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He was about to descend the stairs when a voice came from behind.
"I made sure to give her a quick death. So that she doesn't have to suffer. Just two bullets to her legs,one to her forehead and two to her heart.Easy-peasy."
The veins in Azeem's head popped out with so much rage and anger. And he turned for his eyes to came into contact with Hakeem. He kept his silent for some seconds before he said
"Killing my mother wasn't just evil,wasn't to drag me down."
He paused
"It was utterly foolish".
"I knew that you've killed countless innocent people and even tried to kill me and layla
But do you know why I didn't kill you.?
Hakeem nodded his head 'No'
"Not because you're my brother or blood Because It was a hassle"
"I have the base to care about.So if I'd killed you.it would've inconvenienced me a lot"
"Anyway you have to die, I will kill you. You've touched something you shouldn't have Hakeem."
The smile on Hakeem's face fell as he continued to hear Azeem's calm voice.
"Don't be scared it won't be today.You see, l've got a principle.A painless death is a blessing." He adjusted his mother's body as he held her tight.
"I will give you two things.A humiliation worse than death, and a slow death, where you'll experience it every step of the way."
"I will leave you to it. Catch me if can."
Just then a loud roar came from above him at
the same there's tornado of dust eddying around.
Azeem looked up to the sky with squinted gaze.A helicopter in the sky 20meters away from the ground and a roll of rope was thrown out.
"I will let you escape this time but not another time !" He nonchalantly voiced out.
Hakeem hopped on the rope that was thrown out from the helicopter and the helicopter started to fly up.
Azeem's voice could be heard loud and clear
"I'll chase you down even if you flee to the depths of hell!"
"And I'll make you feel endless and excruciating fear and pain each and every time.Till you think death is the best for you,till you choose death yourself!!"
"This is a game."
Hakeem shouted to Azeem and saluted at the same time with a smirk on his lips and just like the night breeze he effortlessly escaped.
||~
When Layla get to know about Nabeela's death,she had to find support because she almost slipped away to the floor at hearing the shocking news.
"Innalillahi wa'ina ilaihil raju'un!" That's all she could all utter as tears kept rolling down her cheeks. She cried and cried till she couldn't anymore. Nabeela was such good,she was a mother figure to her and she just lost her now,who would talk her out of her own problems and pain! She had really helped her with so much advices,she had loved her like her own daughter.
At last Layla cleared her tears as she got to understand that crying would not help Nabeela but her never ending prayers. Yes,there's so much pain in losing a loved one but a person needs to live with it as that's the way of life. One day we will be the ones to be dead.
||~~
Since after his mother's janazah. Azeem locked himself in the room for days not eating anything. He never cry but his eyes have turned bloodshot. Layla never saw him in that state he was always picking at her or someone else to ease his boredom but now he appeared silent than ever.
He had a knock.
"Do you have a death wish?"His voice echoed around the dark room and into the corridor but he heard no response. So he got up and walked to the door,when he opened it he saw no along the hallway. He was about to close the door back when his gaze caught the tray full of food and a note stuck to it by the side. He picked the note and it read
"It is not that I care, I did out of pity. So please eat."
"Hmm so now you pity the monster. Keep pitying me and I'll gobble you up." He said the last sentence with a small smile and walked back into his room with the tray in his hands.
By evening when Layla entered the kitchen she saw the tray that she took to Azeem's room and it appeared empty.
"Cynthia,was everything on that tray eaten all or there's leftover." She asked to make sure that Azeem had indeed eaten the food.
"No madam there was no leftover when Kitty brought it back from master's door."
"Great" she uttered with a faint smile before she said.
"I will go to the hospital. Don't include me in lunch."
"Okay Madam. Stay safe." Cynthia said with a bow and Layla walked out of the kitchen before she picked up her bag that was in the living room.
Getting out she got into the car and they drove to the hospital.
"Finally. This dot here is your baby." The doctor pointed her finger toward the screen as she continued to monitor it.
Layla craned her head to have a better view and when she got to understand it.Her cheeks uplifted as her lips parted way for an uncontrollable smile. The tears that breamed her blue eyes streamed down.
"Alhamdulilah, I've never felt this way ."Her cheeks ache from wideness of her lips.
The doctor smiled as she witnessed the happiness in Layla's face.
"I should be get going. Sister Agnes will print it out for you." The doctor said wanting to give Layla some space to enjoy the moment. With a nod the doctor found her way out.
