place hearing this from Ahad. Soon after she felt a light tug on her elbow and she was spin to face him.
"But I will not hesitate if that person tries to approach my wife. So keep this in your mind Kanwal, I don't want to see him near you again and if you are smart then you wouldn't try to contact him either." He said holding her by both arms.
"...I don't have a phone to contact anyone." Kanwal said unintentionally.
"Open the while box in your jewellery drawer. You will find the phone." He said looking into her eyes.
Kanwal remembered the box in the drawer but she never opened it, like many other things she didn't touch which are for her use. She never wore any jewellery after Vallima ceremony, except the ring Ahad slid into her finger that day. The casual dresses in her wardrobe and a pair of sleepers are the things she uses.
"Next time before questioning me, make sure that you are on the safe side and one more thing Kanwal, I don't mind your family escaping from Shareefabad, and to be honest I don't even care. I have what I wanted, now they are free to live their lives." Ahad grip tightened on her arms as he completes the sentence.
"I have a flight after a few and you will be going with me. So leave the kitchen and pack your stuff." Ahad said peering into her eyes and left her arms.
"I am not going." She said abruptly.
"Don't test my patients Kanwal." Ahad said leaving the dining room.
~*~
It was a straight threat Ahad gave to Kanwal, he was going easy on her and allowing her to do whatever pleases her. But now he needed her to move away from Shareefabad, not because he wanted Kanwal to accompany him in officials dinners, but because he was worried about the storm that was about to come and he didn't want to test their relationship in that storm.
Ahad slumped down in the armchair of his study and closed his eyes. He has been in deep thoughts since yesterday after both Moosa informed Ahad about the report related to recent activities of Dr Kamil and the recordings of his phone calls. Moosa also told him that Kamil wished to marry Mahnoor and he will not allow this to happen.
It startled Ahad and the reason was unknown to him too. He was aware of Moosa's feelings but Moosa never expressed his intentions for Mahnoor.
Ahad tried his best to put up a happy face and agreed with him. Dr Kamil was Mahnoor's cousin and as far as his memory serves, Kamil was Mahnoor's first crush. He remembers Kanwal teasing Mahnoor over it. If Kamil approached her, she might accept him. Which he didn't want, Kamil was a smuggler of drugs along with human organs. Black Eagles have their eyes on him for long, only waiting for the right moment to put their hands on him and his team.
Ahad never want someone like him to be Mahnoor's life partner but Moosa?
Why I am not sure???
Thought Ahad.
But deep inside his heart, there was something, perhaps a long-forgotten memory which suddenly surface up and leaving him restless.
_____________________________
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