Chapter 45: chapter 45

SRUTHIYep!There is it. A faint humming but it is present. Relief spreads through me. She is still alive. I can save her.  I need to save her. My fingers tremble as I try to unlock my phone but dammit, my hands are so sweaty and slippery that it takes me three times to get the pattern lock right. I dialled an ambulance but before the call could connect, the phone was yanked away from my ear and thrown away. I jerk back in fear just as the cool metal of a knife kisses my neck. I put my hand around my neck and I am glad that the weapon has only nicked my skin lightly. Vishnu is standing before me with the knife in his hand. He tries to stab me but one of the security guards attacks him from the back.I can’t see very clearly in the dark place. The moonlight illuminates the house enough for me to find that out of the five security guards, three are on the floor motionless. Two are fighting Vishnu. I don’t think the other two have any chance before Vishnu. I know for a fact they too would fall and I would be left to face him with no knowledge of self-defence and weapons to protect me. I clutch my pendant tightly and mutter, “Madhav where the hell are you? I should have listened to you and learned something. I should have faced my fears sooner.”It doesn’t take Vishnu to finish off the other two security guards. He walks to me with a twisted smile on his face.“Kill me but please save this woman’s life,” I join my palms together and plead with him. Funnily enough, I always wished for a longer life and wanted to stay alive but now when death is staring at me directly, I don’t fear it. There is a sense of calm and peace in me as I face Vishnu. I have come to acceptance in terms of the fact that I cannot do anything to save myself. The least I can do is save her life. If I do have a next life, then I will make sure to learn that is all there is to learn to protect me and my loved ones.An ugly laugh escapes him, “You are in no position to negotiate with me.”“I am not trying to negotiate here. I am begging you. Please save her,” I say in a desperate tone. “Ha! I never thought that I would live to see a day when one of the Aryans pleaded with me. This moment should be recorded in history. Fucking Aryans,” he spats in loathe.Anger courses through and I fist my hands. I want to punch him bloody face for talking about my family like that. “What are you going to do now, Sruthi?” he asks noticing my fisted hands. “Are you perhaps going to fight me? You know I am a champion in MMA. I could beat you up in a second. No one will come to your rescue this time. Your brother is out of the country and your oh-so-lovely-and-protective husband is delayed by the airlines. You are going to die today. I should have finished you off on that stupid party itself.”Understanding dawns on me, “So, you were the one with the sniper?”He grins, “Oh yes. It was me. I had a good shot of you and when I pulled the trigger, I knew you were going to die but that bastard Madhav had to come in and save you like a goddamn hero. I was so pissed off at him.”“Weren’t you the one who sent me the gift?” I ask.He shrugs, “Maybe. Does it matter now? You are going to die. I am done talking. It is time for some action.”His eyes turn into silts and there is a mad fury in them. Hot anger fills my body as I watch him aim the gun at me for the second time today. My time is finally up this time. I have a lot of unfinished questions and businesses to still do in my life but I am going to die. “Kill me but save her,” I request him for the last time.His response is a cold laughter, “I can’t do that. She saw my face. So, she deserves to die.”I flinch, “What kind of twisted reason is that?”He grins at him, “The kind of reason your husband used to kill people.”“What has Madhav got to do with this? Isn’t your animosity towards the Aryan family?” “You are correct. I hate you Aryans. You think you are great people because your family is the one that has been protecting the nation for centuries. Don’t you?”“We never thought that. If we had, then the nation would have been in ruins by now,” I answer honestly. This man has no idea of the pressure and stresses my brother has as the country’s defence minister. He believes that being the defence minister is all about power, but it is all about responsibility. One miscalculation in the defence strategy could bring the whole nation down. “Oh! The big egos you have. He was right. There is no wrong in killing you,” Vishnu’s voice is cold and emotionless as he points the gun at me.Before I ask him what he means, he pulls the trigger and a loud gunshot echoes in the house. I feel a sudden burning sensation in my chest as the bullet enters my body. Another gunshot sounds and this time my arm burns like it is on fire. The exhaustion of living my whole life in fear takes a toll on me along with the fact that I couldn’t save Jaya Ma. I am such a shame for my family. Black spots cover my vision and the last thing on my mind before losing consciousness are the faces of my brother on my engagement day and the face of Madhav when he told me I looked beautiful on our wedding day before he tied the knot with me.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