Author's Note
HAYAT-E-SHEHRIYAAR
Written by Afra Maryam
This is a story about those moments that unfold right before our eyes—yet somehow, we fail to see them.
It questions a quiet misconception: that adding color to life is the same as keeping hope alive… when in truth, the two are not the same at all.
This book unveils a harsher reality—that when wealth is laid before a person in abundance, they often cease to remain human. In forgetting their nature, they drift closer to something far more predatory.
It reminds us that not every event is adorned with a happy ending, not every path leads to light but the life of a person truly depends on what the see and what they do, that every individual, no matter how many times they have failed, should hold a beacon of hope.
It speaks of that moment when somewhere, people are celebrating their happiness… while somewhere else, a solitary soul is silently falling apart—accepting the end of a once-smiling life when it's only the beginning.
It is an acknowledgment of a simple truth: there is not a single human in this world who passes through life untouched by hardship.
This book also teaches us that no matter how complete, strong, or flawless someone may appear on the surface, within them, in some hidden corner of their being, a battle is always being fought—one that remains unseen by others.
Many of the events, emotions, and characters in this story are inspired by real life. This is not mere fiction—it is a reflection of truths we witness every day, yet hesitate to accept.
Because life is not only made of happy events…
but also of those silent conclusions that no one ever hears.
DEDICATION
To my parents, whose prayers carried me this far.
To the dreams that refuse to let me sleep, yet hold the courage to be fulfilled.
To the stories that live within the heart, but never reach the lips.
To my Creator, who gave me words—and granted those words meaning.
To that part of me that knows how to rebuild itself in the face of every hardship.
To the nights that were long, but never meaningless.
To my future, still waiting to be written.
To every door that closed, so a better one could open.
To the one whose friendship was and is no less than a crown, and whose loyalty turned my heart into a kingdom. To the moments we shared, the memories that will forever remain.
And finally, to those individuals who could not become part of my story—yet somehow, became the reason behind it.
Fahad Latif
Abida Fahad
“When something is hidden, it only becomes more intriguing…The higher the wall, the stronger the desire to cross it.”
— Shehriyaar Sikandar
©2026, Afra Maryam
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