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His eyes were always cold, distant... Tonight they were soulless. Like there was nothing human left in them...
He looked at me like I was a stranger now...
Like he didn't knew me at all...
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She quietly followed the man through the dark hallway.
Her palms felt sweaty, her hands slightly shaky. There was something different about the man walking ahead of her. He wasn't like Ekagra.
He was broody. Quiet.
And somehow, everything around him felt silent.
She swallowed hard.
"W-what was that? What happened to him?" Avyra whispered, stopping for a moment as she waited for an answer.
Goosebumps spread across her skin again as the thoughts returned.
Ekagra had broken down in her arms, crying his eyes out. The pain in his voice had been heartbreaking. His eyes were filled with pain and regret, and her chest clenched at the memory.
She had never thought the monster could have a side like that.
And somehow, that scared her more.
What could have happened to him? What had made him so vulnerable all of a sudden?
"Forget about it. You didn't see anything. Nothing happened there," the man replied, stopping in his tracks.
"What do you mean, forget about it?" she asked, irritation creeping into her voice as her brows furrowed.
"Look, it's not like I'm being nosy or anything, but..."
"It's none of your business. Ekagra isn't your concern," the man cut her off mid sentence, his voice low and firm.
"Look..." She shook her head and let out a sigh before taking a few steps closer to the man standing in front of her.
"He wasn't there with me in that moment. His eyes were somewhere else completely, like he was seeing someone I couldn't see. He was talking to her, reaching for her. I've seen enough cases to know it wasn't just grief. It looked like a dissociative episode, possibly triggered by severe grief, with hallucinations involved. His mind couldn't process the loss, maybe, so it created her presence instead. It looked terrifying from the outside. But medically... his mind could have been trying to cope with something it couldn't process."
She blurted everything out before realizing she might have said too much.
"See, I know all this because..."
"Avyra Singhania. Twenty one years old. A third year MBBS student. Future neurosurgeon, studying at Mumbai's top college. Grand daughter of Colonel Adhiraj Singhania, a retired Indian Army officer."
The man's voice was low as he spoke.
For a moment, Avyra simply stared at him without even blinking.
"Great..." She shook her head in frustration. "Why am I not even surprised? You guys have all the information about me."
"And you are? Who are you?" she questioned, tilting her chin slightly with curiosity.
He didn't look like any of Ekagra's men she'd seen before.
He was composed. Terrifyingly intense.
A man who spoke only when necessary.
"Raghav Bedi. I'm Ekagra's brother," the man finally spoke.
"And one of those who handles this syndicate?" Avyra asked.
He's Ekagra's brother?
The two seemed completely different.
"A businessman to the outside world. And one of the Vipers of the underworld, ruling over the world."
His voice was terrifyingly calm, yet intense.
It made her gulp.
"I was there. It all happened right before my eyes..." She shook her head.
"But anyways, I should be more concerned about myself."
"He'll be alright. He always has been." The man continued walking.
"Until he returns, keeping you safe is my job."
"Do you mean I'm safe here?" Avyra asked, her irritation returning.
"Hundreds of miles away from my family, I don't even know how I was brought here, I have no idea what's going to happen to me in the future, and I saw what happened to the other girls."
She scoffed.
"Yeah. I'm very much safe here."
The man said nothing as he opened a locked gate.
The same room she had been in before.
"You saw what happened to the other girls. You saw him take down his father's men and rescue you. And here you are, safe and sound."
He looked at her.
"You were the closest Ekagra has let anyone get to him in decades."
For a moment, Avyra couldn't understand whether it was a taunt or simply the truth.
Because she'd seen what happened to the girls with her own eyes.
And yet, no one had tried to harm her. No one had touched her or assaulted her.
So, maybe the man wasn't completely wrong.
The man gestured for her to enter.
Avyra let out a sigh and walked inside, hoping for a miracle that would somehow get her out of this hell.
Maybe her grandfather had already found traces of her.
Maybe the police were already searching for her.
All she could do was hope and pray.
She had never been the kind of person who waited for miracles tho.
"Stay here. I'll check on you later."
Raghav stepped outside and locked the door behind him.
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She walked over to the bed, glancing around the dark room before sitting down with a quiet huff.
"So many things have happened today... Ugh, I'm so tired I can't even move a single finger," she whispered to herself.
She could barely keep her eyes open. Her eyelids grew heavy, and for a moment, she just wanted to forget about everything and sleep without having to think about anything.
