Chapter 24: The Awakening

A World Without Her

Abeer sat in the darkness. Unmoving. Unbreathing.

Diya lay on the hospital bed, her skin too pale, too cold.

Wires. Machines. The steady beep of the heart monitor.

She had lost too much blood.

And for twenty-four hours, she hadn't opened her eyes.

Abeer hadn't left the room.

Hadn't eaten.

Hadn't spoken.

Because for the first time in his life, he didn't know how to fix this.

He could kill anyone who hurt her.

He could burn the world to find her enemies.

But he couldn't force her to wake up.

And that?

That was killing him.

Aditya entered the room, carefully.

"Boss," he said, hesitating. "You should rest."

Abeer's eyes snapped to him.

Cold. Deadly.

Rest?

When his jaan was bleeding because of him?

When she was like this because of him?

Abeer stood up slowly.

"I want a name," he said.

Aditya exhaled. "Aarav is dead. The threat is gone."

Abeer's fingers curled into a fist.

"Aarav wasn't working alone."

Aditya stiffened.

Abeer's voice dropped.

"Find out who else wants her dead."

Aditya hesitated. "And when we find them?"

Abeer's jaw tightened.

"When we find them, Aditya..."

He turned to look at Diya.

At the woman who had nearly died in his arms.

His voice was lethal. Final.

"They die screaming."

Hours later, Abeer stood outside the hospital, watching the city burn in the distance.

His men had already found leads.

They were tracking down everyone connected to Aarav.

And if he was right... this wasn't over.

Someone else had sent Aarav.

Someone who wanted Diya gone.

And he had a sick feeling he knew exactly who.

Then—

His phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: You shouldn't have killed him.

Abeer's grip tightened around the phone.

Unknown Number: Now, you'll lose her too.

Abeer's blood ran cold.

And then—

A photo came through.

A picture of Diya.

Unconscious. Defenseless.

Inside her hospital room.

But the photo wasn't taken from outside.

It was taken from inside the room.

Abeer's stomach dropped.

Someone was already inside with her.

Abeer ran.

His heart slamming against his ribs.

He burst into the hospital room—

And froze.

Tara was standing over Diya.

A syringe in her hand.

A syringe filled with something dark. Something lethal.

She had been waiting for this moment.

Abeer raised his gun instantly.

"Tara," he said, his voice low, dangerous.

"Step away from her.**

Tara turned slowly.

And to his horror—

She smiled.

"You should have let her go, Rathore."

His hands shook with rage.

"You were helping them." His voice was lethal.

Tara's expression didn't change.

"She was never supposed to be yours."

Abeer's vision blurred with red.

She had betrayed them. Betrayed Diya.

And now—she was about to kill her.

Not on his watch.

BANG!

The gunshot shattered the silence.

Tara staggered back.

The syringe fell from her hand.

Blood bloomed across her shoulder.

She gasped, looking at him in shock.

"You... shot me?"

Abeer stepped forward, his gun still raised.

"I should have killed you," he whispered.

Tara laughed weakly. "You think this is over?"

Her breath came out ragged.

"They're coming for her, Rathore."

Her lips curled.

"And you won't be able to stop them."

She collapsed.

Unconscious.

Abeer turned to Diya, his chest rising and falling too fast.

He had almost lost her again.

His fingers brushed her face.

"Jaan," he whispered. "Come back to me."

And then—

Her fingers twitched.

Her breathing shifted.

And for the first time in hours—

Diya opened her eyes.