Arif woke with a start.
Voices surrounded him. Loud. Rough. Suspicious.
Five or six men stood before him, their flashlights pointed directly at his face. The bright beams blinded him, making it impossible to see their expressions clearly.
"Hey boy! Who are you?" one of them barked. "What are you doing here with this little girl at this hour?"
Arif forced himself to remain calm.
"She's my younger sister," he replied evenly. "We ran into trouble and needed a place to sit for the night."
"Your sister?" another man muttered. "You two don't look like street kids. What kind of trouble makes rich children sleep outside?"
Suspicion thickened in the air.
The noise woke Maya. She sat up abruptly, her small body trembling as she stared at the unfamiliar faces. Fear filled her wide eyes.
Before Arif could speak again, one of the men stepped forward. He was older than the rest, wearing a traditional panjabi. Authority radiated from him.
He was the local mayor.
The Mayor's House
Within an hour, Arif and Maya found themselves inside the mayor's house.
Maya was taken to another room for questioning.
She was too frightened to answer properly. Faced with strangers and stern voices, her timid nature took over. She could barely speak.
Meanwhile, the mayor sent his men to Khan House to verify Arif's identity.
When the men returned, their report changed everything.
"Atik Khan says he has no son," they announced. "The one he had is dead."
The mayor's gaze sharpened.
Arif was locked inside a small room.
The mayor entered slowly.
"You said Atik Khan is your father," he began coldly. "But he denied having any son. Why did you lie?"
Arif inhaled deeply.
"He is my father. We had a disagreement. Maybe that's why he said that."
"If he denies you, do you have proof?"
Arif hesitated.
"Do you have a phone here?"
"Yes."
"Give it to me. I'll call him. Let him speak to you."
The mayor studied him carefully, then handed over his keypad phone.
"Call."
Arif dialed.
The first two calls went unanswered.
On the third attempt, Atik answered.
"Hello, Abbu… it's Arif."
"Hang up. I don't want to speak to you."
"Please don't hang up! Maya is with me. We're stuck somewhere."
There was sudden urgency in Atik's voice.
"Maya is with you? We've been searching for her everywhere! How is she with you?"
"I'll explain later. Please speak to the mayor."
Arif handed over the phone.
"Assalamu alaikum, Khan sahib," the mayor said smoothly. "Recognize my voice?"
"Yes," Atik replied grimly.
Old rivalry crackled between them.
An Opportunity for Revenge
The moment the mayor confirmed Arif's identity, his attitude shifted.
Coldness replaced suspicion.
There was history between the mayor and Atik Khan. Political enemies. Long-standing rivalry.
And now, the mayor had leverage.
By dawn, he announced that a "judgment" would be held after Fajr prayer.
Arif didn't understand.
Judgment? For what?
They had committed no crime.
But he soon realized this wasn't about justice.
It was about humiliation.
The Mosque Courtyard
At exactly 5:45 a.m., after Fajr prayer, people gathered in the large courtyard of the central mosque.
The Imam was present.
The mayor stood confidently.
Atik Khan and Hafiz Khan stood stiffly, anger burning in their chests but restrained by local custom.
In this area, if a case came before the Imam inside mosque grounds, no political leader could interfere.
And if politics handled a matter, religious authorities would not interrupt.
It was a silent power balance.
Today, the mayor had chosen religion as his weapon.
Maya was not present. She remained at the mayor's house.
Arif stood alone in the courtyard, feeling the weight of countless eyes on him.
The mayor spoke loudly.
"A boy and a girl found together at night… alone. Imam sahib, is this appropriate behavior?"
Murmurs spread.
Atik clenched his fists.
The Imam stroked his beard and spoke solemnly.
"Since the boy and girl were found together, either they must be married immediately… or receive punishment."
Arif's patience shattered.
"This is unfair!" he shouted. "Did you find us in an inappropriate situation? No! Then how can you speak of punishment? Where is justice in this?"
Gasps erupted.
The Imam's expression darkened.
"Do you know more than I do? Learn how to speak to elders! Such disrespect!"
"I'm only asking for fairness," Arif insisted.
"Take this boy away!" the Imam declared angrily. "I will not judge him!"