[ Flashback ]
"Baby... You did it!!"
"Aghh..."
Avyra stirred slightly, fluttering her eyes open. The first thing she saw was Sia smiling brightly at her.
"Wakie wakie, sunshine..."
She smiled as confetti showered all over her room.
"Congratulations, my love. You did it..." Her grandfather smiled beside Sia.
It took Avyra a few seconds to understand what was happening.
"Oh no, no, no, no... My result... Damn, how could I forget?"
She immediately threw the blanket off her and slipped out of bed.
"Damn, I overslept," she muttered under her breath.
"It's okay, it's okay, my love. You were tired and anxious about your results, so you fell asleep around dawn." Her grandfather smiled reassuringly.
"What about my result? Let me check..." she asked worriedly.
"We already did..."
Sia suddenly wrapped her arms around Avyra, hugging her tightly.
"You got 96%, babyyyyy!! Congratulations!"
"96%?" Avyra asked, just to make sure she heard it right.
"Yes, darling. Now you can get into your dream college..." her grandfather said, patting her head.
Avyra finally let out a sigh of relief.
Not a bad result. Next time, I'll try to do better.
Wait...
"What about your result, Sia?" Avyra asked, equally curious.
"Mmm... 75%. More than I've ever imagined I'd get."
"Congratulations, Sia... We both passed... And finally, we can both get into our dream colleges."
This time Avyra hugged her tightly.
But then the thought hit them.
They were going to part ways.
Different colleges. Different dreams. Different goals to achieve.
And the time had finally come.
Avyra looked at Sia, noticing the tears gathering in her eyes.
"It won't be easy, Avy. We grew up together. We've always been together, from the same school to everywhere. I'm going to miss you, baby..." Sia spoke softly.
She wasn't the emotional one. She barely showed her emotions. And it's hurts avyra so much...
"It's okay, Sia. It's just different colleges. It won't affect our friendship. Not at all." Avyra smiled at her. "You're getting into your dream college, Sia."
"Ahem... Ahem..." A familiar voice made her head turned.
Gyan peeked through the door.
"Mumma baked a fresh cake for you both. Come with me."
He was Sia's brother and such a sweetheart. The two of them were complete opposites.
They all made their way to the living room, where Sia's mom and dad were waiting with cheerful smiles.
"Congratulations, my sweethearts..." Sia's mom said, pulling both girls into a tight hug.
Avyra immediately bent down to touch their feet, and nudged Sia's elbow to do the same.
"You topped your school, Avyra. I'm so proud of you..." Sia's father said, patting her head before giving her his blessings.
"Avy di... this is for you."
Gyan handed her a box of chocolates.
"I bought it with my own pocket money. I know it's your favourite chocolate."
"Thank you so much, baby... You're such a sweetheart."
Avyra cupped his face and squeezed his cheeks.
He was such a chubby little thing.
"Hey, dumbo, where's my chocolate? I passed too..." Sia complained.
"You already ate yours last night. I saw you stealing from the fridge at midnight when I woke up to go to the washroom," Gyan replied.
Everyone burst into laughter.
They cut the cake Sia's mom had baked for them, clicked countless selfies, and spent the whole day talking about college admissions, what they'd wear on their first day, and what their college life would be like.
It was one of those days Avyra wished she could keep forever.
[ Ends of Flashback ]
A small smile still lingered on her face.
"I must've fallen asleep," she whispered with a soft yawn.
For a few seconds, she just sat there, almost lost in the warmth of the memory.
Then reality slowly came rushing back.
The dark room. The locked door. The unfamiliar place.
Ekagra.
Everything that had happened. Her smile faded.
Were dreams the only place where she could still be happy?
Avyra pulled her knees closer to her chest and wrapped her arms around herself. The tears came quietly this time.
She missed her grandfather. She missed Sia.
She missed Gyan, their laughter, the stupid arguments, the celebrations, the little things she had never thought she'd have to miss this much.
She missed her home. Her life.
Everything she'd taken for granted because she had always believed she'd return to it whenever she wanted.
But now...
She didn't even know if she'd ever get the chance to go back.
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A sudden knock from outside made her flinch as she was lost in her thoughts.
She looked up as a man entered.
"Wear this and get dressed. You only have ten minutes."
Before she could ask anything, he threw a set of clothes towards her and walked out, locking the door again.
Her brows furrowed as avyra caught the clothes and stared at them for a whole minute, unable to understand what this meant.
And where were they taking her?
Did Ekagra know? Or were they doing something behind his back again?
