Meera couldn't see anything. The darkness around her was suffocating, her vision obscured by the black cloth tied tightly over her eyes.
She sat there, her tied hands trembling slightly behind her, as she tried to process what was happening.
She had been in this dark, unfamiliar place for over an hour, and the silence around her was deafening. Her mind raced as unease settled in her chest.
Deja vu washed over her, but this time it felt different-much worse.
This wasn't like the other times when she had crossed paths with Arjun Madhav or his men.
The roughness with which she had been dragged away, the fear she had felt-it all screamed danger.
Whoever had taken her wasn't connected to Arjun. This time, it felt far more sinister.
A Few Hours Ago.
"I swear, if not for the importance of this assignment and the marks attached to it, I wouldn't even bother." Jiya groaned dramatically as the two friends made their way out of the lecture hall.
Meera chuckled, shaking her head at her friend's constant complaints.
"You're always whining, Jiya. Honestly, if I didn't know you better, I'd doubt how intelligent you are." she teased, her eyes crinkling with amusement.
"Just because I'm intelligent doesn't mean I love studying all the time." Jiya shot back, rolling her eyes.
"And don't get me started on some of these lecturers-they're impossible!"
Meera laughed, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
"You do have a point there. Some of them really don't make it easy." she agreed.
Jiya groaned again before letting out a resigned sigh.
"Oh, speaking of studies, I have this tutorial session with the first-year students later. Apparently, I've been recommended to help them." She cast a mock glare at Meera. "It should've been both of us, but you escaped somehow."
Meera grinned. "I told them I had my plate full already. But don't worry, Jiya. You'll be great-you always are."
Jiya smirked at the encouragement, flipping her hair playfully.
"Well, of course. Still, it would've been more fun with you around." she said before pulling Meera into a quick hug. "Stay safe, okay?"
"You too." Meera replied warmly, watching as Jiya headed towards the library while she herself made her way out of the school gate.
As Meera walked towards the bus stop, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She reached for it, barely glancing at the caller ID.
Before she could answer, a sudden screech of tires caught her attention.
The next few moments were a blur.
A van had pulled up beside her, and before she could react, she felt rough hands grabbing her. Her scream was muffled as a cloth was pressed over her face.
Panic surged through her as she kicked and struggled, but it was no use.
The grip on her was unrelenting, and within seconds, she was thrown into the vehicle.
Her heart pounded as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
This wasn't like before. This wasn't Arjun's calculated persistence or his overly dramatic gestures.
No, this was far more aggressive, and whoever these people were, they weren't playing by any rules.
Now, sitting alone in the suffocating darkness, Meera clenched her fists. Her mind raced through every possibility.
Who could be behind this? Was it Veer? No... it couldn't be. He wouldn't stoop to something this reckless. Then who? And why me?
Her pulse quickened as a door creaked open in the distance. Footsteps echoed, growing louder with each step.
A chill ran down her spine as she heard voices, low and menacing.
"She's the one." a gruff voice muttered. "Boss wants us to keep her here until she arrives."
Meera's breath hitched. Boss? Who's their boss?and She??
She felt a surge of anger and fear, her mind clinging to the small hope that someone-anyone-would come for her.
But one name lingered in her thoughts, both terrifying and comforting at the same time.
Arjun.
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After what felt like an eternity, Meera sat motionless, her body trembling as she clung to a single thread of hope.
Silent prayers spilled from her lips, begging for salvation from the nightmare that enveloped her.
Suddenly, the sharp echo of heels clicking against the floor pierced the silence, each step growing louder and closer.
Her breathing quickened as the footsteps stopped right in front of her.
She could feel a presence towering over her, and fear clawed at her chest.
"Hmm." a cold, mocking voice purred, sending a chill down Meera's spine. "Well, if it isn't Meera Ahuja. Arjun's most desired."
Meera's heart sank as she heard the words. The voice belonged to a woman, unfamiliar yet dripping with venom.
