45. Sahil's Dangerous Connections

Author's POV

Abhinav took a deep breath, his fingers tightening around the laptop as he pulled it from his bag. His jaw was set, his eyes dark with unspoken urgency. Without a word, he placed it on the table and turned it towards Ishika, his fingers flying over the keyboard before stopping abruptly.

"Read this," he said, his voice unnervingly calm.

Ishika frowned, confusion knitting her brows as she leaned in. Her gaze flickered across the screen.

"Devraj Shekhawat, real estate tycoon, business magnate… died in an explosion?"

Her voice trailed off into a whisper. A shiver ran down her spine as she turned to Abhinav.

"Explosion?" she repeated, her throat suddenly dry.

Abhinav didn't answer. Instead, he scrolled down. A new image filled the screen—a family photo, the words Shekhawat Family displayed beneath it. The picture exuded an air of quiet power and elegance.

Ishika’s confusion deepened. She barely had time to process it before Abhinav showed her another set of photos.

Her eyes darted back to the screen. Teenage photos now appeared—two boys in school uniforms, their faces bright with youth. She immediately recognized the boy on the left as Sahil. She had seen his teenage photos before—Grandma had shown her an old photo album of him.

But the other boy… she had never seen him before.

"Who is he?" she asked cautiously.

"Kabir Shekhawat."

"He was a classmate of Sahil," he said, his voice even but heavy with meaning.

She nodded slowly, the name unfamiliar yet somehow unsettling. But why was Abhinav telling her all this?

Then Abhinav’s next words sent a cold chill rushing through her veins.

"He went missing."

Her breath hitched.

"When did he go missing?" she asked, her pulse quickening.

"At the age of fourteen."

A heavy silence stretched between them. Then, Abhinav swiped again. A new image replaced the childhood photos.

The image was blurry, showing only a side profile. However, it vaguely revealed a young man in a white shirt and sunglasses, a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. He seemed to be on a yacht at sea.

Ishika swallowed hard. Something about the image sent an uneasy shudder through her.

"Who is he?" she asked.

Abhinav’s voice dropped, cold and precise.

"Kabir Shekhawat." He paused.

"The crime boss. The Godfather of South America."

Ishika frowned, confusion knitting her brows. She turned to her brother and asked, "Didn't you say he went missing? Then how did he become the Godfather?"

Abhinav sighed. "I don't know the full story, but I read a conspiracy theory that he killed the man responsible for the explosion and took his place as the Godfather."

Ishika felt the air leave her lungs. Her fingers curled tightly into fists as shock rooted her to the spot.

Abhinav met her wide eyes with unwavering seriousness.

Ishika couldn't even find the words to respond.

"Three months ago," Abhinav continued, "he went missing again at sea. His current status is still unknown."

Ishika barely registered the words before something clicked in her mind.

Three months ago.

Sahil had left for a business trip.

She had asked him—begged him—to settle their divorce, and he had told her to wait. That he had something important to do. Then, he had disappeared for an entire month.

Her heart pounded violently in her chest.

Abhinav was watching her carefully. Then, as if he had reached a decision, he shut the laptop with a quiet click.

"Speed up your divorce with Sahil," he said flatly.

Ishika’s breath hitched. She blinked at him, struggling to comprehend his sudden demand.

"What?" she whispered.

"You heard me," he said, his voice edged with urgency.

"But why? What does any of this have to do with—"

Abhinav leaned forward, his eyes dark and unrelenting.

"If he’s connected to these people," he said, enunciating each word carefully, "Di, do you really think his background is clean? If you stay by his side, you’ll be dragged into this sooner or later."

Ishika’s throat tightened.

"This information isn’t confirmed yet, is it?" she asked weakly.

Abhinav scoffed.

"Do you doubt me?"

"...Not exactly," she murmured, her mind reeling.

The walls around her felt like they were closing in. She pressed a hand to her temple, trying to steady her thoughts.

"Abhi… I know they were friends, but that doesn’t mean Sahil is still in touch with him," she finally said. "Besides, they were friends in school. Maybe they’ve lost contact since then."

Abhinav’s gaze hardened.

