SaHil: A Different Kind of Game || Chapter 4 Updated @ Page 8 - Page 4

Dr. Farooq Imam was used to being called by the rich patrons of Bhopal whenever they so factiously felt they were sick. Many a times his house calls included treating the so called genteel' ladies of high society for fainting spells or failed attempts on their own lives. Really, it was as if they had nothing better to do than come up with some reason or another to summon a doctor to their house when they could very easily go to a walk-in clinic and get treated there. He supposed it had to do with their rich mentality.

 

 

That was why when he was called to the house of the Nawab of Bhopal he wasn't too shocked. Rather he expected a simple treatment, probably of one of the females of the house for a fainting spell or severe headache of some sort. He had known Aahil Raza Ibrahim lived with many females and he was sure one of them was the reason he had been summoned. Not surprising, that indeed did end up being the reason.

 

What was surprising however was the reaction the young Nawab had when he had first entered to treat the patient'. Most family's would quietly retreat and let the doctor do his job, but the young man's reaction was something new, if not surprising to the aged doctor.

 

Remembering the incident that occurred in the room, Dr. Imam had to question the sanity of the royal family of Bhopal. Clearly things were not as easy in the high life of the rich as he thought it was. He made his way out of the room, gently closing the door, when a commotion downstairs caught his attention.

The words played over and over again in Aahil's head but even as they continued to churn around in his tumultuous mind he couldn't seem to make sense of them.

 

"What?"

 

That was all he could seem to produce in the face of the arrogantly smirking Salim. His family had fallen silent, save for Lateef's shocked gasp and his Ammi's sharp inhale. He took a moment to clear his head.

 

"What idiocy is this?" Aahil demanded angirily, glaring at Salim who had made himself quite comfortable sitting across the couch his Aami presided over.

 

"I don't know who the idiot in this case is Mr. Ibrahim," Salim mocked, "But it certainly isn't me. Could it possibly be you then?"

 

Rage continued to amass in Aahil's being and he fought to stay in a semi-balance of control. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

 

"Stop talking in riddles," Aahil managed to grind out, "And tell me what it is you are doing here."

 

Salim was quiet for a moment, smirking audaciously as he leant against the couch, arms crossed over his chest. He glanced up and around the mansion, almost appraising it before his eyes fell back on Aahil.

 

"I'm doing what any future groom would do," he drawled slowly, "I've come to whisk away my beautiful blushing bride to be. I've come to take Sanam away...again."

 

Aahil's thinly strung anger began to fray again and he was about to march over and haul the salaciously smirking man when his mother's voice stopped him.

 

"Again?" Tanveer questioned. "What do you mean again?"

 

Salim chuckled and stood up, striding over to the seated woman. He sat down next to her and it was with much glee he noticed that the blind woman hadn't even registered the change in her immediate surroundings. He took delight when she jumped as he explained himself.

 

"Again meaning I tried once and...failed...so I am here to make another attempt," he explained.

 

He hummed and stood up straightening his jacket and running a hand through his hair.

 

"Now if you would be so kind as to show me my Sanam's rooms I can go and get her and we can all be on our merry way," Salim said.

 

No one moved and the young man glanced around. Meeting the Nawab's stony face he shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

 

"Guess I'll have to do it myself this time around too," he commented and moved towards the staircase.

 

Aahil was still processing the man's audacity for calling Sanam his when he finally noticed Salim walking towards the stair case. Decorum be damned, he decided as he grabbed the other man by the collar and slammed him up against the railing.

 

In an instant a flurry of action occurred. The impact of the two bracing against the railing shook a vase and broke it. At the same time the two men who had accompanied Salim pulled out their handguns, causing Khalla to scream and hide behind her husband who pitifully wailed. At the centre of it all Begum Sahiba sat, trying to understand what was happening.

 

Salim raised a hand and stayed his guards, smiling innocently up at Aahil who glared murder at him.

 

"You will clearly and simply explain what you are doing here, what your relation with Sanam is," Aahil threatened, "Or you will regret having step foot into my home."

 

Salim pretended to hum and haw, causing Aahil's anger to rise even more. To the point the young Nawab was afraid for the other man's life.

 

"Oh fine," Salim sighed dramatically, "I suppose you are entitled to this information. Seeing as you are her husband and all. Though not for long."

 

Again the poorly hidden barb struck at Aahil's nerves and he grit his teeth and held onto the other man's collar even tighter.

 

"Just get on with it..." he muttered.

 

Salim seemed to think a moment before sighing.

 

"Yes now where do I start..." he began.

 

"I guess it has to do with the day my Ammi met Sanam at the market," Salim began, suddenly serious and quite focused. "A vegetable seller was trying to con my mother into buying things for a higher price when the lovely Miss Sanam intervened and stopped my mother from being conned..."

 

"What does this have to do with why you are here," Aahil demanded impatiently.

 

"Patience," Salim trilled before continuing. "Ah yes. Now where was I? Sanam had saved Aami from being conned and I guess you can say it was love at first sight. You know in that weird I want her for my daughter-in-law thing.' I can't remember what it was but Aami said something about Sanam being loyal, and honest and righteous and something about her being a good life partner or whatever. Truthfully I wasn't paying attention that well to be honest. After that Aami and Sanam continued to run into each other and Aami became more and more impressed. She also became happy. After my father died, she was always unhappy and never smiled anymore. But after meeting Sanam she was suddenly full of life. She still thanks God everyday for having gone to the market instead of the servant and meeting Sanam. One day she came to me and asked if I would think of marriage. I said yes because I knew it would make her happy. After that all I know was that Aami wanted Sanam as her daughter-in-law, and for my Aami I can do anything."

