Aashika Oberoi—
Aayansh sits in his cabin, his black blazer draped over the backrest, he's focused on something on his iPad when I enter with permission.
I halt before him, yet his focus on the iPad doesn't waver, not even a bit... As if I'm invisible.
I exhale, then snap with impatience "What the hell is wrong with you, Aayansh? You never tell me what you're doing or planning to do. Don't-"
"Voice down" He cuts in, I sensed a clear warning in his tone as his cold eyes shift to me. Drop it, we're not kids anymore to fight on ego issues.
This time, in a calm-checked voice, I put forward my question "Why have you kept Tara away from everyone's eyes?"
He leans on his chair, setting the iPad aside and avoiding my gaze as he answers in a casual-inaffected voice, "That's my personal matter, and I hate anyone's interference or even eyes on my personal things."
"Are you..." My eyes narrowed in disbelief, but I controlled "Seriously? It's been days and there's no clue of her existence. I know what I did was wrong-"
"It was your first-and-last wrong move" He intones, eyes like ice and tone calm and dark.
I pause, a guilt coiling within me. I shouldn't have done that, not with her. Tara's a pure-hearted girl, untouched by the brutalities of this world of monsters. But I had no option, not when she was already stepping into the dark... unaware there's no trace of light left to guide her back. Hiring an agent without even realising the consequences it could bring. Keeping an eye on me, on family?
"Or..." My voice is desperately heavy, eager to hear his answer "If I do that again, would you kill me?"
I can't help but hope, just hope somewhere in my brother's cold heart, a shred of love for me is still there.
His lips curl into a sly evil smirk, face cold and calm as he rests his head against the chair's crown. "Dumb enough to think you'd get the chance to repeat it."
The fucking fuck.
He. called. me. dumb.
"Did you just call me dumb?" I blurt out, trying to hold my shattering pride altogether.
He ignores my reaction, his own expressions bored as he lets a cigar settle between his lips and orders coldly "Out."
My fists tighten, realising never in a long time has anyone tossed my pride straight into trash like this.
"Don't use this tone with me," I say, dragging the words out and pretending to be all careless. "I'm your elder sister, izzat se bolo."
As he takes a slow hit of his cigar, tilting his head slightly with it dangling between his fingers, his darkening eyes shift to me and I quickly mutter, "Going."
I'm not scared of him, please.
Just not in the mood to entertain a shit like my brother.
I storm off his floor, barging into Rivaan's cabin via lift, frustration burning through me and just to fuel it further, I find the elder Deewan-yeah Moksh Deewan-the goddamn lawyer sitting there.
He's discussing something with Rivaan.
Rivaan greets me as soon as he notices my presence, followed by moksh as I sit on the chair opposite of moksh... with all cold-professional conduct.
Once the formal discussion ends and I rise to leave, Moksh's voice stops me mid-step. "I hope you won't mind if I ask you for a coffee, Ms. Oberoi?"
"I will definitely mind," I force a smile, standing up. "And I'm sure you already have enough people to drink coffee with."
I'm about to leave when he pleads softly, "Please, Ms. Oberoi. I'd be grateful."
"Fine," I mutter, giving in. He smiles, motioning me ahead, I would have never agreed if he wouldn't have asked like a gentleman.
"And I know you both won't mind if I join-"
The irritating voice... That goddamn DOCTOR!
My eyes snap to the entrance, Malang Deewan. Smirking like a maniac, in a brown jacket and pants.
I look away, but his gaze stays, sharp and crooked, burning through me.
"Oh, Malang" Moksh slithers, his focus shifting to his brother. "You don't exactly have a shortage of girls- I mean, friends to have coffee with."
Malang smirks, "Of course, Brother. But I think I should start socializing more, and you know how much I enjoy getting involved with beautiful humans." His eyes were on me throughout.
Fucker!
"Fine, you can join us" Moksh says, his voice a little irritated.
I ignore both of these assholes and walk ahead, they follow.
We reach the ground floor via lift. I stay quiet the entire time... partly to keep my sanity intact, mostly because I know if I open my mouth, this doctor will piss me off beyond repair.
Outside, I move to unlock the car when Malang leans in and unlocks it, with a smug grin as he says, "I hope you don't mind if I ride along, Ms. Oberoi. You know, just to keep the conversation... medically stimulating."
My jaw clenches.
I hold back, until he crosses his fucking line.
My eyes shift to Moksh, who stands a few feet away, phone pressed to his ear, his expression all business and seriousness.
"By the way" Malang's voice grabs my attention again, curious and teasing. "Why are you so violent? Like some alpha woman. It really doesn't suit you."
My eyes turn ice, locking onto him and voice is a clear warning "You have no idea what I can do with you, Doctor."
His grin just deepens, eyes intense. "I'm already thrilled."
Fuck him.
Ignoring him, I head to step in the car when suddenly he holds my hand. My patience breaks. In a blink, my palm slams against his cheek, leaving a sharp sound, his head jerks to the side, my fingers imprinted on his skin as I warn.
"Never-I repeat never touch a woman without her permission. I'm not from those hot chicks who roam around you for your stupid attention, or someone who entertains a walking shit like you." My burning gaze doesn't waver for a second.
Then comes his Bastard brother's voice from behind, "Ms. Oberoi-"
I turn toward him, forcing a smile "Oh Mr. Elder deewan, do you also want to taste the same?" His eyes widen in disbelief, I don't flinch. "Teach your brother some basic etiquettes" My eyes shift to malang for a second. "Because next time, I won't answer. My gun will do it better."
I don't wait to watch their reactions, just make my way toward the parking lot.
Minutes later, I slump into the driver's seat, resting my head against the headrest as I try to shake off the chaos inside me. This fucking doctor, ugh.
Drop it.
Life has turned into a war ever since I saw my mother's ruin, her death, her disgrace. And those monsters. I devoted years searching for the face behind it all, and yet... my hands are still empty.
A looser I am.
Defeated.
