Kamran's POV:

Zoya was surprisingly calmer than I had anticipated. She either felt safe with me or her sense of self awareness was messed up. I really hope it was the first rather than the latter. Was she used to kidnapping situations or did she just make peace with what was happening right now?

I was mentally prepared for her to try to hit my head with something and make a run for it. But then again, I had tied her up with top grade ropes. But she wasn't struggling either? Were they too tight? Should I loosen them up? I looked at her wrists carefully. I made sure to tie her up over the sleeves so it wouldn't cut through her skin. She was just sitting there and judging me while looking around the room. Was she looking for something to hit me with?

There was the lion plushie I had bought for her so she would remember me by it. That won't do any damage. There was also the photo frames. They could cause a dent. She can't lift the dressing tables or the sofas. I removed the lamps and vases from the room before she could get a chance to do that.

Though I wouldn't mind getting hit by her. Any bruise, bite or scar she leaves on me would only draw us closer. I can finally keep a memento of her.

"If you are going to cook, I want to watch." It was really odd of her to stay calm in this situation but this is what made Zoya the perfect fit for my life. She was unique just like that. "Why are you looking at me like I am crazy?"

"Even if you are crazy, I love all of it." I answered truthfully. Zoya mocked offence. It wasn't fair for her to be this beautiful. It wasn't good for my heart at all.

"Does that mean you think I am crazy? You are the first guy to calm me that. Most of them just say I am very loveable." All the fluffy emotions I was feeling just went down the drain as I heard her mention other guys. I don't know if she was doing it on purpose but she continued. "Yes, Salek found me cute when I looked at him like that. Mohib found it very attractive and-"

"Complete that sentence, princess and you will regret it. I might just chop Salek and Moheen instead of the vegetables." I glared at her but she just shrugged as she continued ranting.

"It's Mohib, not Moheen." Zoya corrected me as if she was proud of her achievements. Was she being serious right now?

"Zoya, I don't know what kind of impression you have of me for you to continue to name guys who have appreciated you but I am a very jealous and possessive guy." I failed to convey my point to her as she just grinned wider at me. I watched her, tied up but her eyes were sparkling with mischief and defiance.

She was playing with fire, and a part of me wanted to extinguish it, while another was drawn to the flames.

She mentioned her exes, each name striking a nerve. Salek, with his piercing grey eyes. Mohib, the passionate architect she met at some shitty party. I would show her just what passionate is. Her words stung, striking chords of jealousy I didn't know existed within me.

I tried to keep my composure, but every mention of another man stirred a tempest of emotions. "Why are you telling me this?" I ground out through clenched teeth, the jealousy coiling within me like a venomous snake. In my head, I had already come up with four different ways to kill Moheen and Salek.

"I was just making a point, you know," she said, batting her eyes at me innocently and I sighed. She always knew how to push my buttons and in the fourteen years we were apart, she had become a champion at it.

I leaned in closer, unable to contain the storm raging within me. "Stop this, princess. You're playing a dangerous game," I warned, my voice laced with a mixture of anger and longing.

"I have never lost a game, Sher." She was so confident. It was attractive but it was driving me crazy too.

"If you were my wife, I would have taught you just what I was capable of."

"Well, lucky me." Zoya probed and I barely kept my restraint. "Oh speaking of, I had to ask. Is Wassal married?" When she spoke of Wassal in that tone, something cracked within me, and I nearly erupted from the jealousy. A variety of emotions took over me: desire, frustration, and an overwhelming need to claim what was mine. The room crackled with tension, thick with the weight of my emotions—a dangerous blend of obsession and fury.

"Why do you care?" I had expected a snarky counter that would push me over the edge but instead as I faced Zoya, her wide eyes locked onto mine, I saw fear mingled with a desperate yearning to be understood. My heart pounded with conflicting emotions. I wanted to protect her, yet her words had ignited a blaze of jealousy and possessiveness that I struggled to contain. The humour from before was gone and I suddenly picked on her horror and helplessness.

Zoya was truly a puzzle, a tempestuous enigma I couldn't unravel. Her ability to stir such emotions within me both thrilled and terrified me. I knew I had to rein in this jealousy, to find a way to trust her, but the fear of losing her fuelled an irrational possessiveness I couldn't shake. Plus the fact that she had managed to run away twice. TWICE. She had attempted a third time but I caught her.

