The city felt different that morning.
Heavy. Silent. As if something bad was about to happen.
Police forces surrounded the protest area before sunrise. Barricades were set. Roads were blocked. The message was clear—
The protest would end today.
But Nishat didn't step back.
Standing in front of hundreds of people, she raised her voice, stronger than ever. "If we stay silent today, we lose everything tomorrow!"
The crowd stood with her.
Determined.
Fearless.
From a distance, inside a black car, Arman watched everything.
His phone kept ringing—party leaders, pressure, orders.
"Control the situation."
"Do whatever it takes."
"This ends today."
Arman closed his eyes for a moment.
This wasn't what he wanted.
But this was the system he was part of.
Suddenly, chaos broke out.
Police moved forward. People started shouting. Some ran, others stood their ground.
And then—
A loud sound.
Tear gas filled the air.
Screams echoed everywhere.
"Nishat!" someone shouted.
She tried to hold her position, coughing, eyes burning—but she refused to move back.
That's when Arman ran.
Ignoring everything, he pushed through the chaos until he reached her.
"Are you crazy?" he said, grabbing her hand. "You'll get hurt!"
Nishat pulled her hand away. "This is my fight!"
"And what if you lose yourself in it?" Arman shouted.
For a second, everything around them faded.
It was just them.
Pain. Anger. Fear.
And something deeper.
"I trusted you," Nishat said, her voice breaking. "You said you weren't my enemy."
Arman looked at her, guilt in his eyes. "I'm trying to fix this—"
"By standing with them?" she interrupted.
Before he could answer, police moved closer.
In the chaos, someone threw a stone.
Everything escalated.
And then—
Nishat fell.
Arman's heart stopped.
He rushed to her side. "Nishat! Look at me—please!"
Her eyes were half-closed, her breathing weak.
Without thinking, Arman lifted her in his arms and rushed her away from the crowd.
At the hospital, time felt frozen.
Minutes felt like hours.
Arman sat outside, his hands trembling.
For the first time in his life, power meant nothing to him.
All he wanted… was for her to be okay.
Hours later, the doctor came out.
"She's safe," he said. "But she needs rest."
Arman closed his eyes in relief.
When he finally saw her, lying weak but alive, something inside him changed forever.
This wasn't just politics anymore.
This was love.
And now, he knew—
He couldn't stand on both sides anymore.
He had to choose.
Because the next time…
He might not be able to save her.