Chapter -32

A chill ran down Roohi's spine as she instinctively shrank back, gripping Aarav’s hand tightly. Aarav positioned himself in front of Roohi, his small frame trying to shield her from whatever was to come.

The man who entered had a menacing presence. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and the dim light highlighted the cold, calculating expression on his face. His eyes, dark and devoid of any warmth, scanned the room before locking onto the two children.

“Well, well,” the man’s voice was low and smooth, dripping with malice. “What do we have here? Two little lost lambs trying to escape the wolf’s den?”

Aarav’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything. He knew better than to provoke this man. Instead, he subtly edged Roohi further behind him, trying to protect her from the full brunt of the stranger’s cruel gaze.

"Who are you? And what the heck do you need from us?" Aarav demanded, his voice steady, betraying no hint of the fear churning in his stomach.

Beside the man was a boy around 13 years old. His face bore a noticeable scar, a jagged line that stretched from his left eye to his chin, a reminder of a past encounter with violence. The boy, Michael, stood silently, his face a mask of indifference, seemingly unaffected by the tension in the room.

The man moved closer, towering over Aarav, who glared up at him with a mix of defiance and fear. The man reached out, his hand cold as it gripped Aarav’s chin, forcing the boy to meet his gaze. “You’re a brave little one, aren’t you?” the man hissed, his eyes narrowing.

Aarav didn’t flinch, even as the man’s grip tightened painfully. He refused to give this monster the satisfaction of seeing him afraid.

"Nicholas Fedendis is the name," the man finally said, a smirk curling his lips. "Perhaps you've heard of me, hmm? Your father certainly has."

Nicholas Fedendis. The name struck a chord with Aarav. He had heard whispers of this man from his father's hushed conversations and the stories exchanged among the Raichand guards. Nicholas was a notorious figure in the underworld, a former ally turned foe of both Abhay Raichand and Rudraksh Oberoi. Years ago, he had been involved in a treacherous betrayal that led to a mafia war. It was during this conflict that Aarav’s mother, Anika Raichand, had been caught in the crossfire and murdered. Nicholas was rumored to have played a role in her death, aligning himself with a rival faction to destabilize the Raichand and Oberoi families.

The man finally released Aarav, his gaze shifting to Roohi, who cowered behind him. “And you,” he said softly, his voice dripping with menace as he crouched down to her level. "So beautiful. I wonder how you will look when you grow up."

Roohi shivered, feeling the cold, predatory gaze of Nicholas sweep over her. Aarav's protective instinct flared, and he stepped in front of Roohi again, his fists clenched. "Leave her alone!" he shouted, his voice breaking with a mix of anger and fear.

Nicholas chuckled darkly, clearly amused by Aarav's bravery. "Ah, the little lion protecting his cub," he mused. "How touching."

He then turned to the boy beside him. "Michael, take the girl to another room," he ordered, his tone turning cold and authoritative.

Michael moved forward without hesitation. He was used to following Nicholas’s commands, his face still devoid of emotion. Aarav tried to hold onto Roohi, but Michael was stronger, easily prying her from Aarav’s grip.

"No! Let me go!" Roohi screamed, struggling against Michael's hold, her eyes wide with fear.

Aarav tried to grab her back, but Nicholas shoved him back with a force that sent him crashing into the wall. "Stay put, boy," Nicholas growled. "This is not a game you can win."

As Roohi was dragged away, Aarav's heart pounded in his chest. He felt a surge of desperation and helplessness. He knew he had to think fast, to come up with a plan to escape and save Roohi.

But for now, he could only watch as she disappeared through the door, the sound of her cries echoing in his ears. The darkness of the room seemed to close in on him, but Aarav's mind was already racing, determined to find a way out of this nightmare.

Michael led Roohi down a narrow, dimly lit hallway, his grip firm on her small wrist. Roohi's heart was pounding in her chest, her mind racing with fear and confusion. She struggled against his hold, but Michael was too strong, his grip unwavering as he pulled her along.

They stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. Michael fished a key out of his pocket, inserted it into the lock, and turned it with a loud click. The door creaked open, revealing a small, cramped room. Inside, Roohi could see a group of other girls, all of them around her age or older than her.

They looked scared and exhausted, their eyes wide with fear as they huddled together on the floor. Some of the girls had tear-streaked faces, and their clothes were dirty and torn.

Michael pushed Roohi into the room, and she stumbled forward, catching herself just before she fell. The door slammed shut behind her, and she heard the lock click again, trapping her inside. She stood there for a moment, her eyes adjusting to the dim light, before she slowly approached the group of girls.

One of the older girls, a tall girl with long, tangled hair and a kind face, stepped forward. “Are you okay?” she asked softly, her voice trembling with worry.

Roohi nodded, though her heart was still racing. “I… I don’t know why I’m here,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “They took me and my friend… I don’t know what’s going to happen to us.”

The older girl placed a reassuring hand on Roohi’s shoulder. “None of us know,” she admitted. “We were all taken from different places. Some of us were with our families, others were alone. But we’re together now, and we have to look out for each other, okay?”

Roohi nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. She could see the fear in the other girls’ eyes, and it mirrored her own. But she also saw something else—a spark of determination, a quiet strength that came from being together in such a terrifying situation. She knew she had to stay strong, for herself and for the other girls.

“Do you know why they took us?” Roohi asked the older girl, her voice barely above a whisper.

The older girl shook her head. “No, they don’t tell us anything. But we think they want to use us for something… something bad.”

Roohi felt a chill run down her spine at the girl’s words. She looked around the room, taking in the frightened faces of the other girls. They were all trapped here, and they needed to find a way out.

“We have to get out of here,” Roohi said, her voice firm with resolve. “We can’t just sit here and wait for whatever they have planned for us.”

The older girl nodded. “We’ve been trying to come up with a plan, but it’s hard. They watch us all the time, and the doors are always locked.”

Roohi thought of Aarav and how he had tried to protect her. She knew he would be trying to find a way out too, and she needed to do her part. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “We’ll figure something out,” she said, more to herself than to the others. “We have to.”

The girls huddled together, whispering and sharing what little information they had. Roohi listened carefully, taking in everything they said. She knew their best chance of escape would be to work together, to use their combined strength and determination to find a way out of this nightmare.

As they spoke, Roohi’s fear slowly began to fade, replaced by a growing sense of resolve. She was scared, but she wasn’t alone. They had each other, and together, they would find a way to escape. She was sure of it.