Chapter No: 03
Written by: Ishrat Zahid
Silence filled Almeer's cabin, but a storm was raging inside him. Mr. Jahangir's words echoed in his ears: "Train her as a Personal Assistant." He couldn't refuse, even if he wanted to, because merit and performance were never compromised at the Jahangir Group of Enterprises. "Yes, Papa, I'll look into it," Almeer said, barely keeping his voice flat. After his father left, he leaned his head against the back of the chair and closed his eyes. He recalled the scene at the mall where Tania's simplicity had enchanted him, but now, that same simplicity was becoming a test for him.
The next moment, the intercom buzzed. "Sir! Miss Tania Shahab wants to see you," the operator's voice came through. Almeer took a deep breath. "Send her in." The door opened, and Tania entered. Dressed in white, clutching a file to her chest, she looked incredibly graceful. When Almeer's eyes fell on her, his heart skipped a beat for a second, but he instantly masked his face with his usual coldness. Tania's eyes widened in shock when she saw the man sitting in front of her. "You?" escaped her lips. She couldn't believe the man who helped her at the mall was actually her boss and Mr. Jahangir's son.
"Miss Tania! This is an office; there is no room for surprise here," Almeer said in an extremely cold tone. "Sit down!" Tania composed herself and sat silently. She was stunned by the change in Almeer's behavior. Where was that gentle person, and who was this man as cold as ice? "I have seen your file. Mr. Kamal is very impressed with you, but my standards are very different. Here, work means 100% accuracy. Are you ready?" Almeer's eyes were fixed on her face. Tania looked up into Almeer's eyes, where there was no sign of recognition now. She replied with firm determination, "I am here to learn and prove my hard work, Sir. You won't find me disappointing." Almeer pushed a file toward her. "This is the data for the last three years; I need a summary by tomorrow morning. Your desk is right outside my cabin."
Tania took the file and stood up, her heart aching at Almeer's changed attitude, but she decided she would prove through her performance that she wasn't just a "chance encounter" but a talented professional. As she left, Almeer watched her go. His heart told him this proximity would cost him dearly, as Tania's presence was breaking his years of self-control.
Tania opened the file as soon as she sat at her desk. Her mind was focused solely on work. Her hands moved rapidly across the keyboard; she was shifting the data to a sheet to make it analyzable, aiming to assess the progress of the last three years. From a single statement, one could tell the profit and growth rate for each year. She was so engrossed that she lost track of time. It was 6:00 PM. Her father had called twice, worried that the office closed at 5:00 PM, and she was still there as an intern. She explained, "Baba, I was given a task to submit tomorrow; it's almost done, I'm coming."
Meanwhile, Almeer turned off his laptop and put it in his bag. He told the peon to lock the office, handed him his bag containing files, and walked out with his keys and mobile. Everyone had left except Tania. She was so absorbed that she didn't even notice Almeer standing near her. Almeer tapped the desk. Only then did Tania look up and stand. "Yes, Sir?" Almeer said with a hint of softness, "Tania! Are you still here? You should have gone home on time. You shouldn't work this much; your father will be worried. Look at the time! From tomorrow, leave at 5:00 PM." Almeer closed the laptop. Tania thanked God she had saved the file and completed the work. She handed the file to Almeer, who gave it to the peon, saying, "Place it on the second shelf of my side desk."
The peon took the file inside, and Tania picked up her purse and laptop bag. She walked to the lift with Almeer. Both remained silent in the lift. When it stopped on the ground floor, Tania took out her phone. Almeer went toward his car. Tania wanted to book a cab, but she couldn't get one due to the peak hour. Almeer had been watching her for a while and brought his car near her. "Miss Tania! Why are you standing? Didn't you bring a car?" Tania explained that her father took the car to school and she used cabs; taking the car would make things difficult for him. Almeer opened the front door. "Sit down, I'm going toward Y-Block anyway; I'll drop you." Tania said, "Sir, I have to come every day." Almeer insisted, "Sit for now, we will arrange a staff van for you, just get in."
Upon Almeer's insistence, Tania sat down. Almeer looked at her and asked, "Shall we?" Tania nodded. Sensing her silence, Almeer said, "I am a bit strict in the office; it's my work style. Otherwise, I am quite talkative. My mom loved your choice; I told her the whole story of the mall—how quickly you helped with the shopping." At Tania's silence, Almeer looked at her and asked, "Did you face any problem in the office? You can tell me if you are uncomfortable." Tania replied, "Yes, I was surprised by your behavior this morning." Almeer laughed loudly, "That is my professional style; I am the same with everyone. You saw me for the first time. Right now, I am not the boss, I am Almeer; you can talk now. I'll introduce you to my mom someday; your nature is just like hers." Tania gave her street address, and he stopped at the specified location.
