33.

Anam stepped out of the taxi, her legs trembling as she approached the front door of the house. Her hijab was disorianted, her face streaked with tears she couldn't stop. Her heart raced wildly, and her mind churned with scenarios... none of them good.

Would Feras even speak to her? Would he believe her explanation? Or worse, would he decide she wasn't worth the trust he'd once given her?

She unlocked the door with shaky hands, stepping inside the house. The silence was deafening, save for the ticking clock in the living room. She leaned against the door for a moment, trying to gather herself, but her body betrayed her, a fresh wave of tears rolling down her cheeks. She went straight to their room, so she didn't have to confront any servant or chachi

The sound of the front gate opening made her jump. Her breath caught as she realized he was here. Feras.

Feras stormed into the room, his eyes burning with fury, his entire body coiled like a spring ready to snap.

He slammed the door shut so violently it rattled the walls. The air around them seemed to thicken, charged with tension. His voice was low, but seething with anger as he spoke, his words cutting through the silence like a knife.

"Tumhe lagta hai tum mujhe pagal bana sakti ho?" His tone was guttural, as if the mere thought of her betrayal repulsed him. His hands were shaking with barely contained rage, and his eyes locked onto Anam like a predator zeroing in on prey. "You think I didn't see?" (Do you think you can fool me?)

Anam's chest tightened with dread, her body instinctively retreating. "F-Feras, please, suney, I can explain—" (F-Feras, please, listen... I can explain)

"No!" His roar was deafening. His hand shot out and gripped her arm, squeezing so tight she gasped in pain. "You've been lying to me. I saw you... with him... alone. Do you think I'm an idiot?"

His grip on her arm tightened painfully, and she winced, trying to pull away. "It's not what you think! Please, Feras, just listen to me!"

But Feras was beyond listening.

He dragged her towards the center of the room, his anger consuming him as his voice grew louder, harsher. "Lies, Anam. All lies." He shoved her violently against the wall, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of her. "I thought you were different. I trusted you."

She struggled to stay on her feet, her pulse hammering in her ears, her mind scrambling to explain, but the words wouldn't come. Her heart raced as Feras advanced on her, his face contorted with disgust.

Anam's back hit the wall, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. The man standing before her didn't look like the Feras she loved... the one who would sit quietly and listen, the one whose rare smiles had begun to make her life complete. This man was a storm of rage, his pain palpable in every word.

Her voice trembled as she spoke, tears streaming down her face. "Feras, I swear, I wasn't lying to you! Rehan... he's blackmailing me. He wass threatening me with fake pictures of my friend Umul. I didn't know how to tell you—"

"Do you think that excuses what I saw?!" Feras bellowed, cutting her off. His voice cracked, a hint of the heartbreak he was trying to suppress slipping through. "I saw him touching you, Anam! You let him near you!"

"I didn't let him! He grabbed me... I was trying to stop him!" she pleaded, her hands trembling as she raised them, palms out, as if to shield herself from his anger. "I went there because I thought I could handle it. I didn't want to burden you with this mess. Please, believe me!"

Feras's chest heaved as he stared at her, his mind warring between the damning image he'd witnessed and the desperation in her voice. He took a step back, his hands running through his hair as if trying to make sense of it all.

"Why didn't you come to me?" he finally asked, his voice quieter but no less intense. "Am I so unworthy of your trust, Anam? Do you think I can't protect you?"

Anam's knees buckled, and she sank to the floor, her sobs uncontrollable now. "No, Feras. It's not that. It's not you. I was scared! I didn't want you to think less of me. I didn't want you to think I couldn't handle being your wife, your equal."

He looked at her, his expression a storm of anger, disappointment, and something deeper... hurt. "Equal?" he repeated, his voice heavy with bitterness. "Being my equal means standing beside me, Anam, not hiding things from me. Not lying to me."

"I didn't lie," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I thought I was protecting you. Protecting us."

Feras laughed bitterly, the sound cold and sharp. "Protecting us? By meeting another man in secret? By letting him... touch you?"

"Stop saying that!" she cried, her voice breaking. "I didn't want him near me. I was trying to fight him off, but you walked in at the worst possible moment. You didn't see what happened before that."

His jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. The room was thick with tension, the silence between them deafening.

Finally, he turned away from her, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't know if I can believe you right now, Anam."

Those words hit her harder than any blow could. She crawled forward on her knees, her hands clutching at his arm. "Feras, please," she begged. "Don't say that. Don't give up on me. On us."

He didn't pull away, but he didn't look at her either. "You've shattered something between us, Anam. I don't know how to fix it. And I don't know if I want to."

Her sobs filled the room, but Feras remained still, his heart torn between the love he still felt for her and the betrayal he couldn't ignore.

Feras stormed out of the room, his anger propelling him forward. His footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway, each step fueled by the turmoil inside him. Behind him, Anam ran, her voice trembling as she called out to him.

"Feras, please, ruk jaiye! Let me explain!" she cried, her sobs making her voice hoarse. (Feras please, stop, let me explain.)

He didn't stop. His resolve hardened with every plea, every tear-streaked word. Reaching the main door, his hand gripped the handle, ready to escape the suffocating walls that had witnessed their shattered trust.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from behind him. He paused, his grip on the door tightening as his mind screamed at him to turn around. But he didn't. His anger overpowered his concern, and he pushed the door open, stepping out into the cold morning air.

Sliding into his BMW, Feras slammed the door shut. He started the engine, the car roaring to life as his knuckles turned white on the steering wheel. His mind was a whirlwind of rage and betrayal, her cries still ringing in his ears.

As he sped down the road, his phone buzzed on the dashboard. It was a message from Asim: "We've got him at the warehouse. What's the plan?"

Feras's jaw tightened, his foot pressing harder on the accelerator. His destination was clear now.

The drive to the warehouse felt like a blur, his thoughts tangled and chaotic. Every second the image of Anam with Rehan stabbed at his heart like a knife, her tears and pleas conflicting with the damning scene he had witnessed.

The woman he had trusted, who had started to change the very fabric of his life, was now at the center of his torment.

Feras stepped out of the car, slamming the door shut with such force that even the guards stationed outside the warehouse flinched. His dark eyes burned with an intensity that sent a chill through the air. He adjusted the cuffs of his kurta, his jaw set in a way that made it clear he was barely holding back the storm raging inside him.

Inside the warehouse, the dim lighting cast eerie shadows on the walls. Rehan sat tied to a chair in the center of the room, his face swollen from the beating Zameer's men had already given him. Asim stood nearby, his police uniform neatly pressed but his expression grim, while Zameer leaned casually against a crate, arms crossed, his sharp eyes tracking Feras's every move.

The second Feras entered, the room fell silent. His presence was commanding, his rage palpable, and even Zameer... a man who rarely flinched at anything... straightened slightly.

Feras approached Rehan slowly, his polished shoes clicking against the concrete floor. He stopped a foot away from him, his hands in his pockets, and stared down at the man with a look of pure disgust.

"Rehan," Feras said, his voice low and deadly calm, a stark contrast to the fury in his eyes. "Tu ne bohot bhari galti ki hai." (You made a huge mistake)

Rehan smirked, though his swollen lip made the expression look grotesque. "Ah, finally," he drawled, his voice hoarse. "The man himself arrives. Took you long enough."

Before Rehan could say another word, Feras's fist connected with his jaw, sending the chair toppling over. The force of the punch echoed through the warehouse, and even Zameer let out a low whistle.

Feras crouched down, grabbing Rehan by the collar and pulling him upright again. "You think this is a joke?" he growled, his voice laced with venom. "You think you can mess with MY wife,  and walk away unscathed?"

Rehan laughed, though it turned into a cough. "Your wife," he spat, blood dripping from his mouth. "She came to me, Feras. She didn't come to you, did she? What does that say about your perfect little Anam?"

Feras's grip tightened, his knuckles white. For a moment, it looked like he might strangle Rehan right then and there, but Asim stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Feras," Asim said firmly. "Control yourself. You want him alive to answer for his crimes, remember?"

Feras released Rehan with a shove, the chair scraping against the floor as it slid back. He turned away, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm the qayamat in his chest.

