Encounter Between Enemies

Shadows and Rivals

But catching herself instantly, Fajr regained her composure, suppressed her erratic heartbeat, and thought to herself, 'Just because someone looks good doesn't mean he can't be bad. I need to keep my personal feelings aside and focus strictly on my duty.'

Inside the meeting room, all the senior police officers stood respectfully. As soon as Rehman took his seat, his commanding voice boomed through the room, "Bring Miss Fajr before me."

Within moments, Fajr entered the room. Concealing her internal turmoil, she offered a respectful salute to the General and addressed him, "Assalam-o-Alaikum! Yes, Sir, you summoned me?"

Rehman raised his eyes and looked at Fajr, a faint, subtle smirk touching his lips. "Miss Fajr! You were entrusted with a highly sensitive and crucial case. Report to me—what is the progress so far?"

Fajr replied in a resolute tone, "Sir! I strongly suspect a specific person is involved in these abductions. The moment I get concrete evidence against him, I will report to you first."

The seriousness on Rehman's face deepened further. "Okay, sounds good. But remember, you have limited time. You only have two weeks. We cannot afford to lose more children just because of any delays."

Fajr stood tall and replied with conviction, "Thank you, General. I will find that kidnapper. His bad luck has just started because I am on his trail."

Rehman gave a slight nod. "Good luck. You may go now. Meeting dismissed."

The meeting had barely ended when Sir Shaheen rushed over to Fajr, a dark cloud of concern on his face. "Fajr! There is bad news. This morning, the body of another young girl was found in a deserted area of the city—she was brutally murdered."

Fajr turned pale. Taken aback, she asked, "Sir! Do you think it's the same kidnapper? Where was the body found? We must reach the crime scene without delay; the truth will only come to light once we inspect the situation there."

On the other side of town, Hamid entered Rehman's private office in a state of utter panic. "Boss! Did you hear the news? Someone brutally killed a young girl today... and all the blame is falling on you!"

Rehman's face flushed with rage. "I know! I have already alerted the police, but our police system is agonizingly slow. You go track down the real killer yourself—I want a full report on him in the next few minutes!"

Hamid’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Seriously? Just in a few minutes?!"

Rehman slammed his hand on the desk, his voice harsh, "Yes, of course! That is my order!"

An Unknown Secret Hideout

Inside a dark room, a mysterious figure wearing a black mask stood before his henchman.

Masked Man: "Go! Find out who is k********g innocent children before I can get to them!"

Henchman: "Yes, Boss! As you command."

A few minutes later, Hamid returned to Rehman with exhausted steps. "Boss! I couldn't find much information for now. All I managed to gather is that the killer was a masked man who attacked the girl with a knife."

Rehman's face turned crimson with rage. He remained completely silent for a few moments, then his deep voice boomed, "What...? That monster used a knife on a ten-year-old child?"

Rehman buttoned his coat and looked at Hamid, a dangerous fire in his eyes . "Hamid! Go right now and pull up every single detail about this masked man. In this case, I am stepping into the field alongside you."

On the other side of town, Arsalan, the son of Commissioner Talha Mahmood, was busy at work in his lavish office. He was the young, dynamic CEO of the rival firm standing directly against Rehman’s business empire.

He summoned an employee into his office and asked in a sharp voice, "Come here and tell me—what is my enemy up to right now? Is he still pulling the same moves as before, obsessed with staying at the top? Is he still as cold, rude, and sharp-tongued as ever?"

The employee swallowed nervously and replied, "N-no, Sir... I don't know much about his personal moves. How could I? He is the untouchable Chairman of Vanguard Enterprises, after all. Also, Sir, your father left a message for you. Commissioner Talha said that you must focus on doing your work correctly.

If Vanguard Enterprises beats us again and you end up in second place, you will be forced to form an official partnership with Rehman’s company."

Arsalan’s expression darkened with seriousness as he let out a bitter chuckle.

"Huh... First, my father tells me every day that Rehman is my ultimate enemy, and now he wants me to join hands with him? Unbelievable."

Shaking his head, Arsalan redirected his attention. "Anyway, leave that. What about the new assistant? Has he arrived yet?"

"No, Sir," the employee answered cautiously. "He hasn't shown up. Honestly, I think he might not like working under you... but either way, Sir, you really need to find a new assistant as soon as possible."

Arsalan leaned back, resting his chin on his steepled fingers as his sharp gaze pinned the employee to the spot.

"Alright then," Arsalan said, his voice dropping into a low, firm register. "Get out there and arrange a fresh round of interviews for a new assistant immediately. And listen to me carefully—this time, make sure the candidates are actually capable. I need someone who can handle real pressure, not another fragile fool like the last one who crumbled the moment work started piling up. Understood?"

The employee’s eyes widened, and he bowed his head rapidly, practically trembling under Arsalan's cold intensity.

"Y-yes, Sir! Absolutely, Sir! I will do my absolute best to find the right candidate right away!"

Without waiting for another word or risking Arsalan's unpredictable temper, the employee turned on his heel and practically sprinted out of the office, letting the door click shut behind him in a blur of panic.

Arsalan watched the heavy mahogany door swing shut, a slight, cynical smirk touching his lips as he muttered to himself, "Useless... If you want something done right around here, you really have to drive them to the brink."