Rain fell down from the sky on the city of
Veegoo . One drop following the other making the view of the streets dark and dull where one couldn't see what was ahead of them after a certain distance. Water flowed down the little street clearing the dirt where a young girl stood behind the large glass window of the cafe she's working as a part timer.
The young girl's blue eyes moved left and right in front of her to ask, "Aunt Marion, do you think anyone will come? The rain is getting heavier"
"I also think so Layla" the owner of the shop rubbed and wrung her hands together. The rain really was getting heavy along with the wind, moving the direction of the rain every once in a while.
The shop didn't do well. Her Boss Marion worked hard, waking up early to be the first one to open the shop. But no matter how early she rose the income was lesser than the expectations. The shop wasn't located at the best spot making it so that the local folks and the people who belonged to the elites finished buying what they had to buy from the closest shops which was the opposite where their little shop was.
One of the customers had apparently requested for a hot coffee urgently an hour ago and even after more than an hour had passed there was no one in sight. It made Layla wonder if the man would even come in such rain unless it was a person from the higher society with a car that the rain wouldn't get him wet. And she got it right when she saw his car which people like her and her family weren't fortunate to look at it.
"Maybe we call it a day. I should be get going Aunt Marion.".
Aunt Marion worriedly looked at Layla
"But it's still raining Layla,shouldn't you wait a little longer till the rain subside".
"Don't worry about me Aunt Marion .I will reach home safely insha Allah" Layla smiled to have Aunt Marion give a small nod to her. And Layla walked out of the cafe under her umbrella.
The rain continued to pour, a light thunder that kept growling up in the sky. The rain was common to the people who lived in as the days experienced rain than sun here.
The clock from the tall tower rang loud enough to be heard over the rain and thunder. The sky turning darker as a car passed by her without stopping to ask why she was standing alone in the rain or if she needed to go somewhere as she stood under the little roof that reduced the speed of the rain on her black umbrella.
The rain had started to move in the direction where her feet and the bottom of her dress started to get wet. Just as she stood there waiting for a taxi and also keeping a wary eyes so she didn't miss any suspicious movements , a particular car came to pass by which was dark black in colour.
Layla didn't know who it belonged to as every car came to appear almost the same which belonged to the higher men and women of the society. The most she had done was travel in the taxi which was always black and yellow.
Which was always available but hard to find one at this kind of rainy season.
What Layla didn't know was that the car that had come to pass by had turned around to stop not far from where she stood.
"Master is everything alright? Would you like to stop somewhere ?" asked the driver of the car who had pulled over.
The man inside the car didn't reply to him, ignoring his driver as he stared at the girl under the umbrella. The rain kept pouring down whilst she stood, her hands clutching tightly the umbrella. Her eyes scanning around her every once in a while until a loud thunder made way past the cloud.
Raising her face to look up at the clouds, he saw her smile which skipped his heart. She was a beautiful young maiden, her skyblue hijab rolled and pinned perfectly around her face the ends came resting below her bosom . Even with the rain, he could still see her quite clearly. When the wind increased, her slender hand raised to soothe the fabric of her hijab down that came flapping trying to cover her face.
Her features were rather delicate and if he could, he would have liked to go over but there other matters to be dealt in hand today. Pressing matters which needed his attention.
"Shall we leave, master?" the driver asked him, waiting for his word which didn't come immediately..
"Yes," Azeem breathed the word, taking a final look at the girl who had caught his eye.
Thankful that their weren't going to get further late for the meeting , the driver ignited the car and zoomed away.
Layla continued to wait in the rain along with her umbrella until she felt it was too long since she stood here. It worried her if today was not a lucky day where she'll find a taxi, making her wonder if she should go back to the cafe.
'But i walked this long way and maybe aunt Marion had already left too'. Layla slowly mumbled to herself looking around whether she'll luckily find a taxi
Thankfully in time, she saw a yellow glint appear through the rain, and a happy smile quickly took over her face. She raised her hand attempting to stop the car .
The car stopped by the pavement and slide down the car window.
"You'll pay extra because of your wet gown".
How cocky!Layla didn't like that just because of her wet gown, the taxi man could do what he wanted. She's trying to make a living as so he was. And from the little she usually get from the cafe helped her to cover her expenses.
