The Sinister

36.

Everyone in the room is sitting calmly, laughing and enjoying their victory, as it has already been more than 20 minutes. There is not a single trace of where Zayran is.

Sita is lying on the floor, injured, almost lifeless. She can hear everything around her, every laugh, every word but she doesn’t have the courage to open her eyes or look at anyone. Her body feels weak and heavy. Nausea rises in her throat and her head spins because of the brutal attacks on her.

Suddenly, loud noises from outside enter the room, making everyone freeze for a second before their eyes widen in shock. Chairs scrape loudly against the floor as they all stand up in panic.

The guards inside the room instantly get alert, their bodies turning stiff and all the mafia men quickly pull out their guns, their hands tightening around the triggers as the noise grows louder.

The sound of helicopters fills the air, so loud and powerful that it feels like it can shatter ears. The walls seem to vibrate with the intensity and fear slowly starts creeping into every corner of the room.

“Hold her tight, don’t let her escape!” Manas shouts, his voice sharp and filled with urgency.

The guards rush toward Sita and grab her roughly, their fingers digging into her arms as they hold her tightly. She struggles weakly in their grip, her body trembling as she tries to understand what is happening around her. Her breathing turns uneven.

Somewhere deep inside, she knows… her husband is here.

And now, all she wants is to see him. Her eyes remain fixed on the door, dry and empty, her face pale, dull and emotionless, yet her heart silently screams his name.

Everyone inside the room is scared as hell.

Outside the building

“If a single person escapes from this place, I will make all of your lives hell” Zayran orders through the microphone as he enters the Apex, his voice is sharp and filled with deadly warning.

The entire Apex is surrounded by Zayran’s highly trained Reapers. There is not even a single normal guard, each one of them is trained for moments like this.

Their black outfits are covered with weapons on every side, their movements precise and deadly. The way they kill people within seconds shows clearly who has trained them. There is no hesitation, no mercy, only destruction.

The sun is about to rise but the city has still not come out of chaos and now this is happening again. People outside are running in panic, rushing here and there, trying their best to save themselves. Fear spreads like fire. But the ones trapped inside the building… they have no way to escape.

“Move towards the upper floors!” Laksh barks the order, his voice loud and commanding as he runs toward the backside of the building. His gun keeps firing without pause, bullets hitting anyone who comes in front of him. His face shows no emotion, only focus.

“Bhai!” Shaurya shouts loudly, his eyes widening as he sees a man trying to attack Zayran from behind. But before he can even react further, Yuv steps in and kills the man instantly.

No one is at peace. Everyone’s faces show panic, tension and a burning determination. They are ready to take the life out of anyone just to protect their madam… their bhabhi.

But one face remains completely blank… dangerously blank. And that is Zayran. He is not killing anyone. He is not even shooting. He is just running, toward the place where his wife is.

The guards and the security of the Apex rush outside, fighting against Zayran’s reapers with everything they have. But they are not strong enough… and even if they are, they still cannot stand in front of Zayran’s reapers.

The sound of firing, crying, begging, shouting and screaming echoes inside the building so loudly that it feels like the entire city can hear it.

The walls shake with the intensity of it.

Every sound crashes against each other, creating chaos so terrifying that even people living on the other side of the city can hear it. Every soul inside is shivering badly.

This is not how someone saves his wife. This is not how a person literally starts a war just because his wife has been missing for nine hours. This is not how a normal person behaves.

But he is not a normal man. He is Zayran Kaalver… the sinister.

And the sinister’s wife is missing. What else can anyone expect from him?

Zayran moves upstairs with Grover right behind him. His steps are fast, heavy and filled with a deadly purpose.

Grover holds not one but two guns, firing continuously without a second thought. He doesn’t care about himself not even for a moment. The only thing in his mind is how to save his madam.

He has promised someone that he will protect her and now there is not even a single chance that he is going to break that promise.

Outside the building, Sita’s father stands firmly, blocking the way. He doesn’t let any officer enter inside to stop Zayran and his men. For the first time in his life, he is being harsh, almost ruthless. But he doesn’t care.

Because right now, the only thing that matters to him… is his daughter. He stops every possible hurdle that could reach Zayran. Even though deep down he knows that nothing can really stop Zayran.

Because all he wants… is for his daughter to be safe.

