55

I waited, my heart pounding in my chest, as he finally began to speak.

“The maids, servants, and guards of the mansion are all my people. That’s why we could kidnap you so easily, and nobody intervened.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Raghav uncle stride across the room, his footsteps echoing ominously. He settled into the chair in the corner, placing the gun deliberately on the table beside the exit door. The exit door was just on my right side, a mere 15 feet away, but it still looked miles away.

My attention snapped back to Dhruv Uncle as he started speaking in a voice as cold as ice. “Those days… Everything was going fine between us when suddenly your father and uncle saw me dealing with the Mafia. They were like saints, despising and avoiding all illegal things. I told them to mind their own business, but they couldn’t. They saw something they shouldn’t have. They were about to go to the police. I had no other option. It was either silence them or risk everything.”

I fought back the tears, my voice barely a whisper, “What did they see?”

He smirked, leaning forward, his eyes glinting with malice. “They stumbled upon evidence of a major drug trafficking operation. They had the chance to expose a network worth billions. They had to be stopped.”

My voice trembled as I spoke, “So… you killed them to protect your empire? To keep your dirty secrets?”

His smirk widened, “I tried to make them understand politely, but they were too stubborn. It was necessary. They were a threat to my work. Your father had the potential to bring down everything I’ve built.”

“Weren’t you best friends? How could you do this to your own friend?”

He stood up, his laughter echoing through the room, “Oh, that’s what your father used to think. Best friend. He placed his trust in me blindly. His biggest mistake.”

Their laughter filled the room, a chilling reminder of the betrayal and the danger I was in.

My fists clenched, the ropes biting into my wrists as I struggled against them. I wanted nothing more than to grab the gun from the table and put an end to their black hearts. But I was helpless.

I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to steady my voice as I asked, “If your intentions were like that, then why did you want me to marry Advik?”

He scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain. “Advik,” he said, a hint of annoyance creeping in. “My stupid stepson. Things would have ended sooner with you if he hadn’t decided to investigate this case. He’s sharp and intelligent—just like his late father. But you know what? He trusts me more than anything. He’s still unaware of all these things that happened. He has no idea about my intentions and crimes.”

I felt a gulp forming in my throat.

He chuckled, standing up and pacing the room. “It’s almost amusing how his trust in me overshadows his brilliance. Marrying you to him was a strategic move. He’s been stupidly in love with you ever since you two were together. And I hate that. But his love for you was both a shield and a weapon. By having you marry him, I ensured that any potential threats or challenges from your family’s influence would be neutralized. It was a way to keep you under control, to keep an eye on your every action, and to manipulate and silence you in the future.”

"Why did you send that message before my accident a few days ago?"

He smiled, "I wanted to separate you both. I knew with him by your side, I couldn't reach you. And slowly, you both would have discovered the truth."

“You just used him for your own benefit. You didn’t have to drag him into this sick game of yours. How can you be so heartless?” I spat, my voice shaking with anger and despair.

He laughed, a cold, hollow sound that echoed through the room. “Heartless? Perhaps. But necessary. In this world, it’s either you or them. And I chose me.”

I just stared at him in disbelief.

I struggled against the ropes, my wrists burning. “You’re wrong. I will make sure he knows the truth, no matter what it takes. He deserves to know who you really are and what you’ve done.”

His face hardened as he reached into his coat, pulling out a gun. He aimed it at me, his gaze cold.

“That day will never come. He’s already entangled in my plans. And there’s no turning back. Besides that, do you think we will let you go from here alive after everything you have heard?”

I stared at him and spoke, “He’s going to find me, and even if he doesn’t, the truth will come out one day.”

Ignoring me, he turned towards the guard and gestured. The guard moved and placed a few papers in front of me. Dhruv Uncle leaned forward, pulling a pen from his suit pocket. “Sign this.”

With my hands still aching from being tied up, I analyzed the papers. They looked like property documents. My brows furrowed as I looked up at him, puzzled.

