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“No. The deal will be in Mumbai, no matter what,” I yell, striding to him. “That deal is our goldmine, Raghav. Do anything. But that deal will happen. Understood?”
“Do anything?” he questions. “Does that include causing harm to Ayaan in the process?”
I tighten my jaw, waiting for an explanation for such a statement. Raghav finishes his drink before turning to me once more.
“Now that Ayaan knows you’re his real father, and he still continues working against us, trying to obstruct our path, don’t expect me to play fair just because he’s my brother by blood. For every bullet he directs our way, there’ll be one with his name on it. I’ll make sure of that,” he declares with unwavering determination.
I’m not surprised by Raghav’s resolve. It’s ingrained in him, part of our ruthless legacy. To cut off all the heads that come in our way.
“Patience, Raghav. We are not waging a war against Ayaan,” I reply sternly. “Being the King that he is, I know Ayaan is going to reposition his chess pieces to protect them and shuffle the dynamics of this game, but the game we play this time demands a different set of rules. The king must have mastered the game, but in this game of love, politics and dark secrets, only the most powerful will survive,” I pause to smirk. “And we wield that power!”
I take a few seconds to think of my next course of action.
“Shut down ‘The Roost’ for a few weeks,” I order, the words grinding through my gritted teeth.
A nod from Raghav is like a silent oath, signalling he agrees with me. He turns to the men who are still standing there, afraid of what the future holds for them, and asks them to convey my orders to shut down ‘The Roost’ to the management authorities. The pub, a den of both revelry and secrecy, will be hidden in the shadows for a while. The men leave the room.
Just as we contemplate our next move, the authorities of the pub barge into our room.
“The CBI is here to seal ‘The Roost’, citing they have information that illegal arms deals take place here,” one of them informs us.
What? I turn to Raghav, who looks as pissed as I am. We had just devised our best strategy, but Ayaan again outwitted us. I’m convinced it’s Ayaan who supplied the CBI with this information. He once again played his next move before we could even anticipate it.
“We need to evacuate right now,” Raghav says before leading me to the secret exit of this pub.
My frustration boils from within. Ayaan’s calculated moves are testing the very limits of my patience now.
“We can’t risk exposing our operations. Make sure none of the things that happen here point back at us,” I command, my voice a low growl as we exit the pub from our secret door through the basement. A black sedan stops near us, and Raghav and I get inside.
“Sunny Thakkar knows the drill. He’ll take the fall if need be. The pub will remain off our radar,” Raghav replies before dialling our men to take care of this.
Sunny Thakkar is the co-owner of The Roost, and he is sufficiently rewarded to accept responsibility if the CBI discovers any illegal evidence they are searching for at the bar. Relief washes over me momentarily, but Ayaan’s audacity gnaws at my composure. He is thwarting my plans and posing a threat to my business. If this continues, I’m not sure how patiently Raghav and I will deal with Ayaan. We have to do something about it, and fast!
“This is more than just business, Raghav. Ayaan is getting personal now. Despite knowing whom he belongs to, he’s still doing all of this.”
“He’s not just targeting our empire; he’s challenging our authority,” Raghav snaps as the car drives off from the pub without the eyes of the CBI on us.
I rub my temples, attempting to ward off the impending headache.
“Ayaan,” I mutter with venom. “He’s playing a dangerous game.”
“We can’t let him win.” Raghav’s eyes burn with a steely resolve.
I meet Raghav’s intensity with a steely resolve of my own.
“He thinks he’s shifting the power, but not for long. Now that he knows I’m his father, it’s time for our face-off. And I’ve already planned where and when it will happen.”
As the storm rages within me, I can’t help but acknowledge one truth – I won’t let my son Ayaan become my formidable opponent, and this game is far from over.
CHAPTER 14
AYAAN
The missing piece of the puzzle was the past, which I had been trying to assimilate. The tension in the room is palpable as Dad finishes narrating the past. There are still a few unspoken questions lingering on everyone’s lips. Vishnu and Aksh are attempting to comprehend these past events, much like Krish, who now possesses this additional information needed to be more vigilant against the Bat Syndicate. Trisha stands aloof as a spectator, seemingly oblivious to these intricate family dynamics. Now we all finally know the reason why Dad and Pratap Walia turned into sworn enemies. How three friends, who were more than brothers and were bound by trust, turned their backs on each other. I don’t remember when Meher came and stood near me, her hand slowly slipping into mine in a tight grip. Her eyes reflect a mix of shock and disbelief, but her standing with me is the strongest support at the moment. I see Dad wiping off the lone tear from the corner of his eye when suddenly Pratap Walia charges at him.
“Ayaan is not your real son?” he accuses, the resonance of his booming voice filling the room.
“Pratap—” Dad tries to explain, but Mr. Walia doesn’t let him speak.
