28~ Hurt

SAARAH'S POV:

I returned to my house to get ready for college, skipping breakfast due to my lack of appetite. After dressing in my formal attire, I met up with my companion, and we headed to college. Upon arrival, we met up with our friends, Adi, Zain, and Varun, at the band. However, I noticed that Zain seemed off.

"Zain, are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, but I sensed that something was amiss.

Varun, noticing Zain's behavior, chimed in, "Bro, really?"

Zain explained, "I'm worried about my brother, Zunaid. He's not answering my calls, and I haven't seen him since morning."

I internally smirked, knowing the reason behind Zunaid's disappearance. Adi reassured Zain, "He must have gone somewhere. You know he came here for important work."

Feeling guilty, I considered revealing the truth to Zain. I believed he would trust me more than his brother. After reassuring Zain, we parted ways to attend our respective classes.

Later, I returned to my penthouse with Kriti and instructed my guards to take me to where they were holding Zunaid. They led me to the basement, where I found Zunaid tied to a chair, bruised and battered.

As I approached, he looked up, his eyes blazing with anger. "Oh, so you're here," he spat.

I smirked, "Unfortunately, yes. How are you feeling? Better, I hope?"

Zunaid's anger intensified. I mocked him, "Oh, my dear brother-in-law is getting angry."

I proposed a game, "Let's play a little game. You start by revealing your secrets."

Zunaid clenched his jaw, and I asked, "You love Zain, don't you?"

He retorted, "That's none of your business."

I responded, "It's my business. Do you think Zain will choose you over his beloved brother? You're just a distraction for him."

Zunaid laughed maniacally, and I clenched my fist. "That doesn't matter. What matters is you. Let's get straight to the point. Who's your boss?"

Zunaid smirked, "You think I'll tell you?"

I motioned to my guards, and they began to torture him. As they beat him, I instructed them to pull out his nails. Just as they were about to do so, Zunaid yelled, "I'll tell you everything!"

I signaled my guards to stop, and Zunaid continued, "Just please, stop this torture."

"There is no boss, Saarah," Zunaid confessed.

"I was the mastermind behind everything. My family was struggling financially, and my uncle, Zain's father, was trying to establish his company. That's when I got close to Saira. She was kind and supportive, paying my bills and college fees. I wanted to marry her to gain control of her company. Yes, I only wanted her for her money."

I stammered, my voice shaking with rage, "Then... why... did you kill her?"

Zunaid sighed, "She discovered something she shouldn't have. She found out about my illegal activities and collected evidence against me. I had to silence her, but I still haven't found that evidence."

I asked, "What was it that she discovered?"

Just then, Kriti burst into the room, her eyes bloodshot and her breathing uneven. She showed me Zunaid's phone, which had a video of my sister tied to a chair, brutally murdered. I felt my world crumbling around me.

As I watched the video, I saw my sister's pale face, her scared eyes, and the gunshot that took her life. The sound echoed in my ears, and I felt like I was dying.

Kriti's concerned face brought me back to reality. I instructed her to handle the media and create a fake news story about Zunaid's death.

Zunaid's smirking face enraged me further. "Aww, my little bird is broken now... aww, she couldn't save her sister from me."

I lost control, punching Zunaid's face and beating him mercilessly with an iron rod. I stopped only when I saw his bloodied body.

"You enjoy raping people, don't you?" I spat. "Now, I'll show you the consequences of your actions."

Zunaid begged, "Please, Saarah, leave me... I'm begging you."

I saw fear in his eyes, but I had no mercy left.

"Yes! Beg me, just like that," I spat, savoring his desperation. "And you know what? I won't spare you, just like you didn't spare my sister."

I instructed my guards to inflict a small cut on his genitals and sprinkle chili powder on the wound. His screams filled the air, bringing me a twisted sense of relaxation and peace.

After a while, I ordered my guards to free him from his restraints. I grasped his hair, and he begged, "I'm sorry, Saarah, please leave me... please, I beg you."

I sneered, "Run! Run as much as you can! Save your life before I kill you!"

Zunaid struggled to his feet, his broken bones evident in his labored movements. He stumbled outside the penthouse, and I grabbed my gun, intent on killing him just as he had killed my sister.

As I chased him, I caught up to him on the hill. I raised my gun, ready to pull the trigger, but before I could, he lost his footing and began to slip. I rushed to his side and grabbed his hand, unexpectedly feeling a pang of mercy.

