Chapter 31
Author's POV:
Rayyan sat in his office, leaning back in his leather chair, staring at the city skyline through the tall glass windows. His fingers drummed lightly on the desk while his PA, Junaid, stood in front of him with a tablet in his hand, listing out the day's schedule.
"Sir, aur aaj do baje ek client call hai, aur shaam ko..." Junaid paused, glancing at the screen, "...shaam ko 4 baje aapki meeting scheduled hai with... Aayat Ma'am."
The name slipped into the air, and Rayyan froze for a second. His mind, unwillingly, threw him back to last night-the dance floor. He had watched her smile, watched her laugh, watched her move so freely with him. With Ayaan. His chest tightened.
Rayyan's voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding.
"Junaid..." He sat forward, eyes hardening.
"Mujhe Ayaan Khan ke baare mein har detail chahiye.
Sham tak. Samjhe? Who is he, where did he come from, aur uska rishta Aayat ke saath kya hai.
.. sab kuch. Choti se choti baat bhi mujhe maloom honi chahiye. "
Junaid blinked, startled at his boss's sudden intensity, then quickly nodded.
"Okay, boss. Kaam ho jayega."
~
At the same time, in her sleek modern office, Aayat sat across from her own PA, Arjun. She leaned back in her chair, holding her phone. A sharp determination glinted in her eyes.
"Arjun," she said quietly, "tumhe maine ek location bheji hai."
Arjun's phone buzzed with the notification. He glanced at the screen, then back at her.
"Ji ma'am?"
"There's a man living at that address. Naam nahi janti mein, isliye mujhe tum picture baijna pehle. Mujhe wo banda ... mere mansion ke basement mein chahiye."
Arjun frowned. " kaam ho jaye ga ma'am lekin....ye hain kon?"
Aayat's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Yeh woh hai jiski wajah se... Aayat Malik apni khud ki family ke liye mar chuki hain."
A dangerous silence followed before Arjun muttered through clenched teeth, "Agar aisa hai toh mein usey zaroor lauga ap k pass."
She studied him for a moment and shook her head.
"Nahi, Arjun. It won't be that easy.
Mujhe lagta hai wo ab wahan nahi hoga. Usne sab paison ke liye kiya tha.
.. ho sakta hai ab ghaib ho chuka ho. Isliye chahe jaha be ho, usko dhoondo.
Lekin filhaal, usey mere basement mein rakhna.
Aur apne bando se kehna Usey roz zakham day.
Phir marham lagaye. Aur phir Naye zakham day.
8 saal ka hisaab barabar karna hai mujhe.
........ Us nay mera karidar dhag dhag kiya tha.
Tohmat lagaye gaye thi mujh par uski wajah se. ..islye koi humdardi nahi."
Arjun hesitated. "Aur phir? Kya aap usey apni family ke saamne le kar jayengi?"
For a second, her smile turned ice-cold.
"Family?" She let out a short laugh. Then whispered, "Haan, zaroor le kar jaungi.
Lekin abhi nahi. Us say pehle mein khud us ghar mein wapas jaugy.
Un logo ka sukoon barbaad karne.... Wo log meri shakal nahi dekhna chahte na, toh ab roz wo meri shakal dekhay gay.
...Aur Mrs rayyan Malik ne jo damki di hai mujhe usey uska jawab dena hain.
.. ab uski zindagi ka sukoon khatam karna meri zindagi ka pehla maqsad hoga. "
Arjun swallowed, uneasy. "Par ma'am... aap wahan jayengi kaise? Kya ap khud waha ja kr kahe gy mujhe yaha rehna hain... Ya ap unki minat kre gy?"
"AK aur minat? Rayyan khud mujhe le kar jaye ga waha. Wo khud a kar mujhe kahe ga kay mein us k saath wapas us ghar m chalu. "
"What? Pr Rayyan Malik aapko kyun le kr jaye ga?"
Aayat leaned forward, her eyes sharp, her voice calm yet lethal.
"Insaan ki fitrat hoti hai, Arjun. Jab koi cheez samne ho aur uski ho, woh ignore kar deta hai.
Lekin jab usse lagay, ke koi aur us cheez ko le jaye ga.
.. toh wo usse hasil karne ke liye pagal ho jata hai. Aur wohi Rayyan ke saath hoga."
Arjun smirked faintly. "Wow ma'am... India aane ke baad pehli baar asli AK nazar aayi hai mujhe."
~
Rayyan stood in the Khan Group's meeting room, restless. Other members filled the space, talking in low voices. His eyes, however, were locked on the door. Waiting.
And then she walked in.
Aayat, dressed in an elegant black suit, her PA Arjun just behind her.
The room stilled, all eyes shifting to her, but Rayyan didn't care about anyone else.
Kitni pyari lag rahi hai ye.... He felt his chest ache.
Main hamesha chahta tha yeh apni padhai complete kare, kuch bane.
.. pr ye ladki hamesha padhai se bach niklti thi, aur aaj, dekh raha hoon apna sapna poora hota hua.
She sat opposite him, opening her file, her voice calm and professional. But every time her eyes flickered upward, she caught him watching her.