Providing for oneself was not easy and that's what Layla had been doing that for five years now. She lost her family at the age of twenty and her relatives had claimed everything leaving her with little of her mother's insurance to rent an apartment and pay for her school. The money was never enough so she had to work to keep up with most things.
Layla didn't argue with the man and just got inside the car. She told her apartment address and they finally zoomed there. When they arrived the rain had already subsided. Layla payed the man and walked out,but what she saw made to stay rooted at where she stood.
The door to her apartment was broken and several men were throwing her things out to the dirty surrounding.Some of her neighbors were peeping through their window while some stood outside their doors witnessing the scene. A girl who was fond of Layla was trying to stop them.
"Sir you could've waited till she came back for you to resolve what happened between you. But not by throwing her things out."
A scrawny man answered the girl with a broad voice
"Girl you should stay out of this before I flung your body away from my sight". The girl didn't flinch and tried to argue back
"This is totally not right,she can definitely sue you for thi....".
"What a better way to ruin my day again. It was such a hassle for me to find a taxi before I got here. And now what I am witnessing?me being kicked out!!". This was Layla's sarcastic words that interrupted the girl. All the eyes around fell on Layla's figure.
The girl quickly walked to where Layla stood.
"Aunt Layla do you know what is happening here.They suddenly came throwing your things out " The girl concernedly asked and Layla answered her with a smile
"I got no idea Harriet ". She then looked over to the landlord and asked
"What is really happening here?".
The man answered her with a scoff
"Of course kicking you out".
The man came walking towards her and when he was in a close-ranged distance, she said, "Mister, I've have already payed for my rent this month. You have no right to throw out my belongings." she raised her brows to make sure he understood what she said.
"Yes you did that but I am kicking you out to rent it to another person."
"How about the money I payed?"
"Of course I'll wire it back to you and you'll find another place."
"You should have given me a notice,for me to prepare myself but now you've already created a scene that you've wanted. You're such a lowly being". Her last words made the man furious and what she heard the next moment was the sound of a slap. When she felt the stingy feeling she finally came back to her senses and that's when she realized that he had actually slapped her at her right cheek.
"I got no time for chitchat and know what to say next time ,c'mon boys let's get moving." And they left not forgetting to lock up the apartment's door.
All this occurrence didn't escape certain cold eyes. Azeem have finished running his errands and on his way back by coincidence he saw that girl again.
'We meet again'He satisfactorily talked to himself.
He asked his driver to stop the car again and he witnessed all that happened between the landlord and Layla. He could faintly heard what's going on and Layla's replies and how she fearlessly talked to the landlord amazed him.
His demeanor was surreally calm till when the landlord mercilessly slapped Layla.
The temperature inside the car quickly dropped to minus degrees. The smile on Azeem's face instantly dead down and he emanated a strong chilly aura.
"Hmm"The deadly aura around Azeem only intensified when he saw the scrawny man sprinting away with his men without sparing Layla even a glance talk less of apologizing to her.
His menacing gaze fell upon the scrawny man and he sharply said to his driver
"Alfred I want that man at my base".
"Yes Master!".
~
Azeem Gad walked into the base with firm and proud foot steps,his disheveled,jet black hair stood out from the bunch of blonde and brunette hairs,making many to turn their head to look at him more than once. He wore dark grey trousers and vest along with a clean white shirt.
"Ah it is the Mafia King!". A man suddenly shouted and the men inside the base quickly gathered.
"Good evening Mr.Gad ,it's so good to se.." one of the men,a gang leader greeted him on his way and received only a glance from Azeem.
Some of them bowed their head until he walked past them, while some dared to wish him but received no response. A lot of them quickly stepped,making way for him and not to be in his path.
"Master Azeem". A man with mustache who was Alfred quickly caught up to Azeem from the behind,a little out of breath as he had run.
"The man is already in the strong room".
"Alright" responded Azeem
"Master what are we going to do with him".
Alfred asked who worked for Azeem as a driver,butler,goon,detective and many other post. Azeem turned to look at him and ask the man.
"Have you heard a phase that goes 'keep your nose out of my business?". Alfred opened his mouth before closing it like a dead fish. Azeem smiled and then said
"Glad that you have,if not it would have been embarrassing if I have to teach you that. Is the man conscious?"
Alfred had to keep up with Azeem's feet,as he had shorter legs compared to Azeem's long legs.
