"it's broken by the Almighty. it'll be surely mended by him - gabriel."

"Sulaaymaan! Sulaaymaan just come here for a minute."

Afra was sorting through the laundry. That day she had taken it over herself to get the clothes washed and dried. Hers, Sulaaymaan's, Queen Basmah's and the triplets.

She always watched Sulaaymaan go about the rooms in a frenzy — with his hair sticking out in all sides and his thoub tucked upwards into his pyjama — carrying clothes from all rooms.

Back then he — of course — didn't take responsibility over her laundry. And now that she was thinking about it, it was pretty respectful of him.

"Yeah Afra what's up?"

Her eyes fell over him leaning against the doorframe, having this silly smirk.

"Missed me?"

He wiggled his brows and she rolled her eyes.

"Too bad, you don't know me still."

He slumped his shoulders and scowled.

"Why did you call me then?"

Afra didn't answer. She took ahold of a long thoub and right in front of him pulled out a note of five hundred riyals.

"What is this doing in the pocket?"

His eyes lighted up and he snatched the note from her hands.

"Hey, thanks. I've been searching for it."

Afra looked at him in disbelief.

"Sulaaymaan, I'm asking you, why is it in the pocket of a thoub that you just put into the laundry?"

"I have this habit of sometimes, sometimes, leaving behind some essentials in my pockets."

She sighed, pinching her temples.

"You're same like my dad."

She mumbled and he smiled cheekily.

"Will try to not do that In Shaa Allah."

He winked at her and turned around to walk away.

It was a few days now since the time Afra confessed. She was starting to gradually open up to him and feel comfortable enough to not bother about wearing shorts or skirts around him like she usually did.

Her style usually was a pair of boxer shorts with a long lose shirt with big sleeves. Normally her hair was left in a ponytail but other times she was in the habit of putting it up in a messy bun.

He had to admit it. She was extremely cute. After months, she was roaming around the villa like her it were her home. She was helping him and Queen Basmah with everything and the same went fof the Triplets.

School was starting soon and as much as Sulaaymaan hated to accept the fact, his sisters needed to complete their holiday assignments and Afra was being a huge help.

She was monitoring their growth and development in detail, making sure to teach them anything if they forgot about it.

School was starting two weeks from now and he was squealing with excitement. Not because his sisters would have no time to bother him, bit because he was keeping a surprise from Afra.

He remembered how she had written that entrance exam for Aeronautics to get admission in the country's best university. Although it was completely filled with male students — which Sulaaymaan was going to do something about soon — he did not do anything stupid to hurt the reputation Afra had earned.

As soon as he had brought her to live with him, he was already on his feet going back and forth between getting her admission formalities done. It took him a good lot of time and all obstacles were much more easier for him to cross than what he has been going through.

Finally she could live her dream. She was unaware of this as of yet. And he was very excited in revealing this to her.

A few weeks and she could do something she was always passionate about.

Queen Basmah was very happy about it too. Infact he wouldn't have given it a thought had it not been for the pushes she gave him.

She was the one who offered him the advice to make her wishes come true. She had worked hard for her dream and it was upon him to make it a reality.

And so it was.

Somewhere along that route, he didn't even realize the feelings he was developing.

"Alhumdulillah for everything."

Afra was shaken up today. Her anxiety was making her have double thoughts about what she had planned for.

The stillness of the night gave her the illusion that someone was having a close watch over her. That even though she was prepared for this sort of experience, she wouldn't be able to take the blow.

Things were difficult to control anymore. She came up to that conclusion when Waasay appeared into the scene. Is she did not go ahead with what was being planned, she was not sure on what more could take place.

What more terrifying incidents could occur.

She was walking up and down the bedroom with her gaze occasionally falling over the opened balcony doors.

The moment Sulaaymaan was asleep she had notified Aasiq and his men. The guards outside were going to be there with her too since she needed all the help she could gather. 

His guards were very persistent on making her give up on this but she didn't buy their story.

It was all destined to happen.

When a noise reached her ears, her eyes snapped immediately at the balcony doors to find a ladder being hoisted against the railing.

She went on her tiptoes and took careful steps towards the balcony to make sure it was Aasiq's team.

When a head popped up with the silliest grin, she sighed with relief and smiled.

After showing a thumbs up to the man, she quickly went to Sulaaymaan's side, stared at his face for a minute, gently pushed his curls away from his eyes and lay a soft kiss over his cheeks.

"I love you Sulaaymaan."

Smiling down upon him for a minute longer, she moved away instantly and pushed away the tears that were starting to sting her eyes.

The previous night she had put out the orders for what each man had to do. Her life was at stake and even if it meant that she was to die at Waasay's place, atleast these men could catch the real culprit with the clues they would collect.

Waasay was the real missing puzzle they were in need for a boost. Now that Allah was generous enough in placing him right under the eyes, she was not going to waste the opportunity.

This man was their gateway to answers.

She swung her legs from over the railing and felt the Ladder's step. Steadily she managed to put down her other leg too with the men from below shooting instructions.

With each step that she took — like the steps of life that one takes — she prayed with all her might for her family and Sulaaymaan. If she was not going to return and if this was going to be the end, she prayed that Sulaaymaan be taken care of.

