Shoaib led Razia Begum and all the girls through the back entrance, a hidden doorway that opened into a lavish, private chamber. The room seemed like an extension of the grand hall where earlier festivities had been arranged, yet it retained an air of secrecy—away from prying eyes, away from the chaos of the main gathering.

He left them there briefly, moving toward the hall so that he could deliver the news to Nawab Arslan Sheikh. His footsteps echoed against the polished marble, blending with the soft music and murmuring voices that drifted from the festivities beyond.