CHAPTER 24: AMIR's SACRIFICE

164 38 15
                                    

KANO STATE, NIGERIA.

Azra's world had been shattered two weeks ago when she was torn from her loved ones and thrust into a living nightmare. The memories of her abduction were etched in her mind like a scar, a constant reminder of her vulnerability. She had been snatched away from the safety of her family's embrace, forced to endure the cruel whims of her captor, Jamil.
Despite her valiant efforts to appear brave, fear lingered in her eyes, a constant companion in the dark abyss. Her kidnapper seemed obsessed with claiming her heart, but his words were laced with venom, his touch a stark reminder of her captivity. Jamil's obsession was suffocating, his gaze piercing through her like a cold blade.
Whenever she resisted his twisted attempts to brainwash her, his affection turned to cruelty, his fists raining down on her delicate form. Azra's spirit remained unbroken, but her body bore the scars of his brutality. The pain was a constant reminder of her helplessness, a bitter taste in her mouth.
Yet, even in the depths of her despair, her thoughts strayed to those who must be searching for her. Her husband, Amir, her parents, her brother – their faces haunted her, their worry and anguish a weight on her heart. She longed to reassure them, to feel their warm embraces once more. The thought of their tears, their sleepless nights, and their desperate prayers for her safe return was a burden she couldn't bear.
Most of all, she yearned for Amir, her partner, her rock. Memories of their laughter and their tender moments together now seemed like a distant dream. She missed the way he made her laugh, the way he held her hand, and the way he looked at her with eyes that shone like the stars. Her soul ached to be reunited with his, to feel his gentle touch and loving gaze.
In the darkness, Azra clung to the hope that their love would be her salvation, her beacon in the darkness. She replayed the time Jamil had let her speak to her family through the phone, his words of love and reassurance echoing in her mind. "I will always find you, Azra. No matter where you are, my love will guide me to you." She held onto that promise, her heart clinging to the belief that Amir would move heaven and earth to rescue her.
As the days blurred into an endless stretch of despair, Azra's thoughts became her only solace. She retreated into the sanctuary of her mind, reliving the memories of her life before captivity. She remembered the sunshine, the laughter, and the warmth of her family's love. Those memories were her strength, her shield against the darkness that threatened to consume her.
But even in the safety of her thoughts, the fear lingered, a constant reminder of her precarious situation. She knew that Jamil's obsession would not be satiated until he had claimed her completely, body and soul. Azra's heart raced at the thought, her mind rebelling against the possibility.
In the depths of her despair, Azra found a spark of defiance. She refused to give up, to surrender to the darkness that had engulfed her. With a newfound determination, she began to plot her escape, her mind racing with possibilities. She would not be held captive forever, she vowed. She would fight, she would resist, and she would rise above the shadows that had claimed her.
For Amir, for her family, and herself, Azra steeled her heart, ready to face whatever lay ahead. She would not be broken, she would not be tamed. She would rise, like a phoenix from the ashes, her love and her spirit unbroken.
"Fuck! That was close." Azra didn't speak nor did she open her eyes when she heard Jamil's voice and his heavy pants like he had run a marathon.
"Abubakar Talba sure deserved all the three bullets he got, I hope Maha is okay." The moment she heard Farouk mentioning whether or not her mother was okay, her eyes flung open and it was wide like saucers.
"W-what happened to my mother?" Azra stammered and Sadiq chuckled before he said,
"I thought you were pretending to be asleep." tears filled Azra's as she kept shaking her head wishing and hoping her mother was okay.
"You know I love you baby so I will save you the trouble, Abubakar Talba shot your mother."
"You monster!" Azra yelled as the tears fell freely from her eyes and she tried to free her tied hands Jamila and the rest only chuckled and then Jamil tsked.
"You shouldn't call me a monster sweetheart. I shot Abubakr just to avenge your mom." He said and he moved close to her and squatted in front of her as he tucked her hair behind her ear Azra eyed him in disgust, wishing she could slap that stupid smug look off his face.
"You should come to me baby, Amir doesn't love you. He did even try to look for you."
As Jamil's words pierced the air, Azra's heart sank, doubt creeping into her mind like a thief in the night. "Your husband doesn't love you, Azra," he sneered. "He didn't even bother to come looking for you. You're nothing to him."
But before the words could settle, a commotion erupted outside, followed by the sound of footsteps echoing through the room. Amir burst in, his eyes scanning the space until they locked onto Azra's terrified face.
"Ah, Jamil, I see you're still peddling lies," Amir said, his voice firm and resolute. "You should rethink your decision about my love for my wife. You see, I'm willing to risk everything to save her, even if it means facing the likes of you."
Amir's gaze never left Azra's as he took a step forward, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'll never let you harm her. She's my everything."
