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Luckily, Dad didn’t bring up that topic again, questioning my intentions behind sleeping with Ayaan and whether it was a part of my plan. He was neck-deep in resolving the chaos Ayaan had caused for us, so we never revisited that discussion.
I desperately wanted to meet Ayaan or at least speak to him to get firsthand updates on Kailash Uncle’s health. I also wanted to convince Ayaan to withdraw his allegation, as I firmly believed my father was innocent. However, everything seemed impossible. My phone was under Vishnu’s custody, and when I requested bhabhi’s help to make a call from her phone, she refused, not wanting to escalate the situation further. I was suffocating in my own home, foreseeing a bleak future for my love story with Ayaan. Whenever I was in my room, I constantly checked the news for any updates on Kailash Uncle’s condition. Unfortunately, the reports conveyed the distressing news that he had fallen into an indefinite coma. I could only imagine the pain and worry Ayaan must be experiencing, and I longed to comfort him with my support. However, the practicality of doing so seemed increasingly distant.
Finally, after two days, Dad decided to hold a press conference in his party office to address Ayaan’s allegations and defend his innocence. That night, the atmosphere at the dinner table was tense, with Aksh commanding me to attend the conference and support Dad. He argued that our family’s united front was crucial for the nation to believe in Dad’s innocence. Dad remained silent, distant, and aloof since our conversation the other night. I knew I had shattered his trust and hurt him deeply, and now, it was time to prove to him that my faith in him was resolute—the faith that my father would never try to kill someone, no matter how deep the enmity.
I promised Dad, assuring him that I would stand by his side and support him in his fight to prove his innocence. Deep down, I knew that this decision of mine would not sit well with the man I loved. Ayaan would be hurt, perhaps even furious, when he would discover I was going against him and standing with my father. It could tarnish, or even destroy, the love we shared. But I had made my decision, fully aware of the risks involved. Because, at times, the Queen had to take strategic risks on the chessboard, challenging the King’s dominance only to shape the destiny of the game.
The blaring of a car horn shatters my reverie, snapping me back to reality. My legs ache from standing here, oblivious to the passage of time. The chilly sea breeze brushes against my face, transporting me back to the day we crossed paths once again after Dalhousie at the NEP party office where Dad was supposed to address the media. Ayaan had triggered a fake fire alarm to corner me. At that moment, I had so much to convey to him and wanted to share his pain as well. Yet, all he did was accuse me of deceit, causing my love and eagerness to crumble into disappointment.
At that moment, I realised that even when you pour your heart and soul into a relationship, there’s no guarantee that the trust you deserve will be reciprocated. Ayaan has broken my heart and shattered it into millions of pieces, which he’ll never be able to mend again.
Suddenly my senses tingle as I feel a presence behind me. The hair on the back of my neck stands in fear. Before I can turn around to see who it is, a sharp object strikes my head, sending a wave of excruciating pain through my body. In a fraction of a second, darkness engulfs my vision, and I drop to the ground.
CHAPTER 14
MEHER
Few Hours Later
As my eyelids flutter open, I am met with a pounding headache. Slowly, my senses awaken, and I realise that I’m sitting on a rickety chair, my hands tightly bound, making it impossible for me to move. Panic rushes through my body as I struggle to make sense of my surroundings. I am alone in a barren place, perhaps an abandoned factory with dilapidated pillars and scattered debris. The absence of a roof allows glimpses of the early morning sky to filter through, casting a creepy glow over the area. Where am I?
I scrunch my face and try to recall how I reached here. I was at Marine Drive at night, lost in my own thoughts, when a sudden blow to my head made me unconscious. The realisation hits me like a punch to the gut. Did someone kidnap me? Knowing that I have been abducted fills me with a sense of fear and vulnerability. I try to get up but can’t as my movements are restricted. I’m trapped in this forsaken factory with no way out. Who the hell abducted me?
“Help,” I cry out, struggling to free myself. Thankfully, they haven’t sealed my mouth.Fools!
As the sun slowly rises above the horizon, I begin to make sense of the passage of time. It couldn’t have been more than a couple of hours since they brought me here.
“Anybody here? Please help me.”
The sound reverberates in the barren space, but there is no response. With every passing moment, a sense of dread envelops me, urging me to break free from these restraints and run away from this place.
Gathering all my strength, I shout for help again.
“Help, please,” my voice once again echoes through the empty space.
The silence that hangs heavily in the air is disturbed by the mocking voice that suddenly echoes from behind, shattering the peace of the place.
“The princess is awake,” a voice taunts, sending shivers down my spine.
I struggle to break free, desperate to catch a glimpse of my captor. I want to know their intentions and figure out how to escape. Fear intertwines within me as I brace myself for the unknown.
“Let me go,” I shout, seeing a few more burly men coming out from behind the thick pillars and taking their positions as if guarding this place.
The way their eyes scrutinise my body from afar terrifies me. I cringe at the thought of being here, surrounded by these men, even for one more second.
“Help,” I scream again.
“You are wasting your energy, princess,” the captor’s voice taunts again, but this time he comes and stands before me. “No one can hear you scream in this deserted place.”
I take a look at my abductor. His strong, burly frame hints at a life shaped by hardship and resilience. His unruly hair tumbles haphazardly on his face, adding to his rugged appearance. I’m sure he is a hired professional, an expert in inflicting pain and extracting information from people.
“Who are you?” I growl. “Why did you bring me here? Do you even know who I am?”
I keep struggling to free my wrists as I glare at this man standing before me.
He regards me with those penetrating eyes, his gaze filled with mockery.
“Let me go,” I demand, though the stuttering in my voice gives away my fear. I feel quite vulnerable being trapped here with these unknown men with unknown intentions.
