Wrongly Accused

Chapter 42

Author POV:

The day hadn’t started on a good note for Amaira. After days of pleading, she had finally convinced Rafeeq to let her return to the office. He had been adamant about keeping her confined at home, citing her recent fainting spells and the looming threat of a certain devil’s presence. She had promised him that if she ever encountered that man again, she would call immediately. In return, he had agreed, albeit begrudgingly, on the condition that security around her would be tightened.

Even Amina had protested, insisting that she would be lonely at home without Amaira. But Amaira knew better. Amina wasn’t just worried about being alone—she was scared. Something was bothering both of them, and they refused to tell her what it was. Rafeeq’s paranoia had only worsened over the past few days, as if he was battling an unseen enemy. When she had questioned him about it, he had dismissed her concerns, calling it nothing more than "internal business matters."

Amaira, however, wasn’t blind. Something was happening.

Still, despite the growing sense of unease, she had made her decision. She wouldn’t hide anymore. Even with a stalker lurking in the shadows and a devil haunting her steps, she had no intention of running away. She had done that long enough.

She would face them. All of them.

Rafeeq and Amina had become like family to her, another version of Adithya Bhaiya and Bhabhi. They would sacrifice themselves to keep her safe, and she couldn’t allow that. If it meant staying away from her loved ones to protect them, she would do it. No matter how much it hurt.

A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought about them. She knew they must be searching for her. But she couldn’t go to them. Not yet.

Not when the devil still roamed free.

Though he pretended to have changed, she wasn’t naive enough to believe it. The past couldn’t be erased so easily, and neither could his sins.

Shaking off her thoughts, she focused on the work piled up before her. Most of it had been manageable from home, but some tasks required her physical presence at the office. At least here, she could keep herself occupied and not dwell too much on the growing dread clawing at her chest.

Surprisingly, she hadn’t felt the presence of her stalkers in the past few days. Before, she could always sense them; watching, lurking, waiting. But now, the air felt... different.

That should’ve been a relief.

But it wasn’t.

Because in their absence, another threat had taken their place.

The devil.

His obsession with her had only intensified. She could feel it in his lingering stares, in the way he always seemed to be near. His remarks were sly, his presence suffocating. Even in the changing room that day, she had felt it, the unspoken claim in his gaze, as though she belonged to him.

And it unsettled her.

There was something else in his eyes that day. Something beyond guilt and regret. Something dark.

Her thoughts were cut off when the intercom on her desk buzzed. She sighed, pulling herself together. Looked like Rafeeq was about to dump more work on her. Pushing back her chair, she stood up and made her way to his office. Amaira took a deep breath before stepping into Rafeeq’s office. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made her wary. As her gaze flickered towards the man seated across from Rafeeq, she felt an odd sense of familiarity. He exuded an aura of indifference, his posture relaxed yet imposing. But what truly unsettled her were his sharp, piercing grey eyes—visible through the sleek black mask that concealed the rest of his face. Where had she seen those eyes before?