Chapter 1 : Khauf ka Saaya Aur Adhoore khawab

Raat ka sannahata sheher par apni chadar phela chuka tha. Asman par baadal gehre thay aur halki halki boonda-baandi ne mausam mein ek ajeeb si khunki paida kar di thi. Magar Zoya ke dil mein jo aag sulag rahi thi, uske samne ye thandak kuch bhi nahi thi. Wo apne kamre ki khirki ke paas khari baher andhere mein ghuri ja rahi thi. Uske haath mein uske marhoom baap ki ek purani tasveer thi, jise wo zor se bheencha hue thi.

"Bhale hi goli Zain ke baap ne chalayi thi, par mere liye wo poora khandan hi gunahgaar hai," Zoya ne dhiime se khud se kaha, uski awaz mein ek ajeeb sa dard aur nafrat ka imtizaj tha. "Jiska baap qatil ho, uska beta maseeha kaise ho sakta hai?"

Zoya ki zindagi ka ek hi maqsad tha—apne baap ke qatil se badla lena. Wo us bad-naseeb raat ko kabhi nahi bhool sakti thi jab uske haste baste ghar ko aag aur khoon mein dooba diya gaya tha. Us din ke baad se, Zain ka naam uske liye sirf ek dushman ka naam nahi tha, balki us har takleef ka nishani tha jo usne aur uski maa ne jheli thi. Zain, jo is waqt sheher ka ek maaroof aur ba-asar shakhs ban chuka tha, poore sheher ke liye khauf aur dabdabbe ki alamat tha. Log uske naam se kaanpte thay, uske faislon ke samne sar jhukate thay. Magar Zoya? Zoya usse shadeed nafrat karti thi.

Wahi doosri taraf, sheher ke ek aalishan penthouse ki balcony mein khara Zain aik gehri soch mein dooba hua tha. Uske haath mein sigaret thi, jiska dhuan raat ke andhere mein gayab ho raha tha. Uska chehra sangeen aur uski aankhein gehri thien, jinmein ek ajeeb si deewangi aur obsessive look saaf nazar aati thi. Wo poore sheher ko apni ungliyon par nachata tha, magar jab baat Zoya ki aati, toh uska saara ghoor aur takabbur khak mein mil jata.

Zain ko maloom tha ke Zoya usse aur uske khandan se kitni nafrat karti hai. Use ye bhi maloom tha ke Zoya ke baap ki maut ka ilzam uske baap par hai. Magar wo is sab ke bawajood Zoya ko pane ke liye kisi bhi had tak jaane ko tayyar tha. Uski ye mohabbat aam nahi thi; ye ek junoon tha, ek aisi aag jo usse andar hi andar jala rahi thi.

"Tum mujhse chahe jitni nafrat kar lo Zoya," Zain ne dhiime se muskurate hue sigaret ka dhuan baher nikala, "Magar tumhari ye nafrat bhi mujhe tumse door nahi kar sakti. Main tumhare liye apni poori zindagi badalne ko tayyar hoon, magar main tumhe kisi aur ka nahi hone doonga."

Agli subah, Zoya apni aam ruteen ke mutabiq university ke liye nikli. Wo aam taur par bus se safar karti thi, magar aaj mausam kharab hone ki wajah se raste sunsaan thay. Jab wo ek khali sarak se guzar rahi thi, toh achanak ek kaali chamakti hui bari gari uske paas aakar ruki. Gari ke sheeshe neche hue aur andar se Zain ka saaf chehra namoodar hua.

Zoya ka dil tezi se dharakne laga, magar darr se nahi, balki gussay se. Usne apni muthhiyan bheenchi aur wahan se tezi se aage barhne lagi.

"Zoya, ruko. Mausam kharab hai, main tumhe drop kar deta hoon," Zain ne gari se baher nikalte hue kaha. Uska lehja narm tha, jo uske aam rawaiye se bilkul mukhtalif tha.

Zoya wahin ruk gayi aur mud kar uski aankhon mein dekha. "Mujhe ek qatil ke bete ki hamdardi ki koi zaroorat nahi hai, Zain Shah! Tumhare khandan ka saya bhi agar mujh par pare, toh mujhe ghin aati hai."

Zain ke chehre par ek pal ke liye dard ki lareer ubhri, magar agle hi pal usne khud par qabu pa liya. Wo Zoya ke qareeb aaya, itna qareeb ke Zoya uski saansons ki garmi mehsoos kar sakti thi. Zoya ne pichhe hatne ki koshish ki, magar Zain ne uska haath mazbooti se pakar liya.

"Chhoro mujhe!" Zoya chillayi.

"Nahi chhoroonga Zoya. Jab tak tum meri baat nahi sun leti," Zain ne uski aankhon mein dekhte hue kaha, jahan sirf aur sirf ek junooni diwangi thi. "Mere baap ne jo kiya, uski saza tum mujhe kyun de rahi ho? Main tumse mohabbat karta hoon, aur ye baat tum badal nahi sakti."

"Mohabbat?" Zoya ne tanziah hansi hansti hui kaha, uski aankhon mein aansu thay magar lehja pathar ki tarah sakht tha. "Tumhare khandan ne meri khushiyan cheeni hain. Tum se mohabbat karna toh door, main tumhari maut ki dua karti hoon. Tumhara ye junoon meri nafrat ke samne kabhi nahi jeet payega."

Zain ne uska haath chhor diya, magar uski aankhon ka junoon kam nahi hua. Zoya tezi se wahan se bhaag gayi, magar wo nahi jaanti thi ke ye toh sirf shuruaat thi. Ek aisi dushmani aur junooni mohabbat ki dastan shuru ho chuki thi, jahan nafrat ki sulgati aag mein dono ko jalna tha. Kya mohabbat apni jagah bana payegi? Ya ye junoon sab kuch rakh kar dega?

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