I don't know what's brewing in Aayansh's head, what he's up to or what he's planning. But something's off, badly off. He's kept tara out of everyone's reach for a reason, and that fucking father of ours is still breathing for a reason too. The shadow, the monster above all still remains unseen.
I close my eyes, piecing together every loose thread... the ones that don't fit right.
Two days to mom's birthday, somehow feels the universe enjoys reminding me what I've lost... and I can never have her back.
The sudden ping of a notification snaps me out of my thoughts, I reach for the phone lying on the dashboard and check the message.
Unknown: Your mother's culprit... the shadow. You're closer than you think.
What the fuck?
Me: Who is it? I think you're done with your life dickfucker.
Unknown: Not done with my life until I help you reach the shadow you've been chasing for years. For now, I'm just another shadow watching you, waiting for you to make a move and end this war.
War?
Yes it is.
My blood chills, not with fear. But the way I find these words a fact, a direction.
Another sharp chime of a notification, I immediately shift my eyes back to the screen.
Unknown: How do I know the things that only you should? The question is as useless as the years you've wasted living like a stranger among your own family.
A literal fucker.
How come he knows everything?
Me: So you know everything about me? Then you're already aware how well I deal with the people who try to play with me-brutally. You won't be an exception.
The little bubbles flash across the screen, he's typing.
A minute pause.
Unknown: And what if I'm an exception?
Me: Try me.
Unknown: If you want to know who's behind your mother's ruin. Crossroads church, 15 minutes. Bring your gun-tear my chest open if any of my words prove to be lies. We both know you won't hesitate.
He goes offline.
Who the fuck is he? Or she?
Not a lie, not a trap for sure.
I stare at the phone's screen for a moment, unblinking. This person is still watching me, I don't know how, from where.
I toss the phone onto the passenger seat, grip the steering wheel and start the car.
I need to face this.
Seven minutes later I'm at the church, I tuck the gun tighter into my waistband, eyes calm and demeanor blunt.
I step out of the car, avoiding parking by the side and make my way into the sacred place. From here, every step I take is measured, careful and deliberate. The air inside the church is scented with candle wax, the peaceful silence... just a perfect contrast to the storm inside me.
My gaze wanders around, taking in the surroundings. The priest stands near the altar, a few servers move quietly, their steps the only sound in the stillness.
My phone buzzes again. I grab it, heart skipping.
Unknown:
Way too fast, shift your gaze to the left.
My gaze instantly snaps to the said direction, to the man sitting in a pew near the altar, calm and unmoving. In a crisp white suit, silver hair combed back. His frame clearly highlights his age.
Suspicion tightens my gaze, and then everything flips the moment he turns his head... toward me.
This face.
How can I ever forget?
Vidyut Dhanrajgir.
One of Ayushman Oberoi's most trusted men, my grandfather's lawyer. The one who orchestrated lies and fake evidence to ruin my mother's reputation and professional life. A major reason for everything she endured.
My knuckles clench, eyes burn with the rage I cannot hold back. I was just twelve the last time I saw this fucker, as he vanished underground for years after being accused of killing my grandfather.
The fucker stands and walks toward me, I let him. Let him walk into his own death, my face unreadable.
And the second he reaches me, I slam my fist into his face. He stumbles to the one side, but I don't allow him to fall, not yet. I grab his throat and jerk his head up, "Finally you show your filthy face."
He offers no protest. I throttle him until he starts coughing, guttural and broken.
"Hid all these years-" My fingers tightens around his throat, nails digging into his old skin "Just to die like this, with my hands tearing your throat apart?"
He twists and writhes, I don't budge, dragging every ounce of life out from him until a voice halts me. "Leave him, woman. He's come to confess all his sins to the almighty."
I glance at the priest a few steps away, shock and worry in his eyes. Yet my hold on Vidyut's throat doesn't falter, no chance.
"He'll definitely confess-in hell," I snap, my grip crushing the air from his lungs.
I yank out my gun and press it to his chest, one hand at his throat, squeezing until he gags when he chokes "y-your sis-ter in... law is in danger."
My fingers loosen around his neck a fraction, eyes narrowing in disbelief. No one fabricates when death's this near.
I ease my grip but keep the gun barrel against his chest, letting him bark. He hacks, struggling to steady his breath.
I watch him, eyes darkening.
Then finally he spits, voice cracking "The one you've been ch-chasing for years... is not near you, but from among your people. In Rome right now, planning another ruin." He slumps, I grab his coat and force him back up "Wh-whatever happened with your m-mother, the lies, fake accusations to her reputation... your grandfather did it with my help. But- but he was manipulated to do such a thing with his daughter-in-law... by someone else. I- I was with him, pretending to be loyal to your grandfather. I was accused of killing him as- as I was the last one who met him. But I didn't-"
Of course you didn't, you couldn't, no one could but my brother.
The faint shred of those dark memories flashes before my eyes, the day my bastard of a grandfather met his karma, killed by his own blood.
A G E - 12 YEARS
I've been looking for my little brother forever! We're playing hide and seek and I have to catch him to show he's the loser. I've checked almost every room in the palace, asked all the servants and the grown-ups if they've seen the round ball, but nobody knows.
Ugh, my pretty legs are hurting now.
But no chance I'm backing off.
Amid my struggle, I notice something strange. So many muffled voices are coming from dadu's study room. I step forward to see, but a servant stops me in urgence. "Cariño, please don't go there."
"Why?" I turn my head back, joining my brows in suspicion.
"We've brought some Italian sweets for you, won't you taste them?" She tries to lure me, me? The aashi oberoi. Why does everyone think I'm just a kid and they can trick.
"Afterwards!" I yell, sprinting toward the study before she can stop me.
I peek in just a little. So many big men! Dad, chachu and ashray uncle stand with the men dressed as police men. Their faces are pale, talking about something serious. Too serious.
But my eyes almost pop out of my head when I see dadu slumped on his chair. His eyes shut, drenched in blood. So much blood, two holes in his chest... he can't be... is he dead?