“Your father has a lot of money and properties which you aren’t even aware of. But as his friend, I am. He used to share with me.” He slammed the pen on the paper. “Put your signature.”

I stared at him in disbelief, my mind racing. This was more than just a kidnapping; it was a calculated move, and I couldn’t believe my father had trusted this person so much.

He’s sick and insane.

“But,” his voice brought me out of my thoughts, and I looked up, “before that, sign this.” He threw more papers in front of me. “These are the papers that declare you are stopping this investigation.”

I stared at him, a small smile slowly spreading on my lips. “Do you really think I’ll do that?”

He smirked, leaning forward in his chair. “You have to. Or else…”

He pointed the gun at me.

I didn’t let my smile waver, instead, I looked him in the eye with a challenging look. “Pull the trigger. I’ll die, but I won’t stop this investigation. The truth will come out soon. Everyone will know your secrets.”

He lowered the gun and smiled. “You know that will never happen. Whether you sign this or not, we are going to kill you. After that, just like every time, I’ll take your case in my hands and declare it an attempt you made to end yourself. I have my methods of keeping things under control. And about your signature, we can forge it.”

I stared at him for a good two minutes. His words didn’t scare me—they only fueled the anger boiling inside me. Then, after some time, I nodded.

“Okay. I’ll sign.” Their brows creased when I said that, probably thinking I had given up easily. I continued, “First untie my hands.”

After a while, they loosened the ropes tied around my right hand but didn’t remove them completely. I rolled my eyes as they placed a pen in my hand.

I stared at the paper, deciding what I could possibly do to escape from here. The air was thick with tension and danger. The guards had already disappeared somewhere; it was just me and my uncles, and I knew I couldn’t fight them. The pen hovered over the paper as I kept wasting their time. I would never sign it.

“What’s taking you so long?” My uncle’s irritating voice came from the corner of the room. I looked up to see a gun still pointed at me by Dhruv uncle, ready to end my life. The distance between the gun and me was just 5 feet. And the chance of me being alive after 5 minutes was 0.5%. I couldn't see any help.

Then suddenly, the door burst open, and Advik entered the room. My eyes widened in panic as I saw him standing at the door.

No.

He shouldn’t be here.

His expression softened seeing me, then his eyes swept to the gun aimed at me and he met his father's gaze with his cold ones and spoke, "Put the gun down."

His father wore an irritated look on his face, his finger still poised on the trigger. “Boy, don’t interfere. She’s a loose end that needs to be taken care of.”

I watched as Advik pulled out a gun and aimed it at him. “Leave her.”

His father smirked and chuckled. “You really think you have the courage to pull the trigger at the person who raised you?”

Advik gulped, but his hand with the gun remained steady. I knew he would never pull the trigger.

His gaze flickered to me, and he started walking in my direction, his gun still aimed at his father. I watched in horror as he stood in front of me, shielding me from his father.

“No, Advik, don’t get involved in this. Leave,” I cried out, my voice breaking with desperation, but he ignored me as if he hadn’t heard anything.

He has probably lost his mind.

I looked down at my one untied hand and quickly removed it from the ropes, then untied the other hand. I stood up and watched as his father’s expression hardened, leveling the gun at Advik.

“Get out of the way, Advik,” His father ordered, his voice low and menacing. “You’re going to make me do something I don’t want to do.”

Advik didn’t budge. “I won’t let you hurt her,” he said firmly, his voice cold and unwavering.

His father’s expression darkened further, his grip on the gun tightening. “You’re going to regret this. Step aside, or I’ll put a bullet through both of you.”

“Do it if you can,” Advik spoke, his voice calm yet dangerous.

The tension in the room was unbearable, each second ticking by slowly as his father waited for Advik to move. The sound of police sirens grew closer, adding to the pressure.

Despite the approaching sirens, his father didn’t back down. “Last chance, Advik,” he hissed, training the gun firmly on Advik. “Move aside.”

My heart thudded against my chest. No matter how much I told him to leave, he didn’t budge. My gaze roamed the room. I had to do something and act fast. But what could I do?

