I got out of there as fast as my legs could carry me. Much to my surprise, the woman turned around in haste and asked me to flee. I ran endlessly, without bothering to stand for a second longer and think about the consequences. I wasn't sure whether I had taken the right direction or not, nor did I know whether I could walk out of this alive.

My mind had literally stopped working and my heart was beating so erratically and painfully that I had to reach a hand to ease the stress. I thought of looking around for people and asking for help but I dismissed the idea as soon as it had come.

Just the thought of getting lost and never to be found again by my family or my husband made my breath hitch in my throat.

I eyed my surroundings and realised that the road was as deserted as it could be. There wasn't any trace of human inhabitation and I felt faint.

At a distance, I spotted a small pool of light which was thrown about by the tiny street light that stood in between a huge oak tree and I ran towards the direction with all my might.

My legs felt numb and it seemed like they would betray me any second but I had to keep them dragging along the muddy road until I reached the highway.

I dared not turn behind and check for any possible stalker.

It was a long time before I found myself in an inhabited place, maybe it had taken a few minutes or a few hours, I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Nothing made sense and I was literally at the edge of losing my mind completely.

Luckily for me, I spotted a public transport pass by and I quickly got in.

"Where to?" the conductor asked eyeing my distraught profile and I ran a hand through my crumpled clothes to make it magically appear presentable.

For one moment the idea confiding my identity to him crossed my mind but then I quickly discarded the idea.

I couldn't trust anyone. I swallowed the remaining moisture present in my dry mouth and clutched a nearby iron pole to stop my hands from trembling, "Some good hotel." My heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure the whole bus could hear it beat. I gently wiped the sweat that came trickling down my face and tried forming a thin smile on my quivering lips when the conductor replied, "We'll reach in no time."

----------------------
I unlocked the door of my hotel room, still unnerved by what had happened.
The experience of coming so close to death had been horrifying.

And the last thing I wanted right now was to be stalked around by people who could harm me.

I sank down onto the nearby old furniture and tried calming myself. I closed my eyes as tightly as I possibly could and began breathing evenly.

I tried breathing in and out but was too shaken to feel relieved. There was an empty, lonely feeling deep inside me. I wished that I had not done what I had. Aahil had warned me of the danger that awaited me.

But in my quest to find dad's murderer, I had forgotten all about the missing file and the kind of people involved in it.

Reaching into my abaya pocket gained me the discovery that I had left behind my cell phone. The phone in my room was only present for internal purposes. I couldn't place a call from the registration area as someone could easily overhear my conversation.

I had used the card Aahil had given me to make the payments and I just hoped that he would receive an email or message when the transaction would take place.

The smell of food drifting in the air from the cart being wheeled down the hotel corridor made me realise that I had not eaten the whole day.

Hunger seemed miles away but I had to keep up my strength. I phoned room service, "I would like some sandwich and fresh fruit juice."

"Thirty minutes."

I replaced the receiver and stood by the window, replaying all the events that took place in the past few hours.
It felt like I was plunged into some terrifying nightmare.

Unfortunately, the reality was far worse than any nightmare. My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a soft room bell.

"Room service."

I walked towards the door, then stopped myself, puzzled. Hadn't I ordered precisely three minutes back?

Wasn't it too soon?

"A moment please," I called out.

I picked up the receiver and called room service, "My order is still not here."

"We are extremely sorry Ma'am. As it is the weekend the number of staff is short. Just give us another fifteen minutes." I replaced the receiver my heart pounding.

The knock became louder and frequent. I hurried over to the telephone and called the main desk, "Didn't I make myself clear? I do not need guests. Please take care of the person at my door."

"We apologise for the inconvenience. It will be taken care of."

Three minutes later I heard the telephone ring.

"Hello."

"Ma'am, the man says he is your friend and has an appointment with you."

"What's his name?"

"Rizwan."

I opened my mouth but I had difficulty in forming a sane reply. "He isn't my guest."

"He is adamant to have a word with you."

I tried my best to regulate my breath as I waited for the person to speak, "Can you stop the hiding game already?"

"What do you mean?"

"I have no intention of harming you so stop hyperventilating and meet me outside the hotel. Let's do some negotiations."

I covered my mouth to stop myself from whaling, "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point, Arent you? Just like your dad but I hope you are more sensible."

"What do you mean?"

"Meaning you will hand your father's research without any fuss and not loose your precious life by being stubborn." I slammed down the receiver.