"You killed my father, Vidyut? How dare you-"
"No sir, I didn't,"
With dad's, many other voices echo in my ears, but my tear filled eyes remain glued to dadu.
I sneak closer to dad, and that's when the big men finally spot me.
"Dad," I murmur, lifting my head and rubbing my eyes. He cups my face quickly, "What... what happened to dadu?"
Dad bends down, brushing my tears away. "It's nothing princess, go play in your room. Aayansh's probably waiting for you."
Evening comes, I've been in my room all day. Quiet. Why does everything feel different now? Mom doesn't talk or smile like before. She just stays in her room. Anika masi is always with dad, and I don't like it. Even chachi behaves so differently. And now what I saw a few hours ago...
I get off the bed and make my way to Aayansh's room. I haven't seen him since then, slowly, I open the door and step inside.
I see him at his study desk, scribbling in a notebook.
"Aayansh?" I move closer, but stop cold. My eyes lock on the gun on his desk.
Dadu's gun.
"You stole dadu's gun?" I blurt out, my heart thumping. "What if someone finds out? You brat-"
He doesn't turn toward me, no hesitation, no guilt. Just a calm voice that chills my bones "I shot him with this, so I've earned it."
"Wh-what?" I stutter, eyes widening in disbelief "You shot dadu with his gun? You- killed him... why?"
He gets off the chair, turns to face me. There was never childish innocence on that face of his, but now, he's just scarier than ever.
"Because he was the reason for mom's tears."
My breath catches, confusion knotting inside me as I murmur "What are you-" then it hits me, mom's silence, her pain all these days. "How do you know?"
He doesn't answer, while my gaze falls on his notebook. Two dates are etched there on the page, one is today's and the other... mom’s birthday.
Present
Vidyut's gagging pulls me out of my thoughts, I tighten my grip on his coat and yank him upright "Who is he?"
My heart pounds, fucking desperate to hear the name. The shadow, the one with that twisted creepy smile. The one who tried to kill me. And the same behind everything that happened to mom in the basement on Aayansh's birthday.
He falters, and I growl "Bark up!"
"Hr-Hriday singh Rajvansh."
My mind goes numb for a second, not able to believe what I just heard. Nanu? My mother's father. The man I'd once made my safeplace, after my mother. Amidst those monsters, nanu saved me that day... or maybe played?
He left India drowning in grief after mom's death, and never came back. We never heard a word since. No clue where he lived, no news, no address, nothing about his health...
"Your mother's father! He was behind all this."
Vidyut's voice snaps me back. I let him spill it all before I even thought of catching a lie.
"At that time, there were only two powers- both in the under... underworld and in the business world. Ayushman Oberoi & Hriday singh Rajvansh. They were close friends. But Hriday's intentions were never pure, he- he wanted the throne all to himself, no one even close."
"And when he learned that his younger daughter loved Ayushman's son, he... deliberately got his elder daughter married into the Oberoi family... to plant venom in their bloodline. And it worked."
"Ayushman always wanted Aaina as his daughter-in-law-she could carry his legacy forward, not Anika. Hriday knew it, and twisted circumstances in his favor. He used his daughter aaina as the string tying both fam-ilies together, while behind their backs, he was quietly tearing Ayushman apart-illegaly selling his shares and plotting his downfall in chaos."
It all makes sense now. Nanu had his hands in everything that belonged to Oberois. Personal matters, business deals... everything.
"But his game flipped when... when his daughter aaina discovered their betrayal... the contract that bound her only to bear an heir and then leave. She rebelled, wanted to walk away from both families, with her children. She was even ready to fight for it legally."
"But neither Ayushman nor hriday could allow that. Hriday, because if his daughter left the Oberoi name, he'd lose access to their c-confidential affairs. And that might spark a war between the two families."
"I always worked for hriday, but pretended loyalty to Ayushman, just to hold his trust. And after your mother demanded for divorce and custody, hriday ordered me to turn Ayushman against her. With my help, he spread fake news... lies that Aaina Oberoi was a corrupt doctor, running sex rackets behind her healing therapies... we destroyed her reputation within two days."
He inhales, then the words slip out. "Your... your masi messed with your mother's meds, Switched her panic control tablets for... for drugs that would trigger her mental health... your grandfather knew it. Everyone knew in the fam-family except Meera Oberoi. It was all to prove she was mentally unfit."
My jaw pulsates so hard it fucking hurts, every cell in me just wants to cram all the bullets from my gun into this fucker's chest. But no, I need the truth first. True or false? I'll deal with it later.
"And suddenly one day," His voice drops too timid and slow "... On your brother's birthday, I was underground when I got a call from Hriday... ordering me to prepare Aaina Oberoi's death certificate and list it as a Suicide. I was shocked. He even called me to Oberoi Palace that same day, taking responsibility for my safety."
Silence.
Scary, heavy.
Drenched in anticipation.
"I can never forget that... happened in the basement."
His words don't surprise me, because I've seen it all. Lived those terrifying moments.
The screams, cruel laughs, the shadows in the darkness of that basement flashes before my eyes... once again.
F L A S H B A C K
After preparing Aayansh's birthday cake, aaina places the candle shaped like an '8' on top. With slow, steady hands, she writes a wish in cream 'Happy 8th birthday to my boy, my ansh. Always remember, your mom loves you and aashi more than anyone in this world.'
A faint smile tugging on her dull face.
She sets the glass lid over the cake, removes her apron just as her phone rings from the slab.
She checks the text from her senior Doctor, Dr. Singhania- Aaina! I owe you the truth. You've always helped me in my hardships, so I can't keep this to myself anymore. I know who's behind destroying your name, reputation and your life. Somewhere I was also involved in this, I'm guilty. They'll kill me if not today, then someday. But you deserve to know those names, I'll be waiting for you in the Hospital's cafè.
~ Dr. R. M Singhania
Aaina's fingers freeze on the screen, she rereads the text-once-twice. Her lips part but no sound comes out, but the shift in her is lethal. All these days she suffocated herself, blamed herself for the things she was never guilty of, bleeding through nights of tears.
