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“Fools,” I sneer in agreement. “Pratap, what kind of a son have you raised? Clearly, no brains to speak of. Oh wait – you didn’t raise him at all. All his life, he kept chasing desperately for Daddy’s affection and approval,” I cackle.
The brothers struggle furiously against their captors but fail to break free. My men easily control them again, separating the two from the huddled Shergill and Walia family members.
“Tej Khurana,” Vishnu roars angrily, “You are the reason why I am distanced from my father in the first place. All these men here cannot save you from me. I’ve been waiting for this day to settle the score with you. Firstly, for threatening my mother and secondly, for turning her against my father.”
Sneering contemptuously, I walk up to Vishnu and stand nose-to-nose with him. “Well, here I am. Go on, boy — settle this score you’ve been harping on if you can.”
Before I can react, Vishnu slams his head fiercely into mine, knocking me off balance. Raghav rushes to my side as my men tighten their grip on Vishnu, who struggles like a caged wild animal.
Seeing the bruise on my forehead, Raghav lashes out, his fist connecting sharply with Vishnu’s chest. “How dare you touch my father,” he shouts.
“No, no, Raghav. Leave him,” I intervene, holding Raghav back firmly. “Sons tend to get violent when defending their fathers. It’s nothing new.”
Raghav clenches his jaw, his furious eyes still locked with Vishnu’s. I turn my focus to where Aksh is being held.
“And you, Aksh Walia. I’ve heard a lot about that legendary temper of yours. Let’s put it to the test today, eh?” I sneak a glance at Pratap with a sly wink. “This next part will interest both of you.”
Pratap frowns as I continue. “As you know, your father, Nilesh, and I were partners in crime at some point. But when chaos erupted from our sold weapons, the coward turned against me. He abandoned me to safeguard his political pride. Couldn’t let anything tarnish his perfect career and reputation, right?” I give a sarcastic snort. “Well, his betrayal rankled within me over the years. I hate it when people turn their backs on me or try to suppress me. Your father did exactly that, so he had to pay the price in some way.”
I see the rage on Aksh’s face as if he is waiting to know what I did.
“That accident...” I say, moving closer to Aksh. “It wasn’t really an accident. Your parents died in that car crash not because your father was heavily drunk but because I orchestrated that accident and his death.”
“Tej,” Aksh roars, fighting his captors with every ounce of power he has. Unable to find any room to manoeuvre, he resorts to desperation and lands a kick into my stomach. Raghav responds quickly, his fist splitting Aksh’s lip and nose, blood pouring freely down the younger man’s chin. Vishnu tries to save him, pushing all the men away, but Raghav strikes him in the chest. Before Vishnu can retaliate, my men surround them and catch hold of them.
“You killed my brother,” Pratap bellows from his place, his face red with anger.
“Keep your mouth shut, or I’ll kill your son and nephew, too,” I glower.
An uneasy silence settles, punctuated by the brothers’ laboured breathing as they continue wrestling against their captors. The Shergills and Walias exchange fearful, desperate glances, stark uneasiness evident in their eyes.
“This is what I wanted. To see this fear in you all and bask in it. This fear of uncertainty. Your life and death today depend on how Ayaan intends to take this forward. If he chooses you over me, you all die. If he chooses me—his biological family and this vast empire—I guarantee a few of you will live. He never predicted my master plan of taking all his loved ones hostage in this endgame. Ayaan gave me no choice but to target what he cherishes the most—all of you!
Kailash’s steely voice cuts through the tense air, his gaze surprisingly fixed on Raghav and not on me.
“You are supporting this?” Kailash asks him. “You condone this madness simply because this devil is your father?”
Wait! What! Where did this come from? How dare Kailash talk to Raghav like this! If he thinks he can manipulate and snatch my other son from me, he’s sorely mistaken. Raghav is my shadow. He would never betray me. Raghav gives Kailash a stern look.
“When I saw you fighting with Ayaan the other day, I initially thought you were misguided by Tej and groomed by him to fight his battles. Regardless of what you may have done for him, I saw a glimmer of redemption and hope in you. That’s why...” Kailash takes a deep breath and pauses. “That’s why I rebuked Ayaan when he fought with you, his brother—his elder brother. Yes, Raghav, you are a big brother, older to Ayaan by ten minutes. For a moment, I thought I saw your mother’s softness in you. But I was sadly mistaken. Here you are, blindly supporting your father’s unfounded vendetta, ready to eliminate everyone who has ever loved and protected Ayaan all this while. Ayaan was correct when he said you were a criminal and deserved to be punished. I regret wasting my efforts that day to prevent both of you from hurting each other. You got what you deserved.”
I look between Kailash and Raghav. Raghav has an unreadable look on his face and despite my son’s anger, I can see a glimmer of his inherent goodness outweighing his clouded judgment.
“Raghav, stop supporting your father’s sins,” Kailash insists. “If you continue down this path, you will definitely regret it in the future. The man you call your father has not been loyal to anyone till now. Trust me, he will not hesitate to abandon you if it serves his purpose.”
Raghav clenches his jaw, yet a hint of recognition marks his face as though he’s in agreement with Kailash’s words. My earlier statement that I wouldn’t hesitate to destroy Ayaan, my own son, if he gets in the way of my plans has already unsettled Raghav. And now, Kailash’s warning about the possibility of similar treatment toward him in the future confirms that he agrees with him. This explains why Raghav refrains from physically confronting Kailash or even asking him to shut up, unlike what he did with Vishnu and Aksh a while ago.
“Don’t waste your life for a man like Tej, who has only nurtured hatred and revenge in you since your birth,” Kailash persists. “Become the man your mother, Rukmini, would have been proud of.”
That’s it. Just as I am about to confront Kailash for turning my other son against me, one of our men quickly enters the room.
“Boss, Rana’s car is entering the premises.”
I promptly step back from Kailash, brushing my palms together.
“Kailash, thank your stars. Rana has saved you. However, once I conclude my deal with him, your time will come to an end. I promise,” I caution, redirecting my attention to the two families. “Now, my dear adversaries, it’s time for the final act of this play. Allow me to introduce you to my most formidable ally, whose influence will pave the way for me to reign over this country once more—Rana!”
With a sweeping gesture, I point to the sleek black sedan entering the warehouse. The tension in the air is palpable as the door opens, and a guard in the front passenger seat steps out, opening the backseat door for Rana.