It rang again and I fiddled over picking it or not. I made my mind that I was not going to pick up the phone and speak to that person again.

Jittery feeling enveloped me as the person seemed too dangerous to keep to his words of not causing me any harm. I had to contact Aahil and get out of here as soon as possible. But, I didn't have any means to reach him.

Low whispers travelled across the corridor and I pressed my ear against the door until the voices faded.

Hurriedly, I ringed the main desk and requested security to be sent to my room. "What is his name?" My voice was strangled with fear.

"Rajendra Singh."

A few minutes later a man knocked on the door, "Security."

"Name?"

"Rajendra Singh." I quickly adjusted my hijab and opened the door.

He regarded me for a moment, "Do you have any problem, Miss?"

I gave one of my sweet smiles, "No problem at all, it was just some stranger trying to get into my room."

He looked taken aback but nodded without any further questions.

"Would you mind walking me out of the hotel and giving the cab driver instructions to Mr.Aahil Hussain's villa." I tried my best to sound calm.

"Why on earth do you wish to go there? He is a very powerful man and only family members are allowed inside his private property," Then he looked at me intently, "Are you by any chance related to him?"

Should I disclose my identity?

Could I trust him?

If I stood any longer there was a slight chance he would recognise me, that is if he had seen the wedding photo's in the newspaper.

"Donation? Do you have an appointment." I gave a small smile which he returned.

"Let me help you." He gestured for me to walk ahead of him and I gladly obliged.

We walked silently till the elevator.

When we reached the lobby, I glanced around and gave out a deep sigh of relief as I could see nothing suspicious.

The security officer and I reached the taxi stand, "Thank you very much. I appreciate it," I exclaimed with a broad smile.

"We will make sure that everything is right when you come back." He then gave the cab driver the direction to Aahil's family house.

As I glanced out of the rear window, I saw two men hurrying into a parked black jaguar. The jaguar had pulled up behind the taxi and was following us closely. I closed my eyes and began praying, hoping for some miracle.

My head whipped around at the exact moment as a low-slung scarlet sports car flashed past us at the brow of the bend and screeched to a tyre-squealing halt.

Panicked by the manoeuvre, the cab driver hit the brakes of the four-wheel-drive in an emergency stop.

I held my breath as I subconsciously carved deep holes on my palm with the help of my nails and flinched.

Aahil sprang fluidly out of the sports car and strode back towards me. I felt my heart regain its regular rhythm at the sight of my husband and I let out a deep breath.

I turned to look behind my taxi and discovered that the jaguar had stopped following me.

Aahil stilled three feet from the car and removed his sunglasses, sliding them into his pocket of an exquisitely tailored jacket.

Ice-cold shimmering brown eyes probed my face and I shivered. Intimidated more by the chilling and silent menace than I would have been by his rage.

The cab driver skimmed a rueful glance between the two of us and slowly shook his head.

"How wise." Aahil purred like the predator he was as he strolled around the bonnet.

The cab driver sighed.

Disdaining the use of the door, Aahil lifted me out of the passenger seat with two powerful hands.

"I can walk," I snapped, my burning face a picture of mortification, "Put me down!"

In intimidating silence and paying no heed whatsoever to my fevered protests, Aahil strode back down the road and settled me into his car.

"How dare you treat me like that?" I gasped as he swung in beside me.

"What did you expect? Applause for making a fool of yourself?' He snapped.

'And what's that supposed to mean?'

'How can you be silly enough to put your life in danger?'

"But I did that for a purpose," I began heatedly.

"Don't be ridiculous Leena. You weren't going to achieve anything by pulling such stupid stunt."

"Who is Leena?" I mumbled.

Silence punctuated his harsh breath as the powerful car shot to a halt in the courtyard.

Aahil killed the engine and turned his head to look at me, brown eyes as hard as ever in his vibrantly handsome face.

"Are you out of your mind? What possessed you to leave the house without even bothering to inform?"

I snatched in the remaining breath and gently touched his arm. I took in the look of vulnerability on his face and cursed myself inwardly.

He was unnaturally still, his knuckles had turned completely white from holding the steering too tight. His white shirt was carelessly open at his throat and his thick black hair damp and tousled, and a most uncharacteristic shadow of untrimmed beard marked his tense jawline.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as I hugged him and in unconvinced response, Aahil leaned closer and rested his forehead on mine.

Slowly he swallowed, incredibly intent eyes clinging to my face which was clouded by tears, he caressed my cheeks gently with the back of his hands, "I thought you were dead." He breathed roughly.