Before she could process anything, the cloth covering her face was yanked off with brutal force, causing her to whimper in pain.
The sudden light stung her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to adjust. As her vision cleared, her gaze landed on a striking yet menacing woman standing before her.
She wore a fitted black dress, exuding power and malice, her expression cold and calculating.
Meera frowned, confusion flickering in her eyes. Who is this woman?
The woman smirked, her crimson lips curling in mock amusement.
"Hello, Meera Ahuja." she said, her tone laced with condescension.
"Who are-" Meera began, but her words were cut short by a sharp slap across her face.
The force of the blow stung her cheek, and a pained whimper escaped her lips. Tears threatened to fall, but she clenched her fists, forcing them back.
"Don't speak unless I give you permission." the woman snapped, her voice cold and merciless. "You disgust me."
Meera bit her lip, willing herself not to cry, her defiance simmering beneath her fear.
"Good." the woman sneered, circling Meera slowly like a predator playing with its prey.
"You're obedient. Feisty, but obedient. I can see why you've managed to trap not one but two men in your grasp. Who knows-maybe there are more?"
Her words dripped with malice as she leaned down, her piercing eyes locking onto Meera's.
The proximity was suffocating, her perfume overwhelming.
Then, just as suddenly, the woman straightened, resuming her deliberate pacing around Meera.
"If you're wondering why you're here." she began, her voice dropping to a whisper as she leaned close to Meera's ear. "it's simple-to kill you."
Meera's breath hitched, her eyes widening in terror.
A cold wave of dread coursed through her veins as the weight of the woman's words sank in.
"I just despise the fact that Arjun is happy while my brother struggles." Mahira hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
Meeraâs heart pounded as she stared at the woman before her, confusion and fear swirling in her mind.
"I-I..." she stammered, trying to find her words amidst the chaos in her head.
Mahira smirked at Meera's reaction, her cold eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.
"Yes, I know exactly what youâre thinking." she said mockingly, pacing around Meera.
"Why did I kidnap you? Who am I? What does this have to do with you? Let me make it simple for you."
She stopped directly in front of Meera, her gaze sharp and unyielding.
"My name is Mahira Khan." she stated, her tone icy.
"Donât bother racking your brain; you donât know me. But you? Oh, youâre infamous. Arjunâs world revolves around you, doesnât it?"
Meera swallowed hard, her throat dry. The name Mahira Khan meant nothing to her, but the hatred in the womanâs voice was impossible to ignore.
"Arjun." Mahira continued, her voice hardening, "took a massive share in the Khan Company, crippling my brother in the process. And that wasnât enough for him. He went after the Agarwals too, ruining Suhanaâs life and leaving her family in ruins. Is that fair? No, it isnât."
Mahira leaned closer, her dark eyes boring into Meeraâs. "So tell me." she sneered, "why does he get to be happy while my family is torn apart?"
Tears welled in Meeraâs eyes as Mahiraâs words sank in. The womanâs hatred was palpable, her desire for vengeance evident in every word.
"Revenge." Mahira said, circling Meera like a predator.
"Thatâs what this is about. Breaking Arjun in the most painful way possible." She stopped and tilted her head, a sinister grin spreading across her face. "And then I realizedâthe way to hurt him isnât through his money or power. Itâs through you."
Meeraâs chest tightened as Mahiraâs intentions became clear.
"At first, I thought Iâd just kill you." Mahira said casually, her smile turning menacing. "Imagine the great Arjun Madhav crumbling when he finds the love of his life lifeless. But then I thoughtâno, thatâs too quick. Too simple. I want him to suffer. Slowly."
"P-please" Meera whimpered, shaking her head. "Arjun and I donât evenâ"
The sharp crack of a slap cut her off, the sting spreading across her cheek again. Tears spilled down her face as she cried out in pain.
She grabbed Meeraâs chin roughly, forcing her to look into her cruel eyes.
