“Ali bhai...”
Ahad spoke cheerfully.
“It’s the third day of our collaboration.”
Ali nodded.
“And today we'll have enough data to generate the simulation.”
Ahad's eyes lit up.
“Really? I'd love to see that.”
Noor Ain seemed far more at ease in Ali's office today. She reviewed the master field report and helped Ali integrate the latest field data, just as she had done the previous day.
Once they were finished, Ali leaned back slightly.
“There is something I need to tell both of you.”
Ahad and Noor Ain looked at him.
“Whether you've dealt with him before or not, be careful around Sajjad.”
“Sajjad?”
Noor Ain's golden eyes widened slightly.
“I think I've seen him,” Ahad said. “He's rather well known around the firm. From the security staff at the gate to the executives in our wing... it seems everyone knows him.”
Ali nodded.
“The same Sajjad.”
Noor Ain looked at him.
“But why should we be careful around him?”
“He has a probing nature.”
Ali chose his words carefully.
“He likes to know what's happening around this wing—especially what's happening behind the closed doors of my office.”
He paused.
“Lately, he's become particularly curious about what the three of us are doing here after working hours.”
Noor Ain's expression changed subtly.
“And Noor Ain...” Ali hesitated. “I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but Sajjad seems to have a rather suspicious opinion of you.”
“Suspicious opinion?”
Ali nodded.
“I'm not saying you should be afraid of him. Just stay alert.”
He looked at both of them.
“If he tries to get friendly or starts asking questions about what we're doing here, simply tell him we're working under Mr. Haider's instructions.”
He paused.
“A collaboration between two wings.”
His voice became firmer.
“Nothing more. Nothing less.”
Ahad stiffened slightly in his chair.
“So... is he someone we should be afraid of?”
Ali shrugged.
“No.”
He glanced towards the office door.
“But he's certainly someone who keeps an eye out for controversy.”
A faint, dry smile touched his face.
“Or, more precisely, someone who has a talent for turning molehills into mountains.”
“So... here we go.”
Ali clicked the final button on his laptop.
For a moment, the massive wall display remained dark.
Then a three-dimensional grid appeared.
Scattered points began emerging across it, slowly forming the outline of the Phase One construction site.
The model was still relatively sparse. The project had only been under construction for a few weeks, after all.
Foundation grids appeared first, followed by the structural layout, access routes, surveyed elevations, and the sections of the site where construction had already begun.
As the system processed the remaining data, Noor Ain's field observations began appearing within the model.
Measurements.
Site conditions.
Structural markers.
Progress points.
Everything they had collected over the previous three days was being integrated into a single three-dimensional representation of the site.
Ahad leaned forward.
“So this is the actual site?”
“Phase One,” Ali replied.
He rotated the model slightly.
The perspective changed, giving them a clearer view of the developing structure.
Noor Ain remained focused on the display.
“That wasn't visible before.”
Ali looked at her.
“What?”
She pointed towards a section of the model.
“That deviation.”
Ali zoomed in.
A small portion of the structural grid shifted into sharper focus.
Ahad leaned closer.
“Is that significant?”
Ali studied the figures appearing beside it.
“Not necessarily.”
He paused.
“But that's exactly why we're running the simulation.”
He adjusted another parameter.
The model recalculated.
“This isn't supposed to tell us what we want to see.”
His eyes remained fixed on the screen.
“It tells us what the data is actually saying.”
Noor Ain studied the model for another moment.
“So... when will we actually have something that resembles a building?”
Ali glanced at her.
“That depends on the pace of construction.”
He closed the simulation window.
“If you people manage to build something quickly, you'll have your answer soon enough.”
Ahad smiled.
“I think that's our cue to work faster.”
Noor Ain gave him a faint smile.
Ali shut down the display.
“For now, we've got what we came for.”
The massive screen went dark.
Abdul Ahad's fascination still hadn't worn off.
“Ali bhai... so that's what this massive screen is for?”
He pointed towards the wall.
“And I thought it was only for the firm's promotional tickers.”
Ali smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Ahad nodded.
“By the way, very soon there'll be promotional tickers throughout the firm featuring the latest campaigns.”
He grinned.
“And keep your fingers crossed. You might see a familiar face representing Haideron Tech.”
