The Forbidden Affection

The room was incredibly quiet, and the dying man was gripped by anxiety. The air was thick with the smell of dried blood, and the man on the floor was shaking, fearful of what was about to happen to him.

Loud, heavy footsteps echoed in the empty basement and stopped near the man on the floor. A powerful and imposing man, known as the Agha, sat down on a chair in front of the man on the ground.

One of the Agha's men nervously mentioned that the man on the floor hadn't said anything. He got even more anxious when he saw the Agha slowly rolling up his sleeves in a threatening way.

The Agha leaned in closer, his face emerging from the shadows. He put two fingers on his lips and his thumb under his chin, as if he was carefully thinking about how to deal with the man lying in front of him. The room was tense as they all waited to see what the Agha would do next.

The man lying on the floor gazed at the Agha with pure horror. When their eyes locked, all the colour drained from his face, and he was petrified. The Agha had dark green eyes that glared at him with intense ferocity, causing the frightened man to recoil in shock.

The Agha's posture exuded strength, dominance, and an overwhelming sense of authority and power. He sat there calmly, and no one could predict what he was thinking, but one thing was unmistakable: his eyes held a promise of death. His very presence seemed to echo deadly vows.

"Please, Agha, forgive me. I didn't know it was your fam- Ahhh!" The man's plea was cut short by a painful screech, as a harsh punch landed on his jaw, causing blood to splatter from his mouth. The dark-eyed man growled menacingly and grabbed a fistful of the man's hair, pulling it forcefully. The injured man cried out in agony.

"Did I tell you to speak?" He hissed maliciously that the trembling man felt his heart in his throat.

"Who are you working for?"He snickered this time, letting go of the trembling man's hair.

Instead of answering simply, the man kept on asking for forgiveness like a filthy shit, a trembling mess.

The green-eyed man shook his head in a circular motion giving him a deranged look.

His men held their breath. "Omar!" The man yelled.

The Omar guy who was standing beside him tensed as he started speaking. "Wife Zara Khalil. Son Samir Khalil with parents Habeeb and Aisha Khalil. Address, block C, building X. Wife Zara phone number 036****, age 38, a former teacher-"

"PLEASE!" The trembling man screeched as his eyes were bloodshot. "L-Leave my f-family alone! I-I'll t-tell you e-everything."

Omar smirked as the green-eyed man remained emotionless. "Tariq. He p-payed me money to k-keep tabs on your f-family but trust me I didn't know it was your fam-"

BOOM!

A loud shot was heard as its echo resounded in each corner, spreading the secrecy of death. The man's body lay dead with a bullet pierced in the middle of his forehead. His eyes wide opened as the life faded away from them.

A malicious smoke erupted from the gun's hole from where the bullet had been fired and killed the one whose death was written on it.

His body tensed, his eyes speaking volumes of how painful their deaths will be. Mess with him all you want but never just never go after his family. Because if you do, you'll probably end up six feet under the ground.

The green-eyed man didn't say a word as with just one glance his man scurried to work pulling the dead body away.

Rubbing a hand across his beard the man stood up to his mighty height. Taking out his cigarette he lit it up, placing the end at his lips. As he placed the gun in Omar's hand. His first in command and unfortunately his cousin from his father's side.

He twirled around walking out of the creepy building as Omar followed closely behind. His face stoic very well aware where they're heading.

The men sat in their sleek black rang rover and headed in their direction. The green-eyed man was driving as he threw out the finished cigarette and placed his ray ban smoothly looking elegant as ever.

The car came to a screeching halt in front of a mosque. "We should wait!" Omar spoke almost immediately knowing very well about the rage building inside the man beside him.

A glare from the man was enough as his eyes spoke volumes of vengeance. After all, he's no other than Dean Fayad the name of death himself.

"Jummah is going on. We c-can't just barge in a-and kill him in the mosque." Ibrahim spoke seriously knowing fully well that he was playing with a ticking bomb.

Omar is a man of strong beliefs. He's tall and a bit muscular with a brown complexion, trimmed beard, black hair with dark brown eyes. He's a swoon-worthy man as girls always chase after him. He's a kinda charmer with a cheeky smile.

Omar himself wanted to teach Jamal a lesson for his life but everything has time and place.

Dean stared at his good-for-nothing cousin for good minutes as Ibrahim tensed under his gaze. He felt the satisfaction of authority run through him at that moment.

His men are scared of him!

The man didn't bother to answer Omar as he got out of the car and towards the mosque, from his peripheral vision he saw Omar going inside to pray as he stood outside with a gun at his back.