Zayran kicks the door open, the main door of the Apex private room, with such force that it bangs loudly against the wall. His red, burning eyes move around the place, searching, restless and desperate. All he wants… is to see his wife... his feather.

And then his eyes fall on her.

She is on her knees in front of him, her body weak, covered with injuries. Bruises mark her face, cuts stain her skin and her entire body looks broken. The sight hits him hard.

His chest tightens painfully. He cannot look into her eyes. He doesn’t have the courage… because he knows she is in this condition because of him.

Before Zayran can take even a step forward, a bullet hits his shoulder but it doesn’t affect him. He doesn’t even realize that he has been shot. His entire focus, his entire existence at this moment, is only on her.

Sita’s eyes start turning moist the moment the door bursts open… and he appears. Her chin trembles uncontrollably and a strange calmness spreads through her entire body, replacing all the fear and pain for a moment.

Without thinking twice without caring about her injuries or the pain screaming through her body, she forcefully frees her hand from the man’s grip. Her body stumbles but she doesn’t stop.

She runs straight toward her husband. Tears fall endlessly from her eyes, blurring her vision but she still runs, her heart pulling her toward him.

And the moment she reaches him, she throws herself hard into his arms. Her arms wrap tightly around his neck as she hugs him with all the strength she has left in her broken body, holding onto him like he is her only lifeline.

His body jerks… the same body which doesn’t react even to a freaking bullet now jerks with just one hug from his wife.

For the first time in his entire life, he doesn’t think about anything. He just wraps his arms around her and hugs her back tightly.

Their bodies press against each other like broken pieces of crystal finally finding their place. She holds his neck tightly, her fingers clutching him as if she is afraid he will disappear.

His hand grips her waist in a firm yet gentle hold, careful but strong.

Her tears start falling nonstop on his shoulder. She cries without holding back, without thinking about anything. She cries her heart out. The pain, the fear, the way they treated her, the way she was terrified…everything comes out in the form of tears in her husband’s arms.

He closes his eyes, feeling every tear that falls on his shoulder. Each drop burns into him. Slowly, he lifts his hand and caresses her back.

He doesn’t know how to calm someone, he has never done this before… but his rough hand still tries to comfort his wife in the only way he can.

After a moment, she slowly lifts her head from his shoulder and looks straight into his eyes. Her hand slides down and grips his shoulder tightly, still not letting him go even for a second.

She takes a deep, shaky breath, trying to speak, while he just stands there, waiting for her, his hand still moving gently on her back.

“T… they all… th…” she stutters badly, her voice breaking as she chokes on her tears, unable to complete her words.

He slowly nods his head, silently encouraging her to speak… to say the words that are about....

“They…?” he asks slowly, looking into her teary eyes. His face stays completely blank. There is not even an ounce of emotion or expression visible on it… but what he is feeling right now, no one can even imagine.

“T...they all are so bad… t..they call me names… they hit me… they call me sl… slut… b..bitch… they throw glass at me… th..they are monsters…” she says like a broken child, crying badly, choking on her own words. Her voice trembles with fear and pain.

She holds his shirt tightly as she speaks, her fingers clenching the fabric. Her shaking hand slowly lifts and points toward the mafia men and their teams in the room, who are now being held tightly by Zayran’s men.

Her finger moves from one person to another, silently telling him what each of them did to her.

She knows… she believes… her husband will not leave anyone. And she wants him to punish all of them for what they did to her.

He nods his head slowly, listening to each and every word she says.

His gaze suddenly stops on her cheek. There is a clear mark of a shoe on her soft skin. His jaw tightens.

He slowly lifts his hand toward her face… but stops midway. He doesn’t touch her. His fingers freeze in the air. His eyes darken dangerously.

“Who?” he asks, just one word, his voice low and deadly.

She cries even more because of the pain. Slowly, she turns her head toward the girl who beat her. With trembling hands, she lifts her arm and points toward two of them.

“T...they…” she says, taking a deep, shaky breath.

Zayran’s eyes slowly move toward those girls who are now being held tightly by his men. Everyone in the room is under control, surrounded and restrained by his reapers.

His siblings and Grover stand behind him, their faces burning with anger, their bodies tense.

