Ashar pov

"Divorce Sia? I had told you how much I love her Eddy. You're mad if you think I will separate her from me" I made it clear.

"Really Ashar? You know you are risking her life here" Eddie replied before pointing gun on her head.

"Back off" Sia shouted. Eddie gave a cold stare to her and slapped her.

"SHUT UP. IT IS BECAUSE OF YOU THAT WE ALL ARE HERE" He yelled at Sia.

"EDDIE! DONT YOU DARE TO TOUCH HER" I warned him.

I looked at Sia and she looked at me.

"I love you. Trust me" I whispered and she read my lips. I hope she understands what I am going to do

"Oh it hurts.. really? Ashar you dont know how much it hurt when you see empty hands. I DESERVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE. IT IS BECAUSE OF ME THAT YOU ARE STANDING WHERE YOU ARE".

Eddie pointed the gun on Sia's head.

"Tristan, give him papers and open his hand. Ashar NO SMART MOVE"

"Finally" Tristan shouted. He pushed the table towards me and opened just my right hand.

"SIGN. NOW" he said.

"What if I dont?" I replied calmly

"Then Sia will get it" Eddy shouted.

"Kill her." I said with a poker face

All eyes turned to me as expected.

"What?" Tristan said.

"Yeah. I can easily prove that she was killed during kidnapping. I won't stake my everything on her. Its ridiculous" I said "divorcing her is more risky than killing her"

Sia looked at me like she had been stabbed badly. And Tristan looked like he had seen a ghost

"Sorry Sia. I gave my everything to get what is mine. I wont let that slip again" I turned my face away from her.

"You had asked for it" Eddie said and he placed his hand on trigger

"NO" Tristan who was standing beside me ran towards his brother and in a splash of second, he lifted hand of his brother in air before Eddie could fire..

"I TOLD YOU THAT NOTHING SHOULD HAPPEN TO SIA" Tristan shouted on his brother

"Leave my hand. Get away" Eddie pushed Tristan harder that he fell on floor and he again pointed the gun on her head.

"I SAID NO" Tristan retaliated again

"Are you fool? he is bluffing" Eddie replied.

While I saw them fighting with each other, I kept on twisting and turning my wrist to make my hand free.

I saw them fighting. And now I just hope my plan works.

And then we heard siren of police car.

Just on time.

"WHAT THE F***" Tristan said

"SHIT" Eddie shouted.

Meanwhile I finally managed to free myself.

"Surprise surprise" I mocked them

The lines on Eddy's forehead easily tells me that it was not what he had expected

"B-but how?" He looked at me confused

"No-no.. I wont let go her this time. SHE IS MINE" Tristan shouted and went towards Sia.

Eddy got busy in watching policemen from the window, whereas I freed myself from all the ropes.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt "SHE IS MINE." I turned my fingers into a fist and punched him hard on his jaw. He fell on floor and lost his consciousness.

I opened ropes around Sia's wriSt. She was wet in her sweat, trembling in fear.

"Hey swan. We are going to make it ok. Just stay with me"

She nodded and tears started to run from her eyes.

"You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you?" I asked and she smiled.

I wanted to hug her so hard that even our souls could become one. But not now.

"Open yourself okay?" I said and she nodded again

I went to face my best friend.

"Like what you see?" I had never seen Eddy so much in stress that he was currently in.

"YOU BAST-"

"FREEZE" the door flew open and armed men got inside. They handcuffed Tristan and Eddie while I went towards Sia.

"Hey you ok?" I asked holding her face in my hands

"Yeah. But you almost got me killed" She looked down.

"Do you think I would let you get hurt?" I asked curiously

"I trust you" she smiled and I hugged her.

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Few days passed by since that incident. News of our kidnapping was everywhere. Tristan and Eddie were under custody and Today I was going to meet them.

I went in the office of the Police Commissioner and thanked him for his cooperation

"My wife and I are safe because of you. Thank you" I shook hand with him

"Mr. Ashar, you're one of the top businessmen of the country. Your protection is definitely our priority" He replied calmly.

Then on my request, they led me to jail where Eddy and Tristan are kept.