 

The tone Salim took while making mention of his mother seemed oddly familiar to Aahil and he couldn't help but feel a sense of dj vu. The room was quiet, listening to the story and even upstairs Dr. Imam was enraptured with the proceedings happening.

 

"But Sanam is a married woman," Lateef finally piped up "So you can't marry her."

 

Salim snorted and pushed himself away from Aahil, straightening himself.

 

"Do you think I care?" Salim said, "I said I would get Sanam as a daughter-in-law for my mother and I intended to go through with that. Which is why I kidnapped her on her wedding."

 

The ground felt like it had been tilted beneath Aahil's feet and he stumbled back hearing those words.

 

"You did what?!" he roared, regaining his sense and grabbing Salim by the lapels of his jacket.

 

"I kidnapped her on her wedding," Salim explained, as if he was talking about the weather. "I found out that Sanam was married and almost gave up hope. But then I did some investigating and found out that you two had probably married for a contract-"

 

Tanveer tensed, hearing what she assumed was a well guarded secret of the house spew so easily from this strangers mouth. 

 

"After that I found out you two were supposed to marry again. I assumed you were doing this because the contract had finished." The young man continued on, not noticing the horror and anger clouded the young Nawab's face. "So I decided it was the perfect opportunity. My men and I snuck into the mansion the night of the nikaah. I mixed a sleeping sedative in Sanam's food, and once she was out like a light I took her away. My men made it seem as if she had run away, so that way you wouldn't look for her. I was hoping to keep her long enough that you would move on, after which I would send divorce papers on her behalf but things got a little complicated when she managed to escape-"

 

Salim was cut off as Aahil punched him across the face, causing him to fall against the railing. With great surprise Salim righted himself, once again staying his guards with his hand, as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, where his tooth had cut into his lip.

 

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Aahil screamed, grabbing Salim and shaking him. "Who do you think you are to play with our lives like this! Don't you realize because of what you've done I thought Sanam had betrayed me! I thought my love betrayed me and she didn't! I thought-"

 

Aahil faltered as he registered something. Sanam didn't betray him. In that cloud of anger and pain and despair that had hung over him since the night of the wedding a small ray of hope began to emerge. Sanam hadn't betrayed him. His love hadn't betrayed him.

 

Salim rolled his eyes at the Nawab's abrupt impassioned speech.

 

"Like I said I don't care. Whatever I am doing is for my Aami's happiness," he explained "I thought everything had gone to hell when Sanam managed to escape but then I realized that would be even better for me. After all, imagine my surprise when I found out that despite her not being there, you were able to find a replacement bride for your wedding. This ends up working out. I'm sure Sanam is heartbroken that you have abandoned her for a new woman and now she won't have any choice but to come back to me..."

 

Aahil's grip loosened as the severity of the situation dawned on him. His beloved had struggled to come back to him. And he in his despair and anger hadn't once thought to ask her what had happened, instead assuming the worst. She must have been so broken to see him married to another woman.

 

"Get out," Aahil croaked, emotion welling his voice. Salim stepped back surprised.

 

"Get out and stay as far away from us as possible," Aahil said again, conviction strengthening his voice. "You will never have Sanam. She is my life. She is my love. She is the very reason I breathe and live. She is mine and I am hers, forever and always. And don't you dare think for a minute that you've succeeded in separating us."

 

Salim assessed the situation and smiled. Good, this was what they had planned. It seemed as if they had gotten through to the stubborn Nawab. It was time to make a retreat, but not without one parting shot.

 

"And what makes you so sure that Sanam would want to be with you now after everything you've put her through?" Salim taunted.

 

"Because I will beg for forgiveness every day of my life until she accepts me again," Aahil replied without missing a beat.

 

Salim tsked and began to move away.

 

"I doubt that. But I'll leave for now. I'm sure in due time, Sanam will have no other option but to come back to me," Salim taunted before making his exit. "After all, it seems that list of things you have to atone for are many."

 

An eerie silence swept across the mansion as the event they had experienced finally settled into their minds. But for Aahil the only thing that stood out was that the truth behind his beloved's disappearance on their wedding was finally revealed. He dragged his hands over his face, stopping at his mouth.

 

Over and over the words played out in his mind. Joy broke through the dark haze over his mind and heart and for the first time in days he felt like he could breathe.

 

He suddenly jolted into awareness and the desire to see Sanam overpowered all else. He turned to race up the stairs when he met the eyes of his doctor.

 

"I'll explain the diagnosis to Begum Sahiba," Dr. Imam explained, stepping aside to let the young Nawab rush upstairs.

 

Taking two steps at a time, Aahil bound up towards his lover's room. He threw the door open and flung himself at her bedside, taking her hand in his. He lovingly brushed a kiss on the back of her hand and held on tightly.

 

"Sanam, Sanam," he chanted softly.

 

He sat vigil by her bedside, waiting impatiently for her to wake up. The smile on his face could rival the sun in its sheer brightness and intensity.

 

A smile that was born out of love.

 

A smile for his chote begum.

 

A smile for Sanam.

 

From the shadow's in the room Seher observed her sister and brother-in-law with a tearful smile. Finally the first step to reuniting them was completed.

Now let the game begin.

 

 

I like Salim, he really is something lol.

And Aahil ,,,,how glad I was that he was so frightened to lose his begum.

Happy to know that he fought for his wife, his love, his everything.

 

Now, bring him on with billi. That will be very interesting.

 

Nice chapter, thank you!

Do pm me for the next!