Not anymore!
She clutches her phone and calls for Amira, the head maid.
Amira rushes in, "Yes, ma'am?"
"Take care of Aashi, don't let her out of your sight. I'll be back soon."
Without another word, aaina turns and leaves.
She reaches the car, fingers wrapping around the handle. The moment the door opens, her phone rings again. Her chest tightens when she sees the caller ID- papa.
For a moment, the woman inside her fades, and a little girl with a wounded heart takes over. The little daughter who's aching to rush to her father, hide in his arms and tell him how unfair the world has been to her, complain about everyone who did wrong to her.
But how unlucky she is, to whom should she complain? Her father is one of them.
She brushes a single tear from her cheek and answers the call. "Aaina-" Hriday's voice slithers through the line.
"I'll call you later papa, I have to finish something." She cuts in firmly.
"Finish what?" His tone tightens, suspicious.
Aaina exhales, gathering the courage. "The things I was never guilty of, and everyone who betrayed me."
Silence hangs over the line.
Then comes Hriday's low, deliberate voice, "Who... are they? Do you- know the names?"
"I will, soon enough" Aaina replies, "I'm going to meet Dr. Singhania, he will give me all the answers."
"Singhania?" Hriday murmurs to himself, then his voice softens like honey- "Beta, stay in the palace. I'm coming, I can't let you meet anyone alone, it's not safe."
"No need-"
"Aaina! That's your father's order."
The call disconnects, Aaina sighs. Helpless, she gets inside the palace.
Minutes pass as Aaina waits in the hall, her uneasiness inside her refuses to fade. On her phone, she reaches for Dr. Singhania's number, and this time, his phone continues to show switched off.
Aaina isn't naïve, she knows exactly what this could mean. Maybe Dr. Singhania-
She dials Aayansh's teacher, heart pounding. The call connects, and she barely waits to speak. "Where's my son?"
"Calm down, Mrs. Oberoi. He's playing," the teacher says gently. "Uh... it's his birthday, right? Should I send him back?"
"No... no, I'll come get him myself, by evening" Aaina says quickly, trying to keep her voice steady.
Her heart twists with unease, restless and pounding. Fear. The thought she might not be able to see her children again, that something terrible is waiting for her.
Another notification pings. Her fingers scramble over the screen... and then, in a heartbeat, her world fractures. Her eyes go wide, disbelief rooting her to the spot before she topples back onto the couch.
Meanwhile she's dazed, some footsteps echo faintly in her ears... she turns her head-and freezes-her father heading near, with some other men.
She springs up, rushing toward him, voice cracking "Pap-"
But a sudden, sharp slap lands across her face. The force throws her off balance, and she stumbles to the floor. The corner of her lips glistens with blood. Her eyes locked on her father, disbelief and horror freezing her... he had just slapped her.
"Dumb girl, you've sworn to ruin all my years of planning, huh?" He barks, tone dark with barely contained rage. "I got you married in this family to use you as living poison in their veins... To ruin their bloodline."
Aaina's body, with her mind goes numb. The man in front is her father, her own father, crueler than any monster she has ever feared.
"You want names?" His voice slices through the silence, "It's me, aaina. It was always me."
Deafening silence stretches, cold and cruel.
Aaina doesn't move. Doesn't speak. How is she supposed to react? Scream? Curse? Fight back to her father? Maybe her throat has bled enough for all this.
"Rajvansh princess," One of the men drawls, his gaze crawling over aaina's body. "Never thought royalty could look this tempting."
Disgust floods Aaina's eyes as she forces herself to stand.
"Take her to the basement" Her father, Hriday's voice booms, cold, ruthless.
He moves ahead indifferent, as two of the men clutch aaina by the hair and drag her forward. She struggles, her cries echoing through the hall, but her strength is nothing before their brutal force.
Minutes later, they throw aaina in the dark basement, terrifying silence. Her wrists are scraped raw, eyes red, face stained with tears and dust. Still she struggles to move away from their tall shadows. Scratches are all over her wrists, eyes red and face tear streaked.
They laughs cruelly at her condition, one of those men mocks "Oberois' personal slut, now she'll entertain us."
Her dry eyes, once locked to her father, shifts to the monsters surrounding her. Fear slithers through her veins, one woman against so many men masquerading as human. But not for a second she let it show on her face, let them have the satisfaction that she's scared of them.
"You're my daughter, I never wanted this for you." Hriday hisses, voice void of any affection- "But you're eager to ruin everything, you left no option for me. You were only ever here to get married, be used and spit out a child after nine months. Jhansi ki rani banne ki zarurat nahi thi tumhe, sab jaisa chal raha tha waise chalne deti."
And with her father's words, she died another death. A daughter's first saviour is always her father, who holds her hands when she takes her first step, who makes her believe she can grow safely in this evil world. Not because she needs it, but because to a father, a daughter is fragile... someone meant to be nurtured with all love and care.
And this daughter's illusion.... Shattered.
More footsteps echo through the basement, but Aaina doesn't turn. Ahead, standing silently, are her husband Aaryan Oberoi. Her brother-in-law Rithvik Oberoi. And the lawyer, Vidyut Dhanrajgir. Dazed but helpless.
Here, hriday presses a cigarette between his lips, exhaling smoke like venom. "Do whatever you want, don't kill her. Just make sure she gets disgusted by herself once you all are done."
Aaina's eyes widened, cruel laughs echoing. Those men step near her, tall and monstrous shadows, spitting filth.
"Should we taste her one by one, or all at once, huh?"
"Tell us, woman, would you yourself take off your saree or want us to rip it?"
"Oh, pride is still there on her face. Let's strip it out with her clothes. I've never experienced tasting such a dignified beautiful woman."
Aaina scrambles backward, her ankle is strained and she can't even pull herself up, still she never stops trying as those filth filled eyes gawk at her like wolves.
"Pa-papa stop them" She screams, her voice breaking with fear as she struggles to move away.
"Don't you dare touch me,"
"Aar-aaryan, I'm still your wife."
