Chapter 3: Editing skills or Mouthfuls that kill?

Asia's mind was still reeling from the disturbing photo incident as she made her way home. Trembling with a sinking feeling in her chest, she desperately tried to convince herself that it was Ali who had meticulously edited the picture. She knew his Photoshop skills were impressive, and she couldn't help but think that if the Kardashians had hired him, they might have avoided their infamous Photoshop fails. However, despite her efforts to divert her thoughts from the gruesome image, it continued to haunt her subconscious, gnawing at her peace of mind.

Upon arriving home, Asia immediately confronted Ali, who was lounging in the living room, casually eating an apple and watching TV. Accusing him of tampering with her phone and breaking it, she threatened to tell their mother and expressed her frustration over losing important data. Ali, bewildered by the sudden outburst, denied any involvement and pleaded for her to leave him alone.

Unfazed by his denial, Asia continued to berate him for invading her privacy and for his poor attempt at photoshopping the picture. She couldn't believe his nonchalant attitude and his skilled ability to lie without a hint of remorse. Frustrated and resentful, she declared her disdain for her brother and stormed off to her parents' room to seek solace in her mother.

As Asia poured out the details of the incident to her mother, she couldn't help but notice her lack of concern. Her mother seemed disinterested, more focused on filing her nails than on her daughter's distress. Disappointed, Asia longed to express the emotional impact the gruesome picture had on her, how it had invaded her thoughts and caused her immense discomfort. However, she held back, realizing her mother wouldn't understand.

Feeling overwhelmed, Asia retreated to her room, seeking refuge in a shower to cleanse herself of the disturbing image. Yet, even the soothing scent of her strawberry shampoo couldn't erase the vivid memory that lingered in her mind. Closing her eyes, she was met with a horrific scene—a feeling of being buried underground with slimy maggots crawling through her eyes and laying eggs in her brain. Hastily opening her eyes, she let the shampoo burn her eyes, hoping to snap out of the terrifying mental images.

With her eyes still burning, Asia hurriedly dressed and attempted to shake off the uneasiness that had settled upon her. As she struggled to put her head through her shirt, she felt an irrational fear of something lurking in the room, watching her. Though nobody was there, the sensation left her on edge and filled with a sense of dread.

However, her attention was soon captivated by the enticing aroma of food emanating from the kitchen. The irresistible pull led her to the dinner table, where an unusual combination of beef lasagna, biryani, and mutton karahi awaited. She eagerly served herself a heaping portion of lasagna and devoured it with the hunger of a ravenous wolf. Unfortunately, she couldn't capture the Instagram-worthy spread on her broken phone. It struck her as ironic that she had broken her phone today, as if it had become insignificant in the face of recent events.

Asia's father had recently sold a piece of land that had been in their family since 1960. The remote location had made it a bargain at the time of purchase, but with the city's growth, it had transformed into a valuable commercial area. The sale of the land had brought them a substantial sum of $12 million, of which they had already received 25%. The remaining amount would be paid in six months. This overnight financial windfall had catapulted them from the middle class to the upper class.

With their newfound wealth, Asia's father had invested in a 30-acre plot of land in Sulehr Mandi, purchasing it for a little over $1.7 million. Despite its reputation as a haunted area and its uneven terrain, her father had a master plan to transform it into a thriving housing society. By removing the stray, leafless trees and leveling the land, he aimed to create an affordable housing option compared to the rest of the market. Asia couldn't help but admire her father's vision and considered him a genius as she savored each creamy, cheese-filled bite of the beef lasagna.

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