Jamil's smile faltered for a moment before he regained his composure. "How touching," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The devoted husband. How quaint."
But Amir's words had struck a chord. Farouk and Sadiq exchanged a nervous glance, their excitement dampened by the realization that they might have underestimated Amir's love for Azra.
Azra's emotions are seesawed between joy and despair. Her heart swelled with pride and love for Amir, who had risked everything to rescue her. Yet, fear clawed at her mind, worrying for their safety, especially Amir's. She had loved him since she was 13, and now, at 25, her devotion had only deepened.
As the kidnappers gloated, Azra's eyes met Amir's, a silent understanding passing between them. They knew the odds were stacked against them, but they also knew their love was stronger than any obstacle.
The room seemed to shrink, the tension palpable as the two sides faced off. Jamil's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with calculations. He had underestimated Amir's love, but he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Amir's eyes never wavered, his gaze fixed on Azra with a fierce intensity. "Let her go, Jamil," he demanded, his voice low and even. "This is between you and the Shugaba's. Leave her out of it."
Jamil snorted, a cold smile spreading across his face. "You think you're in control here, Amir? Do you think you can dictate terms? You're in our territory now, and our rules apply."
Farouk and Sadiq moved closer, their eyes gleaming with excitement. They had been waiting for this moment for a long time, and they weren't about to let it slip away.
Azra's heart raced, her mind racing with scenarios. She knew Amir was willing to risk everything for her, but she also knew the odds were against them. They were outnumbered and outgunned, and Jamil had a personal vendetta against them.
But Amir didn't back down. He took another step forward, his eyes locked on Jamil. "I'm not leaving without my wife," he said, his voice firm. "You can either let her go peacefully, or we can do this the hard way. Your choice."
Jamil laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "You're brave, I'll give you that," he said. "But you're also foolish. Do you think you can take on all three of us? You think you can win?"
Amir's smile was grim. "I don't need to win," he said. "I just need to get Azra out of here. And I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen."
The air was electric with tension, the silence between them thick and heavy. Azra's heart swelled with pride and love for Amir, who was willing to risk everything for her. She knew they were in a dangerous situation, but with Amir by her side, she felt a glimmer of hope.
"Do you want to see something?" Jamil asked with a smirk as he stared into Amir's midnight-black eyes.
"What?" Amir asked with a sneer and Jamie smirked before he opened a door.
As the door creaked open, Azra's eyes widened in shock, her mind reeling with disbelief. Amir's gaze froze, his eyes fixed on the figure standing in the doorway. Malik, Amir's brother, best friend, and confidant, stood before them, a sheepish expression on his face.
Azra's heart felt like it had been punched, her breath knocked out of her lungs. "Malik?" she whispered, her voice trembling with betrayal.
Amir's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger. "You?" he growled, his voice low and menacing.
Jamil's smirk grew wider as he gestured to Malik. "Meet my new partner in crime," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Malik here was kind enough to help me with Azra's...acquisition."
Azra's eyes filled with tears, her heart heavy with sorrow. She felt betrayed, not just by Malik's actions, but by his very presence. She had considered him not just a best friend but a brother and a confidant, and now, she realized she had been blind to his true nature.
Amir's anger was palpable, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity. He took a step forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "You're a traitor, Malik," he spat, his voice low and venomous. "You're no better than Jamil here."
Malik took a step forward, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. "Azra, Amir, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted to be with you, Azra. I wanted to have you all to myself. I love you, Azra."
Jamil's laughter was mocking, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Who told you I'd let you have her, Malik?" he sneered. "She's mine, and mine alone."
Azra's shock turned to disgust, her eyes filling with tears. "How could you, Malik?" she whispered, her voice cracking with pain. "How could you betray us like this?"
Amir's gaze never left Malik's face, his eyes blazing with anger. "You're dead to me, Malik," he said, his voice cold and detached. "You're no longer my friend, no longer my brother. You're nothing."
The room seemed to spin around Azra, her mind reeling with the betrayal. She felt like she was living in a nightmare, a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from. She knew she had to be strong, had to be brave, but it was hard, oh so hard, when everything seemed to be falling apart around her.
Amir's gaze never left Malik's face, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. "You're a traitor, Malik," he spat, his voice low and venomous. "You're no better than Jamil here."