Would Ekagra be there?
She knew fighting back right now would be like talking to a wall, so she nervously slipped out of bed. Her throat felt dry, a sudden uneasiness making her stomach clench as she felt her heartbeat quicken.
"What's going to happen?" She muttered under her breathe...
Slowly, she changed out of the torn clothes she'd been wearing since she got here.
She glanced down at them for a moment.
Ekagra had offered her clothes before, but she'd never touched them.
Yet somehow, even these torn clothes felt like home now.
They carried the only bit of familiarity she had left.
And she was already missing the warmth of everything she'd left behind.
A few minutes later, there was another knock.
The door swung open.
"Come with me."
The same man stood outside, his voice firm.
Avyra looked down at the black gown she'd been given. She could feel the softness against her skin, hugging every curve. The dress wasn't revealing but somehow she felt exposed.
Like she was being prepared for something she wasn't supposed to know about.
She quietly followed the man.
But with every step, she could hear her own heartbeat getting louder.
She couldn't take it anymore.
"Where are you taking me? And what's with this dress?" she finally asked, stopping for a moment as she clenched her hands.
"I can't answer your questions. Just follow me."
His tone was firm.
Avyra let out an irritated huff and continued walking behind him.
She glanced around. The further they went, the less the place looked like the mansion she'd seen before.
Every door they passed carried the same serpent logo.
The Vipers.
The hallway gradually grew darker and narrower until it almost felt like they were walking through a tunnel beneath the mansion.
Then the man stopped at a gate.
A security panel lit up beside it.
He stood in front of it, waiting as the scanner checked his face.
A soft beep. The gate unlocked.
Avyra's steps slowed.
She looked at the guards standing nearby before following him through.
Another gate. More security. More guards.
It was getting harder to ignore the feeling crawling up her spine.
The man stopped again.
This time, Avyra's eyes widened.
There were more than ten guards standing around the massive door ahead, watching everything with a level of alertness that made her stomach twist.
The door itself looked nothing like the others.
Heavy. Almost like whatever was behind it was worth protecting at any cost.
"Follow me."
The man pushed the door open.
Avyra swallowed hard.
Goosebumps spread across her skin as she stepped inside.
She could feel the danger before she even understood what was happening.
Then she heard it.
Laughter.
Several voices laughing from somewhere ahead.
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She took a step inside, watching the man she'd been following lock the massive door from outside with a loud thud.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Avyra slowly glanced around the room.
It looked like another living room, but something about it felt completely different. The room was dimly lit, with a huge round table placed in the centre. Cameras were fixed in the corners, silently watching every movement, while guards stood around the room, their eyes constantly moving.
She gulped.
"So she's the treasure Ekagra has been hiding..."
"Come closer, pretty lady. Let me have a look..."
"We'll have great fun today..." one of them laughed.
"This council meeting is now worth a hundred percent. She's gorgeous. No wonder she's still here safe and sound."
The words made her head dizzy.
Her legs felt shaky with every step she took. Slowly, she looked towards the voices.
Around twenty people were sitting around the table.
They all looked like classy, well dressed businessmen from elite families.
Is she going to be presented to them?
No.
No, no, no.
This couldn't be happening.
The fear tears her apart from inside as she starts looking at the table, only to realise Ekagra isn't there.
Is he even here?
Does he know what's happening here?
Will he come and save her again?
"Don't be afraid, honey... Come a bit closer to us..." one of the men speaks.
She immediately finds him filthy. The way his eyes trace up and down her makes her feel utterly exposed in front of them.
Twenty men. One round table. The kind of suits that don't come off a rack.
She doesn't know their names. She doesn't need to. The way they carry themselves says enough. Old money, older power. Politicians, businessmen, the kind whose faces occasionally make newspaper covers for the wrong reasons. A few of them glanced at her briefly before returning to their conversation like she was furniture.
She stands still, trying to take everything in.
"The Dubai shipment, how many did we confirm?" The man at the head of the table spoke without looking up from the file in front of him.
"Twelve. The Shaikh specifically requested younger this time. Eighteen to twenty two."
"Make it fifteen. He'll pay extra."
She felt something cold settle in her stomach.
"The factory consignment reached yesterday. Clean. No trail." A heavyset man in the corner leaned back, satisfied.
"And the Bangalore deal?"
"Closed. The politician confirmed two days ago. He wants exclusivity for the next quarter."
