After Ahad left, Kanwal was all alone in the huge mansion. She had already sent off all the maids home and all the guards were outside. They would only come inside when needed.
Kanwal had lunch half-heartedly like usual and prayed Zohar prayer. While folding the prayer mat, she heard a glass breaking sound, as someone had broken inside the house. Kanwal thought that Ahad might have come home, but not long after, everything went silent as before. Putting the mat on the side, she left the room and walk to the direction where the noise came from. But on reaching there, she didn't find the source of noise, no broken thing nor Ahad. Everything was in the right place as it should be.
Then where did the voice come from????
Kanwal immediately looked around the whole house but she couldn't find anything that could possibly make that sound.
Was it my imagination???
In the state of confusion, Kanwal started to make her way to the living room. As soon as she was about to cross the hallway, she heard faint footsteps from her left side. Kanwal abruptly turned to the sound but found nothing. The sound continued for a few more minutes then stopped with a banging noise.
Kanwal's pulse fastened while looking around for the person who is walking around the house.
"Ahad...? Is that you?" Kanwal said out loud but received no answer.
"Ahad...?" Kanwal's voice wavered this time. Her senses keep telling her about another presence in the area but she was unable to see it.
When she was about to enter the living room, a female mourning voice stopped her tracks.
"W-who's there?" Kanwal asked, turning back abruptly and then, she didn't stay there for long.
Kanwal dashed towards the door and ran out of the house. The mourning voice kept echoing in her mind and she couldn't find the courage to go back in. Therefore, she sat on a bench on the lawn. The day was hot and the scorching sunlight was making her head spin, but she refused to go back inside again.
"Bhabi, do you need something?" Kanwal raised her head on hearing a masculine voice and saw a well-built man wearing jeans and a t-shirt coming towards her. Kanwal has seen him several times, he was one of the few guards who sometimes come into the house.
"Where is Ahad?" Kanwal asked abruptly.
"He isn't back yet." He said, standing straight a few steps away from Kanwal.
"When will he be back?"
"I am not aware of his schedule." He politely answered.
"I- you must have Ahad's number, na? Call him." Kanwal ordered but later startled by her own boldness. He took out his phone like it was normal for him to obey her.
"Bhabi!" He handed over the phone to Kanwal after dialling Ahad's number and took several steps back so she wouldn't get uncomfortable.
~*~
Ahad stayed for more than half an hour in the cemetery, staring at the name written on the gravestone with an absent mind. Dozens of memories and thoughts kept circling in his mind until his phone buzzed and he was dragged back to reality. Ahad slid his hand into his pocket and took out his phone. Frowning down at the name appearing on the screen, he attends the call.
"What is it?" He asked in an authoritative tone, which instantly turned one-eighty-degrees on hearing the person on the line.
"What is it, Kanwal? Is everything alright?" Ahad asked, standing straight.
"...Come home." Kanwal said and hung up.
Ahad frowned and planned on calling back, but a thought stopped him and he turned his attention back to the gravestone again.
"Got to go Jiggar, your Bhabi's order." Giving a last glance at the name 'Arsalan Malik', Ahad turned around and left.
Throughout the way back to the house, Kanwal's voice kept echoing in his mind and a small smile kept playing on his lips. He liked that Kanwal had called him and found it amusing the way she ordered him, but he was slightly worried about what possessed her to call him.
On reaching home, he found his security manager Jahangir standing at the door. As soon as Jahangir saw Ahad, he quickly walked over to him and Salam him.
"Why are you here? What's wrong?" Ahad asked after answering his Salam.
"I am not aware of what actually had happened, and I didn't try to ask Bhabi either. She was looking rather frightened for some reason when she rushed out of the house."
"Where is she?"
"Sitting in the garden. She kept refusing to go in, so I thought to check the house." Jahangir answered, pointing towards the bench where Kanwal was sitting.
"Found anything suspicious?" Asked Ahad.
"No, Sir."
"Did SHE leave?" Ahad questioned, looking around.
"No, Sir." Jahangir answered.
"Hm, I'll be taking Kanwal in. Don't let her know that I am home." Said Ahad and Jahangir nodded in response before turning to go back to his small office at the back of the mansion.
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