He didn't look away. Not once.
Throughout the meeting, her words flowed, but all she could feel was his gaze heavy on her. When the meeting finally ended, she stood, gathering her papers-only for the door to burst open.
"shukar hai tumhari ye meeting khatam toh hui."
It was Ayaan, striding in with his casual charm. He walked straight to her side. "Chalo ab coffee peene chalte hain."
Aayat blinked. "Tumhe koi kaam nahi tha kya?"
Ayaan grinned. "Kaam toh bohot zyada hai... but tumse zyada zaroori kuch bhi nahi."
She couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. She turned toward him just as his expression suddenly shifted. She followed his gaze-and froze.
Rayyan stood behind her, expression stormy.
"Mujhe tumse baat karni hai, Aayat." His voice was low, hard.
Aayat straightened, her tone professional. "Ji, Mr. Malik. Boliye. Main sun rahi hoon."
"Yahan nahi," Rayyan's jaw tightened. "Akele mein."
She opened her mouth to refuse, but Ayaan stepped forward first. His voice calm, yet edged.
"Mujhe lagta hai meeting khatam ho chuki hai.
Agar aur baat karni hai toh yeh Arjun hai.
.. Aayat ka PA. Usse keh dijiye, woh baat Aayat tak pahuncha dega.
Aaj tak India ka saara kaam isi ne handle kiya hai.
Mujhe umeed hai yeh aapki help kar lega. "
Rayyan's eyes burned. He stepped closer, staring Ayaan down.
"Tumse baat nahi ki thi maine. Tumhe mujhe batane ki zaroorat nahi hai ke mujhe kya karna chahiye... aur kya nahi."
Ayaan smiled lazily, unbothered. "Okay. Phir mein Chalta hoon." Then, without hesitation, he took Aayat's hand and led her out.
Rayyan's fists clenched. His blood boiled. Aayat... yeh tum kya kar rahi ho? Kaise tum mere saamne se kisi aur ke saath aise jaa sakti ho?
~
The clock ticked past midnight. Rayyan sat in his home office, waiting. His phone finally buzzed-Junaid's name flashed across the screen.
He picked up immediately. "Kaho, Junaid."
"Sir, kaam ho gaya."
Rayyan leaned forward. "Phir bolna shuru karo."
Junaid took a breath before speaking. "Sir... Ayaan Khan koi aam aadmi nahi hain. He's the only son of Sameer Khan."
"Sameer khan ka beta hain ye?"
" Yes sir ayaan khan AK Group ka CEO hain... Aayat Ma'am aur ayaan sir ke company ke Chairman bhi Sameer Khan aur Sonia Khan hain."
Rayyan's grip on the phone tightened.
"Sir, yeh log chhote mote log nahi hain.
Sameer khan kitne bade businessman hain aur unki pohanch kaha kaha Tak hain ,ye toh ap jante he hain.
...Jab mein bahir se information le raha tha tab AK Aur ayaan khan ka nam sunte hi wo log kanp jate thai , ye unki voice se hi pata chalta tha kay wo in se darte hain.
Ayaan Khan dhikne mein normal lagta hain.
Lekin haqeeqat mein wo bilkul aisa nahi hain.
.. ayaan khan k bare m suna hai kay agr baat us k apno pr aye toh wo kuch be kar saktay hain, jaan be le sktay hain.
Police, siyasat, media sab mein sameer khan ki pohanch hain.
Aur ab Sameer Khan ka beta b unhi pr gaya hain.
.. dono bohut khatarnak hain. Aur Aayat Ma'am.
.." Junaid hesitated. "...unka bhi khauf hai sab mein bahir, jo un k raste m ata hai, wo usey nhin chodti.
AK naam hi kafi hain, bade se bade businessman ko darane k liye.
Aayat aur ayaan dono bahir mein hamesha se business sambhal ray thai.
. isliye unka nam waha pr bohut famous hain.
. sameer khan aur sonia khan india ka business sambhal ray thai, lekin ab ye dono first time business krne india aye hai khud. "
Rayyan's pulse thundered. "Tum kya keh rahe ho...? Mujhe kuch samaj nahi a raha...!!!"
"Ji sir. Aur ek aur baat. Aaj se 8 saal pehle Aayat Ma'am inhi kay ghar bhaag kar yaha se gayi thi.
Ayaan Khan ke saath wo phir bahir chali Gaye aur ayaan ne wahi ki company sambhalne se apni shuruyat ki.
Vahan aayat ma'am ne apni padhai complete ki, aur Ayaan ne unhe sirf business nahi sikhaya.
.. self-defence, be seekhaya hain...Sir, jo log unke against gaye.
.. agle din kisi na kisi hadse ka shikar hue.
Main dua karta hoon wo roop kabhi yahan na dikhe. .. warna..."
The call ended, but the silence that followed roared louder than thunder.
Rayyan sat frozen, the phone slipping slightly from his hand. His chest felt heavy, his breath uneven. Aayat... tum kon ho? Aur ye Ayaan Khan... tumhare itne kareeb kaise hai?
Shock. Confusion. And a gnawing fear he couldn't name.
~