Dusk to Dawn (The Legacy Duet - 1)

𝕴𝖓 𝕬𝖒𝖔𝖗𝖊𝖒 𝕴𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖘

𝕿here was an art to surviving a man like my grandfather.

The first trick was to approach him in a place where he felt confident, where he thought he was the apex predator in his land because he'd successfully hunted there before. Like his study or the main breakfast table, where he sat, watching all of us from his regal perch what I already knew was his preferred place. It was just far enough from his comfort zone and just close enough to make this entire work.

The second step in the process was to learn what he liked. What didn't upset him. What he loathed. In Daada Jaan's case, he enjoyed cigars, impeccable cooking, and expensive things. As for what he hated? Bad manners. Loose jeans. Shaggy unkept horses and.. being upstaged.

The last step was the tricky part, you had to make him believe you were smart enough to be an interesting investment - that you might be prey, weak and naive, but you were worth the risk to take a chance.

Enough for him to not dismiss you immediately.

"Was that a message last night Zeenia? Should I give credence to the rumours swirling around?"

"I'm not aware of any," lie. I was aware of all of them. "And no, you should not."

He nodded, accepting it for now.

"Then I would like to appreciate you for your efforts. We raised thirty million dollars last night, how are you planning to distribute-"

"That's it? That's all? You're not going to ask about her and that boy?" Seher uttered a shrill, fearful laugh and shook her head.

"Something got your insides in a twist Seher?" a thin thread of breath passed through my pursed lips.

"Just wanted to know if we should be prepared for something," her smile was so forced and pinched that her eyes creased. "It's always better to be-"

"You have nothing to worry about and nothing to prepare for."

"Zeenia," Altamash's voice was loud enough that the servants in the hall checked in to see if we were okay.

"Don't Zeenia me. Tell your wife to mind her words."

"Enough, both of you," the world around us turned silent, a dark galaxy spinning with a gravitational force that drew us closer. Every nerve kindled to life under Daada Jaan's stare and my skin prickled with anxiety.

"Daada Jaan, I've been told that she's been seeing him behind our backs."

"And you would know a thing or two about that wouldn't you Altamash?"

"Both of you, enough," Daada Jaan did not even try to hide how unimpressed he was. "Zeenia, you went to Islamabad?"

"Yes."

"With him?" that him had a name.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To visit Taimoor. Your grandson? Our brother?" I waited for someone to say something, but was met with stunned silence which was apparently the sum and substance of their guilt, so after a moment, I just went on. "No one's bothered to reach out or even talk to him. Have we even considered the fact that he'd needed us? Do we even know what the doctors have said about his condition? If he's in pain or not?"

"He left us to go live in that place-" Seher pouted.

"You know perfectly well why he left."

"How is he?" my mother's quiet voice cut through our argument like a sharp knife.

"He's refused any further treatments. No more surgeries. The skin tissue... it's too damaged to heal properly."

Mother stared, her mouth working in silent horror. "Does he... He wants to look like that for the rest of his-"