Haideron Tech's executives left the firm earlier than usual that afternoon.
By four o'clock, they were expected at Dilraaz Manor.
The evening would mark the public unveiling of the HT Corridor.
It would conclude with Haideron Tech's annual dinner.
Dilraaz Manor stood on the outskirts of the port city, far removed from its lights, its impatient traffic, and its endless pollution.
Reaching it required leaving the Super Highway behind.
From there, a solitary road stretched for several miles, with dense mulberry forests on either side.
By day...
...it was simply another road winding through nature.
After sunset...
...its reputation became rather different.
Eventually, the forests on either side gave way to a vast expanse of open land.
Standing alone against the horizon were the towering wrought-iron gates of Dilraaz Manor.
Their black latticework was crowned with the manor's name in burnished gold.
As the gates opened inward, a broad cobblestone driveway revealed itself, meandering through magnificent terraced gardens that rolled gently across the landscape.
Ancient trees stood beside flowering shrubs trimmed with remarkable precision.
White marble fountains, delicately veined with blue and gold, sent graceful streams of water into the air.
Everything appeared immaculate.
Almost impossibly so.
At the end of the long approach stood Dilraaz Manor itself.
Ash-grey.
Vast.
Its architecture combined timeless elegance with contemporary sophistication.
Grand colonnades stood beside expansive glass walls.
Traditional craftsmanship merged effortlessly with modern engineering.
It looked less like a private residence...
...and more like the seat of an empire.
An architectural masterpiece...
...standing in complete solitude.
Mr. Haider was personally supervising the erection of the grand marquee when the first company vehicles began arriving through the gates.
One after another...
...Haideron Tech's executives stepped out, greeting colleagues as they gathered in small groups across the sprawling grounds.
The evening had only just begun.
Mr. Haider smiled warmly as the executives gathered around him.
"My team has arrived."
His gaze travelled across the group.
"Remember..."
He raised a finger.
"...today, every one of us represents Haideron Tech."
"A name..."
"...that requires no introduction."
The executives smiled.
A few lady executives arrived moments later, exchanging greetings with their colleagues.
Then...
...Ali, Omer, and Sajjad entered through the gates.
Sajjad looked particularly pleased with himself.
His tailored suit was impeccable.
His hair had been styled with unusual care.
Yet, despite all his efforts...
...most compliments found their way elsewhere.
To Omer.
And Ali.
Omer wore a perfectly tailored navy-blue Dior suit.A crisp white shirt and a midnight-blue silk tie completed the look.His highly polished black Oxford shoes reflected the evening lights.A black leather-strap Rolex rested discreetly beneath his cuff.
Tall.Broad-shouldered.With chiseled features, deep-set dark eyes, arched brows, and neatly styled dark brown hair touched with faint streaks of gold......he looked less like an IT executive......and more like a leading man stepping onto a film set.
Beside him, Ali embodied understated sophistication. Equally tall and broad-shouldered, he carried himself with quiet confidence.His black three-piece suit was impeccably tailored.An emerald-green silk tie complemented his sea-green eyes.His polished black shoes and Apple Watch hinted at his position as Haideron Tech's Director of Information Technology.His neatly styled hair completed the look.
Soon......the guests began arriving.
Mr. Haider received every guest personally.
Even among such distinguished company...
...he remained impossible to overlook.
His impeccably tailored midnight-blue Brioni suit was the very definition of understated luxury.A pristine white Egyptian-cotton shirt contrasted elegantly with a deep burgundy silk tie, secured by an eighteen-karat gold tie bar.Matching gold cuff links disappeared beneath perfectly tailored sleeves.
His handcrafted blackJohn Lobb Oxford shoes gleamed beneath the evening lights.
A Patek Philippe with a black alligator-leather strap rested quietly on his wrist.
Silver touched his neatly groomed hair at the temples...
His posture was effortless.
His smile measured.
His handshake firm.
He neither demanded attention...
...nor sought it.
It simply followed him.
Wherever he walked...
...conversations paused.
Heads turned.
Industrialists greeted him with genuine respect.
