RUDRAKSH POV

I immediately left the room—I couldn’t take it anymore. My legs moved on their own, away from them, away from that image burned into my mind. I didn’t have the courage to confront them. I couldn’t even catch their eyes.

What kind of man was I? Was I really that pathetic? That forgettable? Did she ever even love me?

Had she always been with him behind my back? Planning this? Laughing at me?

I stumbled over to the mocktail section and grabbed a drink, anything to cool the fire in my chest.

But the second the cold glass touched my lips, a flood of memories surged—her laughter, our late-night talks, her promises.

My grip tightened. Then—crack.

The glass shattered in my hand.

People gasped, but I didn’t care. Blood dripped down my fingers, stinging and warm.

I bolted, shoving past anyone in my way, and crashed into one of the side rooms. My knees buckled. The pain—physical and emotional—was suffocating.

And then, as if summoned by my torment, she appeared.

Amrita.

Her eyes widened when she saw me, saw the blood. “Rudraksh—what are you doing? You're hurt!” she cried, rushing to me.

She reached for my hand instinctively, but I jerked it away.

“Don’t touch me,” I hissed.

"You're bleeding, let me—"

“Shut up, Amrita. Just shut up.”

My voice came out raw, almost unrecognizable—even to me. My chest rose and fell with shallow, ragged breaths as I stared at her, as if seeing a stranger wearing the face of someone I used to love.

“You think this hurts?” I raised my hand, the blood now pooling in my palm, broken glass still lodged in my skin. I laughed—dry, bitter. “This? This is nothing compared to what you did to me.”

She stepped back, as if my words had slapped her.

“Rudraksh, I—”

“You what ?” I snapped. “You chose him?” I could taste the bitterness in my mouth. “Of course you did. It was always him, wasn’t it? My best friend. The one person I trusted with everything—including you.”

She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Silence pressed between us. A frown appeared on her face.

“You’ll never understand,” I whispered, “what it feels like to hand someone your whole heart... and watch them crush it like it was worthless.”

My voice broke. But my gaze didn’t waver.

She stood frozen, as if she doesn't understand a single word.

I stood up slowly, ignoring the throbbing in my hand. My shirt was stained red, but I didn’t care. My face was numb now—emotionless. I took one last look at Amrita, eyes glassy but cold.

Then I turned to leave.

But before I could take another step, Amrita dropped to her knees, her hands grabbing my leg tightly as she broke into uncontrollable sobs.

“Please... don’t go! I don’t understand what’s happening! What are you saying Rudraksh, please... talk to me!” she cried, her voice hoarse, desperate. She clung to me like her life depended on it, tears soaking into my trousers.

But I didn’t look down. She cheated.

“You don’t understand?” I whispered, voice nearly shaking. “Of course you don’t. You never do.”

"Please Rudraksh... Please don't leave me like everyone else did." She cried more.

My heart clenched. I didn't want to leave her. I loved her more than anything but what I saw, was unbearable.

The picture of my own bestfriend with my wife flashed infront of me making me realise how worthless I was.

"Please just explain me what happened? I can't understand a word you're saying..."

I pulled my leg away, her grip slipping off as she fell to the floor with a choked sob. In the struggle, her elbow slammed hard against the edge of the furniture.

She stayed there, curled up, crying like a child—lost and broken. And trust me, everything seemed fake at this point.

And I walked away.

Out of the house. Out into the night.

The cold air hit my face like a slap, but it still didn’t cool the fire in my chest. I got into my car, slammed the door shut, and started driving.

Faster. Further. Away from everything.

The streets blurred. Lights flashed past like ghosts. I didn’t know where he was going—only that he had to get away.

Then, I stopped.

In the middle of an empty stretch of road, surrounded by silence, I stepped out of the car and stood still. Just stood there.

Under the night sky, wind hitting my face, blood still dripping from my hand.

My eyes closed.

Going to flashback.

Vivaan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out another sheet of paper. “You want to know who is behind all these?"

I hesitated—then snatched it from his hand.

My eyes darted across the picture. Once. Twice.

The blood drained from my face.

I slowly looked up at Vivaan, speechless.

-The picture-

picture of amrita

Yes. My wife.

Still, I didn't accuse her. I trusted her. I decided to take time. I didn't want to make her suffer more than she is already doing.

I thought their must be something wrong. She can never betray me but... But she did.

The wind whispered through the trees as I stood there, alone in the middle of the road.

Broken. Betrayed.

The headlights of my car casting a long shadow behind me. I didn't care about the blood, the cold, or the silence anymore.

But then—my phone rang.

I almost didn’t answer. The world felt far away. But something made me look. It was Vivaan's name.

I answered with a low, tired voice. “What?”

“Rudraksh—listen to me. Something’s happened,” Vivaan said, his voice shaky and rushed.

My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“It’s Amrita. She’s—she’s missing. I think someone... Someone took her. She’s been kidnapped.”

My heart stopped. “What?”

“I went back to check on her—after you left. She was lying there, crying. I stepped out for a second to call you a cab, and when I came back, she was gone. There’s blood on the floor—her blood, I think. I—I don't know what happened.”

My breath hitched. The air suddenly felt heavier.

The image of her crying on the floor... her injured elbow... the way she reached for me.

I swallowed hard. “Vivaan, call the police. Send me the location. I’m coming.”

I didn’t wait for a response. I jumped back into the car, turned the engine on, and slammed my foot on the accelerator.

The pain, the betrayal—everything was pushed aside. Only one thought remained now:

I've to find her.

