Chapter 1 Escaping From Pain

Running her feet as fast as possible, she was trying with everything to run away not only from her past, pain, trauma or suffering but from those inhuman people who were monsters in human disguises. Her breathing was hard. Her legs were hurting. Her throat had dried up completely because she was running for more than hours now. Her golden brown eyes scanned her entire surroundings. People were passing by, minding their own business. The streets were engulfed with different vehicles which were running, honking. She placed her both hands on her knees and bent her upper body a bit to calm her aggressive breathing. She heaved while trying to search for a public water cooler to quench her thirst, but she found none. Turning her head behind, she checked if someone was following her or not. To her relief, it looked like those inhuman people had lost their way to her who were following her. Exhaling a heavy breath, she crossed the road and walked for a couple of minutes more. She saw a public park and decided to go inside in order to search for water. She entered the park where she saw little kids playing, smiling and laughing. A couple was feeding their little daughter ice cream. Her heart clenched. Her eyes watered because she remembered her parents who used to love her like this but after their death, her entire life changed and got filled with nothing except pain and tears. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her palm, she strode a little more and finally saw a water tank which was situated outside that park's back gate. She took her steps and went outside the park through that back gate. Her feet were leading her towards that water tank, but before she could reach there, she heard the roaring scream of a man. "ZIA….." She turned her head, and her eyes widened in shock, by witnessing a woman standing in the middle of the road, and a car which was dashing towards her at full speed. That woman looked traumatised with terror. Without wasting a single moment in thinking, she stormed towards that woman and then pushed that woman away aggressively, but it turned too late for her own self because before she could move herself, that car hit her, causing her to scream out of her lungs, and then her body flew away vigorously. Every bone in her body clenched in extreme amounts of pain as soon as she fell on the road with a loud thud. Her watery eyes blurred with tears and pain. Her whole body throbbed and then everything blacked out for her with that thought in her head that she had finally lost that one thing which she had…that was her own life. ………….. "Your life?" A hoarse chuckle resonated against the walls of that room. That girl stiffened in her place, by hearing and watching that 18 year old boy who was sitting on her bed. His long legs were wide apart whereas his arms were resting behind him on the bed. "Do you think I care about you or your life, Marine?" That girl felt offended at his rude words, but she didn't let it show on her face because she knew better than to show him her vexation at that time. Ignoring his rude remarks on her, she walked towards him, maintaining her seductive smile on her. She bowed her upper body towards him, giving him a perfect view of her almost exposed cleavage. She placed her both palms on his sinewy hardened chest and gazed into his pale blue eyes. "I know you don't, but I do care about you and your life a lot, Zian," The corner of his lips tugged upward, hearing her words. He was clearly aware of her feelings for him, but did he care? No, he didn't give a damn about her or anyone else's feelings and emotions, except his parents'. He only cared about his own needs and wants and how he was going to fulfil them….was all that mattered to him. That girl, Marine, intensely gazed into his eyes and then slipped her eyes down towards his lips. Lust filled her entire body because she still remembered the last time when he pounded inside her like a ruthless beast, and continued to make her scream and moan his name till she didn't almost pass out in exhaustion. Her core throbbed in desires just with the mere thought of their last time. She leaned her face closer and tried to kiss him, but suddenly a gasp escaped from her mouth when he grabbed her neck in his big palm and stopped her from touching his lips. "Don't forget that I believe in using, but I despise getting used, Marine," he uttered, smirking, while tightening her hold around her neck. Fear engulfed her immediately as she felt him almost on the verge of blocking her air. She was aware of his sadistic ways and how cruel kind of sadist he was, just at the mere age of 18. He harshly pushed her down on the floor and opened his legs more. "Suck me off like a good whore which you are, sweetheart," he said while smirking viciously. She felt hurt with that name he addressed her, but she had gotten used to his rude and heartless remarks on her during the past six months. She kneeled in front of him and got in between his legs. She lifted her hands and leaned them towards his belt. She started opening his belt which made him rest his body on his arms. He threw his head backward and waited for her to start pleasuring him. She opened his belt and was about to touch his pants buckle when his phone started ringing. Maintaining his stature, he took out his phone from his pocket and saw Leo's, one of his father's men or he could say, his father's second in command, number flashing on his mobile's screen. Now why was he calling and disturbing him? Clenching his jaw in annoyance, he picked up the call. "Hello……..what?" Marine witnessed his reaction change from annoyed to appalled in a nanosecond. He hurriedly got up on his feet. "Is mom and dad alright?.....okay, I will be there in 10 minutes," saying that he dashed out of the door, leaving Marine perplexed behind him. She couldn't even dare to stop him or ask him what had happened and just watched him leaving her alone. …………… The heavy and urgent strides of his feet shattered that thin silence of the hospital. The receptionist told him where he needed to go and Zian finally saw his mother, Zia. She was sitting on one of the benches outside the operation ward and was crying. His uncle, Dylan, was sitting beside her and was trying to comfort her. "Mum," Zian spoke, making his mother take her head upward and look at him. Zian stormed towards her. Wrapping his palms around his mother's face, he asked her, extremely worried. "Are you and dad alright? Leo called me and informed me about that accident. You both are fine, right?" He watched his mother weakly nodding her head before answering. "Me and your dad are fine, Zian, but that girl who saved my life today….she is under critical condition. Her operation is still going on," Zian felt relieved, knowing his parents were alright. He settled himself beside her on the bench and wiped her teary eyes. "Everything will be alright, don't cry," he tried to comfort her with his words because he couldn't stand watching her tears. His mother, Zia, just slowly wagged her head at him. Zian sighed and then his eyes trailed towards his father, Damien, who was talking to one of the doctors. After getting done with his talking, his father, Damien, turned towards them. Zian saw his father coming towards them. His face had worn a tense reaction. "What the doctor said about her condition, Damien?" His mother restlessly asked his father. Damien witnessed his father sighing before answering. "He said, they can't say anything till the operation doesn't end. The injuries she has gotten during the accident have caused severe damages to her neck and head," his father informed, causing his mother to close her eyes and lower her head. "Mr Karlson," Zian tilted his head and saw Leo standing behind him. His eyes were fixed on his father. "Your assumption was right. The accident was pre-planned and Mrs Karlson was its target. Someone wanted to harm Mrs Karlson," Zian's jaw clenched whereas his fists tightened. "Who?" He spat, angrily but then felt his mother holding his arm. He looked at her. "Zian, go back home. You don't need to stay here," she told him because she was aware of her son's anger issues, and according to her, her son was still not old enough to deal with that kind of stuff. Besides, he really had no necessity to stay there in the hospital. "But, mum….""Your mum is right, Zian," his father, Damien, agreed to his mother. "Me, your mum, your uncle and Leo are here, so you go back home. You don't have to get in all of this for now," his father uttered, sternly. "Yes, and stay with your grandparents for tonight," His mother told him. Zian didn't defy both of his parents, even if he was wanting to, and silently left the hospital. After a couple of days, Zian was living with his grandparents as his parents still had to stay in the hospital during the entire days and nights because that girl who had saved his mother's life, had gone into a coma after her operation. The chances of her survival were very slim as per the doctors, but his parents were not ready to give up on her life because according to his parents, she was in that condition just because of his mother, so how could they give up on her? Well…. Zian didn't agree to this because according to him, nobody pushed that girl in front of that car. She had decided to get in front of it on her own, so how could his parents be responsible for her in that state? "Where are you going at this time, Zian?" Zian heard his grandmother, Celia Alcazar, asking him. She was his mother's mother. Zian passed her a tiny smile. "I am going to the hospital to see mum and dad as you know I haven't seen them from the past couple of days, Grandma," His grandmother nodded with a gentle smile. His grandparents were also wanting to visit his parents in the hospital, but his mother had told them not to because his grandfather's health was not well, so she told his grandmother to take care of his grandfather. "Take care and drive carefully as the weather  is turning a little bad now," Zian dipped his head in his reply to his grandmother and then left for the hospital.

