78.
Murad’s heart raced as he burst through the door of his house, his chest tight with anxiety. “Taliya!” he called, his voice echoing through the empty rooms. The silence that answered him sent a chill down his spine. He darted through the living room, past the kitchen, checking every corner of the house, every place she might be hiding. “Taliya! Where are you?” Panic clawed at him as he searched, but all he found was emptiness.
Frustration surged through him. This wasn’t like her—she wouldn’t just disappear without a trace. He rushed back to her bedroom, half-expecting to find her curled up in her blanket, laughing at his worry. But the bed was untouched, and the darkness of the room only deepened his sense of dread.
His mind raced back to the last time he saw her, her laughter echoing in his ears, the light in her eyes that had always brightened his world. And now—now she was gone. A wave of rage washed over him, propelling him out of the house and into his car.
The engine roared to life, and he slammed the accelerator, tires screeching as he tore out of the driveway. He knew where to go. His uncle Hashim’s house loomed in his mind like a dark cloud, a place where answers might lie—or where he could unleash his fury.
As he drove, the adrenaline coursed through his veins, blinding him to everything but the overwhelming need to confront the source of his anger. The familiar streets blurred past in a haze, his thoughts consumed by the image of Taliya’s terrified face.
Pulling up to his uncle’s house, he skidded to a stop, the tires screeching in protest. He threw the door open and stormed inside without knocking, his fists clenched at his sides. “Hashim!” he shouted, his voice raw with emotion.
The sound of his uncle’s footsteps echoed from the back room, and Hashim appeared, confusion etched on his face. “Murad, what’s wrong?” he asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
But Murad didn’t answer. In a blind rage, he lunged forward, his fist connecting with Hashim’s nose. The force of the punch sent Hashim staggering back, shock and anger flaring in his eyes. “What the hell, Murad?” Hashim exclaimed, clutching his nose, blood trickling between his fingers.
“Where is she?!” Murad shouted, his voice cracking under the weight of his fury. “What have you done to Taliya?”
Hashim’s expression shifted from confusion to concern as he took a step back, assessing the rage etched across Murad’s face. “What are you talking about?” he demanded, his eyes narrowing. But as he looked deeper into Murad’s eyes, the truth settled in. The boy he had raised, the nephew he had always cared for, stood before him broken and filled with despair.
Murad’s breath came in ragged gasps as he struggled to control his emotions. “She’s gone! She was here, and now she’s gone!” The words tumbled out of him, raw and desperate.
Realization crashed over Hashim like a wave, and his heart sank. He had sensed Taliya’s vulnerability, knew the dangers that lurked outside their world. “What do you mean gone?” he asked, his voice softer now, filled with concern.
“I went out for a moment,” Murad confessed, his anger slowly giving way to fear. “I thought she would be fine, but when I came back, she wasn’t here! It’s like she vanished!”
Hashim stepped closer, his expression shifting from anger to empathy. “Murad, listen to me. We need to find her. We need to—”
“Find her?” Murad interrupted, his voice rising again. “You think I don’t know that? I can’t sit here while she’s out there! I need to know she’s safe!”
Hashim placed a calming hand on Murad’s shoulder, trying to steady him. “I’ll help you. We’ll figure this out together.”
But Murad shook his head, the hopelessness consuming him once more. “No! I need to do this myself. I can’t let anything happen to her.”
Before Hashim could respond, Murad turned and stormed out of the house, the door slamming behind him. The anger that had fueled him now shifted to desperation, and he knew he had to find Taliya before it was too late.
As he climbed back into his car, his thoughts were a whirlwind. How could he have let this happen? He had promised to protect her, to keep her safe, and now—now she was out there, alone and afraid.
He punched the gas, tires screeching once more, determination burning in his chest. He would find her. No matter what it took, he would bring her back.
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