Raised in a brothel, 17-year-old Kohinoor never belonged to that world. She always dreamed of flying. She was a lotus blooming in the mud, who, despite living in the market, never became part of its glitter. She was in the market… but not of the mark... Raised in a brothel, 17-year-old Kohinoor never belonged to that world. She always dreamed of flying. She was a lotus blooming in the mud, who, despite living in the market, never became part of its glitter. She was in the market… but not of the market. But when has fate ever cared for anyone's desires? A deal changed the direction of her life. When a rude and arrogant businessman, Dastaan Shah, 11 years older than Kohinoor, sets his eyes on her. He hates every marketable thing. What will be the outcome of this story when people from two different worlds collide with each other's existence? Will Kohinoor be able to break free, or will she end up back in these infamous streets where her destiny was written? To know, read Ishq-e-Bazaar.<br />
Page 1 of 6
Mumbai, Kamathipura
Kamathipura, a district of Mumbai, is known as the city's oldest and most infamous red-light district. This area, filled with narrow alleys, held within it many painful pages of history.
The buildings here had aged — no dreams peeked out from their dilapidated walls and old windows anymore. Every turn, every corner told an untold story—of voiceless screams and tired smiles.
During the day, the area seemed quiet, but that silence was filled with unease. It was as if everything had come to a standstill, yet something was breaking from within. And when night descended, this silence transformed into vibrant colors—with hidden pain behind sparkling makeup, shimmering lights, and artificial laughter.
Here, every girl's face was not a face, but a mask—the result of some compulsion, some deceit, or some deal. In Kamathipura, 'humans' were turned into 'things'—and all this happened in a very measured, cold, and organized manner.
This was an area where time did not stop, but life went on.
An old lane in Kamathipura. But this one was slightly different from the other lanes—its silence was a bit calmer, and the air was merely infused with a faint scent of perfume.
From a first-floor window above, a girl was looking out. Her face was not clearly visible, but there was something different in her eyes—she was neither restless nor desperate, just a depth.
She was—Kohinoor.
As brilliant as her name, her life was filled with simplicity. Even while living in Kamathipura, she was not part of this trade. Everyone here knew this—in her eyes lay a dream that had not yet been broken.
Kohinoor had grown up here. Her mother was once part of this business, but she always tried to ensure Kohinoor's destiny did not lead down this path. Her mother was no longer there, but Kohinoor had held onto her words.
She taught children in the lanes, brought medicine for the elderly, and involved herself in every act that kept humanity alive in the narrow lanes of Kamathipura.
The outside world saw only one face of Kamathipura—women, bodies, and transactions.
But the truth was that in these lanes lived not just bodies, but souls.
There was pain here, but a dim flame of belonging also burned.
And Kohinoor was one of those who nurtured that flame.
Where souls are sold, prayers do not help. People even lose faith in the divine because they lose faith in humanity itself.
But Kohinoor had not lost faith in herself, nor in the divine.
"Oh God. I have faith only in you. Thank you for making this morning so beautiful. But there is a strange unease inside. Will today also keep me safe like the other days?"
"But I have faith in you. Just as you have never left my side, you will not let my trust be broken in the future."
Two tears rolled down Kohinoor's eyes. She silently felt the tears flowing down her cheeks. Her heart did not wish for her morning to be like this. With tears.
She opened her eyes and saw—faint rays of sunlight entering the room from the front. She got up from the window and went to the rooftop, where the sky was perfectly clear and the sun was shining.
Kohinoor looked at the sun, then slowly smiled—but that smile was also tinged with sadness.
Looking at the free birds flying in the sky, Kohinoor said to herself—"These birds are flying in the free sky. They too have no fear of being caged. So what reason do I have to fear?"
She said to herself and gave a light laugh at her own words.
But when her gaze fell on the courtyard below, it was the same scene—a girl being forcibly taken away with a man. There was fear in her eyes, and lust in the man's eyes.
The owner of this mansion was Mai Jaan, who weighed every girl in money. And the girl being taken away was named Alka—beautiful and liked by everyone. But her beauty was her greatest enemy.
But Kohinoor. She still wished that her name would not appear on that list.
Returning to her small room, Kohinoor sat on the bed and picked up a book from the side to read. She loved to read. It was through these books that she connected with the outside world. Absorbed in her books once again, Kohinoor was waiting for the day to end when suddenly…
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"Kohinoor. Get up, Mai is calling." At the door was her friend—Vaishali, who lived with her in this room.
"Why so early in the morning?" Kohinoor thought to herself, but her heart began to pound. She went and opened the door, and Vaishali entered the room and said to her, "Aren't you ready yet? Mai is calling you quickly."
Then, placing a dupatta kept aside on Kohinoor's shoulder, Vaishali began to explain.
"Look, when you meet her, say 'Mai', she becomes happy," Vaishali explained softly.
But Kohinoor knew—she would not say that. For her, she was not a woman, but a merchant. One who auctioned off women.
Kohinoor had been in this mansion since she was eight years old. She had seen everything here—how girls' lives were sold, how dreams were traded.
But the manager of this mansion was Mai Jaan. And Kohinoor could not ignore her summons. She slowly reached the door of Mai Jaan's room.
"You called?" she said from outside the door.
Mai Jaan smiled, but there was no affection in that smile—only motive.
"My shining Kohinoor! A big client has arrived today. He wants to see you."
Chanda was also sitting in the room. After Mai Jaan, she was the one who made all the decisions in this mansion—or rather, she considered herself the future Mai Jaan here. She always had a sweet smile, but Kohinoor found her smile to be false as well.
"You are the most beautiful, but you do nothing. The time has come. You should also do some work. After all, how long can we all bear your expenses?" Mai Jaan said, placing a bundle of notes in the cupboard.
Kohinoor's heart filled with a strange nervousness and fear. She didn't understand why she was being called. She had never been part of this work—and one reason for this was Pooja, Kohinoor's mother.
"But you promised my mother that you would never push me into this work. Are you breaking your promise? Have you forgotten that you vowed to my dying mother that you would not make me a part of this work?" Kohinoor asked in a trembling voice.
Mai looked at her with wide eyes and said, "I remember my promise very well. Your mother worked in this mansion for many years, and in her last moments, she made me promise to take good care of her daughter and raise her, and never make her a part of this work. I have kept that promise to this day. Because I told her at the last moment that until her daughter became sensible, she would not be a part of this work."
"I remember my promise. But do you remember the full words of that promise or not?" Kohinoor's heart trembled. It was true—even though Mai Jaan had promised Kohinoor's mother, that promise was only until Kohinoor became an adult. The promise held value only until she was eighteen. Otherwise, after that, Kohinoor's price would also be set.
Then Mai said in a slightly playful tone, "Oh, why are you worrying? There is no bargaining happening there. It's a small gathering. Oh, what do they call those big people... yes, Palarti."
At her words, Chanda laughed and said, "Mai, it's not Palarti, it's Party."
Mai also laughed and said, "Yes, yes, I know, that English Palarti."
"And there is a dance program. You just have to go there and give a good performance of your dance. In return, they will give a lot of money."
"Am I going alone?" Kohinoor's voice trembled slightly.
"No, other girls will also go—Sarita, Alia, Joya… everyone," Chanda said.
"Then why are you sending me? I am not that special. And I don't even know how to dance properly."
Chanda looked into her eyes and asked, "How old are you?"
"Seventeen," Kohinoor said softly.
"Then understand. Now you are the youngest. The most innocent. And this innocence... is very valuable."
No response from Groq.
An hour later, Kohinoor was sitting in a room. Her face was filled with despair. Her eyes were swollen from crying, but her spirit was not broken.
This room was the green room for the girls here. All the makeup and adornment supplies were kept here—along with the most outrageous clothes, and the finest things for enhancing one's appearance.
But Kohinoor's attention was not on any of these. She was looking at her broken reflection in the mirror. Her life had become a challenge. But the biggest challenge was tonight. What could be more difficult for her than tonight? She was not even eighteen years old yet, and tonight she was to be auctioned off.
