Malik sat in his dimly lit office, eyes fixed on the glowing screen of his laptop as videos played in sequence. His officer’s voice came through the phone, steady but concerned.

“Did you meet her?” the officer asked.

“Yes, Sir. Agent Rubab came today. I’m impressed by her work and the information she’s collected. I’m going through it right now,” Malik replied, flipping through the files on his laptop.

“Malik, this information is highly confidential. We can’t risk sharing it until we have concrete evidence,” the officer warned.

“I know, Sir,” Malik sighed, leaning back in his chair. “That’s why I’m taking my time. I’m also waiting for Roney’s call. I want to understand the situation fully before making any move.”

He opened another file, his brows furrowing as unsettling images filled the screen. His lips moved in a silent curse, and without hesitation, he grabbed his phone and dialed a number.

“Assalam-u-Alaikum, Rubab,” he said as the call connected.

Her crisp voice came through.

“Is it true? What you’ve given me? Sardar Wahab’s son is involved too? And these videos of girls and boys… can we access the full records?” Malik asked, enlarging a blurred image in frustration.

“Hundred percent true, Sir,” Rubab confirmed. “I’ve been tracking this for a month. It’s not just human trafficking—it’s something dirtier. A twisted business thriving in shadows.”

Malik’s jaw tightened. “And the videos you sent?”

“I gave you only a few. But it’s a huge operation. This isn’t only about lust; it’s an organized trade,” she explained.

He ran a hand down his face. “Hmm… Let me speak with Roney. I’ll guide you on your next steps.” Ending the call, he dialed again.

“Roney.”

“Sir.”

“Sardar Wahab’s son is in play. Sultan Khan and Wahab are planning something big,” Malik said, scrolling through more sickening videos.

“I know, Sir. I’ve gathered some leads. I’m trying to locate his men, but without a picture of the one assigned to this mission, it’s difficult,” Roney admitted.

Malik’s voice grew tense. “Is she safe? Are you near her?”

A faint smile touched Roney’s lips. “Yes, Sir. She’s fine. I’m keeping close, watching her every moment.”

“This is our first priority, Roney. Her safety comes before anything else.”

“I understand, Sir. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

“You must reach him before he reaches her,” Malik pressed.

Roney nodded silently, though Malik couldn’t see it. “I will. She won’t be touched. May Allah be our Helper and ease our way.”

“Ameen. Allah Hafiz.”

They disconnected, both leaning back in their chairs, their minds tangled in a thousand thoughts. Hearts beat heavily with the weight of duty—and with the unspoken truth that the one they vowed to protect lived deep within their hearts.

---

Meanwhile…

Khirad stared at her silent phone, her chest tightening with every second that passed. Twenty-four hours had gone by, and there had been no message from him. It felt as though her heartbeat itself was halting. Tears brimmed in her eyes again and again, but she forced them back, unwilling to let them fall. Around her, classmates laughed, clicked pictures, and admired the beauty of the Swat Valley, but for her, the world had lost all color.

How could she enjoy anything when he wasn’t speaking to her? When he wasn’t listening to her? When his silence felt like a punishment too heavy to bear?

Her eyes refused to move from the phone screen, lifeless and empty—just like her heart. Every passing second pushed her further toward madness, the craving for one single message breaking her down from within.

She rose abruptly and walked toward a nearby teacher. “Ma’am,” her voice trembled, “I’m not feeling well. Can I go back to my room?”

The teacher studied her pale face and nodded. Khirad didn’t wait a moment longer. She rushed out of the park beside the hotel, ignoring the laughter and chatter around her, and locked herself inside her room.

The instant the door closed, the tears poured freely. She slid down against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably for the man who had been her companion for years—and who now, suddenly, had turned away. He had made her addicted to his presence, planted the flower of love in her heart, and now seemed intent on tearing it out with his silence.

Unlocking her phone with shaking hands, she scrolled to his contact: “My Breaths.” Staring at his name, his saved photo, she whispered, “You are my reason to live… my every heartbeat…” Her chest rose and fell with sobs as she spoke to the empty air, to the man carved so deeply into her soul.

“How can you forget me? How can you stay away when I am dying without you?” she cried. “The world has become colorless since you turned away from me.”

Her tears soaked into the carpet as she lay on the cold floor, uncaring of time or place, lost in the agony of love denied. She wrote his name over and over again, as if etching it into her very being would keep him close.

Then her phone rang. Her heart leapt wildly—perhaps it was him! But when she looked, the name on the screen was different.

“Badi Bi.”

“Badi Bi…” she sobbed as she answered the call.

“Khirad, my child, what happened? Why are you crying?” came the worried voice.

