Chapter Thirteen - This isn't over
The house was quiet. Too quiet, the stillness was deafening at this point.
After the panic, after the running, after the crying… the quiet felt heavy. Like the walls themselves were trying to breathe with Angel.
After putting the twins to sleep, she stood at the doorway of the kids' room for a long moment, watching Malik curled against Mara, both of them finally asleep. Mara's eyelashes were still wet. Malik's small hand rested protectively on her arm.
Angel exhaled shakily, turned away, and walked to the kitchen.
She needed air.
She needed a breathing space.
She needed to hold herself together, before she loses her marbles.
But the moment she stepped into the dim kitchen, her legs wobbled.
She pressed her hands against the counter, head bowed, chest tight.
A tear fell.
Then another.
It felt like a tap faucet inside her cracked open.
Angel covered her mouth with her hand as a quiet sob escaped. She tried to hold it back, but her body refused. Her shoulders shook, her breath hitched, and the fear she'd been swallowing all evening poured out of her like a broken dam.
She cried harder.
She didn't even hear Zahid walk in.
He paused at the doorway, watching her, his gaze wasn't that of pity, it was something heavier. Something that felt like he had been holding his own breath too.
He stepped toward her slowly, not rushing her, not saying anything.
Angel wiped her face quickly. "I'm… I'm fine," she whispered, voice trembling. "I just needed a minute. Just one minute… please…"
Her voice cracked again.
Zahid didn't ask permission. He just stepped in front of her, gently took her hand off her face, and pulled her into his chest.
The moment she felt him, warm, steady, unshaken, she broke all over again.
She clutched his shirt, burying her face against him. Her tears soaked the fabric completely, but Zahid didn't move, didn't complain, his hand came up to the back of her head, pressing her closer, the other hand rubbing gentle circles on her back.
"It's alright," he murmured quietly.
Angel shook even harder, her fingers twisting the fabric of his shirt.
"I was so scared," she whispered. "Zahid, I thought… I thought I lost her. I thought my baby was gone."
His chest rose and fell evenly, grounding her.
Angel pressed her forehead harder against him. "Thank you," she whispered, voice barely there. "Thank you for being there… for Malik… for Mara… for me."
Zahid made a soft humming sound, almost like hmm, low in his chest. Not brushing her off, more like telling her "You don't have to thank me."
Angel pulled back slightly, looking up at him, eyes red and glossy.
"Do you think I'm a bad mum?" she asked, voice cracking on the word bad. "I know you won't say it but… do you think I'm not good at raising them? Because I lost her. I looked away for one second. One second…"
Zahid's eyebrows pulled together sharply.
"Angel," he said quietly but firmly, cupping her face with one hand. "Don't say that. Don't even think it. You're a wonderful mum. Mara and Malik adore you. Kids wander. That's what they do. It's nobody's fault. You didn't fail."
Angel blinked, tears slipping out again.
He brushed them away with his thumb.
"Come," he said softly.
He didn't drag her. He didn't pull hard. He simply held her hand gently and guided her to the sitting room.
The lights there were softer, The air was cooler. A double chair sat near the window.
He sat down and tugged her gently, making her settle beside him. Then, without a word, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her close to his chest again.
Angel rested her head against him, letting herself sink into the warmth of his body. For the first time since this nightmare started, her breathing lined up with his. Measured. Deep. Safe.
Her eyes fluttered shut.
And then
A scream shattered the hushed air.
Mara.
Angel shot up so fast she nearly tripped. Zahid was out of the chair in the same second, both of them rushing to the hallway.
They reached the kids' room at the same time.
Mara sat up in the bed, trembling, tears streaming down her face, her small hands stretched out in fear.
"Mummy!!" she screamed.
Angel scooped her up instantly. "I'm here, baby, I'm here. I'm right here."
Mara clung to her neck so tightly Angel could barely breathe.
"I got lost," Mara cried, shaking. "I couldn't find you and Malik or Uncle Zahid again, mummy… don't let go of me… please don't leave me alone…"
Angel's heart twisted painfully. "I'm not letting go. Never."
Malik woke up from the noise, sleepy and scared, reaching for Zahid with glassy eyes. Zahid lifted him gently, resting Malik's head on his shoulder.
Angel tried to lay Mara back down, but Mara grabbed both her shirt and Zahid's arm.
"No," she cried. "I want to sleep with you… and… and malik… and uncle Zahid."
Angel froze, short of words.
She looked at Zahid, unsure. "She wants to… um… she wants all of us to sleep together. I mean… if you don't want to, it's okay, I..."
"I'll stay," Zahid said before she even finished.
Angel blinked, a little stunned. She didn't expect him to agree that easily. She didn't expect him to agree at all.
They all moved to Angel's room.
Angel got into the left side of the bed, Mara curled tightly into her chest, small fingers clutching her shirt like she was afraid Angel would disappear.
Malik crawled into the middle, leaning against Angel first… then scooting toward Zahid without thinking, still half-asleep.
Zahid lay on the right side, pulling the blanket over all of them. Malik pressed his forehead to Zahid's chest, arms around him.
Angel and Zahid shared a small look across the children.
Not an awkward look.
Just… soft.
Angel whispered, "Goodnight."
Zahid nodded. "Goodnight."
Within minutes, Angel drifted off. Mara's breathing evened out. Malik's small hand rested over Zahid's heart.
The room fell still.
Quiet.
Safe.
But Zahid didn't sleep.
He stared at the ceiling, jaw tight, eyes unblinking.
His mind replayed the moment earlier when his head of security called him back after reviewing the park footage for the third time.
"Sir… something isn't right."
Hakeem's voice still echoed in Zahid's ears.
"The cat didn't wander on its own. Someone pushed it toward the child."
Zahid's fingers curled tightly.
The guard had sent clearer angles. Zahid had seen them right before stepping out of the SUV.
A figure dressed in dark clothes.
Face turned away each time.
Standing close. Too close.
Appearing in three different angles.
Always behind Mara.
Not walking with her.
He was watching her.
Waiting, maybe for the right time to strike.
"Sir… we think the figure guided her away on purpose."
Zahid's jaw clenched hard enough to hurt.
He turned his head slightly and looked at Angel.
Her face was peaceful now.
He could still see the exhaustion on her, the way her fingers tightened around Mara.
Then he looked at Mara, curled into her mother's chest.
And at Malik, breathing softly against him.
Zahid swallowed, a cold weight settling in his stomach.
This wasn't a random accident, and he couldn't let Angel know about this,
This was an oversight from him and such things will not be repeated again.
Someone tried to take Mara.
Someone planned it.
And Zahid knew, with a calmness that terrified even him, that if they ever tried again…
He would burn the world down.
No, He won't let them get the chance to try again.
He looked at Angel once more and exhaled very slowly.
"This isn't over," he whispered in his mind.