#mafiaromance #secondchanceatlove
Prologue

"You're already the mother of my four children," Arsalan chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "And you're about to bring another one into this world. And you have the audacity to tell me I'm not romantic?"

Sahira met his gaze with a steely resolve. "If you want to know how romantic you were, listen closely," she said, her voice dripping with venom. His ears burned as she recounted her tale, leaving him flushed with shame.

"And if you want to know what you've done to me..."

Arsalan's playful demeanor evaporated, replaced by a sense of unease. He released her wrist, and Sahira recoiled, putting distance between them.

Arsalan's eyes fell, his voice laced with remorse. "Was I that bad?"

"You're far worse, Arsalan," she retorted, her voice laced with anger. "This act of amnesia you're putting on could fool the entire world. But not me. I've seen your masterful acting before. But I'm not going to fall for your deception again, Arsalan Ansari."

Sahira turned to leave, but Arsalan's voice stopped her.

"Hira...can't you forgive me? I don't remember anything about my past. I have no recollection of who I was, what I did... Please believe me. Forgive me."

For a fleeting moment, Sahira's heart wavered. Her feet remained rooted to the spot.

She turned back to face him, her eyes filled with skepticism. "Well, well, well. What an incredible performance, Arsalan. You deserve an Oscar for that one," she sneered, turning and walking away.

Arsalan let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

Prologue ends...

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The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Amongst the men of Bani Israel there was a man who had murdered ninety-nine persons. Then he set out asking (whether his repentance could be accepted or not). He came upon a monk and asked him if his repentance could be accepted. The monk replied in the negative and so the man killed him. He kept on asking till a man advised to go to such and such village. (So he left for it) but death overtook him on the way. While dying, he turned his chest towards that village (where he had hoped his repentance would be accepted), and so the angels of mercy and the angels of punishment quarrelled amongst themselves regarding him. Allah ordered the village (towards which he was going) to come closer to him, and ordered the village (whence he had come), to go far away, and then He ordered the angels to measure the distances between his body and the two villages. So he was found to be one span closer to the village (he was going to). So he was forgiven."

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Arsalan was running inside the forest. His steps rushed. Eyes gazing everywhere, alert. The sound of his steps on the dried leaves made some sound. He was carrying his son , Arham on his arms. His little self unaware of the grave danger lurking behind them.

"There he is." he heard. And, someone tried to attack him. He hide behind a tree and took out his revolver and fired.

Araham woke up hearing the loud noise.

"Daddy, what happened? " he asked, wondering what is happening around him. He placed a kiss on his forehead and said, " We are playing a game here. You see, your dad is playing a cop here."

"Cop?" Arham chirped excitedly.

"Yes, champ, cop." he shot another bullet.

"That's exciting. I am going to tell others." His

"Sure , champ. But, if you want daddy to win this game, then you have to do what daddy says."

" Of course, we are going to win this." He said but his voice didn't hold its usual confidence.

Arsalan had faced many dangers in his life, but never had he felt fear like this. A fear so profound, so visceral, that it shook him to his core.

He had always seen fear in the eyes of others, but today, it was his own gaze that reflected the depths of his dread. A fear that gnawed at his insides, a fear that threatened to consume him.

Was it the fear of the unknown? The fear of...