CHAPTER 56

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The words hit Vedansh like a wrecking ball, shattering the semblance of composure he had held together for so long. 'The Graysons took her.'

Meera. His mind reeled with the realization the connection he felt and he was avoiding, were pulling her into their dark web. The name itself struck a chord in his chest, a bitter reminder of everything he had tried to escape—the dark past, the The truth about his father, and the pain of loosing his family and now is almost near to loose his only family..

And then came the words that hit hardest: Dominic's voice, filled with raw emotion as he muttered about how their father would be disappointed in him. How he, as the elder brother, had failed to protect Meera, his little sister.

It was a gut punch. All these years, Vedansh had built walls around himself, he have a sister whom he desperately want to find, somewhere, all this time during collaburation she was infront of him. How had he missed it? How had he not seen the subtle hints that pointed to her being the very person he had been trying to protect from afar, without even knowing she was his to protect?

The realization hit him like a storm. Meera, the woman he had come to work with, was his sister. His half-sister, in fact. He had spent so long thinking she was a stranger, a business associate, someone he needed to keep at arm's length. Never once had he connected the dots between the woman he had been helping and the bloodline they shared.

Everything he had done over the years—keeping distance, pushing her away when she tried to get close, treating her as nothing more than another business deal—had all been an illusion. Meera was his family.

His heart tightened at the thought. If only he had known.

The knowledge didn't just hit him with a wave of guilt; it also brought a deep sense of grief. All this time, he had been searching for her—without even knowing it. It was as though fate had been toying with him, pulling them together and keeping them apart, only to reunite them under the worst possible circumstances.

As the pieces fell into place, Vedansh felt an overwhelming surge of vulnerability, a sense of loss and regret he couldn't quite comprehend. How could I have been so blind?

His emotions swelled, threatening to overflow. He had been so absorbed in the world of business, in the fight to establish his empire, that he had neglected the most important thing: his family. Now that he understood the truth, it felt like the universe had opened his eyes in a cruel, painful way.

Without thinking, he turned to Aroohi, his closest confidant. She had been there for him through so much, and now, as he faced the weight of the truth, she was the one he felt the need to confide in.

"Roohi,"

He began, his voice shaking slightly with emotion.

"I don't know how to say this, but I need to tell you something. Mahi- Meera—she's...she's my sister. My step-sister."

Aroohi's eyes widened, her expression a mix of confusion and concern as she tried to process his words. She had seen the emotional turmoil in his eyes, but now the truth hit her hard. Meera, the woman they were all fighting to protect, was Vedansh's family.

"Vedansh, What!? Is she really your sister?"

Aroohi asked softly, her voice barely a whisper as she took a step closer to him, trying to grasp the enormity of what he was confessing.

"I was working with her without realizing who she was to me,"

Vedansh continued, the weight of his guilt heavy in his chest.

"And now she's missing...taken by the Graysons. My family...my sister... How I am Goint tp protect her?. I failed her, you dont know them, they are worst what if? what if they"

Aroohi stood still for a moment, taking in his words, and then, slowly, she placed a hand on his shoulder, offering him the support he so desperately needed.

"Ved, you didn't fail her. You didn't know, none of us knew. But now we do, and we'll make sure we get her back. You don't have to do this alone."

Her words, though comforting, couldn't erase the regret that burned in his chest. He had kept his distance from dominic and Vidhyuth for so long after knowing truth that Dominic is his step brother his father choose Dominic over him, and now it seemed as if fate had come full circle, delivering a painful lesson about the importance of family.

Aroohi stood by him silently, offering him her unwavering support. Then, as if on cue, Tushar, Madhavi, Ruchi, and Rohan arrived, all looking just as concerned, unsure of what to do or say in the midst of the chaos.

"Vedansh,"

Tushar said cautiously, Vedansh turned to them, his face hardened with determination.

"You all need to go home. It's too dangerous right now, and I don't want any of you getting hurt. This is my fight... and I can't afford to lose any more of my family."

The words felt foreign on his tongue, but they were true. The people who mattered most to him now were not just his friends, his business partners—they were his family, and he would do whatever it took to protect them.

"But what if anything happens with I'm not leaving"

Ruchi hugged him,

"Ruchi its dangerous too dangerous, go and wait for me please"

As the group nodded reluctantly and started to leave, Aroohi stayed behind.

"I'm not going anywhere,"

She said firmly.

"I'm staying right here with you."

she said firmly, stepping closer to him. Vedansh frowned, his exhaustion evident.

"Roohi, this isn't a debate. You need to go"

"No,"

She replied, her voice unwavering.

"You may think this is your fight, but it's mine too. I've already lost people I care about—I won't lose you. You're all I have left, Vedansh. You're more than my family we grew up with each other how can I leave you"

Her words struck him harder than he expected. He looked into her eyes, and for a moment, the weight of his responsibilities seemed lighter. Aroohi's loyalty, her fierce determination to stand by him, reminded him of why he was fighting in the first place.

'Why she is so stubborn?'

Vedansh sighed and gave a small nod.

"Fine. But stay close to me, no matter what happens."

"I'm not going anywhere,"

Aroohi repeated, her voice softer this time but no less determined. In that moment, Vedansh knew he wasn't alone.

Vedansh didn't argue. At this moment, he needed someone he could trust, someone who had always been there for him. Aroohi's loyalty meant more to him than he could express in words.

As the others left, Vedansh stood, lost in thought, his mind turning back to Dominic. He hadn't seen him properly in years—not since that fateful moment when their paths had diverged, each carrying their own burdens, their own demons.

Dominic was like a big brother to him, though they had never truly connected on a personal level. The sight of him now, standing before him, was like a slap of reality. It was about family. And Dominic, was as much a part of this as anyone.

"I didn't even get to properly greet you,"

Vedansh muttered, meeting Dominic's eyes, a hint of apology in his voice.

"But this is bigger than us. ... I need your help. We need to find her. Even though all this year you ghosted us without telling the reason, I'll deal with you later now, We are again going to face Graysons"

Dominic's face was a mask of resolve.

"You have my word, brother We'll find her."

Vedansh said, and in that moment, with the weight of the world on his shoulders and the knowledge that the Graysons were once again pulling strings behind the scenes, Vedansh knew that this fight—this journey to find Meera—would not be something he could face alone. He had his stepbrother Dominic by his side now, and he would stop at nothing to bring Meera back.

Meera was his sister. And nothing—not even the Graysons—was going to take her away from him again., Vidhyuth entered the frame.

"We need to leave as soon as possible What if they take her to Russia? I have ordered to freeze all airports"

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