BROKEN DREAMS

The soft, rhythmical clicking of a mechanical keyboard echoed through the spacious glass office. Kamran Sat, his brow furrowed in deep concentration, remained entirely oblivious to the bustling atmosphere outside his door. As a senior executive at one of the city's premier corporate firms, his dedication was legendary. Files were stacked neatly on his polished wooden desk, each document meticulously annotated in his precise handwriting. Outside his office glass, colleagues spoke of him with immense respect—a man of iron will, unparalleled intellect, and flawless professional ethics. ​Suddenly, the sharp ring of his personal cell phone shattered the quiet rhythm of his workspace. Kamran reached for the phone, his eyes reflecting the fatigue of long hours. But as he brought the receiver to his ear and heard the voice of the attending physician from the hospital, the tension instantly melted from his features. ​"Congratulations, Mr. Kamran. It’s twins—two beautiful baby girls, and both mother and children are completely healthy." ​Kamran abruptly pushed his chair back and stood up, the leather creaking under the swift movement. Tears of overwhelming gratitude welled in his dark eyes. A profound warmth, something he hadn't felt in years, spread through his chest. He took a deep, trembling breath, struggling to hold back the tide of emotion rushing over him. Without losing a second, he stepped out of his corner office with a radiant smile that transformed his usually stern demeanor. He immediately ordered boxes of traditional sweets, insisting on personally sharing the blissful news with every single colleague on the floor. ​Yet, amid the chorus of warm wishes and hearty congratulations, one pair of eyes burned with silent malice. ​Standing near the water dispenser, Amar watched Kamran with a clenched jaw and a heart filled with dark envy. Amar was ranked just one tier below Kamran in the corporate hierarchy—a position that fueled an insatiable resentment within him. For years, Amar had desperately sought to overtake Kamran, but Kamran's natural competence and quiet dignity always kept him several steps ahead. ​Amar’s hatred wasn't merely professional; it was deeply personal. Years ago, Kamran had been blessed with a son. However, tragedy struck when the boy was barely two years old—just learning to balance his tiny footsteps—and vanished without a trace during a crowded festival. The devastating loss had left Kamran guarded, distant, and prone to a quiet, burning grief that often manifested as a strict, uncompromising exterior. Kamran had always instinctively maintained a distance from Amar, sensing the snake slithering beneath Amar's overly polite facade. ​Even though Kamran had kept the news of his wife's pregnancy discreet, the whispers had inevitably reached Amar's ears. Seeing Kamran celebrate the birth of twin daughters cut through Amar's fragile ego like a dull blade. ​An hour later, Kamran arrived at the maternity ward, his heart pounding with anxious joy. The soft aroma of antiseptic mixed with the delicate scent of newborns filled the warm room. There, lying softly in the hospital bed with pale cheeks and tired eyes, was his wife, Zubaida. Nestled carefully in her arms were two tiny swaddled bundles, their quiet breathing filling the room with an indescribable peace. ​Kamran knelt beside the bed, gently touching the tiny, soft fingers of his daughters. A heavy lump formed in his throat as memories of his lost son briefly flashed through his mind, but looking into the innocent faces of the newborns, a feeling of renewal washed over him. ​"They are our blessing, Kamran," Zubaida whispered softly, a tear of pure joy escaping her eye and tracing a path down her cheek. She gently wiped it away with the edge of her dupatta. ​"Indeed they are," Kamran replied softly, kissing his wife’s forehead. Without delay, he leant down to whisper the call to prayer into their tiny ears and bestowed their names. "This one shall be Sana... and her sister shall be Meraj." ​Zubaida closed her eyes, raising her trembling hands in a quiet prayer, begging the Almighty to protect her twin daughters from the cruelties of the world and grant them a life filled with dignity, happiness, and success. ​While light and prayers filled Kamran’s home, a dark storm was brewing across town in Amar’s house. ​Amar sat in his dim living room, staring blankly at the wall. The news of Kamran’s newborn daughters had thoroughly consumed his mind, breeding an obsession so dark that it bordered on madness. He couldn't sleep; he couldn't eat. Day and night, his mind twisted with venomous thoughts of how to destroy Kamran’s newfound bliss—how to erase those two innocent baby girls from existence. ​This blind malice had completely severed his focus from his work. Over the past few weeks, Amar had made catastrophic errors at the office, ignoring critical assignments and missing crucial deadlines. Just that morning, he had received a formal warning letter from the management—a humiliating blow that threatened his very job. ​Driven to the edge by his own failures, Amar brought the horror home. He directed every ounce of his unhinged rage toward his wife, Khalida. ​"You think you can just sit there quietly while my life falls apart?!" Amar roared, slamming his fist onto the dining table, shattering a glass plate. ​Khalida trembled, shrinking back against the wall. "Amar, please... what have I done? Why are you doing this?" ​For months, Khalida had endured his emotional and physical cruelty in silence. But tonight, Amar’s paranoia reached a horrific peak. Inventing baseless accusations and desperate to humiliate her, Amar marched out onto the street and began shouting, drawing the entire neighborhood out onto their balconies and porches. He publicly maligned her character, crafting cruel lies to ruin her dignity before the watching crowd. ​Heartbroken, humiliated, and weeping hysterically, Khalida packed a small bag, intending to leave his house forever. But Amar wasn't finished. Dragging her back inside by her arm, he snatched her belongings, locked her inside a windowless, pitch-black storage room, and bolted the heavy door from the outside. ​"Stay in the dark for three days!" Amar sneered through the thick wooden door. "Let's see who comes to save you now!" ​Inside the suffocating darkness of the tiny room, Khalida collapsed onto the cold floor. With no light, no warmth, and no voice left to scream, she pulled her knees to her chest. Silent tears of utter helplessness streamed down her face as she sat trapped in the dark, entirely unaware of the tragic web of fate being spun around them all.