Chapter 2 Her Lifeless Breathing Body

The clouds were roaring loudly. The rain was falling heavily. The darkness of the evening had turned more inky because of the gloomy weather. Zian halted his car in front of the hospital. Stepping out of his car, he went straight inside. He saw Leo standing outside that room where that girl was kept. His facial features hardened as soon as Leo's eyes darted towards him. It was clear that he didn't like Leo, not only because their vibes never matched with each other but also because his father always told him to be like Leo…..A so-called responsible person. Zian mentally scowled. Who was going to tell his dad that Leo was being responsible and faithful to him just because he was paying for Leo's and his mother's, Romana, livelihood and expenses, from Leo's childhood. So he was just returning his favour by being faithful towards his father. "Are they inside?" Zian asked him, clearly indicating that he was in no mood for a long conversation with him. Leo also just wagged his head. After that, Zian pushed the door open and went inside the room. This was the second time he had come to that hospital. Zian saw his parents sitting beside the bed where that girl was lying. He was going to see that girl for the first time who had saved his mother's life by putting her own life at stake. He wondered whether she is too brave to do something so selfless like this or is she too naive and dumb? He knocked on the door, gaining his parents' attention. They looked at him. A clear sign of confusion washed on their faces as they saw him there. His parents walked towards him. "Zian? What are you doing here?" His mother asked him. Zian sighed before answering. "I was worried about you both, so I decided to come. I hadn't seen you both from the past couple of days," Zian noticed a small smile formed on his mother's face, at his answer. "We are fine. Don't worry," his mother uttered, smilingly. Zian was about to ask them when they were planning on coming back home when a knock on the door halted him. "Mr and Mrs Karlson. The doctor is calling you both in his cabin. He needs to talk to you both about the patient's condition immediately," The nurse, standing in the door, informed. Zian noticed his parents exchanging a worried glance after hearing the nurse. "Zian, stay with her till me and Zia don't come," Zian turned stunned, hearing his father, because he didn't want to stay with that dying girl, but nonetheless, he agreed by understanding the situation. He nodded and then his parents left the room, leaving him alone with that girl who was still in coma. With a frown on his face, Zian walked towards the bed and stood beside it. Finally he got a glimpse of that little girl who did that courageous act of saving his mother. He couldn't watch her face properly because of the oxygen mask she was wearing. She looked like a teenager. Her entire head and neck was wrapped in white bandages. It felt like she was on the edge of losing her life. Anybody would have mistaken her for a lifeless body if not for that electrocardiography machine monitor running beside her. Zian didn't know what to do there to pass his time. He just waited for his parents to come back, so that he could leave this lifeless breathing body alone. To pass the time, he decided to play a game on his phone. Taking out his phone, he sat on the bed, beside her and started playing. "Damn…." He snarled, losing the game. In annoyance, Zian placed his palm on the bed beside him and scowled at his phone's screen, but then he felt something warm and tender tickling against his hand. He turned his head and his eyes widened a bit, witnessing that girl's fingers moving slowly. Hurriedly stepping down from the bed, he looked at her face and saw her eyelids were slowly moving too. She slowly opened her lashes and Zian got a glimpse of her light brown eyes through her half closed lids. She was awake. Turning alert, he decided to call the doctor and his parents, so he dashed out of the door. "Leo, where is mum and dad? Tell them, the girl is getting back her consciousness," Zian said to Leo, still in shock. The news enlarged Leo's eyes too. He nodded immediately and called Zian's dad, Damien. Within a minute, the team of doctors and his parents reached the ward room. They all went inside, but Zian was in no mood to go inside again, so he settled himself on a chair outside the room and decided to play another game on his phone again which he had lost a little while ago. ……….. Her vision was blurry and drowsy. She didn't even know where she was. All she could feel was a painful numbness running across each and every nerve in her body. Blurry figures came in front of her vision. She attempted to blink her eyes but even moving her eyelashes were feeling painful to her now. Somehow, she managed to blink her eyes slowly and cleared her vision a bit. She saw a couple of strangers but one face among them seemed familiar to her. That woman, whom she saved from that car hit. Finally, things started becoming clearer to her. She remembered running away from those monsters, that park and then this woman who was standing in the middle of the road and that car which was about to hit her. She recalled everything, how brutally that car hitted her and how much pain she had felt at that moment. "Can you hear us?" She heard a man asking her. Looking at his dressing, she understood he was a doctor. She slowly blinked her eyes in her reply to him. Nodding head seemed painful to her. The doctor checked the ECG monitor. Her heartbeat was running at a normal speed, so the doctor decided to remove her oxygen mask to check whether she could breath without it or not. Luckily she was able to breathe on her own after the doctors removed the oxygen mask from her face. Now her eyesight turned more clear. She could see everyone's faces clearly. She slowly wandered her eyes at everyone but her gaze stopped at that woman whom she had saved. She saw that woman had tears in her eyes as she was looking down at her. "What is your name?" She heard the doctor asking her again. Slowly unlatching her mouth, she tried to answer but all she could feel was a painful throbbing in her throat. She moved her lips and tried to speak but no sound came out of her mouth. The doctors thoroughly examined her condition and again asked her. "What is your name?" She could feel her lips moving as she attempted to answer but again her voice didn't come out of her throat. Her eyes watered immediately. Tears started leaking from the corner of her eyes. She was trying to speak but her voice could not be heard. She couldn't hear herself now. Immediately understanding the situation, the doctors tried to ask her some other things. They tried to make her speak but all she could do was just move her lips. No sound came out of her mouth. The tears in her eyes turned abrupt. She couldn't understand what was happening to her. Why was she not capable of speaking anymore? She started whimpering in helplessness but even her whimpers came out as nothing but sudden abrupt gasps. Her throat started hurting badly as she started sobbing silently. Her breathing accelerated. The doctors hurriedly put the oxygen mask back on her face, but she turned restless. She tried to remove that oxygen mask from her face. She started moving her body vigorously, so the doctors had to give her anaesthesia, so that she couldn't harm herself under that situation. Zia and Damien who were witnessing everything with a startled and bewildered reaction, saw that girl turning completely numb again. "What happened to her, doctor? Why couldn't she speak?" Damien asked, desperate to know the answer. Doctor sighed before glancing at the patient. "We were afraid that this situation was going to arise after she would wake up," the doctor uttered, looking at Damien. "There were high chances of her memory or voice loss because of the injuries her head and vocal cords had gotten and it looks like her vocal cords had gotten most affected," the doctor took a breath before stating his next statement. "She has lost her ability to speak," Both Zia's and Damien's eyes broadened, hearing the doctor. "And