Satiated by the numbers in the refinery's portfolio for the month, Adnan relaxed back on his executive chair. He flexed his fingers, he's been working for a long time and is yet to sleep for more than five hours now. And the fun fact is, he isn't sleepy at all. He feels restless, that something is going on but he doesn't know what that is. He stood up and paced his office waiting for a sign from anywhere to sprout him into action.

His phone rang from the desk, he answered the phone using his wireless AirPods Pro, his eyes trained and shooting bullets at his personal assistant sitting outside looking eerily satisfied with the work he's finished. As if feeling his employer's eyes on him, Alim turned around to watch his boss frighteningly, his brows furrowed wondering what he's done wrong. As long as it won't get him fired.

"I am on my way to your warehouse, Draco." Bilal Hashem Garo said the minute Adnan answered the phone.

"Why?" Came Adnan's curt question, his hand lax by his sides because he was expecting something other than this.

It is a normal occurrence for Bilal to want to use his warehouse for his dirty deeds whenever he is in need of discretion like right now. If Bilal wants to make you suffer, he'd do that in front of everyone so they fear him. He's got the police force, politicians all hanging in his pockets so there is no fear in his affairs whatsoever. Him wanting to use his warehouse means this person is in for a grotesque operation. A special treatment for people he loathe, personally.

"Let's say I've found a prey for us and a nice one too." You could literally hear the hunger dripping off the guy's voice, the need and thirst for blood.

But that only annoyed Adnan because he hates it when Bilal beats around the bush. He knew whatever information it is that he is withholding is very crucial to him. "Who's that? Stop talking in riddles."

His answer came feverishly and passionately, a long time hatred is maneuvered in this. The name he uttered next explained everything. "Bakri Muhammad Khaled."

"What's happening?" Adnan wondered allowed, permitted himself to recline comfortably on the leather couch in his office.

"I mistakenly hacked into your American Express Centurion Card and caught him stealing lots of money from you. Actually, he's transferred half a billion into his unknown account without leaving any trace that'll lead to him when caught. And you won't find out about the loss of money until it is too late. I'm here though, I found out about it beforehand. You should thank me for that." Bilal explained sounding proud of himself even though they both know that he didn't mistakenly hacked in, he wanted something against Bakri for long.

What is this deep animosity between them? Why is he always after the innocent guy?

Not really shocked by the information because he's never trusted the guy in the first place, Adnan still questioned. "He is embezzling my wealth?"

"Yes, Sir. And we are on our way to your warehouse because I've been waiting for opportunity such as this." Bilal is really dehydrated for some blood, the ardent vehemence is not just there for nothing.

"Let me also drag you in on a little secret he's been hiding that'll probably help us find out who is after you." Bilal paused, turning around to growl at an unconscious Bakri. A secret is about to emerge that will shock Adnan, he won't reveal it now though. "He is married."

"Married?" Adnan's voice rose an octave, the bombs settling are a little too nuclear for his mental state right now.

"Yes, to a really well-to-do affluent family. It was an arrange marriage."

Adnan gripped his hands at the unnecessary pause from his chief security officer. Maybe he should sack the guy. But he is extremely good at what he does and one in a billion. Currently the most sought after security officer in Nigeria, he cannot afford to lose him. Besides, he did nothing wrong but get beneath his skin whenever the opportunity present itself like this moment.

Through gnashed teeth, Adnan snapped. "Go on, for goodness sake!"

"Take a chill pill, Dragon. As I was saying, he got married to a certain Abu Aliero's only daughter named Nadia. From what I've gathered, she was using him to get close to you. She also works as a maid currently in your mansion, disguising herself." Bilal jabbered, his enthusiasm grating over Adnan's nerves.

Abu Aliero? He's got a daughter, Adnan knew about her all those years ago because the man wanted to her them married when they first met, it was pure business. Abu Aliero adores Adnan then because of his passion, intelligence and also wealth that was bubbling out of nowhere. But why would his daughter want to take revenge on him for something he hasn't done? And how did she find out about what's happened in the underground? No one was supposed to know about that. She is going to be in serious danger.

