Beyond the game

A Chance Encounter

Marwana's evening air was cooler than expected. The sky had turned into a deep shade of blue, the last traces of sunset disappearing beyond the horizon. As Yuzarsif stepped out of the car in front of the luxurious hotel, his mind was preoccupied with the issues waiting for him at the Marwana branch of his company.

A multi-million-dollar project was on the verge of falling apart due to poor management decisions, and his presence was required to set things right. He had no patience for distractions.

He was here to work, nothing more.

But fate had other plans.

Just as he walked toward the hotel entrance, something small and colorful rolled toward his foot.

A ball.

He stopped. Before he could react, a little boy came running toward him.

"Sorry, mister!" the child's voice was soft, yet energetic.

Yuzarsif looked down and found himself staring at a boy around five years old. He bent slightly and picked up the ball. As he did, his eyes met the boy's.

And his world stilled.

For a brief moment, everything around him faded—the sound of cars, the chatter of people, even Asna's presence beside him.

All he could see were those deep, familiar eyes staring back at him.

His breath hitched.

It was as if he was looking into a mirror from the past.

The resemblance was uncanny. The boy had the same sharp nose, the same strong jawline. Even the slight furrow in his brows resembled his own when he was confused or thinking.

A strange feeling crawled up his spine.

Who was this child?

The boy tilted his head, oblivious to Yuzarsif's shock. "Mister?" he said curiously.

Yuzarsif blinked, snapping out of his daze. He cleared his throat and forced a small smile.

"Here you go." He handed the ball back to the boy.

The child's face lit up with a bright smile. "Thank you!"

Then, before Yuzarsif could ask anything, the boy turned and ran toward a woman standing a short distance away. She was wearing a simple yet elegant dress, holding a small bag in one hand.

Something about her seemed familiar too, but before Yuzarsif could get a good look at her face, she had already turned away, taking the boy's hand and walking off.

Yuzarsif exhaled.

That was strange.

But he was probably just overthinking things.

This child couldn't possibly have any connection to him.

Could he?

---

Asna's Suspicion

While Yuzarsif tried to dismiss the strange encounter, Asna's mind was working differently.

She had seen the boy too.

And unlike Yuzarsif, she was not so quick to brush it off.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she replayed the scene in her mind.

The boy…

He looked too much like Yuzarsif.

And the way Yuzarsif had stared at him—almost like he was seeing a ghost.

Asna clenched her fists.

She had been in love with Yuzarsif for years. Even though he never saw her that way, she had always held onto the hope that one day he would.

But if that boy was really connected to him…

No. She wouldn't allow that.

She needed to find out the truth.

Without saying a word to Yuzarsif, she made a silent vow to herself.

She would uncover the identity of that boy.

And if it turned out that he was truly Yuzarsif's child…

She would do everything in her power to keep that truth hidden.

---

The Next Morning

Yuzarsif barely slept that night.

Something about that child kept gnawing at his thoughts, no matter how much he tried to focus on work.

Still, he forced himself to get up early and prepare for the long day ahead.

By the time he left the hotel, his mind was back in business mode. He was here to solve a problem, and nothing else mattered.

Asna, on the other hand, had different plans.

After making sure Yuzarsif had left, she wasted no time in setting her plan into motion.

Her first step?

Finding that boy again.

---

A Secret Investigation

Asna wandered through the streets of Marwana, asking subtle questions to hotel staff and locals.

Marwana was a big city, but finding a woman and a child shouldn't be too difficult—especially when the boy's face was so strikingly unique.

She started near the place where they had seen him last.

"Excuse me," she stopped a street vendor selling fresh fruits. "I'm looking for a woman and her little boy. The child is around five years old, has big brown eyes, and—" she hesitated, then added, "looks very similar to a man I know."

The vendor raised a brow. "Plenty of women with kids around here, lady."

Asna forced a polite smile. "This one is different. The boy has very striking features. Like someone not from here."

The vendor thought for a moment.

"Ah… you might be talking about that lady who runs a small bookstore nearby," he finally said. "She has a little boy who fits your description."

A bookstore?

Asna's eyes narrowed. "Where is this bookstore?"

The vendor gave her directions, and within minutes, she found herself standing outside a quaint little shop tucked between two larger buildings.

The sign read: "Ameer's Book Haven"

Asna's heart nearly stopped.

Ameer.

She knew that name.

She had heard it before.

Six years ago.

Azra had mentioned it once—long before she disappeared. She had said, "If I ever have a son, I would name him Ameer."

The pieces started clicking together in Asna's mind.

Azra.

The boy.

Yuzarsif.

Could it be?

Had Azra been here all along, raising Yuzarsif's son in secret?

Asna's stomach twisted in anger and fear.

If this was true…

If Yuzarsif found out…

Then everything she had worked toward would be ruined.

She had to do something.

But first, she needed to be sure.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the bookstore.

The bell above the door chimed softly.

And there, standing behind the counter, was the last person she ever expected to see again.

Azra.

---