Raaz-e-Mohabbat: A Valentine's Day Mystery
Bhopal in February carried a crisp chill, yet the warmth of approaching Valentine's Day was undeniable. The streets were painted in hues of red and pink—florists displaying fresh roses, cafés decked in heart-shaped decorations, and shops offering irresistible discounts on chocolates and gifts. Love was in the air, or so it seemed.
But inside Khan Villa, Asad Ahmed Khan remained utterly indifferent. Dressed in his crisp white shirt and black waistcoat, he adjusted his cufflinks as he descended the stairs. He barely spared a glance at the heart-shaped decorations Najma had put up near the entrance.
"Yeh sab faltu cheezein hain," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
But unbeknownst to him, this Valentine’s Day had something unexpected in store—something that would shake his carefully controlled world.
***
Zoya Farooqui sat cross-legged on her bed, flipping through the pages of her shayarana diary. Every few seconds, she glanced at the delicate white envelope lying beside her. It had been slipped under her door earlier that morning, with no sender, no hint of who it was from.
Her fingers traced the elegant handwriting on the front:
"Zoya"
With curiosity bubbling inside her, she carefully opened it and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. As her eyes scanned the words, her heart skipped a beat.
"Kya aapne kabhi mehsoos kiya hai ki koi door se aapko dekh raha ho? Aapki hasi kisi ka din banati ho? Shayad aap mujhe dekh nahi sakti, lekin main hamesha aapke kareeb hoon… Aapka ek raazdar."
Zoya blinked, her mind racing. A secret admirer? Here? In Khan Villa?
She gasped dramatically. "Allah miyan, what's wrong with people? Itna filmy kaun hota hai?"
Just then, Najma walked in. "Zoya, kya hua? Aap kis se baat kar rahi hain?"
"Kisi se nahi, bas..." Zoya quickly stuffed the letter under her pillow. "Ek ajeeb si mystery solve kar rahi hoon."
Najma narrowed her eyes. "Mystery? Kya aapka koi new mission chal raha hai?"
Zoya grinned. "Shayad!"
But deep inside, she couldn't shake the excitement. Who could have sent this?
***
That evening, Asad arrived home, exhausted from a long day at work. He stepped into the living room, only to stop short.
A small heart-shaped box sat on the dining table, wrapped in a deep red satin ribbon. His frown deepened.
"Ammi!" He turned towards Dilshad, who was seated on the sofa. "Yeh kya hai?"
Dilshad looked up and smiled knowingly. "Ek tohfa hai."
"Najma ka hoga," he said dismissively.
"Lagta toh nahi," Dilshad teased. "Zara dhyan se dekho."
Reluctantly, Asad picked up the box. His sharp eyes landed on the attached note:
"Mere ek khaas insaan ke liye…"
Before he could react, Zoya bounced into the room. "Arre wah, Mr. Khan! Kya baat hai? Aapko bhi Valentine’s Day par gift mil raha hai?" She wiggled her eyebrows playfully. "Kya aapka bhi koi raazdar hai?"
Asad shot her a glare. "Miss Farooqui, yeh bakwaas band kijiye."
"Haww! Yeh toh jealousy wali baat ho gayi!" she teased, sitting across from him. "Chaliye, ab khol bhi lijiye! Sabko toh pata chalna chahiye ki Asad Ahmed Khan ka secret admirer kaun hai!"
Dilshad and Najma giggled as Asad reluctantly untied the ribbon. Inside the box lay a small silver key resting on a red velvet cushion. A note was tucked beside it.
"Sirf aap hi is raaz ki chabi ho. Kya aap is paheli ko suljha paayenge?"
Asad’s frown deepened. "Yeh sab faltu ka drama kisne kiya hai?"
Zoya, on the other hand, was positively thrilled. "Mr. Khan, this is so exciting! Aapko koi clues mil rahe hain!"
Asad sighed. "Mujhe yeh bachpana bilkul pasand nahi."
But for some reason, his gaze lingered on the key.
***
Later that night, Asad stood by his bedroom window, absentmindedly twirling the small key between his fingers. His logical mind told him to ignore this nonsense, but something about the whole situation nagged at him.
Then, he heard a soft noise outside. His eyes snapped towards the hallway.
Quietly stepping out, he spotted Zoya sneaking toward the backyard.
"Miss Farooqui!" he called, his voice stern.
She jumped, clutching her chest. "Allah miyan, Mr. Khan! Aap har baar mujhe aise kyun darate hain?"
"Main darata nahi hoon, aap khud hi har baar galat jagah par hoti hain," he retorted. "Ab bataiye, raat ke is waqt yahan kya kar rahi hain?"
Zoya hesitated, then sighed dramatically. "Aapko bataun ya na bataun?"
"Miss Farooqui!" His patience was wearing thin.
"Fine, fine!" She held up a folded paper. "Ek aur letter aaya tha!"
Asad stepped closer as she unfolded it.
"Agar aap sach mein mujhe dhoondhna chahti hain, toh chhat par aake dekhiye."
Zoya’s eyes sparkled with excitement. "Mr. Khan, kya hum yeh adventure miss kar sakte hain?"
Asad groaned. "Miss Farooqui, yeh sab faltu ki cheez—"
"Nahi, Mr. Khan! Aap bhi jaanna chahte hain ki yeh kaun hai." She smirked.
He sighed in defeat. "Chaliye."
***
On the rooftop, the scene was mesmerizing. Fairy lights twinkled, a small round table held two cups of steaming coffee, and a single candle flickered in the centre. A red envelope lay neatly placed beside it.
Zoya gasped. "Wow… kitna romantic!" She turned to Asad with wide eyes. "Mr. Khan… kya aap—?"
"Pagal hain aap?" he scoffed. "Main yeh sab kyun karunga?"
She chuckled. "Haan, woh toh hai."
Picking up the envelope, she carefully opened it.
Inside, the letter read:
"Pyaar sirf woh nahi hota jo keh diya jaaye, kabhi kabhi jo ankahe reh jaaye, wahi sabse gehra hota hai… Aapka, A."
"A?" Zoya whispered, looking up at Asad.
Something in his gaze shifted. The hesitation, the intensity—it was as if the words in the letter reflected something deep inside him.
"Mr. Khan…" she whispered.
A muscle in his jaw clenched. And then, in the softest voice, he said, "Happy Valentine’s Day, Zoya."
Her breath hitched.
A realization washed over her—she had never needed a secret admirer. Because the person she had been waiting for had been standing in front of her all along.
***
The next morning, Zoya found a small red envelope tucked inside her diary.
"Kabhi kabhi, raaz kisi aur ka nahi hota… sirf dil ka hota hai. Tumhara, A."
This time, she didn’t need to guess who it was from.
Because she already knew.
Jaldi jaldi aao aur padho 
Mangal Lakshmi
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