The girl sitting with Kohinoor, who was applying blush to her face, looked at Kohinoor and said, "Oh, Kohinoor, you look so beautiful. This flower adorning your hair is enhancing your beauty even more." The girl's name was Joya.
Hearing Joya's words, tears streamed down Kohinoor's eyes even more intensely. She ruthlessly wiped away her tears and snatched the flower from her hair. Her hair also got disheveled—which Rabia had just styled. Throwing the flower towards Joya, she said, "I have no desire to look beautiful. You can wear it. You are very beautiful anyway, you will just look a little more so with this, so that people..."
Her face was hidden beneath a thick layer of makeup, upon which the marks of Mai's fingers were imprinted. But what about her eyes? It was difficult to hide those red eyes due to tears.
Her tears, her pain, her suffering, and her will—none of it mattered here. She had been witnessing this since childhood. Mai used to buy girls and, under the guise of providing 'shelter,' would make them do wrong. Her only motive was money—as much money as possible. As if all that money would go with her to the afterlife.
Just then, Rabia arrived. Rabia and Chanda—both were Mai's cronies. Chanda thought she would become the owner of this mansion after Mai, and Rabia thought that when Chanda managed the mansion, she would be the next in command. Therefore, while Chanda only licked Mai's feet, Rabia danced to the tunes of both Mai and Chanda. In other words, she was a slave to both.
Rabia, applying lipstick to Kohinoor's lips, said, "Kohinoor, you must behave properly tonight because it's a birthday party for a very wealthy man of this city, Mister Sabharwal. You know very important personalities will come there. They don't care which girl is taken by whom. But if you are chosen, you will fetch a very high price."
Kohinoor, looking at Rabia in the mirror, was shocked. How could this girl be happy about this? Truly, she had embraced this profession and accepted it as her world. It made no difference to her that humans were being traded in this business, as if they were goods. Her job was only to please men.
Rabia, after getting Kohinoor fully ready, smiled and said, "There, you are ready, and so is everyone else. Let's get ready to go. Tonight must be spectacular. Not a single girl should return home empty-handed."
Joya asked Rabia, "Rabia, will Mister Khurana also come there? The one who came to the party last time..."
Rabia nodded and said, "Yes, I heard he is also coming. I know why you are so eager for him. And see, he will choose you. He doesn't enjoy anyone else besides you."
Just then, Sarita also arrived and said laughingly, "And I know, the diamond merchant Mister Goyal will choose me there."
Suddenly, the atmosphere there turned into laughter and banter, and everyone started teasing each other by naming their customers. But amidst all this, Kohinoor sat like a stone. These things made no difference to her. Just then, Rabia removed her dupatta, lowered her blouse a little more, and looking at herself in the mirror with flair, said, "Whoever chooses you, but I know. There is only one person whom I have to make my prey. Shah."
Joya and Sarita's eyes suddenly widened, and their mouths hung open. Both spoke together, "Shah? Shah?"
Joya exclaimed with joy, "Is Shah really coming to this party?"
Sarita, almost fainting on her chair, said, "Shah! Just hearing he is coming to the party has raised my blood pressure. Oh, someone bring me water. I might faint out of sheer happiness. And if Shahu chooses me, I will die."
Sarita said it as a joke, and Joya laughed hearing it. But Rabia looked at her angrily and said, "Don't even think of dying by mistake. Because if you die, Mai will dig up your corpse from the grave to recover her money."
Sarita said with a twisted mouth, "You will go to the grave. I will go to the cremation ground. As for dying, if death comes in Shah's arms, one attains paradise. Hi my Shah, just look at me once."
Joya, lightly hitting her on the head for her theatrics, said, "Shut up! Forget looking, he doesn't even raise his eyes. I've seen him many times at gatherings, even tried to entice him. But I don't think that man is attracted only by physical appearance."
Sarita quickly said, "Oh, tell me then what I should do, how to win him over? What should I do to fall into his arms?"
All the girls were talking such nonsense, which Kohinoor had no interest in hearing. She was thinking only one thing—she had to get out of all this at any cost. She was not a part of this.
Just then, Chanda arrived and overheard everyone's conversation. Looking at them angrily, she said, "The moment Shah's name is mentioned, your mouths start watering. But remember, tonight you can flirt with anyone, but Shah's gaze should be only and only on Kohinoor."
Kohinoor tightly closed her eyes and stood up from her place. Looking at Chanda angrily, she said, "Stop talking about me like that! I am not butter chicken to be served. I am human, and I was never willing for this shameful work. Nor will I ever be. I am not like you, nor will I ever become like you. So, don't make the mistake of thinking I am like you."
Everyone already knew Kohinoor's attitude, so no one paid attention to her words. Even Chanda smiled and dismissed her words, saying, "Here you go again with your lectures. You know, your sermon will have no effect on anyone here. So, instead of giving a speech, why don't you go and change your clothes?"
Chanda went to the clothes rack, where there were many small garments. She took out a very small blouse and a skirt that came down to her knees and placing them in front of Kohinoor, said, "Here, wear this."
But then someone took the clothes from Chanda's hand. Kohinoor and Chanda, along with all the other girls, looked towards her, where Vaishali took the clothes and said, "Give Kohinoor something else, I am going to wear this tonight."
Kohinoor looked at Vaishali in surprise. Chanda also asked, "You? Where are you going tonight? Your customer was supposed to come, wasn't he?"
Vaishali sat on a chair, applying foundation to her face, and said, "His wife is in the hospital, she is about to give birth. So, he is with his wife. And I don't think he will ever come to this brothel again. Now, if your speech is over, go and finish the rest of your preparations. I am getting ready and bringing Kohinoor with me."
Kohinoor looked at Vaishali in shock. Chanda also asked in surprise, "But his wife was in her eighth month. How did the baby come so soon?"
Vaishali looked at Chanda angrily in the mirror and said, "If you are so worried, why don't you go to the hospital and find out why his child is in such a hurry to enter the world."
Chanda knew there was no point in arguing with Vaishali, so she left. Kohinoor quickly sat on the chair next to Vaishali and said, "What is all this? Look, I know this didn't happen suddenly. I know you that well. Tell me the truth, what have you done?"
Vaishali looked at Kohinoor with a mischievous smile and whispered in her ear, "I called his wife and told her everything. And she was so shocked by this news that her labor pains started prematurely."
As soon as Kohinoor heard this, her eyes widened—but a faint happiness also blossomed in her heart. That in this painful world, there was someone who was her own. And she tightly hugged Vaishali.
No response from Groq.
"Hasn't this scarf covered all your beauty?"
Saying this, Mai snatched
The boy says with a smile, "I have to admit, brother... people don't call you the king of business for nothing. I mean, enemies are one thing, but you know all the weaknesses of your friends too... I have a lot to learn from you."
Sanyam Shah said, "First, learn how to behave with your brother."
The man said, looking towards his shoulder. Then the boy—whose name was Sanyam Shah—quickly removed his hand and, dusting his shoulder with his fingers, said,
"What brother, you too... you take small things to heart. I say, if you have to give your heart, give it to a girl. See, beautiful girls will come to the party tonight. If you like any of them, don't be shy. Anyway, shyness isn't in your dictionary."
The man said, looking in one direction without any expression,
"A market thing remains a market thing... it's not cherished in the heart. And there's nothing in this market that can find a place in Dastan Shah's heart. Because whoever finds a place in Dastan Shah's heart... will be a brand, not a market commodity."
Dastan Shah... the person who is a brand in himself. Whatever Dastan points at, that thing becomes his. And no one else dares to look at him directly.
Just then, Dastan's security head Imran arrived. He was wearing the security head's uniform and had a gun slung over his shoulder.
Looking at Dastan, he said, "Boss, preparations for the party in the VIP area are complete."
Dastan nodded slightly in assent and then, adjusting his coat, started to move forward. Security guards, matching the sound of his shoes, walked alongside him.
