His Secret Bride -A Hidden Love

New Delhi, In the darkness of the night, under a sky full of stars, a young man of about twenty-seven or twenty-eight stood on the balcony. Due to his dusky complexion, his face wasn’t clearly visible in the dark, but his tall, masculine, well-built presence confirmed that someone was standing there. He stood with his arms folded, and even in the shadows, his broad shoulders and sculpted body looked strikingly attractive from behind. He was none other than Kabir Khan, the well-known businessman from Bhopal. Kabir stood silently in the balcony, observing the Delhi traffic below with deep focus when suddenly his phone rang from inside his pocket. Taking it out, he saw it was his father — Haider Ali Sahab — calling. After a brief thought, Kabir answered, “Assalamualaikum, Abba.” From the other side, Haider Ali Sahab, whom everyone respectfully called Nawab Sahab, replied, “Wa Alaikum Assalam! Everything alright?” Kabir responded, “Yes, Abba.” Continuing the conversation, Nawab Sahab said, “When are you coming? We need to leave for Indore tomorrow.” Before Kabir could reply, Nawab Sahab added, “Do one thing — return as soon as possible!” And without waiting to hear Kabir's answer, he cut the call. Kabir’s anger instantly flared. He stormed into the room and tossed his phone onto the couch in frustration. “He never listens to me! Always just commands — do this, do that! Go here, go there!” Hearing his raised voice, Noor — his wife — who had been doing her night skincare routine in front of the mirror, walked up to him and asked, “Kabir, what’s all this commotion about?” Kabir glanced at her briefly, then looked away and said, “Abba’s called me back.” A trace of disappointment clouded Noor’s face, and noticing that, Kabir added, “He never listens to a single thing I say! And lately, I don’t even know what problem he’s started having with you. He wasn’t like this before.” Noor stepped in front of him and gently said, “Don’t say that, jaan. There must be something important. Otherwise, he wouldn’t call you so suddenly.” Kabir slumped onto the couch and buried his face in his hands. Noor sat beside him and said softly, “We should go. Otherwise, Abba will be upset.” Kabir sighed, “What’s new in that? That’s what he always does to get his way.” Noor stayed silent. Next morning, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Nawab Sahab’s Haveli It was a grand ancestral mansion, stretching far and wide, surrounded by countless lush gardens filled with a variety of world-renowned fruits and flowers, enhancing its beauty. In the midst of those gardens stood the splendid haveli, extending far into the distance. The large gate of the haveli was set at a distance from the entrance. The number of servants exceeded the number of family members living there. Every order of the residents was carried out with swift obedience. It was morning. Nawab Sahab, Kabir’s father, sat in the grand hall of the haveli, reading the newspaper. Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the main entrance. As he looked up, he saw Kabir and Noor entering the haveli. Kabir greeted him, “Assalamualaikum, Abba.” Nawab Sahab replied, “Wa Alaikum Assalam.” Noor also greeted him, and he responded warmly to her. Noor then quietly went upstairs toward her room, leaving father and son alone. Nawab Sahab asked Kabir, “You came quickly?” Kabir replied, “Yes, because you insisted I come as soon as possible.” Nawab Sahab nodded, “Hmm. Go freshen up. We’ll be leaving for Indore shortly.” As he turned to leave, Kabir stopped him, “Abba, is it necessary for me to go?” Nawab Sahab turned back and said, “Yes, it’s very important. It’s a charity event, Kabir. We’ve always handled such things ourselves, but for how long? We won’t be around forever. You need to start participating. After us, everything — the business, even this haveli — will be in your hands.” Kabir shook his head and said, “Please, Abba, don’t talk like that. And you’re not going anywhere! You want me to come with you? Fine. I’ll get ready.” With that, Kabir walked away. A small smile crept onto Nawab Sahab’s face. He immediately walked toward his room and once inside, called his personal assistant, Farhan. Farhan picked up and said, “All arrangements are done, Nawab Sahab. We just need to get Kabir to Indore now.” Nawab Sahab smiled and said, “Then assume Kabir is already in Indore. By evening, we both will meet you there.” He ended the call and walked a few steps to stand in front of a large photograph of his late wife, Fatima, hanging on the wall. Looking at the photo, he whispered, “Forgive me, Fatima. I’m about to put your son through something difficult… but I promise, this pain will become the greatest peace of his life.” Fatima Begum, Kabir’s mother, had passed away due to illness when Kabir was just fifteen. At the time, Kabir’s grandmother had repeatedly tried to persuade Haider Ali Khan to remarry. But he was so deeply devoted to Fatima’s memory that no effort succeeded. He never even considered a second marriage — mainly because he was strongly against bringing a stepmother into his beloved Kabir’s life. He could have easily brought a new partner into his own lonely life, but he didn’t. So why, now, was he trying to arrange a second marriage for his son? Yes — Nawab Sahab was secretly taking Kabir to Indore, under the guise of a charity event, to have him married a second time. But will Kabir agree to this marriage? After all, he deeply loved his wife, Noor. They had married with mutual love and consent. So how could he now agree to marry someone else? And if they loved each other so much, why was Nawab Sahab trying to separate them? --- Indore, Madhya Pradesh Evening, After finishing up at the charity event, Kabir was on his way back to his hotel room when suddenly, a girl came rushing out of a nearby room and bumped straight into him. The tray in her hands tipped, and the red wine glasses spilled onto Kabir’s blazer. Fuming, Kabir looked up at the girl who had crashed into him — but then… he just stared. The anger on his forehead began to fade as he looked at her. She seemed so fragile. Her fair, round face was filled with panic and fear, and her brown eyes were brimming with tears. Before Kabir could say a word, the girl quickly backed away and rushed off, disappearing down the hallway. Kabir turned to watch her go and muttered under his breath, “Ya Allah… you created her with great care.” But the very next moment, he felt a mix of surprise and guilt. He scolded himself, “What am I even saying? Kabir! You’re a married man! How can you think of another woman like that?” To be continued ✍️ ✍️