Somehow, I had a hard time trusting her words now. I looked at her innocent self and decided to control myself. I knew I needed to control the darkness within me, to untangle this web of jealousy and insecurity.

Zoya had already been through so much, her repressed memories had finally returned, I needed to be patient and understand her. She was going to tell me what had happened before Wassal had called. She got interrupted and then she decided to run. One doesn't change that quickly. So what was it?

She isn't that hostile to guys yet she was spitting fire with Wassal. As if she knew him. As if she had a history with him. Was that it? Was Wassal her ex? But he was twelve years older than her. But could it be?

"Is Wassal your ex? Is that fine you are interested in his love life?" Zoya gave me a deadpan look. I feel like if her hands weren't tied up, she would have definitely smacked me over the head at that statement.

"Sher?"

"Yes, princess?"

"I thought you were crazy but I wasn't aware that you were dumb too. Why would he be my ex? Even I have a standard I would like to maintain. Loco guys like him aren't my type." Zoya had gotten triggered. She was answering me in a very hyper tone.

"Why do you know he is crazy?" I stated casually.

"What do you mean why? I saw the guy almost kill a girl. Shit."

What did she just say?

Zoya's POV:

I felt the panic clawing its way up my throat as soon as the words spilled from my lips. Kamran's piercing gaze bore into mine, his dark eyes reflecting a mix of shock and something else—a dangerous glint that made my heart race.

I had shared too much, revealing that I'd witnessed Wassal Khan Narejo, nearly commit a heinous act. The memory of that chilling moment flashed vividly in my mind, and I fought the urge to flee, to put as much distance between us as possible. I had bombed this entirely.

But Kamran, he was relentless. "What do you mean you saw Wassal almost kill someone? When? Who? Where?" His voice was hard, demanding answers I wasn't prepared to give.

Panic seized me, and my first instinct was to escape. I tried to feign composure, to hide the fear clawing at my insides, but my attempts at evasion only fuelled Kamran's determination.

"Zoya, don't you dare run from this," he growled, his voice low and threatening. The intensity in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine, but I couldn't let him corner me, couldn't let him dig deeper into a truth I wasn't ready to confront.

I feigned a casual smile, my heart hammering against my chest. "Sher, you saw nothing." But my voice trembled slightly, betraying my unease.

He took a step closer, his movements deliberate and calculated. "Tell me the truth, Zoya. What did you see?"

I couldn't bear the weight of his gaze, the way he seemed to see through my facade. With a sudden surge of desperation, I tried to bolt, to break free from the ropes binding my hands and feet. But the knots held tight, mocking my futile attempt at escape.

Panic surged as I struggled against the restraints, feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "Let me go, Kamran!" I pleaded, the panic now audible in my voice.

He was on me in an instant, his strong hands grasping my shoulders, his voice dark and commanding. "Stop this, Zoya. You're not going anywhere."

I met his gaze, my eyes wide with fear. If I tell him, Wassal will kill me. If I don't tell him, Kamran is going to butcher me. "I can't, Kamran." Tears welled up, a mixture of frustration and fear clouding my vision.

But Kamran's grip remained firm, his resolve unyielding. "I need answers, Zoya. For your safety. Please. Just tell me. I don't want anyone to hurt you. Please just tell me what happened?" His voice softened, a glimmer of concern breaking through the hard exterior.

I knew I was trapped, not just by the ropes but by the truth I will have to share now. The weight of the secret threatened to suffocate me, but I couldn't risk putting myself or Kamran in danger. Despite that, as I met his unwavering gaze, I knew I had to find a way to navigate this delicate balance between revealing the truth and protecting us both. Before I knew it, the words slipped my tongue.

"Fourteen years ago, I saw Wassal in a warehouse trying to kill a girl. She was beautiful. Long brown hair. She had the same eyes as you. Kamran. I think she was Kainat."

Author's Note:

And we are done with the chapters for today. Thought I would end the day on a bang. Kamran finally knows. What do you think is going to happen next?