At just twenty-one, Tahir Shah stood at the head of the long glass conference table in the boardroom of Shah Holdings, his posture sharp, tie perfectly aligned. The young CEO didn't speak much—but when he did, everyone listened.
The meeting buzzed with numbers, graphs, projections. Tahir absorbed them all without blinking.
Beside him, the chair reserved for his father remained empty. Jamshade Shah, once the lion of the corporate world, now lay in a private hospital wing, too weak to climb the stairs of this very building he had ruled for decades.
"Sir," Alina, his composed assistant, leaned in, "the merger files have been finalized. Should I prepare your evening schedule?"
Tahir gave a curt nod. "Only two meetings after lunch. I want time to visit Father."
"Understood."
He didn't joke. He didn't wander. He lived his life like the ticking of a Swiss watch.
---
On the other side of the city—far from marble floors and business suits—Arsalan Shah sat cross-legged on the worn sofa of his small apartment, balancing a sandwich in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. A crime show played on the TV, muted. But Arsalan wasn't watching.
He was reading a case file, eyebrows raised in amusement. A missing phone, a suspicious neighbor, and a very confused old man.
"Classic," he muttered, flipping the page.
Unlike Tahir, Arsalan wasn't the corporate type. He was the one who took detours, made strange friends, and got involved in situations others would avoid. After graduating, instead of joining the family business, he joined a private investigative agency under a fake name—only a few people knew the truth.
Even his clients didn't know who he really was. Most of them thought he was just another curious young detective with a sharp eye and a jolly grin.
But occasionally, when needed, Arsalan put on a suit and walked into Shah Holdings, impersonating Tahir.
And he loved it.
---
That night, back at their family villa, the twins sat on the rooftop, eating chips out of the same bowl.
"You're not tired of pretending to be me yet?" Tahir asked without looking up from his tablet.
"I am you," Arsalan said dramatically. "Your better, funnier half."
Tahir rolled his eyes. "You nearly caused trouble last time. That intern thought I cracked a joke about my own haircut."
Arsalan burst out laughing. "What kind of CEO doesn't like self-deprecating humor?"
"The kind who has a billion-dollar merger on the line."
They sat in silence for a moment, city lights blinking far below.
"Dad would've said I'm too soft," Tahir murmured.
"He would've said you're focused," Arsalan replied. "And he'd say I talk too much."
"You do."
"You love it."
Tahir allowed himself the smallest smile. "What do you even do all day, Arsalan?"
Arsalan threw his arms behind his head. "I investigate. I explore. I help people. And tomorrow…"
"What?"
"I'm going on a blind date."
Tahir blinked. "Wait, seriously?"
"Yup. My friend Adeel set it up. Says the girl's a model. Big city dreams, strong opinions."
"And you didn't tell me?"
"Because you'll laugh."
"I'm not laughing."
"You're smiling."
Tahir's smile faded. "Just be careful. Not everyone sees you for who you are."
Arsalan nodded, more serious now. "Same to you."
---
The next morning, the twins stood in the hallway, both dressed—one in a formal blue suit, the other in a hoodie and sneakers.
"Remember," Tahir said, adjusting his watch, "if you have to pretend to be me—"
"I won't mess it up," Arsalan said with a wink. "Now go conquer the stock market, Mr. Shah."
As Tahir walked out, briefcase in hand, Arsalan grabbed his motorcycle keys, heading toward something very different.
Two lives. One family. Two hearts waiting for a story to begin.