The night stretched on, heavy with silence, yet charged with the unspoken emotions that lingered between us. Noor had finally succumbed to exhaustion, her body curled against the warmth of the sofa, her breath now even, though remnants of her earlier tears still dampened her cheeks. Shahzaib hadn’t let go of her hand, his grip unwavering, as if he feared she would disappear if he did.
Daniyal watched them from the armchair, his own exhaustion settling in his bones, but his mind refused to quiet. His eyes traced the curve of Noor’s sleeping face, noting the bruises that marred her once-radiant skin. Rage simmered beneath his calm exterior, a storm waiting to break free. He clenched his fists, swallowing the bile rising in his throat.
Rohan Bakhtiyaar.
The name alone sent a fresh wave of fury coursing through him. Daniyal had always known the man was cruel, but this? This was a level of evil he hadn’t expected. How had they all been so blind?
Shahzaib let out a slow breath beside him, his fingers still lightly stroking Noor’s hand. His eyes remained fixed on her sleeping form, but his voice was firm when he spoke.
“We need a plan, Daniyal.”
Daniyal nodded, his jaw tightening. “I know.”
Shahzaib finally looked up, his dark eyes sharp with determination. “I swear to you, I will not let him hurt her again. But we need to be smart about this. Noor’s safety comes first. If we act rashly, Rohan could retaliate, and I don’t even want to think about what he’s capable of.”
Daniyal exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He knew Shahzaib was right, but every fiber of his being wanted to storm over to Rohan’s house and end this nightmare once and for all.
“We need legal protection,” Shahzaib continued. “A restraining order. Evidence. Something that will make sure Noor never has to see him again.”
“She’s still legally married to him,” Daniyal murmured, his voice strained.
“For now,” Shahzaib countered. “But we’ll fix that.”
Daniyal’s phone buzzed on the coffee table, and both men tensed. He picked it up, his expression hardening as he saw the caller ID.
Rohan.
His grip tightened around the phone. The bastard had the audacity to call?
Shahzaib’s eyes darkened when he saw the name. “Don’t answer it,” he said in a low, warning tone.
But Daniyal had already made his decision. With a steely resolve, he swiped to accept the call and brought the phone to his ear.
“Where is she?” Rohan’s voice was sharp, impatient.
Daniyal’s blood boiled. “She’s safe,” he said coolly, barely containing his rage. “Which is more than I can say for her when she was with you.”
Rohan scoffed. “You think you’re a hero, don’t you? Taking what’s mine? I’ll give her a day or two to get over this little tantrum, but she will come back to me. You know that, right?”
Daniyal stood abruptly, his movements startlingly controlled despite the fury coursing through him. Shahzaib stood, too, watching him closely.
“She’s not yours,” Daniyal said, his voice dangerously quiet. “She never was. And she sure as hell isn’t going back to you.”
There was silence on the other end, followed by a low, dark chuckle. “We’ll see about that,” Rohan said. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Daniyal. She’s my wife. If she thinks she can run from me, she’s sorely mistaken.”
Daniyal’s fingers curled into a fist. “She’s not running. She’s leaving.”
Rohan laughed again, the sound sending an involuntary chill down Daniyal’s spine. “And what makes you think she has the strength to do that?”
Daniyal’s jaw clenched. “Because this time, she’s not alone.”
He ended the call before Rohan could say another word, his hand tightening around the phone so hard his knuckles turned white.
Shahzaib swore under his breath. “He’s not going to let this go easily.”
“No,” Daniyal admitted, turning to face his friend. “But neither am I.”
The first rays of dawn crept through the curtains, casting a muted glow across the living room. Noor stirred, her eyelids fluttering open, confusion clouding her features as she took in her surroundings. For a fleeting moment, fear flickered in her eyes, but then her gaze landed on Shahzaib, his hand still holding hers, and on Daniyal, standing nearby.
Relief washed over her, but it was quickly followed by something else. Guilt.
She pulled her hand away slowly, sitting up with an effort. “You both stayed up all night?” Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.
Shahzaib smiled softly, though his eyes were lined with exhaustion. “Of course, we did. Did you really think we’d leave you alone?”
Noor’s gaze dropped to her lap. “I didn’t mean to—”
Daniyal cut her off gently. “Don’t. Don’t apologize.”
She swallowed hard, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted, her voice cracking.
“You don’t have to figure it out alone,” Shahzaib assured her. “We’ll take this one step at a time.”
Noor hesitated before speaking again. “He called, didn’t he?”
Daniyal exhaled sharply. “Yeah. He did.”
Her fingers curled into fists in her lap. “He won’t stop.”
“No,” Shahzaib agreed. “But neither will we.”
Noor lifted her eyes to them, searching for something—reassurance, strength, maybe even hope. Daniyal met her gaze with quiet determination.
“You have us,” he said firmly. “You always will.”
A single tear slipped down Noor’s cheek, but this time, she didn’t brush it away. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t as alone as she had always thought.
By late morning, Daniyal had made the call to a lawyer he trusted. A meeting was set for the afternoon. Noor remained quiet as he explained the plan, her fingers toying with the edge of her sweater.
“Divorce,” she murmured, the word foreign on her tongue. “Restraining order.”
“Yes,” Shahzaib confirmed. “And protection. We’ll make sure Rohan has no access to you.”
Noor nodded slowly, her grip tightening on the fabric. “Okay.”
Daniyal studied her carefully. “Noor, are you ready for this?”
She hesitated, then took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I’m ready,” she admitted. “But I know I have to do it.”
Shahzaib reached over, giving her hand a comforting squeeze. “That’s enough.”
Daniyal stood, reaching for his keys. “Let’s go.”
As Noor followed them out of the apartment, the morning air was crisp, cool against her skin. She inhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the past pressing against her chest.
This wasn’t going to be easy. But for the first time in a long time, she wasn’t walking into the unknown alone.
She was walking towards freedom—with Daniyal and Shahzaib by her side.