there's no guarantee that if she would ever be able to regain her voice even after receiving therapies or any kind of medical help," The appalled couple gave each other a terrified look, processing the meaning behind the doctor's words. "We don't know yet if she has lost her voice permanently or temporarily and in order to find out we need to run tests and examination on her but she is not in a right state of mind currently, so we have to delay this examination for now," Damien sighed and nodded. "Doctor, do everything possible to turn her health fine in every possible way,""We are trying, Mr Karlson and the good news currently in all of this is that her life is out of danger now," the doctor told the couple. They nodded and then the doctor left. Damien saw his wife tearing up. He knew she was blaming herself for the girl's condition. He hugged his wife and placed her head on his chest. "She will be alright, Zia. Don't worry please," His wife didn't reply but just clutched him tightly. How would she ever be able to forgive herself if that innocent soul never got back her voice again? That thought clenched her heart in guilt and remorse. Even her husband became extremely worried, knowing about the girl's condition. The couple just wished to turn everything for that innocuous and selfless hearted girl who dared to think about a stranger's life before her own self. Next morning, the girl regained consciousness again. The couple noticed how broken she looked when she couldn't speak and communicate with anyone. But the thing which stunned them was how bravely she tried to cope up with her condition and tried to deal with it after knowing about it. Indeed, she was a really courageous girl. Her back was leaned against the headboard, as she was sitting on the bed. She wanted to get up, so the doctors helped her by making her sit on the bed. Zia and Damien, they both were sitting beside him. Damien was trying to find out about the girl's family from the day all of this had started, but his men couldn't find anything about her or her background. Zia caressed that girl's face. They didn't try to talk with her in the start as they knew it would hurt her both physically and emotionally, but the girl herself gestured to them to bring something on which she could write and answer their questions. They were getting astonished by her braveness with each passing second. They brought her a pen and notebook. She told them to ask her their questions by writing it down in the notebook. The couple felt extremely bad but they noticed there was no remorse in the girl's eyes after what she did. In fact, her golden brown eyes gleamed up in happiness when she got to know that Zia was completely fine. After everything, the girl asked Zia about her wellness and this thing pierced through that couple's heart. "What is your name and how old are you, dear?" Zia asked the girl, tenderly. The girl wrote her answer down on the paper and then showed it to them. 'My name is Kaya Haiden. I am 15 years old..' it was written on that paper. Her name stunned the couple, especially Damien because Kaya was his deceased mother's name. What a coincidence was that? They didn't know how, but after hearing her name, the couple started feeling more emotionally attached and connected to her, especially Damien because he had a painful past which had resulted in making him lose his mother, Kaya Karlson. He sighed and gently smiled at that 15 year old girl, Kaya. "Kaya, what is your parents' name and where is your home, dear?" Damien asked her but noticed that her face turned dull and her eyes turned gloomy as soon as he asked her those questions. "What happened….." Damien's words halted with the knock on the door. Everyone looked at the door and the couple saw Leo standing at the door. "Mr. Karlson, a man named Paul Haiden is here. He is claiming that he is this girl's uncle," Kaya's soul froze in terror, hearing that man's name…..Paul Haiden….her worst nightmare.

Chapter 3 No One Will Save You

"Mr. Karlson, a man named Paul Haiden is here. He is claiming that he is this girl's uncle," Hearing Leo's words, Damien stretched his head to look at that little girl, Kaya, but his brows arched in confusion, by witnessing her lowered head. "Do you know this man named Paul Haiden, Kaya? He asked her, gently and in return just found her nodding her head. "Is he your uncle, dear?" Damien questioned again. Kaya squeezed her eyes shut before wagging her head again in her answer. Turning his head around, Damien looked at Leo and uttered curtly. "Take him inside," Leo nodded and then walked out. Kaya's heart was throbbing inside her chest in fear. She didn't want to meet that man. He was inhuman and it was him from whom she was running away that day, but she knew better than to tell everyone the truth. The terror that man, Paul Haiden, had stored inside her heart was soul shivering. She couldn't even dare to tell him the truth to anyone about how much pain he had given her, both mentally and physically. "Kaya……" She clenched the bedsheet beneath her as soon as she heard that voice of that pathetic man which used to haunt her even in her closed eyes. She didn't take her head upward to look at that nasty human's face. "Kaya, are you alright, my child? You don't know how much worried I was for you," Damien and Zia saw that man, who looked in the middle of his 40's, sitting beside her. He cupped her face, causing Kaya to dig her nails in the sheets. Her skin crawled in disgust at his touch. Her soul clenched in pain and fear. "Why did you leave home that day? I have been looking for you everywhere since that day," Kaya neither answered, nor looked at him. "We are sorry, Mr Haiden," Zia said. That man, Paul, darted his watery eyes at her. "Kaya is in this state just because of me and I am really very sorry about it. I am genuinely guilty and sorry," Zia joined her hands in front of Paul. Her guilt was consuming her alive from inside. Her eyes watered. "My wife is right, Mr Haiden. We are genuinely sorry for Kaya's state," Damien added. Paul sighed before focusing his eyes back at Kaya's bowed head. "My Kaya is just like this from her childhood. She always thinks about others before herself," Paul uttered while circling his thumb against her cheek. Kaya shivered in horror. "But where are her parents?" Damien asked. Paul turned his head towards him. "Her parents died in a car crash when she was just 11. Probably this must be the reason, she turned so desperate to save your wife's life that she didn't care about herself," Paul trailed his gaze back at Kaya whose tears were silently rolling down from her eyes. "She has no one in this world except me. I'm her father's, Ken Haiden's elder brother," The tears in Kaya's eyes turned aggressive, but that helpless girl couldn't say anything, not because she had lost her ability to speak but because she was terrified to speak against that man. With each passing moment, Damien's and Zia's hearts were getting filled with more and more pity and sympathy for Kaya. "How is her health now? Would she ever be able to talk?" Paul asked. Damien breathed out before answering. "The doctors are going to try their best and we have full faith that Kaya will be able to talk soon," Kaya took her watery eyes upward and gazed at Damien. His words flickered a hope inside her. That man, Damien, radiated a beautiful warmth to her, like the tenderness of a guardian. Even his wife, Zia, was making her feel those amiable emotions which she had always wanted to feel from the day she had lost her parents. "What is going to be the cost of her treatment? I mean….." Paul hesitated. Kaya was fast enough to understand what cunningness he was trying to do there. "You don't have to worry about her treatment. I will cover all the expenses of her treatment, and me and my wife would be grateful if you let us take care of her well-being from now on, Mr Haiden," Damien said, glancing at his wife. His wife nodded at him in agreement. "I will be more than grateful to you both for this because I ……" Paul lowered his head. "I could barely manage to pay for her basic livelihood. I know I shouldn't say this but your help will