𝑬𝒉𝒔𝒂𝒂𝒔 𝑬 𝑼𝒍𝒇𝒂𝒕 (𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 1)

Afreen 🌺 Part 22 🌺

Afreen

Part 22

The struggle was power wasn't new. It was well calculated and seen from the early medieval times. It was early years of the twentieth century when the power struggle started in the Khan household, when there was a sudden paradigm shift in the situations.

Nawab Jahangir Alam Khan had three children the eldest one being Asfaque who was the rightful heir to the next in line and then a daughter Fatima and the younger son of Jahangir with his wife was Asif.

It was one unfortunate accident that robbed the Khan household of the eldest son. Asfaque and his wife Zariya along with their two sons were met with an accident after the two years Asfaque was made the nawab. It was the sudden death of his elder brother for the family and Asif who had turned eighteen that year that year was made the Nawab. The young man was made the sole owner of the diminishing land holdings of the Khan.

"Kitne saal ho gaye Begum.. ", the now old nawab looked at the vivid memories that were now captured in some black and white photographs. The older couple would be formally hosting the family that was responsible for the mayhem that was caused years back. Something that was too painful to be even thought off.

His wife looked at the old pictures and was reminded about the time and the situation that they have faced all these years. She has seen a lot in all those years.

"Shayaan khush nahi hai Usmaan bhai ke rawaiye se Nawab sahab. Woh toh unhe samaj nahi aaya ki kaise pesh aaya jaya un logon se warna agar aap hote toh unhe yahan nahi rehne dete." The displeasure in the voice of his wife made Asif Khan turn and looked at the woman who has been always his support.

Her grandson may not have understood the reason why his father chose him to go with the grandsons of Usmaan Khan but she understood it clearly. She can see that the people didn't change. Neither them nor their tactics.

They were same power hungry wolves that they were years back.

Asif Khan looked at the tired form of his wife of more than sixty years was the only support system he had when things were rocky. The newly married couple had so many responsibilities that were suddenly entrusted on them.

He knew that his wife wasn't happy with the people he had specially invited. The occasion was much more of a show as his wife had stated multiple times but she failed to understand the ulterior motive. The closest to them were the ones who were the worst kind of enemies and he now know how to deal with such people. The wrinkles on her face were evident and the tiredness that they suddenly felt after years was because of the long time in which that they have managed to sustain the truth.

"Begum hume inn sab ki zarurat nahi hai yeh aap bhi janti hain.. mein aaj chahun toh yeh sab paisa jameen jaidaat dedun, kyunki mujhe pata hai mere bachon ko inki zaroorat nahi hai.. Junaid ka apna karobaar hai, aur zubair ke paas bhi koi kami nahi hai.. lekin yeh sab hame ek peedi se doosri mein dena padhta hai aur yeh riwayaat se jyada zaroorat hai, un logon ki jo is jameen se jude hain, jo hamari factories mein kaam karte hain.." even after years of togetherness something's weren't understood by his wife.

A decision that was taken years back by making him the Nawab was just to sustain the valueable trust that Shahbaad had on their family and he had maintained that.

"Yeh sab theek hai lekin kya itne saal purani baat ab bhool nahi jaani chahiye. Aapke abbaji ne sab cheezon ka bada hissa Usmaan bhai ke khandaan ko diya tha, bas ek shahbaad ke nawab ka auda hi nai diya, aur uske liye unhone kya kiya, bhaijaan aur bhabhi ko Marwa diya.. aap bhool gaye honge lekin mujhe aaj bhi yaad hai..wo do chote bache jo aanken nai khol rahe the.. bhaijaan ki, bhabhi ki ya bachon ki kya galti thi isme?" The anger was soon flooded with the memories of the past.