68. Found

Thank God..

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The sun had barely risen, casting a faint orange hue across the city.

Daksh's black SUV screeched to a halt outside a small, worn-out house on the outskirts of town.

His jaw was set, his eyes cold, as he stepped out, Aarush silently trailing behind him.

Daksh knocked on the door once, twice—no answer. Frustrated, he pushed it open.

The faint creak of the door was followed by the sight of Divya's grandmother sitting on the couch, her face drained of all color as she didn't get any answer when she knocked on Aman's door.

"Where is Divya?" Daksh asked, his voice calm but laced with steel.

The elderly woman froze, her lips trembling as though she couldn’t find the words.

Daksh narrowed his eyes at her strange reaction, and Aarush took a step closer, sensing something was wrong.

Just then, a man stumbled out of one of the rooms, clutching his bleeding head.

"That witch attacked me!" he yelled, his voice echoing in the otherwise silent house.

His hand was pressed against his temple, blood seeping through his fingers. The sight was ghastly, but Daksh’s sharp gaze didn’t miss the fear and anger in the man’s eyes.

Aarush immediately moved forward, his stance threatening, but Daksh raised a hand to stop him.

"Who are you?" Daksh demanded, his voice sharp and commanding.

The man—Aman—paused, looking at Daksh with disdain. "Who the fuck are you?" Aman spat, his words slurring slightly.

His bloodshot eyes darted to the grandmother before returning to Daksh. A twisted smirk appeared on his face. "What, are you that bitch's husband?"

For a moment, Daksh’s world froze.

His wife? Was this man referring to Divya?

His jaw clenched, his fists curling tightly as a wave of fury and disbelief surged through him.

"Speak with respect," Aarush growled, stepping closer to Aman, his eyes blazing with danger.

But Daksh was no longer paying attention. His eyes moved past Aman, locking onto the slightly ajar door of the room Aman had emerged from.

Something gnawed at his gut, an ominous feeling he couldn’t shake. Ignoring the heated exchange between Aarush and Aman, Daksh strode toward the room.

The moment he stepped inside, his breath hitched. The room was a scene of chaos.

Blood smeared the walls, the floor, the bed—everywhere. Broken furniture lay scattered around, and the metallic scent of blood was overpowering. Daksh’s chest tightened, panic clawing at his throat.

"Aarush!" he called out sharply, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

Aarush, who had been glaring at Aman, turned his head at the urgency in Daksh's voice.

Daksh didn’t wait. He stormed back to Aman, grabbing him by the collar. "Where is Divya?" he barked, his voice a mixture of anger and desperation.

Aman froze, his bravado crumbling under Daksh's deadly glare. "I-I don’t know," he stammered, his eyes darting nervously.

"Liar," Aarush hissed, pulling out his gun and pointing it at Aman’s head. "Tell us the truth, or you won’t live to see another second."

Daksh ignored them, his eyes scanning the blood-soaked room again. Something didn’t add up.

Aman’s injury was severe, but the amount of blood in the room was far too much for it to be just his.

A horrifying thought began to creep into Daksh’s mind, but he shook it off, unwilling to accept it. His hands trembled as he turned back to Aman.

"Whose blood is this?" Daksh asked, his voice cracking ever so slightly.

Aman hesitated, his lips trembling. "I-it's hers," he finally muttered, his voice barely audible.

The words hit Daksh like a sledgehammer. His vision blurred, anger and fear battling for dominance in his mind.

He didn’t wait for Aman to say more. He shoved him aside, his feet moving on their own as his eyes darted around the room, searching frantically. And then his gaze landed on the bathroom door.

It was closed. Locked.

Daksh’s heart pounded in his chest, the sound deafening in his ears. He rushed to the door, his hands shaking as he tried to open it. "Divya!" he called out, his voice breaking.

No response.

Panic overtook him. He slammed his shoulder against the door, once, twice, until it finally gave way. The sight that greeted him made his knees buckle.

Blood smeared the bathroom tiles in jagged patterns, as though someone had dragged themselves across the floor. His eyes followed the trail until they landed on her.

Divya.

Her fragile body lay crumpled on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood.

Her clothes were torn, her skin marred with brutal scratches and bruises.

Her once-radiant face was swollen and tear-streaked, her lips trembling faintly as though she was trying to speak.

Daksh fell to his knees, his entire world shattering around him. "Honeypie," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

He reached out with trembling hands, cradling her broken body in his arms. "Honeypie, look at me," he pleaded, his voice cracking as tears streamed down his face.

Her eyes fluttered open recognising his voice, her sight weak and unfocused. "Aksh," she whispered, her voice so faint it was almost inaudible. "It… hurts."

Those two words broke him. He bit back a sob, wrapping his coat around her battered frame.

"I’m here," he whispered, pressing a trembling kiss to her forehead. "You’re going to be okay. I promise." His voice faltered

He stood, clutching her tightly to his chest, and rushed out of the room.

Aarush, who had been keeping Aman subdued, froze when he saw Divya. His eyes widened, tears immediately pooling in them as he took in her state.

"Open the car door!" Daksh barked, his voice trembling with urgency.

Aarush snapped out of his daze, running to the car and yanking the door open.

Daksh slid into the backseat, cradling Divya protectively as Aarush started the car, speeding toward the hospital.

"Stay with me, Honeypie," Daksh whispered, his voice breaking. "Stay with me."

Divya’s eyelids fluttered, her weak voice barely audible. "I… tried… to fight."

"You’re strong," Daksh whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. "But please. Just hold on a little longer."

The car raced through the streets, the sound of the sirens and honking horns drowned out by the deafening silence in Daksh's heart. He didn’t care about anything else in that moment—only her.

•°•°•°•°•

She Is His World, And He Will Never Let Her Go...❤️‍🩹