Across the table, two men were already discussing something else entirely, models, a pageant, which ones were still available for private arrangements. Names thrown around like prices at an auction. One of them laughed at something. A low, unbothered sound.
She forced herself to stay still.
Her mind was already cataloguing. Every face. Every word. The way they spoke, no hesitation, no lowered voices. This was routine to them. Wednesday afternoon routine.
"The actress from last month , she caused problems." Someone said flatly.
"Handled."
One word. Nobody asked what that meant.
She felt her throat tighten. Her fingers pressed against her palm, nails digging in slightly. Just enough to keep herself present. Keep herself from showing anything on her face.
These were not businessmen.
She had walked into a room full of monsters wearing expensive suits.
And not a single one of them looked worried about her being there.
That was the worst part.
"Oops, we got busy chattering and completely ignored the pretty lady standing here," one of them says, making everyone's attention turn towards her again.
All she wants is for the floor to split open and swallow her.
"What's your name, darling? Don't be shy, we'll have fun..." another one says.
Avyra feels like she's going to throw up right there.
For a second she couldn't hear anything as her head feels dizzy...
Her thoughts were spiraling. She caught herself before they went too far.
Ekagra.
She didn't know why her mind went there. He was no different from the men sitting at this table , maybe worse. She had no illusions about what he was.
But he was familiar.
And right now, surrounded by twenty strangers who spoke about human lives like shipping cargo, familiar felt like the only thing she had.
She hated that her mind went to him. Hated it more that she almost meant it, that if he walked through that door right now, she'd feel less like the walls were closing in.
Not because he'd save her.
But because at least she knew his kind of dangerous.
These men she didn't know at all.
And somehow that was worse.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen... If this is not my favourite boy..." one of the men spoke, standing up to shake his hand.
"Welcome, Ekagra. We waited too long for you. Hahaha."
She watched him join them, taking his seat at the head of the table.
Still nothing. Not a single reaction.
"Well, well... You were hiding a treasure, my boy, weren't you?" one of them said...
"Well, I'm impressed! So we all thought, why not have some fun? Haha," another one added.
"Well, we found it. What you were hiding from us..." another man said.
"Well, you wouldn't mind sharing with us, would you, my boy?" one of them teased laughing...
Avyra's eyes immediately went back to Ekagra.
Waiting for something. Anything.
But he remained completely still.
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"Well, you wouldn't mind sharing with us, would you?"
The same words kept playing in her head like a loop. She clenched her jaw, her nails digging into her palm.
You fought it till now. You'll have to fight another one.
You'll survive. You have to.
She reminded herself.
Her eyes found him again, a tiny bit of hope stil lingering somewhere inside her.
But then...
His eyes were always cold. Distant.
Tonight, they were soulless.
Like there was nothing human left in them.
He looked at her like she was a stranger now. Like he didn't know her at all.
Avyra clenched her jaw, anger slowly replacing the little hope she had left. She hated how his usually sleepy eyes looked hollow now.
How he sat there like he didn't even know her.
Like he had never saved her before. Like none of it had ever happened.
Her eyes felt glassy.
"C'mon, my boy, say it... Hahaha... So we can start..." one of the men spoke up.
"Rajwardhan finally graces us with his presence," the man at the head acknowledged him with a nod.
"You are late. We were starting to wonder-"
"I'm here now." Ekagra leaned back, completely unbothered.
"Continue."
A few chuckles went around the table.
Avyra watched him say nothing more, his expression giving away nothing.
The man sitting to his left slid a file towards him.
"The Mumbai shipment. Delayed. Our contact at the dock is asking too many questions."
"Remove him." Ekagra didn't even touch the file.
"Replace him by morning."
Avyra's stomach twisted.
"The Goa factory... production increased. We have international buyers waiting."
"Who authorised international expansion?"
His voice dropped slightly.
Silence fell around the table.
"No one technically..."
"Then it waits." He looked directly at the man before loosening his cuff.
"Nothing moves without my sign off. Nothing." Murmurs of agreement followed.
"The Bangalore politician. He wants an exclusive arrangement for the next quarter. Models from the last pageant."
"Tell him exclusive costs double."
"He'll pay."
Laughter followed. Comfortable. Familiar.
As if none of this was strange to them.
"The weapons factory outside Nashik... new buyer from abroad. Big order."
"Background check?"
"Clean."
"Do it again."
A few men exchanged glances around the table.
Avyra couldn't understand how casually they spoke about everything. Like this was normal. Like people's lives were nothing more than numbers on a file.
