Wasl

۰13۰ Choas/ افراتفری

It's been a week since Zaviyar has been MIA. There has been no sign of him whatsoever.  Even the spy Ahad assigned for him came up empty handed. The only solid news was that he left the country. He just came back from a month long trip and he had gone again.

That was typical of him.

Vanishing in thin air. Without warning or any kind of message. Just disappeared. Leaving the family, the one who cares for him, to just wait for any news from him. That is, if he even wants to have them any. He's like this. No one comes before him. For him, he is his priority. Everyone else comes second.

After the week faded into the past, everything started to fall back in place. Everyone seemed to either forget about the incident or just made peace with it. What's done was done. There was nothing that will come from crying over broken canvases. Moving on is always the best option.

Almost every time.

Ahad had been under immense pressure the last week. Zaviyar's sudden disappearance had cracked a plethora of rumours and bad reputation. Even whispers were circulating in the company about how much of a rebel he was. How much irresponsible and immature he was. It took a lot of threatening from Ahad's side to silent those rumours and whispers. It was tiring and extremely mundane. Nonetheless, everyone eventually forgot it really happened. Not that Zaviyar attended the company before. He has always been..... questionable.

Ahad sat on his chair of the Head in the meeting room as Ifrah animated about her presentation that was running on the slides. Her father sat right beside Ahad as he looked at his daughter with pride and admiration evident in his eyes. To be honest, Ifrah really was talented. Her confidence, business skills and presence of mind, everything was phenomenal. Even the way she walked and carried herself spoke volumes.

"And that'll be all. With this criteria, I can see your company soaring in the skies."

Ifrah concluded and her eyes stared intently at Ahad as if conveying the words only for his ears to hear. He nodded his head at her and she smiled brightly at him before taking the emptied chair beside her father. She recieved an appreciating pat on her back from her father. The father and daughter duo glanced at Ahad, waiting for him to say anything. Ifrah's eyes stay pinned to him with a sly smirk plastered on her cherry red coated lips. It looked like she was challenging him to disagree with her.

"Your proposition is noteworthy. I really liked how you approached the idea. But I think the cost is a little too high."

Both Ifrah's and her father's eyebrows ceased in confusion. Ahad only continued to speak his mind

"I was hoping to find a deal which is both budget friendly and up to date. Your deal covers the later area. The formal is still a question mark."

Ahad knew he was going in the right direction as Ifrah looked back at her iPad and reviewed her presentation once again. Her resolved crumbled just a little bit, so minor he could have missed it did he not paying attention.

"How about we cut the cost by 10%?"

He shook his head and spoke

"40% is acceptable." Her eyes widened at his demand and she was about to argue when her father stopped her. Mr. Faizaan faced Ahad and said

"I agree that you're looking for a deal that comes under your budget. But cutting down to 40% is just absurd. You know I've been in this field for more than three decades. 25% is the best amendment here."

Ahad was quiet impressed by how the old man negotiated the situation. He wasn't expecting him to listen to him. And by glancing at his daughter who was rolling her eyes and tapping her fingers on the table, he was sure he wasn't wrong to think like that in the first place.