"Rithvik-"
Tears of helplessness fill in Rithvik's eyes as he bows his head, Aaryan also stands helpless.
Here, eleven year old aashika who was searching for aaina throughout the palace, and halted before the basement's glass door. She drags a chair and climbs onto it, peering inside, the darkness stares back. At first, she can't see anything, but then finds shadows moving... big and haunting.
Someone gasping for air in between.
She presses her palms harder against the glass, squinting through the darkness.
Too many shadows, laughing creepily while someone's in pain.
They're doing something wrong, she senses it. Aaina has always told her when she sees something wrong happening, never stay silent. But her throat hurts, she herself doesn't realise why.
Amid those dim shadows, she sees the fragile frame dragging itself backward across the floor. The red saree, Aayansh's favorite, the one Aaina had worn for his birthday, shimmers faintly in the darkness. And that's when Aashika recognizes her mother.
"Mom..." She whispers, eyes freezing on aaina.
"You're already declared a whore to the world, so becoming one won't make any difference." Her father's voice reached her ears.
Once more, Aaina tries to stand when a hard kick lands on her abdomen and she falls back with a scream. Tears of pain and helplessness pool unhinged from her eyes- when aashika's muffled screams draw her back to her senses.
"Mom-No... no... leave her bad monsters-Dad, chachu, Aayansh." Though Aashika's not able to see anyone's face.
Aaina convulses, not with her own suffering, but the panic, fear... her little daughter is amid these demons. Watching her in this condition!
"Please, please" She begs, the thing she'd never done before, just for her daughter she begs "Meri bachhi ko yahan se door karo, please."
Aaryan's gaze darts to the door, and he barks "Get my daughter away from here, she's not part of this."
Meanwhile, something dark and twisted churns in Hriday's mind. After a beat, he slurs, "Where's Aayansh? Bring him here too."
A fresh wave of disgust and hate surges through aaina. She stares at her father, voice ragged but deadly. "Count yourself l-lucky, my son isn't here. Otherwise he would have torn you apart."
Hriday's eyes narrow, then he laughs. Ordering his men... "What are you all waiting for, motherfuckers? Just finish her."
Aaina wipes her tears, breath ragged as she screams toward the door,
"Aashi Bachha, go away! Nothing will hap-happen to me. Just go!"
From outside, aashika's trembling voice answers, choked with sobs,
"No! I won't-never!"
In between the cries, aaina's eyes flick to a sharp glass shard lying on the floor.
And something inside her shifts.
Her body aches, bruised and spent. She knows she won't be able to fight back anymore, and the people she once trusted blindly, they're here to watch her breaking, her dignity crushing beneath their cruelty.
Those men, their filthy shadows hover over her.
She closes her eyes for a moment... Aayansh Aashika's face flashing before them... and a faint smile, born with tiniest comfort after so much pain, brushes her lips.
And just as those filthy hands reach for her, in a blink, she grabs the shard of glass from near her and plunges it deep into her own stomach.
Blood pools around her as she collapses to the floor, body trembling with pain. Every person present freezes, eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
It wasn't an easy choice.
Dignity or life?
But she made it, she chose a death that felt like hers, with dignity. She was born pure, and chose to die pure.
Here, little aashika stands frozen, she can't move. Her mother's red saree, once beautiful and bright, now soaked in blood. She doesn't cry, doesn't blink. Somewhere inside her, she knows her mother is finally at peace. No more screams, no more pleading. Just stillness.
Though she can't see her face.
Aaryan's voice trembles under his anger. "What should we do now?"
Hriday's eyes stay on Aaina's body. Then, slowly, that cruel smirk returns.
"I planned a suicide," he whispers, "and she made it easy."
"Everyone, out!" Hriday growls, his voice cutting through the chaos. He turns to one of his men. "Call the cops."
They scramble toward the exit. Aashika, still trembling on the chair, quickly climbs down and slips behind the massive door, pressing herself against it...hidden, unseen. In the uproar, no one even realizes she's still there.
Minutes later, silence devours the space.
Aaina lies slumped on the cold basement floor, drenched in blood... utterly alone.
Once everyone leaves, little Aashika runs straight to her mother. She drops to her knees beside Aaina, tears that had dried moments ago spilling again down her cheeks. Her tiny hands tremble as they cup her mother's cold face... ruined, lifeless.
| Bg song: Aisa kyun maa | COMPULSORY PLAYING TO FEEL THE SCENE!
"Mom..." her voice cracks, broken. "Please, get up... please. I'll call the doctor-mom, please..."
She looks around... only darkness answers her.
Her tears fall onto Aaina's closed lids as she shakes her body, desperate, expecting some sign of movement... anything.
"Please don't leave me-please" She begs, by now, her hands are stained with Aaina's blood.
With her trembling palm, she touches aaina's stomach gently, as if she's scared to death if she'll hurt her more.
But then-
Aaina's lashes flutter, just a little.
Aashika's tear filled eyes shift to her face, desperate, aching as she mumbles "Mom... aapko boht dard ho raha hai na?"
Aaina's eyelids part, just enough to catch a blurred picture of her little girl.
Her blood soaked, trembling hand rises to touch Aashika's face, Aashika quickly holds her hand and guides it to her face.
"Do-Don't cry, bach-ha, Don't" Her voice is almost dead, barely open eyes locked on aashika's face. "Your mo-m is going... to a better pl-place." She wipes her tears with her shivering fingers.
"Take me with you, Mumma, please" Aashika hisses.
"No," Aaina chokes, her body's temperature is dropping constantly, she's in pain. But not for a second, she lets aashika sense it. "Listen to-to me, aashi. Nev...never have the hea-rt so good, that you end-end up blee...ding like this. Take- take care of.. your little brother, Hmm?"
Aashika meets her mother's dying gaze without flinching. Inside her, promising herself, she'll follow everything her mother says from now on. Everything.
"Bachha..." Aaina breathes out, voice fading, gesturing weakly toward the gun lying a few feet away. "Pick it up..."