He had left praying a long while ago. His heart which was once full of faith is now nothing more but a beating stone.

He can hear the Imam ending the prayer and just in a few seconds the people started coming out of the mosque making the area crowded.

A small shining light flickered his eyes as his gaze shot up to the intruder for any attack but what met his eyes kept him entranced.

On the second floor of the mosque in the far corner, away from prying eyes. A girl stood beside the railing. Her posture in submission. She was facing towards the sky with closed eyes. Her lips moved in rhythm with a slight tremble as she was drowned in her devotion to her lord.

"MashaAllah!" A word so foreign whispered from his lips.

He could feel someone approaching him but the man remained entranced. The glasswork done on her veil was the one that was reflecting sunlight on his face getting his attention.

She stared at the beauty whose one traitorous lock escaped the clutches of her hijab and caressed her cheek. A small smile formed on her lips as she opened her eyes-

Someone bumped into him. Dean glared at the retreating figure of a man for interrupting his conquest as he immediately stared back at the place to find no one there.

His eyes searched the beauty but no one was there. It felt like a hallucination a mirage which almost lulled him in.

Glaring at Omar who was walking towards him the man marched back to his rang rover knowing fully well that bastard Tariq must have escaped.

Dean didn't wait for Ibrahim as he roared the engine to life and next thing he was speeding away.

A cold winter breeze swept across the well-kept grass surrounding the bustling haveli, a large mansion. It was a lively place, and that wasn't surprising, considering it was the wedding of their beloved Leila.

Dean didn't usually stay at the hotel for extended periods. He had his place, which was far more luxurious, but he couldn't resist visiting his remaining family. They meant the world to him.

The reason he didn't often stay with the family was that it wasn't just a regular family; it was a joint family. His uncles and their families all lived together.

Uncle Sami, his father's younger brother, resided in the haveli with his wife, Salma, and their children, Omar and Leila. There was also the youngest brother of his father, Abdul, who lived there with his wife, Mina, and their son, Gafar.

Dean had a younger brother, Adam Fayad, who had been living in New York to pursue his studies. He had recently returned to attend Leila's wedding. In their house, all the men cherished their cousin's sister like a princess because she was the only sister among the four boys.

One day, as Dean was engrossed in his work, there was a knock on his door. He glanced at the wall clock, and he knew right away who the daring intruder was. No one in the mansion dared to disturb him during his work except for one person, and that was Leila.

Leila was a nineteen-year-old girl, cute, chatty, and beautiful. She had almond-shaped brown eyes, high cheekbones, a sweet face with heart-shaped lips, and her dark black hair flowed down to her shoulders, complementing her soft brown skin.

Without looking up, Dean spoke with a hint of annoyance, "What do you want, Leila?"

Leila smiled sheepishly and whispered, "I want you to join us for dinner tonight."

The man shook his head in negative, not answering her any further as the girl's smile faded away and pouting she left his room, saying a small sorry to disturb you before closing the door behind her.

After his parents passed away. His uncles were doomed on the verge where their family mansion was about to get auctioned. At that time he came back from Qatar where he was sent by his father from the age of fifteen to learn the excellence of weapons, tactics, fights, leadership and politics from the best and the notorious Sheikhs. There he became the best of the best, fierce, notorious and most importantly heart person. Where the kids of his age used to play football, he used to play with AK-47s and grenades. Where his cousins lived like normal kids, he was trained day and night for his place in the future. After all, he's the heir of the complete Fayad Empire and the sole leader of Al-'Jabaar, the leading mafia of Kuwait along with Qatar. He's a notorious king for his men, hawk-like eyes and predatory smile. He's a killer with no remorse. A sinner that God knows.

He joined their family business when he was just twenty-two. Where his uncles want to separate his father's business kingdom into two. He came forward and took the family business to new heights.

He became a well-known name not just in business but also in the Mafia world converting Al-'Jabaar into a malicious warrior and the strongest force.

But to the world, he's a good businessman who is taking his father's business to a new level and has also kept the family joint and not let them fall apart.

The women in their house didn't know the unlawful work their men did but they did know what Fayad's are capable of, so they never questioned and the men of the house respected Dean as their eyes held adoration and pride towards the man.

No one dared to question Dean Fayad, no one questioned his doings. Instead, they felt intimidated by the man. They were scared of his capabilities but deep down they were content that he loved his family with all he had and would protect them with his life.

Everybody sat at the large dining table when the dinner was getting served but what they didn't expect was for Dean to join them, because he never did that.

A wide smile stretched on Leila's face as she jumped happily while grinning thank you silently to the buff man sitting on the head chair, his father's.

