In the opulent halls of a grand palace, love and loyalty are put to the ultimate test. Amidst royal duties and hidden agendas, two people navigate a web of deception and passion, discovering that the most dangerous betrayals often come from within t...
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The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room. I woke up earlier than usual, the weight of today’s plans sitting heavily on my chest. Aira was still sleeping beside me, her face peaceful, almost innocent.
If only she knew what I was about to uncover today.
I slipped out of bed quietly, careful not to wake her. My phone vibrated on the nightstand, the screen lighting up with a message from Fahad.
“ See you in an hour.”
Perfect timing. I needed to wrap this up before she became suspicious of my frequent disappearances. Grabbing my clothes, I headed to the bathroom to shower and get ready, all the while my thoughts spiraling around the mystery that was Aira Hashmi.
.•♫•♬••♬•♫•.
By the time I emerged from the bathroom, Aira was awake, sitting at the edge of the bed, rubbing her eyes sleepily. Her gaze met mine, and for a brief moment, something tugged at me—a sliver of guilt. But I pushed it aside. There was no room for feelings right now.
“Where are you off to so early?” she asked, her voice soft, carrying that same calmness that never seemed to break.
“Just some work to take care of,” I replied, nonchalantly.
“So you won't go to the mall with us today?”, she asked.
“ I'll join you some other day”, I said.
She frowned slightly but didn’t push further. I could tell she wanted to ask more, but maybe she sensed my resistance.
“Be safe,” she said, as I grabbed my keys and phone.
“Always,” I muttered, forcing a smile before heading downstairs.
As I walked down, the familiar sounds of family chatter filled the house. Ammi was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared breakfast. Abbu sat at the table, reading the newspaper, while Mariam and Samir were bantering about something trivial.
But what caught my attention most was the way Samir kept glancing toward the door, clearly distracted. A smile tugged at my lips. I knew exactly who he was waiting for—Zaria.
I sat down at the table, pouring myself a cup of coffee as Ammi called out from the kitchen, “Zayan, beta, aren’t you eating anything?”
“I’ll grab something on the way, Ammi. I have to head out early today.”
Her face appeared from the kitchen, a look of mild disapproval crossing her features. “You work too much, Zayan. You need to make time for yourself, for Aira…”
I glanced at her briefly, nodding absentmindedly. I didn’t have time to get into that discussion right now. But as I sipped my coffee, something clicked—Ammi knows everything. If anyone could have answers about Aira’s past, about her motives, it might be my mother.
