chapter 41
It was Rudra’s father.
He walked closer with a smile that made her sick.
“Well, look at you,” he said. “Just like Rudra… always trying to fight me. But this time, it’s over.”
Ishni shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks. “You… you killed your own family. You’re a monster!” she said.
He chuckled. “Monster? No. I’m the real king. And now, I’ll take back everything that was mine.”
Swetha stood beside him, smirking proudly.
Ishni’s hands were shaking, her body weak, but her heart whispered,
“Rudra… please come fast…”
Swetha smirked, folding her arms. “K, I think we should kill her first,” she said coldly, her eyes full of hatred.
Mr. Rajput—K himself—laughed darkly, stepping closer to Ishni, who was still lying on the ground, her body trembling but her eyes fierce.
“Kill her?” he said, tilting his head. “No, no, no… where’s the fun in that?”
He crouched down in front of her, his shadow falling over her face. “First, let’s make her scream,” he said with a cruel grin. “Let’s make Rudra hear her pain before she dies.”
Swetha chuckled, “You’re pure evil.”
He looked at her with a smirk. “Evil? Maybe. But it runs in the family, doesn’t it?”
Ishni’s eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t look away. “You’ll pay for everything you’ve done,” she said weakly. “Rudra will come for me… and when he does, you’ll beg for mercy.”
Mr. Rajput laughed again, the sound echoing through the dark, empty place. “Then let him come,” he said. “I’ll make sure he watches you die first.”
Swetha smiled cruelly, grabbing Ishni’s chin. “Let’s begin then, shall we?”
Ishni closed her eyes, whispering under her breath,
“Rudra… please hurry…”
Swetha hissed when Ishni spat in her face. Her calm broke she swung and slapped Ishni hard. The sound cracked in the room.
“You bitch!” Swetha screamed, grabbing a fistful of Ishni’s hair and yanking her head back.
Ishni tasted blood, but she didn’t beg or cry out.
She glared at Swetha and laughed through the pain, defiant.
Swetha wiped the spit from her face, breathing hard, eyes blazing with hate.
“You think you can humiliate me?” she spat.
Ishni’s voice was low and steady despite everything. “Rudra will come,” she said. “You’ll regret this.”
K leaned close, his voice quiet and dangerous. “We’ll make him watch,” he said. Then he straightened and walked away, already planning what would come next.
Swetha screamed, “Bring the rod!!”
Ishni’s eyes widened. She gulped, terror gripping her not for herself, but for her baby.
“No… please…” she whispered, trembling.
Swetha smirked, tilting her head. “Scared?”
A man handed her the rod. Two men held Ishni tightly, their grip firm against her arms.
“Swetha… no… please don’t,” Ishni begged, her voice shaking, tears rolling down her cheeks. “I… I’m pregnant… I’m with child… don’t do this…”
Swetha and K exchanged a glance. Their cruel smiles widened.
“Oh, this just got a lot more interesting,” Swetha said, her voice dripping with malice.
Ishni closed her eyes, took a shaky breath, and whispered under her breath,
“Rudra… please… come fast…”
Swetha raised the rod high, her eyes burning with cruelty. Before Ishni could react, it came down hard.
Ishni screamed, a piercing, heart-wrenching cry that seemed to shake the very walls.
“RUDRA!!!”
Her hands trembled as tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood from her bruises. Her body shuddered with the pain, but her voice didn’t falter. “Please… stop it… no… stop… I beg you… Rudra… Rudra…”
Each word came out in choked sobs, her heart breaking not for herself, but for the tiny life growing inside her. She clutched her stomach, whispering through the pain,
“Please… baby… hold on… mama’s here… mama’s not giving up…”
Swetha’s cruel smile widened, but Ishni’s cries grew louder, raw with fear, rage, and love. Every scream was a plea, every tear a silent promise: she wouldn’t give in.
“Ishni… Rudra… please… someone… anyone… stop this…” her voice cracked, echoing through the cold, dark room.
Even as her body shook, her spirit fought back. Each strike of the rod made her heart pound with defiance. She refused to let them see her broken she had to survive. She had to live. For Rudra. For their baby.
The men roughly shoved Ishni to the floor. She hit the hard surface with a thud, pain shooting through her body. Her stomach burned blood was spreading across her clothes.
She gasped and screamed, clutching her belly with trembling hands. “No… please… baby… stay with me… Rudra… help…”
Her cries echoed, raw and desperate, as tears streamed freely down her face. Every sob carried her fear, her anger, and the unbreakable love she had for the tiny life inside her.
Swetha and K stood above her, smirking, watching her struggle. Their laughter was cold and cruel, echoing in the dark room like a nightmare.
“Look at her,” Swetha said mockingly. “Still thinks she’s going to survive.”
K chuckled, dark and satisfied. “She’s pathetic… but at least entertaining.”