"And your brothers? The Vipers have been quiet."
"The Vipers are never quiet." Ekagra picked up his glass.
"You just don't hear them."
Avyra stared at him. Her throat had gone completely dry.
She couldn't even tell when her hands had started trembling.
What had she walked into? Would she ever see the outside world again? Would she ever be free?
The thoughts came one after another, faster than she could stop them.
She looked around the table.
And every single one of them sat there like this was just another ordinary meeting.
Her chest tightened.
These weren't just dangerous men.
These were people who could decide someone's fate over a file, a phone call, a shipment. And she was standing right there in the middle of them.
She suddenly felt very small. Trapped.
The room that had seemed huge when she entered now felt like the walls were slowly closing in around her.
She wanted to run. But where? There were guards outside. Cameras everywhere. A locked door behind her.
And Ekagra...
She looked at him again.
He didn't even look at her.
"Enough with this topic already..." an older man finally spoke, turning his attention towards her again.
"We already have this beauty waiting for us. How about we give her some of our attention?"
His eyes lingered on her. Eyes full of lust
Avyra's stomach turned.
She instinctively took a small step back, her fingers curling tightly against her palms. Her breath caught in her throat. For the first time, she understood just how trapped she really was.
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The shift was subtle at first.
A glance. Then another.
Then the conversation slowed.
She felt it before she saw it... the way the energy in the room changed. Like something had turned its attention towards her all at once.
"Well, well." One of the men leaned back in his chair, his eyes dragging over her slowly. Top to bottom. No shame in it whatsoever.
"Where did you find this one?"
One man's gaze started at her feet and moved upward. Pausing where it wanted to pause. His tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek.
Another one leaned forward in his chair, elbow resting on the table, eyes dragging over her figure with zero shame. Up. Down. Then up again.
He said something under his breath to the man beside him.
The man beside him looked and Smiled.
Avyra's hands were trembling slightly at her sides.
Someone across the table tilted his head, his gaze dropping to her waist before moving back up.
They looked at her the way wolves looked at something they'd already decided belonged to them.
Her jaw tightened.
"How about we give all our attention to this pretty lady?" one of the men spoke.
"How about you entertain us tonight, darling?" another man spoke.
He reached his hands towards Avyra.
Disgust rushed through her so fast that she barely had time to think.
Before he could touch her, a slap landed across his face.
The sound echoed through the room.
Avyra's chest heaved.
Then again. With the back of her hand she landed another slapped.
She was fuming in rage now, her chest heavy as she glared at him.
"You bitch... You dare?" the man spoke, the corner of his lips stained with blood.
Avyra's jaw clenched.
She stepped closer and spat straight on his face.
"Y-You bastard..." Her voice shook with fury.
"Don't you fucking dare try to touch me."
The man's face twisted with rage.
A few men around the table stared at her in disbelief.
Some looked amused. Some looked irritated.
But Avyra didn't care.
Her eyes met Ekagra's.
And she saw it.
That smug look on his face.
It was clearly written there.
I'm so proud of you.
For a second, her anger almost faltered.
"How dare you raise your hand? You little bit-"
This time, she didn't let the other man finish his line.
She grabbed the glass from the table and smashed it against his head.
The room erupted. Someone stood up abruptly. Another man cursed.
Chairs scraped against the floor as a few of them stared at her like they couldn't believe what she'd just done.
Avyra stood there breathing heavily, her hand still trembling. Her heart was pounding against her chest, but she refused to step back.
She wasn't going to let them see her break.
"Enough with this violence, lady..."
She raised her eyebrows towards the voice.
A man lit up his cigarette and inhaled, crossing one leg over the other as if nothing had happened.
"What do you say, Rajwardhan... Shall we begin the real fun?" he spoke, inhaling slowly.
Avyra's eyes immediately went towards Ekagra.
"Let us play with your pretty doll."
The men around the table started laughing and agreeing with him.
"How about a show? We'd love..." another one spoke.
Her eyes met Ekagra's again.
And again, it looked like nothing but hollow eyes and a deadpan expression.
Her heart sank.
"If you wanna live the night, do what we say."
Her breathing stopped.
"Strip and crawl on the table... Show us what you are capable of."
For a moment, she couldn't breathe. She was shaking violently. Her knees felt weak.
If she didn't hold onto something, she'd fall on her knees right there.
Strip and crawl.
The line replayed in her head. Again. And again.
She'd better choose dying.
This time, she didn't look at Ekagra.