be more than appreciated," "Don't worry, Mr Haiden. From now on, Kaya is a part of Karlson's family, so we will do our best to cherish her in every possible way," Zia stated, while sending a warm smile to Kaya. Kaya's heart ached, at her words but she couldn't say anything to them. She was gazing at Zia when Paul blocked her vision by standing in front of her. "Hope my Kaya is going to get her voice back soon," Her existence quivered, hearing Paul uttering those words and especially the way he was gazing at her. She again just downcast her eyes and closed them, but there stood Damien who was keenly watching her every reaction. After a week, Kaya got discharged from the hospital. Paul told that he was going to take her back to their home and Zia and Damien knew they had no say in it. Damien decided to drop them to their home to which Paul agreed, and Damien also noticed something really very unusual in her presence. Like not only her voice had turned silent but her entire demeanour had turned numb too. He couldn't understand what was exactly going inside her head. Damien halted his car in front of the address which Paul was instructing him. All three of them got out of the car. "This is our home," Paul spoke. Damien saw a small house in front of him. "Please come inside, Mr Karlson," Damien nodded at Paul and then trailed his eyes at Kaya. Like usual, that girl had stopped taking her eyes upward from the ground and it was not settling well with him. They entered that house. Damien found that that house just had one small bedroom and a bathroom. He silently observed everything. "Please sit," "No, I have to go now. I will visit some other time, Mr Haiden," Saying that Damien turned towards Kaya. He walked towards her. Her head was still lowered. Damien kneeled in front of her. He tenderly took her little palm in his. "Kaya….." She slowly took her upward finally and Damien turned bewildered, witnessing those tears glistening in her eyes. "Why are you crying, dear?" He asked her. She just shook her head and tightly clutched his hand, like she didn't want to let him go, but Paul bragged in and detached her hand away from Damien's. "She is probably going to miss you and your wife. That's why," Paul said, beaming. Damien gazed into her watery eyes. He placed his palm over her cheek "You are always welcome to come into our home to meet us, my child. I and Zia will try our best to come here and meet you, so don't cry please," She just slowly nodded her head at him. Damien smiled and then got up on his feet. Maintaining his stature, he told Paul. "Take care of her. You can contact me anytime if you need my help with anything. The doctors will visit her every day, and I will try to visit her soon," Paul dipped his head. Damien diverted his gaze at Kaya where he saw a tear slipping down from her eyes as she was silently staring at him. Damien understood at that moment that something was not right there. He identified fear and pain in her silence. Twirling on his heels, he walked out of the door and Kaya just watched her only hope to escape from that treacherous pain leaving her alone to suffer there. The door got closed and her glossy eyes finally met with those wicked orbs of Paul's. Horror washed over her, witnessing his clenched jaw and fisted palms. "Your little game is over my Kaya," She immediately took back her feet. Her whole body was trembling in fear. "What do you think by running away from here, you would be able to escape me?" A vicious grin formed on Paul's face, causing her soul to shudder. "Did you forget what I did to you last time when you tried to escape?" Her eyes burnt up in tears, recalling that day when he tried to cross all limits of humanity with her and how much his brutality had hurted, both her soul and body. She joined her hands in front of him and shook her head vigorously. She opened her mouth but couldn't voice anything. Paul chuckled, cunningly. "It's better that you have lost your voice. I don't need to tape your mouth anymore to hold back your screams," She continued to walk backward until her back didn't get pressed against the wall. She clutched her hands tightly and begged him through her tears, but she knew that the animal in front of her was merciless because he had never shown his mercy to her before doing his cruelty on her. Paul walked towards her and stood in front of her, while maintaining his vicious grin. Kaya fell on the ground and clutched her hands in front of him. She closed her eyes and started gasping while crying, realising what he was about to do to her. "No one is going to save you from me, Kaya…" Paul lowered himself and stretched his hand towards her. "No o…" Paul's words remained incomplete. His hands halted in the middle, hearing the door bursting open. Kaya snapped her watery eyes open and her soul felt relief by watching that person standing at the door….. Damien's emerald eyes had darkened with fury. Lifting his gun upward, he straight aimed it at Paul, freezing him in terror.

Chapter 4 You're Our Family

After leaving Kaya's home, Damien was striding towards his car. He reached his car and then shoved his hand in his coat's pocket to take out his keys. Damien took out his keys but along with the keys, he saw a folded page coming out of his pocket and then it fell on the ground. His brows wiggled in confusion. Lowering his body, Damien grabbed that page and then unfolded it, and the second he read what was written on it, his eyes widened. 'Please help me, uncle. I don't want to go with him. He hurted me a lot. I was running away from him. He is a bad person. He will hurt me again. Don't let him take me, please…..help me…' Damien knew who had written that letter because he had become familiar with her handwriting in the past couple of days. So, that was why she was looking so terrified and was crying. Turning his head, Damien gazed at that closed door where he had just left her. Fisting that paper in his palm, Damien dashed towards it. He kicked open the door, causing it to burst open, and wrath engulfed each and every part of his body by witnessing her state. She was sitting on the floor, against the wall. Her hands were joined as she was begging to that animal who was towering over her. Paul turned his head and his eyes bewildered, watching Damien standing at the door. His piercing blazing gaze was looking treacherous. He darted his eyes at Kaya and her tears and that terror in her eyes told him everything. His jaw clenched, vigorously. Even a blind could understand what brutality he was about to do to her. It made Damien see red. Fishing out his gun from his pocket, he pointed it straight at Paul who was looking horrified now . Damien stepped inside, without taking his burning eyes away from Paul's. In pure instinct, Paul took his steps backward. "Come here, Kaya," Damien uttered, glaring at Paul. Kaya turned still in fear by watching that gun in Damien's hand. Damien trailed his gaze at her. His eyes softened, witnessing her state. "Come here, dear. I will never hurt you," Kaya wiped her eyes. That poor soul didn't know what to do but it was better than to stay with that pathetic animal, Paul. She tried to walk towards Damien but Paul grabbed her arm in the middle. "Get out of my house, right now, Damien Karlson. It's between her and me, so you have no need to get involved in it," Paul spat at Damien. Kaya hissed the way he was clutching her arm. A vein on Damien's neck stretched out. "Leave….her…..alone," Damien stressed out each and every word of his. It turned Paul more terrified, but he decided to show Damien his authority. "It's our family matter. You….." Paul's words remained incomplete whereas a painful scream escaped from his mouth, feeling that bullet piercing through his hand. His grip loosened around her. Pure terror washed over Kaya by watching the blood oozing from his hand. She got away from him. Paul turned his head and saw Damien's gun still aiming at him. His gun didn't cause a noise but the smoke scattering around his gun's barrel indicated its usage. The pain shooting all over his arm, made Paul fall to the floor. He started groaning in pain. Lowering his gun down, Damien