14. DON'T GO BACK

Murad woke up with a start, gasping for air as if he had been drowning. He sat up in bed, his heart pounding and his skin damp with sweat. The remnants of the evening's encounter at Rose Peak came crashing back into his mind. He groaned, running a hand through his hair, trying to piece together the fragmented memories and the intense headache that had overwhelmed him.

He cursed under his breath, swinging his legs out of bed and standing up. The room around him was dimly lit by the early morning light filtering through the curtains. He needed answers, and he needed them now.

Grabbing his phone, Murad dialed Fahad’s number. It rang twice before Fahad answered, his voice groggy with sleep.

“Murad? What’s going on?” Annoyance laced his voice as he was woken up in the middle on the night by Murad.

Murad would never call his his assistant but Uncle Hashim wasn't here for the time being. He will come back tomorrow and dragging him into his mess, would be too much. He already did so many things for Murad, that he wanted his uncle happy and not worry about his mess.

“I need you to come over,” Murad signed, his face laced with urgency. “Right now.”

Fahad hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Murad ended the call and paced the length of his bedroom, his mind racing. Taliya. The memories that had surfaced last night were still a chaotic jumble, but one thing was clear: Taliya had been a part of his past. He needed to know more.

Fahad arrived promptly, looking concerned as he stepped into the mansion. “Murad, what happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Murad didn’t waste any time. “I need you to find out everything you can about Taliya. Who she is, where she comes from, everything. I think she’s connected to my past.” His rapid movements made Fahad's head spin but he got a control on himself and sat down on the leather couch in his room.

Fahad’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he nodded. “Alright. I’ll get on it right away.”

Murad watched as Fahad pulled out his laptop and started working, his fingers flying over the keys. The minutes dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity. Murad tried to steady his breathing, focusing on the sound of Fahad typing. The gut wrenching feeling intensified as his mind replayed Taliya's reaction to his signing. Dragging a hand over his face, he sighed.

Finally, Fahad looked up, his expression a mix of shock and curiosity. “I found something. Taliya... she went to elementary school with you.”

Murad’s heart skipped a beat. “What?”

Fahad nodded, scrolling through the information on his screen. “She was in your class. But then, after a few years, she vanished. There’s no record of her for a long time, until recently.”

Murad sat down heavily, the pieces of the puzzle starting to fall into place. “Why would she vanish? What happened to her?”

Fahad shook his head. “I don’t know yet. But there’s more. There are some old school photos, and Taliya’s in them. She looks... different, but it’s definitely her.”

Murad leaned over to look at the screen, his eyes widening as he saw the images. There she was, a younger version of Taliya, smiling shyly at the camera. The sight triggered another wave of memories, faint and blurry, but there.

“She was always around,” Murad mouthed, more to himself than to Fahad. “But then she just disappeared.”

Fahad looked at him, his expression serious. “Do you remember anything else about her? Anything that might explain why she vanished?”

Murad shook his head, frustration bubbling up inside him. “No. It’s all so fragmented. But I need to know. There’s something about her... something important.”

Fahad nodded, closing his laptop. “I’ll keep digging. There must be more information out there. We’ll figure this out, Murad.”

Murad stood up, determination hardening his features. “Thank you, Fahad. I need to understand what happened. I need to know why Taliya was taken out of my life, and why she’s back now and why she is not admitting that we met before?"

As Fahad left to continue his research, Murad walked to the window, looking out over the sprawling estate. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and questions, but one thing was clear: Taliya was a key to his past, and he was going to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.

~☆~

Taliya paced back and forth in her penthouse, her mind a whirlpool of panic and determination. The previous evening's encounter with Murad at Rose Peak had shaken her to her core. She had seen the flickers of recognition in his eyes, the painful remnants of memories trying to resurface. She knew she had to make a choice, and she had to make it quickly.

Her thoughts raced as she tried to convince herself that staying away from Murad was the best decision. "It's for his own good," she whispered to herself. "If he remembers everything, it could be too much for him to handle. His amnesia is protecting him."

Taliya stopped in front of a large mirror, staring at her reflection. Her eyes were filled with fear and resolve. She had to be strong. She had to protect Murad; from herself, even if it meant never seeing him again.

As she stood there, lost in thought, the door to her penthouse swung open, and Haroon walked in. His expression was stern, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and concern.

"Taliya," he said, his voice steady. "We need to talk."

Taliya turned to face him, her heart pounding. "Haroon, I—"

Haroon held up a hand, cutting her off. "No more excuses, Taliya. You need to stop interfering in Murad's life. You've done enough damage."

Taliya's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. "Damage? I'm trying to protect him!"

"Protect him?" Haroon scoffed. "By making him remember things that could break him? By taking your revenge, again?"

Taliya's face flushed with anger and hurt. "I'm not trying to take revenge, Haroon. I just want to help him."

Haroon stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "Help him? Or help yourself? You were the one who vanished from his life, Taliya. You were the one who chose to leave without a trace. And now, you're back, stirring up memories and emotions that could destroy him."

Taliya felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. "I had no choice, Haroon. I had to leave. You don't understand."

"Maybe I don't," Haroon admitted, his voice softening slightly. "But I do know that Murad is trying to move forward, to rebuild his life. And you showing up, dragging him back into the past, isn't helping."

Taliya took a deep breath, trying to steady her trembling hands. "I thought... I thought I could make things right."

Haroon shook his head. "You can't rewrite the past, Taliya. You can only choose how to move forward. And right now, the best thing you can do for Murad is to let him be. Let him find his own way."

Taliya swallowed hard, the weight of Haroon's words sinking in. She knew he was right, but the thought of never seeing Murad again, of letting go completely, was almost unbearable.

"Haroon," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I don't know if I can."

Haroon stepped forward, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "You have to, Taliya. For his sake, and for yours. Let him heal. Let him find his own path."

Taliya closed her eyes, a single tear slipping down her cheek. She nodded slowly, the decision settling heavily in her heart. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll stay away. I'll let him be."

Haroon gave her a small, reassuring smile. "It's the right thing to do. Trust me."

As Haroon left the penthouse, Taliya felt a crushing sense of loss wash over her. She knew she had made the right choice, but it didn't make it any easier. She wiped her tears, hardening her resolve. She would stay away from Murad, no matter how much it hurt.

She turned back to the mirror, her reflection now showing a woman determined to protect the man she loved, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness. With one last, deep breath, Taliya squared her shoulders and prepared to face a future without Murad.

Her only goal for now was; to stay away from Murad.