CHAPTER 57

CHAPTER 57 : Blackmail

-----------------------------------------------------------

Fawad was outside with his hands resting in the pocket of his coat . He was leaning against his Lamborghini, and he turned his head towards Rudhra "Didn't you say , you heard his man yelling at him to get out due to fire?"

"I surely did , don't know what is taking him so long . Is there another exit?" Rudhra asked the question from Sabrie who was connected with them through earbuds .

"No, I have checked all . The other exit is security one but it's hidden and there is a camera there . I am keeping an eye on that exit from here so chill.  Maybe they just lost " Her words sounded weird to even herself .

She couldn't believe how could they simply get lost in the fair . There were maps all around on the boards to head outside . How come they manage to fail at it too?

"Geez , hope they get burned inside . If will save me some trouble" Seth said with a cheerful smile as he stared at the place burning up slowly.

Today Rashid was destined to die , either by the fire or by them , at least they hoped so .

Seth was still slowly chanting the tasbeeh so that things go their way only afterall there are many slips between a cup and lip .

Kalyani was in the car with Niya practicing her proposal to Rudhra , she had earlier thought to just say it in the movement, but when things went astray , she changed her mind and decided to do a little speech for him .

As soon as the fire started Augustus left towards the base to meet Sabrie and fix the plan if any mishap happened  , because the discreet plan of killing Rashid like it was a theft or casual shooting was now ruined .

Few people rushed out of the fair again , and Fawad's men kept a check on their faces to make sure that Rashid haven't sneaked out . These people were Safia's family .

Her aunts were inspecting their sons for injury and Ismail kept calling Safia , but her phone was switched off . He was walking here and there in worry with a kid in his hand which he has reached from the fire . It was a toddler .

"Is she picking up the call?"

Safia's father asked with worry.

"Not yet . Not yet" he repeated as he worriedly looked at Safia's mother who was hugging the grandmother and crying in her embrace silently.

"Why are you crying? Pray , pray to Allah swt and don't you dare lose hope " Her grandmother still had the resilience and belief as she kept repeating Hasbunallah wa ni'mal-Wakil. .

Ismail sometimes wanted to have a heart with as much faith in it , as the old lady had , but he didn't had it . His palms held onto the phone tightly and they started sweating. He kept calling as if it will make any difference or turn the phone automatically on .

"Keep him in your hands uncle , I will come from inside" Ismail handled the toddler to Safia's father who took it blankly , but then rushed towards Ismail "Don't go ! Fire is inside ! If Safia is safe , she will come outside herself. Just wait for her with us" Her father insisted.

"No , I can't just leave her like this!" Ismail said and was about to go inside ignore the pleas of Safia's father , but a guard stopped him.

"You are not allowed to go inside" the guard said in a cold tone. More people going inside will just create more problems in the mission.

"You are no one to stop me" Ismail said almost pushing his way inside but was pushed by another guard.

"Can't you hear what he said ? Don't . Go . Inside" the other guard repeated each and every word clearly and brought out his gun to scare Ismail off .

"Why can't I go inside?" Ismail asked in frustration.

"Because my boss said so" The guard replied in a montonous tone as if he were a robot programmed .

"Where is your darn boss ! I will myself get his permission " Ismail scoffed.

"He's on the side" the guard answered knowing very well that his boss won't allow it and he didn't wanted to deal with this boy anymore .

Ismail went towards the direction where the man was saying , it was just beside the main gate and he froze seeing Fawad along with his group there.

For a moment he wanted to turn away and go , but it was a matter of Safia. He walked there and Fawad was alarmed by the sound of steps of someone coming towards them .

"Ismail?" Fawad asked as he frowned, "How can I help you?" He asked , knowing very well Ismail wouldn't want to see his face unless it was something really important. What was more of a big question was why was Ismail in this place at this time .

"You can help me by telling your stupid guards to move aside !" Ismail spat.

"Can't help you with that request" Fawad denied his request.

"Why ? Why can't I go inside !" Ismail asked in anger , he looked like he would throw hands at Fawad at any movement.

"Because it's dangerous" Fawad said silently , despite the aggressive tone of

Ismail, Fawad didn't wanted to raise his voice , atleast not at Safia's brother.

"What if it's dangerous? It's not like I am asking you to get inside ! Just let me go and that's it"

Fawad was taken aback by the extreme request .