Does she know who she is going against? Because it doesn't matter whether or not she is a woman, he won't be held responsible if she hurts a single strand of his wife's hair.

She also works as a maid in his own mansion and he doesn't know about that? Well, she followed the easiest lane that'll lead her to his home for no other route would've brought her to the lion's den. Now he won't hire any maid in his home without having a thorough background check on them. Jannah won't have to bother about that, he will do so by himself to make sure she is safe.

"Since when?" He asked, his shoulders and muscles bunching from restrained attentiveness.

"I'm going to send you a trackers address right now, your wife is wherever that chip is. I asked my stepsister to put it around her where it won't fall when she moves whenever she is leaving the house and she did. Make sure your wife is safe while I handle and suck information from this man. I'll send my men there also." Bilal changed the topic because discussing Nadia is going to take time.

Adnan sat up immediately, his eyes and focus high on alert. "Does that mean she's been kidnapped?"

"I wouldn't say that but just check the address let's make sure she's safe." Bilal tried reassuring him while busily working with his MacBook at the backseat of a SUV.

Adnan checked the address immediately in his phone and gritted his teeth angrily. He's finally snapped! "She is not in Abuja! And what zip code is this?"

"What?" Bilal sounded confused. They've outmaneuvered him it seems because last time he checked Nadia, she was washing dishes in the mansion. He snapped at his men from the other end. "Sam start moving to the address now!"

His downturned lips flattened, and his eyes hardened. He snapped his knuckles, something Jannah had noticed he tried not to do when there were other people in the room. He was hanging onto his control. Barely. If anything happens to his wife, hell is going to break lose and it doesn't matter who gets burnt in the embers. If the whole Abuja or Nigeria gets involved. His wife should be safe no matter what!

"Why didn't you tell me about the tracker?" He stood up now, the rain outside is getting heavier but even if snow is going to start drastically falling in Nigeria, he is going out to find his wife.

"We don't have much time, Draco."

Right.

Adnan charged outside, barely aware of the rain that soaked his hair and clothes. A strange feeling had taken hold of him, a fear he had never experienced before. He had never given a thought to his own safety, had known that he possessed sufficient wits and physical strength to muddle through whatever danger he found himself in. But this fear for someone else, this blend of love and terror and fury, was the worst kind of agony.

He entered his Bugatti Veyron and accelerated out of the town. Since it is raining, the roads are mostly clear so it was easy advance and zipped through the long roads entering potholes without knowing. All the traffic lights, he broke, there is no time to idle around. It was an hour one minute later when he arrived at the said address. It was a two storey building that is slowly crumbling.

Adnan stepped out into the rain and rushed the door he knocked down, he entered the house only to be greeted with darkness. His eyes adjusted after a few blinks, there was nothing to indicate that the place has been used because the smell itself was foul, the house is about to collapse. A small groan from up dragged his attention, he spurred into action by rushing inside the darkness only thought about the flash of his phone when he couldn't fathom where to go.

With the aid of his phone, he located the staircase. Placing one feet on it, Adnan frowned at the way sands fell from the stairs like it is about to collapse at any moment. He didn't stop though, the noise he heard before came again in desperation. That is Jannah!

Half running, half crawling up the fragmenting stairs, he reached the second floor. Through a red blur of rampant fury, he saw two figures directly across the factory space... Jibril crouching over Jannah's prostrate form, fumbling at her maxi dress while a crack of lightning threw a harsh, brilliant glare through the broken roof. Adnan's vein pulsed, twitched and become engorged at the sight before.

The betrayal refused to settle in, leaving space for the intense fury.

Adnan's eyes that seem to bulge and became colder, harder and flinty. He flexed his fingers and arm muscles, cracked his knuckles and made sure it makes noise. Jibril Shehu didn't hear that, too intent on having his way with his wife. Rolling up the sleeves of his suit and loosening his collar. His muscles quivered in a way it had never been before. The unquenchable need for the guy's blood made it hard to see rationality in the dark room.