Malik took another step forward, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. "Amir, please understand-"
But Amir cut him off, his voice rising in anger. "Understand? How can I understand? You betrayed us, Malik. You betrayed our friendship, our trust. You sold out Azra for your own twisted desires."
Jamil's laughter echoed through the room, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Ah, the drama," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "The betrayal, the anger, the tears. It's almost...poetic."
Malik's face crumpled, his eyes filling with tears. "Amir, please-"
But Amir turned away, his eyes fixed on Azra. "We need to get out of here," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "We need to get away from these monsters."
Azra nodded, her heart heavy with sorrow. She knew they had to escape, had to get away from Jamil and Malik. But she also knew it wouldn't be easy. They were trapped, with no clear way out.
Jamil's laughter echoed through the room, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You think you can escape?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You think you can outrun me?"
Amir's gaze never wavered, his eyes fixed on Jamil. "We'll try," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "We'll try, and we'll succeed. Because we have to. Insha Allah "
The room seemed to spin around Azra, her mind reeling with the betrayal, the anger, the fear. But she knew she had to be strong, had to be brave. For Amir, for herself, she had to be brave.
As the verbal sparring continued, Sadiq and Farouk grew tired of the back-and-forth words. They had had enough of the dramatics, and their patience wore thin. Just as Amir grabbed Azra to make a run for it, Farouk lunged forward, his grip like a vice around her arm.
"No, you don't," he snarled, his eyes blazing with malice.
Sadiq, his expression twisted in a venomous snarl, raised his gun, his finger tightening around the trigger. Azra's heart raced, her eyes fixed on the barrel, her mind frozen in terror.
But Amir reacted faster. With a strength born of desperation, he pushed Azra away, his body shielding hers. The sound of the gunshot echoed through the room, a deafening crack that seemed to shatter the very air.
Amir's body jerked, his eyes wide with shock, as he stumbled backward. Azra's scream was drowned out by the sound of her own heartbeat, pounding in her ears like a death knell.
She felt like she was moving in slow motion, her legs trembling beneath her. Amir's eyes met hers, his gaze filled with a deep sadness, a sense of regret.
As he fell, Azra's world came crashing down around her. She felt like she was drowning, suffocating under the weight of her own despair.
She rushed to his side, her tears falling like rain upon his pale face. His eyes fluttered closed, his chest rising and falling in shallow gasps.
"Amir, no, please don't leave me," she begged, her voice cracking with anguish.
His eyes opened, his gaze locking onto hers. A faint smile played on his lips, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Azra, my love...I'm so sorry. I should have told you...I should have confessed..."
His words trailed off, his chest coughing up blood. Azra's heart shattered into a million pieces, her soul torn apart by the sight of his suffering.
"What is it, Amir? What should you have told me?" she asked, her voice trembling with desperation.
His eyes filled with a deep longing, his gaze burning with intensity.
"I love you, Azra. I've always loved you. You're my everything..."
His words faded away, his eyes closing as his body went limp. Azra's world went dark, her mind reeling with the loss.
She held his head in her lap, her tears falling like rain upon his pale face. She felt like she was dying like a part of her had been ripped away.
As she rocked back and forth, her mind replayed every moment they had shared. Every laugh, every smile, every whispered promise.
She felt like she was losing her mind like she was trapped in a never-ending nightmare. But she couldn't wake up, couldn't escape the agony of her loss.
Amir's sacrifice would haunt her forever, a bittersweet reminder of the depth of his love. He had given his life for hers, had shielded her from harm with his own body.
As she held him close, her heart shattered into a million pieces, Azra knew she would never be the same again. She had lost her soulmate, her everything.
And in that moment, she knew she would never love again. For Amir had been her forever, her always. And without him, she was nothing but a shadow of her former self, a mere whisper of the love they had shared.
Malik's eyes widened in horror as he watched his brother, Amir, take the bullet meant for Azra. He felt a wave of guilt wash over him, mixed with a deep sense of regret. He realized at that moment that his love for Azra was not love at all, but an obsession. An obsession that had driven him to betray his own brother, and ultimately lead to Amir's sacrifice.
As he gazed upon Amir's lifeless body, Malik felt a crushing weight of guilt settles upon his shoulders. He knew that he had been blind to the true nature of his feelings and that his actions had led to this tragic outcome. He thought about all the times he had been warned about his obsession, all the times he had been told to let Azra go, but he had refused to listen.
If only he had listened, none of this would have happened. Amir would still be alive, and Azra would be safe. But now, it was too late. The damage was done, and Malik was left to grapple with the consequences of his own actions.