"Assalaamualaikum."

Her feet hit the slippery ground and her eyes met with Aasiq's.

"Walaikumusslaaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Thanks bro, this help means a lot."

Aasiq gave a short bow of his head.

"Anytime for you ma'am. Your life is in our hands now. In shaa Allah, you'll return soon to this house."

She tried to smile back and her eyes gazed around the villa's exterior and landed over the balcony.

Gathering all of her courage, she turned around and squeezed her eyes shut for a while until she got seated in the car and it began to move.

The night was quieter than ever. Even the crickets didn't create any sound. Everything was still and silent.

But what all could happen during such times was a matter of debate.

Rapes.

Robberies.

Accidents.

She sighed heavily and turned around.

"How far is Waasay's house?"

Aasiq answered for her from the passenger seat.

"It's half an hour away. We did go through his area and I can tell you that he recently moved in. That's for sure because the area is just too dense to support human life. When you see it, you'll understand."

She nodded absently while staring out the window. While the whole car was buzzing with male talks about who was wrong in some game, she was engaged within her thoughts. She occasionally smiled at how childishly they fought over who would play first after returning and just as smoothly as that, their journey ended.

"We've reached!"

They held open the door for her and stepped out carefully. With all of them surrounding her protectively, she frowned at the sight.

She twisted her neck around confusingly. The place they had stopped in was in the middle of nowhere. Some trees seperated the actual road from the rocky earth while a thick batch of trees proceeded deeper into the space.

"Is this it?"

She asked and looked at them all nod.

"This actually isn't even that confusing. Follow us and you'll know."

Aasiq lead the team towards the inner portion. She was positioned in the center with a guard at each side. Despite feeling a little nervous about how close they all were, she didn't bother. They were too generous with their lives.

Each step they took made noises that could have alerted anyone in the stillness of the night. Yet — by Allah's grace — there was absolutely no sign of life in the area.

After balancing herself carefully, putting down her feet steadily and making sure to not trip on her abaya, they finally stopped in front of this cabin.

A small wooden house with a window and a door side by side.

"Are you serious?"

She turned to Aasiq and he nodded with his brows raised.

"We were equally stunned."

Wasting no more time, they stepped forward with hesitation. Since a light was reflecting over from the window, Aasiq ordered them to move with extra clarity in their steps.

Much to Afra's Surprise, everyone pulled out their guns, held them tightly and gave Aasiq the signals to make a move.

This was getting scarier minute by minute. She wasn't anticipating an abandoned cabin in the middle of a forest on a highway with just starches and stretches of sand.

She gulped and focused on the step Aasiq was preparing himself for. Two other guards alighed against the door frame; Aasiq right at the front and two standing behind for rear attack.

Breathing in sharply, she watched as Aasiq knocked on the door. They all waited with everyone ready to plunge into action.

However — except for Afra's racing heart — there was no response or any signs of someone attempting to cater to them.

Aasiq knocked a little harder and as seconds passed by without any fruitful result, he motioned that he was going to break open the door.

At the count of three, the door was thrown open with a loud thud. Afra could barely contain her shriek over how defeaning it sounded.

But that wasn't just it.

Lying right in front of the door was Waasay, with a knife pierced into his stomach. Afra gasped aloud and someone placed a hand over her back just instantly.

Aasiq and one another guard was down beside him. One man adjacent to her stretched his arms far and wide to catch a signal on his phone. Another one from behind was shouting on a Walkie talkie.

Everyone was busy around her and she felt useless doing nothing to be of assistance to anyone. She was too tired of the sudden surprises that were being thrown at them. It was all getting way too complicated and a lot of people were getting killed in some psychotic's game.

"Miss Afra. He's alive Alhumdulillah."

Aasiq shouted and motioned her to hurry inside. Her steps were shaky but she didn't let that stop her. When she was standing across from Waasay, his lips had a painful smile.

She knew he was wrong. She was aware of the damage he had caused and been a part of. She was known of the circumstances he had been in prior to facing this situation.

Yet she didn't like how he was in pain.

Slowly she got down on her knees, took his hand in hers that lay lifelessly and managed a little smile.

"I'm....I...am sorry Waasay. You did wrong but you still didn't deserve this. Nobody should be in such a state."

He gently shook his head and his eyelids almost closed.

"We need to hurry up."

Aasiq shouted in panic and along with the other man beside him, they threw his arms over their necks and jogged through the thickness.

With every step they took, Waasay grumbled with pain. And it was so terrifying for Afra to watch. She was walking at the farthest they'd allow her to.

After adjusting Waasay into the backseat, Afra silently sat sticking to the door. It was a silent and fast ride. Waasay had already lost a lot of blood and any more delay in the matter could threaten his life.

A cold hand slapped her shoulders. So cold it was that she could feel it through her abaya.

She turned around to find Waasay, with his head resting against the seat and eyes drooping.

"H..e...he's.....c..co... coming.... fo..for...y..ou...you..soon...."

« Assalaamualaikum Princesses ❤

Another Chapter!

I won't blabber much. :-)❤❤❤❤I always tend to do that.

I love you all so much and please stay safe.

Jazak'ALLAHU QAIRAN KATHEERAN for all of your precious support. ❤❤❤

Love,

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