Yusuf and I were busy drinking by the beachside as Rehman stared intently at us. "Abbu... Mujhe bhi ek glass chahiye..." He gulped, eyeing the whiskey bottle.

(Abbu... Even I want a glass...)

"Tumhari Ammi jannat se mujhe shraap degi," he scoffed, and I ruffled the boy's hair, "Yeh bacho ke liye nahi hai."

(Your mother will curse me from heaven.)

(This is not for kids.)

"Mai ab bacha thodi hu? Hamesha aap logo ke saath hi ghumta rehta hu, Thakur Ji. Meri ab shaadi karne ki umar hai," the thirteen-year-old announced, making his father almost choke.

(I'm not a kid anymore. I'm always with you guys, Thakur Ji. I'm now old enough to marry.)

"Nalayak," Yusuf smacked the boy's head, "Pehle padhai par dhyan rakhna seekho. Phir shaadi ke baare mein sapne dekhna."

(Useless boy, first learn to focus on your studies. Then dream about getting married.)

Rehman looked offended as he rubbed his head, "Din raat mai aapke liye mehnat karta hu... Aur aap hai ki mujhe ek glass bhi nahi doge. Aise kya puch liya maine? Pata hai mere sare dost beedi pete hai aur-"

(I work hard for you all day... And you won't even give me one glass. What terrible thing did I even ask? You know all my friends smoke-)

"Isi waqt chup ho jao warna samundar mei phek dunga!" Yusuf yelled at him, "Kya samajhkar rakha hai apne aap ko? Tujhe mai-"

(Shut up right now, or I'll throw you in the ocean! What do you think of yourself? I'll-)

The boy flinched when his father raised a hand to hit him. At the same time, we heard Nandlal shrieking as he ran towards us. He tripped twice in the sand and was panting by the time he reached us.

"M-maine... Maine mila... Komal se... Maine mila..."

(I- I met her... I met... Komal...)

Rehman got up and walked away somewhere, and Nandlal stared his way, "Aapke aulad ko kya ho gaya?"

(What happened to your kid?)

"Hamesha aisa hi hai," Yusuf muttered and poured a glass for Nandlal as he sat beside us. His face was red with excitement as he gulped down the entire glass in moments.

(He's always like this.)

"Shaant ho jao... Hosh ud jayegi," I warned him, sipping his own glass.

(Calm down... You'll kill yourself.)

He continued panting, before looking at us with a glint in his eyes, "Meri ek beti hai! Mai... Mai baap ban gaya hu, pata hai?!"

(I have a daughter! I... I'm a father, did you know?!)

Yusuf spat the drink in his mouth before staring at Nandlal in shock, "Kya?"

(What?)

"Haan!" Nandlal grinned, "Ruhi sirf cheh saal ki hai... Itni choti hai aur itni pyaari... Bilkul sone ki gudiya jaise dikhti hai woh. Uska nak, kaan, sab mera hai! Itni khubsurat bachhi maine kabhi nahi dekha... Vishwas nahi hota..."

(Yes! Ruhi is just six years old... She's so small and so cute... Like a little golden doll. Her nose, ears, everything is mine! I've never seen such a beautiful child in my life... I can't believe it...)

There were ecstatic tears in his eyes as he described his daughter. I remembered how I had felt the first time when I held my kids. They were beautiful, and every evening I'd try to finish work as soon as possible just so that I could spend more time with them. Among Raghav and Janaki, I couldn't choose who was cuter as I vividly remembered their chubby cheeks pressed against my chest as they slept soundly. And the best part was that they smelled like Sanjana.

I'd get to hold them again, soon.

"Maine dekha tha us din... Bahut pyaari thi... Mubarak ho," I smiled at him.

(I saw her that day... She was adorable... Congrats.)

"Ladkiyo ke kharch zyada hote hai," Yusuf sighed, and the very next moment, Nandlal grabbed his collar and shook him like a paranoid man, "Meri beti ki kharcha mei nibha lunga!"

(Girls are more expensive to raise.)

(I'll take care of all her expenses!)

He truly loved her. I was happy for him.

"Maine socha ki woh Ruhi ke karan Baldev ke saath reh rahi hai... Par use milne ke baad samajh aaya ki uski zindagi bilkul narak bana diya hai us kamine ne. Saath saal ho gaye uske shaadi ke... Aur ab tak woh wapas apne mayke nahi gayi hai. Baldev ne use pinjre mei band karke rakha hai."

(I thought Komal was still with Baldev because of Ruhi... But after meeting her, I realised that the bastard had made her life hell. It's been seven years since they got married, and he still hasn't allowed her to go back to her parents. Not even once. Baldev has kept her locked up.)

I sipped the drink and watched him carefully, "Ab tum kya karne wale ho?"

(What are you going to do now?)

