FORCED TO BE HIS

18| Goonjhta Sannata

The golden light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting soft shadows across the walls of the Khan mansion. Saad sat by the window, gazing outside, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. It had been days since he'd felt any semblance of freedom. Murtasim's obsession had become a cage, binding him tighter with every passing moment. Saad felt the intensity of Murtasim's watchful eyes even when he wasn't in the room.

But today, Saad found solace in Ayaan's presence. Ayaan's laughter, his bright, innocent smile, was like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise suffocating environment.

"Mumma, look!" Ayaan called out, running toward Saad with a drawing in his hand. The little boy's face was lit up with excitement, his cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. He climbed onto Saad's lap without hesitation, his tiny hands pressing the paper against Saad's chest.

Saad smiled, his heart warming at the sight of Ayaan's pure joy. "What have you made, my little artist?" he asked softly, wrapping an arm around Ayaan to steady him.

Ayaan grinned, showing off his drawing-a chaotic mix of colors that vaguely resembled a house. "It's us!" he declared proudly. "You, me, and Baba!" He pointed to the three stick figures he had drawn, his eyes bright with happiness.

Saad's smile widened. "It's beautiful, Ayaan," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Ayaan's forehead. For a moment, the tension seemed to fade away. "You've made such a lovely family picture."

Ayaan beamed, hugging Saad tightly. "Baba says we're a family," he said innocently, his voice full of conviction. "Are we, Mumma?"

Saad's heart clenched at Ayaan's words. "We are... in a way," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. He glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting Murtasim to appear and reinforce that idea.

~•~

The morning passed slowly. Saad felt Murtasim's presence everywhere-his calls, his messages, his demands to know where Saad was, what he was doing, who he was speaking to. Nothing was official between them, but Murtasim acted as though Saad belonged to him and him alone.

Saad knew better than to fight it openly. He had seen the fury in Murtasim's eyes, felt the strength in his hands, and understood the depth of his obsession. But inside, Saad's spirit fought against the invisible chains that seemed to grow tighter every day.

---

Meanwhile, Rayyan was sitting at his desk, glancing up now and then at Asim, who was busy with his paperwork. Asim's face was pale, his eyes distant, as if he were lost in his own thoughts. Rayyan had noticed the changes-how Asim seemed to flinch at sudden noises, how he was quieter than usual, how he avoided going home until it was absolutely necessary.

Rayyan knew about Arif's abusive tendencies, and it made his blood boil every time he thought about it. He watched Asim closely, his protective instincts flaring whenever he saw even the slightest hint of distress on Asim's face.

"Asim," Rayyan called out softly, making Asim look up. "Do you want to take a break? We can go for a walk, get some fresh air."

Asim hesitated, biting his lip. "I... I think I'm fine," he mumbled, trying to focus on the papers in front of him. But his hands were trembling slightly, and Rayyan noticed.

Rayyan sighed and stood up, walking over to Asim. "Come on," he insisted gently, placing a hand on Asim's shoulder. "You've been working non-stop. Just a few minutes, okay?"

Asim nodded slowly, not trusting his voice to speak. He got up and followed Rayyan out of the office, his mind still plagued by thoughts of his brother, Arif.

~•~

Back at the mansion, Saad tried to find moments of peace with Ayaan. He played with him, read him stories, and even sang lullabies to make him nap. But no matter how hard he tried to immerse himself in Ayaan's innocent world, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being trapped.