Atik stepped forward and whispered harshly, "Sit down. Whatever he decides, we accept."
"But Abbu—"
"Sit down!"
Arif fell silent.
For the first time, he understood something terrifying.
This wasn't about morality.
It was about destroying the Khan family's pride.
The Decision
It was Friday.
The final decision was announced: after Jummah prayer, Arif and Maya would be married.
The Khan family was stunned.
A nine-year-old child?
A forced marriage?
But they had no immediate power to oppose the Imam publicly.
Whispers spread that money had changed hands.
Ayesha Begum collapsed into tears when she heard the news. She begged her husband to bring their daughter home.
But Atif Khan could do nothing.
Maya was not even allowed to meet her family.
The Khan family endured humiliation in silence.
The Marriage Ceremony
Inside a room at the mayor's house, the Qazi prepared the papers.
Arif had already said "Qubool" three times.
Now it was Maya's turn.
The Qazi leaned gently toward her.
"Say Qubool, dear."
Maya puffed her cheeks stubbornly.
"No."
"Why not?"
"I know if I say Qubool, I'll get married."
"Yes, that is what is happening."
"But I don't want to marry an old man like you!"
Laughter broke out softly.
The Qazi chuckled. "I'm not your groom. Someone else is."
"Bring him first."
"Say Qubool. I'll bring him."
"No."
Arif was brought into the room.
The moment Maya saw him, she frowned harder.
"That's my brother! Bring my real groom!"
Arif gritted his teeth and leaned close.
"I am your groom. Say Qubool quickly."
"No!"
"If you don't say it in one minute—"
Maya's eyes filled with tears.
She looked at the Qazi.
"Qubool…"
"Say it again."
"Qubool."
"Once more."
"…Qubool."
And just like that—
Their childhoods were sealed by a word neither fully understood.
The Aftermath
Back at Khan House, chaos erupted.
Relatives shouted.
Some slapped Arif in anger and frustration.
He stood silently.
Hafiz Khan collapsed from humiliation and had to be treated by a doctor.
Years of respect crumbled overnight.
And Arif—
He bore everything quietly.
Present Time
Maya blinked slowly, returning from the depths of memory.
Arif had been watching her for quite some time.
Not with mockery.
But with something softer.
"Hello, Mrs. Khan?" he teased gently, waving his hand before her eyes.
Maya jumped.
"Were you thinking about me?" he asked.
"No."
"Yes or no?"
"Neither."
Before he could tease further, Maya asked suddenly,
"What do you actually do? Why are there so many bodyguards at your house? Ordinary people don't live like this."
Clever question.
Arif paused.
"You'll know when it's time."
Before she could push further—
BANG!
The office door slammed open.
"Arif! Where's my bike?!"
Rick stormed in.
"Why would I know?" Arif replied lazily.
"You burned it, didn't you?!"
"Yes. In the forest behind the house."
"You're dead today!"
"Which channel is airing my death?" Arif smirked.
Rick Jason
Rick Jason was an orphan.
American father. Bangladeshi mother.
His father left when Rick was five. Married another woman.
His mother struggled alone until Rick was twelve.
Then she ended her life.
Rick met Arif under unusual circumstances—half coincidence, half destiny.
Now they were more than friends.
They were brothers.
Their mansion, Centrumony, belonged to both of them.
They fought daily.
They'd die for each other.
And they both adored their cat, Piku.
Dinner Chaos
At dinner, Rick scrolled his phone while eating.
Suddenly he stopped and shoved the screen toward Arif.
"Did you do this?"
"Yes."
"Why do you always create chaos? Seriously!"
Arif shrugged.
Rick muttered angrily.
Maya looked between them.
"What does that word mean?"
Both boys choked instantly.
Rick coughed violently.
Arif glared at him.
"Go ahead. Explain."
Rick cleared his throat.
"It means… telling someone to go away."
Maya narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
She wasn't convinced.
But she let it go.
For now.
Because something told her—
The real chaos hadn't even begun yet.
And whatever Arif was hiding behind his calm smile…
It was far more dangerous than the night they were forced to marry.
To be continued…