"Did you get the evidence?" Feras asked, his voice cold and sharp.

Asim nodded. "We've seized his phone and laptop. There are fake photos, messages, and everything else needed to prove he's been blackmailing people, including Anam. He won't be able to talk his way out of this."

Zameer stepped forward, his tone casual but dangerous. "Want me to handle him, Feras? One phone call, and he'll disappear. Permanently."

Feras shook his head, his gaze fixed on Rehan. "No," he said quietly. "I want him to suffer. I want him to rot in prison, knowing he failed."

Rehan sneered. "You think prison scares me? You're all talk, Feras."

Feras's smile was chilling as he leaned in close. "This isn't just about prison, Rehan. This is about making sure you can't touch anyone ever again. Your name, your reputation... everything you built will be destroyed. You'll be nothing. Tujhe zindagi ke uss mor pe le ayun ga, jahan tu yeh dua mangne par majbur ho jaye ga, ke kash tujhe moat aa jaye" (You'll be nothing. I'll bring you to that point in life where you'll be forced to pray for death, wishing it would come to you.)

Rehan's smirk faltered for the first time, and Feras stood up straight, adjusting his cuffs once more.

"Asim," Feras said, his voice steady. "le ja iss kutte ko." (Bring this dog away)

Two officers stepped forward, hauling Rehan to his feet. As they dragged him toward the exit, Rehan struggled, shouting profanities, but Feras didn't flinch. He stood still, watching until the man who had dared to threaten his wife was gone.

Zameer walked over, clapping a hand on Feras's shoulder. "You handled that well," he said. "But you're still angry. What's next?"

Feras's face hardened, the storm inside him far from settled. "Next," he said, his voice like steel, "I go home and find out why my wife didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth."

Zameer raised an eyebrow but said nothing, watching as Feras turned on his heel and strode out of the warehouse, his mind already racing with questions, doubts, and the lingering ache of betrayal.

.....

Feras stepped in the house.

Feras's heart hammered in his chest as he stormed through the front door of the house, the weight of his earlier confrontation with Anam still clawing at his chest. His anger was a suffocating blanket, one that he couldn't shake off. He'd left Anam broken and pleading behind him, her cries of desperation still echoing in his mind.

But now, something else gripped him... a deep, gnawing unease that something was terribly wrong. The house, usually full of life and noise at this time of the day, was unnervingly silent.

His eyes scanned the dim hallway, and that's when he saw it. The blood. It was like a river staining the stairs, bright and grotesque against the otherwise neutral walls of the house. The crimson streaks almost seemed to pulse, pulling his gaze in and making his blood run cold.

Anam? The thought rushed to his mind, uninvited and terrifying.

A wave of dizziness washed over him, and for a moment, his legs wavered beneath him. His breath hitched. His pulse pounded in his ears. He could hardly move, the gruesome sight before him freezing him in place.

What if it's her?

His throat tightened. The images from his conversation with Anam... the way she'd broken down, her eyes so full of fear and regret... flashed in front of him.

And that loud noise he heard before leaving—

Panic surged through him. He rushed up the stairs, clutching the railing as if it might stop his body from collapsing. His chest felt tight, and his thoughts scattered. The only thing in his mind was Anam, as if saying her name would somehow make the bloodstains go away.

"Anam!" His voice cracked with desperation as he called out, praying for some sign that she was okay. The house responded with nothing but silence. His heartbeat was the loudest sound in the room, echoing through his skull.

"Where is everyone?!" he bellowed, his voice raw from the surge of panic and anger. He was near the top of the stairs when he heard the echo of hurried footsteps behind him.

Chachi and Seher appeared from the hallway, their faces ghostly pale, their expressions a mix of confusion and terror. Feras' presence was overpowering, his rage almost tangible, as he took in the bloodstains that marred the stairs. His fists clenched tightly, his entire posture coiled like a spring about to snap. The cold fury in his eyes made the air feel thick and suffocating.

Feras' voice, though quiet, was laced with a dangerous tension that made both women freeze. "Who's blood is that?!" he demanded, each word sharp, biting through the heavy silence like a blade.