Without hesitation, Aashika moves. Her small fingers close around the heavy weapon, its coldness biting into her skin.
"You-you've seen d-dadu using it," Aaina Whispers, her breath trembling "Press it's t-trigger on me."
"No! no... no mom, it'll hurt you" Aashika cries, shaking her head as tears soak her face once again.
Aaina shuts her eyes, her body convulsing with pain, she lets her head fall back. A slow gasp searing out her lips.
Then, slowly, she forces her eyes open, looking at her daughter again. Pleading, broken.
"Your... your mother is- is already in pain, bachha. End this for me. Let- me go, I'm so tir-tired."
Aashika's mind and heart starts racing before numbing, how can she? Her eyes drop the blood still oozing down Aaina's stomach.
For a second, her mind clings to one thought.
Mom is in pain, I have to end this.
She is in pain.
She wants me to end it.
Her mind repeats the same thing.
Her tiny hands lifts the gun up, trembling, eyes dry now, lock onto aaina's fading face.
Slowly, she presses her fingers against the trigger, every nerve in her body shudders but she pushes through until-
A gunshot cracks.
Next moment, aaina lies still on the cold floor. Eyes barely open, lips parted slightly, the bullet has hit her on forehead, between eyes.
The gun from Aashika's hands drops.
And this was the goodbye they never deserved.
No one does.
She stares at her body unblinking, the innocence of a child dies inside her.
A F T E R A F E W H O U R S
Aashika lies curled up on her bed, trembling. The room is silent, but her mind isn't.
Aaina's face hasn't left her eyes for even a second. Shadows keep replaying, crawling back one by one. Especially that one... the man who smiled. That horrible, creepy smile.
The door is locked.
Unease crawls through her veins as her breaths grow shallow. Her throat aches, thrashing for air... but all she inhales is something strange.
A faint hiss fills the room.
Gas.
Of course.
Those monsters wouldn't spare her either, the only witness to her mother's suffering.
She stumbles off the bed, coughing violently as the air thickens with smoke.
Her tiny fists slam against the door, frantic, desperate "Mom, dad Please!"
No one listens.
Her throat burns, lungs begging for air that doesn't exist. The suffocation claws up her chest, and then...
a faint crackle turns into a roar.
Flames lick the curtains first.
Then the walls.
Within seconds, the room is an inferno-
orange and merciless, devouring everything in sight.
Her little body trembles as she bangs the door again, coughing harder now. Her voice lost somewhere in the smoke. "Please! I can't breathe." She cries.
The smoke gets thicker. Her eyes sting so much she can't even see anymore. She stumbles back, choking, her chest tightening as the fire roars louder, feeding on everything around her.
Her knees hit the floor, and she crawls toward the window, the flames close in. Her breaths turn shallow, weaker each second. She tries to call out one last time, "Mom..." but the word never leaves her mouth.
The fire devours everything... the bed, the curtains, the air, and then, her small motionless frame.
By the time the fire dies down hours later, all that's left is ashes and smoke.
And Aashika Oberoi is presumed dead.
IN A COTTAGE—
Slowly, aashika's heavy lids part and she finds herself in a strange, unfamiliar place. She doesn't get up, too exhausted to move.
Just when she finds someone sitting near, her eyes shift to her Nanu. The moment she realises him close, she throws her arms around him and starts crying, mumbling many things.
Her voice fades into soft sobs, her tiny frame trembling in his arms. Hriday strokes her hair gently, his expression unreadable.
"Shh," he soothes, pressing her head to his chest. "You're safe now, princess. Nanu's here."
"They... they killed mom, Nanu."
"Who-princess, have you seen their faces?"
She shakes her head weakly, believing the mask on him, clutching his shirt tighter.
But as she drifts back into uneasy sleep, Hriday's gaze hardens. That same slow, crooked smile deepens.
Good, he thinks, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. You didn't see. You don't know.
For now, the only witness to her mother's death still breathes... under his roof, in his control.
P R E S E N T
That man saved me from the flames, the flames he'd set to watch me burn, and I trusted him. After that day, he vanished. No one saw him again. While I fought to keep living, I couldn't die, not until I tear those fuckers with my own hands.
"That day, he succeeded," Vidyut continues, his voice flat but edged with bitterness. "Because after that, nothing was left of the Oberois. Aaina Oberoi's case was buried, and the family... fragmented."
I don't answer, all I can feel is hurt. I feel my heart bleeding, not for me, for her, my mom. How much pain did she endure? Betrayed by even her father, the man meant to protect her.
After years, I just want to fall to my knees and cry, bleed my heart out like that same twelve year old girl... who gave last rites to her mother the way no daughter would ever dream of.
But no, not yet.
Vidyut's previous words recall in my mind.
'Your sister-in-law is in danger.'
I yank his collar forward, eyes blazing "How's my sister-in-law in danger? What is he going to do?"
He flinches, "He had made his m-move long ago." My eyes thinned, I let him bark.
"B‑Body double," Vidyut stammers, voice trembling. "Aayansh Oberoi's body double. It took us years to perfect him-his voice, his walk, every damn habit. He was the most crucial piece in Hriday's game."
He draws a sharp breath. "Two months ago, when the King went to Russia... the man who came back wasn't him. It was his double. King is still trapped somewhere, and the imposter.... he's living among you, finishing the last step of the plan."
My mind races.
I just can't, I can't believe it.
From the last two months, the person living with us hasn't been my brother, it's his body double, how come?
How is that even possible?
And yet... it all makes sense.
He's still with Tara, he has isolated her, keeping her away from everyone's eyes. What if he's done something terrible to her? What if-
"What is the last step?" I bark, teeth clenched, heart hammering.
Vidyut swallows, voice tense. "His last win-He wants to end KING! The sole power among the mafias, just to establish his rule."
"Years ago, he conspired against Ayushman Oberoi for the same reason, he wanted the throne all to himself. Sending the body double here, it's all part of his plan. The body double will bring Queen, and you- to Rome. His KINGDOM. And he will kill her (Tara) and you, right in front of the king's eyes."
