Chapter 1: The Handsome Face
A man sits in an airplane seat, soaring through the clouds toward a distant horizon. His eyes are tightly shut, lost in the depths of a recurring nightmare. In the dream, he is shouting, trapped in a bitter argument with a woman whose voice cuts through the chaos, cold and final:
"This all happened because of you!"
The man jolts awake, gasping for air, his breath coming in long, terrified shudders. Just then, the pilot's voice crackles over the intercom: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our destination
He walks through the terminal, pulling his luggage, his face masked with exhaustion. In a quiet voice-over, he speaks to the audience: "You're probably wondering who I am and what I'm doing here. To understand that, we have to go back a few years."
Three years back
My interview: The air in the room was cold, smelling of expensive floor wax and recycled AC air. Three HR managers sat behind a long mahogany desk, looking at me.
"Mr. Aslam," the lead HR manager said, tapping a pen. "Why do you want to work for this company? And more importantly, why should we choose you over the hundreds of others waiting outside?"
Aslam with calm, calculated precision:
"I've analyzed your firm's growth metrics and technical infrastructure. You aren't just a market leader; you have the most sophisticated automated systems in the industry. I don't work for companies that are comfortable; I work for companies that innovate.
Why hire me? I graduated at the top of my class with a record-breaking GPA and hold multiple specialized certifications in system optimization. I don't just fix problems—I prevent them from happening."Plus, let's be honest—I'm quite handsome.too
The HR managers are stunned. They've never met someone who combined such high-level technical data with that level of raw confident.
After the interview:The Cafe The next shot shows Aslam sitting in a cafe with his best friend (Parwaiz). His friend is leaning in, curious. "How did the interview go? Did you actually say all that?
"Before Aslam could answer, his phone buzzed on the table. A notification appeared:
MESSAGE:Congratulations, Mr. Aslam.
You are hired
Report on Monday at 09:00 AM
Aslam slid the phone across the table, his eyes gleaming. "I think you got your answer."
His friend's jaw dropped. "No way... they actually hired you after you told them you were handsome? Man, I need a party
The Office Floor It was Aslam's first morning. He stood in the center of the open-plan office, surrounded by his new technical team. They were halfway through a round of formal introductions when the glass doors at the end of the hall swung open.
A woman walked in with such intensity that the room went silent. She didn't look at anyone's face; she only looked at her watch.
"We don't have time for 'hi' and 'hello' today," she said, her voice cutting through the chatter. "Everyone, get back to your work. We are behind shedule." She stopped in front of Aslam, her eyes cold. "You. The new Technical Lead. My office. Now."
Good luck, man," one whispered, gripping Aslam's shoulder. "Whatever you do," another hissed, "just listen. Don't say a single word to her. Just nod and get out
"So," she said, leaning back. "You're the one who told HR you were a 'class topper' and 'too handsome' to pass up."
Aslam didn't say a word. Instead, he just slowly tilted his head up and down in a confident, funny nod,
She slid a thick folder across the desk toward him. "If you are as capable as your resume claims, prove it. This is the 'Nexus Project.' It's a complete overhaul of our production AI. If this succeeds, it will be the biggest achievement in this company. My... the Board of Directors expects perfection. This is your only chance to prove you belong in this building She leaned forward, her eyes searching his. "Work hard, Mr. Aslam. Because if you fail this, your 'handsome' face won't save you from being fired by Monday."
Aslam picked up the folder, locked eyes with her, and gave a sharp, professional nod. "Consider it done."
Aslam walked out of the Director's office and stood before his team. They were staring at him, faces pale, waiting for the bad news.
"Well?" the senior engineer whispered. "Did she fire you? Did you say something stupid?"
Aslam didn't answer. He walked to the center of the room, picked up a marker, and drew a massive "48" on the whiteboard. He turned to face them.
"The Nexus Project is 48 hours behind," Aslam said, his voice calm but commanding. "The Director says it's impossible. The Board of Directors expects us to fail. And honestly? Looking at these outdated server logs, I can see why the last guy gave up."
The team groaned. One engineer threw his headset on the desk. "It's a suicide mission, Aslam. The code is a mess."
Aslam leaned against the table, his signature confident smirk returning. "That's why they hired me. And that's why you're still sitting in those chairs. Because you're the best team this company has, and you're tired of being treated like you're invisible."