Chachi took a step back, her hands trembling as she struggled to find her voice. "Y-yeh... yeh khoon... Anam ka hai," she stammered, her gaze flickering nervously to Seher, whose fear was palpable. Seher avoided Feras' burning stare, looking at the floor, her voice trembling as she continued, "Ji bhai, yeh Anam ka hi khoon hai." (It's Anam's blood. Yes it is indeed Anam's blood)

Feras' stomach dropped as the words settled like a stone in his chest. Anam... blood... His mind spun, trying to piece together what this meant, but the thought was too much to bear. His knees nearly buckled as panic surged through him.

"What do you mean?!" His voice was now ragged, desperate. He took a step forward, as if the closer he got to them, the closer he was to understanding the horror. "Where is she? Where is everyone?!"

Chachi's voice cracked, her hands wringing together in a futile attempt to steady herself. "Ayub... Ayub, Ayan, and Pari... they... they took her to the hospital," she finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid the very air would betray her. "She's... she's in the city. The near city."

Seher hesitated, "They... they didn't tell us everything, but they said it was serious. She was losing a lot of blood."

The words hung in the air like a curse, and Feras' blood ran cold. The shock hit him like a freight train. Anam... hurt. He couldn't process the enormity of it, the vivid image of her lying there, vulnerable and bleeding. The sound of her voice... the way she'd pleaded for him to understand... ripped through him, and all he could think of was her.

Without saying another word, Feras turned sharply, his body moving on instinct. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, each beat thundering in his ears, his mind racing a hundred miles a minute, fighting the urge to collapse from the dread settling in his gut.

The house felt suffocating as he rushed toward the door, his legs carrying him as if his very life depended on getting to her. His fingers fumbled for the handle, his hand shaking from a combination of rage and fear, and the moment the door opened, he stormed outside.

The night air hit him like a wall, but it did nothing to quell the fire burning inside him.

He rushed to his car in haste. The engine roared to life as his foot slammed onto the accelerator. The tires screeched against the pavement as the car jerked forward.

His thoughts were a swirl of frantic images: the blood on the stairs, Anam's tear-streaked face, the sound of her pleading voice. He had to reach her. He had to see her with his own eyes and know she was okay. The bloodstains, the hospital... nothing made sense in the haze of fear and adrenaline clouding his thoughts.

His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white, the muscles in his arms tense as he tore through the streets. The city lights blurred past him, each passing second stretching the distance between them. His heart was a drumbeat in his chest, matching the rhythm of his foot against the gas pedal, pushing the car faster, harder.

Every moment felt like an eternity. Every turn, every red light, seemed to hold him back from reaching her. He cursed himself, cursed the situation, but he couldn't stop. His only focus was her, her safety, her life. He needed to reach her before it was too late.

The hospital was within reach now. The car screeched into the parking lot, tires scraping against the gravel as he threw it into park. His door slammed open before the engine had even completely stopped, and he didn't hesitate as he ran toward the entrance.

His breath was ragged as he burst into the emergency room, his eyes scanning the sterile, clinical space for any sign of her. The chaos of nurses, doctors, and patients blurred in his peripheral vision. He was beyond the noise now, lost in a singular purpose: Anam.

"Where is she?" Feras barked at the nearest nurse, his voice trembling with urgency and fear. The nurse looked at him with wide eyes, startled by his presence, but quickly collected herself.

"Are you family?" she asked, her voice gentle but filled with concern.

"Yes!" Feras snapped, his desperation obvious. "My wife—Anam...where is she?"

The nurse looked down at her chart and then up at Feras with a sympathetic expression. "She's in surgery. It's... it's critical," she said softly. "You can wait in the family area. She's been stabilized for now, but—"

Feras didn't hear the rest. The words "critical" and "stabilized" pierced through him like a knife, and he was already moving toward the waiting area before the nurse could finish.

He collapsed into a chair, his hands gripping the armrests as if holding onto the very life of the woman he loved. His head fell into his hands, the weight of his guilt, his fear, and the turmoil of the past hours overwhelming him. What had he done? Why hadn't he believed her?

"Anger begins with madness and ends with regret."

—Imam Ali as