She didn't have the power to.
God, how badly she wanted to look into his eyes and question him. Why are you letting this happen? Why aren't you saying anything?
But she couldn't.
She bit her lips too hard until she tasted blood.
She wasn't ready for another hollow expression from Ekagra.
"C'mon... Don't make us wait..." one of the men spoke.
Then another.
She couldn't hear them anymore.
Their voices slowly blurred together.
"It's simple. Just give us a show."
A choked sound left her mouth. Her eyes slowly lifted towards the table.
And she froze.
The man who had said those filthy words...
A knife was at his neck. He was bleeding.
Unmoving. Probably dead.
Avyra's entire body went still. Her eyes widened. She couldn't understand what she was looking at.
She immediately looked at Ekagra
. And her breath caught in her throat.
His eyes were blood red. No hollow expression. No deadpan face. No calm. Nothing.
Only pure, murderous rage.
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"Ekagra..." she whispered, choking on the tears falling from her cheeks.
"What the heck you just did, Rajwardhan?" a man slammed his hand on the table, standing up.
And everyone followed. Chaos erupted abruptly.
"You killed your own ally for this bitch?" a man questioned before a loud thud echoed through the room.
Within a second, the man was lying on the ground.
Avyra flinched violently.
Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the scene, unable to process what had just happened.
"Two politicians died mysteriously on an island... Case closed"
The voice made her slowly look up.
"No one talks filthy and gets away from here. No one questions the Viper here."
Her eyes shifted towards the man standing far away, holding the gun.
She had never seen him before.
But somehow...
She was grateful for what he had just done.
"Take her away from here," that man spoke, looking at Ekagra.
"What the hell, Maan? Do you think you guys can do anything? Killing your own ally?" a man spoke in anger.
Avyra barely heard him.
Her eyes were still fixed on Ekagra.
Before she saw him walking towards her.
His expression hadn't changed.
Not even after everything that had just happened.
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears, questions and hurt.
For a second, neither of them spoke. She wanted to ask him so many things. Why had he acted like he didn't know her? Why had he let them speak to her like that?Why had he finally reacted?
But no words came out.
Ekagra simply took off his coat and wrapped it around her.
The warmth made her realise just how cold she had become.
Then he slightly bent down, scooping her into his arms.
Avyra didn't put up a fight.
She was too exhausted. Too overwhelmed.
And somehow...
This felt safe.
Her fingers instinctively curled slightly into his coat as she rested against him.
She closed her eyes, trying to forget everything.
Trying to forget the voices. The table. Those men.
Everything she'd heard tonight.
"I'll handle here. Don't touch anyone till i return, Maan."
She heard Ekagra speak before he walked out of the room with her in his arms.
On the way through the living room, she didn't say anything. Neither did he.
She could hear nothing except the faint sound of their footsteps and her own uneven breathing.
Until he stopped before the stairs.
"Which one brought you there?" he asked.
Avyra finally opened her eyes.
She looked ahead.
A line of guards stood there.
And among them was the same man who had taken her to that room.
Her eyes stayed on him for a moment.
Then slowly, she lifted her hand and pointed towards him.
"Answer."
Ekagra's voice was terrifyingly calm.
Avyra looked at him.
Their eyes met.
And for the first time since he had entered that room, she saw something in his eyes that wasn't meant for her.
It was cold. Controlled. Dangerously quiet.
She swallowed and pointed again.
Him.
Ekagra's gaze followed her finger.
His jaw tightened ever so slightly.
"Bring him to the Hellfire room in twenty minutes."
He spoke to the other guards before walking away towards the stairs.
And somehow, after everything she'd witnessed tonight...
That terrifying calmness in his eyes scared her more than his rage ever could.
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She watches him enter the room where she was staying.
He gently puts her down.
And turns around to leave.
He doesn't even spare her a glance. Doesn't look back. Doesn't even say a word.
Something inside her breaks.
"Not this time, Ekagra..."
Her voice comes out shaky as she immediately grabs his hand tightly, stopping him from walking away.
"I need to know everything."
He stops.
"I fucking need to know everything. Who are you? What is all this..." Her voice grows louder as tears stream down her face.
"You have to tell me. I've had enough..."
Her fingers tighten around his hand, almost as if letting go would mean losing the only person she could still hold onto.
"I'm going to send you away. Away from here... where you should be."
His voice is dangerously calm.
It makes her gulp.
She stares at him through her tears.
Then, without thinking, she slaps him Hard.