Without a word, Zayran takes out his gun with one hand. With his other hand, he gently holds her head and presses it against his chest, shielding her. His grip on her is protective, almost possessive.

He raises the gun and points it toward one of the girls.

Without thinking… he shoots.

The bullet hits her straight on the face, right on her cheek, the exact same spot where his wife has the mark.

The moment the bullet hits, her bone cracks and the flesh tears instantly. The bullet doesn’t pass through, it gets stuck in her face in such a way that she can’t even scream properly, can’t even move. Her body collapses to the floor as she cries in unbearable pain, suffering with every breath.

He doesn’t stop.

He turns the gun toward the second girl and shoots at her head. The bullet hits her skull directly. He fires only once… but the way he shoots, there is no chance of survival.

His breathing suddenly stops for a second as he feels the weight in his arms shift. Her body goes still, losing all strength. She starts to lose her balance, her body slipping.

Before she can fall, he immediately lifts her into his arms, pulling her close to his chest.

Even in her unconscious state, her hand doesn’t leave his shirt.

He turns toward all the mafia men in the room, who are now shivering with fear. One by one, they join their hands in front of him, their bodies trembling as they already know what is going to happen next.

Without saying anything, he walks out of the room, holding her tightly in his arms. Everyone follows behind him, their steps quick and tense. They all wait for him to say something… to give an order about what should be done with the people inside.

But he doesn’t say a single word. He just keeps walking.

As he reaches near the entrance, he suddenly stops. His eyes slowly move down to her face, watching her closely, his expression still cold but something heavy moving inside him.

“Burn it down” he says slowly. His voice is low but the words make the air around them turn heavy and suffocating. Everyone looks at him in shock… except his siblings, Grover and Laksh.

“Aur agar is building ki ek bhi jagah ko nuksan nahi hua to tum sab ki kabre khud du ga mai waha” He says this while looking at everyone, his eyes dark and deadly. They gulp hard, fear gripping their throats as they nod their heads quickly.

(And if even a single part of this building is not destroyed, I will dig all your graves there myself)

He then looks at Grover. Grover immediately nods his head in understanding.

Without wasting another second, he turns back and walks toward the car, still holding his wife in his arms. Right now, he only cares about her… nothing else matters to him.

As the car moves away from the place, the destruction begins.

His men lock each and every door of the building, sealing it completely. Then they set fire to every corner, every room, every floor, every space. Flames start spreading rapidly, rising higher and higher.

The fire alarm starts ringing loudly, echoing everywhere… but no one can escape. The doors are locked. And all that can be heard now… are their screams for help.

Everyone inside the building, from the smallest guard to the most powerful mafia, everyone is suffering. The flames keep rising higher and higher, swallowing everything in their path.

The entire building catches fire, burning fiercely. Even the rising sun looks dull in front of it, making the scene even more terrifying.

The entire city becomes alert. Sirens start echoing everywhere. And the entire underworld shakes in fear as the headquarter of the underworld burns down, marking the beginning of something no one will ever forget.

Zayran’s men stand at a distance, watching silently, letting the building burn completely, making sure nothing remains safe except for the humans inside.

Do you really think they are going to die just like this?

No.

Not a single one dies in this fire.

Every one of them is taken out… alive. Because now, they are going to face hell.

Zayran’s hell, where every rule begins with him and every punishment ends with him. Now, not even Yamraj can take their souls unless Zayran allows it.

After hours, the fire brigade finally arrives and starts controlling the fire. Slowly, they manage to bring it under control. The flames die down but the heat coming from it still makes the entire area feel suffocating and unbearably hot.

The entire underworld, the entire mafia world and the entire criminal world is shaking right now… because of fear.

Fear of what Zayran Kaalver has done.

Apex is not just any building. It is like a lair for those monsters all around the world. And Zayran Kaalver doesn’t think twice before burning it down.

The building has been standing strong for more than a century. No one has ever even dared to think about touching it not even the government.

But today…History is made.

People know that Zayran kaalver is The Sinister of Velqar but they have always underestimated him. Now they finally understand.

I feel something slowly touching my leg. My body is weak and I’m not able to open my eyes even though I want to.

Slowly, my eyelashes lift and the first thing that comes into my blurry vision is him. He is sitting on the edge of the bed, carefully cleaning the wound on my leg.

