"It's been a full day. She went out and didn't contact me again". He whined through the video call
Everyone ignores him.
"I heard from my manager there that Romaisa came to my hotel". Usman said spiking everyone's interest
"Why?. Didn't we made a policy that states that no mafia can stay at the hotel or any place of ours?". Akbar said confused
"We did". Usman said nodding, "However, she didn't stay or ask for a room. She went to our rooftop hotel and stayed there".
"She just stayed there?. She didn't meet anyone?". Zafar asked confused
"Apparently". Usman said shrugging
Akbar shakes his head, "She is a cunning woman. There is no way she came there for nothing. I stopped all her advancement so this should be a warning".
"A warning?. We have nothing to give to the mafia". Awais said
"Maybe they don't want our wealth. Maybe they want something else. We never know with the mafia, you all know that". Akbar said sighing, "Stay on your guard. Don't go anywhere for a while".
"What about Zakirah?. Is she ok?". Awais asked concerned
Akbar nodded, "Just stable. They are still running tests on her. God, you should see how many needles are in her small hands and how many marks it leave behind".
"I can only imagine". Zafar said sighing, "Let's hope she gets better no matter how many tests she has to go through".
"I have to leave and check on Laila. Keep me updated". Awais said ending the group call
He enters in Usman's hotel asking for her whereabouts but everyone told she never checked in the hotel since yesterday. Then, where she has been?.
He called her phone but there was no answer and now he started to panic. As he turns to leave the hotel, he found her coming inside. He wanted to ask her all the questions he had and to show his worry however the way she was walking and the way she looks didn't let him.
She passed by him without even raising her head to look at him standing in front of the elevator without even pressing the button.
He watches her clothes being drenched and she must have been in the rain for a long time. He moves closer to her placing his jacket over her and she turns around in fear but calms down when she finds it is him.
"Oh, it's you". She said releasing a breath she was holding, "Why are you here?".
"Why do you think?". He asked pressing the elevator button, "I haven't seen you for hours".
She didn't speak anything as they enter inside the elevator heading to her room. She enters inside her room feeling her entire body being weighed down by the few words from Romaisa.
Your past is catching on.
She didn't want to stay here a minute longer. She turns around towards him abruptly making him take a step back.
"Please, can I go back?. I don't want to stay here". She pleaded and she never appeared in this way in front of him, "You can call your other secretary in my place. I will handle everything else, just let me leave".
"Laila, calm down". He said confused by her actions, "Why don't we talk after you change?. You will get sick in these wet clothes".
She frowns at his word because she didn't realise her clothes were wet and when she looks at her clothes, they looked terrible. She nodded heading to her room taking a shower to calm her senses as she dried herself, changing into a new pair of clothes.
He looks out of the window thinking about what happened in a few hours that made her want to run from here?. He didn't track her because she is smart to beat his team since she works with them. Should he still have her tracked?.
He heard her soft feet coming towards her and he turns around to find her standing there silently which is not something he likes.
As she sits on the couch he hands her the coffee he ordered sitting opposite of her, "Eat something too. I ordered few things".
She sighs nodding as she quickly eats enough so she can live for now.
"Why is that you want to go back?". He asked
She dreaded that question, "Can you not ask?".
"I wouldn't have asked if you didn't look that bad. Did someone threaten you?". He asked worried, "I cannot stop thinking of possibilities of placing you in danger with having you around with me--".
"It isn't you". She said cutting him off, "It isn't about you or your people, Awais".
"Then it's about you". He said and she nodded, "That worries me even more. What is that scared you so much?".
"I just-". She pauses taking a deep breath, "I came here to attend the wedding and that is all. Since we are done I don't think I need to say anything more".
He sighs knowing speaking to her will not be of any benefit.
"Fine. Then you are leaving tomorrow". He said standing from his place, "I will have my plane ready".
"I can go in a regular plane". She said frowning
"I know you can but I am not risking your safety anymore. You are not running away from my guards anymore and you are definitely not going anywhere without my permission". He said stern taking his coat he placed on the couch
Because with the threats from the mafia, everything is making him anxious.
"Why in the world would I need your permission?". She asked angrily
"Because you look like you are in some trouble and I am not risking your life". He said calmly, heading to the door, "Your life matters the most to me, Laila. Just get ready and leave with my team tomorrow".
She slumped after he closes the door looking at the ceiling blankly. At least, she can make it out of here in one piece tomorrow. There shouldn't be any more delays to this plan.
She went towards the magazine placed in her room as she opened the front page to find the top tiers faces pasted on it. She sighs skipping through the pages only to find them on every page so she throws the magazine away.
She didn't realise until she came to work under Awais, how big of a deal they all were. They were associated with politician, government, royals and all secret agencies which strengthened them. The only weakness they have is the mafia becoming stronger each day. She has seen the way Akbar was blocking everything about them but they need to build a plan against them because the mafia was closing in- the bigger they all get.
