The moment Harry gave Zyan the location, something inside him went cold.
"Are you certain?" Zyan asked.
"I don't give you information unless I'm certain," Harry replied. "She's being held in an abandoned warehouse outside the city. I've already sent two men to keep watch. Rakesh is there with at least two others."
Zyan's grip tightened around his phone.
"Send me the exact location."
"You're not going alone."
"I didn't ask for permission."
Harry sighed. "I knew you'd say that."
Zyan ended the call and turned toward Rahul.
"Get the car ready."
"Sir, should I call the police?"
Zyan paused.
His first instinct was to say no.
He wanted to handle everything himself.
But the image of Prema flashed through his mind—the frightened girl standing alone in the temple, the innocent expression in her eyes, the way she had quickly looked away when their eyes met.
For the first time in years, fear had entered his heart.
Not fear for himself.
Fear of losing someone who wasn't even his.
"Inform the police," Zyan finally said. "But don't wait for them."
Rahul nodded.
Within minutes, several vehicles left the Malik headquarters.
Zyan sat in the back seat, staring through the window.
His jaw was clenched.
His thoughts were chaotic.
Please be safe.
He had never prayed for anyone in his life.
Now he found himself silently asking whatever power existed to keep Prema alive.
Meanwhile, inside the warehouse, Prema struggled against the ropes.
Her wrists were beginning to hurt.
The room was cold, dark, and smelled of dust and damp concrete.
Rakesh stood several feet away, watching her.
"You don't understand what you did to me," he said.
Prema shook her head.
Her mouth was still covered.
Rakesh walked toward her and removed the cloth.
Prema immediately took a deep breath.
"Rakesh, please."
"Please?" he repeated bitterly. "Now you want to talk to me?"
"I never wanted to hurt you."
"You rejected me."
"Yes," Prema whispered. "Because I don't love you."
His expression hardened.
"I loved you."
"I know."
"You knew?"
Prema nodded slowly.
"And you still rejected me."
"I couldn't lie to you."
Rakesh laughed bitterly.
"You think honesty makes you innocent?"
Prema stared at him.
"I never promised you anything."
For several seconds, there was silence.
Rakesh's anger seemed to intensify.
"You made me believe I had a chance."
"I was your friend."
"You were more than that to me!"
"I can't control your feelings, Rakesh."
Her voice trembled, but she tried to remain calm.
"You have to let me go."
Rakesh turned away.
"You'll understand eventually."
Prema's eyes moved around the room.
There was a small window near the ceiling.
A metal table stood several feet away.
A broken chair lay near one wall.
She began thinking.
If she could loosen one of the ropes…
She looked down at her hands.
The rope had been tied tightly, but there was a small amount of movement.
She slowly twisted her wrists.
Pain shot through her arms.
She didn't stop.
She needed to survive.
She needed to escape.
And somewhere deep inside, she remembered the man whose eyes had met hers at the temple.
She didn't understand why the memory appeared now.
Zyan.
She barely knew him.
Yet for some reason, the thought of him made her feel strangely less alone.
Outside, an engine suddenly stopped.
Rakesh froze.
"What was that?"
Prema's heart began racing.
Footsteps echoed somewhere outside the warehouse.
Rakesh looked toward the door.
One of the men guarding the building rushed inside.
"Rakesh!"
"What happened?"
"There are vehicles outside."
"How many?"
"Several."
Rakesh's face changed.
"Who?"
The man shook his head.
"We don't know."
Then came a loud crash.
The warehouse door flew open.
Several men rushed inside.
Chaos erupted.
Rakesh grabbed Prema's chair and pulled her backward.
"Stay away!"
A deep voice echoed through the warehouse.
"Let her go."
Prema's heart stopped.
She knew that voice.
Zyan.
He stood near the entrance, surrounded by his security team.
His expression was terrifyingly calm.
Rakesh tightened his grip on the chair.
"You!"
Zyan's eyes moved directly to Prema.
For a moment, everything else disappeared.
Her hair was disheveled.
Her face was pale.
There were marks around her wrists.
Zyan's hands curled into fists.
But he forced himself to remain calm.
"Prema."
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Zyan…"
Hearing his name from her lips almost broke his control.
"I'm here."
Rakesh laughed nervously.
"You think you can just walk in here and take her?"
Zyan took one step forward.
"She isn't yours."
Rakesh raised a weapon.
Everyone immediately froze.
"Another step and I'll—"
"Don't."
Zyan's voice was low.
He raised one hand, stopping his men.
His eyes never left Rakesh.
"You're angry."
Rakesh laughed.
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know enough."
Zyan's gaze briefly moved toward Prema.
"You're angry because she rejected you."
Rakesh's face twisted.
"She belongs with me!"
"No."
Zyan's voice became colder.
"She belongs to herself."
Prema looked at him in surprise.
For the first time since her abduction, she felt a tiny spark of hope.
Zyan continued.
"You made the mistake of thinking that taking someone hostage would make them love you."
Rakesh's hand trembled.
"She ruined my life!"
"No," Zyan replied. "You did that yourself."
Suddenly, Rakesh grabbed Prema and pulled her chair toward the back door.
Zyan's expression changed.
"Stop."
Rakesh ignored him.
Zyan moved forward.
The next few seconds happened quickly.
Harry's men surrounded Rakesh from both sides.
Rakesh panicked.
He tried to pull Prema with him, but she deliberately kicked backward with her foot, causing him to stumble.
One of Harry's men immediately disarmed him.
Rakesh was forced to the ground.
Zyan rushed toward Prema.
"Are you hurt?"
Prema shook her head, tears running down her cheeks.
"I… I don't know."
Zyan knelt in front of her and carefully cut the ropes.
When her hands were finally free, Prema instinctively pulled them toward herself.
Zyan noticed the red marks around her wrists.
His expression darkened.
"Did he hurt you?"
Prema hesitated.
"I'm okay."
"That wasn't my question."
She looked at him.
"He didn't…"
Her voice broke.
Zyan softened immediately.
"You're safe now."
Prema stared at him.
"I was so scared."
Those four words destroyed the last of his restraint.
He gently placed his hand behind her head.
"You don't have to be scared anymore."
Prema suddenly leaned forward.
She didn't even realize what she was doing.
She simply needed someone to hold onto.
Zyan froze when her arms wrapped around him.
Then slowly, carefully, he embraced her.
For the first time in his life, Zyan Malik held someone as though she were the most precious thing in the world.
He closed his eyes.
Never again.
But he knew something Prema didn't.
He had already begun investigating everyone around her.
And Rakesh wasn't the only person who had noticed her.
As Zyan helped Prema stand, Harry approached.
"Zyan."
"What?"
Harry's expression was serious.
"We found something else."
Zyan looked at him.
"What?"
Harry lowered his voice.
"Rakesh didn't plan this alone."
Zyan's expression immediately hardened.
"Explain."
"We checked his phone. Someone transferred a large amount of money to him two days ago."
"Who?"
Harry looked toward Prema.
Then back at Zyan.
"We don't know yet."
Zyan's eyes narrowed.
"Find out."
Harry nodded.
"And there's something else."
"What?"
"The person who paid him knew about Prema's daily routine."
Zyan went completely still.
Someone had been watching her.
Someone knew where she studied.
Where she lived.
When she went to dance class.
When she went for walks.
And most importantly…
Someone knew exactly when she would be alone.
Zyan looked at Prema.
She was standing a few feet away, exhausted and frightened.
His protective instincts intensified.
He knew he had to keep her safe.
But he also knew that the person behind Rakesh's kidnapping might come after her again.
And next time, Zyan intended to be ready.