Zawad's P.O.V.

Damn!
Damn!
Damn!
Son of a bitch!

I was running to my car from the convention centre to get in my car. I have only 20 minutes left to reach the airport and catch my flight to Singapore. Reaching the car, I couldn't find my driver. Thank God, I have spare keys. Getting in the car, I threw away the turban from my head to the side seat and started driving to the airport. I will call my driver later to take the car back from the airport's parking lot. I have to catch the flight now! Oh dear Allah! Help me, please! My phone kept vibrating in my pocket but I just couldn't pick it up while driving so fast. All thanks to my mom for choosing a convention center not so far from the airport.

When I reached the airport, I checked the watch again. 7 minutes. 7 minutes and that damn bastard will be gone. I have to catch him. Now! Thank God I had my passport with me.

I showed my online ticket at the booth that Yogesh booked for me and got in. Then I ran to the plane just before they could seal the gate. Alhumdulillah!

I took my seat and breathed heavily. I have no idea how I could reach the airport and catch the flight so quickly. I'm really fortunate.

Speaking of fortune, I laughed at the agony. I was supposed to get married today for Allah's sake! Instead right now, I'm in my wedding Sherwani running from my wedding venue towards an unknown destination. I brought my phone out of my pocket and saw hundreds of missed calls. I saw the name Shayba and my breathing stopped immediately. What have I done to her?! What will she think of me?! Oh Allah, help me out please!

The air hostess started announcing that the flight will take off soon, so I quickly texted my driver to take the car back from where I parked it and in little time I was in the air.

I couldn't contact her.

Why is every bad thing happening to me all at once?! I threw the phone on my lap. Unbearable!

The whole journey a terrible guilt ate me up. What was I supposed to do? I had no other option! I had to come. What else could have I done? My mind reeled back to the moment I was getting ready for my own wedding when Yogesh called.

"Sir, I'm sorry but I have to interrupt you. There's been a bankrupt."
"A what!?!?!!"
"Bankrupt. Yes, you heard me right." Yogesh breathed hard, "H2O's commercial bank balance is absolutely zero now. Completely zero."
I couldn't understand. Did I hear him right?
"I don't understand. What are you talking about?! How is this possible?!"
"Sir, I'm still looking for it. I'll let you know when I know something new."
"Yes, keep me informed. And don't tell my mom anything! Contact with Mahmud Bhai right now."
"Sure." saying this, he hung up before me. Not out of disrespect, I could get that, Yogesh is anxious like me too. But what the damn hell did I just hear? How is that even possible? And who will do such a thing?!

I didn't tell mom anything about it. I had to get dressed up instead and start for the convention centre. But I just couldn't get my mind focused on the happy event. What am I supposed to do now? On one side, my parents' whole world is breaking down, we have been bankrupted with zero bank balance left, and then on the other side, everyone is waiting for me to get married to the most beautiful girl in the world who I deeply fell in love with.

I was sitting on the stage, deeply engrossed in the information I got from Yogesh and other texts that continuously came from some other staff, some welling up at the thought of our company's shutting down, some complaining whether they are going to get their salary or not, and some consoling me for my deep loss, and then came some messages wishing me all the best for a happy married life. I was supposed to be cheerfully waiting to get the opportunity to finally call this particular girl my wife, but then Yogesh called again.

"Yes?!"I immediately answered hoping to get a piece of new information that may help.
"Everything was being supervised extremely carefully for the past several months and yet this happened and now it seems we already know our answer Sir." he tried to laugh a bit.
"Huh? I don't get it."
"The whole thing was being conducted by one certain person who you trusted more than your life, that damn Mr. Mahmud, that scoundrel took everything away from you!" he said, as the ground seemed to move from under my feet and I fell in the deep dark pit, not even noticing the language he used.