"Donât interrupt me." she snapped, her voice cold and unrelenting. "My joy lies in breaking you piece by piece, chopping you into little bits, and sending them to that mafia king of yours."
Meeraâs stomach churned at the gruesome image, her tears falling faster.
"But.." Mahira said, releasing Meeraâs chin with a rough shove, "that would be too easy. Too final. Unfortunately for you, someone else has plans for you." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Someone who is madly in love with you."
Meeraâs confusion deepened as she stared at Mahira.
"Yes." Mahira smirked. "Iâve promised you to him. And hereâs the fun part.. imagine Arjunâs heartbreak when he sees you married to his sworn enemy. Better yet, when he receives a video of your wedding night."
The bile rose in Meeraâs throat as her face twisted in disgust. "I will never marry whoever this sick, twisted person is." she spat, her voice rising with defiance.
Mahira let out a dry, humorless chuckle, shaking her head.
"Oh, sweetheart." she said mockingly, "you donât have a choice. None at all. And trust me, youâll love who he is."
Meera glared at her captor, her mind racing for a way out, but Mahiraâs words crushed any flicker of hope.
"You can pray all you want." Mahira said, stepping closer again, her smile cold and calculating.
"But no one will find you here. This place is off the gridâa no-reach area. Youâll be staying here for a while. At least until your wedding day."
Mahira turned to leave, her heels clicking against the floor, but not before pausing at the door. She glanced over her shoulder, a cruel smirk playing on her lips.
"Enjoy your stay, Mrs. Meera Luthra." she said mockingly, before disappearing through the door, leaving Meera alone with her terror and despair, as her eyes widen to what she just hear.
Meeraâs chest tightened as Mahiraâs ominous words echoed in her mind.
Mrs. Meera Luthra?
Her breath hitched, and her eyes widened in shock.
Luthra?
The realization struck her like a lightning bolt.
Ranveer!
Her mind raced as the pieces fell into place. Ranveer, was behind this too.
He had conspired with Mahira to trap her in this nightmare. The thought stung, cutting deeper than she thought possible.
Tears streamed down her face as she cried silently, her body trembling with fear and despair.
Why? Why was this happening to her?
She had never asked for any of this. All she ever wanted was a simple lifeâa life free from the chaos, the danger, and the darkness that seemed to follow her now.
She never sought power, wealth, or the attention of dangerous men. She just wanted to finish her studies and live peacefully with her family.
Her tears flowed freely as anger bubbled beneath her despair. She hated themâall of them.
Ranveer, with his manipulative lies and twisted obsession.
Arjun, who had dragged her into his dangerous world despite her protests. And all the others in this criminal underworld who seemed to think they had the right to control her life.
But Arjunâ¦
Even as she seethed with anger, a tiny spark of hope clung to her thoughts of him. She hated him, didnât she? He had caused her nothing but turmoil.
Yet, in this moment of utter despair, she found herself prayingâpraying that he would come for her.
Her lips quivered as she whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible.
âPlease, Arjun⦠find me.â
The thought unsettled her. Why was she relying on him, of all people?
After all, he was part of the same dark world that had ensnared her.
But deep down, she knewâArjun was different. He was relentless, protective, and capable of things others couldnât even fathom.
If anyone could save her, it was him.
Meera closed her eyes, letting her tears fall freely.
Her silent prayer continued as she sat there in the suffocating darkness, her heart clinging to the faint hope that Arjun would comeâbefore it was too late.
The thought of getting married to Ranveer now, is more scarier than getting killed.
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Hi!!!!!
Im so sorry, I traveled and after a week of relaxation, work got me tangled in𥲠so sorry ð¥²ð
Happy new year lovelies ðð
And thanks to most of you for checking up on me, I really appreciate that, thats so sweet ð¥°ð¤² God/Allah bless youâ¥ï¸ð¹ð.
And yes. I'm back.