“I want… I want to die, Badi Bi,” Khirad wept.

“Don’t speak such nonsense! What happened? You left for the trip so happily—what changed?”

“He’s not talking to me… I offended him,” she whispered between hiccupping sobs.

“Why?”

Khirad bit her trembling lip. “When he came to meet me… I hurt him with my words.”

There was a pause, then Badi Bi’s exasperated voice. “He came to meet you? In front of everyone? Stubborn, foolish boy.”

Khirad cried harder.

“Enough now. Don’t cry. I’ll speak to him myself and make sure he stops this childishness,” Badi Bi promised firmly.

A fragile smile touched Khirad’s tear-stained lips. A flicker of hope stirred in her heart.

“But what if… what if he never talks to me again?” she whispered, her greatest fear spilling out with another tear.

“Don’t worry, child. Don’t I know him? He can’t live a second without you—you are his heartbeat. He’ll come back. Trust me.”

With those words, the call ended, leaving Khirad clutching her phone to her chest. She dragged herself to the bed, hugging her knees tightly. Every thought, every dream, every piece of her existence circled back to him. Closing her eyes, she saw his face again, etched into her soul, refusing to disappear.

The park buzzed with laughter, chatter, and the clicking of cameras as students ran around, making the most of their unexpected free time. But amidst the cheerful chaos, Aarhan sat silently, a look of boredom etched across his face. He leaned back on the bench, watching the others with little interest.

Their bus had broken down earlier, cancelling the trip to the waterfalls and mountains that everyone had been looking forward to. Instead, the teachers had brought them to a nearby park to “pass time.” But to Aarhan, it felt like a punishment.

We’re not kids to be playing on swings, he thought bitterly, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets.

“Arhan, come on! Let’s have a group picture!” one of his friends called out.

He shook his head and waved them off, pulling out his phone instead. Dialing a familiar number, he pressed it to his ear, his gaze drifting across the crowd of students.

“Assalam-o-Alaikum, parents,” he greeted the moment his father picked up.

“Wa-Alaikum-Salaam, son. How are you? We thought you must be busy enjoying your trip,” Baba’s warm voice replied.

“What trip, Baba? Our bus broke down. We’re just… stuck around the hotel area.” He sighed and then brightened, “But how are you? How’s Mama? And my beautiful Bibi Gul?”

“We’re all fine. Where is Soha? Is she enjoying?” Baba asked.

His eyes scanned the crowd until he spotted her, camera in hand, laughing with her friends. “She’s okay, Baba. She’s taking pictures right now. But… she’s a little sad.”

“Why? Why is Sohan sad?” a deeper voice interrupted. It was Aryan, his elder brother, clearly nearby. Aarhan chuckled mischievously, realizing Baba must have put the call on speaker.

“Big brother? You’re home at this hour? Surprising!” he teased.

“Stop joking, Aarhan. Tell me why she’s sad,” Aryan pressed, his tone firm.

“Well,” Aarhan smirked, deciding to poke fun, “firstly, she’s sad because her Aryan isn’t here. And secondly, she’s thinking about Alena.”

The name made Aryan’s voice spike with alarm. “What Alena?”

Aarhan chuckled. “You know… you told her once that Alena Bakhshi is beautiful. So now your Rapunzel is wondering why you never call her beautiful.” He mimicked Soha’s morning complaint, his laughter echoing as he remembered her sweet pout.

“What—?!” Aryan nearly shouted, but Baba’s scolding tone quickly followed in the background.

“She literally asked me, ‘Am I beautiful, Arhan? Aryan says Alena is beautiful but never says that about me.’” Aarhan narrated, watching Soha’s lively face from a distance.

But even as he spoke, his eyes searched for another face—the one that wasn’t there. His heartbeat quickened. Where’s Khirad?

“She’s not here?” he muttered under his breath, his chest tightening. He asked Soha casually when he reached her.

“Where’s your friend?” he pressed, scanning the group.

Soha glanced at him knowingly. “Which one? You mean Khirad, don’t you?”

“Yes,” he admitted with a sheepish grin, hand on his chest. “This heart misses her.”

Soha smirked, pinching his cheek. “She’s not here, Romeo. She wasn’t feeling well and went back to her room.”

Concern shadowed his face. “What happened to her suddenly?”

“Relax,” Soha reassured. “She must just be resting. Don’t overthink.”

But even as he laughed it off with a wink, the worry didn’t leave him. His mind stayed with her.

---

Roney’s POV

Roney’s sharp eyes scanned the students, his jaw tight as his men reported back. “We’ve secured the perimeter, sir. No one suspicious has crossed,” Munir informed him.