Seeing me, Eddy narrowed his eyes and I could see jaw clenching.

It is heart wrenching to see my best friend, who was more than a brother to me, standing behind the bars, with nothing but hatred for me.

I composed myself. He is no longer the same person I knew.

"Won't you ask me why I am here?" I broke the ice.

"You will tell me anyway" His ice cold words stabbed me

"I knew that you had part in everything Eddie. But I didnt know that you were fully in it" I confessed

His eyes met mine.

"Yeah. You stayed with me since childhood, but haven't learned anything" I tucked my hand in my pockets

He sighed and turned his face on the other side.

I took my mobile phone out from my pocket and showed him the clip of CCTV camera that was capturing Sia's desk visuals.

"You remember this?" I asked him and he turned to me.

He maintained his poker face and said "yes. I remember"

"I doubted you first time when you showed me this clip. I saw this clip again and again, for like hundred times and then I know that it was tampered"

His facial expressions changes

"You knew it was tampered?" He asked

"Yes. Do you wanna know how?" I asked before showing him the clip again.

I zoomed in the clip to the wall near Sia's desk

"Did you see this lizard?" I waited for his response, but got none

"It is going upward right now, but after 3 seconds the lizard is seen going downward... A lizard took 180 degree turn in 3 seconds.. Seems weird ?"

He replayed the clip multiple times, but had no answer.

"This sudden change in lizard made me think that its not the lizard that had turned, its someone's heart. You would have never missed this important detail. The last person who had accessed these recordings were you. Indeed, it should be you, but you were not there to see, rather you went there to tamper it."

His eyes moved out from socket. A minute mistake had caused everything on stake.

"I ignored it. Named it as human error. But then when Sia called to tell you about that guy on our reception, you asked her to come to you first, rather informing me? Why?"

I released breath which I was holding for long.

"Again, you found nothing in recording. But when I checked them, I found someone I recognize."

I showed him another clip of a man in black jeans and tshirt.

"Someone foolishly hired the same guy who attacked Sia in Canada, for killing me. You again missed an important link here"

I crossed my hands.

"Then you let Tristan ran away. Till the end I kept on telling myself that these all are co-incidents. But the last nail in coffin was the time when I found that you haven't marked the notes. Why? Because you didn't want to be caught"

He gazed at me with his dark orbs.

"Yeah, I dont know why this crossed my mind, but luckily I called bank and asked if the notes are marked and they weren't. I called police commissioner then and told them to trace my phone and car both."

I closed my eyes for a brief moment.

"I never thought you would be the mastermind of all this. Why you wanted to kill me? For money and property?"

Uncomfortable silence grew between us.

"When I came to know that everything will be mine if your marriage failed, I thought it would be easy to get everything. I showed you fake last page because I want you to think that Burke is betraying. I wanted to kill Sia when you were in Canada, but she went to Canada. I tried many times, but damn you both were lucky and you both were falling for each other."

He slammed his fist on the wall" Then I introduced Tristan in Sia's life, thinking that may be she'll fell in love with him and betray you but instead my brother fell for Sia. So then I had two purposes; one to get your property and second to give my brother his love."

He growled like an injured lion " This is not over yet Ashar. I will soon come back even before you know it"

"You were my best friend. If you had just asked me, I would already given you...." He interrupted me " I am not a beggar Ashar. I wont ask. I WILL SNATCH"

"Keep dreaming" I said and turned my back to him forever.

I returned back to home, where Sia was waiting for me. I told her everything a few days ago.

The moment I saw here.. safe, with me, happy.. I suddenly fell like I was so tired. Tired of fighting, of protecting , of fearing..

Before we can speak, I just took her in my arms and hugged her like I was hugging her after a long time.

I allowed myself to cry. To release the pain I was holding.

Sometimes you're just tired of being strong.

"Hey, you ok?" She asked

I could only nod.

She took my face in her hands.

"It is ok to cry Ashar. Crying doesn't mean that you're weak, it just tell that you had enough"

I again hid myself in her arms

"I love you" she said

"I'll arrogant and rude. Will you still say the same?" I asked

"Forever and always" she smiled and then I realized that it is the starting of our forever...

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