Everyone looked happy as Uncle Sami spoke to Leila. "Omar will take you, Salma and your Aunt to the mall tomorrow," Omar grunted in complete annoyance.

"Adam, when will your studies end boy? We want you to stay here with the family." Uncle Abdul spoke up making Uncle Sami nod in response. Before Adam could reply a voice spoke up.

"Don't speak Abdul! We don't have the authority to speak in this family." Mina snickered under her breath but enough for everyone to hear as they stiffened knowing very well to whom these words are directed.

Dean's jaw clenched as his hand fist under the table but the man controlled himself as he felt a soft hand of Leila on his clenched one. The man relaxed slightly but his dark green eyes held anger at his aunt's sharp words.

Mina is the sole person who has something against Dean as she wants her son Gafar to be the sole heir but the will was already written by his granddad Nasir Fayad the man of honor and his words.

The dinner went swiftly as none said a word and soon the maid came to clean the table. In the kitchen, the women were sitting at the small dining table sipping tea. Leila kept on rambling about the dresses as Salma and Mina laughed at her enthusiasm.

"Auntie can you bring Cara tomorrow, I haven't met her for so long," Leila told their middle-aged maid, Freda, who's been working for them for the last five years and had a niece, who's been a good friend of Leila as they are of the same age.

"Sure!" Freda replied cheekily as the women kept on talking about the dresses and jewellery.

The very next day Dean was back in front of the same mosque where he had seen that beauty a week ago. The man was unable to take her pious portrait out of his mind. He wanted to see her again, just once to calm his mind that the girl was real and not a mirage.

He stayed outside the mosque in his car staring at the railing, but she never came and the Prayer came to an end as people left the mosque in a crowd and soon the crowd faded into their lives.

Sighing the man cursed at his self for coming here like a lame idiot just to tell his conscience that she wasn't a mirage. How ridiculous a waste of time that was. It didn't matter to him whether she was real or not, but one glance was all he asked for.

Shaking his head the man roared the engine to life and made a U-turn as he was passing by the gates of the mosque. One last time he looked at the gate.

There she was, covered in a black loose maxi with a nude hijab covering her hair and modesty as not once did the girl look up at anyone, her eyes casting down. She moved with a steady slow rhythm as if she were a flower and one wrong step would break her.

The man slowed the car to a turtle's pace earning loud horns from behind but he didn't give a flying shit about it.

His green hawk-like eyes stared at her intensely as he couldn't make much of her features. The girl moved with such softness that the wind twirled around her maxi as she softly caressed the wall beside her as she walked, caressing the flowers as a soft smile tugged her features. She softly caressed everything that came in her touch as if she was sensing through them, talking to them. Her steps were slow and tender.

Then all of a sudden a man bumped into her. Making the girl fall as her hands landed on the floor saving her face.

A rage stormed in his hawk-like eyes as he wanted to strangle the man who bumped into her, but before he could do anything. The girl got his attention as she searched for something on the floor. Her hands touched a white-like thing. She slowly stood while opening that stick-like thing and that was nothing other than a white cane. His eyes widened in shock.

She's blind!

Life is a test from Almighty Allah, full of ups and downs. Sometimes it's dark, and other times it's filled with light. Unfortunately, she can never experience the light because her sight is always shrouded in darkness.

On a chilly evening, she stood by her window, wrapping her shawl tightly around her. She longed to count the stars and admire the beauty of the moon. But not everyone is fortunate enough to witness these celestial wonders and those who often take them for granted.

She could sense the night descending upon her surroundings. The only signs were the cold breeze, the gentle chirping of insects, and her restless heart. Her mother had always told her that the nights were the most beautiful. The sky would be adorned with stars, and the moon would shine brightly for those who wandered under it.

She could feel the soft, cold light of the moon, indicating that it might be a full moon, or perhaps not.

Life had been wonderful when her parents were by her side. They never allowed her to dwell on her disability. They constantly reminded her that she was unique and incredibly beautiful in her way.

However, at this point in her life, she often wondered if her parents had lied to her. Perhaps they had said those things just to make her feel special.

But when her parents were taken from her, when Allah called them away, the girl was left shattered. Their absence made her truly realize that she was blind, and what she once considered her uniqueness was, in reality, nothing more than a disability.

Her aunt who brought the girl to her home after her parent's death made it clear to her every day that how big of a burden she was.

With her parents, she thought she was beautiful just like an angel according to her baba her aunt never called her beautiful instead she used to call her. 'Ugly blind piece of trash, good for nothing burden' And what not.