Sanyam, who was standing nearby, leaned against his car and said,
"Oh! So the party was in the VIP area? I thought it was in the parking lot... that's why I was wondering how brother got ready for a party in the parking lot?"
And as soon as he saw Dastan moving ahead, he shouted loudly,
"Hey brother, wait! Where are you going, leaving me behind? No one will let me enter the VIP area without you!"
Dastan and Sanyam are not real brothers, but cousins. Yet, Dastan trusts Sanyam as much as he trusts his own shadow. And Sanyam considers Dastan not just an elder brother, but his mentor.
A van stopped near the back gate of the hotel. The girls in the van were all peeking out with great curiosity. They were looking at the glittering building in amazement because it was the first time they had been to a five-star hotel. Before this, they had only gone to private farmhouses or the bungalows of the rich.
This was their first time at a five-star, and their eyes sparkled looking at the hotel. But among them, there was only one Kohinoor, in whose eyes there was neither sparkle nor hope.
This place was truly beautiful. And the people coming there were the city's well-known elite. Amidst such people, a rose blooming on barren land could captivate anyone's heart. Mai had sent her most beautiful and best girls for this occasion. And with her years of experience, she had understood that Kohinoor was not just a diamond by name, but truly a Kohinoor.
When Kohinoor looked out the window, she was stunned. She had seen this hotel many times in books and magazines, but today she was seeing it in person for the first time. It truly resembled a beautiful and grand palace. Lights all around, as if decorating a bride.
All the girls excitedly got out of the van and looked at the beauty of the place. Pasa and Kalu were also with them. As they started to enter, the hotel security stopped them. Even though it was the back door, their attire made it clear where they came from.
Pasa explained why they were there, and the security led them through the back door and the rear elevator towards the party venue. But not directly; they were being taken through the storeroom.
Pasa said, looking at the girls,
"You all wait here, I'll go and see what's happening ahead. Then I'll tell you when to come."
She signaled Chanda with her eyes. Chanda nodded. As soon as Pasa left, Chanda came directly to Kohinoor and, removing the only dupatta covering her body, said,
"Enough is enough... your and this innocence's company... it was only until now."
Kohinoor got scared all of a sudden, but then the door opened and a burly man in a black uniform entered.
"Come with me," the man ordered Chanda and the other girls.
Chanda nodded in agreement, and they all followed him one by one.
The man stopped the girls near a door and said,
"Inside, the cake cutting is about to happen. After that, you all can come in."
Vaishali stood in the farthest corner with Kohinoor. As soon as the sound of cake cutting and singing "Happy Birthday" came from inside, Chanda and Rabia looked at each other.
Then Chanda said,
"I'm going first, you come after me... and then all of you come one by one."
One last time, she looked at Kohinoor and said,
"Don't try to be clever inside."
Chanda adjusted her clothes—or rather, disheveled them in such a way that her body was more prominently displayed—and then opened the door and strutted inside.
One by one, all the girls went inside. Vaishali and Kohinoor were the last. Vaishali said to Kohinoor,
"Look Kohinoor, we have to go inside, but let me tell you one thing—you stand at the very back, even behind me, so that no one notices you."
"And if someone still takes you with them... you know what you have to do?"
Kohinoor, trembling, slowly nodded and said,
"Yes, I have to hit him on the head with a flower vase and run away from there."
"Come with me," the man said in a commanding tone. He brought all the girls, one by one, including Chanda and Rabia, into the VIP hall room.
Chanda moved forward first. The rest followed her, imitating her actions. As they entered, their eyes froze for a moment. The scene was like a dream—or perhaps a reality that didn't belong in the lives of the girls from the red-light district.
The walls were white, the ceiling was high, and orange light floated in every corner. A warmth permeated the atmosphere. A large chandelier hung right in the middle of the ceiling, its light seemingly suspending time. Everything was bathed in its glow—floor, walls, and even the breaths of those present.
Kohinoor's eyes were marveling at the beauty. This was the first time she had seen a place so elegantly decorated, other than the red-light district. When there was a performance at the district, the colorful lights and vibrant canopies made the atmosphere feel overly flamboyant. But this place was decorated with such refinement and taste that it was hard to look away. Everything seemed unique and precious.
Kohinoor couldn't help but wonder, "Are places like this really part of this world? Do people as wealthy as these individuals truly exist?"
Chanda, Rabia, Joaya, and Sarita entered the room one by one. Finally, Vaishali and Kohinoor entered and stood at the side of the room, where the other girls were. Vaishali positioned herself to keep Kohinoor behind her. Kohinoor was still in awe, her gaze fixed on the surroundings. She hadn't yet noticed the people seated in front.
The room had loud music playing, accompanied by laughter, jokes, loud conversations, and the high pitch of music.
Suddenly, a loud bang startled everyone—a balloon had popped, and a moment of silence fell over the room. Kohinoor's heart skipped a beat.
But no one seemed to notice her. She was standing quietly behind the other girls. Taking a deep breath, she felt a bit relieved that no one had noticed her.
The music changed to a fast-paced rhythm, and the girls began swaying to the beat. However, Kohinoor remained still, frozen in place. A strange shiver ran through her body.
Her eyes had turned glassy, and her lips began to tremble. Her fingers intertwined, as if lacking coordination. She nervously started rubbing her palms together.
The room's walls sparkled with golden light, but it was just an illusion. The air was filled with the scent of alcohol, cigarette smoke, and men's strong perfumes.
All the girls from the red-light district had applied heavy, strong fragrances, and gradually, the two kinds of scents began to blend.
Kohinoor's breathing quickened. She still had her eyes downcast.
Vaishali tried her best to stay close to Kohinoor, dancing around her and attempting to shield her. The other girls followed their dance steps, trying to impress the men seated there.
The song playing was:
"My beloved, my beloved,
Let me drink from your eyes,
There's a pain in my chest,
Let me live in this exhilarating environment."
Along with the music, every girl from the red-light district immersed herself in the performance. They knew well which moves to make at which step to captivate the men. Slowly, their methods started to work. The men in front began to choose one girl each.
However, Kohinoor had yet to catch anyone's eye… because there was someone in this gathering who seemed disconnected from it all.
Mr. Sabharwal sat on the front sofa with his debauched friends and business partners. On the large sofa next to him, which could easily accommodate three people, only two were seated—Dastan and Sanyam. Dastan was sitting at the back, showing no interest in the dance performance… but Sanyam was thoroughly enjoying it.
Dastan held a glass of whiskey in one hand and his phone in the other, checking his emails. His ears had music playing, but it seemed not to reach him. His eyes scrolled through his phone, and occasionally, the glass of whiskey touched his lips. He sipped his whiskey while comfortably seated.
Sanyam, on the other hand, was having a great time. He began to sway to the music and suddenly placed his hand on Dastan's shoulder, saying, "Brother, lift your gaze and see... they're dancing fantastically!"
"If you like a girl's dance, you can take her for tonight," Dastan replied without any emotion.
Sanyam excitedly said, "Really, brother? But if I take any of these girls, won't people suspect me?"
Dastan still looking at his phone replied in the same lifeless tone, "If you don't take one, they'll suspect you more... just like they do with me."
Just then, Dastan's phone started ringing. His expression didn't change upon seeing the number. Sanyam, however, asked curiously, "Who could be calling you at this late hour?"
"It's my aunt," Dastan replied. Sanyam's eyes widened, and he said in a nervous voice, "Your mom is calling you? Oh no! Brother, please don't tell my mom I'm with you."
A mischievous smile appeared on Dastan's face. He answered the call and said, "Yes, aunt, he's with me."
Sanyam's face looked sour, and he stared at Dastan, saying, "You can't be my brother!"
Dastan smiled and said into the phone, "No, aunt, he'll stay with me tonight. I'll drop him home in the morning; you don't need to worry."
The moment Dastan hung up, Imran arrived and handed Sanyam his phone, saying, "Sanyam sir, your mom is calling again. I tried to ignore it several times, but she keeps calling."