Nandlal stared at the lamp beside us. The flame was flickering due to the strong winds, but it still shone brightly.

"Humari zindagi dobara shuru karunga. Saath saal pehle mere paas kuch nahi tha... Par ab mera khud ka ghar hai, gaadi hai, aur naukri bhi... Jab woh mere saath aakar rahegi toh use koi takleef nahi hone dunga. Mai apni beti ko sheher ke sabse bade vidyalay mei bhejunga, aur angrezi bhi sikhaunga."

(I'll restart our lives. I had nothing in my name seven years ago... But now I have my own house, vehicle, and a job... She won't have any discomfort when she lives with me. I'll send my daughter to the best school in the village, and teach her English as well.)

Yusuf sighed, "Woh bhaag aayegi tumhare saath?"

(Will she agree to run away with you?)

"Zaroor aayegi," Nandlal replied with finality, "Aur mai uske kamine pati ko apne haatho se maarunga. Komal se shadi karunga."

(Of course, she will. And I'll teach her bastard husband a lesson with my own hands. I'll marry Komal.)

I scoffed at his words, "Baldev ko chot pahuncha sakte ho... Par yaad rakhna, woh aakhir mein mera shikar rahega."

(You can hurt Baldev... But at the end of the day, he's my prey.)

We heard footsteps marching in our direction, and a bright light flashed in our faces as we turned. My lips parted in amusement. The visitor was someone I had never expected to see, let alone cross paths with.

"Mai jaanta hu aap logon ke baare mein!" The young voice announced, "Abdul Majid... Aise koi rishtedar hai hi nahi humare."

(I know about you guys! Abdul Majod... We don't have a relative by that name.)

As the lamps flickered in the dark, I noticed Yusuf was the first to act as he pulled a knife from under his dhoti. He was about to lunge at the kid until I raised my hand to stop him, "Shaant ho jao... Gulzar ka beta hai."

(Calm down... He's Gulzar's son.)

Only then did the boy notice that his life was in our hands now. It must have taken a lot of guts for him to come after us like this.

"Baith jao, Karim. Tum peena chahoge?" I asked the kid politely. He was maybe twenty, from what I remembered, and the only son of Gulzar Sultan. The man had three other daughters. Two older than Karim, and one younger.

(Take a seat, Karim. Would you like a drink?)

The boy squeezed his lantern tighter as she shone it in our faces, "Baat badalne ki koshish mat kijiye... Mai jaanta hu ki aap mere Abbu ke paise churane chahte hai."

(Don't try to change the topic... I know that you want to steal money from my Father.)

Only if he knew I wanted to steal a lot more than just his Father's assets.

"Baith jao, kutte," Yusuf threatened him with the knife, "Warni yahi tumhare tukde tukde karkar samundar mei phek dunga. Koi nahi aayega dhoondhne. Baith!"

(Sit down, bitch. Or I'll chop you up right here and throw you in the ocean. Nobody is going to look for you. Sit!)

His sharp voice startled the boy, and he glanced at Nandlal and me before sitting a little far away quietly. I handed him a glass, and he only stared at it without drinking.

"Kya koi aur jaanta hai, tumhare alawa?" Nandlal asked, moving closer to the boy. Both he and Yusuf realised that only if my plan was executed well would they receive the money that I had promised them.

(Does anyone else know, besides you?)

Karim shook his head while glaring at us, "Aap unhe dheere dheere phasana chahte hai... Mai janta hu. Ek saal pehle aap unke zindagi mei aa gaye, aur unko muft mei paise dena shuru kar diya. Aapko itne paise kaha se mil gayi?"

(You want to lure him into your trap slowly... I know everything. One year ago, you entered his life, and from then on you've been giving him money for free. From where did you get all the cash from?)

The urgency in his tone made my smile widen. He didn't realise it yet, but Karim was the final missing piece I needed so that I could checkmate his Father. The young fire in him burnt so brightly. Greed was a vicious thing, and the most beautiful sin of man.

"Aapko bhi chahiye paisa? Phir aap humare mada karoge? Apne Abbu ke khilaaf...?"

(Would you like some money too? Then will you help us? Will go against your Father...?)

Karim's eyes widened just a little. He took a mouthful of the drink and swallowed this time before staring at me with greed, "Pehle aap yeh bataiye ki aapki asliyat kya hai. Abdul Majid kaun hai?"

(First, be honest about yourself. Who is Abdul Majid?)

"Jaankar kya karoge?" I chuckled, "Hum chaaro ko sirf paiso se malum padta hai. Agar tum bhi humein madad karne ke liye taiyar ho jao, toh aasani se apne pita se zyada paise bana sakte ho."

(It doesn't matter anyway. The four of us only care about money anyway. If you're ready to help us, then you can easily make more money than your Father.)

