The Fallen Widow

23. Uncovering Betrayal

The wind bit at Shah Nawaz's face as he stood on the cliff's edge, the cold tunnelling through the fabric of his white kurhta and needling into his bones. Below him, the clear blue river gushed by, and there in the distance the tower loomed — a two-hundred-meter crown of steel and stone rising like a sentinel from the city's heart. Its circular body shimmered with riveted silver panels, spiralling upward to a great black clock face, its gold hands moving with solemn precision. It was the North Star of Jahanpur, the pinnacle of his vision — and now, a grave marker.

His throat burned. His jaw clenched until it ached. Still, he didn't blink. He couldn't. His eyes, dry and bloodshot, were fixed on the tower. On the memory.

"Well done, puthar." His father's voice whispered in the wind like he was standing next to him. The father he fought, argued and tried to prove wrong, but today he realised he loved.

Dilawar-Baksh spoke with a rare softness, his heavy hand settling on Shah Nawaz's shoulder as the two of them stood dwarfed by the colossus they had brought to life.

"You were a rogue, wild and unpredictable. I didn't trust you to lead Jahanpur; you would ruin it. Today, looking at this monumental construction site, you have showed me a vision. I can die in peace knowing Jahanpur is under strong leadership."
Shah Nawaz only nodded, stone-faced, arms folded, pretending the words didn't slice through his armor. He had waited a lifetime for that approval — and now it echoed in his skull like a curse.

His chest tightened. He dug his fingernails into his palms until he felt skin split. A tremor ran through his stomach and into his spine, but he stood still, locked in place by the weight of everything unsaid. The betrayal by his mother, the bullet from Muzzamil— all of it circling like vultures. But it was his father's absence that gnawed at him now, hollowing him out from the inside.

Shah Nawaz never needed anyone. Not love. Not mercy. Not even forgiveness. But now, with Baba gone, silence curled around him like smoke, thick and choking. There was no one left prove wrong. No one to hate. Just the wind, and the cold, and the ticking of the clock in Jahanpur — steady, indifferent, merciless. He was steel on the outside. But inside, something was breaking. Quietly. Relentlessly. And for the first time, he let himself feel it. He missed his father. He was alone.

****

Returning to Jahanpur, Jahanzaib was convoluted in worry pacing his bedroom breaking in a sweat. The pressure of Khagarpur, the despondency of the haveli pulled him in to protect Emaan. He tossed and turned all night and this morning he couldn't stomach his breakfast. How could he made an important decision without consulting his mother? Or informing Shah Nawaz? He'd suffered the greatest betrayal from his mother, what would he do when he learned of his nikah to Emaan? He marched out of his bedroom and searched for Uzayr. For the past few days he'd rarely seen him around. He had to tell someone, he couldn't keep it inside him any longer.

Later that afternoon he found Uzayr at the clock tower, admiring the steel structure, like a giant looking down at Jahanpur. Since it was erected, small crowds gathered to look at the tower like the Burj Khalifa. Jahanzaib rushed to Uzayr who beckoned him over.
"What do you think, Jahanzaib?" Uzayr admired the tower. "Uncle Shah Nawaz vision is mind blowing."
Jahanzaib was stressed with worry- he had no time to admire the monument.
"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you for ages." Jahanzaib grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
"Calm down." Uzayr looked at the tiger-like grip and pulled back.
"What happened? What's the emergency?"
Jahanzaib pulled back and rubbed his face. He couldn't bring the words to his lips.
"I don't know...how to say it."

Now, Uzayr was curious he neared his cousin eager.

"What have you done?" Uzayr smirked. "You look like you have iarrhea. Go to a field and relieve yourself."
"It's not funny." Jahanzaib glared at Uzayr. "When Chacha Shah Nawaz learns of what I have done- he'll kill me. He won't ever forgive me."
Uzayr saw the tension lines across his forehead and grew even curious.
"Well- tell me."
"Remember when Chacha Shah Nawaz was about to kill Emaan-"
Uzayr shook his head with enthusiasm.
"I couldn't let him do it- I took her back to Kharagpur and it was depressing."
"Get to the good bit!" Uzayr pushed him. "Hurry- what have you done?"
"I .....I was pressured...but I married her....I agreed to marry her- it was the right thing."
"You agreed? Or you entered a nikah ? Did you say kabool?" Uzayr was now worried and shoved him back. 
Jahanzaib muttered.
"Tell me you fool-" He punched his chest. "Did the maulvi come? Did you say kabool? What happened?"
Looking at Uzayr crestfallen, the fear in his eyes explained everything.