There's a rule in the underworld, whoever ends the current sole power, with or without his family, holds the throne next.
So that fucker wants to end Aayansh.
Should I just laugh or pity him?
It demands some serious, no extreme guts to even think about plotting against the king, and thinking you'll succeed. But after all, he's our grandfather-the trace of his blood runs through our veins.
But how the fuck Aayansh's letting all this happen? His body Double and everything.
I'm not dumb to trust this deceiver's words all at once, although they make sense.
"Tomorrow's the day, the party where he'll claim the throne" Vidyut concludes, catching my attention "Tomorrow, the body double will bring Queen to Rome, and maybe you as well."
No.
I can't let this happen, not with tara.
But she's with that imposter, I don't even have an idea where she is.
Author—
Meanwhile, aashika's drowned in her thoughts, a slow, crooked smile forms on vidyut's lips.
|| R O M E || Colosseum, Midnight
They say the devil never walks on holy ground... but his darkness kneels no god, no law, no light.
The dark night stretches long over Rome, men clad in black, guns in hands, waiting in tense silence.
The wind roars, cutting through silence as a sleek black jet descends down. The door slides open, thick and dark smoke rolling out first. Then a silhouette emerges, tall, stepping into the faint light.
His hands bound behind his back with iron shackles, yet there's no hint of submission, no fear in his eyes. Just the darkness that even divinity itself would fear. Sweat plaster his hair to his forehead, a smear of blood darkening the corner of his lips as his sinister gaze wanders around... calculating something.
Four men with guns encircled him, measuring every motion he makes under their sharp scrutiny.
The night air trembles again, another jet cuts through the clouds, breaking the stillness and it touches down with a roar.
The men present here stiffen, one of them declares-
"Il Padrino è qui"
| Godfather's here |
The door hisses open, and he steps out. Silver hair combed back, pale skin lined and weathered... A man in his late seventies. Yet his every step carries the weight of decades in power and blood.
And he's no one, but the name forgotten for long, the name buried in the bloodied pages of the past.
Hriday Singh Rajvansh.
Aaina's father.
Now? Camorra's godfather.
Time had bent him, carved lines on his face, but could never touch the power in his eyes.
He never stayed in one place, one country, and no one... no cops, no rivals, not even his own people can ever find him. A ghost, a shadow in every country or city, untouchable. Untraceable.
One of his men settles a leather sofa for him to sit, his eyes sharp beneath heavy lids, scan the Colosseum, finally lock onto the bound figure in the center... shackled before him.
"King, huh?" He lets out an evil chuckle, sinking onto the couch.
The man shackled in front is no one but Aayansh, there's no hesitation in his eyes, just a calculative calm.
"My boy..." Hriday's voice turns creepily soft, toying with the rosary beads, one by one, like counting his own sins. "Eight years old then... and now, you're a grown man." He pauses, voice dropping into a menacing whisper "A man standing exactly where I want him."
Aayansh's lips curl evilly, his mouth is stitched, he lets the people here choke on his stillness.
Hriday's expression hardens, rosary beads still rolling between his fingers as he murmurs to himself "Two months in a cage, and two long months since you vanished from Russia."
For the last two months, Aayansh was caged in an underground cryo-prison. Isolated, no human contact, just the minimum food to keep his body alive, but numerous attempts to kill his spirit.
They couldn't.
No one could.
Hriday continues his murmuring, "And still have the nerve to meet eyes with me-" His lips stretch into a sadistic grin. "After all, Oberoi blood. My daughter's fragment. She also fought till her last breath."
"Well.." His eyes shift to Aayansh, unblinking. "You've rotted in my cage long enough, wondering if your people still pray for your return, searching for you-gross."
"No one was ever waiting for you, my grandson" He chuckles menacingly, "The second you entered Russia, I'd already planned your homecoming."
Aayansh's eyes sharpens.
"Correction-not yours" Hriday pauses, anticipation surging in the air "Your shadow I could say, your Body double. He returned to India at your place, and has replaced you ever since your jet crashed and you ended up in my cage. It-was-all-my-plan."
Hriday's eyes search for any kind of shock, disbelief and fear on Aayansh's face... but there's just a menacing calmness on his face.
For a moment, frustration flickers on hriday's face when Aayansh doesn't give him the reaction he wants, he's expecting, but it's gone as fast as it comes.
His fingers freeze mid-count on the rosary beads, then he sneers, "He must be sleeping with your wif-"
Before the filth can leave his tongue, Aayansh's leg shoots forward, slamming into the sofa with brutal force. The man crashes backward, and in an instant, a dozen guns click, all aimed at Aayansh's head.
I N D I A—
In his cabin, Aaryan Oberoi leans back, a cigarette hanging lazily between his lips. His eyes fix on the file before him... and then, a slow, wicked smile creeps across his face.
"Your courage is commendable..." comes Rithvik Oberoi's voice, tense and more like a warning. "Knowing you won't be living anyway, you're throwing yourself at this risk just to make your death wor-"
"Shut up," Aaryan snaps, his eyes betraying a flash of fear beneath the arrogance. "Risk's a dangerous game, Rithvik. One blink, and the tables turn."
His eyes dropped to the file again, "The pregnancy reports sent to Aayansh are forged, but no one can prove this. No one." He rests his head against the headrest, his wicked grin deepening "These reports say Tara's is five weeks pregnant. And Aayansh was in Russia back then, let him believe she betrayed him. Everything will fall into place."
With his words, a flashback crashes into him.
It was the morning of Rivaan's sangeet. After receiving an urgent call from Kia, Tara was leaving to meet her at the said cafè. She was about to head out when her phone buzzed again, one glance at the screen and her head started spinning. Her vision fading into haze. Before she could stumble, Aashika, just stepping there, reached out and steadied her.
Minutes later, she lay unconscious in the room. A female doctor examined her while only aashika stayed by her side. Rest waited in the hall, tensed.
"Is she alright?" Aashika asked the doctor, her voice edged with tension, hiding a resentment gnawing at the back of her mind.