As the sirens grew louder, his father’s expression grew more impatient. “You are really going to die for her?!” he sneered, his finger twitching on the trigger.

“Yes, I am,” Advik replied, his tone laced with seriousness. “I would rather die than let you hurt her.”

Anger spread across his father’s face, his eyes narrowing. “You are a fool,” he growled, his finger twitching again on the trigger. “And you’re going to pay for it.”

“Advik, don’t risk your life,” I begged him, my voice trembling with fear.

“Ria, go to the door. Leave from here,” he commanded, his voice steady.

“No, I won’t leave you.”

“Ria, he won’t harm me. Go.”

I looked at the door but didn’t move. Then, my eyes fell on my uncle, who had been watching everything quietly till now, he picked up a gun and aimed it at us.

“Stop with this drama,” he spoke, as the police sirens filled the room. “Dhruv, we don’t have much time. End both of their chapters.”

Dhruv Uncle gulped, his hand trembling slightly. A flicker of something—maybe concern—flashed across his face, but it disappeared just as fast as it came, leaving a cold and emotionless look.

“You’re taking too much time,” my uncle said, aiming the gun at me.

The gunshot rang out, the sound echoing in the room. In an instant, Advik lunged forward, pulling me aside and shielding my body with his.

The bullet struck his chest, and he collapsed to the ground, hissing as a sharp pain shot through his chest. Blood spread across his shirt, and his breathing became labored.

“NO!” I screamed, collapsing to my knees beside him, my hands shaking as I tried to stop the bleeding. The bullet had struck his right chest, perilously close to his heart.

My world shattered in that instant.

Through my blurred vision, I saw his father, frozen in place, staring at Advik’s lifeless form. The horror in his eyes mirrored my own.

My uncle pointed the gun at me, a cruel smirk twisting his features. “Goodbye, Niece.”

The gunshot rang out again, and I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact. But the pain never came. When I opened my eyes, I saw my uncle clutching his arm, groaning in pain, the gun lying on the ground.

My gaze shifted to the door where a policeman stood, gun in hand. Police officers swarmed the room, grabbing the culprits as they tried to flee, roughly handcuffing them.

I was trembling, tears streaming down my face as I desperately called out Advik's name.

"Please, Advik. Stay with me."

My hands shook as I tried to staunch the flow of blood from his wound. Panic surged through me, my heart pounding in my chest as I fought to keep him with me.

“Ria…” His voice was faint, and I looked into his ocean-blue eyes, fluttering as he fought to stay conscious. He smiled weakly.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered, his trembling hand reaching up to wipe away my tears.

“Why did you do it?” I sobbed, my hands gently cradling his face. “You shouldn't have done that. It was foolish of you.”

“No, it was worth it,” he replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “If it means keeping you safe, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Fresh tears welled up in my eyes. The thought of losing him was unbearable, a pain so deep it felt like my heart was being ripped apart.

He held my hand, his face covered with pain, as his breath became rasp, “Ria… don’t cry over me all your life… I was just a chapter in your book… Find someone else, marry him, and be happy.”

I tightened my grip on his hand, desperation clawing at my insides. “NO! Stop talking like that. Just hold on. The doctors are here. You’ll be fine.”

He shook his head weakly. “I’ll try… but remember what I said,” he whispered, his voice growing fainter.

“You’re going to be okay,” I whispered, kissing his forehead and looking into his ocean-blue eyes. “I know you’re too stubborn to let this take you down.”

He smiled, his voice barely a whisper. “Ria… I love you…”

Tears fell onto his face as I cried. “I know, and I love you too.”

He smiled, as if hearing those words was all he needed.

I know I was late. Too late. I should have told him this sooner.

His eyes began to close, and a cold dread settled over me. I shook him gently, my voice breaking. “No, Advik. Please, don’t leave me.”

But his eyes shut, and his hand fell limp at his side. A hollow emptiness engulfed me as I realized he was gone. The world around me faded, leaving only the aching void of his absence.