Her father was standing outside. Tania got out, and Almeer stepped out as well, greeting him respectfully. "Sir! Apologies for today, there was an urgent project. Tania works under me; I felt it best to drop her. From tomorrow, she will be home on time." Mr. Shahab thanked him, and Almeer drove away. Mr. Shahab thought, "Is this Jahangir's son? He doesn't seem like it; not at all like his elders." Tania held his arm, "Baba! What are you looking at? Sir Almeer is gone. Do you know? He is the same person I met at the mall—the one buying clothes for his mother and sister." Her father looked at the time and said, "Come inside, Beta, it's time to break the fast." They went inside. Almeer kept thinking about Tania: "Why was I so strict? My heart is racing... I hope Tania doesn't think I'm a flirt."
On the other hand, when Almeer reached home, he didn't see his mother in the lounge. He went straight to her room, but she wasn't there. He thought of his father's study, and seeing the lights on, he realized she was there. Seeing her so grieved, Almeer rushed in. "Mama! What happened? Is everything okay?" Asiya Begum closed a diary; it was Jahangir's, with his name on the back cover. "Mama! What were you reading?" Asiya said, "Almeer! I have committed a great sin, and in fact, so did your father. Look at this picture!" Almeer saw the photo and asked, "Mama! There's Papa, you, but who is this?"
Asiya whispered, "This is Sofia, she used to be my best friend, and look how fate separated her from us. She was Jahangir's only beloved sister." Almeer was shocked. "Mama! I had an aunt? Why didn't you tell me before? You and Papa never mentioned it!" Asiya explained that mentioning Sofia was forbidden; Jahangir didn't even like hearing her name. "This property isn't just your father's; his sister has a share too. I fear the day this injustice punishes me or my son—the injustice done by your grandparents. They kicked out Jahangir's sister."
Almeer spoke up, "What was her crime?" Asiya replied, "She wanted to marry for love, and then I (Asiya) wanted everything for my share, so I conspired to lower her in Jahangir's eyes. She left, but she took my peace with her. I have everything but no peace; I can't sleep at night. Jahangir has started calling me a psychiatric patient. Almeer! Do one thing for me—find Sofia. I want to apologize for the excesses of my parents; I don't want anything bad to happen to you." Almeer wiped his mother's tears and asked, "Mama! Any address, any phone number? It's been so many years; did anyone ever contact?"
Asiya said, "This is an address where her husband used to work; you might find something from there." Almeer saw the address and asked, "Mama! Her husband's name?" Asiya replied, "His name is Shahab. I found this out from an old maid who called me and said, 'The masters have earned a lot of sin. I am leaving, but there is a trust (Amanat) to be delivered to Sofia Bibi. These are some jewels belonging to Sofia Bibi's mother; she kept them with me, hidden from your mother-in-law. My children can't be trusted. You were her friend; I trust you. This belongs to her; deliver it so it helps her children. The Master kicked her out; I couldn't even meet her or I would have given it myself. I managed to get this address of her husband's office with great difficulty. I can't go there because of the fear of the couple. Little Bibi! For God's sake, don't mention this trust to the elders or to Jahangir Sahab. I am not ungrateful; I just want to fulfill the promise made to Sofia Bibi's mother. If I live, we'll meet, otherwise, whenever you go to Sofia Bibi, deliver this to her.'" Asiya brought that trust home and protected it like a precious treasure. She paused and said, "Almeer! I don't know how long I have to live. Find Sofia, Beta, and let me meet her. I will apologize."
Almeer took the address, put it in his coat pocket, placed the diary on the shelf, and led his mother to her room. He tucked her in comfortably and sat on the chair. "Mama! I will find Aunt's family soon. Don't worry, I won't let Papa know. Just rest and relax."
The burden of the past... and the confusion of the present! Almeer holds the address his mother staked her peace on. But will Almeer realize that the 'Shahab' he is searching for is none other than his own assistant Tania's father? Will fate show Almeer the path to the apology that has been incomplete for years, or will the old idols of property and ego stand as a wall once again? Will Almeer be able to fulfill his mother's last wish? Will Tania's past change her future? To find out, watch for the next episode!
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All Rights Reserved. All rights to this novel "Bahaar Ke Sang" are reserved by the author, Ishrat Zahid. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including photocopying, recording, sharing on social media, or other electronic or mechanical methods) without the prior written permission of the author. Legal action may be taken against violators.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction intended for entertainment purposes only. All characters, names, places, businesses, and incidents are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or deceased) or real-life events is purely coincidental. The views expressed in this story belong to the characters and do not reflect the personal opinion of the author.