Chapter One: The Woman Everyone Watches
The entrance of Mirza Group headquarters buzzed with excitement as reporters surrounded the black Mercedes that had just pulled up.
Camera flashes lit the morning.
“Ms. Mirza!”
“One question, please!”
The rear door opened.
Meher Mirza stepped out in an ivory pantsuit, her posture straight and confident. She carried herself with the calm authority of someone who belonged at the top.
A microphone was held toward her.
“Ms. Mirza, congratulations on securing the Singapore partnership. Companies much larger than Mirza Group failed to close the deal. How did you succeed?”
Meher smiled politely.
“Business isn’t about convincing people.”
“It’s about understanding them.”
The reporters fell silent.
Another spoke up.
“People are calling you Pakistan’s youngest businesswoman to secure an international agreement of this scale.”
“What would you like to say?”
“I didn’t achieve it alone.”
She glanced toward the towering headquarters behind her.
“Every employee inside that building played a part.”
The answer earned a wave of applause.
Without another word, she thanked the reporters and walked inside.
The lobby instantly became quieter.
Employees greeted her respectfully.
“Good morning, Ms. Mirza.”
“Congratulations, ma’am.”
Whispers followed her footsteps.
“She’s only twenty-eight.”
“The Singapore deal alone doubled our international reach.”
“They say she personally handled every negotiation.”
“Beauty and brains.”
“What a combination.”
Meher ignored the comments.
She had heard them all before.
As she walked through the finance department, everyone stood except one employee.
A young man sat staring at his computer, completely absorbed in work.
His coffee had gone cold.
Dark circles rested beneath his eyes.
His fingers paused over the keyboard for a moment before continuing again.
He never noticed her.
Meher slowed for the briefest second.
Strange...
Then she continued toward the boardroom.
The morning meeting lasted less than an hour.
The Singapore project was officially approved.
Expansion plans were finalized.
Budgets were reviewed.
When one director suggested renovating the executive offices, Meher simply closed the file.
“The company comes first.”
“We’ll postpone the renovations.”
No one objected.
That was the end of the discussion.
By afternoon, Mahnoor Siddiqui walked into Meher’s office carrying two iced coffees.
“I hope your celebrity interview is over.”
Meher smiled.
“I wasn’t aware I was a celebrity.”
“You practically are.”
Mahnoor handed her a coffee before sitting down.
“You know what Uncle Hammad asked me this morning?”
Meher sighed.
“Marriage.”
Mahnoor nodded.
“He wants to see you settled.”
“He wants peace of mind.”
Meher stared out the window.
“I know.”
A silence settled between them.
Mahnoor spoke more softly.
“Have you told him about Faris?”
Meher’s smile faded.
“No.”
“He still thinks you’re together?”
“He doesn’t know Faris lost everything.”
“He doesn’t know he fled the country.”
“And he never will.”
“Not while Father is this sick.”
Mahnoor reached across the desk.
“You can’t protect him forever.”
“I’m not trying to.”
“I’m trying to give him one less thing to worry about.”
Just then, a knock interrupted them.
“Come in.”
The same employee from the finance department stepped inside carrying several files.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Mirza.”
“I need your approval on these reports.”
His voice was calm.
Professional.
Meher signed the documents without unnecessary conversation.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
As he turned to leave, Mahnoor quietly watched him.
The office door closed.
Mahnoor grinned.
“So...”
Meher looked up.
“So?”
“He’s handsome.”
Meher laughed.
“That’s your observation?”
“I’m serious.”
“If Uncle Hammad insists on marriage...”
“...why not someone like him?”
Meher shook her head.
“I don’t even know his name.”
“Find out.”
Mahnoor winked.
“You might surprise yourself.”
That evening, Meher’s phone rang just as she reached home.
“Advocate Kamran.”
His voice sounded unusually heavy.
“Your father’s condition has worsened.”
Her heart sank.
“The doctors don’t know how much time he has.”
She closed her eyes.
“I’ll come tomorrow.”
“There’s something else.”
“The will.”
Meher remained silent.
“If you’re unmarried...”
“...your Uncle Rashid can challenge part of Mirza Group.”
“He’ll ruin Father’s company.”
“I know.”
“The simplest solution is for you to marry.”
She let out a tired breath.
“So my future has become a legal requirement.”
“No.”
“It has become your father’s final wish.”
The call ended.
For several minutes, Meher sat alone in complete silence.
Marriage.
The word felt heavier than ever.
The next morning, her driver slowed the car outside a quiet neighborhood.
A loud argument had gathered a crowd.
Meher looked through the window.
Her eyes widened.
It was the same employee from yesterday.
Several men surrounded him.
“We’ve waited long enough.”
“One week.”
“Pay every rupee you owe.”
“Otherwise this house belongs to us.”
One of the men shoved him hard.
Zayan steadied himself but didn’t fight back.
“I said I’ll arrange the money.”
“You’d better.”
The men finally walked away.
Meher watched him remain standing outside the small house for several seconds before quietly walking inside.
For reasons she couldn’t explain...
The image stayed with her all day.
Late that afternoon, someone knocked on her office door.
“Come in.”
Zayan stepped inside.
He looked exhausted.
“Ms. Mirza...”
“I have a request.”
She gestured for him to continue.
“I was wondering if...”
“...the company could give me one year’s salary in advance.”
Silence filled the room.
Meher studied his face.
Then she remembered the debt collectors.
She closed the file in front of her.
“I’ll approve it.”
Relief flashed across his face.
Before he could thank her, she continued,
“But first...”
She met his eyes.
“Meet me after work.”
He frowned.
“Excuse me?”
“The café across the street.”
“Six o’clock.”
“I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
“What is it?”
A faint smile crossed Meher’s face.
“You’ll find out when you get there.”
Zayan hesitated before nodding.
“I’ll be there.”
As he left the office, Meher looked down at the papers on her desk.
For the first time in her life...
She was about to make an offer that had nothing to do with business.
And everything to do with changing two lives forever