Sanyam angrily took the phone and said, "Now the mess is complete; why did you have to answer it?"
Seeing Sanyam's trouble, Dastan found it amusing. His face was still turned away, but a playful smile lingered on his lips.
No response from Groq.
No response from Groq.
Kohinoor was still looking at the ground by the wall with her nomadic eyes, and Dastan’s eyes were only on her. He was observing her from head to toe with his gaze. Finishing the glass of whiskey in his hand, he got up from his place and took a step towards Kohinoor, one by one.
There was silence in the room. The sound of Dastan’s footsteps made Kohinoor realize that someone was approaching her. A wide and warm palm suddenly gripped Kohinoor’s wrist. The wrist was so delicate and thin that it fit entirely into Dastan’s fist at once. With this touch, Kohinoor began to tremble terribly. His touch had burned her spine. Her heartbeats had almost stopped. The soft and warm touch was burning Kohinoor’s skin. His grip was firm, but as if he was asserting his claim over Kohinoor.
She still hadn't looked up.
"Come with me."
Kohinoor hadn't even seen the person with this stern and harsh voice that reached her ears, and Dastan was already dragging her out of the room.
Kohinoor was following behind him, matching his pace… or rather, trying to keep up. Dastan’s long and strong body made his strides long, while Kohinoor walked behind him as if she were running away.
As soon as Dastan took Kohinoor out of the room, Pasa also exited the room, reached Imran, and said,
“The girl he took away is worth 5 million rupees.”
Imran said nothing, just nodded his head in agreement.
Dastan was leading Kohinoor towards the Presidential Suite, but her hands weren't hurting. Although her wrist was held tightly, there was no harshness in that grip. But what difference did it make? Her heart was already crying out in pain… and she silently followed Dastan. She didn't make a sound, because she knew that none of it would have any effect. She had seen it at the brothel… whenever a man came, the women’s crying or pleading had no effect on them. They got what they wanted.
As soon as they reached the room, Dastan closed the door, held Kohinoor’s hands, and let her go by the wall. She immediately pressed herself against the wall in fear and mentally prayed to God to save her.
After locking the door, when Dastan looked at Kohinoor, he was surprised.
“Does this girl love the wall too much?”
But he realized that she was trembling terribly… and he had felt this same sensation in the party room.
Dastan slowly approached Kohinoor. Kohinoor’s eyes were still fixed on the ground… but as soon as she saw two shiny shoes approaching her, her fear deepened. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breathing quickened.
Dastan took off his coat and threw it aside. He slowly moved closer to Kohinoor, placed a hand on the wall, and leaned over her slightly.
"My shoes are magnificent… but less so than my face."
Dastan whispered in his cold and sharp voice, close to Kohinoor’s ears. Kohinoor started panting heavily. She heard Dastan’s voice very closely, meaning his face was very near hers.
The fear that made her tremble was now standing before her. She quickly brought her two trembling hands forward, joined her fingers, and said in a broken voice,
“Please, sir… leave me… don’t touch me…”
The words, though scattered, reached Dastan’s ears. He could see that the girl was slowly sliding towards the edge, pressing herself against the wall to escape him. And she was trembling so badly that she could faint at any moment.
But Dastan didn't stop… he was dangerously calm… and his silence was what terrified Kohinoor.
When he saw the sweat on Kohinoor’s face, he glanced towards the air conditioner… the AC was off. He moved a little away from Kohinoor. Hearing the sound of his shoes retreating, Kohinoor’s heartbeats momentarily paused… but Dastan picked up the remote from the table, turned on the AC, and began to loosen his tie.
Kohinoor slowly raised her eyelids and looked at the man whose back was towards her. He was so tall that Kohinoor barely reached his waist.
She started looking around restlessly. At that moment, her gaze fell on an iron statue placed within arm’s reach. And then she remembered Vaishali's words—
"Whatever is in the room with you, hit them on the head and run away!"
Kohinoor’s hands were trembling. Fearfully, she slowly picked up the statue. She didn't know if she had the courage, but if this man took even one step, it would all be over.
She slowly began to move towards Dastan, who was loosening his tie.
Even if Kohinoor raised her hands and struck Dastan on the head, she probably wouldn't even reach his head. The man was very tall… and Kohinoor? Poor, delicate thing… who had never even harmed an ant… now she had to hit such a hefty man.
But gathering her courage, she forcefully threw the statue at Dastan’s head—at that very moment, Dastan turned, caught the statue in one hand, and with the other, grabbed Kohinoor by the waist and lifted her into the air.
No response from Groq.
Kohinoor could barely breathe in front of Dastaan—that was more than enough, otherwise she was on the verge of death. Seeing her writhing in pain, Dastaan asked,
"If I am gentle with you, will you enjoy it?"
His fingers were still tracing a path from Kohinoor's navel to her neck. Kohinoor's body trembled as if from a strong electric current. When Dastaan's fingers stopped near her throat, where a small black mole was, he began to gently touch and remove her clothes. Seeing this, Kohinoor tried to free herself—she wanted to push him away.
But Dastaan's intention was only to touch the mole.
When he felt Kohinoor's struggle, he was surprised, but at the same time, he was
Sanyam and Vaishali's Camera…
Vaishali stood in the middle of the room, but her eyes kept darting towards the door. Sanyam was sitting on the sofa. A bottle of wine was open in front of him, and two glasses were on the table. He poured wine into his glass and was drinking it, but his gaze was constantly fixed on Vaishali.
Vaishali nervously looked around the room, then at the door. Ever since Vaishali had entered the room, her eyes had been flitting from the door to her restless fingers, as if she were waiting for a special moment.
Sanyam smiled at Vaishali as he sipped his drink.
"What's the matter… you're looking at the door so anxiously… is someone coming?"
Vaishali was suddenly flustered. She quickly shook her head and said,
"N-no… sir, who would come here…"
Sanyam burst into laughter. Laughing, he said,
"Who knows, maybe your boyfriend… or lover? Who is coming to save you from me?"
Hearing Sanyam’s words, a sad smile flickered across Vaishali's face. She chuckled softly at herself and said,
"We deal in bodies, not hearts.
We may reside in the marketplace, but we haven't opened a shop of love.
In our market, everything has a price… except emotions."
Sanyam started laughing at Vaishali's words. He was laughing as if he had heard something very amusing. Even with his head resting on the back of the sofa, Sanyam's laughter didn't stop. He offered his drink glass to Vaishali and said,
"I didn't know a courtesan also talks about love and emotions… Sounds interesting!"
Vaishali was accustomed to hearing such things. With a sad smile, she chuckled at herself and said,
"Our lives are a joke, sir…
And if you find my words funny, it's not a big deal…
God himself has laughed at us… if you laugh too, what difference will it make.
But still… not all laughter and jokes will change the price…"
Sanyam's laughter stopped upon hearing Vaishali's words. He looked at Vaishali with a piercing gaze. He looked at the empty glass in front of him and said,
"You really don't drink?"
"It's not necessary for every courtesan to be an alcoholic.
The intoxication of alcohol subsides after a while…
But the intoxication of a courtesan… is a kind of intoxication that, once it takes hold…
Never fades, not even for a lifetime.
That's why every day in my prayers, I only ask God…
That no one ever becomes addicted to intoxication."
A deeper smile spread across Sanyam's face. He finished his drink, placed the glass on the table, and stretched both his arms on the sofa, saying,
"Alright… you don't drink… but you know how to pour, right?"
Vaishali looked at Sanyam in surprise.
Sanyam continued,
"If youth is mixed with wine…
Then that wine is not wine, it becomes ecstasy."
There was no expression on Vaishali's face. She walked slowly towards Sanyam. She knelt beside the sofa. Picking up the bottle from the table, she filled the empty glass with wine and offered it to Sanyam.
