Umeed

Chapter 48

Adeel had gone back home briefly, just to make sure everything seemed normal and he didn't raise suspicion. However, he quickly received word that Ayaan and Hoor had escaped. Fury ignited in him-he knew he needed to take Noor away as soon as possible.

Without wasting time, Adeel made his way to the place where he held Noor captive. He was confident that the heavy iron shackles binding her were too strong for her to even think about escaping.

Arriving at the secluded room, Adeel was already seething over the children's escape. He unlocked the door and entered to find Noor sitting quietly in a corner, her eyes fixed on the floor. She didn't flinch when he entered. As he approached, he noticed a dark, reddening bruise on her cheek-someone had slapped her. His anger flared, and he immediately turned to his men, demanding, "Who hit her? Who dared to lay a hand on her?"

One of the goons, shifting nervously, tried to explain, "She helped the kids escape... and she injured one of us."

Adeel's gaze hardened, and without hesitation, he drew his gun. Pointing it at the goon, he gave him a chilling ultimatum: "Two choices. Shoot yourself, or if I have to do it, you'll beg for death by the time I'm done."

Everyone in the room fell silent, each man well aware of Adeel's ruthless nature. The goon's face drained of color, but with a trembling hand, he took the gun and, under Adeel's threatening gaze, turned it on himself. A single shot rang out, and Noor involuntarily gasped, her eyes widening in horror.

Satisfied, Adeel turned back to Noor. He removed the shackles from her legs, her skin chafed and bruised beneath the heavy iron. Noor was already too exhausted, the pain and fear taking their toll. As her body went limp, Adeel lifted her into his arms and carried her to the waiting car, where she slipped into unconsciousness, unaware of the looming danger.

After Noor was taken from the building, Shahzain and the police arrived, only to find the place deserted, stripped of any clues about her whereabouts. Shahzain's heart pounded as he surveyed the empty rooms, hoping for even the faintest sign of her-but there was nothing. The silence was deafening.

Then, amid the emptiness, his gaze fell on something small and glinting on the ground. He crouched down, heart sinking as he recognized it-a delicate silver bracelet, smeared with streaks of blood. It was the bracelet he had given Noor on her 17th birthday, one she had never removed all these years. Seeing it here, stained and abandoned, sent a cold wave of dread through him.

A few feet away, he spotted shackles scattered near the bracelet, their metal worn and bent. The sight of them made him shudder, imagining Noor bound and helpless in them. He clenched his fists, the idea of her being tied, perhaps hurt, making his blood run cold.

It had been nearly seven or eight hours now since anyone had seen her. With each passing second, the anxiety tightened in his chest, thoughts racing through every horrible possibility. He could only hope she was safe somewhere, praying she would be found soon.

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Noor slowly regained consciousness, her head throbbing with a sharp, unrelenting pain. As her eyes fluttered open, she tried to move, but the harsh bite of iron shackles around her ankles held her back. Her wrists were bound tightly as well, leaving her utterly trapped.

She struggled, pulling against the restraints. The chains rattled, their cold, metallic clangs echoing in the otherwise silent room. Hearing the noise, the door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. It was Adeel.

Noor lifted her head, her gaze steady despite the fear swirling in her chest. "Why are you doing this, Adeel? Let me go. What do you gain by keeping me here?"