My hand is still clutching his shirt tightly, as if letting go will make him disappear. His hands are moving so slowly, so carefully… but his face…why does he look so dangerous? The thought crosses my mind and before I can understand it, something hits me hard.

My grip on his shirt loosens and tears start welling up in my eyes.

“Are you okay?” his hurried voice reaches my ears.

I slowly turn my head towards him and look at him, my chin wobbling uncontrollably. And before I even realize it, tears start falling from my eyes. I look at him with fear filling my gaze.

Before I can understand anything, he suddenly pulls me into his chest, hugging me softly.

My heart starts racing wildly and more tears slip down my cheeks. H…he is hugging me.

“Shhh… don’t cry” he whispers, his voice low and gentle. I try to control myself but my body trembles.

“I… I killed a man” I say, my voice breaking as I look up at him, my head resting on his chest. “I’m scared”

“I’ll handle everything” he says while caressing my head, his fingers moving slowly through my hair.

I sniff softly, trying to understand what is happening… not with me but with him. He is behaving strangely.

“Is it hurting somewhere?” he asks in a low voice, his eyes looking deep into mine.

I slowly nod my head and weakly point towards my head and stomach. The memories suddenly flash in front of my eyes, making my vision blur and my eyes start turning moist again.

His gaze doesn’t leave mine for even a second. He keeps looking deep into my eyes, as if trying to read everything I am feeling… and I… I am still in his arms, resting my head against his chest, my fingers clutching his torso tightly.

“It was my fault, I....” he starts speaking but I cut him off in the middle. I gently pull away from his embrace and lean back against the bed.

“It was not your fault. It was meant to happen” I say softly, looking down at my hand, which is covered with a bandage.

I am in pain… I am hurt… but this is nothing new for me. I have faced many situations like this before but this time… it is just a little more brutal. And I know he will never let anyone harm me. It’s not his fault.

I slowly lift my gaze from my hand and my breath gets stuck in my throat. W...why is he looking so dangerous… so different? His eyes are slightly red and there is something dark in them… something terrifying. He looks like he is ready to kill someone… brutally.

“Eat something” he says, walking towards the first aid kit and starting to place everything back inside it neatly.

I slowly shake my head. Why am I behaving like this? I am acting like those wives who throw tantrums and cry in front of their husbands when they are in pain.

I lean my head back against the bedrest and close my eyes, trying to calm my mind from all the chaos inside me. Why am I not feeling much pain now? It was worse just a few hours ago.

He was cleaning my wound… he… he does care for me.

When he came to save me, there were so many emotions in his eyes… for me. And the way he shot those girls… what he did to the others… the thought crosses my mind, making my chest feel heavy.

I suddenly open my eyes and look around the room. He is not here. Just then, the door opens and he walks inside with a tray in his hand.

He is still wearing the same white shirt, now stained with blood. Wait…h...he got shot too, right? My eyes immediately move to his shoulder and I notice the wet patches of blood still there.

“Y...you didn’t treat your wound” I say, my voice coming out louder than I expect as I quickly sit up from the bed.

He doesn’t answer. He just walks forward and places the tray on the side table calmly.

Ignoring the sharp pain shooting through my back, I take a step towards him. Then another. I stand right in front of him, my eyes fixed on his shoulder, my breath slightly uneven.

“Y-you didn’t take the bullet out?” I ask slowly, my voice almost trembling as I lift my gaze to his eyes, which look dark… I don’t know why.

“I’ll treat it later. First, eat” he says calmly, making me stare at him in disbelief.

“Are you mad?” I shout at him loudly, my anger suddenly rising. I quickly grab the phone from the side table and dial Grover’s number with shaking fingers.

“Send a doctor immediately, Grover” I say the moment he receives the call and I cut it without waiting for a reply.

I look at him again, still in disbelief. What is he even thinking? Doesn’t he feel any pain? It has already been hours since he got shot. I glare at him, my eyes filled with frustration.

Before I can say anything else, the room door bursts open and Grover walks in with the doctor right behind him.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” he asks, quickly walking towards me but stopping at a safe distance, concern clearly visible on his face.

“Yes, I am… but he… he didn’t take the bullet out” I say, my voice filled with urgency. Grover sighs slowly and turns his face away for a second.