Vaishali placed the glass exactly between her face and Sanyam's. In the reflection of the glass, Sanyam could see Vaishali's large, kohl-lined eyes. Sanyam placed his fingers on the glass, gently moved Vaishali's hand aside, and now Vaishali's face was completely in front of him…
Such beauty graced his sight,
Every heart was filled with the scene of slaughter.
When their eyes met, the lover’s heart faltered,
Even death smiled, such was the enchantment of love.
Sanyam’s poetic style suddenly frightened Vaishali, and the glass slipped from her hands. She recoiled in fear and looked at Sanyam with panicked eyes.
Sanyam's eyes narrowed. He had only spoken four lines about Vaishali's beauty. If any other girl had heard them, she would have been shy… or at least looked at Sanyam. But this girl was very different. Instead of being flattered, she was scared.
Sanyam looked at Vaishali in surprise. And Vaishali nervously turned her face away.
She quickly said,
"Please forgive me, sir… the glass slipped by mistake. If you wish, I will clean it up."
But Sanyam stopped her by holding up his hand and said,
"No… there's no need for that. Room service will take care of it. You do your work."
Vaishali quickly nodded her head. Then she took off the dupatta from her shoulder and threw it aside. Then she started unhooking her blouse.
But as soon as Sanyam saw this, he quickly said,
"What are you doing?"
Vaishali immediately looked at Sanyam with wide eyes and said,
"Yes? I mean… I don't understand… I'm just doing my job."
Sanyam let out a deep sigh and said, looking at her,
"Not now… I mean, there's no rush. You have experience with all this, but I prefer to start things slowly… I don't like to be rushed."
Then Sanyam stretched and placed both his legs on the table in front of him and said,
"I don't know why, but my back has been hurting a lot since this evening… and my body feels weary. You know how to give a massage, don't you?"
Vaishali looked at Sanyam in surprise. She slowly shook her head and said,
"No… I don't know how to give a massage. No customer has ever asked for one… nor has there ever been a need for it."
An arrogant smile appeared on Sanyam's face, and he said,
"If you haven't done it, that's fine, try it today. If I like it, I'll pay you extra for it."
Vaishali looked at Sanyam with a deep gaze, clearly sensing the arrogance in his words, and replied in a very cold tone—
"I may belong to a brothel, sir… but I earn my own living. I am not a burden on anyone.
Being looked at with eyes like yours is a habit…
A woman who knows her own worth is not sold for another's price.
Keep your money to yourself… I just want what I will earn.
And consider this massage a gift from me."
There was sarcasm and sharpness in Vaishali's words, but Sanyam was enjoying it. He started laughing. Laughing, he pointed towards the dressing table and said,
"The oil is over there."
Vaishali glanced at the dressing table, then at Sanyam, and then walked over there. She picked up the bottle of oil and came back to Sanyam. But as she approached the sofa, she looked at Sanyam in surprise and asked—
"Your clothes?"
Sanyam said nonchalantly,
"Yes, I'm wearing them."
Vaishali's eyes narrowed. She said sarcastically,
"So you want me to apply the oil over your clothes?"
A mischievous smile crept onto Sanyam's face. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Vaishali, saying—
"Since I'm receiving a gift, let it be complete… why doesn't the giver herself come and bestow this favor upon me?"
Vaishali understood what Sanyam wanted to say. He wanted Vaishali to undress him herself.
Vaishali slowly approached him and placed the oil bottle on the table. Bending down, she began to unbutton Sanyam’s shirt with her hands. She started from the top and was slowly unbuttoning all of them. But as she bent down, Sanyam’s gaze fell on her blouse. Suddenly, Sanyam’s throat went dry, and his eyes were fixed on Vaishali. He started feeling extremely restless.
Suddenly, he grabbed Vaishali’s wrist. Vaishali couldn’t steady herself as she was off-balance, and she suddenly fell on Sanyam. Sanyam held her waist and pulled her closer. They were pressed against each other, and both their breaths were heavy.
Although this was not new for Vaishali, the way Sanyam pulled her close was unexpected for her. Looking into her eyes, Sanyam slowly said—
“How long have you been doing this?”
Vaishali, who had been seeing a strange intoxication on Sanyam’s face until now, came to her senses with his question. She quickly composed herself, turned her face away, and said,
“Excuse me, sir, but we do not share our personal lives with customers. You have paid for my night, and you can do whatever you wish tonight. But tomorrow morning, you will be just a stranger of one night for me, like everyone else. Just as I don’t remember any of my customers after previous nights, I won’t deem it necessary to remember you either. So, for tonight, just take your service… This is not a business of making acquaintances and socializing.”
Sanyam looked at Vaishali in surprise upon hearing her words. For her age, she was saying quite mature things… Perhaps this world had made her this way… wise beyond her years.
Kohinoor was leaning against the wall, tears streaming down her eyes. Her choli lay on the ground, and she had covered herself with both her hands. Although her small, delicate hands were unable to cover her completely, what else could she do? She was covering herself with a piece of cloth. That cloth was kissing the dust of the floor.
Dastaan’s eyes widened, and he looked at Kohinoor in surprise. He looked Kohinoor up and down. In surprise, he blurted out—
“You… are seventeen?”
Kohinoor’s tears intensified. She quickly nodded her head vigorously in a big ‘yes’—two or three times, as if confirming her own words.
Dastaan placed one hand on his waist and ran his fingers through his hair with the other, clenching his fist. Perhaps at this moment, he was releasing his frustration. In just a few moments, this girl had driven him so mad that he was about to advance towards her, but then Kohinoor announced that her age was far too young for Dastaan’s desires… and all of Dastaan’s desires seemed to wash away.
Dastaan paced back and forth in anger, casting a glance at Kohinoor—this girl… if he had taken one more step towards her, perhaps he would have become so obsessed that he would have forgotten everything.
For two minutes, anger surged, but then suddenly, as if that anger vanished somewhere, and Dastaan became completely calm. His restless feet, which had been wandering here and there, suddenly stopped in one place. He looked at Kohinoor in surprise. He looked her up and down, trying to gauge if what was going on in his mind was correct or not.
Dastaan came straight to Kohinoor and stood one step in front of her. Kohinoor’s eyelids were lowered. Dastaan’s shoes were in front of her eyes again, and her face began to tremble with fear once more.
Could
Koh-i-Noor had tried to lie to Dastaan, but perhaps Dastaan had caught her in the act. His grip on her hands tightened, and Koh-i-Noor realized she might have said something wrong in her haste to escape. Slowly raising her eyes, Koh-i-Noor looked at Dastaan, who saw that her eyes were filled with tears.
A mysterious smile played on Dastaan's face. He said, "I can understand that you lied to me out of panic."
"No, no, I didn't lie to you..." Koh-i-Noor said, fearfully. Dastaan chuckled, implying she was still sticking to her story.
Dastaan still had Koh-i-Noor pinned against the wall, very close to her. He said, "Alright, I won't do anything to you right now."
As soon as he said this, Koh-i-Noor's eyes sparkled, and she looked at Dastaan, wanting to believe his words were true. If they were, she silently thanked God for saving her from this ordeal.
Suddenly, Dastaan's face was inches from Koh-i-Noor's, his cheeks almost touching hers. Koh-i-Noor's face was filled with fear. She was already vulnerable, and Dastaan had her pinned against the wall. He whispered in her ear, "Because I'll wait for you to turn 18... if you're still a virgin, you have to remain one until you're 18."
Dastaan's words sent shivers down Koh-i-Noor's spine. His hot breath on her neck made her gasp. He wasn't going to stop there; he had restrained himself, but the fire burning within him needed to be quenched.
He gently placed his lips on Koh-i-Noor's ear and began to kiss her. Her spine shivered, and her body stiffened. She tried to push Dastaan away, but he held her hands above her head, pinning her to the wall. His lips didn't leave her neck, and his other hand mercilessly squeezed her waist.
Koh-i-Noor trembled under Dastaan, her mouth emitting pained sighs. She bit her lip, trying to stifle her screams, but Dastaan's grip was too much; it was excruciating.