Foreign delegates sought his attention.
Television cameras instinctively followed his every movement.
Even celebrated actresses and media personalities found themselves stealing an extra glance...
...drawn not merely by his appearance...
...but by the unmistakable aura of influence that surrounded him.
Even Sajjad eventually realized...
...that despite all the effort he had invested in his own appearance...
...he had become little more than part of the background.
While the reception continued...
...Ali's attention drifted elsewhere.
To the security.
Men in crisp black suits moved silently across the grounds.
Earpieces concealed beneath neatly trimmed hair.
Dark sunglasses.
Highly polished shoes.
Broad shoulders.
Alert eyes.
They never appeared hurried.
Yet they seemed to notice everything.
Every few minutes, one of them approached Mr. Haider.
A few words were exchanged in hushed voices.
Mr. Haider would either nod......or quietly issue another instruction.
Only then did Omer notice the discreet wireless earpiece resting in Mr. Haider's right ear.
He nudged Ali.
"We came here last year too..."
"...but this time..."
"...the security is on another level."
He glanced toward the entrance.
"And all the way here..."
"...it felt as though half the city's police force had been deployed along the route."
Ali followed his gaze.
"And why wouldn't it be?"
He watched Mr. Haider greet another foreign delegate with effortless composure.
"At the moment..."
"...he's giving me the unmistakable impression of a mafia boss."
Omer fought back a smile.
His eyes wandered across the lawn.
They settled on Sajjad.
Sajjad had already begun introducing himself to another circle of guests...
...with far more enthusiasm than anyone had asked for.
Once everyone had taken their seats in the great banquet hall, the official launch ceremony began.
Standing at the podium, Mr. Haider formally announced the launch of the Haideron Tech Corridor.
As enormous LED screens displayed footage of tower cranes, earthmoving equipment, engineers, surveyors, technicians, interns, and labourers working across the vast construction site.
Mr. Haider praised the dedication of his Construction Wing. He then invited the Director of Construction, the Assistant Director of Construction, and the Project Manager Operations onto the stage.
Warm applause followed as he announced that their Project Manager Operations would soon be retiring after a long and distinguished career with Haideron Tech.
"It's rather unfortunate," Mr. Haider said with a warm smile, "that just as the foundations of the HT Corridor are being laid..."
"...one of the men who helped turn this vision into reality is preparing to lay down his responsibilities."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"He may not be with us to witness the completed skyline..."
"...but every brick laid today..."
"...will carry a part of his legacy."
The audience responded with heartfelt applause before the official launch photographs were taken amid a storm of camera flashes.
Later, in the Grand Reception Hall, technology correspondents, international media, academicians, investors, and fellow technologists gathered around an illuminated maquette of the HT Corridor. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliqthiA0ov
Mr. Haider guided them through his vision, highlighting its research institutes, innovation centres, and technology districts.
The discussion soon turned to IT—AI, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and advanced computing. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpvqfrVgST
Then Mr. Haider's earpiece crackled. 8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgcQWbgSie
He smiled apologetically.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid CNN and BBC are waiting for a live interview regarding the launch. If you'll excuse me..."
He turned towards Ali and Omer.
"The remaining questions will be answered by our Director of Information Technology, Mr. Ali Siddiqui, and our Assistant Director of Information Technology, Mr. Omer Kiyani."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Both gentlemen have honed their skills under my leadership. I could not ask for finer representatives of Haideron Tech."
With that, Mr. Haider disappeared further into the manor, leaving an eager gathering of technologists and journalists to Ali and Omer.
By the time Mr. Haider returned from his live interviews with the international news channels......the state dinner was already in full swing in the grand banquet hall.
The formal ceremony had given way to a more relaxed atmosphere.
Senior executives of Haideron Tech moved among the guests, ensuring everyone felt welcome.
Ali and Omer found themselves doing much the same...
...though neither looked particularly comfortable in the role.
"This is not our scene, man."
Omer's dark eyes wandered across the guests.
"No matter how many New Year's Eves we attend..."
"...we're never going to belong here."
Ali smiled faintly.