"Hope she is," Doctor replied, her tone gentle. "I've taken her blood sample to be sure, I'll update you once the reports are in."
Aashika nods, and the doctor heads off the room.
Just as the doctor reached downstairs, a voice from behind halted her steps. Turning, she saw Aaryan Oberoi coming toward her, hands neatly folded behind him, expressions sharp and serious. "What's happened to my daughter-in-law?"
"Uh... Mr. Oberoi-" She faltered, voice careful "I'll be able to update you after I go through her medical reports."
"Hmm" He agreed, his tone commanding "The reports should come to me, not anyone else."
In the room, Aashika's phone rang. She picked the call and a voice on the other end informed. "We've captured that agent girl."
Her cold eyes shifted to Tara, jaw tight with barely restrained tension.
"You truly have no idea what your son is, Bhaisahab." Rithvik's voice snaps Aaryan out of his thoughts, his gaze hardens. "You think you're playing with him-"
A knock at the door.
Their eyes shift to see Aaryan Oberoi's business associate, Shanaya khan standing there.
Shaking his head, Rithvik stands and exits the cabin. Shanaya walks near Aaryan Oberoi, settling herself on his lap with a sly, seductive smile.
"You're needy, Mr. Oberoi," She murmurs, tracing her fingers along his neck with deliberate grace. She leans in, whispering "Aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm a man with needs" He takes her wrist in his hand, lust glistening in his gaze. "And one woman could never satisfy those... needs."
E V E N I N G| Aayansh's Private Villa
Tara's eyes flutter open, realising she'd been asleep for hours. Evening shadows fill the room. She sits up, her sleepy gaze wandering, soft wind drifting through the half-open balcony.
... something feels off.
Aayansh hasn't returned. With a quiet yawn, she pushes herself off the bed and picks her phone. The screen lights up, no network. Not a single bar. Her eyes narrowed, unease settling under her skin.
Tara sets the phone back and lifts her gaze to the mirror, she sweeps her hair into a messy bun, fatigue written across her face. Aayansh's black hoodie hangs loose on her frame, smelling faintly of him.
She makes her way out, the villa's swallowed in complete silence. The dark interior and the weight of loneliness prick at her nerves, her eyes dart through the hallway, searching for any sign if Aayansh has returned.
But there's no one around.
Her quiet steps resound in her ears as she halts outside Aayansh's study, a chilling awareness settling in... someone is inside.
Without making any sound, she eases the door just enough to peek inside and the sight before sends a chilling shiver race down her spine.
A man's body sprawled on the floor, blood dripping down his throat. Near the body, Aayansh is sitting on his tiptoes, dark eyes fixed on the card in his hand as he's checking something on it. His face is deadly calm and unreadable.
There's a message written on it in Italian.
"È giunto il momento, il tuo ultimo passo. Porta entrambe le donne nel Regno del padrino, Roma."
|Time has come, your last step. Bring the queen to godfather's Kingdom, Rome|
Tara's legs root to the place, fingers trembling as she grips the edge of the door.
No sound.
Just terrific silence.
Unaffected, Aayansh doesn't look up, doesn't turn to spare her a glance, focused on the card in his hand as he orders "Go back to the room, amour." His cold and commanding voice leave no room for her to blink even.
She snaps back into her senses, letting go of the hoodie she'd been clutching all the while.
Without a second thought, she rushes back to the room, heart hammering inside her chest.
Aayansh stands, placing the card on the table. He wipes the blood smeared across his knuckles and fingers with a tissue before reaching for his phone and texting someone.
Here, Tara sits frozen on the bed, still stunned.
Aayansh steps into the room after a few minutes, Tara's eyes snap to him... the dark stains on his shirt. He shrugs off his blazer, movements calm, expression cold and unreadable as if he's piecing together something in that dangerous mind of his.
He starts heading toward Tara when she breathes "Aayansh..." her voice barely audible as her timid and uncertain gaze lingers on him. "Who was he? And why are you keeping me here... away from everyone?"
He rests his one knee on bed, tilting on her face. His fingers curl around her cheek, not soft, but a touch that warns more than comforting "Kya dekha tumne wahan?"
She hesitates, confused. Then answers "You-You killed someone."
"Exactly" His gaze locks onto hers, dark and unblinking and voice calm as ice. "And this isn't the first time you've seen me doing that. Tumne bohot baar mujhe aise dekha bhi hai. Samjha bhi hai." He leans in and pecks her lips "So this shock in your eyes is useless."
But before he can move back, Tara wraps her arms around his neck, knees sinking into the mattress as she hugs him tight, eyes shut out of fear and face hidden in his chest.
He places his hands on either side of her waist, pulling her closer. No tenderness, just a hold of control when she mutters "Why is everything so... weird, Aayansh?"
"Because I want it to be." He answers, his lips brush her earlobe.
She says nothing, timid, clinging to him like a scared child. He lifts her as it is, her legs locking around his torso, face still hidden in his chest as he carries her towards the bathroom.
He pushes the door open with his foot, setting her down beneath the shower. Warm water gushes down, drenching tara. She shivers, standing still under the stream as her soaked hair clings to her face.
Aayansh's intense eyes scan her for a brief moment, the soaked hoodie clinging to her frame, he's tilted on her slightly, she doesn't lift her head... as if thinking something.
He locks his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest as he leans in further, and whispers darkly in her ear "So my little wife is ready for her life's first adventure."
I know i know so much confusion! SO MANY GAMES, SO MANY CONSPIRACIES, SO MANY PLAYERS
But everything will end at one place.
NEXT CHAPTER IS AAYANSH'S POV
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE IF YOU ENJOYED THE CHAPTER
AND YES, THE BOOK CANT ALWAYS BE LEADS CENTRIC, IT HAD TO BE PLOT CENTRIC AS WELL. NOW SOME OF YOU WILL FIND THIS CHAPTER BORING BECAUSE AAYANSH TARA KE SCENES NAHI THE, SORRY BABIES.
LOVE YOU.
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