“Good. Keep your eyes open. Asfandyar won’t escape us if he tries to blend in,” Roney replied curtly.

But even as he gave commands, his mind was elsewhere. His hand instinctively slipped into his jacket, pulling out his phone. With a swift motion, he unlocked the gallery, and there she was—the only picture of her he had. His heart clenched.

Her smile, her eyes, the way she once looked at him… it all came rushing back. But with it came her harsh words, the sting of rejection that cut deeper than any blade.

She insulted my feelings. She doubted our bond. Why? His jaw clenched, and his eyes burned with unshed tears. With a frustrated growl, he locked the phone and shoved it back into his pocket.

Before he could gather himself, the phone rang. Seeing the name, a rare smile tugged at his lips.

“Hey, my—”

“Idiot. Moron. Stupid!” the voice snapped before he could finish.

He sighed. “What now? For this you called me?”

“You promised not to trouble her! Then why did you go to meet her yesterday? Do you want to destroy her peace?” Badi Bi’s scolding came sharp and relentless.

“I… I just wanted to see her. Once. To look at her closely,” Roney admitted, his voice breaking with restrained emotion.

“Do you know what she’s going through? She’s crying her heart out, convinced you’ll never talk to her again. She says she wants to die, Roney. Die!” Badi Bi’s voice cracked.

His eyes widened in shock. “What?!”

“Yes. End this silence before you destroy her.” With that, the line went dead, leaving him trembling.

His chest heaved as guilt swallowed him. He hadn’t checked her messages in over twenty-four hours, punishing her, punishing himself.

The phone rang again. He answered without looking.

“Roney, are you alright?”

His heart skipped. “Malik Sir,” he straightened instantly.

“What’s wrong with you? You never worry about cases—you act. But now you sound… broken.” Malik’s perceptive tone cut through him.

“It’s her, isn’t it?” Malik guessed.

“Yes…” Roney whispered. “I went to meet her. I couldn’t stay away. My heart, my eyes… they crave her. Every second. How can I stop when she’s inside me, beating with every breath? Hurting her feels like killing myself.”

“Calm down,” Malik said firmly. “Don’t drown in this. Just talk to her. She’s innocent.”

Roney fell silent, fists clenched.

“Remember, Roney. We can’t afford mistakes. Keep your eyes open. We cannot let them drag her into hell,” Malik reminded.

“Ameen, Sir. Allah Hafiz,” Roney replied softly, disconnecting. But even as he forced his focus back on duty, his heart refused to let go of her image.

---

Aryan’s POV

Aryan sat in the quiet of his room, but his thoughts lingered elsewhere—still entangled with Alena Bakhshi. The day had been long, filled with site visits, discussions, and laughter. She was beautiful, graceful… magnetic. And yet, as he loosened his tie, something inside him twisted uneasily.

“Aryan,” his father’s voice interrupted, “WS Corporations have invited us.”

“WS?” Aryan frowned, unfamiliar with the name.

“They’re new in fashion, but promising. Asfandyar Khan and Sardar Wahaj—young, but passionate. Mr. Bakhshi introduced me. Their work impressed me.”

At the mention of those names, Aryan paused. Asfandyar… Wahaj? Something stirred in his memory.

“We’re still working with the Bakhshi Group though?” he asked, distracted.

“Of course. But I thought you should meet WS as well. They could be valuable allies for future projects.”

Aryan nodded. “As you say, Baba.”

Later that night, coffee in hand, he finally picked up his phone. His heart softened as he dialed Sohan.

“Where were you? Not a single call or message all day!” she burst out the moment she answered, her voice trembling.

“Assalam-o-Alaikum, Sohan,” he said gently.

“Wa-Alaikum-Salaam. Don’t change the subject! You’re changing, Aryan.”

He heard the faint sob in her voice, and guilt pricked his chest. “Hey, don’t cry. I’m sorry. I was busy.”

“Busy with her? With Alena?” The hurt in her tone was sharp. “I don’t like her, Aryan.”

He smiled despite himself. “She’s just a business partner. Nothing more. And she’s a good person—you’ll like her when you meet her. But I promise, I’ll never neglect you again.”

“Promise me you won’t change,” she demanded softly.

“It’s a promise,” he whispered. “Your Aryan will never change for his Sohan. Now smile for me, pretty girl.”

A giggle escaped her lips, and relief washed over him. Their late-night conversation stretched on, laughter and stories weaving into the night, until the world outside ceased to matter.

-------

“Pretty girl.”
Soha smiled to herself, recalling Aryan’s words, and walked to her bed.