Ishni’s body shook with pain, but even as the blood pooled around her, her spirit refused to break. She whispered through choked sobs, “I won’t… let you… hurt us… Rudra… please… come…”
Ishni’s eyes darted around the room, searching desperately for anything anything that could help her. That’s when she saw the mud lying in a corner. Her hands trembled as she scooped it up.
“She thinks she can run all bleeding?” Swetha laughed cruelly, glancing at K.
Ishni’s chest tightened. With all the strength she had left, she hurled the mud at them. It splattered across their faces.
“Ahhh!!” Swetha and K screamed, blinded and momentarily stunned.
Seizing the moment, Ishni lunged toward their pockets. Her fingers closed around a gun. With shaking hands and a heart pounding in terror and fury, she fired. The two men who had been holding her fell to the ground, screaming.
Not stopping, Ishni aimed at Swetha and K’s legs. Shots rang out, and both stumbled, clutching their wounded limbs.
Her breaths came fast, pain slicing through her, blood dripping down her stomach.
She grabbed a phone lying on the floor, pressed it tightly in her hand, and ran.
Tears blurred her vision, but she didn’t care.
Every step, every painful breath, was for the tiny life inside her, for Rudra for survival.
“I… I won’t… let them… win…” she whispered through sobs, holding her belly as she fled into the dark night.
Ishni stumbled out of the room and into the nearby forest, the cold night air stinging her face. Her legs ached, her chest heaved, and her hands were slick with blood, but she didn’t stop.
She fumbled with her phone, dialing Rudra’s number again and again.
“Rudra… please… pick up… please…” her voice was trembling, desperate.
On the second try, his voice came through, low and sharp. “Ishni?”
But before she could say another word, a loud voice cut through the night:
“CATCH HER NOW!!!”
Her heart slammed in her chest. She clutched the phone to her ear and took off running, bare feet smashing into the dirt, branches scraping her arms. Mud splashed up her legs as the shouts of the men grew louder behind her.
“Rudra!” she cried into the phone, tears blurring her vision. “Help me… please…”
A hand suddenly snatched the phone from her, and it flew into the darkness. Panic surged, but she pushed forward, running harder, holding her stomach protectively, whispering to the baby inside her,
“Hold on, bacha… mama’s not giving up…”
Rudra’s hands were shaking as he dialed her number again and again. Every ring that went unanswered tightened the fear in his chest.
“Track her! NOW!” he yelled, his voice sharp as a whip.
The man rushed to obey, fingers flying over the devices. Rudra closed his eyes for a brief second, whispering under his breath,
“Jaan… please… be safe…”
Moments later, the man spoke up, urgency in his voice: “Boss… we got it. She’s nearby… in the forest.”
Rudra’s jaw clenched. His eyes burned with determination. “So what are you waiting for? Get every man there. NOW!”
He didn’t wait for a response. Heart hammering, he tore out of the office. His boots pounded the floor as he ran toward the forest, every step driven by desperation.
“Jaan… please hold on… I’m coming… I swear I’m coming…” he whispered, voice breaking, a storm of anger and fear fueling his every stride.
After a few minutes, Rudra reached the edge of the forest. The shadows of the trees stretched long in the dim moonlight, the silence heavy around him.
“Few of you, go inside. Cover the other exits. The rest, come with me!” he ordered sharply, eyes scanning every corner.
The men split immediately, running in different directions as Rudra tore down the empty road leading into the forest, his heart pounding so hard it hurt.
“Jaan… Jaan… where are you?” he shouted into the darkness, his voice echoing among the trees.
Every snap of a branch, every rustle of leaves made him tense. His mind was a storm fear, rage, and desperate hope clashing together.
“Hold on… please… I’m coming…” he whispered to himself, pushing his legs harder, each step closer to Ishni, closer to saving her and the baby inside her.
The forest loomed ahead, dark and threatening, but Rudra didn’t hesitate. Nothing could stop him not the shadows, not the danger, not the monsters waiting inside. Only one thought consumed him: her.
Hours had passed, and the forest was silent except for Rudra’s desperate calls.
“ISHNI!!!” he roared, his voice raw and strained. “Where are you?!”
He ran down the empty road,his knees gave out. The exhaustion, the fear, the terror for her safety it all hit him at once. He collapsed onto the ground, hands digging into the dirt, chest heaving.
His men gathered around, faces tight with worry. One of them finally spoke, voice trembling: “Boss… ma’am…”
Rudra’s head snapped up. His blood ran cold. Far ahead, a shadow shifted among the trees.
Time seemed to freeze. His heart skipped a beat, hope and dread warring inside him
“Jaan…” Rudra whispered, his voice barely audible, cracking with fear and longing as he caught sight of the shadow.
Without another thought, he sprang to his feet and ran toward her, men trailing close behind. Every step pounded with desperation, every breath sharp with panic.