The sound echoes through the room.
And the moment she realises what she has done, she takes a few steps back. Until her back hits the wall.
She flinches when he raises his hand.
Her eyes squeeze shut immediately, her body shrinking back on instinct.
"Avyra." His whisper makes her slowly open her eyes.
That deep voice. Even whispered, it was enough to make anyone freeze on sight.
She looks at him, terrified.
His hand is above her head, shielding it from the nail on the wall. Not raised to hit her.
Her eyes fall to his hand. Then back to his face.
"You..." Her voice breaks.
"You can't... You promised me, didn't you?"
Tears continue slipping down her cheeks.
"You said you weren't going to sell me..."
"You are going. That's it."
"No."
The word comes out instantly.
"No, no... Don't do this to me, Ekagra."
Her voice turns pleading.
"Please..."
He turns his face away from her.
She bites her lip, trying to hold herself together.
"Remember... when your father's men took me away, you said..." Her voice trembles. "This won't happen, little poison."
Her eyes search his face.
"And when you hurt your own men for touching me wrong?"
Her voice is barely audible now.
She struggles to speak through the tears.
"I'm hurt, Ekagra..."
She reaches for his hand gently.
"Please..."
Her fingers barely touch him.
"For Aashvi's sake..." she murmurs.
His expression changes instantly.
"STOP."
His deep voice roars through the room.
"Do not... Do not bring her into this. You know nothing about her..."
Avyra flinches. But she doesn't step away.
"I know how much you love her. I saw that..." Her voice shakes. "I saw everything."
She swallows hard.
"I saw your pain. Your grief."
Her eyes fill again.
"I'm observant, Ekagra..."
She bites the inside of her mouth, trying desperately not to fall apart.
"Don't send me away to those monsters."
Her voice cracks.
"I don't wanna end up with those girls..."
"You promised me."
She looks at him like she's searching for even the smallest piece of the man she thought she knew.
"That day..."
Her voice becomes quieter.
"When you cupped my face gently, caressing it, and said, 'Do your hands still feel cold?'"
A tear falls from her chin.
"That exact moment, I knew you aren't just a monster."
She looks straight into his eyes.
"You still have humanity left."
He says nothing.
"I don't know what happened in the past..."
Her voice trembles harder.
"But I'm certain you lost someone you loved dearly. And that grief made you hallucinate that person."
She wipes her tears with the back of her hand, but more immediately replace them.
"You are no less than a monster."
Her voice breaks.
"You still are..."
She takes a shaky breath.
"But somehow, I thought you wouldn't hurt me."
"Expectations hurt, little poison."
The words hit her harder than she expected.
She stares at him.
"Physically, you didn't."
Her voice is barely there now.
"But I was tortured day and night."
She presses her trembling hands together.
"Mentally. Emotionally."
Her eyes close for a second.
"Just let me go."
A sob catches in her throat.
"I don't wanna know who you are. What were those people..."
She looks at him again.
"But don't send me away to those monsters."
"That's where you're supposed to be."
His voice remains calm.
"It was my mistake to take you in."
Something in her finally snaps.
She grabs his collar and shakes him, tears running freely down her face.
"Stop whatever you are planning..."
Her voice breaks.
"Just let me fucking go"
She struggles to breathe.
"What did I ever do to you?"
Her hands tighten around his collar.
"You can't ruin my life, you heartless bastard"
She spits the words through her tears.
"Tell me you didn't protect me from your father's men."
Her voice shakes harder.
"Tell me you didn't just kill someone."
She shakes her head, almost begging him to deny everything.
"You treated my injury the first day I came here."
"You never raised your hand or voice on me."
"You did not assault me." Her grip slowly loosens.
"You let me run away..."
Her voice cracks.
"Then you chased me."
She looks at him through blurry eyes.
"I'm a human. I have expectations."
A broken breath leaves her.
"You are a monster..."
She struggles to finish.
"Still... I felt safe."
The last few words barely come out.
"I wanna go home."
She finally breaks.
"Please, Ekagra..."
Her voice turns into a sob.
"Please... just let me go."
She cries like a child who has run out of strength to fight.
For a moment, she keeps looking at him, waiting. Waiting for him to say something. Anything. To tell her this is a lie.
To tell her he won't let them take her. To be the Ekagra she thought she knew.
But he doesn't.
"The day after tomorrow, you'll not be here."
His voice is calm.
"Instead, you'll be where you should have been."
Her face crumples.