Her parents used to cherish her like a princess, and they used to boost her confidence. Her aunt made it shatter and drilled the confidence, self-esteem and happiness out of the girl as she made the girl believe that she was ugly, blind and couldn't even do any work so she was nothing more than a burden.

Twelve years of her parent's words were pressed down in the bottom of her soul and the five years of her aunt's cruel words now reside in her soul.

Oftentimes her aunt's remarks won't work for the girl. She would hurt her, slap her.

Often when something bad happened to the aunt and her son Azeez. They would blame the girl, calling her a black curse on their family.

Never the girl thought that her aunt who is her Uncle's wife would become such a horrible person towards her. She often used to say to her aunt, 'Let me go. I'll leave and stay in the nursery' But no. Her aunt only once mentioned certain insurance money for the girl. Maybe her aunts get some money her parents left for her. That is the only reason her aunt was keeping her.

Her mother was the only child just like her so the girl didn't have any relatives from that side and her father had a brother who died long ago but his wife is the one who's now keeping the girl.

Her aunt is poor. They live in a small apartment of two rooms. One room is occupied by auntie and one is occupied by Azeez. Yet they were kind enough to let her stay in the store room rather than the streets.

Store room or more like her room. It isn't big enough to fit a bed, nor they were willing to give her any. A small mattress is placed in one corner of the floor, with two small cabinets placed under the window. The girl used that cabinet as her cupboard as she didn't have many things of her own. The cabinet also provides a seat for her to sit on at night near the window. A small table is placed near her mattress where her Quran is placed. A special type of Quran with words popped out a bit for blinds to touch, feel and read. Her father had gifted her this Quran on her fifth birthday.

She was so glad that her mother taught her how to read the Quran. She wasn't blind before as her parents were her sight as they explained everything to her with such softness and happiness that the girl never felt she was blind. But when they died they took her sight along with them.

She only knows the world as much as her parents had elaborated it to her.

Her aunt isn't kind enough to elaborate on a single color as she is always busy talking about how ugly and burdened full soul the girl is.

Her aunt is one thing but her son Azeez who does nothing but stay at home is another mean person she came across. In one place he call her ugly and bitch and in the second place, he would try to touch her when she was off guard.

He first tried to harass her when she turned eighteen. The man she used to call brother was nothing but a ridiculous man. When she told Auntie about Azeez's behaviour. Auntie dismissed it saying 'Who would like to touch garbage like you' At that time she realized, she couldn't stay there anymore.

So she ran. She ran away from them but how far can a blind person go, to a young girl who is vulnerable to anyone around? Her so-called family caught her before she could run any further.

That day was the worst day of her life. Her aunt had beaten her with a belt so much that her back was bleeding and not only that. The woman starved the girl in her storeroom for two consecutive days.

From then onwards her life got worse. Her aunt would make small mistakes to punish the girl and once unintentionally the girl burned her aunt's shirt while ironing. The woman brutally burned the girl's hand with the same iron.

She knows she can't get away from them and she has to get away from Azeez for the time being when her aunt is at work.

The girl used to go to the nearby mosque for Jummah (Friday) prayers. There she asked for a job, any job without even pay was acceptable for her just to get away from Azeez. The people were kind enough as they gave her a job as a teacher. She had her period where she taught good ethics and Islamic deeds to the children.

In this way when her aunt goes to work the girl comes here in the mosque and will reach home when her aunt comes back. First, her aunt was against it, but the girl gave the few amount of money she received to her. That's why her aunt allowed her to do that work which she was thankful to Allah and every month she gave her income to her aunt.

Now as the girl had turned nineteen her aunt who is an old traditional woman would curse the girl's fate saying. No one is going to ask for the hand of a 'blind ugly bitch like you' Girls get married at the age of seventeen and eighteen and here you are nineteen and a cursed burden on our head. These were her words every day.

The abrupt opening of the door had her tensing as she immediately stood up feeling her heart in her throat. Expecting the worst the girl slightly relaxed hearing her aunt's sharp voice.

"Eh! Cara!" The girl flinched at the woman's tone as she came forward standing in front of the girl, whose head was bowed down in tension.

"Wake up early tomorrow. There's a man whom I know very well, has asked your hand in marriage. He will be coming tomorrow to see you. So just make your ugly self look presentable." Her aunt Freda spat at the girl's face venomously as she left the storeroom with a loud thud of the closing door.

Cara felt bitter tears forming in her eyes as she controlled her building sobs. That night she prayed and prayed to Almighty Allah to save her from this hell. To send an angel to protect her from these people.

The girl dozed off on the praying mat seeing her parent's faces she whispered.

"Your Cara is fading."