"My heart felt like busting out of my chest." Layla slowly muttered to herself
.Her hand trembled as she touched her belly before her hand traveled to the left side of her chest. Where her heart was situated. Her face then contorted to a splash of sadness.
How she wished they were normal couple and they would enjoy the bliss of this happiness together. How she wished Azeem was here holding her hands into his as they watched their tiny bundle of love together but after all they were all different! And they can never experience normality when they're in a different world than the others. Layla swallowed the tears that were at the brink of falling from her eyes. She used her hands to clear those that already spilled onto her cheeks.
After signing out and collecting the prints out of her scanning,Layla made her way back to the car. She entered and the driver set off.
It was after 10minutes driver that Layla found something amiss.
"Where are we going.? This not the way home." Layla said to the driver but he kept mute as he pressed on the accelerator to speed up.
She couldn't see the driver's face as the uniform cap blocked his face. She was confused why he couldn't answer her.
Layla took a large breath to calm herself down about what crossed her mind but her nose then caught the metallic rustic smell of blood,her eyes casted themselves down to her feet and she saw trails of congealed blood on the car mat.
"Albert?" She mumbled.
Her eyes became alerted and she raised them to look at the driver.
"You're not Albert!are you?"
But all that came back to her was his sharp breath. She looked toward his hands that held the steer-wheel firmly and saw a tattoo.
"This is not Albert." She thought and then silently brought out her phone to dial a number but the driver sensed it. He quickly brought a gas mask and put it on to his face,it was too late when Layla get to process what was happening as he had threw a gas can at the back seat. Layla gasped at the intensity of the smoke that tend to elope the whole air around,she used her hijab to block her nose from inhaling the air but it was futile as the smoke had already gotten into her system. Not a bit of a second passed she had already blacked out.
||~~
20:00am at the base.
Alfred entered Azeem's office. He bowed
"Master!Alex called to report."
"Mm" Azeem sounded not interested in the daily reports.
"They're in need to hire more maids as Madam needs more help and to watch her health."
"Okay"
"They also needs change in menu as Madam needs to watch what she eats."
"Okay."
"And.." Alfred stopped and looked to Azeem with a wry look.
"And..?" Azeem followed him up with a questionable 'AND'
"And Madam is not back from the hospital since morning and is about to strike 1pm". Alfred finally voiced it
"Perhaps she ran away-." Azeem nonchalantly answered but Alfred's face held a sad look
"We found Albert's body and he's dead."
That made Azeem to stop twirling on his seat.
"How?"
"From the look of it,he was stabbed to death and the hospital said Madam checked out since 17:00pm evening. We've looked into the cctv footages but it was as if everything was cleared out. I think she got kidnapped."
"This is the second time. Why do she always keep attracting danger.!".
Azeem frustratedly ran his hands through his hair. He can't loose anyone anymore. His most beloved woman and his baby had fallen victim to something like this just because of this mafia world and they might already be dead,
"Alfred i want everyone at the base to be out for search. Reach out to all the underworld gangs.Search every conner of this city and beyond. Find her."
Time passed by slowly.
After checking a few places, even using all the networks available, they were not able to locate where Layla was.
There was a loud noise outside the window.
A helicopter closed in and was hovering near the base building.
Azeem took his gun and phone then walked to the balcony . After that, he jumped onto the helicopter from the balcony and Alfred followed by.
"Master, everyone's already gone out to search, but there's still no news!"
"No one from the kidnapping side has contacted us either!"
Alfred reported after having series of phone calls
"The opponent must have picked the most clandestine place to hide her. It would not be easy to find it."
Soon, ten minutes passed.
Azeem closed his eyes and remained stationary. He seemed to be concentrating and calming himself down to think... "Hakeem won't make such a bold move after killing my mother. If not Hakeem then who?who would dare?"
After a short while, Azeem opened his eyes and took out his phone. He sent an email and made a phone call.
Alfred noticed he did not look for a name in his contact list. Instead, he dialed a bunch of numbers, and oddly enough, this number was a little familiar to Alfred...
After he called the number, Azeem directly said,
"Where is she.?"
A very active voice of a man came
"Ahhhan!! So you remember me now. Hisashiburi dana Azeemy. Finally I got your attention"
"Lucilfero, I don't have time for this. Where is Layla.?
"She's in my custody. I want to have a little chat with sister in law." His voice was high pitched.
"Don't even think of hurting her!" Azeem calmly warned.
Lucilfero chuckled to annoyingly replied.
"I won't guarantee that as she at the company of my men."
