Chapter 17: Mr. Handsome
Aslam and Heer stepped into the backyard, but "backyard" was an understatement. It was a sprawling gala filled with flashing lights, celebrities, high-profile businessmen, and idols. The air smelled of expensive perfume and high-society secrets.
Asia stepped up to them, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Heer, are you ready?"
"Always," Heer replied, her voice turning back into the "Tough Rock."
Aslam leaned in, his voice low. "Can someone please tell me what is actually going on here? I thought this was dinner."
"Mr. Chairman is waiting for you right there," Asia whispered, pointing toward the center of the crowd.
Heer turned to Aslam, looking him up and down in his luxurious suit. "Shall we begin, Mr. Handsome?"
Aslam met her gaze, his new confidence radiating off him. "Yes, Miss Beautiful."
As they walked through the crowd, the atmosphere shifted. Heads turned. Every man's eyes were glued to Heer, and every woman's gaze lingered on Aslam. He didn't look like an office worker anymore; he moved like a king. Even the Chairman, standing in the distance, felt the shift and looked over. His eyes widened as he saw Heer approaching—with Aslam on her arm.
"Hi, Dad," Heer said, her voice cool.
"Hi..." Jamshed Rahmani replied, his voice laced with visible shock.
Heer didn't give him a second to recover. She turned to the surrounding elite and announced, "Everybody, meet my boyfriend, Aslam."
Suddenly, Arslan pushed through the crowd, his face twisted in disbelief. "What? What did you just say? Am I dreaming? Heer, who is this—"
"Get lost, cousin," Heer interrupted, not even looking at him.
Before Jamshed could speak, Muskan stepped forward. She stared at Aslam, her eyes narrowing. "I know you," she said. At the exact same time, Jamshed's deep voice echoed hers: "I know you, too."
Heer's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Muskan and thought, It's over. Aslam looked at Jamshed and thought, I'm dead.
"You," Jamshed said, pointing a finger at Aslam, "are the guy who made the Nexus Project successful."
Aslam didn't flinch. "Yes, sir. You're right. And thank you for remembering me."
Muskan, however, wasn't letting go. "Have we met before? I'm 100% sure I've seen you. Where was it?"
"I don't think so," Aslam replied smoothly. "I usually remember faces as clearly as the ones I meet in my dreams."
"No, I'm certain..." Muskan muttered, frustrated.
Heer broke the tension, looking at her father. "Dad, I thought this was a simple family dinner. I see you changed your mind."
"Yes," Jamshed replied, his serious gaze landing on Aslam. "Because now I know everything I need to know. Aslam, can we talk? Privately."
"Why not?" Aslam said, stepping forward.
"Don't be too rude with him, Dad," Heer warned, but the two men were already walking toward the crowd.
Jamshed stopped and turned, his eyes like daggers. "So, Aslam... Heer gave you this suit. And the other suits. Am I right?"
"Yes, sir," Aslam answered honestly.
"I'll be very honest with you," Jamshed said, leaning in. "How much money do you want to leave my daughter's life? 10 million? 20? Let's say 50 million PKR."
Aslam smiled—a calm, steady smile that caught the Chairman off guard. "Sir, I'm going to say some words you might not like, so sorry in advance. But you don't know the value of your daughter. To me, she is more expensive than everything in this world."
Jamshed's lip curled. "Really? Then why did you take 3 million from her for your father's surgery?"
Aslam's expression didn't change. "Sir, if Heer were dying and the only medicine was in the hands of your biggest enemy, I bet you would still take it to save her. Heer isn't my enemy; she loves me, and I love her. So, what's the problem?"
Jamshed pulled out his phone, his face hardening. "When I said I know who you are, I didn't just mean the Nexus Project. I was talking about this."
He flipped through the screen. There were photos of Aslam and Heer kissing on the rooftop. Photos of Aslam at the store with Charles. Photos of them at the luxury restaurant laughing with Asia and Parwaiz.
Aslam's blood ran cold, but he kept his face like stone. "So... you were spying on me?"
"No," Jamshed snapped. "I was looking to see what she saw in you that she didn't see in the other boys. You see that man over there? Handsome, tall, the eldest son of the Ariza Companies. The youngest CEO in the country. Why you?"
Aslam followed his gaze, then looked back at Jamshed. He pointed to a young man in a simple black shirt across the lawn.
"Sir, look at that boy in the black shirt. Two years ago, he was an ordinary person. Now, he owns a multi-million empire. His father wasn't the owner of a multinational company, but he worked until he reached a position where the daughter of the Carez Company CEO can't stop looking at him."
Aslam looked Jamshed in the eye. "I am that kind of man, sir. I don't need a legacy. I am building one."
"Words are nothing," Jamshed said, his voice cold and sharp. "Can you actually make it real? Can you actually become a millionaire, or are you just a poet with a pretty face?"
"I will, sir," Aslam replied without a second of hesitation. "In fact, I'm already moving. I recently bought shares in Palaria Electronics. That company is about to rise again."
Jamshed let out a harsh laugh. "Palaria? That company is a sinking ship. No way. It won't happen."
"Believe me, sir, it will," Aslam said, stepping closer. "The shares I bought for $3,000 will be worth 3 million PKR by the time the market closes next week. And when they are, the first thing I'm doing is returning every cent of the surgery money to your daughter."
Jamshed went silent. He stared at Aslam, his mind racing. How does he know? he wondered. Palaria has been dead for months, but there are rumors of a merger... Is this boy a genius, or is he something else entirely?
Near the buffet, Asia grabbed Heer's arm. "Heer, what are you thinking? Aslam won't be able to handle uncle's tests. He's going to crack under the pressure!"
"No," Heer said, her eyes fixed on Aslam in the distance. "He will handle them 100%."
Asia frowned. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because," Heer whispered, a small, proud smile touching her lips, "I'm the one who planted those seeds of curiosity in my father's mind."
The sound of a microphone feedback rang through the garden. Jamshed began walking toward the grand stage. Heer intercepted him, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"So, Dad... what do you think of my boyfriend now?"
Jamshed didn't answer. He didn't even look at her. He brushed past her and stepped onto the stage, the spotlight hitting his expensive suit. Heer and Asia stood frozen, watching him. Heer looked across the crowd at Aslam. His face was pale, his eyes wide. This wasn't part of the plan. This wasn't how the "Family Dinner" was supposed to go.
Jamshed Rahmani tapped the mic, and the hundreds of elite guests went silent.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Jamshed's voice boomed over the speakers. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. As you all know, we are here tonight for a monumental announcement. The future of Queens Group depends on leadership, vision, and strength."
He looked down at the front row, his gaze shifting between a smug, smiling Arslan and a terrified Heer.
"The wait is over," Jamshed declared. "The new CEO of Queens Group International is..."
[End of Chapter 17]