Chapter 24: Chapter 24

It was seven in the morning when she had awaken up and went for a morning walk to a nearby park. With her earphones plugged in she continued to jog.

How ambitious she was about her dreams and now these days all she could think of getting rid from him. Where her life had landed her to. She thought.

The focus of her whole life became him. She was too engrossed in freeing herself from the web he had set for her that during this while she completely forgot who she was. And what not she had wanted to achieve in her life.

She believed in true love.

Believed in settling herself with a man who would understand her, respect her. She dreamt of having an own company of hers so her children stomach's would be filled before every night and she would never leave her kids alone just like her parents had left her alone.

In this dilemma, she truly forgot who was she and what dreams she had.

She was walking when suddenly a sweeper passed by her who was cleaning and gathering the dead leaves from the ground.

He had accidentally pushed her making her phone fall to the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry madam," he uttered and bent down to pick her phone up from the floor.

When he rose up, handing her his phone, he looked in his eye.

"Khaleda sent me," he uttered and a look of realization came over her as she took her phone that he was giving her.

The men went away and when she turned over the phone she found a note and a USB.

'Don't open it now,' the note said so she just placed her phone in the inner pocket of her jacket while sneakily placing the USB and note too.

Completing her jogging time, she went back to home. Calmly and casually. She didn't want to hurry because she could become the center of suspicion.

As soon as she entered, she went inside her room and immediately retrieved that note and USB before unfolding the paper.

'Whatever evidence you've install it in the pen drive and go to the restaurant near the company and give the USB to the manager. Don't, I repeat, don't give it to the man you took this pendrive from as Shehryaar had his men stationed around you. If you would come in contact with her once more, the suspicion would land on you. I can't take the evidence in the company as there are always people around and cameras, hidden cameras in every nook and corner. Just do as I say and you will be fine. I took this long to contact you as we've been monitoring your activities and finding the right time and moment to pass it to you. And don't forget to remove the evidence from your phone, he may have your phone tapped. Follow the instructions carefully. Sorry for the delay and just follow what I said. And act normal around him. Act normal. I repeat, act normal. You haven't seen anything. Do not, do not, do not, forget to destroy this note and delete whatever you've from your phone or laptop. I repeat, do not forget to destroy the note and remove the evidence from your devices. Waiting for your move,

The note said and the first thing she did was to transfer the recording into the USB before deleting it from her phone and burning the note.

Then she went to the company and continued to work like other days as if nothing happened and she was not on a mission.

One thing that bothered her was leaving the building. Shehryaar had restricted to step out without his permission and as Khaleda told, there were cameras everywhere she can't possibly go without his knowledge. Only one way she was able to devise and that was to ask for his permission.

Gathering every ounce of courage, she stood up and went to his office.

'Act normal' She chanted these words like a mantra in her mind.

Knocking on the door, she entered the room and found him working on something. Probably most it was something from the meeting he just had attended.

"Come in," he said on finding her standing near the door.

"I needed your permission," she said, looking down. Feeling suffocated that how slickly he had gained control on her life.

His brows rose up in a questioning manner as he leaned back against his chair.

"Can I go to the nearby restaurant?"

"For what?"

She suppressed the gulp that was making it's way upto her throat. She needed to act normal. She had to act normal.

"I was craving brownies I once had there so I...I thought to get some for me,"

"I'll ask one of the peons to bring them for you,"

"No, no," she abruptly said, "I was feeling a bit claustrophobic at my office so if I go I'll also get to walk and breathe in fresh air," she tried to explain.

"Did not you've your morning walk today for the fresh air?" he asked, making her go pale in seconds as the incident in the park ran in her mind.

"I-I d-did," she stuttered, cursing herself for doing this, "I did," she replied again, clearing her throat, "but I just wanted to go out for a while,"

"Hmmm," he said, pensively, while drumming his fingers against the desk, "you didn't have them yesterday when you went to dinner with your dearest brother,"

Her mouth hung open, "how do you know?"

That was where she had made the error without even realizing.

Stopping the drumming of his fingers against the table, his knuckles gave a final knock to the desk as he stood up to his full height, "Have you not cut him off?" he asked, leaning forward by placing his hands flat on the table. The mirth on his face, if he had any, turned into mirthlesness, making her cower back.

"Haven't you, Sheharzaad?" he questioned again, running his tongue on his lower lip while witnessing her hand started to shiver.

"I-I will," she responded, "I p-romise, I will," she tried to assure him. Her voice shivering and breathless.

He sat back on his chair, "we will see, Sheharzaad. We will see," he responded, "And one thing I may have forgotten to make it clear to you. Never fucking go out of your house without my permission. Clear? Or I may pay you a visit to make it clear?"

"Clear," she almost whimpered.

That would be the last thing she would want.

"Listen to what I say, Sheharzaad," he started in a low tone, "Listen well and listen good. When I ask you to cut him off then that means to?" he left the sentence hanging so she could finish it.

"Cut him off," she gulped and he didn't respond after that as silence prevailed in the room.

Her breathing had gotten ragged already.

"C-can I go?" she dared to ask when he didn't answer rather a paper had gotten his attention and he was reading it.

"Where?" he asked, whilst reading with a frown on his forehead.

His lashes rose up and gave her a good two minutes stare, focusing his eyes on her, giving her his undivided attention that made her shiver instinctively.

"You may go," his response came and she inwardly released a breath. She couldn't go before coming to the office as the note told, he had his men stationed so it might put her in suspicion as she had never went to that hotel before coming to the company, also, the eyes keenly observing her might gauge that something must be cooking up in her mind. She needed to act normal.

She turned around to leave, when she heard him say, "where are your manners, little lady?"

He found his deep grey eyes staring at her with a glint of playfullness in them.

"I'm sorry. Thank you....sir," she replied quickly, "may I go?" Asking as if she was too eager to leave.

A little too eager for his liking.

His head tilted slightly as he gave her a nod.

She neared to the door and had just placed her hand on the door knob when his voice again reached hers, "I must say, you don't sound like you, Sheharzad,"

The colors on her face paled but she sucked in a sharp breath and closed her eyes before turning her head to him, "There's nothing like that," she confidently uttered, while looking at him who was now signing a paper.

"I hope," his curly lashes moved up again as his eyes stared at her, "I hope you don't have an ulterior motive. You do not want to test me on that,"

"There isn't any," her voice was assuring,

"If there is, then best of luck. Go," he said and she almost ran away before going to her room.

As Khaleda said, there were cameras in every nook and corner so she didn't lose her calm and took her purse that had the USB. She didn't took the drive out even for once from her purse, afraid there might be a camera in her room too.

Entering into the restaurant, she looked around for the manager when a well dressed man in a black suit approached her.

"My name is Sheharzad Qureshi. I-" she said in a low tone.

"I'm the manager madam," he replied.

"Can I have some brownies?" she answered.

"Sure," he said and led her to the counter, "and yes ma'am the restroom is that way. You'll find a waiter there, he will guide you,"

"Thank you," Sauntering to the restroom, she found a waiter on the way. This area was quieter, rather there were little to no people. Just a couple sitting and enjoying each other's company.

"Sheharzaad," she told her name to him as he was the only waiter around.

"USB?" the waiter uttered in a low voice.

She forwarded the drive and he took it quickly before looking around to notice no one saw that.

Turning around, she began to walk towards the exit a smile playing on her lips.

A smile of victory.

She had won.

The evidence would be enough to get him behind the bars.

Oh how the tables have turned...