turned his head towards Kaya. That poor kid was looking traumatised in fear. Damien walked towards her and then kneeled in front of her. "Was he trying to hurt you again?" He asked her. Kaya remained silent, but her tears didn't. Damien placed his palm over her face gently. "Tell me, Kaya. Don't be afraid, my child. Tell me the truth and I promise, I will never let him even get closer to you, let alone harming you. Tell me, dear. Was he trying to hurt you again?" His words finally gave her the courage she had lost all this time. Her tears turned aggressive as she nodded her head in her reply to Damien. Damien dug his nails in his palm. Standing up on his feet, he held her little palm in his. He averted his eyes at Paul who was writhing in pain on the ground. "I would give you what you deserve, Paul, but not in front of this kid," Damien's hands were itching to take that bastard's life who was hurting and harming that innocent soul of hers, but he didn't want that little girl, Kaya, to witness such things which would haunt her throughout her life. Damien took Kaya out of that house and she just followed him silently because she was desperate to get away from Paul's cruel crawls anyhow. Damien opened his car's door and settled Kaya inside it. He locked her seatbelt and then closed the door. Before getting to his driving seat, he took out his phone and then dialled a certain person's number. "I have texted you the address. Come to that place right now, Leo," ……………. Zia was chopping vegetables for their dinner when she heard the doorbell ringing. Dropping the knife, she cleaned her hands with the apron she was wearing and then walked out of her kitchen. She opened the door and found her husband standing at the door. "Damien, you…." Her words halted when her eyes darted towards that person who was standing beside him. "Kaya?" Her brows furrowed in untidiness. Stepping away, she let both of them come inside. Zia closed the door. She couldn't understand what was happening there. He had gone to drop her and her uncle, Paul, to their home, then what she was doing there with him? "Damien,"she took his name. Damien understood her confusion. With a soft sigh, he took out that letter which Kaya had slided inside his pocket. Damien handed it to his wife, Zia. She turned more perplexed. Zia grabbed that page from him and then looked at Kaya who had her head lowered. Opening the letter, Zia started reading it. First she didn't comprehend what was written in it but when she did, Zia felt like heart went numb. Her eyes broadened. "Kaya slided this chit in my pocket in the hospital," Damien cleared her all the doubts. He told her everything…what he had witnessed in that place which they were mistaken as Kaya's home and about that animal, Paul. Zia's eyes watered immediately, understanding everything. She looked at Kaya who still had her eyes lowered. Walking towards her, Zia crouched down in front of her. "Kaya," her teary voice took her name. Kaya took her head upward slowly and Zia felt a sting in her heart by watching those tears silently rolling down from that kid's eyes who had suffered so much. Zia pulled her into her arms and hugged her tightly. She was feeling ashamed, realising how brutal humanity had turned. How could someone hurt a child like that? She was only 15 but the pain she had suffered was unendurable. Kaya broke down into tears and started gasping. Damien understood she was trying to tell them something because she was moving her lips. The couple settled her on the sofa and gave her a pen and a paper. They silently watched her writing down something on it with her shivering hands. Her tears were continuously dripping from her eyes. She handed Zia the page after writing down what she wanted to tell them and as soon as the couple read what she had written on it, their heads lowered in shame whereas their hearts clutched in pain. Zia told them through her written words that after her parents died, she started living with Paul at the age of 11 and how badly from the very first day, Paul had started hurting her, both mentally and physically. He had harmed her by burning her naked skin, giving her scratches and not only this, he had sexually assaulted her too by touching her inappropriately countless times. He had restrained himself from forcing himself on her because he wanted to sell her as a virgin to someone and that day, when she saved Zia from that accident, she had escaped from Paul and was trying to run away from him because she had heard him talking to someone in the phone call about selling her to them that day. More tears gathered into Zia's eyes whereas Damien just closed his eyes in order to calm himself down, after knowing about all of this. He had made a note in his head to kill each and every person who had tried to harm her, and for Paul, Damien had already decided to give him an end which would shivered anyone's being in terror. Zia palmed Kaya's face and wiped her tears stained cheeks. "I am so sorry, my baby. You have to endure so much. I am so sorry," Zia uttered and again engulfed her tiny fragile figure in her arms. "We are so sorry, my dear. So sorry," Kaya placed her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes. She wrapped her petite arms around Zia, making Damien sigh. He kneeled down beside both the girls. Caressing Kaya's head gently. "We promise, me and your aunty, Zia, will never let anyone hurt or harm you ever again. Never…" Kaya blinked, after hearing Damien. Damien exchanged a glance with his wife before focusing his eyes back at Kaya. "Will you stay here with us from now on? Will you be a part of our family, Kaya?" Damien asked her. Kaya's heart ached in pain. Family…. She was dying to have a family where someone would love, care and cherish her. Did her fate have finally shown some mercy on her? "Yes, Kaya. Will you accept our request to stay in our home with us, from now on? Will you let us make our home your home too?" Zia politely uttered. Kaya broke into tears before hugging Zia tightly and then she buried her face into her neck. Zia immediately caged her back. The couple understood that she needed their love, care and warmth and they were sure that they were going to give her that with no restraints. Zia looked at Damien who just gently blinked his eyes at her in return and then they both caressed that sobbing little girl's head. "Okay now, no more tears. We won't let our beautiful Kaya cry ever," Zia said, wiping Kaya's entire face and eyes with her palms tenderly. "We are going to give her all the happiness in this world, right, Damien?" Damien smiled, hearing his wife before nodding. He patted Kaya's head tenderly. "Of course we will, because our Kaya deserves every happiness in this world, so we will give her that," he stated, making Kaya weakly smile too. "So for the starting, we have to fill our Kaya's tummy with something really very tasty and then we will take her out for shopping where we are going to buy so many beautiful dresses for her," Zia beamed while saying that. She pecked Kaya's head, swelling up her heart with warmth. The couple stood up on their feet and Kaya got down from the sofa with the help of Zia. She hugged Damien's legs as her height was very small as compared to Damien's. She mouthed a thank you to him which he understood and smiled. Damien stroked her head carefully, mindful of her head injury. "Zia, where is Zian?" Damien asked. Zia's face fell. "I think he is still sleeping in his room," Zia's answer turned Damien angry. "At this time of the hour? He is still sleeping?" Damien uttered, both angry and in disbelief. His anger turned Zia worried, whereas little Kaya was curiously wandering her eyes everywhere. Her new home. It was really very beautiful. With a little smile, she was roaming her astonished gaze around her but as soon as her gaze fell on that unknown figure standing at a distance which were gazing at her with those icy blue eyes of his, Kaya hurriedly hid herself behind Damien and started peeking at that stranger because that stranger was giving her spooky stares. "What is she doing here?" Zian's displeased tone resonated, gaining his parents' attention on him.