He then proposed after a thick silence.
"Azeem let's be friends again and your wife will be safe."
"Never." Azeem curtly said and the cheerfulness of Chrollo was short lived.
"Look at your inbox. Reply me in 10 seconds."
Following the short sentence, Azeem hung up and sat there waiting for his reply.
Time went on...
As Alfred was counting down to ten seconds in secret, Azeem received a notification on his phone.
Azeem glanced at his inbox, then he spoke to the pilot, "Turn around. Inform everyone 21Knight Street, E 31, N..
Alfred was shocked when he heard Azeem read out the address, and even with accurate coordinates.
Who did Master? He said the name Lucilfero!That person was...was it his best buddy?.
Alfred reminded himself about the number Azeem called just now and he was stunned.
He remembered!
That... that was one of Chrollo lucifero's personal numbers!
Had Azeem called him?
The more shocking fact was that Chrollo had actually sent him the address.
Was he not on bad terms with Master.? They were best of buddies before Chrollo betrayed Azeem by trading illegal drugs and raping women in his Port Mafia. Chrollo really admired Azeem that he can do anything for him but they had to go their separate ways.
Alfed looked suspicious. "Lucilfero...I mean Chrollo... Can his words be trusted? Will Madam be there?"
Azeem replied, "She'll be there."
Finally, they flew over to Knight streets as soon as possible.
As expected, they did not go very far...
Soon, they saw a familiar building from afar. It was one of Chrollo's hide out, so it should be there alright!
As they reached that place, they did not waste another second and landed the
helicopter.
Unexpectedly, they were surrounded by a group of people the moment they landed.
Azeem started emitting an intense horrifying vibe as he knew Laya was somewhere near the building behind them, but they were being blocked by this group of people.
However, they had the upper hand, it wouldn't take some time to finish them all.
"Take care of them." Azeem ordered Alfred and the other goons.
"I will go inside first!" He readied his gun and
He quickly and quietly entered into the house,shooting some men that got into his way.
After finishing checking the downstairs rooms he trailed to upstairs and started entering different rooms till he came across the largest door in the hall way.
Turning the doorknob he heard the lock not turned off and by using all his strength he broke it.
At last getting into the room the scene that welcomed was Layla being slapped and his whole demeanor changed to a maniac one.
Layla shook the man's hand away, but he held too tightly. The fabric of her dress was about to tear off when a foot suddenly crashed onto his head with a vicious blow.
"You touched the wrong woman you fucker," Azeem snarled, his eyes blazing with danger and rage.
"What do we have here?" He said as he grabbed the man with force to tied his hands with a rope behind his back. His gaze then fell on Layla who has pulled herself to one corner as her body kept shivering.
"Layla have no worry you'll be avenge right away." He said slowly as he saw how scared she appeared.
He turned to the man and the heavy and dark aura oozed from him in an instant, turning the entire room ominous and suffocating.
"Well I need to end this in just one go since I need to take my wife to the hospital."
The man cower at the sight of Azeem.
Looking around the scattered room his gaze fell on a large hammer. He went to pick it up.
When hr came back to the man's sight Azeem raised the hammer high and in swift motion smashed it into the man's cranium, In just one go the man lost his senses to understanding as the hammer directly and forcefully got stuck into his brain,damaging his brain cells. Blood spouter all around on his face and clothes.
Slowly but surely the man took his last breath in vain.
Panic instantly gripped Layla's heart when she witnessed how Azeem brutally smashed the man's head and was now walking to her. He squatted before her.
Layla shuddered at the look of his eyes that appeared vacant.
"Are you okay.?" He asked but Layla didn't say anything. His hands reached to touch her face but she cringed as she looked away. Seeing that he withdrew and he picked up her bag that was on the floor.
She hurriedly reached for her bag to snatched it away from him but in the the process the photo of the scanning she went fell out.
Before she picked it up Azeem had already taken it
His eyes scrutinized the photo and they slightly widen the next minute he understood what the photo entailed.
Without saying anything he folded the photo into his pocket. He leaned forward to hook his one arm under her legs and the other one behind her nape readying to pick her up.
"I-
"Shhh" Azeem hushed her before she said anything
"I have legs to walk." Layla softly protested when he began to walk with her in his arms.
Azeem's grip on her tightened and his jaw clenched for a second as he didn't say anything. He was just thinking about what would happen to her if he hadn't come early,she would have been....ugh! He groaned slightly not wanting to even think about it.
"I told you I can walk.!" Layla said it loudly this time.