"Tell me a strong reason, and I shall let you in" Fawad told him , Seth was silently hearing the conversation.

"Safia...she's still inside . I need to get her out" Ismail's voice felt heavy as he remembered that his sister was still inside .

"She's inside ?!" Fawad was about to rush inside followed by Seth just behind .

The thought of her being in danger was enough to send a chill down their spines and make their hearts drop into their stomach.

But their steps were halted by the appearance of Rashid . He had just came out with Safia and his two men . Safia's neck was held tightly by Rashid.

Her hairs were disheveled . Blood on the face was mixed with tears and her upper lip was burst .

She stared at them for a split second staring at the worried face of Ismail , Rudhra , Seth..but the moment her eyes met with Fawad , everything stopped.

The entire moment just froze for her . He was still looking at Rashid and the men while looking around trying to find an idea . Before he could turn his head towards her she quickly tore off the gaze.

The sight of Safia was enough to put Fawad in pain . But it wasn't the kind of pain he had been facing for the past weeks , it was something more suffocating as if all the air was knocked out of his lungs. His heart bled . He dreamt of meeting her at least once after the divorce , but didn't expected her to be like this.

Rudhra despite being hurt , slowly aimed his gun at Rashid . He and Safia weren't certainly the kind of close people are with each other but with the woe of protecting everyone over the past years who Fawad loves , Rudhra started to protect Safia too . And about Safia ? Well...she entirely didn't mind his presence either .

"So..Miss Safia , mind telling your husband how you feel?" Rashid asked with a chuckle trying to mock her state of being this weak , only to get a reply back almost instantly from her side "Oh , I am just peachy , thanks for asking . Kinda enjoying the whole 'I am kidnapped and beaten' vibe"

Rashid looked at Fawad "You know,  now I kinda understand why you liked her"

Safia's face fell at those words , like ? Fawad never liked her . He dumped her he very first moment he got , but she kept taking views of Fawad sneakingly staring at him as much as she could . She hated her situation, the way he left her , but she still couldn't bring herself to hate him .

Not even at this moment, where she guessed she was more or less brought into trouble due to her past connection with Fawad.

"Give her to me , and I will let you go away freely" Fawad tried to make a settlement.

"Oh , I don't doubt your words , but I don't think your little shooter will" Rashid frowned , making Fawad's head turn towards Rudhra.

"Drop the gun" Fawad's voice almost came as aggressive, and Rudhra looked at him . He wanted to make sure if Fawad surely wanted him to put his gun down because it would be risky to do so.

But there was no uncertainty, he was clear . Rudhra dropped the gun off the ground , making Rashid smile in victory.

Ismail was looking at the scene trying to look for something which could help them, but there was none.

"What have my sister even done? Just give her to me , you have your business with them , just do it with them . Let us out of it" Ismail tried to say , and actually inform Rashid that the bonding for whose sake he was even holding Safia hostage wasn't even anymore.

"Oh shut up kid ! I ain't letting go of my golden ticket to get outta here" Rashid shrugged and the stared at everyone with a smile wide enough to send chill down everyone's spine.

"So , I will be off for now..It was nice meeting y'all . I will handle her once I reach home safely" Rashid grabbed Safia who was looking almost everywhere but at him.

"any last comments to your husband?" Rashid asked her , but instead of talking with Fawad , she just decided to mock Rashid "Not actually, but after all this gets over , I am starting a support group for mentally retarded , you can be the chief guest there"

"Now if I beat her up again, I will be the bad man" Rashid frowned .

Fawad's blood rushed into his veins and he was trying to control his anger in this situation. He wanted everything to be just safe , so that Safia don't get hurt more than she already was. He had mentally promised himself to beat Rashid personally making him scared for his dear life and beg for death .

For the life he had beaten up his wife, Rashid would cry to leave it , but he controlled his anger not wanting to rush things .

"Rashid , just handle her to me . You will get away from here , you have my words, but I don't trust your words to keep her safe" Fawad just tried to ignore the whole conversation and was adamant on his point.

Safia stared at him again for a second , but this time their eyes met . He was continuously looking at her , and his eyes were enough to tell how hurt he actually was from all this . Safia's eyes almost got filled with tears as she saw this . The little concern and support from Fawad was enough to make her weak , but she quickly tore of her gaze.