He felt a deep sense of remorse, knowing that his brother had given his life for the woman he claimed to love. A woman who had never returned his affections, and yet, he had continued to pursue her, driven by his own selfish desires.
Malik's eyes dropped, unable to meet the gaze of his brother's lifeless body. He knew that he had failed Amir, and failed himself. He had let his obsession consume him, and now, it had cost him everything.
In that moment, Malik realized that his love for Azra was not love at all, but a destructive force that had led to ruin. He vowed to never again let his obsession control him and to always prioritize the well-being of those around him, especially his family.
But for now, he was left to grapple with the weight of his guilt and the knowledge that his actions had led to the ultimate sacrifice of his brother, Amir.
As Jamil, Farouk, and Sadiq reveled in their triumph, their gloating faces twisted with sadistic pleasure, and Azra's world crumbled around her. The sound of sirens pierced the air, responding to the call of distress Amir had made earlier. They were a beacon of hope in the darkness, but it was too late. Amir's lifeless body lay on the cold, hard ground, his eyes frozen in a permanent stare, his chest stained with the crimson of his own blood.
The police burst into the hideout, a swarm of brave warriors fighting against the forces of evil. The kidnappers, fueled by their twisted desires, resisted with every ounce of strength they possessed. The air was filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder, the sound of bullets ricocheting off the walls, and the cries of the wounded.
In the midst of the chaos, Azra's anguished wails rose above the din, a heart-wrenching plea to the universe to spare Amir's life. She clung to his body, her arms wrapped around him like a vice, refusing to let go, refusing to accept the cruel fate that had been bestowed upon them.
The police fought valiantly, their guns blazing as they battled to subdue the kidnappers. But Jamil, Sadiq, and Farouk, the masterminds behind the horror, managed to escape, their cowardly hearts beating with a temporary reprieve.
As the dust settled, the police approached Azra, their faces etched with concern and compassion. They tried to pry her away from Amir's body, to comfort her, to tell her that everything would be alright. But Azra was beyond consolation, her mind shattered by the trauma, her soul torn asunder by the loss.
"NO!" she screamed, her voice hoarse from crying, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. "I won't let you take him away from me! He's mine! Mine!"
The police hesitated, their eyes filled with a deep sadness, as they realized the depth of Azra's love for Amir. They knew that they had to act fast, to save Amir's life, to give Azra a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
"Ma'am, please," one of the officers said softly, his voice a gentle breeze in the storm. "We need to get him to the hospital. He's still alive, but his heart is beating very slowly. We have to act fast."
Azra's eyes locked onto the officer's, her gaze burning with a fierce intensity. "Save him," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Save him, please."
The officer nodded, his face set in a determined expression. "We'll do everything we can, ma'am. I promise."
With gentle hands, the police finally managed to pry Azra away from Amir's body, their faces etched with deep sadness as they watched her cling to him, her body shaking with sobs. They lifted him onto a stretcher, their movements swift and precise, as they raced against time to save his life.
As they drove away from the hideout, Azra's tears flowed uncontrollably, her heart shattered into a million pieces. She felt like she was losing her mind, her world crumbling around her. But deep within her, a spark of hope flickered, a flame that refused to be extinguished.
"Amir," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Come back to me. Please, come back to me."















































































































































































•••••••••••

Damn🥲
Things are getting more interest and thrilling.
But I guess y'all like that, right?😁 
I really pity my baby Malik, no matter what you guys are gonna say. He was just blinded by love🫢.

Amir😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭.
How could you make Azra a widow, please wake up oooooooo

This kidnappers get nerve ooo.

I hope Maha and Amir wake up soon.

I wanted to update yesterday since it was my birthday, I even wanted to give you a double update but damn🥹! I have been very very busy lately and the votes aren't giving.

My sister's wedding is on Saturday 25 may.  I don't even have time for my self. I spent almost the whole day in the market on saturday😭. Your girl dey try oo, e be like say this bridal shopping no dey end.

I've been wanting to tell you that I have made a reel for this book 'hearts entwined in jannah' it on my Instagram page and I promise you, you're gonna love it. My Instagram user name is: Zulayhatuh_y. Please go check it out, like, share and tag me.

Also, it seems like I can no longer write in italics, bold and underlined on wattpad. Or is it only my phone?

Please,

Vote,
Comment,
Share,
And
Follow 🫶🙏

Love, zulayhatuh ❤️

Hearts entwined in jannah | (jannah series #2)Where stories live. Discover now