The only color in the room was Jannah's dress, bright as sunflower, pooling brightly beneath her body. She was gagged. Eyes closed, motionless, she lay flattened beneath his only friend without a hint of movement. Like she's capitulated and is tired of struggling against the huge man in an empty place in God knows where.

An unholy noise came from Adnan's throat, a devil cry that erupted from the bottom of his soul. No longer aware of his own actions, he sprang at Jibril, his entire being occupied with the need to attack and kill. The other man had only a split second to look up before Adnan was on him. A curse exploded from Jibril as he was thrown halfway across the room. He rolled, fumbled for his brace of pistols, but just as he grasped the butt of a weapon, Adnan seized his arm and slammed it against the floor with a force that broke bones.

Adnan realized with dismay that the man is naked safe for his boxers briefs!

Screaming with pain, Jibril struck out with his other fist, ramming it into Adnan's jaw. Adnan barely felt the blow, so intent was he on murder. He wants Jibril's blood in his hands, won't mind tasting it too on his tongue.

"You cannot kill me." Jibril moaned in pain, trying his best to shield his face away from Adnan's brutal hurricane-like blows.

Adnan didn't reply, only hammered ferociously until no more words came from the old friend's mouth. Gradually Jibril stopped fighting back and brought up his arms to defend his face and head. When Jibril was subdued to a groaning heap, Adnan reached into his shoes and extracted his knife, relishing the feel of it in his hand. He would be satisfied only with death, and nothing would stop him now.

All the things he believed in, the strictures of law, fairness, justice, had disappeared like dust in the wind. Nearly demented with bloodlust, he raised the knife in the air. He's never followed the law anyway, they are meant for the plebeians and not people like him.

But a muffled sound made him pause. Panting in harsh, irregular bursts, he looked in the direction of the sound. Jannah was on her side, watching him, her throat working silently, her eyes wide and staring above the gag in her mouth. Adnan tensed until he shook from repressed force. He couldn't take his gaze from her face. Jannah's myopic tourmaline eyes seemed to imprison him, preventing him from moving. A thread of sanity penetrated through the first few layers of warlike rage, but he resisted fiercely.

He left Jibril there and came to her. She looks a little battered like she's struggled before she ceded. Her lips is bursted, a trail of blood seasoned her jaw making him grit his teeth. The bastard had hit her, tore her clothes and almost raped her! No, he will never be able to live with himself if he leaves him at this only beating with a little blood.

Sounds of footsteps came from below alerting him of Bilal's men. But Bilal himself walked inside the room and took in the scene with emotionless eyes. When his eyes fell on Jannah, he took a quick intake of breath Adnan didn't understand. Why was Bilal acting weird now? The latter looked away from the scene, went to where Jibril is and hit him hard with his boots.

Adnan closed his wife with his suit, removed the veil that was used to gag her and close her hair with it. With his help, he got her to her feet where she swayed in his arms like a ragged doll. Before he left the room, Adnan threw a look at Bilal which he understood well enough. He should make sure the man is there when he comes back, he is not done. Not close to finishing.

Adnan carried his wife out of the building and into his car outside where he place her leisurely on the passenger's seat. He cleaned the blood on her face, the fury still bubbling inside of him at the sight of her distressed self.

"I'll be right back, stay here." He turned around to leave when she made a sound at the back of her throat.

"Don't do anything stupid." She croaked through stammers, lying her head on the headrest of her seat.

"I'll try."

Adnan went back to where Jibril is after making sure his wife is safe with Bilal's men surrounding the car heavily armed. He snatched a gun from Bilal and shot the man's left knee and right foot without wasting time. Piercing cry that did no justice to Adnan's anger filled the small building. Not satisfied with only sending two bullets into the man, he went and held his head in both hand. Adnan sent blows all over his ears intent on making him go deaf when he is done and he did.

He only stood up when the man laid there unconscious, beaten and ruined forever. This is what he gets for touching his wife. A lesson for all others that think they can cross him and live in peace. It's been a while since he's last fought like this. Bilal usually do the honors but this is personal. There is more coming...