Ahad's smile widened.
“Is that so, Ali bhai?”
Ali nodded.
Then he looked towards Noor Ain.
“You all right?”
She forced a faint smile.
“I think I need to book a ride today. Baba's driver isn't available.”
Ahad glanced at the time.
“Ma'am... it's 7:15.”
He looked towards the dark windows.
“And it's already dark.”
Ali sounded concerned..
“If you had a transportation problem, you could have left earlier. I told you already... I've never been in favour of women staying late at the office.”
Noor Ain drew a breath.
“Baba offered an alternative arrangement, but I declined. I told him I'd manage on my own.”
Ahad looked at her incredulously.
“Ma'am, you probably shouldn't have declined.”
He paused.
“Especially since you've hardly ever travelled on your own—and you don't even have a ride-booking app installed on your phone.”
Noor Ain moistened her lips.
“I was trying to stretch my comfort zone.”
Ali's sea-green eyes blinked once.
“Noor Ain... that's not how you stretch your comfort zone.”
His tone remained calm.
“Not at this hour, and certainly not by putting yourself in a situation you're unfamiliar with.”
He paused.
“There's no need to force yourself to do everything at once.”
Noor Ain lowered her eyes.
“So what do I do now?” Ahad asked. “Should I drop you home?”
“No...”
“I mean... no, thank you, Ahad.”
She hesitated.
“But if you could just book a ride for me and keep track of it until I reach home, I'd be grateful.”
“But what's the harm if Ahad takes you home?” Ali asked. “Or I wouldn't mind driving you myself.”
Ahad nodded.
Noor Ain stiffened slightly.
“No. My house is out of Ahad's way.”
She glanced at Ali.
“And you, Ali sir... you're the Director. It wouldn't look appropriate for a Director to drop a PMO home.”
Ali raised a hand.
“And it will look appropriate for you to trust a completely unfamiliar driver at this hour?”
Noor Ain lowered her eyes.
For a moment, she had no answer.
Then she looked up again.
“You're supposed to be giving me confidence.”
A faint, almost exasperated smile touched her face.
“Instead, you're making me question my decision.”
“Me?”
Ali pointed towards himself.
“Giving you confidence?”
Noor Ain shook her head gently.
“That is what you've been doing for the past couple of days.”
Ali fell silent.
For a moment, he genuinely didn't know what to say.
He couldn't remember ever deliberately trying to build her confidence.
He had simply been treating her like any other colleague—perhaps explaining things when she needed them, correcting her when necessary, and making sure she didn't feel out of place.
Yet she seemed to have taken all of that differently.
And, apparently, it had mattered to her.
Ali looked at her for a moment, saying nothing.
“Abdul Ahad... book a ride for Noor Ain, please.”
Ali was already powering down his laptop.
Ahad nodded and took out his phone.
“Where should I set the drop-off location, ma'am?”
Noor Ain answered softly.
“Azure Shore. The Commissioner's residence.”
“Commissioner's residence?”
Ahad looked up.
Noor Ain met his gaze.
“Yes.”
She paused.
“My home.”
“Your home?”
Ali closed the lid of his laptop.
“The Commissioner's residence?”
He sounded genuinely startled.
Ahad looked equally surprised.
“And I was about to enter Shahzaman Haveli...”
Noor Ain said nothing.
She simply lowered her eyes.
Both men waited for an explanation.
Instead, she picked up the HT manila folder from Ali's desk and handed it to Ahad.
“This folder needs to go back to our wing. It shouldn't be left here.”
Ali looked at the folder.
“It won't be.”
He took it from Ahad.
“I'll lock it in one of the drawers before I leave.”
Noor Ain nodded.
“It's just that we'll be away for two days. That's why I'm a little concerned.”
Ali gave a small nod.
“Don't worry. It will be secured.”
The three of them left the office together.
Ahad and Noor Ain headed towards the elevators, while Ali stopped at the reception desk, where two armed security officers were stationed.
Abdul Ahad stayed beside Noor Ain until she boarded the cab.
He closed the door himself and gave her a brief wave as the car pulled away.
A few moments later, he climbed into his own Suzuki Cultus and drove out of the firm's premises.
82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqer5CjZ6v
82Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvlxUbG61Y
and then Add to home screen.