Gradually, Dastaan moved from her neck to her chest, leaving marks with his teeth.
"Please, sir, please don't... please let me go..." Koh-i-Noor begged, but Dastaan seemed to have ignored her or chosen to. He continued to kiss her, leaving deep red-purple marks on her neck and chest.
Dastaan's hot breath on her skin made Koh-i-Noor's body shudder. Finally, she gave up resisting.
Dastaan had left so many marks on Koh-i-Noor's neck and chest that she couldn't hide them, even in daylight.
Koh-i-Noor cared only about her dignity; she didn't want to lose it.
After kissing her for a while, Dastaan moved away and whispered in her ear, his breath hot and cold, "You should thank me that I'm satisfied with just this for now. I can't tell you what I'm feeling right now... if anyone else were in your place, they wouldn't be standing before me like this; I'd make them so helpless they couldn't even stand."
Koh-i-Noor's tears flowed more freely. She pressed her lips together, trying to hold back sobs. She had become a pawn in this sin, a commodity to be sold.
As she neared breaking point, Dastaan moved his face slightly away and examined the marks on her cheeks, neck, and chest.
He gently touched those marks with his tongue, offering a soothing sensation. Initially, Koh-i-Noor felt a sting, but as Dastaan's cold lips touched her wounds, she shivered.
Strange sensations began to build up around her navel, and her eyes refused to close.
Slowly, Dastaan calmed her down with his wet lips on her wounds. Koh-i-Noor's tears stopped, and she gradually became calm.
The only sound in the room was their breathing. Dastaan still hadn't moved away.
Koh-i-Noor opened her eyes and looked at Dastaan, whose gaze was still fixed on her.
In his rough, medium-pitched voice, he said, "Don't leave the room until morning."
As Dastaan stepped back, Koh-i-Noor felt a sense of relief wash over her. It seemed as though the fear she had been experiencing had suddenly vanished. Dastaan's expression had softened, and for a moment, Koh-i-Noor saw a glimmer of kindness in his eyes.
With that, Dastaan turned and walked away, leaving Koh-i-Noor alone in the room. She let out a sigh of relief, her body still trembling with fear and adrenaline. She knew she had to be careful, to protect herself from Dastaan's wrath. But for now, she was safe, and that was all that mattered.
Kohinoor watched him with confused eyes, her brow furrowed in surprise.
Dastaan gently took off his shirt and placed it on Kohinoor's shoulder.
Kohinoor was completely covered by the shirt.
"Look," Dastaan said, holding his shirt in front of Kohinoor. Kohinoor quickly clutched it with both hands and looked at Dastaan in astonishment.
Dastaan's broad chest, his six-pack abs, and his sculpted physique were no less than an attractive athlete's.
Kohinoor was amazed by his biceps.
'How much time must he spend in the gym...' a question arose in her mind.
Dastaan gestured towards the bed again.
Kohinoor was bewildered. Why was Dastaan telling her to go to the bed? Had he changed his mind? After all, it didn't take men long to change their minds.
Seeing the fear and nervousness in her eyes, Dastaan chuckled. He said,
"I told you, I won't do anything with you right now. And when I say I won't, I mean I won't. But if you keep standing here, believe me, sweetheart, I know very well how to turn a 'no' into a 'yes'."
Kohinoor's eyes widened, and then she practically flew onto the bed. As soon as she reached the bed, she put her head on the pillow and pulled the bedsheet over herself. Then she fell asleep as if she were dead.
Dastaan laughed again at her innocence. Now he understood why Kohinoor, despite being in the market, had not become a part of it – perhaps it was because of this very innocence.
Dastaan slowly moved forward and turned off all the lights in the room. Kohinoor heard the sound of buttons being pressed and realized that the entire room had likely gone dark. The room glowed with the soft yellow light of the emergency light.
After that, Kohinoor heard footsteps in the room. Was Dastaan coming closer to her? She clutched the bedsheet tightly to herself and tucked her head under the pillow as if she wanted to disappear into it.
After two minutes, the footsteps stopped. She was surprised – had Dastaan left?
Slowly emerging from the blanket like a tortoise, she looked around. The room was dimly lit, with only the faint light of the emergency lamp helping her see. But as she scanned the room, she couldn't find Dastaan anywhere. Raising herself a little more, she saw that Dastaan was standing on the luxurious and large balcony, looking at the spectacular city view. A burning cigarette was on his lips, and smoke wafted into the air.
Cigarettes were the only thing Kohinoor detested intensely. The smell of cigarettes choked her. She didn't even like standing in places where they were present. Even in the brothel, when such a smell arose, Kohinoor would become very distressed. That's why she spent most of her evenings on the rooftop.
Kohinoor saw Dastaan standing on the balcony in black pants, without a shirt, his athletic, attractive, and handsome body evident as he took drags from the cigarette. His face was turned towards the city, so Kohinoor could only see his back.
Dastaan's cigarette was finished. As he turned towards the room, crushing the cigarette under his shoe, his gaze fell on the bed. At this very moment, Kohinoor saw Dastaan turn. She quickly pulled the blanket over her head again – as if she knew nothing and was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the whole world. But Dastaan had likely caught her snooping.
Dastaan walked back into the room slowly and looked at Kohinoor by the bed. Of course, he couldn't see her at the moment because she had completely covered herself with the blanket and looked like a larva. Dastaan guessed she wasn't asleep, just pretending. And at this moment, she wasn't even pretending very well. Thinking this, Dastaan went to the wardrobe, where guest clothes were kept for emergencies. He took out a simple oversized shirt and put it on. Then he left the room directly. Kohinoor heard the sound of the door opening and then locking. She was surprised – had Dastaan really left the room?
Dastaan went out and straight to the hall. Sitting on the sofa in the hall, he leaned his head back and took a deep breath, but he still couldn't find peace. How could he, when his peace was sleeping soundly in the room?
As soon as he closed his eyes, Dastaan saw Kohinoor's small, innocent face, from which his gaze couldn't move away. Even in the party hall, choosing Kohinoor had not been an option for him; rather, the moment he saw her, Dastaan had felt restlessness, longing, and madness. He had surrendered his restlessness to his passion and wanted to possess her. But only he knew how hard he was restraining himself.
Even if Dastaan had overlooked her age for a moment, the thing that stopped him were her tears. The tears flowing from Kohinoor's eyes had acted like acid on Dastaan's heart. His chest burned terribly. And those teardrops made Dastaan feel vulnerable for the first time.
Taking his phone out of his pocket, he called Sanjam.
Sanjam was lying on his stomach in his room. He was wearing only a pair of trousers, and Vaishali was sitting beside him, massaging oil onto his back with soft fingers. Sanjam had received a special massage in Thailand, so he had a very good experience with massages. He was enjoying the touch of Vaishali's delicate fingers.
Just then, his phone rang. Without looking at the screen, he put the phone to his ear and said irritably,
"Who is it, damn it?"
Dastaan's voice came from the phone,
"Come to the hall right now, in the state you are in... or you won't be fit to go into a room with a girl for the rest of your life!"
No response from Groq.
Dastaan spent the whole night on the sofa. He finished two packs of cigarettes to stoke the fire within him, but it was still not subsiding. Dastaan, shirtless, spent the whole night wide awake. Kohinoor’s face flashed before his eyes as if she were calling him. It wasn't just calling; she had already ensnared Dastaan. It was Dastaan's decency that he restrained himself, otherwise the word 'decency' was not in Dastaan Shah's dictionary.
The next morning, Kohinoor, who had a stiff neck, got out of bed and rubbed her eyes. She didn't remember anything from last night up to this point, but then she opened her eyes and was startled for a moment because she was still half-asleep. It took her five minutes to become fully aware. She saw that she was still in a luxurious room, but the room was completely empty. Now, all the memories of last night returned to her mind, and once again, her heart was drawn back to the same place of fear that she had forgotten and slept peacefully last night.
