104.

As the boat surged forward, the dark silhouette of Faraz emerged from the shadows, flanked by his men, their footsteps pounding against the sand. Murad’s heart raced as he realized they were not out of danger yet.

“Stop!” Faraz shouted, his voice cutting through the night. “You think you can just leave? This isn’t over, Murad!”

Murad gritted his teeth, glancing back at Taliya, who was gripping the sides of the boat, eyes wide with fear. “Stay low!” he commanded, taking a defensive stance at the edge of the boat.

Faraz’s men followed him, determination etched on their faces, but Faraz raised a hand, halting them. “This is between me and Murad,” he said, his tone filled with contempt. “You want to take my toy? You’ll have to go through me first.”

Murad’s muscles tensed as Faraz stepped forward, the moonlight illuminating the malevolent smirk on his face. “I always wanted to see how strong you really are. Let’s find out.”

Without waiting for an invitation, Faraz lunged at Murad, throwing a wild punch. Murad sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, his instincts kicking in as he retaliated with a swift kick aimed at Faraz’s midsection. But Faraz was quick, pivoting to evade the strike, and countering with a jab that landed on Murad’s jaw.

“Ugh!” Murad grunted, stumbling back. He shook off the daze, his adrenaline surging. He couldn’t afford to lose this fight—not when Taliya’s safety depended on it.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Faraz taunted, the sneer on his face infuriating Murad further. “I thought you’d put up more of a fight!”

With a roar of frustration, Murad charged again, this time throwing a combination of punches. He connected with Faraz’s ribs, but the other man retaliated with a swift uppercut, catching Murad off guard and sending him staggering back.

“Come on, Murad! You can do better!” Faraz jeered, enjoying the thrill of the confrontation. “I know how much you care about her. But let’s see how far you’re willing to go to protect her.”

Taliya watched from her spot on the boat, fear gripping her heart. “Murad!” she shouted, desperate to pull him back from the brink of danger. “Please, be careful!”

But Murad couldn’t hear her over the roar of adrenaline and the pulse of battle. He charged forward again, determined to put an end to this madness. He feigned a left, then swung right, connecting with Faraz’s jaw and finally stunning him.

“You won’t hurt her again!” Murad spat, his fists clenched as he stood over Faraz, ready to strike again. But Faraz wasn’t finished yet. With a sudden burst of energy, he swept Murad’s legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the floor of the boat.

The impact jarred Murad, but he rolled swiftly, quickly getting back to his feet. Faraz was right there, relentless in his pursuit. They exchanged blows again, their movements a chaotic dance of fury and determination. Each punch landed was laced with years of rivalry, pain, and the desperate need to protect what was his.

“You think you can win? You’re nothing without her!” Faraz yelled, his eyes blazing with rage. “I’ll always be a step ahead of you.”

Murad felt a surge of anger. “You’ll never win, Faraz. Taliya is stronger than you think, and I won’t let you manipulate her anymore!”

With newfound resolve, Murad pushed forward, his fists flying. He felt the satisfaction of landing several blows on Faraz, each one fueled by the knowledge that he was fighting for Taliya’s freedom. But Faraz was crafty, blocking and countering with calculated strikes of his own, each punch a reminder of the danger they were in.

Faraz’s laughter rang out, taunting and dark. “You don’t understand. This is my world, Murad. I make the rules, and you’re just a pawn in my game!”

“I won’t play your games!” Murad shouted back, keeping his focus on Faraz. “This ends now!”

But just as Murad thought he had the upper hand, he felt a sudden sharp pain in his side. He gasped, realizing Faraz had pulled a knife from his waistband, the blade glinting menacingly in the moonlight.

“Looks like I’m not the only one who plays dirty,” Faraz sneered, a manic glint in his eyes. “You should’ve seen this coming.”

“Murad!” Taliya screamed, panic coursing through her. “Watch out!”

In that split second, Murad reacted instinctively, twisting to avoid the full force of the blade. It grazed his skin, sending a jolt of pain through him, but he couldn’t let Faraz win. With a burst of adrenaline, Murad knocked the knife from Faraz’s hand, sending it clattering across the boat’s deck.

They stumbled back, both men breathing heavily, glaring at each other with animosity. Murad’s mind raced, thinking of Taliya, of what he had to protect. He couldn’t let Faraz intimidate him any longer.

“Enough!” Murad shouted, his voice resonating with authority. “You’re done playing games. I’m taking Taliya, and you’re not going to stop us.”

Faraz’s laughter echoed ominously, his eyes flashing with fury. “You really think you can walk away from me? You have no idea what I’m capable of!”

“Then let’s find out,” Murad challenged, moving in for one last confrontation.

They clashed once more, a storm of fists and fury, each blow fueled by their conflicting motivations. Murad fought not only for Taliya but for himself, for the closure he desperately needed.

As they grappled, Murad’s focus sharpened. He felt the weight of his fears, his responsibilities, and all the moments that had led him to this point. This wasn’t just about defeating Faraz; it was about reclaiming his life and securing Taliya’s freedom.

With a final surge of energy, Murad delivered a swift kick that sent Faraz sprawling to the deck, gasping for breath. He stood over him, panting heavily, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he surveyed the defeated man beneath him.

“Get out of our lives, Faraz,” Murad warned, his voice low and fierce. “If you ever come near Taliya again, you’ll regret it.”

Faraz’s eyes burned with hatred, but there was a flicker of realization. “This isn’t over, Murad. You’ll pay for this.”

Murad stepped back, his heart racing as he turned to Taliya. “Let’s go,” he said, urgency in his voice as he extended his hand.

She rushed to his side, and together they made their way to the helm. The engine roared to life, the sound reverberating through the night as they began to pull away from the shore.

Murad glanced back at Faraz, still sprawled on the deck, the anger and frustration etched into his features. They were free—for now. But Murad knew this battle wasn’t over, and as they sped into the darkness, he was prepared for whatever came next. He would protect Taliya at all costs, no matter what it took.

As the shoreline faded behind them, Murad felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had fought for her, and together they would face whatever challenges lay ahead.