"Sahil has vast business empires in Europe and South America," he said, his voice dangerously low. "He’s an unstoppable force everywhere."

He looked her in the eye, the weight of his next words crashing down on her like a tidal wave.

"Di… do you think he’s not in contact with him?"

Ishika felt the floor slip from beneath her.

"Sahil has businesses in South America?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Abhinav gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"You were married to him for three years," he said. "And you know nothing about him."

Ishika’s hands trembled. Her gaze dropped to her wedding ring, its once-cherished glimmer now feeling like a chain around her finger. She thought of all those nights waiting for Sahil, believing his business trips were exhausting, thinking he was sacrificing everything for their future.

But now…

Could it be that… he was never the man she thought he was?

Could it be that he was involved in something illegal?

Her stomach twisted violently at the thought.

Abhinav suddenly reached out, taking her hands in his. His grip was firm, grounding her.

"Di," he said softly but fiercely, "you don't need to worry about anything. I won’t let any harm come to you. Not anymore. I’ll take care of you from now on. You did enough for me. Now, it’s my turn to look after you."

Ishika looked up, her vision blurring. Abhinav’s face was tight with determination, his eyes burning with a promise she had never seen before.

Her lips trembled as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek, her touch lingering with unspoken gratitude.

"My little brother has become a man," she whispered, a bittersweet smile breaking through the storm of emotions inside her.

She took a shaky breath and pulled herself together.

"We'll talk about this later," she said, her voice steadier. "Let me arrange your room. You must be tired."

Abhinav studied her, knowing she needed time to process everything. With a small nod, he stepped back, giving her the space she silently asked for.

But as he watched her walk away, he clenched his fists.

He knew this wasn’t over.

And he would make sure she was ready for whatever came next.

.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, in London, Sahil sneezed while sitting in his study.

Yash looked up at him. "Sir, are you catching a cold?"

"No," Sahil replied.

"Maybe someone is talking about you," Yash suggested with a grin.

"Don't be superstitious," Sahil said flatly.

Yash immediately closed his mouth.

***

Back at the mansion, after finishing dinner, Abhinav went upstairs to sleep.

Outside, the rain poured heavily, accompanied by loud thunderstorms.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Lightning flashed, and one strike sounded so close that it seemed to hit right behind Ishika, making her jump. She quickly hugged her pillow, her heart pounding.

Sleep evaded her as her mind raced with thoughts. She wanted to call Sahil but hesitated. What if he was really in trouble?

While tossing and turning, her phone suddenly rang. She picked it up and saw that it was Sahil.

She quickly sat up. "Hello?"

"Are you asleep?"

With his voice in her ears, Ishika sighed in relief. She sat barefoot on the floor, gazing at the night rain outside.

"No, I was just about to sleep," she said softly.

Sahil hummed. "Then I should cut the call. You might be sleepy."

Ishika responded immediately, "No! I mean... I’m not sleepy. Let’s talk for a little while."

A small smile tugged at Sahil’s lips. Her eagerness made his heart flutter.

"As you say," he replied.

Ishika hesitated for a moment before asking, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing much," Sahil said. "Just in my study, proofreading some documents."

Ishika leaned her head against the window, watching the raindrops race down the glass. "You work too much."

Sahil chuckled. "And you worry too much."

"Someone has to," she muttered under her breath.

Sahil heard it and smiled. "So, you worry about me?"

Ishika's heart skipped a beat. She bit her lip, unsure how to respond. "...Just making an observation," she finally said.

Sahil leaned back in his chair, his smile growing. "Hmm. Noted."

She licked her lips and tentatively asked, "Are you only gone there to find someone as you said before leaving."

"Or what? Expand business over here?" He quipped.

"Don't!" Ishika quickly added, "you're already filthy rich, so don't take the wrong path."

Sahil sensed the seriousness in her words and fell silent.

"You're already successful and have brought honor to your family. If your mom were here, she would be so proud." Ishika said.

Sahil felt a warmth spread through his heart. Wanting to lighten the conversation, he said, "If your parents were here, knowing how successful Abhinav is, they would be proud."

Ishika frowned. "What do you mean? Am I not successful?"