"Too bad then. I am the one with upper hand here" Rashid said.

"Fine, then take her but I will just shoot your entire car. I was either way saving her out of humanity" Fawad shrugged crushing her all hopes in a split second.

"Humanity ? Haha do I look like a fool?" Rashid joked.

"You certainly do , they are divorced afterall" Ismail said from the side.

Safia just stayed there silently trying not to cry . After being kidnapped , the last thing she wanted to hear was this .

"That's a—" Before he could deny the truth ,the guard from his side said "It's the truth"

Rashid frowned , he was unaware of this news . But it just made him realise that he had been dancing on the thin ice . If the girl meant nothing much to him , Fawad will obviously kill her too if meant to kill him.

"Decide something fast " Safia taunted in middle , because her legs were feeling weak . They were injured and she felt as if they wouldn't take her weight anymore.

"Fine...let me sit in the car. Hold her till I disappear out of sight" Rashid handled Safia to his guard , making her almost flinch for a second . He was the man who had beating her up,  but she gathered herself and tried to remain calm.

Rashid hurriedly got in the car and drove off . They missed that Seth was now out of the place completely . He and Augustus were waiting for Rashid at the highway , which is required to cross to go away . They were with Zayan and another lady who was on Zayan's side.

Augustus was connected with the incidents of this place by the earbuds on Rudhra's ears which clearly informed them about the occurance of the fair . He texted Seth to come to the place for extra support, and Seth managed to sneak out without being noticed.

The bodyguard kept holding her , and after they were gone he pushed her roughly in front of Fawad. The moment it was done , Rudhra put all 6 bullets of his pistol in the bodyguard's limbs , still leaving him alive .

"Send him to base" Rudhra said angrily.

For a second Safia balanced herself , but leg twisted and she was about to fall on ground losing her balance , but Fawad held her from the waist pulling her closer to him. Ismail was stunned to see the care in Fawad's eyes for Safia . Fawad quickly carried her in a bridal style and put her inside his car.

"Will meet you at the hospital" He shortly told Ismail, who still looked confused.

"It's a long story" Rudhra said staring at Ismail , already knowing the cause of his great confusion.

Rudhra followed Fawad , and sat in the driver seat.

"Let it be , I will go with Ismail . I am not hurt" Safia insisted as he tried to get away from his grip .

"Be here please" his voice sounded more like a request , as he stared at her , "Once you get well , I will let you be with your family.."he tried to assure her , although his own hands trembled as her blood touched them . It was the very first time his hands were trembling at the sight of blood .

The tears which she was stopping till now started to flow down mixing with her tears and blood . It made Fawad worried and he stared at her in shock.

"Is it hurting that badly?" He asked her with worry and started to look around her body to see if her head or any part of body was excessively bleeding or not. He needed to make sure she was out of danger . In frustration he ordered Rudhra "Driver fast !" And Rudhra complied to his orders.

"We will reach the hospital soon Safia"Fawad whispered slowly , but it just made her cry even harder . The more she cried , the more worried he became .

But only if he knew that the cries aren't because of the injury but rather him. Not knowing what to do anymore , he swiftly snaked his arm in her waist . While his one hand was around her waist holding her closer to his heart , while the other was massaging her hair gently to calm her down .

His words echoed in her mind , 'Fine, then take her but I will just shoot your entire car. I was either way saving her out of humanity'

In the morning, she felt as if she have moved on and can be really happy with her life , but just one moment with Fawad was enough to break her . She snuggled closer to his chest silently trying to find comfort even in pain and he didn't failed to provide her with that .

The gentle words accompanied by the sound of his heartbeat calmed her down , and she found herself dozing off . The scent of Fawad's cologne was so familiar and dear to her , more than any other scent or thing in her entire life . It calmed her down like no other thing ,and in the past months she found herself spraying the cologne over the pillow and sleeping .

But again the feeling of Fawad himself being there was dreamlike for her , and she didn't wanted to get up from this dream.

Rudra remained surprised at the interaction between the couple . But he guessed that whenever Fawad is with Safia , magic is bound to happen.

To be continued......

---------------------------------------------------------

4th update and yesss they finally met !! Alsooo thx for all the luv on the story really !! Like it means so much to be , I couldn't even believe it for a split second that my story gave 90k+ reads 🤭❤️