Chapter Three: Veil Of Courage Hands Of Madness.

  “I stepped into the storm with trembling hands and a veiled heart, not knowing that courage would taste like fear… and madness would come wearing a smile.”

  Author’s POV

  The night was quiet for once, as if the city itself had paused to listen. Somewhere in the maze of identical apartments and flickering street lights, Yumna sat alone in her living room—on a couch that had never felt colder.

  The silence wasn’t peace. It was pressure.

  She had returned home hours ago, but the moment her key turned in the lock, the weight in her chest only grew heavier. The curtains were drawn, the lights dimmed, but the memory of Daniel standing in that very room—his voice, his threats, his hands—still echoed like an unshaken nightmare.

  What do you do when even your own house no longer feels like home?

  Yumna’s POV

  I sat still, the silence hurting my ears more than any noise ever could. My hands were cold, resting in my lap, and I hadn't even removed my abaya Everything inside me felt... unsettled. Like a storm was brewing, but it didn’t want to break.

  Detective Ali’s words had stayed with me. “When you’re ready to fight, I’ll stand with you.”

  I don’t know how long I stared at the floor before reaching for my phone. My fingers trembled, but this time, not from fear.

  I scrolled to his number. Stared. My thumb hovered over the screen.

  You said you’d stand with me... well, I’m ready.

  I pressed call.

  It rang once. Twice.

  “Assalamualaikum, Yumna,” Detective Ali’s voice came, calm but alert.

  “Walaikumassalam,” I whispered, then paused. I swallowed hard and sat up straight, my voice finally clear. “Detective... I’m ready. I want to fight him. I want to report what he did. All of it.”

  There was a brief silence on his end. Then, “Good. You’re doing the right thing. But it won’t be easy.”

  “I know,” I said, more firmly than I expected.

  “Tomorrow morning, come to the station. There’s a female officer, Laila. She’s trained to handle sensitive cases like yours. She’ll take your full statement about the harassment and ask some questions to make the case official. I’ll be there too.”

  “Okay.” I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “What time?”

  “Nine a.m. And Yumna—don’t be afraid to say everything. Leave nothing out. We need the truth on record, no matter how ugly it is.”

  “I understand,” I replied, a small breath of resolve escaping me.

  “Good. We’ll protect you. You're not alone anymore.”

  We hung up, but the conversation stayed with me like warmth after a long winter. I looked around the room again. It still felt haunted—but a little less than before.

  Maybe it was the same house. But I wasn’t the same girl anymore.

  Then I set the phone aside gently and got up.

  Without saying anything, without thinking too much, I unwrapped my abaya and removed my niqaab. I folded them both and placed them carefully on the sofa. Then, I walked straight to the bathroom.

  The water was cold, but it felt right. I made wudu slowly, deliberately, like each drop was washing away something I didn’t know how to name.

  A few minutes later, I stood on the prayer mat.

  And then I bowed into sujood.

  The world went quiet.

  For the first time in days, the weight in my chest lifted. Not all of it—but enough to breathe. Enough to cry without shame. And deep in that moment, forehead pressed to the ground, I knew…

  This was the only cure I had in this world. And it was enough.

  ---

  Author’s POV

  The next morning came quietly.

  Yumna arrived at the police station on time, her face calm but unreadable. She was taken to a separate room, away from the noise, where Officer Laila was waiting.

  Laila greeted her gently. Professional, but kind. She asked questions—some difficult, some necessary.

  How did you meet him? What exactly happened that day? Did he ever threaten you before? What did he do when you resisted?

  And Yumna answered. She told her everything. How one slap, one simple act of dignity, flipped her entire life.

  Laila listened quietly, never interrupting, taking careful notes. When Yumna finished, the officer looked up and said, “We will call you again for further information. Stay strong.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  And that was it.

  Yumna left the room lighter than she had entered.

  Outside, the sun was harsh. The air, heavy. But she walked to the taxi, sat inside, and closed her eyes. When she got home, she didn’t cry. She didn’t even change.

  She went to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee.

  And for the first time in a long time, it didn’t taste bitter.

  Author’s POV

  When Yumna stepped into her apartment, it was quiet—too quiet. The kind of silence that didn’t comfort but reminded you how alone you were.

  She closed the door gently behind her and leaned against it for a second, letting the stillness settle around her. There was no one waiting for her, no warm voice to ask how it went. Just the familiar hum of the fridge and the weight of what she’d just done.

  She walked to the kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee. The steam curled around her fingers as she held the mug close, standing by the counter, eyes staring into nothing.

