Chapter 13, 2 Stories
In a secluded area stood a mansion, surrounded by a moderate yet beautiful garden. Even the interior of the house was comfortable-too comfortable for someone who had just been kidnapped.
The furniture was elegant, almost welcoming, but Zeenat felt nothing but unease.
She had woken up earlier in a soft bed, her head heavy with confusion. Beside her lay her bag-touched, searched, emptied. They had clearly been looking for something. Her phone.
But they didn't find it.
By some miracle, it had been in the pocket of her trousers, hidden from whoever had gone through her belongings. Luck was on her side.
She had barely caught a weak signal in the area but managed to send her location to Zayd.
At least now, there was hope.
Or so she thought-until she heard footsteps approaching.
Panic surged through her, but she forced herself to move quickly. She tucked the phone back into her pocket, letting her jalbab fall naturally over it, and muttered silent prayers.
Then-
The door unlocked.
Zeenat's heart pounded. She had no time to think. She hurriedly lay back down, shutting her eyes tightly, pretending to be asleep.
The door creaked open. Footsteps. Slow. Measured. Coming toward her.
Then-
"Zeenat, I know you're awake. Stand up."
She felt her breath catch in her throat.
That voice.
Her whole body stiffened.
A silence stretched in the room before the footsteps grew closer.
Too close.
She couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes flew open-just in time to see a hand reaching for her.
Haider.
His fingers hovered just inches away, as if he were about to touch her.
Zeenat jerked upright and scrambled backward, putting as much distance as she could between them.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she stared at him in shock.
Haider.
The same Haider her stepmother had tried multiple times to link her with for marriage.
Her mind raced. What is he doing here? What is he thinking? Did he really...?
Realization hit her like ice water.
So it was Haider who brought her here.
Her stomach churned.
He actually had the audacity.
Zeenat sat at the edge of the bed, hugging herself tightly, her body tense as Haider's eyes bore into her. His gaze was intense, filled with longing-obsession. He had always looked at her this way, even back when he would visit her family. But now, with no one else around, it felt even more suffocating.
Her throat tightened. "Haider... why did you bring me here?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes pleading.
Haider scoffed, his lips curling in anger. "You married him," he said, his voice sharp and laced with bitterness.
Zeenat blinked, her heart skipping a beat. What?
She had expected threats, maybe even demands, but this? This was what had set him off?
Her mind raced. What is wrong with him? What is with this obsession?
She never promised Haider anything-never. It was her stepmother who had made false promises on her behalf.
Haider's fists clenched at his sides, his body vibrating with fury. "You actually went and married Rayyan behind my back?" His voice rose, raw with betrayal. "Without even telling me?"
Zeenat took a shaky breath, choosing her words carefully. She needed to stay calm-he was dangerous. "Why would I tell you?" she asked, her voice deliberately soft, non-confrontational.
A bitter laugh escaped Haider as he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes dark with rage. "Do you even realize what you've done?"
She swallowed. "Please, Haider... let me go. My family is looking for me," she begged, desperation creeping into her voice.
Haider's expression hardened. He took a step forward. "No, Zeenat. You are going no way. You belong to me."
Panic shot through her. She scrambled to her feet, instinctively backing away. She scanned the room, searching for an escape-anything-but there was none.
Haider moved swiftly, closing the distance between them. She gasped, her breath hitching as his presence loomed over her.
"Please, Haider. Fear Allah. I'm married now," she pleaded, tears brimming in her eyes. "Move on. Accept it. Let me go, and I will pray that Allah gives you someone better than me."
"You were supposed to be mine," he seethed, his dark eyes wild with obsession. "I waited. I planned. I did everything to make it happen. And you-you gave yourself to him?"
He reached for her arm.
Haider's grip on Zeenat's arm was vice-like, his nails digging into her skin. His breaths came in short, ragged bursts, his entire body trembling with unchecked fury.
Something in Zeenat shattered.
Slap!
Her palm struck his face with a resounding crack, the force snapping his head to the side.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Haider blinked, stunned. Then, slowly, his head turned back, his lips curling into something cruel, something dangerous. His eyes darkened with rage, his entire being consumed by the insult.
Zeenat yanked her arm free, stepping back. "How dare you touch me?" she spat, her voice laced with venom. Even though she knows he is capable of doing even worse "You need to stop this madness, Haider! I was never yours, and I will never be yours."