The boy stared down and pondered my words carefully.

"Hum sab chor hai, aur bahut saalo se aise kaam karte aa rahe hai. Par ek baat batao... Kya tum apne Abbu se pyaar nahi karte? Unse zyada unke paiso se pyar karte ho?"

(We're all thieves and have been doing the same for many years now. But tell me one thing... Don't you love your Father? Do you love his money more than him?)

The boy gulped, "Woh sirf naam ka pita hai... Unhone ek bhi baar meri aur nahi dekhi. Unki pehli biwi guzar gayi... Aur unki teesri mujhse sirf do saal bada hai... Unhone didiyon ke shaadi bhi karwa di hai... Aur ab sirf mera behen bacha hai. Us pure ghar mei sirf wahi hai mere saath... Maa toh us khalnayak ke diwane hai. Nafrat karta hu apne Abbu se... Aur unke paiso ka behtar upyog mai kar sakta hu."

(He's just my Father for namesake... He hasn't even looked at me once. His first wife passed away... and his third one is only two years older than me... He's already married off my older sisters... and now I only have my little sister. I hate my Father... I can put his money to better use.)

Yusuf glanced at me once. Among everyone, he understood me best, and I could tell that he already saw my vision.

"Kaisa rahega agar unki puri daulat aapke hawale ho jaaye...?"

(How would you feel if all his possessions came into your hands...?)

Karim's lips parted in shock as he looked between, "Aap... Aap Mazak kar rahe ho? Aur agar mujhe mil bhi jaaye, toh aapka kya faida hoga?"

(Are you... Joking? And even if I do get it, how would it benefit you guys?)

"Mujhe unke paise nahi chahiye," I lied, "Mai sirf Gulzar Sultan ko police se pakadwana chahta hu. Zindagi bhar jail mei sadna chahiye. Aapke pita ne hum sabhi ki zindagi barbaad kiya hai..."

(I don't care about his money. I only want Gulzar Sultan to be imprisoned. He needs to rot there for the rest of his life. Your Father has ruined all our lives.)

There was hesitation in Karim's eyes now. He wanted all of Gulzar's assets, but he didn't want his father to be jailed. Maybe I had been too sudden. Would this mistake of mine cost me a lot?

If it did, I'd have to end the boy's life before he could tell someone else.

"Mujhe... Mujhe samay chahiye, sochne ke liye..." He mumbled and got up in a hurry.

(I... I need time to think...)

"Karim," I called him in a warning tone before he could run away, "Tumhare Abbu ke khaas dost hai hum... Aur tumhara pata bhi jaanta hu. Agar tumne koi galti ki, to mujhe us galti sudharne mei koi pachtaava nahi hogi. Samajh rahe ho na?"

(Karim, I'm a close friend of your Father... I know you quite well. If you make any mistake, I won't regret fixing it. You get what I mean, right?)

He gulped, staring at me quietly. I smiled at him, "Tum chahte ho toh Gulzar Sultan ko jail bhejne mei humari madad karo, aur mai wada karta hu... Unki saari daulat tumhe mil jayega. Aur agar aaj raat tumne galti se kisi aur se kuch keh di... Toh mujhe jail jaana padega. Theek hai?"

(If you'd like, you can help us send Gulzar Sultan to jail, and I promise you... You'll get every last paisa of his assets. If you even accidentally mention this to anyone else... Then I'll have to go to prison, okay?)

"Th-theek hai..." He muttered and walked away towards his bike parked in the distance.

(O-okay...)

"Kya use aise jaane dena chahiye?" Yusuf asked me quietly, "Chahte ho toh abhi yeh maamla yahi par khatam kar sakte hai. Hume uski zaroorat nahi padegi."

(Should we let him go? I can take care of him right now. We won't need him.)

I hummed, "Par agar woh madad karne ke liye taiyar ho jaaye... Toh kaam aur bhi aasan ho jayega. Aur bhi paise milenge."

(But if he agrees to help us... Then our jobs will be easier. We'll become even wealthier.)

"Aur bhi paise?" Nandlal frowned, "Par tumne abhi wada kiya tha ki uske baap ki saari daulat wapas usko denge. Phir kaha se aayega paisa?"

(Even wealthier? But you just promised that you'd let him have all his Father's property.)

I smiled, "Usme kuch aur saal lagenge... Par paise toh zaroor aayenge. Chinta mat karo, tumhare paise pehle hi de dunga."

(That will still take a few years... We'll definitely get the money though. Don't worry, I'll pay you guys beforehand.)

"Maanna padega..." Nandlal sighed, "Aapke jitna chalak aadmi maine zindagi mei kabhi nahi dekha, Thakur Ji."

(I must admit... I've never met a person as clever as you, Thakur Ji.)

I ignored him and poured myself another glass of whiskey.