A collection of short stories that explore the many facets of love-from the blossoming of a new romance to the enduring love of a lifelong partnership, and everything in between.
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Irad's POV :
Duty. It’s a word that’s been branded into my soul, shaping every step I take, every breath I draw. It’s what’s kept me alive all these years, and what brought me here, into the service of Shujaath Farooqi—a man whose name commands respect, if not fear, across the entire nation.
When I left the MARCOS, it wasn’t because I wanted to. No one leaves a life like that easily. It was an operation gone right—yes, you heard that correctly. Not wrong, but right. We saved lives that day, too many to count. But I made a choice, one that went against direct orders. I stayed back when my team evacuated, covering a village of civilians that would've been left for dead. That decision changed everything. The higher-ups called it insubordination, a breach of protocol. But the people I saved called it something else—a miracle.
The government didn’t quite know what to do with me after that. I wasn’t dishonorably discharged; they wouldn’t dare tarnish my record after what I’d accomplished. But it was clear I was no longer the soldier they wanted me to be. A hero in the eyes of some, but a liability in the eyes of others. So they nudged me out the door, wrapped in a blanket of "honorable retirement," and left me to find my own way.
Honor and duty are tricky things. Sometimes, they don’t align. And when you’re a soldier, you’re expected to follow orders, even when they don’t sit right with your conscience. My decision to prioritize those lives over the mission made waves. It cost me my career, but I made peace with that. Some things are worth more than rank and medals.
That’s when Shujaath Farooqi stepped in. He didn’t say much, didn’t offer sympathy or try to sugarcoat things. He simply gave me a new mission: to protect his family, his empire. And that was enough. It was more than enough. I needed something to keep me going, something to fight for, and he gave me that.
Over the years, this family became mine, in ways I never expected. The Farooqis aren’t just my employers—they’re the closest thing I’ve had to kin in a long time. Shujaath trusts me with his life, his secrets, and that’s a bond forged in fire. I don’t take it lightly. I never will.
I see myself as more than just their head of security. I’m their shield, their unseen protector in a world that’s quick to strike at any sign of vulnerability. But it’s more than duty now. It’s personal. I care about them—about Shujaath, his wife, and… well, most of them.
Except Sarwat.
Sarwat Farooqi is an enigma wrapped in contradictions. For the life of me, I can’t understand that woman. She’s nothing like the rest of her family. While her father moves with calculated precision and her siblings radiate confidence, Sarwat… she’s a wild card. Unpredictable. She hides behind that camera of hers, snapping photos like it’s going to save the world, yet she’s completely blind to the chaos she stirs up around her.