Azeem's let out a dark chuckle,half amused and half irritated by something.
"If you protest again I will drop you off."
Layla appeared surprised
"How could y-
"Then shut up." He sharply cut her off as he threw her a glare. Layla zipped her mouth till they reached to the helicopter and he sat her on a seat beside him before the pilot took off.
As soon as they reached home,to get away from Azeem at the very moment, the helicopter descended. Before it landed completely, Layla jumped out of it.
Azeem's hand advertently reached out to stop her from taking the risk but it has already been done as he can still see how hijab was waving due to the wind caused by the helicopter propellers as she was entered into the house.
"This woman is impossible." He muttered under his breath before he ordered the pilot to take off again to the base. In order to clear out the search he issued earlier.
||~~
As the clock struck 00:00 Azeem entered the house after the closure of the search at the base.
His shoes clicked and echoed through the empty hallway as everyone had retired for the night. He removed the already loosened tie from his neck,cracking it in the process to ease the pressure and tiredness.
Reaching the end of the stairs he made his way to his room.
As he walked to pass by Layla room's door his ears immediately picked her her heavy and frantic breath together with indistinct sounds.
"Is she having a bad dream?" He thought as he placed his ears to her door and the sharp breath vividly came.
Deciding on his last thought he turned the doorknob to the room and got in. Seeing that she was moving and tossing around on the bed , he walked closer and turned on the bedside lamp. He saw her sweating and his brows were creased so tightly.
"Layla," he called out softly. It was clear that she was having a nightmare.
He stretched out his hand and held her arms as he tried to wake her up.
"Layla!" he called out again but Layla just thrashed on the bed as she continued to mumbled incoherently .
"D-don't h-hurt me."
Azeem grabbed her arms before he firmly shook her "Layla,wake up!"
Gladly, Layla's eyes finally snapped open, her eyes wide as she gasped for air.
"Layla !!!" Her name was roared out next to her ears.
She frantically gasped in terror and choked out a breath. It was like she had just been pulled out from drowning under water. When her eyes snapped open wide, wet with tears streaming down her cheeks unconsciously as she stared at him. Her eyes were vacant and unfocussed.
"Calm down Layla! Calm down Layla ,comon look at me, look into my eyes,deep into my eyes.
"Slowly okay?"He kept clearing the tears that kept sliding down her cheeks and her hair that got into her face"
"Babe"He gently called out and cupped her cheeks .
"Are you okay" He asked his voice coated with concern. She faintly nodded still gasping.
"Hey Layla try to breathe okay?" He encouraged rubbing her back.
"Inhale and then exhale slowly okay?" He instructed as she follows, finally she got her breathing under control.
"It is okay,right?I am here with you." With this he pulled her to his arms and hugged her. Layla finally calmed down,the sound of her hiccups echoing inside the room.
After some minutes he pulled away to ask
"What would you like to have to cool you down."
Parting her trembling lips she slowly said what she was craving for before going to bed.
"Ice cream."
"Okay ice cream is it?I will go get you ice cream right away." He pulled away and started to walk to the door but he stopped and turned. Walking back to where she sat on the bed he bent down and held her chin for her to look up at him.
"I've learned that people can find strength when they have someone to protect. And I've already found the person I want to protect." His gaze was intense as he bore his eyes deeply into her eyes, his gaze studying her face.
"You," he whispered.
"May I?"
This sounded like a dream to Layla and she couldn't grasp what he meant. Parting her lips she started
"What? I don't u-...." Layla's voice trailed and soon Azeem's lips took over hers.
Testing her salty lips because of her tears made him to delve more into the kiss,but as the kiss sounded more concrete and deep it didn't last a minute for Layla to grasp what was going and before she could get the chance he had already left the room,leaving her with her forefinger on her lips wanting to replay the moment.
Layla then realized it and concluded that Azeem was never a normal being and never would he ever be.
He was a man with a cold, dark, and distant demeanor. But as days passed by, she felt the incredible warmth his aura emanated. He looked indifferent on the outside, but his heart carried immense concern and love.
Whenever the sun rises, my thoughts also rises with the thought of you. And whenever it sets, it sets with my unyielding love for you!
A slightly long chapter! How did you find it. Great and interesting💃🏻💃🏻. So our new character appeared Chrollo Lucilfero!! And well eventually we will get to see more of him as we delve deeper into the book. Next is going to be a BOOM 💥🤯 chapter . So tighten up your belts.
Bye and don't forget to vote 💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻✨✨