He tapped the whiteboard. "I've analyzed the bottleneck. It's not the hardware; it's the routing protocol. If we rewrite the core logic using the 'Topper's Method' I developed in university, we don't need 48 hours. We can do it in 24."
The team looked at each other. For the first time, the fear in their eyes was replaced by a spark of hope.
"I'm not going to be sitting in my office," Aslam said, pulling up a chair and rolling up his sleeves. "I'm sitting right here with you. We eat here, we code here, and we win here. Now, who's ready to show that woman upstairs what this team is actually capable of?"
A slow cheer broke out. The keyboards started clicking.
3:00 AM – The Breakthrough The office was dark, lit only by the blue glow of monitors. Empty coffee cups littered the desks. Aslam was hunched over a server rack, his fingers flying across a laptop.
"Aslam!" one of the junior coders shouted. "The integration is at 98%... but the thermal sensors are redlining! The system is going to crash before it hits 100!"
The team froze. It was the moment of failure.
Aslam didn't panic. He stood up, walked to the main terminal, and typed a single line of override code—a technical trick he'd kept in his pocket.
"Execute sub-routine: Alpha-Zero," he whispered.
The red lights blinked... and turned a steady, calm green. The loading bar hit 100%.
everyone wooooooooo we did it we did it Aslam
The Next Morning The Director walked onto the floor at 8:00 AM sharp, ready to demand an update. She stopped in her tracks.
The entire team was fast asleep at their desks—some leaning on keyboards, others curled up on chairs. Only Aslam was awake, leaning against the wall with a fresh cup of coffee. He didn't say a word. He just pointed at the main screen.
SYSTEM STATUS: ONLINE. EFFICIENCY: 115%.
The Director looked at the screen, then at the exhausted team, and finally at Aslam. For the first time, her "Ice Queen" mask slipped, and her eyes widened in genuine shock.
Aslam just gave her that same, slow, funny nod from the day before.
The Celebration A week later, the atmosphere in the Technical Department had completely transformed. The "impossible" Nexus Project was a global success, and the team was being hailed as heroes within the industry.
The Director stood before the gathered group, her expression still professional, but her eyes held a new flicker of respect.
"You have all exceeded expectations," she announced. "To recognize your dedication and the record-breaking efficiency you achieved, the company is hosting a private celebration tonight. Consider this your reward. And you—Mr. Aslam..." she paused, her gaze landing on him. "Keep up the high standard. This is just the beginning."
Aslam didn't say a word. He just leaned back, flashed his signature confident smile, and gave her that slow, rhythmic head-tilt that had now become his trademark. The team cheered, ready for the night ahead.
The Party The venue was an upscale rooftop lounge, glowing with soft lights and expensive music. The team was laughing, talking about the 24-hour sprint that had bonded them together.
The Director stood near the balcony, her eyes scanning the crowd. She was looking for someone.
Suddenly, the music seemed to fade into the background. The air grew still. In what felt like slow-motion, Aslam entered the room. He had traded his office attire for a tailored dark suit that fit him perfectly. His confidence was no longer just professional; it was magnetic.
"Hey, Aslam! Over here!" Jack, the senior engineer, shouted, waving him over.
The Director turned. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw him. For a moment, her "Ice Queen" facade completely shattered. She was stunned.
The Dance As the night went on, the music shifted to a slower, more melodic rhythm. People moved to the dance floor. Aslam walked straight toward the Director, ignoring the stares of the other executives.
He stopped in front of her, leaning in just enough for her to hear him over the music.
"would you like to dance with this 'handsome face ?"
She looked at him, a rare, genuine smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Just this once, Mr. Aslam."
They danced. For those few minutes, the office, the technical bugs, and the corporate pressure didn't exist. But as the song ended, the reality of the night returned.
The Proposal One by one, the team members began to leave. "Great party, Aslam!" "See you Monday,
Soon, the lounge was empty, leaving only Aslam and the Director standing under the city lights. The wind picked up, cooling the air.
"Aslam," she said, her voice suddenly serious, devoid of the playful tone from the dance floor.
He turned to her, expecting a work update or a thank you. "Yes, Director?"
She looked him directly in the eyes, her expression unreadable but determined.
"I don't have time for games, and I need someone I can trust. Someone who isn't afraid of me. Aslam... will you marry me?"
Aslam's smile vanished. He stood frozen, the wind whipping his hair, his mind racing for a technical solution to a question he never saw coming.
[CHAPTER END]