After their call, she slipped beneath the covers, her heart tingling with new dreams. Every thought, every step, every unspoken word seemed to belong to Aryan now—though he remained unaware of the feelings blooming within her. His simple words had created a storm of happiness in her heart. Wrapped in that joy, she closed her eyes, drifting into sleep where her dreams were painted with Aryan’s presence.

But as Soha rested peacefully, Khirad stirred. She had been waiting for her roommate to fall asleep. Quietly, she sat up, her breathing uneven. A sheen of sweat glistened across her forehead, strands of hair clinging to her damp temples. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, as though each breath was a battle. Throwing the duvet aside, she glanced around at her friends, all asleep, and stumbled toward the balcony.

Once outside, she gripped the railing, gulping down the night air. Her breaths grew harsher, eyes brimming with tears, hands trembling uncontrollably. Unlocking her phone with shaking fingers, she checked her messages, desperate for a word—anything—from My Breaths. Nothing. Not a single reply.

The emptiness gnawed at her. Her gaze dropped to the ground below, thoughts spinning recklessly. The edge of the balcony beckoned—one step and the pain would end. But before she could move further, a strong hand seized her wrist and yanked her back.

Her head collided with a hard chest. The familiar fragrance enveloped her, wrapping her senses in recognition. That cologne—deep, warm, unforgettable. She froze, her forehead still pressed against him. Her ragged breaths slowed as she inhaled his scent, her frantic heartbeat easing under his presence.

“What were you going to do?” His voice was deep, firm, yet softened by worry.

She jolted back, eyes wide, quickly putting distance between them. In the few seconds of his nearness, she had already begun to feel alive again.

“What… what are you doing here?” she whispered, glancing nervously at the room to make sure her friends remained asleep.

His jaw tightened. “I saw you. You were ready to jump.” His voice carried both anger and fear, teeth clenched as he forced the words out.

“I wasn’t! Why would I?” she deflected, looking away.

“Don’t lie to me.” His eyes burned into hers. “Why do you keep dragging me into this? First you insult me, then I hear you’re dying without me. I can see your condition, Khirad. Should I feel proud that my rudeness broke you like this, or should I hate myself for loving you so much when you can’t even trust me? Why are you pushing me away?” He stepped closer, frustration seeping through every word.

“Stay away from me! Don’t come near me. I hate being close to you,” she cried, tears spilling freely.

His voice softened, pained. “If I’m not a stranger to you, then why are you so afraid of me? I know there’s a reason for this, but I can’t understand you. What do you want, Khirad? Do you love me or not?”

Her trembling fingers twisted together. “I want you to leave me alone. Forget everything. Forget me. Whatever we had—consider it over. It was fake.”

The words hit him like a blow. He faltered, stepping back, disbelief shadowing his face. Without another word, he turned and leapt across to the next balcony, climbed down the pipe, and disappeared into the darkness—never once looking back.

Khirad crumpled to the ground, shock consuming her. Covering her mouth to stifle the sobs, she whispered to herself, “What did I do? I told him to forget me?”

Her hands slapped her cheeks in anguish. “I asked him to break our relation!” Another slap. Another cry.

Tears streamed endlessly as she rocked back and forth. At that moment, she was no longer herself but a madwoman consumed by love—a love she had just driven away with her own words. Her breaths grew shallow, uneven, but she didn’t care. She sat in the cold all night, crying until her body was numb, haunted by a single fear that echoed again and again in her mind.

What if he never comes back?

But no answer came. Only silence.

---

Elsewhere, in the dark glow of a phone screen, two men exchanged messages.

“Is everything set?” one asked, scrolling through the pictures sent to him.

“Tomorrow morning. I want this girl,” came the reply, accompanied by Soha’s photograph.

“Don’t worry, dude. She’s our jackpot. She’ll be in the cage tomorrow. But what about the other deal?”

“I’m working on it. Three days more and we’ll have the container out of the country.”

“Asfandyar, Baba Sahib wants that girl at any cost. She’s the jackpot.”

“I know. Everything’s ready,” Asfandyar said coldly, his eyes fixed on Soha’s smiling face. A cruel smirk tugged at his lips. “The sparrow is about to be caught.”

Both men laughed, the sound echoing in the shadows of the night.

Assalam-o-Alaikum dear readers 🌸

How are you all doing?

I’m back with another update, and I truly hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. The story is slowly moving towards more suspense, thrill, and emotions—so stay with me, because the upcoming twists are going to keep you hooked. ✨

Your love and support mean the world to me. Don’t forget to vote and share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to know how you’re finding the story so far. 💌

Till the next update, Allah Hafiz.
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