His Accidental Second Wife

Chapter 56: Weight of Secrets

Flashback Continues

It was the night when Lubna had invited Maira over for dinner with her friends to the Swan restaurant.

It was warm and inviting, filled with laughter and the soft clinking of glasses. After greetings, Hadi was about to settle down on one of the chairs when, his phone vibrated sharply in his pocket. Without a second thought, he stepped aside.

The moment he answered, urgency pierced through the phone.

"Hello, Hadi?" It was Ibtisaam. His voice was taut, urgent, every word deliberate.

"Yes. What happened?" Hadi asked, his eyes flicking back at the table where Lubna was chatting, gesturing animatedly, Maira smiling politely beside her. Hadi's body remained tense, every muscle coiled like a spring.

"Bro, Pathan is back in town," Ibtisaam said.

Hadi froze. His body went rigid, anger flashing across his face, muscles tightening. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, the world around him, the laughter, the soft background music, Lubna's voice, faded into nothingness.

"Finally! Where is he?" Hadi demanded, his tone low, controlled, but edged with barely restrained fury.

"Hadi, relax. You cannot confront him right now," Ibtisaam said, his voice firm but calm, a thread of concern weaving through each word. "We're still trying to find things against him. If you appear and give him even the slightest hint of your plan, he'll become more cautious. As it is, it's already very difficult to penetrate his network, even though I've been trying for days. So please... calm down and wait."

Hadi exhaled slowly, closing his eyes. He knew Ibtisaam was right. He could feel the truth in his words, the strategy behind the caution.

"I'm telling you about his appearance because so far he hadn't shown any sign of coming back for Maira," Ibtisaam continued, "but according to my team's investigation, the recent place he went to is Nashik. And if I remember correctly, Maira is from Nashik, right?"

Hadi's frown deepened. His fists clenched at his sides, the tension in his shoulders visible even over the phone. His heart thudded hard, every beat echoing urgency and dread.

"So if, in any case, he had gone to Nashik for Maira, then it's a risk. You'll have to ensure Maira's safety. I have already assigned people to watch over her building, and cameras are installed everywhere. But Faiz is not to be underestimated, you understand my point, right?"

"I'll keep her safe. No way in hell will I allow Faiz to get anywhere near her," Hadi said, his voice low, steady, but carrying the weight of fierce determination. His hands tightened around the phone, knuckles white.

Ibtisaam paused, his tone thoughtful. "Also... I feel like we're missing something. There's something I'm still not able to figure out."

"What do you mean?" Hadi asked, a flicker of unease running through him.

"I can't tell you right now, but I'll dig deeper and see if I can find the missing piece I feel we're overlooking."

Hadi nodded, exhaling slowly, the tension in his chest easing only slightly. "Okay... thanks, man."

They exchanged a few more words before the call ended, each whispering cautiously, "Be careful."

Hadi closed his eyes for a moment, leaning against the glass window. His thoughts were a storm: It's a risk. Maira maybe at a risk. Faiz is back. His eyes flicked back at the softly lit dining room. Lubna was laughing lightly, Maira was nowhere to be seen, Hadi's chest tightened as he walked back.

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Fast Forward to the evening in Ansari residence. When Hadi and Lubna's siblings had gathered to finalize plans for the much-awaited siblings' vacation.