69. IMPORTANT

Murad sat at the head of the long, polished table, surrounded by board members deep in discussion about the company's next major decision. His face remained impassive, though his mind was elsewhere. The minutes dragged on, each word spoken like background noise to him. And then, in the middle of the chatter, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Glancing down, he saw Haroon's name flash across the screen.

Without hesitation, Murad raised his hand to pause the meeting. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to him as he answered the call.

"Yes, Haroon?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with an underlying tension.

"Murad, Taliya’s woken up."

Those words hit him like a jolt of electricity. For a moment, the world seemed to stop. He could barely breathe, as if his life had just been restored. Taliya—his Taliya—was awake. Relief and urgency crashed into him all at once, overwhelming any sense of obligation to the meeting at hand.

His heart raced, his thoughts conflicted. He glanced around at the expectant faces in the room. This meeting was crucial—he knew that. His uncle had reminded him countless times how important this deal was, how his presence was necessary for the future of their business. But none of it mattered compared to her.

Murad’s mind swirled with indecision for a brief second, torn between the responsibilities that had been drilled into him and the burning desire to see Taliya—to make sure she was okay, to be by her side. He couldn't leave her alone, not after everything they had been through.

Without another thought, he stood abruptly, pushing back his chair with a scrape that echoed through the boardroom.

“The meeting is over,” he announced, his voice firm and unyielding.

The board members exchanged confused glances, but Murad didn’t care. His decision was made. He strode out of the room, not sparing a second glance at the unfinished business behind him. The only thing that mattered now was getting to her.

He rushed to his car, his mind solely focused on Taliya. Nothing else mattered anymore.

Murad burst into the hospital, his heart pounding with every step as he made his way to the VIP room. The sterile scent of the hospital filled his senses, but all he could think about was seeing her—Taliya. He pushed open the door and froze for a moment at the sight before him.

Taliya was sitting up, her face pale but alert, answering a series of questions the doctor was asking. Her voice was soft, but it was her—awake, speaking. Alive.

"You'll feel mild pain and dizziness, but these medicines will heal the injuries," the doctor said, his voice calm and professional.

"Take them from time to time, and make sure you get plenty of rest."

Taliya nodded weakly as the doctor left the room, his instructions lingering in the air. Haroon, standing nearby with his mother, Sofia, caught Murad's eye and gave him a small nod before quietly exiting, leaving them alone.

Murad's gaze zeroed in on her fragile figure. She looked so small in that hospital bed, her skin pale and her body still weak from whatever had happened. But she was alive, and that was all that mattered.

Without thinking, Murad rushed to her side, unable to contain the emotions that had been building inside him since he got the call. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. Taliya gasped in surprise, her body tensing under his embrace, clearly not expecting him to hold her so fiercely.

"M-Murad," she whispered, her voice shaky as his arms enveloped her.

But Murad didn’t loosen his grip. He buried his face into her hair, his breath uneven, as if he was trying to hold back the flood of emotions that had been threatening to break through since the moment he’d heard she was awake. He didn’t care about anything else right now. Not the meeting, not his responsibilities—nothing but her.

“You’re okay,” he whispered, his voice filled with a mixture of relief and fear, his hold on her tightening for just a moment longer.

"You're okay..."

Taliya remained still in his arms her mind was a whirlwind of confusion. As Murad held her tightly, his warmth surrounding her, she couldn’t understand the emotions stirring inside her. Why was he here? Why was he the one helping her? The same Murad she had plotted against, the one she had tried to harm, was now looking after her as if she were the most important person in his world.

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up at him, uncertainty filling her eyes. Why was he doing this? She wanted to ask, to demand answers to the questions that flooded her mind, but before she could even open her mouth, the door to the room burst open with a bang.

Hashim stood in the doorway, his expression dark and menacing. His eyes locked onto Murad, glaring at him with an intensity that sent a chill through the room.

“What do you think you’re doing here?” Hashim's voice was cold, his words laced with anger as he stepped forward, his gaze never leaving Murad. His presence was imposing, his tall figure filling the room with tension.

Murad slowly pulled away from Taliya, his body tensing as he turned to face his uncle. The warmth and concern that had softened his features moments ago vanished, replaced by a hardened expression. He stood protectively in front of Taliya, but his eyes met Hashim’s without fear.

"I’m here because she needs me," Murad replied, his voice steady but firm. There was a challenge in his tone, as if daring Hashim to say otherwise.

Hashim’s lips curled in disdain, his eyes flicking to Taliya for a brief second before returning to Murad.

“After everything that’s happened, you’re going to throw away your future for her?”

Taliya's heart pounded in her chest as she listened, feeling the weight of both men's eyes on her. She wasn’t sure what was happening—why Hashim was so angry, or why Murad was standing up for her? She was the one who had betrayed him. None of this made sense.

Murad stood his ground, his voice unwavering.

"You don’t understand. I’m not leaving her, not now." He glanced back at Taliya for a brief moment, his eyes softening before he turned his attention back to his uncle.

"She’s more important than you think."

Hashim’s expression darkened, but Taliya couldn’t shake the confusion that clouded her mind. What did Murad mean? Why was he still protecting her, after everything she had done?