"What?" I replied in an inaudible voice.
Mahmud bhai couldn't come to my wedding because he is busy handling stuff in Chittagong. I know that! I almost choked out of breath at the sudden unexpected information.
"Sorry for my language, sir. But Mr. Mahmud was in charge of your accounts and he himself signed to waive off everything you had and eloped." Yogesh finally gained his clarity of mind.
"Eloped?"
"He transfered all the money to his account, Sir. You and he recently came back from Singapore, the visa still being valid, we are assuming he is flying there. He knows none of us can follow him right at this moment and it will give him plenty of time till we can manage our visa."
"Then stop him! When is his flight?!"
"The next flight to Singapore is of The Emirates which leaves in thirty minutes. Before we can contact the police and reach the airport, he will be gone."
"Ask the police to stop him before immigration!"
"He has already passed his immigration, Sir."
I started to sweat. I have never felt so helpless. All this hard work of all these years will be gone? Just like that? How could Mahmud Bhai do this to us? This company has been built upon our dream and sweat. How could he?
"Yogesh," I tried to bring strength to my feeble voice, "You have to confiscate everything he has in Chittagong. Where's his family?"
"They live in the US, Sir. Remember?"
"Oh right. Search his home. Go with the police warrant. And.. and...." I thought what I could do right now to catch this guy. I need documents, I need proofs that the money in his account is stolen. But first I need to contact the police and catch him, then comes investigation.
"Book a ticket for me from Dhaka to Singapore right now!"

"What are you saying, Sir? It's your marriage. You can't catch the plane before all the formalities are over."

I realized it too but I questioned myself again. I have to catch the robber. My family robber. The person I respected like my own big brother. The guy who betrayed my mother, who will probably have a heart attack when she hears the news.
"Do what I say, Yogesh."
He sighed, "The next flight to Singapore from Dhaka of Biman Bangladesh is in fifty minutes. I'll try to manage one for you, sir."
"Good." In ten minutes he sent me an email of my online ticket and I immediately sprung up from my seat. But before I could leave, I turned to apologize for the last time to that innocent girl. I couldn't even imagine the heartbreak she is going to have, I know what I'm doing is unforgivable but for now, I just have to go. I ran to her, said sorry in the brief moment, and rushed to catch the plane. But that shocked glance of those big eyes made me regret my decision again and again. I don't want to lose her even if my world turns upside down.

But still here I am. Sitting in a plane seat. Without giving any explanation to the girl why I left her at the last moment. Thinking what she must be going through right now gave me a shrill chill.

I'm so despicable!

I wish I could talk to her. For once. Allah, please don't let her lose her trust in me. She will understand. I believe she will. She has to! She knows me very well. She will definitely give me a chance to explain myself. But what if she refuses after hearing everything? What do I do then?

Yogesh said he will tell my people at Singapore to make arrangements for me, but right now I only need to contact the police in Singapore and catch Mahmud bhai first before he spends the money somewhere else, otherwise everything will be gone and I won't be able to retrieve our money back. Damn it sucks to call him bhai anymore. He ruined everything. Everything in my life. Everything my parents built. He didn't steal, he robbed us! On my wedding day! When he knew we won't be there to supervise or catch him. When mom gets to know about this, she will have a heart attack. Or maybe she already knows?

When I reached Changi airport of Singapore after four long hours, I switched on my Singaporean sim into my phone and contacted police immediately. According to the flight schedule, he has landed one hour earlier already. So it means he has already got into a hotel.
I took a cab and went to the hotel I stayed during my last visit. With this same guy. Oh Allah! I trusted him so much! I booked a single bed for me, thankfully it will be available after few more hours. So I came out of the hotel and straight went to the police while Yogesh mailed me every document I'll be needing here.

Next, I got so busy in the investigation that I couldn't even get a minute to contact mom, so I asked Yogesh who was always on live stream with me to talk to mom about the bankruptcy and tell her to go to the police station by herself post a general diary too.

The whole investigation is an extremely exhausting and dirty thing. When the police of both countries found out we are from such a big company, we had to bribe to different places and to different persons. No one agreed to cooperate until we satisfied them with our money. The whole world works that way.

