preference delights

Chapter 71

After almost two hours of driving, they reached the wooden gate, a sign of home for Ahmed. Everyone got out of the car. Ahmed and Salaar moved inside while Zubair stayed at the gate, maintaining the privacy of the house. But Ahmed sensed it quickly and dragged him in.

Zarmeena and Zareena were already eyeing the entrance, waiting eagerly for his arrival. It wasn’t the first time he was coming home in the past six months, but this time, it was after his results. Both his mother and sister welcomed him as if he were returning from a tiresome war. And in Ahmed’s case, it wasn’t just a metaphor.

Once he was done greeting his sister and mother, his gaze shifted beyond them, and for a moment, he couldn’t believe his eyes.

Was it true?
Was he really lucky enough to have his elder brother back from the dead?

In the next moment, he threw his arms around him. The two embraced in a brotherly hug.

While hugging, Fareed's eyes met Salaar’s, and an unseen wall stood tall between them, their souls refusing to connect.

At a distance, Zarmeena stood, silently observing the entire scene.

“Brother Fareed, I can't believe you're alive!” Ahmed exclaimed, stunned.

Fareed chuckled at his reaction. Ahmed even touched him to check if he was real, and accidentally touched the side of his leg.

What is this? That’s definitely not flesh… Oh my God, is that....

His imagination blurred.
Distressed, he could only utter,
“Brother Fareed…”

Fareed gave a warm smile.
“Ahmed, don’t worry, brother. It’s a small price I paid to return to you alive.”

Ahmed smiled at his logic.

Zarmeena stepped forward.
“Brother Fareed, this is Salaar…” she said, introducing them formally.

Fareed came closer.
“Zaro, you forgot, we’ve already met and know each other well. Right, Salaar?”

He raised his hand for a handshake, which hovered awkwardly in the air before finally meeting Salaar’s hand. Salaar only responded with a slight nod.

After that, even though Zarmeena tried multiple times, their interaction remained almost nonexistent. Eventually, she gave up on them and focused instead on the new joys her family had found.

Ahmed’s high scores, Brother Fareed’s return, and most importantly, the end of her abandonment.

It felt like life had shifted into reverse gear, reclaiming all that was lost along the way.

Though the loss of Dadi Yasmeen was irreversible and they would never see their sweet, love-filled Dadi again, the life she had now wasn't so bad. She had Dadi Shameen to replace her… plus, she now had Salaar, her brother Taimur Musa, and Dad.

As for Aunty Warda, it was a no-win, no-loss situation. And Nazli, she never even considered her, because she knew Nazli was beyond her reach. And what’s the point of spending time on unreachable things?
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He was sitting in a fully furnished office adorned with Italian interiors. The ambiance radiated a grandeur no less than the prestige of MIE itself. And why not? The President of MIE certainly deserved such a lavish space, a man known for his towering values and flawless decisions. In the business world, he was a king, a man of honor, the epitome of excellence. Someone who always put MIE above himself, above his family, and could go to any extent for its sake. That man was none other than Mr. Faizan Malik.