The man who had brought her to this room last night and crossed his limits with her had stopped midway, and after that, there was no trace of his presence in the room. Kohinoor quickly put on her clothes and started to reassure herself that God had saved her and would continue to do so. Thinking this, she placed her hand on her neck and closed her eyes, but this time her eyes opened completely before they could shut.
She was utterly astonished. She ran her hand over her neck, trying to feel something, but when she realized her neck was completely bare, she went to the mirror. She saw that it wasn't her imagination. There was nothing around her neck.
She brushed off her clothes and searched the room where she had been last night, even looking on the bed, but she couldn't find her pendant. The half-broken heart pendant that hung on a chain.
Even though the half-broken heart seemed trivial, it was priceless to Kohinoor because it was the last memento from her mother, given to her before she died. Kohinoor had seen it around her mother's neck since childhood, and after her mother passed away, that pendant had always stayed with Kohinoor.
But now it was gone. Kohinoor searched the room back and forth, but it was nowhere to be found. Her face was about to crumple, she was almost about to cry, when the room door opened.
Kohinoor looked towards the door, startled. The first rays of the morning were spreading light into the room, and bathed in this light, Dastaan entered. His hair was slightly disheveled, but it still suited him well. It looked like he hadn't slept all night, but there was no fatigue in his eyes.
He went straight to the door and stood there. Dastaan was still not wearing a shirt.
Kohinoor slowly lowered her eyelids, trying to hide her nervousness. When Dastaan saw her doing this, a faint smile appeared on his face. With a crooked smile, he looked at Kohinoor and said, "Good morning sweetheart..." His words were entirely filled with mischief. He had poured as much sweetness as needed into this 'good morning', and this sweetness was not going down Kohinoor's throat.
The response to 'morning' is usually 'very good morning,' but Kohinoor couldn't even utter two words. What could she say?
She said nothing. When she remained silent for two minutes, Dastaan took a step towards her. Kohinoor's eyes were fixed on his shoes because her eyelids were still glued to the ground.
She had seen the result of trying to run and hide last night—nothing had come of it. So, she abandoned the idea of running and hiding as soon as Dastaan entered the room. Where would she go if she ran from here? Because the entire hotel was swarming with Dastaan's men. She would be caught no matter where she tried to escape.
As soon as Dastaan stepped towards her and stopped right in front of her, Kohinoor took a step back. She thought Dastaan was coming closer to touch her, but Dastaan stopped in his place and smiled, nodding slightly.
He said in his moderate and normal voice,
"Don't worry, I won't do anything."
"By the way, what are you looking for in the room?"
As soon as Dastaan asked, Kohinoor was utterly surprised. How did Dastaan know she was looking for something?
She looked at Dastaan with a surprised expression, and Dastaan laughed and said,
"The way you've turned the room upside down, it looks like you were searching for something. So, what are you looking for?"
Kohinoor said in a soft voice, lowering her head,
"Yes... well, I'm looking for my pendant. It was around my neck, but now I can't find it."
Dastaan was slightly taken aback.
"Pendant? What pendant?"
Since last night, when he brought Kohinoor with him, he hadn't seen any pendant around Kohinoor's neck.
He looked at Kohinoor and said,
"What does your pendant look like?"
Kohinoor quickly replied,
"Yes... well, it's a half-broken heart pendant on a silver chain. I need that pendant... that pendant is very precious to me."
Dastaan thought for a moment after hearing her words and then said,
"But I didn't see any pendant around your neck. In fact, ever since you've been with me, I haven't seen any locket, chain, or pendant around your neck. It might have fallen somewhere else. Try to remember well, when was the last time you saw it?"
Kohinoor strained her mind and started to recall where she had last seen or felt her pendant.
She remembered—when she arrived at the hotel last night, when she was asked to wait, she had held the pendant tightly in her hands, remembering her mother. It was around her neck at that time.
She was talking to her mother in her heart—asking her mother to save her.
After that, all the girls started heading towards their rooms one by one.
But then Chanda had arrived and started scolding Kohinoor upon seeing the shawl draped over her. Chanda had jerked the shawl off her—which had hidden Kohinoor's beauty.
Kohinoor suddenly blurted out that she last saw it in the hallway gallery. There, when her dupatta was removed, it was last around her neck, but after that, she didn't know where it disappeared. Hearing her, Dastaan said, "If you saw it in the hallway gallery, it should be there. When your dupatta was removed, your pendant might have gotten tangled in it and fallen there. Go and look, if you're lucky, you'll find it, otherwise, the housekeeping might have thrown it away while cleaning."
"Shall we go, sir?" Kohinoor suddenly said. Dastaan laughed and replied, "If you don't go, how will you find your pendant? And yes, don't think I'm asking you to leave. Once you find your pendant, come back to the room quietly. Because if I have to come looking for you, everyone in the hotel will know that nothing happened between us last night. After that, nothing will happen to me, but you think about what your people will do to you."
Hearing Dastaan's words, Kohinoor got scared. She quickly said, "No, sir, nothing like that will happen. Don't worry, I will return soon and I will not betray you. I am just going to find my pendant and come back quickly."
As she said this and was about to leave, Dastaan stopped her from behind, saying, "Sweetheart!"
Noor's steps stopped at the door, and she was suddenly surprised. Dastaan came to her and looked at her. There was an arrogant smile on his face. He slowly placed his hand on Kohinoor's shoulder. Kohinoor shivered suddenly, but when she realized what Dastaan had done, she looked at him. Dastaan looked into her eyes and put his shirt on her.
He put the shirt on Kohinoor and, adjusting the collar, said, "Now go."
Kohinoor understood why Dastaan had done this. Her own clothes had become very dirty and strange, and she couldn't go out in them, so Dastaan had given her his shirt.
Kohinoor stepped out of the room, and as soon as she stepped outside, a long, wide, and large gallery awaited her. She was suddenly surprised. The gallery looked the same from both sides. She didn't know whether to go towards the lift or to the right.
When Dastaan had brought her, she was so scared that she hadn't even noticed which direction she had come from. Thinking for a moment, she took God's name and started walking to the right. She had gone only a few rooms when a door opened. Kohinoor suddenly got scared and pressed herself against the wall because as the door opened, a person came out and smiled at Kohinoor.
"Good morning," the man said to Kohinoor with a smile, but there was a hint of fear in Kohinoor's eyes. No one here was decent, and this person was present with them last night, so how could he be decent?
She was afraid that this person might come closer to her and harm her. Thinking this, she pressed herself completely against the wall.
But the man stopped in his tracks and said with a smile:
"Anyone whom the Shah looks upon is not even dared to be looked at by others. If anyone dares to do so, the Shah makes them incapable of seeing anything else for the rest of their lives. The Shah chose you last night. His gaze was enough to make you his. But here, the Shah has even kept you in his room. Despite all this, if anyone else dares to look at you, it will be a rebellion against the Shah. And in our world, one does not provoke a crocodile while living in water."
Kohinoor was completely stunned hearing all this. She was looking at the man in surprise. This man was none other than Nitin Sabharwal, whose birthday was being celebrated last night, and for which all the girls had come here last night.
Nitin Sabharwal said to Kohinoor, "I must say, you are quite beautiful. But may I know the name of this beautiful girl?"
Kohinoor, looking at Nitin Sabharwal fearfully, said, "Yes, Kohinoor."
A smile appeared on Nitin Sabharwal's face. He had seen Kohinoor last night. Kohinoor was clearly visible from where he was sitting. Vaishali had tried her best to cover her, but still, Nitin's eyes fell on Kohinoor, and he became excited seeing her. He wanted Kohinoor. That's why when the girls were being chosen, he didn't choose first, but thought that everyone else would choose their girls first, and he would take Kohinoor last.
But before that, Dastaan had already marked Kohinoor as his choice and selected her, which crushed all of Nitin's desires.
He knew that if he said anything against Dastaan, his birthday would become his death anniversary today. Therefore, he quietly gave up on Kohinoor and went to his room with Chanda last night.