He chuckled. "You judge for yourself."

"I've lived well all these years. I secured my dream job. How am I not successful?" she argued.

Sahil walked out of his study, his hands clasped behind his back, and stepped into the corridor, gazing at the evening sky.

"Indeed," he murmured, a soft smile playing on his lips. "You’ve handled me… and no one else could have done that."

Ishika rolled her eyes. "Oh, so handling you is an achievement now?"

Sahil smirked. "Of course. Do you know how difficult I am?"

She scoffed. "Trust me, I do."

A deep chuckle rumbled through his chest. "Yet, you never gave up on me."

Ishika fell silent, gripping her phone a little tighter. She had never really thought about it that way. No matter how much time had passed or how much distance had grown between them, she had always been there—watching from afar, worrying in silence.

Sahil leaned against the railing, feeling the cool breeze against his skin. "Ishika," he said softly.

"Hmm?"

Sahil sensed that something was off, which was why he had teased her earlier to lighten her mood. But now, his tone turned serious as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Ishika's breath hitched. How does he know?

She hesitated, wondering if she should remind him that the road to success should be a straight path—not a shortcut.

Boom! A thunderous sound.

Ishika exclaimed, and her phone almost slipped from her hand.

Sahil heard the sound. "Ishika?"

"It's thundering!" Ishika said and quickly went back to bed away from the floor to ceiling window.

Sahil calmed down as he listened to the faint rumbling sounds from the other side. There was probably a thunderstorm.

On a night like this, Ishika was alone at home. He knew she was afraid of rainy nights—after all, the night her parents died in a car accident had been just like this.

Realization dawned on him. She’s scared.

That’s why she was talking so much.

"I will be back in a few days."

Ishika, upon hearing this, said, "wasn't' it supposed to be three to five days? Why the delay?"

Perhaps he did go there to expand the business!

Sahil, sensing from her tone that she wanted him around, felt happy that even though she's not stating directly but she's missing him.

He softly says, There are many things that I need to handle. I'll resolve them as soon as possible.... don't be scared.

She felt uneasy and stood up and paced the bedroom.

"Sahil"

"Yeah?"

"M...Money doesn't matter. Really. Whether it's little or much. Safety and freedom are the most important. C...Come back soon."

After saying so much, she just wanted him to return home earlier?

Sahil after staying in London for days, still hadn't found what he wanted. He was feeling restless, but he suddenly felt relieved hearing her say this.

"Got it, I'll come back sooner."

There was the sound of thunder again on the phone.

Ishika leaned against the wall. "Alright."

She figured she couldn't persuade him anymore. She had ask him more when he returned.

Sahil closed his eyes briefly, letting her words sink in.

"Get some sleep," he finally said, changing the subject. "It’s late."

"Fine," she muttered. "Good night."

Sahil’s voice was softer this time. "Good night, Ishika."

As the call ended, both of them sat in silence—miles apart, yet tangled in the same storm.

.

.

.

.

Ishika lay on the bed. She felt a little scared after knowing that Sahil might have a connection with the Godfather. Thinking about this, she felt anxiety. What if Sahil ran into a trouble, what she will do then.

On the other side, Sahil hung up the phone, his gaze lingering on the screen. A deep frown creased his forehead.

She’s scared.

The thought unsettled him more than he expected. He could hear the unspoken fear in her voice.

At that moment, Yash entered the room, noticing the distant look in Sahil’s eyes. "Sir, is something wrong?" he asked cautiously.

Sahil remained still for a moment before glancing at the clock. Then, with quiet determination, he said, "Book me a ticket to India."

Yash’s eyes widened in surprise. "Sir… is something urgent?"

Sahil gave a short nod. He didn’t offer an explanation, but his expression was enough—he had already made up his mind.

It was thundering in Delhi, and Ishika was scared.

Yash nodded. "Understood, sir. I’ll take care of it."

As Yash stepped out, Sahil took a deep breath and turned to the window. The city lights reflected in his sharp eyes, but his thoughts were miles away.

A whisper left his lips, filled with quiet resolve.

"I’m coming home, Ishika."

__________________________________

End of the chapter.

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