  “I did it,” she whispered to herself. “I actually did it.”

  But courage wasn’t a permanent thing—it flickered. And in that moment, she felt both strong and vulnerable, like a match still burning but surrounded by wind.

  She went about her usual routine after that. Washed the dishes. Picked up the clothes on her bedroom floor. Opened the blinds halfway. She needed the normalcy. To remind herself that life could still go on, even with a shadow like Daniel haunting the edges of it.

  Later that day, her phone rang.

  She didn’t recognize the number, but something inside told her to pick up.

  “Yumna? This is Officer Laila,” the voice on the other end said, firm but kind. “I need to tell you something.”

  Yumna’s grip on the phone tightened slightly.

  “This isn’t going to be easy,” Laila continued. “Men like Daniel... they’re powerful. Protected. He’s dangerous, and catching someone like him takes time. We need evidence—strong, clear proof to get him off the streets.”

  Yumna didn’t say anything, just listened. She already knew that nothing about this journey would be simple.

  “But we’re not giving up,” Laila said. “I promise you that. We’ll keep going until we can put him behind bars. But until then... you’re not safe, Yumna.”

  There was a pause. Then the officer spoke more urgently.

  “I need you to leave your apartment. Go to someone you trust. A friend, a family member. If Daniel finds out that we’ve started an investigation—he won’t stay quiet. And I believe he will try something.”

  Yumna closed her eyes, chest tightening with fear—but also with resolve.

  “I’ll go to my friend Aliya’s house,” she replied softly. “She lives about twenty minutes away. I’ll pack tonight.”

  “Good,” Officer Laila said. “And don’t tell anyone else. Only Aliya. We’ll be in touch soon.”

  The call ended.

  And just like that, the war had begun—quietly, behind closed doors, but with danger waiting on the other side.

  Daniel’s POV

  The study was dimly lit, just the way Daniel liked it. Shadows danced along the shelves lined with rare books and glass cases filled with collectibles from places most people had never even heard of. He sat in his high-backed leather chair, one leg crossed over the other, a crystal glass of something expensive in his hand.

  The silence was sacred—until it wasn’t.

  A knock came at the heavy door.

  “Come in,” Daniel said coolly, not looking up.

  One of his men stepped inside, head lowered in a mix of fear and urgency.

  “Sir… we have a situation,” he said, voice tight.

  Daniel finally looked at him. “Speak.”

  “It’s the girl,” the man said. “Yumna. She’s filed a complaint… she’s working with Detective Ali. There’s also a female officer—Officer Laila. They’re opening an investigation against you.”

  For a moment, nothing.

  And then—laughter. Low, amused, and unsettling. Daniel leaned his head back and laughed like someone had just told him a fantastic joke.

  “She went to the police?” he said, almost whispering to himself. “She actually did it?”

  He stood up slowly, walking toward the window. The city lights glittered outside, oblivious to the storm quietly rising inside the mansion.

  “That little Dove…” he murmured. “She thinks she can get me arrested. Thinks she can stand against me...”

  He turned, eyes sharp, expression darkening like thunderclouds.

  “She didn’t do the right thing. No, no—she made the biggest mistake of her life.”

  He walked toward his desk, running a hand over its polished surface, almost thoughtfully.

  “You’ll regret this, Yumna,” he whispered. “You have no idea what you’ve stepped into.”

  His lips curved into a slow, cruel smile.

  “My little Dove,” he whispered, giving the name a twisted sweetness. “Let’s see how long that light of yours survives in the dark.”

  He picked up his phone.

  “Tell the others to be ready,” he said. “She doesn’t get to feel safe. Not anymore.”

  Yumna’s POV

  I called Aliya and explained everything to her and asked her if I could come and she agreed, I knew she would, after all she was my only friend.

  Then after ending the call with Aliya, my voice was still shaking from everything I had just confessed, I began packing my bag. Just the essentials—some clothes, my wallet, a charger. I didn’t care what I left behind. Nothing here felt like safety anymore.

  Aliya’s voice had been warm, comforting. She told me to come quickly. That I could stay for as long as I needed. That she believed me.

  I clutched my bag tightly and stepped out into the fading light, heading toward the main road to catch a taxi. The wind bit against my skin, the sky above quietly turning grey, as if it knew something I didn’t.

  My heart beat faster.

  Something’s not right.

  And then it happened.

  A sleek black car swerved out of nowhere, tires screeching so hard it made my ears ring. I froze. My eyes widened. My feet took an instinctive step back.

  The door opened.