His face twisted with something close to madness. The slap hadn't deterred him-it had fueled him.
Before she could react, he lunged. His hand clamped around her wrist, squeezing painfully.
Then-buzz.
A vibration against her body.
Haider froze, his grip tightening as his gaze darted downward. "Wait... you have a phone?"
Zeenat's pulse pounded in her ears.
She had been stalling, praying her brother would find her before things took a turn for the worse.
But before she could act, Haider snatched the phone from her grasp.
Crash!
The device shattered against the floor, splintering into pieces.
Zeenat's heart sank.
Haider's jaw clenched as he loomed over her, his expression murderous. "You just made a big mistake," he hissed. "Now let's see who will save you."
In a swift motion, he grabbed the edges of her jilbab and yanked, stripping it away in an instant. Zeenat gasped, left in only her fitted jeans and a shirt.
She slapped him again and tried to shove him away in response, but Haider was faster.
Thud!
His hand struck her shoulder, sending her crashing into the wall. Pain exploded through her body as she slumped against the cold surface, her wrist twisting at an unnatural angle.
"Oh, my Lord..." she whispered, tears brimming in her eyes as she cradled her injured arm. She had never felt this helpless before.
Haider's breathing was heavy as he stepped toward her again.
"Pl...please, p-please... Fear Allah," Zeenat sobbed, her voice trembling with unbearable agony.
His response was a low, menacing chuckle. "Allah?" he taunted, gripping her chin, forcing her to look into his crazed eyes. "No one would come to save you, Zeenat. You're mine now."
Her stomach twisted in terror.
Haider's hands roamed over her body completely, his fingers tracing the fabric of her clothes, his intentions clear but she is to weak to react.
Zeenat squeezed her eyes shut, hot tears slipping down her cheeks.
Then-
BANG!
The door slammed open.
"Zeenat!" Rayyan's voice roared through the room.
Haider froze, his grip loosening as he instinctively backed away. His eyes darted to the doorway, panic flickering across his face.
Rayyan barely had time to process what he was seeing-his wife, trembling, pressed against the wall, her clothes disheveled, her face etched with fear. His vision blurred with rage. Zeenat.
Behind him, Zayd let out a shaky breath, his voice breaking. "Innalillahi..." His sister-his own blood-was in this state? His fists clenched, his entire body shaking with fury.
Anaya stood frozen, horror reflecting in her wide, tear-filled eyes. Then, snapping into action, she rushed to Zeenat, grabbing the discarded jalbab from the floor and gently covering her sister-in-law.
Rayyan didn't think.
Crack!
His fist met Haider's jaw with brutal force, the sound echoing through the room. Haider stumbled back, crashing to the floor, groaning in pain.
Zayd, frozen in place, was too fixated on Zeenat to react to anything else.
Rayyan lunged again, but before he could land another blow, the police stormed in.
"Get him!" One of the officers ordered.
Two policemen grabbed Haider, forcing his arms behind his back. He thrashed, his wild eyes locking onto Zeenat as if still refusing to accept defeat.
"You think this is over?" Haider growled as the cuffs snapped around his wrists. He let out a bitter, humorless laugh, his chest rising and falling with fury. "She was meant to be mine. You stole her from me, Rayyan. You all stole her from me!" His voice cracked with madness.
"Shut him up and take him away," an officer barked, tightening his grip.
Haider's struggles weakened as the reality of his arrest sank in. But as they dragged him past Rayyan, his gaze darkened with a final warning. "This isn't over," he hissed. "Not even close."
Rayyan didn't care.
He was already beside Zeenat, his hands cupping her face. "I'm sorry, Zeenat," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion.
She looked so weak. Her breathing was shallow, her body trembling. Her eyes fluttered, barely able to stay open.
Rayyan scooped her into his arms, holding her close. "Let's get you to the hospital," he said urgently.
But before he could take a step-
Zayd stepped forward without hesitation.
Without a word, he gently took Zeenat from Rayyan's arms, holding her protectively against him. His jaw was clenched, his expression unreadable, but the firmness of his grip spoke volumes.
With Zeenat secure in his hold, Zayd turned sharply and strode out of the room, his movements swift and resolute.
Darkness soon claimed Zeenat, who barely understood what was happening.