Chapter 5 An Ugly Little Rat

"What is she doing here?" Kaya slightly shivered at that hoarse tone of his voice. She clutched Damien's hand while hiding herself behind him. Stretching her head a bit, she peeked at that stranger with those icy blue eyes and stone hard voice. She gulped, witnessing his eyes already on her. She again hid herself completely behind Damien. Zian clenched his jaw at her stupid behaviour. Is she mental or what? Why was she hiding herself from him like he was a damn ugly monster? Zian tore his eyes away from her to look at his father, and before he could ask anything further, he heard his father shutting him off. "Kaya is going to stay here with us from now on," So this little rat's name is Kaya, but wait…did he hear his father correctly? Is she going to live with them here, in their own house? "What? But doesn't she have her family or her own house to live in?" He questioned, without caring how rude he might sound. Kaya felt extremely hurt after hearing his question. She lowered her eyes and this time, she didn't even try to peek at that impolite stranger. A scowl made its way on Damien's face. He knew his son was ill-mannered, so he did need to teach him a lesson. "We are her family from now onwards and this is her home too, so try getting used to it, Zian Karlson," Damien spat. Zian scoffed. He still couldn't understand what was happening there. Why was she going to leave with them all of a sudden? Zian's phone started ringing, halting him from investigating the matter further. He took out his phone and saw his friend John's name flashing on it. Zian decided to drop that topic there for now. He needed to be somewhere else right now. "Mum, I am going out. I will be a little bit late tonight, so don't wait for me for dinner,"He informed his mother. Zia nodded. "And where are you going?" Damien asked. Zian had already expected his father to question him about this. "I am going to my friend, John's house," he answered. Damien didn't question him further. Zian walked past his head but before leaving, he passed a glance at that tiny figure standing behind his father. She took her afraid golden brown eyes upward to look at him. She looked terrified and immediately downcast her head. Zian watched her dragging her steps silently away from him, like he was a plague. What a crazy being….an ugly little rat. Zian mentally frowned and then walked away from there. Zia sighed and looked at Kaya. She was looking extremely tense and afraid. Damien held Kaya's hand and brought her forward. "He is our son, Zian. You have no need to be afraid of him, Kaya," Damien sent her an assuring smile, but only if he knew. Kaya gently wagged her head. "Okay now I will feed something really very tasty to my Kaya. Come with me, dear," Holding Kaya's hand, Zia took her with her, bringing a smile to Kaya's face. …………… "What's with this face, Zian?" John, Zian's best friend, asked, watching that angry scowl on Zian's face. He didn't reply, turning his friends more confused. "Karlson, are you even listening to us or not?" Zian heard his other friend, Austin, uttering. "My father has brought a fucking little rat in our home," he finally opened his mouth. His words turned his friend confused. "Rat? What do you mean?" John asked, perplexed. "That girl who saved my mother from the accident last week. Dad brought her to our home and now she is going to stay in our home with us," he seethed out, displeased. "What? But doesn't she have her own home or family?""Apparently I asked this same shit to my dad, but he shut me off by saying….she is the damn part of our family now and my home is her home now," the 18 years old looked infuriated. The mere idea of staying with that tiny weird being was not settling well with him. "Wow…..are you parents planning on adopting her now?" John asked, sending an amused gaze to Zian. "Yeah….our dear bad boy Zian Karlson is about to get a little sib….""Completely that fucking sentence of yours, Austin and I will make sure to bleed that nasty mouth of yours," Zian warned him. "She doesn't even deserve to be my maid, let alone a part of my damn family. She is a fucking weirdo. After watching me, she was hiding herself behind my dad like I was going to chew her alive," Austin chuckled, at his remark. "She sounds fun. How old is she? I would….""Don't even think about it, Austin. She is only 14 or 15, so keep your fucking thoughts to yourself," Zian knew how of a fuckboy his friend Austin was. Well, he himself was no saint but still, he was mature enough to understand the difference between being a playboy and a fucking bastard. Besides, he had a class to maintain. "You are already sounding protective of her, bro," John spoke. Zian rolled his eyes at the word 'protective'. If it were in his hand, he wouldn't even let a rat like her even stand under the same roof as him. "But on a serious note, what are you going to do about her?""Firstly I would talk to my mum to know why the heck dad bring her to our home and after that, I will throw her out of my house on my own," Zian uttered, already imagining how good it was going to feel when he would kick that little crazy rat out of his house. "Okay, enough with her talks. Where is Hedrick? Shouldn't he be here with us?" Zian asked, getting fed up with talking about her. "No, Hedrick has gone out on a date with our high school diva, Daisy. He was hitting on her from the past couple of weeks and she finally agreed to go on a date with him," Austin broke the news to Zian. He couldn't help but just spin his blue orbs, hearing about it. "What is so special about her? She moans like a damn cow," Zian laid on the bed while crossing his arms beneath his head. "She is irritating, both as a person and in person,""How do you know about this, Karlson?" Austin gave him a suspicious look which brought a smirk on Zian's face. "Because I had fucked her last month and trust me, she is awful in bed. Our dear Hedrick is going to get robbed soon," he uttered, bluntly while chuckling. "You're one heck of a fucker, Karlson. I had heard from Hedrick that she was already in a relationship with Zack last month," Zian chortled, hearing John. "How am I to be blamed for all of this when she approached me herself and was too eager to open her legs for me? And I am no gentleman to say no to a served plate…even if the plate belonged to someone else," his smirk turned more wicked. "I was bored and had nothing to do, so….""So you ended up fucking someone else's girlfriend. Wow, Karlson," Austin stated, grinning. "Correction, a fucking whore who didn't think twice before cheating on her boyfriend for getting my dick," Zian corrected him, a bit vexed. He hates the betrayer more than the betrayal itself, and for him, there's no forgivenesses for the betrayer. The person who would dare to betray him, he will make sure to turn it into that person's last mistake. "By the way, you are coming tomorrow to the party, right?" Zian dipped his head to John. His high school classmates and friends had planned to celebrate a party as they all had just completed their high school. "I think I should leave now," Zian glanced at his wrist watch. "Mum must be waiting for me. Besides, I need to talk to her about this new disaster hanging over my head," his entire mood again turned spoiled just with the thought of seeing that little maniac in his home. But he knew he had no choice, at least for now. He had to see that little ugly rat and then he would decide how to remove her, not only out of his eyesight but from his life too, for the rest of their lives. …………. "My Kaya is looking so beautiful. Just like a princess," Zia spoke, smiling while looking at that 15 year old girl twirling around in front of the mirror. A big smile was playing on her baby pink lips. Her slightly chubby cheeks had a natural tint. Her golden brown eyes were twinkling like stars as she was staring at her reflection in the mirror. Kaya had worn a beautiful light white frock which was covering her below her knees. Damien and Zia had taken her out for shopping after Zia fed her some delicious food. The couple had bought her dozens of beautiful dresses and outfits, including shoes, toys, and other stuff. Damien had practically bought her every single thing which she had just put her eyes and hands on. After that, they took her to a restaurant and made her eat some tasty tasty ice cream of her favourite flavour. Kaya still couldn't believe that she was getting so much love, care and warmth. It was still feeling like a dream to her. A dream which was going to vanish as soon as she opened her eyes. "Beautiful," Zia pecked the side of Kaya's face, making the little girl blush. Zia chuckled. After dropping Zia and Kaya back home, Damien had to leave for his important work. "Okay wait, I will take some pictures of our beautiful Kaya in this beautiful dress," Kaya smiled, hearing Zia. Zia searched for her phone but couldn't find it. "I guess I have left my phone in the kitchen. Wait here, I will get it," Zia left the room. Turning her head, Kaya looked at herself again in the mirror. Her eyes twitched in happiness by staring at herself. Kaya was gazing at herself in the mirror when her eyes fell on a phone which was hidden behind the flower jar. Probably aunty Zia might have left it here. Kaya clutched it. She opened her mouth to call Zia but realisation hit her like a truck when nothing came out of her mouth but just a broken gasp. Her happiness completely faded. For a moment, she had forgotten that she had lost a very important and relevant part of her existence…that was her voice. She sighed and decided to go out and give the phone to Zia. She might be searching for it in the kitchen. With her slow steps, Kaya walked out of the room. She was striding towards the kitchen but her feet halted whereas her terror washed over her, witnessing that blue eyes impolite stranger blocking her way. The way he was glaring at her, she was sure he was going to chop her into tiny pieces and won't even let anyone get even its evidence. After coming back home, Zian was striding towards his room but he had to stop when that specific person came in front of him. His gaze turned into a glare, terrifying the life out of that poor girl…..this little ugly rat was about to get slaughtered today for crossing his way.