"Do any of you remember her from high school?". Awais asked stressed as he calls the other
"I can't believe you are calling us at this time to talk about your love life". Zafar said groaning, "It's already midnight here".
"That's beside the point. So, do any of you remember her?". Awais asked making Akbar startle from his sleep
"I swear I am busy with my daughter health and you are making me want to come there and punch you". Akbar said angrily
He rolls his eyes, "You are all useless".
He ended the call dialling another number and a few moments later Zainab answered.
"Is everything ok?". Zainab said sleepily
"Not really. I need help". He said, "Can you move somewhere so Akbar can't hear us?. He will kill me if he finds that I called his wife this late".
Zainab chuckle asking him to give her five minutes so she can move to a safer zone. After five minutes she called back asking what the issue is about.
"Laila Tahir is her full name, does it rings a bell?". He asked desperately
Zainab thought for a moment, "The nerd?".
His eyes widen because he remembers that man saying the same thing about her.
"I guess. Do you remember something?". He asked
"No. I already know everything but that is exactly what you need to figure out". Zainab said sighing
"Did I really do something to her?. I know I had this crazy thing going on back then but that never involved women". He said frustrated as that is the question which is making everything hard
"I don't think so". Zainab said making him release a breath, "We were---".
"Who are you speaking to?. Do you know how long I have been searching for you?". Akbar said entering inside the cabinet she was hiding in, "What are you doing?".
He could hear the anger in Akbar's voice so he ended the call before he gets to hear any of that. He brushes his hair away from his face as he starts to think the possibilities of ever encountering anyone like her.
He did remember that man from the library but all he remembers is that the man was always after all of them even Inaya and Zainab because they mingled with them.
He used to say hateful things and once Zafar fought with him when he made Inaya cry one day. It was a bad fight but they managed to get away and he knows for a fact that Zafar didn't regret a thing.
They were rivals.
He never saw that man after he left the country and since he never stepped back so he never had to face anything from the past.
Is her past catching on her?.
There have to be solid reasons for her to become this way. She is always a strong-minded person so it's rare to see her pleading much less scared of anything.
He heard his phone ringing with a morning event he has to be in tomorrow because that will bring in an important deal he has been working on. He needed to take this shipment so he can stay in the top position along with his friends.
He asked for the file from his guards not wanting to disturb her while he arranged her flight for tomorrow.
He wears his three-piece Armani suit as he proceeds to walk out of his house with the usual talks about his marriage from which he is fed up now.
His mother simply wants him to marry the choice of her and he doesn't want to do that. He has no idea why his parents are interested in his life now of all the time.
He enters the venue watching the party going in full swing while he locates his target he needs to get the deal from. It isn't that hard to get this deal especially with the benefit of being the top tier however the man is tricky which is also the reason he doesn't want to bring Laila here.
He wouldn't want a blood bath.
He continued to be in the party while his eyes remain on his Rolex for her departure which he is worried about. It would have been good to at least look at her one last time but that isn't happening which made his mood worse.
"Hi, handsome". He heard someone say breaking his stance as he looks at the woman walking towards her
He didn't pay attention to the woman when she stands beside her going on about something he could care less about.
"I am here". He heard her sweet voice making his head turn to the sound immediately
His eyes widen as he took in her presence making his fragile heart skip countless beats.
She looks ethereal.
Why is she here?.
Her eyes narrow down at the woman she found almost five minutes ago speaking and looking at him with some kind of eyes which she didn't like. She waited good five minutes to calm down her temper before she snaps at the woman and ruins his deal.
She knows how important this deal is to him and she needs to be here for him.
More than running away.
"I have few duties left to do". She answered the question that he had in his eyes, "I saw him a moment ago. We should go to him".
All she wanted to do was take him away from this woman which she managed to do without doing much as he followed behind her wordless.
They got the deal.
She might have never seen him this excited and happy over getting a deal but she isn't sure if it's the deal he is happy about or not because his eyes have been on her the whole time.
She heard her phone ringing as she finds a message from someone unknown.
Run. He is here.
Her heart clenched at the moment she realised what the text means and in the next second she was running out of the venue running aimlessly.
He watches her running away as he follows behind her losing her a couple of time and his team following behind him as they search for her.
For the next fifteen minutes, he could feel everything around him closing on him as his heartbeat in fear of losing her.
That's when he heard her scream.
He turns around running in the direction as he runs he can hear her screaming getting louder and that only made him push himself farther.
He stopped when he reached her.
Everything stopped as he watches the man in front of her molesting her and all it took was one more scream from her before something snapped within him as he runs towards that man pushing him off her and punching him repeatedly.
He didn't stop for a long time watching the man face was not even visible and the only thing that made sense to him was that this man was hurting her.
His guards pull him off but he ripped himself away from their hold going towards the man kicking him hard.
"Who do you think you are?". He screamed as he felt enraged
"I-I am her husband, you bastard". That man shouted and that was when he stopped fighting
But it did ended in a blood bath.