“Please treat his wound” I say to the doctor urgently. They both look at him and he… he is only looking at me.

“Sit” I say firmly and he finally listens, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

The doctor carefully removes his shirt and starts treating his wound, taking the bullet out and cleaning it. I look away, unable to watch and slowly step towards Grover.

“Why didn’t you tell him to treat himself?” I ask softly, still in disbelief as I look at Grover.

He cares for his boss so much… then why this? Grover looks at me, his eyes filled with shock, as if silently saying, Ma’am, first look at the condition you are in… then speak.

“He doesn’t listen to anyone except you. The moment he came here, he went crazy. He called the best doctors from around the country so that your pain could reduce as soon as possible and he didn’t leave you nor did he let any of us come near you” he whispers, looking down at the floor.

My breathing stops and I slowly turn my head towards him. He is already staring at me. His eyes are fixed on me not leaving me even for a second, as if I will disappear the moment he blinks.

“Please, sir, take this medicine” the doctor says after finishing the bandaging on his shoulder.

The doctor walks out of the room and Grover follows him but before leaving, he looks at his boss… and then at me, worry clearly visible in his eyes.

“Go and change” I say softly, walking towards the other side of the bed and sitting down.

He slowly gets up and walks into the closet. The moment the door closes, I release a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.

D… does he have feelings for me?

Because the way he is behaving… it is hard to accept that he hates me. And me? I don’t think I just like him or have a small crush on him. I think… it is something more than that.

And after what I have seen in his eyes for me… it won’t be wrong if it is more than just liking or a crush.

He walks out of the closet wearing black track pants and a white vest. My eyes don’t leave him for even a second as he comes and sits beside me on the bed, placing the tray between us. He starts serving food onto a plate calmly.

I just keep looking at him… or maybe… admiring him.

He places the plate in front of me and looks at me, silently telling me to eat. I slowly raise my hand and show him my palm, which has small cuts on it.

“Aap khila dijiye” I say softly.

(Feed me)

His movements stop instantly. He looks into my eyes, unsure if he heard me right. I nod my head slightly, letting him know that I mean it.

If this is how he is going to show his care for me, then I am ready to get hit by even a truck every day.

He slowly picks up the plate from the bed. I move the tray away from between us and shift closer to him because he is injured too.

He tears a bite… no, not just a bite, almost half a roti, looking so focused while doing it, as if he is solving some serious formula in a lab. I try to control my smile because right now… he looks cute.

He moves his hand towards me and I open my mouth, taking a bite from the piece he holds.

“Aap bhi khaiye” I say while chewing my food.

(You eat too)

He blinks once, then silently takes a bite from the same piece I just ate. I blink, staring at him in slight shock. He… he just eats my bitten food.

“Chote niwale banaye” I say, still chewing, as he tears another bigger piece again.

(Make smaller bites)

But he doesn’t listen. He makes it his way and feeds me again. I look at him with slightly narrowed eyes. And before I even realize it, he again eats the half-bitten piece from my side.

W-what is happening to him? I don’t say anything after that… I just keep eating quietly.

“Aap ne kya kiya un logon ke saath?” I ask slowly while chewing my food.

(What did you do to those people?)

“Hum kyun un logon ke saath kuch karenge?” he says calmly and my eyes widen slightly. I thought he would act like a normal human from now on… but I forget who he is.

He moves another bite towards me but this time I don’t eat. He looks at me, waiting for me to open my mouth and take it but I stay still.

“The building catches fire when I take you out of there” he says and I tilt my head, looking at him in confusion.

“H-how?” I ask, my voice low. He shrugs his shoulder casually and feeds me the bite anyway.

“System failure” he answers, taking a bite himself. I just keep looking at him not wanting to believe his words.

“Aap ne kuch nahi kiya un logon ke saath?” I ask again slowly.

(You didn’t do anything to those people?)

He looks straight into my eyes… and then slowly shakes his head. One thing I know for sure… he is a liar.

“Hmm… good” I say, grabbing the glass of water and gulping it down quickly.

He moves another bite towards me.

“I’m full” I say, wiping my mouth as I lean back against the bed again. He quietly places everything back on the tray and keeps it on the side table. It is already night.

He starts walking towards the couch but I stop him. And before I even realize it, the words leave my mouth.