Ekagra gently grabs her hands and pushes them away from his collar.
Not roughly. Not angrily. Almost painfully gently.
And then he
walks away. Without sparing her another glance.
Avyra watches him leave.
Her vision is blurred with tears.
She doesn't move. Doesn't call him back.
She just stands there, staring at the door long after he's gone.
And this time, she didn't know how to survive it.
โโโโเญจเงโโโโ
Avyra stood there, staring at the door.
He actually left. Just like that.
After everything she had said... after begging him, crying in front of him... he still walked away.
Her lips trembled.
"No..."
She shook her head, wiping her tears again.
"No, this can't be happening."
She looked at the closed door as if he might come back any second. But he didn't.
Her breathing grew heavier.
All the words he had said kept replaying in her head.
The day after tomorrow, you'll not be here.
Where was she supposed to go? What was she supposed to do? Why was this happening to her?
She had done nothing.
Nothing.
She pressed both hands against her head, trying to stop her thoughts from racing.
"I don't understand..."
Her voice came out broken.
"I don't understand anything..."
She looked around the room, suddenly feeling trapped inside it.
She had been dragged away from her life. From her college. Her friends. Her grandfather.
Her frustration suddenly boiled over.
"I WANT TO GO HOME..."
She shouted so loudly her throat immediately burned.
She coughed, clutching her throat, tears still streaming down her face.
She grabbed the lamp from the nightstand and threw it to the floor.
It shattered. She didn't stop.
She grabbed the glass jar filled with water and threw it across the room.
CRASH...
"Why?" She snatched the bedsheet and pulled it off the bed, throwing the pillows across the room.
"Why is this happening to me?"
She wiped her tears aggressively with the back of her hand, but they wouldn't stop.
"I want to go back to my..."
Her voice broke.
"I want to go back to my life"
She stumbled toward the bed, breathing heavily.
"I want to see my grandfather..." Her lips trembled.
"I want to hug him."
She covered her face, finally breaking down.
"Grandpa... please come and hug your lil princess..."
A sob escaped her.
"I want to go back to college... to my friends... to Sia... to my normal life."
She looked up at the ceiling, tears running down her cheeks.
"What was my fault, God?" Her voice rose again.
"Why are you punishing me?"
She broke down, her voice cracking.
"Help me... Save me..."
She threw another pillow across the room. Her chest heaved as she shouted through her tears.
She shook her head repeatedly.
"I didn't do anything..."
Her voice became smaller.
"I didn't do anything to deserve this..."
She couldn't hold herself anymore.
Her knees wobbled beneath her and she slowly sank onto the floor.
She didn't even flinch when a piece of broken glass stung her skin. Making her bleed...
She just sat there. Crying.
Her hands trembled in her lap as she stared blankly at the mess around her.
She wanted her grandfather. She wanted her friends. She wanted her college. She wanted her normal life. She wanted to go home.
But she didn't know if she would ever get to.
And that fear of what was going to happen next was eating her alive.
๐หหณยทห ึดึถึธ โ๐นโ ึดึถึธหยทหณห๐ ึดึถึธ.
Hii everyone ๐
FINALLY, Chapter 14 is here ๐ญ
First of all, I'm really sorry for the late upload and for taking so long with this chapter. I know I delayed it a lot, but I really wanted to give this chapter the way I had imagined it. And now that it's finally here... I NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS THINK ๐ญ
Because WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
Avyra finally saw what Ekagra's world actually looks like, and that council scene... yeah, we're officially entering the dark era of this book. And the way everything ended between Ekagra and Avyra??
Now for the next chapter spoiler ๐
Be ready to see Ekagra's wrath.
The Ekagra you're about to see is not the same Ekagra you've seen till now. He's going to be absolutely maniac, and let's just say... things are about to get REALLY dark.
So tell me... What do you guys think happens next?
Would Ekagra REALLY send Avyra away?
Why was he acting so strangely?
What exactly is going on inside his head?
Andddd...
EKAGRA AND ROOH FACE TO FACE?!๐
I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING.
Also, one little thing before I go...
Please don't be a silent reader :'(
I genuinely love knowing what you guys think about the chapters. Even a small comment means a lot to an author because it tells us that you're actually there. And honestly, when there's no reaction at all, it can get really demotivating sometimes. This chapter proved.
It won't take much to leave a little comment about what you felt, your favourite part, your theories, or even just scream at me ...
See you in the next chapter ๐น ๐ฆ
Love ๐
Vyanna โ๐ป
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