Chapter 46: Chapter 43

The mansion was unusually quiet when Raghav stepped inside, his bag slung over his shoulder. The relief of finishing his final exams was fleeting as he called out, “Siya?”

There was no answer.

He made his way to their room, but it was empty. The bed was neatly made, with no sign of her presence. A prickle of unease ran down his spine as he called for his mom.

Sumitra appeared hesitantly from the hallway.

“Where’s Siya?” Raghav asked, his tone clipped.

Sumitra shifted uncomfortably. “Her mother came earlier. She insisted on taking Siya to the Singhania estate for the party. I tried to stop her, but…”

“And you let her go?” Raghav’s voice rose, his frustration boiling over.

“I didn’t have a choice, Raghav,” she replied, looking guilty. “ Urmi went with them too, but…” She hesitated.

“But what?” Raghav pressed.

“She didn’t look comfortable,” she admitted. “Her mother was… forceful.”

Before Raghav could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out and answered.

“Raghav,” Samar’s voice was sharp and urgent on the other end. “Where the hell are you?”

“What do you mean?” Raghav asked, confused.

“Siya’s missing, I tried calling her but no answer,” Samar said, his voice tight with worry. “I thought you might’ve taken her somewhere.”

“What?” Raghav’s heart skipped a beat. “No, she’s at the party. Your mother came and took her there.”

There was a long pause.

“She’s here?” Samar finally said, his voice trembling.

“Yes. Urmi went with them.”

Samar let out a shaky breath. “Raghav… she wasn’t supposed to be here.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Something’s wrong.”

Before Raghav could ask what he meant, Samar ended the call abruptly.

At the Singhania estate, Samar moved swiftly through the throng of partygoers, his eyes scanning every corner of the expansive room. He dialed Siya’s number again, but it went straight as missed calls. His unease grew with every passing second.

The air was thick with the chatter of guests, their laughter grating against his mounting anxiety. He scanned the crowd, his eyes searching desperately for Siya.

"Samar!" his father, Alok, called from across the room. "Come here for a moment."

Samar ignored him, his mind racing. He again dialed Siya’s number, but to no avail. His next call was to Urmi, but she didn’t pick up either.

"Where are you?" he muttered under his breath, weaving through the throng of guests.

He stopped a waiter. "Have you seen Siya Desai? Or her cousin Urmi?"

The waiter shook his head. Samar cursed under his breath, the cold knot in his stomach tightening. Something was wrong.

In one of the secluded rooms on the upper floor of the Singhania mansion, Urmi struggled against the locked door. Her fists pounded against the heavy wood, but no one seemed to hear her.

"Let me out!" she screamed, her voice hoarse.

In the adjoining room, Siya stood frozen, her back pressed against the wall. Her eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but the man standing before her blocked her path.

Vikram Singhania smiled, his expression predatory.

"Relax, Siya," he said smoothly, stepping closer. "We’re just having a little family talk."

"Stay away from me," Siya said, her voice trembling.

His smile widened. "You’re always so defensive. It’s unbecoming for a young lady."

Siya’s breath quickened as she pressed herself harder against the wall. "My mother will—"

"Your mother?" Vikram interrupted, laughing softly. "She’s the one who brought you here, Siya. Do you really think she’s coming to save you?"

Tears pricked Siya’s eyes as Vikram took another step forward. She turned her head toward the door, willing someone—anyone—to intervene.

"Don’t look so frightened," Vikram said, his voice mocking. "This is just between us. Your little cousin Urmi can wait her turn."

Siya’s stomach churned, and she clenched her fists. "You won’t get away with this," she spat, summoning whatever courage she had left.

Vikram’s expression darkened, his smile fading. "Oh, Siya," he murmured. "Haven’t you learned by now? I always get what I want."

As he reached out to touch her, the sound of pounding footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Vikram turned sharply, his eyes narrowing.