“Sleep on the bed” I say, softly patting the space beside me. He looks at me with a slightly tilted head and I quickly look away.

“Your shoulder is not in good condition, so sleep here until it heals” I say slowly, staring down at my lap. Maybe he is not comfortable sleeping beside me.

I open my mouth again to say something but before I can speak, he walks towards me and sits down beside me on the bed, a laptop in his hand.

“Hum to kaam karne jaa rahe the, par hamari biwi ko shayad pasand nahi ki hum unse door rahein” he says and my eyes widen as my face starts burning.

(I was going to work but it seems my wife doesn’t like me staying away from her)

“Aisa kuch nahi hai” I say and I am about to lie down when he suddenly moves his hand towards me.

(It’s nothing like that)

I look at his palm and see the medicine resting there. I take it from his hand, my fingers brushing against his slightly, sending a soft shiver down my body. I act normal and quickly take the medicine, gulping it down with water.

I then pick up his medicine and extend my hand towards him. He takes it without saying anything and swallows it quietly.

I lie down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, while he switches off the lights. My heart is beating at its wildest speed… because he is sitting right beside me and he is going to sleep on the same bed as me.

I slowly turn my head slightly towards him. He is working on his laptop. If only I knew what he is actually doing. His fingers move quickly over the keyboard and his eyes look sharp and focused. His hair falls freely over his forehead, giving him a different kind of intensity.

If this is how the treatment feels when it comes from him… then what is wrong in getting injured… or even taking a bullet?

After all the chaos… I am still so calm. How? Maybe… because he is here.

My eyes start feeling heavy, maybe because of the pills I take. Slowly, my eyelids close… and I drift into a deep slumber.

I slowly turn my head towards her and she is already asleep. I thought she would be angry at me… I thought she would say that I am the reason for everything, which I am… but she… she doesn’t.

For the first time, someone doesn’t accuse me, even when it is my fault. And she… she doesn’t say a single word.

She told me to sleep beside her. She called a doctor for me, thinking I am hurt… but I am not. Nothing can happen to me… because she has tied this safety thread around my wrist. She cares for me.

She could ignore me… she could ignore my condition… but she doesn’t. She chooses to care for me.

After so many years… I felt scared again. Seeing her in that condition… I think she won’t be the same anymore. But she is… she is fine.

And she hugs me today. She hugs me.

My eyes move to her face. She is sleeping peacefully, her face calm and soft. She has no idea what kind of storm she has created inside me… she doesn’t know the intentions behind my actions.

But when it comes to her… my actions are pure. Every trick, every trap…ends the moment it reaches her. With her… every action of mine becomes innocent. Every feeling… pure.

Trust me.

The food tastes so good… maybe because it touches her lips. That’s why.

So many good things happen today. Should I declare today as the luckiest day? …No. The luckiest day is when I marry her. No… actually, every day in which she is with me is the luckiest… and the happiest.

I think I should declare my entire life, from the day I marry her till the day I'll die, as the life of the luckiest man… a happy life. And I am the happiest man in the universe also. Touchwood. Because she might catch the evil eye, which I can’t afford…

and if someone dares to cast an evil eye on her, then I will take their eyes out of their place. Simple.

My feather… you don’t know what you are doing to me… and you don’t know what I have already done to you. And now… it’s the turn of those who hurt my feather.

I turn my head towards the laptop screen and a slow smirk appears on my face. My feather has the power to change the entire world just by the movement of her eyes. And by the way… her eyes are beautiful. But I don’t like tears in them… because they turn me into a monster… which I am not.

A smirk stays on my lips as I work on the laptop… no, not work. I show everyone what it feels like to mess with me… and involve My Feather in all this.

And I have to finish it fast because I want to sleep next to her. I can’t waste even a single second. What if she wakes up and tells me to go to the couch again? No… I can’t bear that.

I am not going to sleep on the couch again. I will sleep here, beside her…even if I have to take bullets in my entire body.

I click on send and close the laptop, my face turning calm again. Then I slowly lie down beside her.

After shaking the entire world… this sinister is now going to sleep beside his feather.

I keep looking at her not moving my eyes away even for a second. My feather is sleeping beside me.

The whole night… I just keep looking at her peacefully and calmly… while the world erupts in chaos.