Chapter 29
CHAPTER 29
RANVIJAY
T he past two nights had been sheer torture. I had stayed at Trikhera Palace, even though every fibre of my being demanded that I go home to my wife. I was determined to cut Shivina out of my life to keep her safe. And I warned the girls to stay away from her as well because they were legitimate targets for the Goels.
The last time, she had only been caught in the crossfire. I didn’t want her to ping on Ayush Goel’s radar because then she’d become a target, too. Isha was not very happy, but Diya understood what I meant.
“He’ll go after her anyway,” muttered Isha mutinously.
“He won’t. Not until he’s gone through us all.”
“You’ve left her all alone at the palace. And you might be the only person on earth who doesn’t realise that you’re besotted with her. Trust me, anyone who has seen even a photograph of the two of you together can read the signs,” she argued. “Of course, he will go after her.”
“She’s safer at the palace without me there, Isha. So, please drop it,” I begged.
“Did you guys notice that he didn’t contest the besotted bit?” asked Diya.
My friends agreed in unison, and I glared at the lot of them.
“Maybe you should all give up your guns and set up a marriage bureau,” I said angrily.
“Why can’t we do both?” asked Dheer with a crooked smile.
“Stop torturing him. He’s turning into a Devdas,” said Veer, frowning at his wife.
Just then, there was a sharp rap on the door, and Raksha rushed into the room.
“Why is your wife’s car heading towards Goel mansion?” she demanded of me.
We turned towards her in shock.
“Say that again,” I ordered.
“All your vehicles are GPS tagged, and we monitor the locations constantly to make sure we aren’t taken by surprise. Your wife’s car went from your palace to the school and back to the palace for just five minutes before it set off again. And right now, it’s dangerously close to Goel Mansion,” she said anxiously.
“Isn’t that where you killed Ayush Goel’s mother, Diya?” whispered Isha, going pale. “The Goels have lured her there.”
Alka Goel was a murderous witch who had kidnapped Diya and tried to kill her. Diya had killed her in self-defence.
“How is that possible? Why on earth would she even fall for their bait?” cried Diya.
“Zarna,” I said hoarsely, pulling out my phone to call Diya right away. “They must have used Zarna to lure Shivina to the mansion. But how? It doesn’t make sense. Why the fuck isn’t she answering her phone?”
I tried calling her again.
“Goddammit! She’s turned it off!” I yelled.
“Call the chauffeur,” said Dheer.
But the chauffeur didn’t answer the phone.
“I’ll rip his fucking head off,” I snarled. “I’m going there. Raksha, order a chopper for me. That’s the fastest way to get there.”
“Calm down, Hukum. That’s also the noisiest way to get there,” she argued. “I’ll get you some wheels, and we’ll go through the desert, not via the main road.”
“There’s no time for stealth, Raksha. Get. The. Choppers! ”
She acquiesced immediately and called for the choppers.
“We’ll all go with you,” said Isha.
“All of you except Diya,” I replied. “You stay here with Kuhu. She needs you more.”
“All right. Quick Gun Murugan here will be more help than me, anyway,” she said, with a nod in Isha’s direction. “I’ll call Commissioner Dhaliwal and ask him to send help.”
We had been working closely with the police commissioner to stop the local mafia, and his forces were always at our disposal.
We set off for Goel mansion in a couple of armoured vehicles, with Dheer’s security team following closely.
“I’ve called in all my men. They are already on their way to the location,” said Dheer.
“How long will it take us to get there?” I asked restlessly.
“Ten minutes, tops,” said Raksha.
Just then, my phone rang. It was the chauffeur. My blood went cold at what he told me.
“She went there to meet Kavya,” I said through numb lips. “That woman kidnapped Zarna from her school, and Shivina has gone there to rescue her. And she’s gone in blind. She doesn’t know it is Ayush’s old house. Ten minutes might be ten minutes too late.”