His eyes moved back and forth before he answered
"Yes I woke him up,I have bounded his hands and legs with the table straps".
"Did you get the right person".
"Yes,yes" Alfred nodded his head
"I throughly verified before catching him, I found him in one of the clubs drinking".
"Let us hope he's the one". Alfred didn't say anything and kept following his master
"Hmm how about the other matter?". Azeem glanced around as if looking for something or someone.
"I already sent the information about the girl to your office." Alfred wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve.
"Good I should be done with the work here." Stated Azeem and he started to unbutton his shirt's cuff links before folding the sleeves up to his forearms. He didn't pull out his leather gloves.
Azeem took a left coming to stand infront of a door.
"Wait here you'll clear things when I am done". Azeem instructed and finally got inside the room. He walked forward and came to stand in-front of the shabby looking man.The person's face has a bluish-black bruise on his face and his eyes looked sullen. On seeing Azeem the man appeared petrified and gulped.
"You're the Mafia King!". The man was truly shaken. Azeem raised a brow to say.
"Did I grace your eyes well?".
"A loanshark I see..". Azeem drawled when he saw the shark tattoo on the man's arm.
"You've grown some wings which I'll gladly cut off in few minutes to come."
Azeem took few steps towards the man who was tied to the table and leaned his body. He stared at the man with a blank expression on his face.
"What's your name?" questioned Azeem. The man huffed
"What are you going to do with my name? Are you going to kill me?kill me then I have no family if that is what you're going to look for to torture. Nothing against me!".
"And I care less about them"said Azeem standing up straight "if you didn't care about dying,you wouldn't have slapped that girl in the first place."
He walked to the cabinet inside the room and brought out a surgical fold. He laid the fold on the table beside the man.
"Which girl!" The man frantically asked struggling to free himself from the shackles . Azeem didn't answer and just closely observed the scalpel he fished out.
When the man saw that,he quickly search his brain about what happened during the day.
"Oh that girl sire?. That girl is a slut and she tried to bribe me with her body".
Azeem found the situation to be amusing and he chuckled. "Do you think I caught you to know why or what?. I already know everything. How pathetic". The man broke out into cold sweats and started to plead
"Please sire,spare me I swear I'll rent the house back to her."
"Hmm see who is afraid of death now,weren't you the one asking me kill you earlier?."
The man kept quiet
"You could have handled the situation differently,by taking your anger on the right person and frankly speaking," said Azeem who had walked to where the man laid,he forcefully grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. He placed the scalpel at the base of the man's neck.
"I wouldn't give any shit if you had taken another approach but you tried something unforgivable".
The man gulped really hard,trying not move his neck if not the sharp scalpel will cut him
"It is forgivable sire,please I'll apologize to the girl and give her the apartment back."
"I see,that's unforgivable for sure,would you mind just dropping dead,in the most agonizing way at that". And Azeem's other hand trailed down to the man's hand,tracing it
"Like getting skinned alive". And his hand traveled to the man's abdomen
"Or maybe getting your belly split open and one more thing-."
"P-please sire spare me. I swear I'll abide by your order. I'll apologize to the girl."
Azeem clicked his tongue
"Tch!too late, that sweet maiden was doing her best to make a living and you kicked her out ."
"N-no p-please."
Azeem coldly towered his tall and broad body over the man and looked at him as if he will chew him alive
"I'll massacre everyone who had the nerve to bully her. I only have the right to bully my woman."
"P-please help me sire. I-I don't want to die yet.!"
Azeem tightened the straps and picked a sharp knife from the fold that glint at the edge emphasizing its sharpness.
"Hmm Time to exact it. That's my way...". Azeem started before he added
"I'll exact the same damage you inflicted on her for sure. And maybe more."
"P-please sire." The sweaty man kept pleading while struggling to free himself.
Azeem lips widen into the creepiest smile ever and his voice dangerously lowered down
"You touched her,so now how do want me to dissect you!".
The man's body trembled violently with extreme fear. He regretted to be born and he regretted slapping that girl. I didn't know she's his woman if I knew I wouldn't have touched her. But she's not married how come she's his woman and the man risked his last breath to ask.
"Sire p-please forgive.she's not your woman,she's not married why are doing this".
The iciness around Azeem dissipated and he gave the man a little shrug
"Well she's mine since I've already settled my eyes on her"