But after this nasty Haram part of bribery, they behaved really well. The officers made me go everywhere they went and I needed to be present during every formal procedure and sign a lot of paperwork. As I had every legal document with me that Yogesh sent online and I knew every detail about Mahmud bhai, it didn't take more than two days and one night to catch the culprit. It wouldn't have taken this long, but looks like Mr. Mahmud wasn't Mahmud anymore, but with a new fancy name, with a completely different identity, with a hair wig and a moustache. His disguise was so immaculate and perfect, I didn't even recognize it was him. Thankfully the voice never changed. Oh he has planned for a really long time and worked really hard!

"Well, Mr. Mahmud, what is your statement about this?"the officer enquired while I stared at him with despise.
His disguise was removed and he was handcuffed. "I need a lawyer. You have no proof that this money is yours." he hissed.
"Well then, explain your mustache and the wig. Why did you need that? Are you acting in a play or something?"said the police.
He glared, but couldn't reply. Well looks like we are going to win soon.

But it didn't finish SOON. There were so many trials and procedures to go through, I couldn't even breathe properly. Instead if he murdered us and then robbed us, it would be easier for him to get rid of the police. But it took a long time and patience to finally take this to the court. Well, now I guess, we are stuck in this case forever.

In the meantime I tried calling Shayba on WhatsApp, but her phone was out of reach. And I am the guy responsible for it. What an irony! I hope she knew what I am going through.

I let mom know everything when my body finally fell on the bed. Her face was so pale she looked like she has aged at least 10 years overnight. She asked me so many questions about how where when what happened, I almost dozed off while answering her.

"Go to sleep, ma. It's midnight over there." I said when I was finally finished telling the story.
"Yeah." she sighed.
"Ma?"
"Hmm."
"How is Shayba?"
She kept quiet.
"What do you expect Abir?"
I didn't reply.
"Well... She....she didn't pick up my call, maybe her phone is switched off."
"Come soon and tell her everything, every single detail, don't let her have any doubt about you. Maybe she will understand."
"What happened after I had run away?"
"As it was supposed to be. Her mom threw her ring on my face. Don't worry, I picked it up. Take this with you when you go to meet her."
I sighed and face palmed. I caused this much humiliation to my mother. My marriage was supposed to be beautiful. She never deserved this much pain and heartbreak that I caused. What if she doesn't accept me when I go back? I'll forever stay single then. It's impossible for me to even think of spending my life with someone else.

Thinking about Shayba and H2O all at the same time, my eyelids closed due to severe fatigue.

The next day, I took my flight back to Dhaka and on reaching the airport, I found my mom waiting for me with the car. She calmly embraced me into a hug as if all the energy has been drained out from her. Sitting in the car, she took out her purse and brought out a familiar ring and handed it over to me. "Will I drop you at her home now?"
I stared at her for a while. Now? I haven't even freshened up, my hair is not combed, I haven't taken a shower, I need to brush, moreover, I'm hungry. How can I meet her now?

"Sure, mom."I replied dryly. I owe this girl an explanation as soon as possible, the more devastated I look, the more is the chance of her being convinced.
"Driver, please drop Abir at his bride's place."
"Mom, what about the media? The newspapers? Haven't they published our news? H2O's owners begging for money from door to door or something like that?"
"3 newspapers and one TV channel. The news is still new. They will publish when they actually know something. I haven't talked to any reporter yet."
"Nice."
"Here," she brought out a copy of today's newspaper from the back pocket of the car seat and handed it to me. "Have a look."

I looked down at the title of that particular news at the last page. MILLIONAIRE COMPANY ON FOOTPATH OVERNIGHT - below there was a sub headline that said, H2O OFFICIALLY GOING TO BE CLOSED.

I sneered at the piece of news. Reporters just feed anything to the people without even knowing the background of a story.

"Sir, we are here."the driver said as I looked up and saw the lawn of her house. Damn it. I have to face the most difficult trial now.