"Hey. Is anyone here? Help!" I screamed, my voice echoing in the empty space.

No one answered.

I began praying silently, asking Allah for help."Don’t be scared, Tania. Baba will save you," I kept whispering to myself, trying to hold on to some hope.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a sharp beam of light hit my eyes. I squinted, trying to adjust to the brightness. Someone entered the room.

An unknown fear rushed through my veins."Welcome to my personal prison, Miss Tania Shafiq Hussein," a deep voice filled the room, sending chills down my spine.

"Wh-who are you? Why did you bring me here? Let me go!" I demanded, standing shakily on my feet.

The man walked toward me, and the door slammed shut behind him, plunging the room into darkness once again.

My body started shivering."I’ll be your nightmare if you don’t follow my commands," the man said in a cold, menacing tone.

"W-what do you want from me?" I asked,take a step back in fear.

"You need to make a call to your family. Tell them you’ve been kidnapped and they must not involve the police. Otherwise, you will be harmed," he instructed.

No. If my father hears this, he’ll be worried. He’s a heart patient.

"Please, let me go. What good will it do if I say this?" I tried to reason with him.

"Do you think you’re in a position to negotiate with me?" His voice turned hard as steel."Seeing Major Shafiq Hussein’s torment will bring me peace. Do you understand?" he said, grabbing my arms and jerking me roughly.

I trembled even more at the unfamiliar touch."No! My Baba is a heart patient; I can’t worry him like this," I replied, my voice shaking.

"Do you even understand what could happen to you?" the man whispered in my ear.

I felt his hand grip my chin.A shiver ran down my spine.I tried to push him away, but he was too strong.

"Don’t waste your energy. You have much more to face today," he said coldly.

"Allah, please help me," I prayed silently.

Seeing no other option, I asked him, "If I make the call, will you let me go?"

"You have a bigger role to play today, sweetheart," he sneered.

I felt disgusted hearing him call me "sweetheart."

"Then I won’t call," I said defiantly.

He let go of me and walked toward the wall, flipping a switch. The lights came on, blinding me for a second.

When my eyes adjusted, I saw a tall, well-built man standing with his back to me. He turned around, and I finally saw his face.

The man had a regal mustache and a thick stubble, with pin-straight eyebrows framing his piercing dark brown eyes. His sharp jawline looked as if it could cut through anything. His slicked-back black hair gleamed under the light, perfectly gelled and neat. Dressed in a black suit, he exuded a dark, foreboding aura, as if he had stepped straight out of a dark novel.

Why does he look so familiar? I thought.

"Finished observing me?" he asked, snapping me back to reality.

"Take a look at what could happen to your father if you don’t obey me," his voice turned cold again. He pulled out a tablet and handed it to me.

On the screen was live footage of my father walking down the street. It looked like someone was filming him from just behind.

My heart raced."One call from me, and he disappears. If you don’t want that, you better listen to me," he whispered menacingly.

"Give me the phone, I’ll call," I said, tears streaming down my face.

"Good," he said, handing me his phone.I dialed my father’s number. He answered after a few rings.

"Baba... Baba, I'm.. kidnapped ..but... I’m fine. Please don’t call the police. Please don’t worry..." Before I could say more, he snatched the phone from me and cut the call.

"Good job," he said before leaving the room, plunging it into darkness once more as he flipped the light off.

"You crazy bastard! Let me go!" I screamed after him.

_______________

My years of waiting are coming to an end.

Very soon his reputation will be tarnished.

His pride was his best treasure, right? Now he will taste what it feels to be humiliated in front of the whole world. Just like my parents.

He will feel how to live like a living dead. Just like me.

But when I looked into her hazel eyes, something stirred inside me. Why did her tears make me feel uneasy?

Those eyes... they seemed so familiar.

No. I can’t let anything come between me and my revenge. Nothing.

It’s time to execute the final part of my plan.

"Is everything ready?" I asked my men.

"Yes, sir. They arrived," one of them replied.

"Okay. Bring them to the room when I call," I instructed.

I returned to the room where I’d kept her.

I opened the door and saw the light was on, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a wooden stick came flying toward me from the side. I caught it, but for a second,

I was distracted.

It was her. She was trying to escape through the door.But I caught her from behind.

"Let go of me, you maniac!" I gritted my teeth, struggling to free myself from his grip.

Just moments ago, I had broken a wooden chair and waited for him to come, but my plan had failed.

He twisted my arms behind me, the pain shooting through me, so I stopped struggling. I knew I was no match for him.

"Did you really think you could escape? You can’t go anywhere until I’m done with you, Hazel," he whispered in my ear.

My body went cold.

"What do you want now? Please, spare me. I’m begging you," I cried.

"Not so fast, dear. You’re going to marry me. Right now," he dropped the bomb.

I laughed bitterly. "Marry you? A psycho like you? Over my dead body."

"Not yours. But if you don’t obey, your family will suffer greatly. Believe me, I’m not joking," he said, releasing my hands but grabbing my arm firmly.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you jerk! Why are you blackmailing me using my family? What have we done to you?" I screamed.

"Ask your beloved father that question. But right now, you’re going to listen to me. Just look at this footage and think," he said, handing me the tablet again.

My eyes widened, and my heartbeat raced. My sisters, their kids, and my father... they were all there, on the screen.

This psycho has eyes on all of them!

"So, who do you want to see hurt first? Decide," he said with a wicked grin.

"You’re a sadist. Please, spare us. If you want money, I’ll give you any amount. Just name your price," I pleaded.

He grabbed my chin hard and growled, "Do you think I care about money? Obey me, or none of them will see the sunrise tomorrow."

"Time’s ticking," he added.

That’s when I lost everything.

I love my family more than my life.I took the deepest breath of my life, closed my eyes, and said, "Please don’t harm them. I’ll listen to you. I’m ready to marry you."

"Good girl. I’m sending someone to get you ready. Behave like a nice girl."

I shot him a venomous glare.'You’ll regret this, Mr. Dark,' I thought to myself.
__________________________________

How was the chapter? Please give your feedback through comments and vote 💗.

Follow me on Instagram for reels and spoilers of the book🖤
User id: author_safiyah2617