I immediately rushed inside my car and started driving, the tires screeching as I tore down the empty streets.

Every red light of the signal felt like a curse, every second wasted tightening the knot in my chest. I didn’t know what I’d find—but I had to get there.

And I knew who were behind this. Malhotras.

They knew that they won't be able to do anything to her in Kolkata but here.

As soon as I reached the house, I jumped out and sprinted towards the room where I’d left Amrita. My heart was pounding. The door was slightly ajar.

Vivaan wasn’t there.

But Arun and Raj were—standing near the door, staring outside like a statue.

My fists clenched.

"You were here!" I shouted, my voice cracking under the weight of everything. "You were right here!"

Before he could say anything, I grabbed his collar and slammed him back against the wall. He didn’t resist. Didn’t speak. Just looked at me with that same cold silence that only made my rage boil hotter.

"You were with her right? You them take her?" I growled. “Say something! SAY IT!”

"What's going on dada?" Raj interrupted, his look confused.

"Not a word Raj. You won't say anything." I shouted and he looked down and I turned back to Arun.

I hit him. Once. Twice. He stumbled but didn’t raise a hand in defense. My knuckles ached from the impact, but I didn’t stop. The pain was nothing compared to the fire inside me.

Still, Arun didn’t fight back. He just looked at me with something unreadable in his eyes—guilt, maybe. Or regret.

Then my phone rang again.

Vivaan.

I stepped back, panting, blood rushing in my ears. “What?!”

“I found her location,” he said, breathless. “There’s a warehouse near a lake—abandoned. Her phone pinged there just minutes ago. I’m sending you the coordinates.”

Without another word, I turned and ran. I didn’t care about Arun anymore. Answers could wait.

Right now, Amrita needed me.

The roads blurred as I sped toward the docks, following the route Vivaan sent me. The warehouse stood like a shadow from another life—tall, empty, echoing the cold silence of the night. The heavy metal doors were slightly open.

I rushed in.

"Amrita?" I called out.

Nothing.

My eyes scanned the space—dim lights flickered overhead, casting long shadows. Her phone lay on the ground, screen shattered. There were traces of blood on the floor—but no sign of her.

And no sign of the kidnappers either.

It was like they vanished into thin air.

I stepped deeper inside, jaw tight. The air smelled of oil, dust, and something else—fear. My own heart thudded loudly in my chest, the echo bouncing off the walls.

“Amrita…” I whispered.

Then I noticed something—on the floor near a dark corner. A bracelet. A bracelet with a rabbit pendant.

I picked it up, closing my hand around it like a promise.

I’m going to find you. No matter what it takes.

AUTHOR POV

Darkness blurred into light. A dull ache pulsed at the back of her head, and her body felt like it had been dragged through a storm. Amrita’s eyelids fluttered open, the motion of the car beneath her lulling and unfamiliar.

She sat up slowly, wincing as she pressed her hand to her forehead.

The road ahead stretched endlessly, headlights slicing through the night. The interior was quiet except for the hum of the engine and the rhythmic beat of the wipers against a faint drizzle.

Then she saw her.

The driver’s profile was half-lit by the dashboard. Familiar.

Her lips curled into a soft, tired smile. “You saved me again?”

She didn’t answer right away. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel as she kept her gaze locked on the road.

After a pause, she exhaled and said in a low voice, “I hate you… but still…”

She glanced at her—just for a second—eyes conflicted, vulnerable.

She continued, softer this time. “I can never let them hurt you. Not now. Not ever.”

"But I don't hate you", Amrita spoke in a shaky voice.

"I don't care about that." She replied.

"I know you do. Or else you wouldn't save me." Amrita smiled and the person just rolled her eyes.

"Stop being so dramatic. They are behind us only."

Amrita stared at her, her breath caught between disbelief and a rising tide of emotion she wasn’t ready for.

Looking back she realised that they were actually following.

She didn’t know where they were going, or what danger still lay ahead—but in that moment, for the first time in what felt like forever… she felt safe.

-------------------

The wind howled as Rudraksh stood outside the warehouse. There was no sign of her, only the cold traces she’d left behind—her shattered phone, the bracelet now clutched tightly in his hand.

Then came the low hum of a car engine pulling up behind him. Vivaan jumped out, laptop bag slung over his shoulder, face grim.

“I tracked traffic cameras near the abandoned house,” he said, not wasting time. “Give me a minute—I’m trying to get into the city’s CCTV grid.”

They sat on the hood of the car, moonlight casting long shadows as Vivaan worked quickly, fingers dancing across the keys.

“There,” Vivaan muttered, pulling up a feed from a traffic cam overlooking the road just outside the warehouse.

The footage played. A car sped away—Arun’s. The timestamp was just before the kidnappers’ van pulled out of the same road.

Vivaan’s expression changed. He paused the footage, leaned back slowly, and stared at the screen.

Why was Arun's car there before them? Why didn’t he say anything?

He looked at Rudraksh, who stood nearby, pacing, breath heavy, eyes red with worry.

Vivaan closed the laptop quietly and stood up.

“Nothing useful. The cameras don’t cover the lot clearly,” he said, forcing his voice to stay steady.

Rudraksh nodded, distracted. “Then we keep moving. She’s still out there.”

Vivaan didn’t argue. But the truth sat like a stone in his chest.

Arun's car left first.

And he hadn’t said a word.

Vivaan got back in the car, staring out the window as they drove off.

What the hell is going on?

💌💌💌💌💌