Chapter 6 You'll Regret This

Kaya swallowed. She felt like her throat had turned extremely dry. That person before her was staring at her like she was his biggest enemy. Zian glared at that tiny figure in front of him. His gaze noticed that terror in her eyes. Why is she acting like a damn victim? That so-called role of being afraid and naive in front of people. He was well aware of all these tactics of gaining sympathy but he wasn't going to fall for it, like his parents had fallen. Kaya was planning on turning on her heels and running away from there when she finally heard him asking her that certain question. "So you have already started showing your true colours?" He spat, gazing at her hand. She was clutching his mother's phone and he was sure she was planning on stealing it. Kaya couldn't comprehend the meaning of his words. That poor girl was too afraid of him to understand anything until. "So where exactly are you planning on hiding my mum's phone?" He uttered, harshly. She just gaped at him and then at that phone she was holding. "After all, you are stealing it, so probably you might have already decided where you are going to hide it. Right?" Immediately her eyes went teary when she finally understood what he actually meant. He is calling her a thief. She had endured much worse in her life but never even dared to fall her eyes on something, wrongfully which belonged to someone else, let alone desiring to have it. She tried to tell him the truth but no voice came out of her throat. It hurted her even more. Now she wasn't even capable of defending herself. Zian, who was glaring hard at her, saw a tear slipping down from her slightly flushed cheeks. She extended that phone towards him and then shook her other hand. After that, she tapped on that phone and pointed towards the kitchen. He understood her signs at the very first attempt. She was going to the kitchen to give his mother her phone. Does she think he is going to believe her little lies and those crocodile tears of hers? She aggressively shook her hands, telling him she could never do something so bad as stealing someone else's belongings. Her eyes glossed more. Zian clenched his jaw. Her tears and behaviour annoyed the heck out of him. Stepping a threatening step closer to her, he petrified that already shivering human. Kaya immediately backed away. Keeping a decent between them, he peered into her golden glossy eyes. He even loathed standing under the same roof as a person like her because in his eyes, she was a worthless being and a very cunning headed girl who was here to rob his parents and knew how to manipulate rich families and to make them fall into her trap. He was sure her entire family was involved in all of this and they all were planning on making his family their new target which he wouldn't let happen. Kaya went still in terror as soon as she glanced into his piercing blue eyes. He was looking horribly scary from close and that scowling expression on his face was horrendous. "Listen to me, you ugly little rat," Fresh wave of tears washed over her eyes, hearing him calling her that. She knew she was not beautiful but hearing it from other's mouths pained her heart. It made her remember those painful moments of her life where that terrible human, Paul, had insulted and humiliated her so much behind that closed door. "These tears of yours are not going to work on me because I know with what intentions your wicked family has sent you here, but I won't let your intentions get fulfilled because before that, I will snap your neck and will slit your tongue. Did you understand that?" He growled at her. That was it for that 15 year old girl to tear up badly. She broke down into tears and started panting as her whimpers and loud sobbings came out as abrupt heaves. His scowl deepened, witnessing her because according to him, it was just her acting. He opened his mouth to throw another shade at her. "You …""Get away from her, right now," Damien's roaring voice seethed out. Zian turned a bit stunned. Straightening his posture, he turned around and found his dad standing at a distance. His emerald orbs were peering at him, angrily. Damien walked towards them. Looking at Kaya who was still crying badly while choking on her tears, Damien gritted his teeth and then sent a glare to his brat son. "Ssh….Kaya, calm down, dear," Damien strode towards. He kneeled before her and cupped her tear stained face. "Don't cry, please," he spoke, gently, but she continued to cry. "Dad, this is all her acting. She is….""Shut your awful mouth, Zian Karlson," Damien shut his son off. Turning his head, he glowered at his son. He had heard what his son was saying to her and how he was threatening her. He knew his son was ill-mannered and bad tempered but he had never thought that his thoughts were so low and disgusting. "Don't you dare to utter a single word anymore," Damien warned him while pointing his index finger at him. Zian's anger started washing over him. His father was insulting him because of that lowlife and especially in front of her, it was utterly harming his ego and prestige. Zia dashed out from the kitchen, hearing Damien's angry voice. "What happened?" She asked, confused until her eyes fell on Kaya who was now silently shedding her tears. "Kaya. What happened, baby? Why are you crying?" She questioned while approaching her. Kaya didn't reply but just extended that phone to her. Zia looked at her phone in her hands, confused, but then something stroked her head. Grabbing the phone from her, she asked her. "Did I leave it behind that vase?" Kaya slowly nodded her head. "Oh…. that's why I couldn't find it in the kitchen or other rooms, but why are you crying, dear?" Zia still looked confused. "Because our precious son accused her of stealing your phone," Zia's eyes widened, hearing Damien. "What?" She sent a disbelieving look at her son. "Yes, he accused her and was threatening her," Damien gritted out those words, glaring at his son. "Zian, but why, son? Why did you behave like that with her?" His mother sounded disappointed. Zian clenched his fists. Both his parents were scolding him and were looking disappointed in him just because of this mere ugly girl who was a stranger to them a couple of weeks ago. "Because she is pretending and you both are not willing to see it," he spat, blazing. Damien's jaw tightened. "You both are not understanding this. She saved your life, mum at the cost of her own. Do you think anyone could be this selfless at this time?" He didn't restrain himself anymore for stating the fact. "She had planned this all up in advance and I am sure her parents are involved in all of this too. They all had planned to portray herself as an orphan so that she could gain more sympathy from u….""Enough," Damien's growling voice echoed against the walls of that hall. It turned Zia afraid and Kaya flinched. Zian just matched his father's flaming gaze. "Zia, take Kaya inside," Damien uttered, without taking his eyes away from his son. It was not a good indication and Zia understood it. "Damien, calm d…..""Take Kaya inside, Zia," his authoritative voice demanded no defiance. Zia sighed before holding Kaya's hand. After she took inside a room, Damien finally took a threatening step closer towards Zian. His nefarious gaze glared at his son who just looked like the younger version of his own self but with the only difference that….he seemed more treacherous and hot headed than him. "I am still ignoring your mistakes till now because I still believe that you will stop doing them soon, but what you did today….. I will consider that as your only mistake towards Kaya," Damien lifted his index finger at his son's face. "And one more wrong move towards her, you will not be so lucky to have your mistake ignored again. Understood?" Damien raised his voice at his son. Zian clenched his jaw but restrained himself from saying anything. "If you are not capable of being polite towards her, then at least try to behave humanly around her or just don't get in her way at all. That poor soul has already endured so much in her life and is still suffering, so don't add into her agony if you're not capable of reducing it," Zian dug his nails in his palms. The rage and anger inside him was now throbbing his very being. "Accepting her as a part of our family or not, it's up to you but don't even think about hurting her again," those were Damien's last words before he passed a rigid glare at his son and then walked away from there. After his counter with his father in the hall, Zian dashed inside that room where his father used to give him his training. Trying to control his burning rage from consuming him and making him do something irrational, he started vigorously punching the punching bag, shoving it far away. Zian continued to punch it, turning his knuckles blood red. His gaze had darkened. His veins had popped out on his neck and forehead. Sweat was dripping down from the side of that 18 years old teenager. He was shaking in wrath. With a last punch, he grabbed that punching bag. "You will terribly regret this, you fucking mute," he seethed out to himself.