For a moment, I couldn't bring myself to kill him. It was as if I had transcended my desire for revenge. I didn't want to become a killer like him.

But before I could process my emotions, Zunaid wrenched his hand free and fell from the hill. I watched in stunned silence as he plummeted to his death.

His eyes, filled with fear and relief, haunted me. It was as if he welcomed death, eager to escape the guilt that had consumed him.

My revenge was finally over, but I felt no satisfaction. My sister was still gone, and without her, my victory was hollow. I realized that my quest for revenge had been driven by my love for her, and now that she was gone, I was left with nothing but emptiness.

ZAIN'S POV:

I'd been searching for him everywhere, but to no avail. I'd even enlisted the help of my underworld connections, but they'd turned up nothing. I couldn't help but wonder if Saarah was hiding something from me. We hadn't spoken since college, and I decided to pay her a visit.

I arrived at her place in my Lamborghini and noticed Kriti and Varun's cars parked outside. I let myself in, using the passcode, and made my way upstairs to Saarah's room.

Inside, I found Kriti tending to Saarah, who lay in bed with a fever. "Aaru, please don't overthink, you had a 103-degree fever," Kriti said, concern etched on her face.

I asked, "What's going on?" and Kriti and Varun acknowledged my presence.

Varun explained, "Saarah's had a terrible fever, but she's not listening to us. She won't take her medication or eat anything."

I instructed, "Everyone, please leave," and Kriti and Varun exchanged a glance before departing.

I sat beside Saarah, who gazed at me with a mixture of weakness and defiance. "My Lavender, look who's here," I said, placing my palm on her forehead.

Saarah's voice was barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here, Zain? Go away."

I replied firmly, "I'm not going anywhere. Never. You have a high fever, and I'm here to take care of my Lavender."

Saarah protested, "I'm fine, Zain. No need to worry about me."

I grasped her jaw, making her look at me. "I must worry about you. Got it? Now, get up and eat something."

With some effort, I coaxed Saarah into eating a bowl of porridge and taking her medication. Afterward, she lay back down, exhausted.

As I prepared to leave, Saarah grasped my hand, her eyes pleading. "Please stay."

My heart melted at her words. I nodded and lay down beside her, feeling a sense of comfort and protection.

But then, Saarah did something that caught me off guard. She wrapped her tiny hands around my torso, nestled her head in the crook of my neck, and hugged me tightly.

I froze, unsure how to react. But as she began to pull back, I instinctively wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

We lingered in each other's arms for a few minutes before pulling back. Saarah's hot breath fanned against my neck, sending shivers down my spine. I couldn't help but entertain unholy thoughts about her, but I quickly pushed them aside.

I gazed into her eyes and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. My lips lingered there for a few moments before I pulled back.

"Zain, you won't leave me, right?" she asked, her voice laced with vulnerability.

"Never, babe," I reassured her, and she smiled, closing her eyes. After a few minutes, she dozed off, likely due to the fever and medication.

I checked her fever and found it returning to normal. I placed another kiss on her forehead and left her room, departing from her place.

As I reached my car, I noticed my phone and realized I had forgotten it earlier. I opened it to find 15 missed calls from my underworld contact. I quickly returned his call, and he answered within two seconds.

"Hello, sir," he said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Sir, Zunaid sir..." he trailed off.

"What about bhai?" I pressed.

"Sir, he's no more," he replied, and my world came crashing down.

"W-what are y-you saying?" I stammered, my breath catching in my throat.

"Sir, he fell from a hill," he explained, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I froze, unable to process the news.

After a few seconds, I managed to speak. "Who?" I asked, a part of me hoping it wasn't Saarah. My Lavender couldn't have done this to me.

"Sir, I don't know who she is. I'm sending you some videos," he said, and I hummed in response.

He sent me the videos, which showed Zunaid tied to a chair, being beaten by Saarah. The next video revealed them at the hill, with Saarah holding his hand before he let go and fell. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

I couldn't move or react. I didn't know what to do. The girl I adored, the girl I loved more than myself, had killed my brother. I felt like my world was crumbling around me.

Saarah, what have you done?

How was the chapter? Hope you liked it!

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ZAIN ?

WHAT WILL BE HIS NEXT MOVE ?

ARE YOU GUYS EXITED FOR HER

CONFESSION ?

Stay Safe

Love You All🩷