"That is exactly why I find these gatherings..."
"...unbearable."
Within minutes...
...they spotted Sajjad once again.
Shaking hands.
Offering exaggerated smiles.
Greeting strangers in an unmistakably artificial American accent.
Ali chuckled.
"Some habits never change."
Among the guests, a group of young actors and fashion models crossed the hall.
One well-known actress paused beside Omer.
She smiled warmly.
"Has anyone ever told you..."
"...that you should have been a model?"
Omer smiled politely.
"I've heard worse advice."
She laughed before turning towards Ali.
"And you?"
"You certainly have the face for it."
She glanced between them.
"Both of you do."
"You should make better use of your personalities."
Nearby, a few male models exchanged amused smiles.
Ali looked at Omer.
Omer looked back at Ali.
Without another word...
...both quietly excused themselves.
"The boys do have an attitude..."
...the actress murmured with an amused smile.
From across the hall...
...Mr. Haider noticed the brief exchange.
His gaze rested on the two young executives for only a moment.
The faintest smile touched his face before he resumed moving among his guests as the perfect host.
As the evening drew to a close...
...the guests gradually began taking their leave.
The formal duties gradually came to an end.
At Mr. Haider's insistence...
...the senior executives finally joined the rest of the guests for dinner.
For the first time that evening...
...Ali and Omer found themselves sitting down.
The meal passed quietly.
They spoke little.
Both were too tired to enjoy the lavish spread laid before them.
By the time coffee and desserts were announced...
...many of the guests had already begun preparing to leave.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJ0LMgOSmO
Ali and Omer were about to head towards the exit...
...but Sajjad ….
…he was still lingering around Mr. Haider, who was speaking with a newly arrived guest.
A senior police officer in full dress uniform.
Mr. Haider looked up and noticed Ali and Omer.
"Gentlemen..."
"...just a moment."
Both stopped.
Mr. Haider smiled.
"Allow me to introduce Commissioner Shamsher Qureshi."
He gestured towards the distinguished couple standing beside him.
"His wife, Mrs. Sitwat Qureshi."
The introductions were followed by another.
"And these..."
Mr. Haider continued with unmistakable pride,
"...are Mr. Ali Iftikhar Siddiqui
"...and Mr. Omer Hashim Kiyani
He smiled.
"The gems of Haideron Tech's IT Wing."
Ali and Omer shook hands respectfully with the Commissioner before greeting Mrs. Qureshi with polite nods.
For a brief moment...
...the Commissioner continued looking at Ali.
There was recognition in his eyes.
Finally, he smiled.
"Young man..."
"...your face reminds me of an old friend."
Ali looked at him curiously.
"My father, perhaps?"
"Iftikhar Siddiqui?"
The Commissioner nodded slowly.
"I thought as much."
"We were family friends."
"It's been many years."
Mr. Haider glanced around the banquet hall, where guests had begun departing.
He turned back to Ali and Omer.
"Commissioner Sahib has been overseeing the government's security arrangements this evening."
"Only after satisfying himself that everything was in order did he finally join us as a guest."
"I'd appreciate it if you two would escort Commissioner Sahib and Mrs. Qureshi to the drawing room."
"I'll join you once I've seen off the remaining guests."
Both Ali and Omer welcomed the suggestion.
After hours of formalities...
...a quieter room sounded like a blessing.
"We'd be delighted, sir," Ali replied.
Omer smiled sheepishly.
"There's just one problem."
Mr. Haider raised an eyebrow.
"We don't actually know where the drawing room is."
A faint smile crossed Mr. Haider's face.
"I suppose it's time you both became a little more familiar with Dilraaz Manor."
Omer couldn't quite tell whether it was a casual remark...
...or something else.
"My staff will guide you," Mr. Haider added.
He turned to the Commissioner.
"Commissioner Sahib..."
"Sitwat Bhabi..."
"Please make yourselves comfortable."
"Dessert and coffee will be served in the drawing room."
With that, he excused himself and returned to his departing guests.
A member of the manor's staff stepped forward and quietly led the way.
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and then Add to home screen.