Hearing Kohinoor's name, Nitin Sabharwal smiled and said, "Your name is very beautiful, Kohinoor. I hope Dastaan was pleased with you."
Kohinoor's eyelids drooped; her silence did not answer the question. Just then, Nitin Sabharwal's phone rang. Taking out his phone, he said to Kohinoor, "Well, I have to go."
Saying this, Nitin Sabharwal went back to his room and closed the door. Kohinoor breathed a sigh of relief and then moved forward. She saw that this was the same gallery where they had stood last night. Meaning, she had come in the right direction.
She quickly reached the place where she had stood with the other girls last night and started searching here and there.
But she couldn't find her pendant and locket anywhere. It was so clean there as if there had never been any dirt. But Kohinoor was still not giving up. She wanted her pendant, so she searched everywhere.
Suddenly, she bumped into someone and, scared, stepped back. But when she looked up, Dastaan was standing in front of her, staring at her and saying, "Didn't I tell you to come back quickly?"
Tears welled up in Kohinoor's eyes. Crying, she said, "I still haven't found my pendant... I want my pendant... I can't live without it..."
Seeing her tears, Dastaan's heart felt a pang once again. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Kohinoor, saying, "Look, I know the pendant must have been very important to you, but I also said that it might have been thrown away during cleaning... Forget it. If you want, tell me what it looked like, and I will order another one exactly like it for you."
But Kohinoor shook her head in denial, crying, because she knew that there could be no other pendant like that in the world. She just wanted that one, because it was a memento from her mother.
She slowly reached out, took the handkerchief from Dastaan's hand, wiped her tears, and slowly started walking back towards the room.
Dastaan watched her leave and, surprised, said from behind, "Why are you crying so much for a pendant!"
Dastan stood before Kohinoor, and Kohinoor looked at him with fearful eyes. There were tears in her eyes, and in her hand was the handkerchief Dastan had given her. She gently wiped her tears and quietly walked towards the room. Dastan watched her, bewildered. "Why is she crying so much for a pendant?" He couldn't understand. He was about to dismiss it and head to his room, but Kohinoor had already gone inside.
On the way, Dastan's phone rang. He took it out; it was an important call he couldn't ignore. He walked towards a large window with the phone and began to take the call.
Meanwhile, when Kohinoor reached her room, the handkerchief in her hands was completely soaked. As she stepped into the room, the sunlight streaming through the window made her realize it was morning. It was her habit at the brothel to pray to God as soon as she woke up—to thank Him for another safe day. But would she pray today?
At the brothel, she would fold her hands every day and ask the Almighty for another safe day and thank Him for keeping her safe in this market. But today...? In a way, she had become part of this business, but nothing had happened to her. This meant she was still safe today. Her honor, her dignity, was still with her. So, shouldn't she thank God today?
Absolutely, she would thank God today as well for giving Kohinoor another safe day. Even though she was part of this business, she was not connected to it. She was wearing Dastan's oversized shirt, but she had nothing to cover her head. She looked around, but found nothing. Then her gaze fell on the handkerchief Dastan had given her. She opened the handkerchief and placed it on her head. Going to the window, standing in the sunlight, she looked at the sun shining in the sky and clasped her hands, closing her eyes.
Kohinoor was not attached to any one religion; she believed in all religions. Temple, mosque, church, gurudwara—she saw God everywhere. Her prayers were heard everywhere. That's why raising her hands in prayer and folding her hands in supplication were the same to her.
As Dastan opened the room door and stepped inside, his eyes froze, and his steps halted automatically. It was as if he didn't want to make any noise in that serene atmosphere. In front of him, Kohinoor stood with her hands clasped towards the window, and the golden sunlight streaming through the window shone on her face like a layer of gold. Kohinoor had Dastan's handkerchief tied around her head.
Dastan could see how beautiful and innocent she looked in that state. It would be foolish for anyone to ignore her in this condition. While praying, Kohinoor seemed disconnected from the whole world, solely connected to her God. And this sight stirred a strange commotion within Dastan.
When Kohinoor's prayer was over, she thanked the Almighty, feeling the sun's rays on her face, and as she opened her eyes and turned her neck, her steps faltered. Dastan was standing at the door—exactly like a statue of Mohan. His hands were in front of him, and his gaze was solely on Kohinoor.
There was something in this man's eyes... Kohinoor could never meet his appraising gaze. His eyes stirred up a tempest within Kohinoor. There was such depth in those eyes that Kohinoor felt a current run through her.
Slowly, taking the handkerchief from her head, she folded it and walked to Dastan. But during this time, she didn't even raise her eyelids to look at Dastan. Holding the handkerchief in front of him, she simply said,
"Thank you..."
"Do you pray every day?"
Dastan extended his hand and took the handkerchief from Kohinoor's hands. In the process, his fingers brushed against Kohinoor's, and as soon as she felt it, Kohinoor quickly pulled her hands back. But the very next moment, Dastan put his other arm around Kohinoor's waist and pulled her close. While she trembled from Dastan's proximity, he was holding her close to his chest at that moment.
"You didn't answer my question, sweetheart. Do you pray every day? If so, how many times a day?"
Kohinoor was pressed against his chest, like a beautiful, lifeless doll standing in his arms. She knew there was no way to struggle, writhe, or escape, so she stood there quietly. Although Dastan wasn't holding her very tightly, she could clearly feel the warmth of his fingers on her waist. His grip was such that he wouldn't let Kohinoor go away from him. Kohinoor's entire body trembled like a current from Dastan's closeness.
With her trembling hands, she managed with great difficulty to make eye contact with Dastan and said in broken words,
"Just once... in the morning, when the sun rises."
A smile appeared on Dastan's face, and with a mysterious laugh, he looked at Kohinoor and said,
"Really? In the entire day, only in the morning do you look so charming and beautiful."
Kohinoor lowered her eyelids. What could she say to that? She had no answer. And seeing her do so, Dastan's smile deepened. He held Kohinoor even tighter against his chest. It felt as if he wanted to capture this moment within himself.
But then there was a knock on the door. Dastan stopped abruptly and looked towards the door with his dangerous gaze. A girl's voice came from outside saying,
"Kohinoor, come quickly... we have to go."
Kohinoor recognized that it was none other than Rabia standing outside, and she had come to call her. Dastan released Kohinoor and went to open the door. But as soon as Rabia's eyes fell on Dastan, she froze in place. Seeing Shah in front of her, Rabia was completely stunned. She had always seen Shah at parties and gatherings but had never had the chance to approach him. She had tried many times to get into Shah's orbit somehow, but perhaps her luck wasn't as good as Kohinoor's.
Rabia didn't even dare to turn her face to look at Kohinoor. Her gaze remained fixed only on Shah, who was looking at Rabia with his dangerous eyes. This was the first time Rabia had felt Shah's gaze upon her. In the entire brothel, after Vaishali, the only one whose beauty was discussed was Rabia. Although Chanda was also quite beautiful, people's first choice was always Vaishali, and then Rabia. But this man had never even looked at her, nor had he ever shown any interest in her.
This was the first time Shah's gaze had fallen on Rabia. And it felt as if she had been placed in a scorching desert, amidst a burning fire.
"Rabia..." Kohinoor called Rabia from behind, and Dastan moved aside, and Rabia looked at Kohinoor. She saw that Kohinoor was wearing Dastan's shirt, and seeing this, Rabia burned from within. She felt like burning Kohinoor to ashes with her jealousy, but she quickly controlled the fire of hatred raging within her, because she knew that if she did anything at that moment, Shah wouldn't leave her alive. So she quickly said, "Aren't you ready yet? Get ready quickly... Chand Pasha is waiting for us."
Kohinoor quickly said, "Okay, I'll get ready and come in a little while. Wait for me until then."
Rabia turned her face away and said, "Come straight downstairs after getting ready. I'm going to call Vaishali. She hasn't come out of her room yet either."
After this, Rabia left from there.
