Kabhi main, kabhi tum, kabhi yeh, kabhi voh

Part 16: Mustafa

Mustafa exhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling with an almost imperceptible tremor. He watched as Sharjeena tilted her head, curiosity lighting up her eyes. She smiled faintly, sensing the weight of his news but unsure of its depth. "Oh? Kya?" she asked softly, her voice a blend of anticipation and cautious excitement.

Mustafa took her hands in his, his thumb gently brushing over her knuckles as he leaned closer. "Sharjeena," he began, his voice trembling just enough to show his emotion. "Humein DanMusa ke liye ek investor mil gaya hai. Aur koi aisa vaisa investor nahi, balki Dubai ka ek top-tier entrepreneur, and he's investing 20 crores into our firm."

Sharjeena's eyes widened, her lips parting in disbelief. "Sach mein? Mustafa... are you serious?"

A triumphant grin spread across his face. "Haan, Sharjeena. Isiliye mujhe office mein itni der ho rahi thi. Yeh investor, isne mujhe khud dhoondha. Aur pata hai kaise?" Mustafa paused, letting her curiosity build.

She shook her head, leaning in. "Kaise?"

"Hurricane ke zariye," Mustafa explained, his voice carrying a mix of bitterness and vindication. "Usne apne sources se pata laga liya ki Hurricane maine banaya tha, Joseph ne nahi. All this time, I've been so bitter, so defeated, thinking my hard work was stolen, thinking it would never matter. Par tum..." His voice softened, his gaze locking onto hers. "Tumne mujhe hamesha kaha ki meri mehnat zaaya nahi hogi. Mera time zarur aaega. It was your belief, your prayers, that brought me to this moment."

Tears welled up in Sharjeena's eyes, and she couldn't hold them back. She slipped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "I'm so happy for you, Mustafa," she whispered through her tears. "So, so happy."

Mustafa wrapped his arms tightly around her, his heart swelling at the warmth he had longed for. "Thank you, Sharjeena. For everything. For standing by me even when I didn't deserve it."

They stayed like that for a moment, their hearts beating in sync. Then Mustafa, trying to lighten the mood, chuckled softly. "Sharjeena, ghar chalne tak ka wait karlo, public place pe hain hum."

Sharjeena pulled back, laughing through her tears. She wiped her face, her cheeks flushed, and looked down shyly. Mustafa gazed at her, silently adoring the woman who had been his rock through thick and thin.

"Yeh sab kuch sirf tumhare liye hai, Sharjeena," he said softly, his voice full of love. "Aur humaare baby ke liye. Main jaanta hoon maine bohot badi galtiyan kari hain, tum dono ko akela chhor dia, tumhari zaruraton ko ignore kiya, har baat mein apni ego, apni pride beech mein aane di. Aur uske liye saari zindagi main tumse maafi maangta rahunga. Par Sharjeena, agar ek baat kahoon toh maanogi?"

She nodded, her hand resting lightly on his arm. "Haan."

Mustafa hesitated, his emotions threatening to spill over. "Aisa nahi hai ki main humaare bacche ke liye khush nahi tha, Sharjeena. Apne dil pe haath rakh ke poochho ki kya aisa ho sakta hai? Main apne bacche ko apni jaan se zyaada pyaar karta hoon. Uske aane ka besabri se intezaar kar raha hoon. Par..." He looked away, ashamed, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Ek ajeeb sa darr mujhe andar hi andar khaata rehta hai. Ki main ek achha baap nahi ban paaunga. The fear of not being good enough. Saari zindagi, mujhe ek loser bola gaya, ek burden, ek dheeth insaan. Mere nakaarapan ki vajah se tumne bhi kitna kuch jhelaa. Mere apne maa baap ne tumhein naukaron ki tarah rakha. And I kept thinking... what if my baby grows up and sees me the same way? What if I fail as a father?"

Tears rolled down Mustafa's cheeks as he spoke, his voice breaking under the weight of his vulnerability. "Mujhe tumhaare alaawa kisi ne bhi saccha pyaar nahi kara, Sharjeena, Main jaanta hoon ki tum mujhse beintehaa mohabbat karti ho." Mustafa gripped her hands tightly again and said, "Tumne toh mujhe samajh lia, mere saath guzaara bhi kar lia. Par kya humaara baby samajh paaega? Main apne bacche ke liye hero banana chahta hoon, Sharjeena, loser nahi."