Chapter 43: Chapter 40

The tension inside Alok Singhania’s car was palpable. His jaw was clenched, his hands gripped the steering wheel with white-knuckled force, and his eyes burned with an intensity that sent a chill through the air. The luxurious leather of the car seemed almost suffocating under the weight of his anger.

“She has crossed the line this time, Meera,” Alok growled, his voice low but thunderous.

“Alok, calm down,” Meera Singhania, his poised and ever-composed wife, pleaded from the passenger seat. “Shouting and fuming will not solve anything. Siya is not a child. We have to handle this delicately.”

“Delicately?” Alok’s laugh was sharp and bitter. “She refuses to come home, defying her own family, defying me! And you’re asking me to be delicate?”

“She’s brat, Alok. Can’t you see that? Forcing her will only push her further away,” Meera reasoned.

Alok didn’t respond. Instead, he slammed his palm on the dashboard in frustration, his rage barely contained. The rest of the drive home was silent, apart from the low hum of the car engine and the rhythmic tapping of Samar’s fingers on his lap as he tried to think of ways to diffuse the situation.

When they arrived at the sprawling Singhania mansion, Alok swung the car door open with such force that it slammed shut behind him, rattling the nearby window panes. Without a word to Meera or Samar, he strode toward the study where his elder brother, Vikram Singhania, sat brooding over a glass of whiskey.

Vikram looked up, his expression darkening as he took in Alok’s stormy demeanor. “What’s wrong now? And where is she?” Vikram asked, setting his glass down with deliberate care.

“Siya refused to come home,” Alok spat, pacing the room like a caged lion. “I’ve had enough of this nonsense. We’ve given her too much freedom, and now she’s throwing it back in our faces.”

Vikram leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. His calm, calculating demeanor was in stark contrast to Alok’s explosive anger. “We should have expected this. That boy Raghav is the problem. He’s filling her head with ideas.”

Alok stopped pacing, his hands fisting at his sides. “We need to put an end to this. Now.”

“Perhaps,” Vikram said thoughtfully, “it’s time we used something else. If persuasion won’t work, we’ll make her come back.”

Before Alok could respond, the door to the study opened, and Samar entered. His face was tight with worry, but his eyes held a glimmer of determination.

“Force won’t work,” Samar said firmly, shutting the door behind him.

Alok turned to him, his brows furrowing. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to stop you from making a mistake,” Samar replied, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. “Siya is already on edge. If you push her, she’ll destroy all of us. Do you want that?”

Vikram’s eyes narrowed. “What do you propose then? Sit back and let her do whatever she wants?”

“No,” Samar said, stepping closer. “Why don't we organize a get together? Something intimate, just close family and friends. Invite Raghav and Siya. It’ll give us a chance to separate them without the pressure of confrontation.”

“A party?” Alok sneered. “You think that’s going to solve anything?”

“It’s a start,” Samar insisted. “Siya will feel less threatened”. And it’ll buy me some time to figure out how to handle this properly.

Vikram stroked his chin thoughtfully. “He has a point. If we act too aggressively, we might lose any chance of bringing her back. A party could work as a pretense to get them here.”

Alok was silent for a moment, his chest rising and falling with the effort to contain his frustration. Finally, he nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Fine. But this better work, Samar.”

“It will,” Samar assured him, though he wasn’t entirely convinced himself. He knew this was only a temporary solution, but he needed time—time to speak with Raghav and find a way to protect Siya from their family’s scheming.

Later that evening,

In the privacy of his room, Samar dialed Raghav’s number. The phone rang twice before Raghav picked up.

“Samar,” Raghav’s voice was cautious, guarded. “What’s going on?”

“I need to meet you,” Samar said, his tone urgent.

Raghav frowned. “Now?”

“Yes. It’s important,” Samar replied, his voice tight.

“What’s this about?” Raghav asked, his suspicion growing.

Samar hesitated for a moment before saying, “Not something I can discuss over the phone. But it’s related to everything you’re dealing with.”

Raghav’s grip on the phone tightened. “This doesn’t sound good.”

“It isn’t,” Samar admitted. “But it’s something you need to know. Can you come?”

“Where?”

“The cafe near your place,” Samar said quickly. “An hour from now. And don’t bring anyone else.”

Raghav was silent for a moment, considering. Finally, he said, “Alright. I’ll be there.”

“Good,” Samar said, exhaling slowly. “Just... be careful.”

The call ended, leaving Raghav staring at his phone, unease settling in his chest. Whatever Samar wanted to discuss, it was clear that it wasn’t good news. But if it concerned Siya, he had no choice but to find out the truth.

As for Samar, he sat back in his chair, his mind racing. He had taken a risk, reaching out to Raghav like this, but there were things at play that neither of them could afford to ignore. Now, he could only hope that the meeting would give them the clarity they desperately needed.

He gave a quick glance to a frame hanging by the wall. The frame that includes him and his baby sister, Siya.