  Daniel stepped out.

  Black coat. Black shoes. Black heart.

  He looked like he had stepped out of a nightmare and into reality. But it was no dream.

  It was him.

  “Going somewhere, Little Dove?” he said with a mocking smile, eyes scanning me like he already owned me.

  “Stay away from me,” I said, voice trembling but steady enough. “You don’t scare me.”

  He took a slow step toward me. “Don’t I?” he said softly, tilting his head. “Because your eyes say otherwise.”

  “You’re insane,” I snapped, backing away. “This isn’t some movie. You’re not untouchable. The police are watching you. Officer Laila. Detective Ali. They know everything.”

  That made him stop for a moment.

  And then he laughed. Again.

  “Oh, my precious Little Dove… do you really think people like them scare people like me?” He stepped closer. I stepped back.

  “I should’ve gone to the media,” I muttered, trying to hide the growing panic in my chest. “I should’ve—”

  “But you didn’t,” he cut in sharply, voice suddenly darker. “You chose to fight quietly. You chose to sneak away. You didn’t run screaming into the world, Yumna. You tiptoed… like a little dove trying to fly through a storm.”

  “Don’t call me that,” I hissed. “I’m not yours.”

  “Oh, but you are.” His voice dropped low, dangerous, intimate. “You became mine the moment you dared to slap me. You don’t get to walk away from that, Little Dove. You think you humiliated me and I would just forget?” He moved even closer now. “You should’ve begged me for mercy that day. But now? It’s too late.”

  “I will never beg you,” I breathed, shaking.

  He chuckled, his eyes narrowing as they trailed over the black veil covering my face. “Still hiding behind that niqaab, Little Dove?” he said, voice laced with venomous charm. “You think this cloth can protect you from me?”

  I clenched my fists. “It protects me from filth like you.”

  His smile twisted cruelly. “But it won’t hide the fear in your eyes.”

  I didn’t flinch. “And it won’t hide your crimes from the world either.”

  He leaned in slightly, as if daring to test my limits, his presence suffocating. “You should’ve flown farther, Little Dove… before I clipped your wings."

  "But"

  "I have to admit it"

  You’ve got fire,” he muttered, eyes burning with something wild. “But fire, my Dove… it burns fast.”

  “I’m not scared of you,” I repeated, though my body was trembling.

  “Liar,” he whispered. “I can hear your heart beating from here.”

  I turned sharply, desperate to get away. My feet moved.

  Run.

  Just run.

  But I barely made it two steps.

  I felt an arm snake around my waist, yanking me backward with terrifying strength. I gasped—but before I could scream, a cloth pressed hard against my nose and mouth.

  The scent hit me instantly. Sharp. Sweet. Poisonous.

  No—no, no—

  His voice was the last thing I heard, breath brushing against my ear.

  “Shh… it’s okay, Little Dove. You’ll wake up in a better place.”

  And then—

  Darkness.

  Aliya’s POV

  I was pacing in my living room, phone clutched in my hand like a lifeline. I had called Yumna five times. Ten. Fifteen. Still no answer.

  “She should’ve been here by now,” I whispered to myself, a knot of unease tightening in my chest. It wasn’t like her to go silent like this. Not after everything she had told me.

  I tried calling one more time. No response.

  Something was wrong. I could feel it in my bones.

  Without wasting another second, I grabbed my bag and rushed out. The drive to the police station felt like it took hours. My fingers were trembling when I reached the front desk.

  “I need to talk to someone. My friend… she was supposed to come to my place. She told me she was leaving home, but now she’s not picking up. Her name is Yumna,” I said quickly, breathless.

  Officer Laila, who had been sitting behind the desk with a file in her hand, immediately looked up. Her expression changed—shocked, serious.

  “Yumna?” she repeated. “Yumna Malik?”

  “Yes, that’s her!” I stepped closer. “Do you know her?”

  Laila stood up. “She was just here yesterday… she filed a harassment report against Daniel Raze Whitlock.”

  My heart dropped.

  “Where is she now?” Officer Laila asked, her voice suddenly urgent.

  “I don’t know,” I said, voice cracking. “She said she was coming straight to me. That was hours ago.”

  Laila didn’t waste a second. She turned to her team, gave clear, sharp orders. “We need to find her. Now. This might be connected to the Daniel Raze Whitlock case.”

  They scattered into action, officers dialing, moving, alert.

  I just stood there… frozen.

  Sitting on the hard bench in the station’s waiting area, I buried my face in my hands.

  Where are you, Yumna?

  Please be safe.