Chapter 7 Bad Memories

Damien entered the room and saw Zia sitting on the bed. She was caressing Kaya's head who had fallen asleep. Her head was placed on Zia's lap. Noticing his presence, Zia looked at him. With a sigh, he walked towards them. Sitting on the bed, Damien glanced at Kaya's face. Her tear stains were still clearly visible on her cheeks. Exhaling sharply, he gently kneaded that kid's hair. He still couldn't believe his own son got so harsh on that girl who had saved his mother's life by putting her own life at risk. "Did you scold him?" Zia asked, a bit worried. Damien huffed before nodding gently. He looked at his wife. "I didn't want to, Zia, but he left me with no other option, mi vida," This time Damien sounded upset too. It was not like he loved scolding his son. He just wanted what was good for him. "After the way he was talking to her and the things he said to her, I just couldn't make myself to ignore his behaviour anymore," Zia sighed. She placed her palm over his hand and clutched it. "It's okay. Sometimes, we have to go a little hard on our children, so that we can make them strong enough to deal with the actual hardness of life," she uttered to him, gently. Zia knew her husband had turned restless after scolding their son. Damien loved his son more than his own self, but at the same time, he didn't want his son to take that path in his life which he had chosen in his past. "She is beautiful, ain't she?" Zia said, smiling while looking at Kaya's peacefully sleeping face. Damien beamed at her words and nodded in agreement. "We have to make Zian understand that she is not here for any bad intentions. In fact, she has no intentions at all," Damien spoke. Zia agreed to her husband. "Give him some time. I am sure Zian will start understanding everything and will even accept her as a part of her family," Zia said, beaming amiably. With a soft sigh, Damien nodded gently before focusing his gaze on Kaya's serene face and uttering. "Hope so, he will start understanding her soon," ……… Understanding was far away, Zian couldn't even accept the fact that his own parents scolded him so badly just because of that mute. They prioritised her over their own son. Zian clutched the railing of his room's balcony. He was gazing at the darkness of the night while recalling everything that had happened a little while ago. His sleep had long lost him. Now his whole being was screaming that only thing….throw that ugly rat out of his house before it started nibbling his relationship with his parents and ruined it completely. Next morning, Zia and Damien were making breakfast for everyone. Like always, they still hadn't stopped cooking together. They would at least cook one meal of the day together and mostly it was breakfast. They both were busy preparing breakfast when a knock on the kitchen's door grabbed their attention. "Kaya," Zia flashed a warm smile to Kaya who was standing at the door. The little girl beamed back. "Come here," she invited her in. Kaya walked towards the couple who offered her a warm grin. "Why did you wake up so early, sweetheart? Didn't you sleep well?" Zia asked. Kaya shook her head. She made them understand through her signs that she slept well but she was habitual of waking up early and she didn't even need to tell them the reason behind it anymore. The couple didn't let her mood turn bad. Holding a cupcake from the tray, he extended it towards Kaya. "Will our Kaya do us the honour of tasting this cupcake which we have prepared for her?" He uttered, making her smile. Her heart filled with happiness. She nodded and took that cupcake from him. Kaya ate it and the couple noticed her golden eyes twinkled in joy after eating it. She looked extremely happy. Kaya showed a thumbs up to the couple, making them chuckle. "Thank you so much. Do you want more?" Damien asked. Kaya turned a bit embarrassed. How could she tell them that she wanted to eat more? Lowering her head, she shook her head in denial. Damien smiled before extending the full tray of cupcakes to her. He sat on his feet in front of her. "You don't have to feel uneasy while asking for anything from us. Fulfilling your every happiness is like a blessing for us because you have come into our lives as a blessing, Kaya," Kaya slowly took her head upward, hearing Damien. He smiled before placing his hand on her head. "By saving my Zia, you saved my life that day and that's what makes you blessing for me, my child," Her heart dwelled, processing his words. No one had ever treated her so tenderly and warmly after her parents left her, but these two humans, who were complete strangers to her a couple of weeks ago, had now started creating a special place in her heart. Without saying anything, Kaya wrapped her arms around Damien's neck and hugged him like a child hugged his guardian. Both Damien and Zia beamed. Damien cradled her head. "Okay now eat these cupcakes, our beautiful little muffin," Damien couldn't help but gently squeezed that kid's chubby soft cheeks. Zia chuckled along with Kaya. They both fed her the cupcakes, which turned her eyes glossy because she couldn't help but remember that time when Paul used to barely give her any food to eat. He used to starve her just to make her listen to his inhuman demands and orders. The couple saw those tears glistening in her eyes and they immediately understood why they were there in her eyes. Cupping her face, Zia planted a gentle kiss on Kaya's forehead. "Don't let your bad memories ruin your beautiful and happy moments, my baby. Focus on your happiness because me and your uncle Damien are going to protect our Kaya from every kind of sadness. We promise you that," Zia said, wiping her watery eyes. In her response, Kaya embraced Zia and snuggled her face in her neck. It was the kind of warmth and love she had always wanted and needed and now her broken soul was finally getting it. ………. "We still can't say anything when she is going to get her voice back," the therapist uttered to Damien. The therapist had come to Damien's home to perform a session on Kaya and after getting done with the session, the therapist was updating Kaya's condition to Damien. "But let's not lose hope. The possibilities are very minor but they are still there," Damien sighed before nodding at the therapist. "And yes, the thing I told you about. Bring it to her as soon as possible. It will create a positive impact on her, both mentally and emotionally and it will be good for her safety and security too," the therapist reminded him to which Damien nodded again. "Take care," saying that the therapist left from there. Damien went to their house's garden where he saw his wife and Kaya playing. A wide smile was playing on both the females' faces. He smiled at them and then joined them. Almost at the time of afternoon, Kaya was sitting on the sofa and was watching a movie. She selected the movie on her own. The girl was enjoying the movie when the hero suddenly pecked the heroine's lips. Kaya's cheeks turned pink. She immediately changed the channel while smiling sheepishly but immediately all the happiness from her face faded when she saw that person stepping inside the hall. His cold blue eyes glanced at her, making her gulp. Last night what he said to her immediately started echoing in her head. Shutting off the TV, Kaya got down from the sofa and ran away from there. Zian scowled watching her dashing away from there after watching him like he was about to kidnap her. Ugly little rat. He frowned and then took out his phone. Dialling his friend, John's number, he uttered as soon the call got connected. "Yeah ……I will be there tonight on time. Prepare everything," Zian uttered on the call, without being aware that …….. that night something was going to happen which was going to change not only just his but her life too….. something so treacherous that was going to change his disliking towards her into a cruel hatred.