And then he saw her clearly. Ishni was walking slowly, like a fragile flower barely holding herself upright. Blood matted her hair, streaked down her body, her clothes torn and stained. Between her legs, crimson showed the violence she had endured.
Rudra’s heart shattered in that instant. Pain, fury, and relief collided in his chest. His hands itched to pick her up, to hold her, to never let go.
“Ishni… my jaan… stay with me… please…” he sobbed, voice breaking. Tears ran down his face as he sprinted the last few steps, closing the distance between them.
Rudra reached her in a flash and scooped her into his arms, holding her tightly as if letting go would make the world collapse.
“Jaan…” he whispered, pressing his lips gently against her hair, then her forehead. His hands trembled as he cradled her, his voice breaking with relief and love.
“Jaan… I’m here… mai aaygaya hoon… sab thik hoga…”
Ishni’s eyes fluttered open, filled with pain and fear, but also trust. She whispered, trembling,
“Rudra… bacha…”
Before she could say anything more, her body gave out. She fainted in his arms, limp but alive.
Rudra’s heart clenched. He held her closer, rocking her gently, whispering over and over,
“Shhh… I’ve got you… I won’t let anything happen to you… to our baby… stay with me, jaan… stay with me…”
Rudra’s POV
In no time, I reached the hospital. The doors flung open, and the doctors rushed, taking Ishni away from my arms and into the operation room.
For a moment, I just stood there
empty her blood still warm on my hands. The smell of it... it clung to me like guilt.
Honestly, when I saw her like that… so pale, so still… it felt like someone had shoved a knife straight into my soul.
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. My heart was racing but my world had stopped moving.
I had faced bullets, betrayals, death itself but nothing, nothing terrified me more than losing her.
Every time those doors closed between us, I felt like a part of me was dying inside. The fear… it wasn’t just fear it was the feeling of my world collapsing.
Because if Ishni wasn’t in my arms, if I lost her… I swear, I’d rather stop breathing right there.
My hands were shaking, my knees weak and all I could whisper was,
“Jaan… please come back to me. I can’t live without you.”
After what felt like hours finally the doctor came out, “Mr. Rajput…” he hesitated.
I didn’t even let him finish. I grabbed his collar, my voice shaking with fear. “Tell me! Is she okay?”
He stammered, “Y-yes, sir… she’s out of danger now…”
The moment I heard those words, my grip loosened. A wave of relief rushed through me thank god, she’s safe.
But then my heart dropped. My throat tightened as I whispered, “And… my baby?”
The doctor looked at me, eyes filled with pity. “I’m sorry, Mr. Rajput… she was hitted with hard stuff on her stomach..due to this cause her lot's of blood loss .....we couldn’t… save the child.”
For a second, everything stopped. My body went cold. The world around me blurred. I could hear my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.
“What… what the fuck did you just say?” I asked, my voice breaking.
“Sir—” he tried to speak, but I snapped, grabbing him again. “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY!!!” I roared, my eyes burning red with tears and rage.
He trembled, “We tried our best, Mr. Rajput…”
I couldn’t hear anything after that. I pulled out my gun, pressing it to his head. “Say it again,” I said through clenched teeth, “SAY IT AGAIN!!!”
“Boss!!” Vipul’s voice came from behind, panicked. He ran to me, grabbing my hand. “Boss, please! Leave him, boss! Ma’am needs you right now, please!”
His words struck me like a slap. Ma’am needs you.
Ishni.
My hand shook, and the gun slipped from my grip, clattering onto the floor. I stood there, breathing heavily, my heart breaking into a thousand pieces.
I turned towards the glass… and there she was my jaan.
Lying so still, so fragile… wires and tubes all around her. My breath hitched. My world felt like it stopped. How… how am I supposed to tell her this? How do I tell the woman who dreamt of holding our baby… that dream is gone?
Taking every ounce of courage left in me, I pushed the door open. The sound of the monitor beeping filled the silence each beat felt like a reminder that she was still here, still breathing… but barely.
I stood there at the door, frozen. My feet refused to move, my heart weighed like stone in my chest. I wanted to run to her, hold her, break down in her arms but I couldn’t. I didn’t deserve to.
Slowly… painfully… I took a few steps forward. The closer I went, the heavier it felt. The smell of antiseptic burned in my nose, and the sight of her pale face tore me apart.
When I finally reached her bed, my knees gave up. I fell beside her, my hands trembling as I touched her cold fingers.
“Jaan…” I whispered, my voice shaking, “I’m here… please, open your eyes…”
How hopeless… how helpless I’m feeling right now.
What kind of man am I… who couldn’t save his own child? Who couldn’t protect the woman who made him believe in love again?
All this power… all this name, this strength, this Rudra Singh Rajput everyone fears what’s the use of it when I couldn’t protect the two people who were my world? It’s all bullshit. I’m nothing. Just a man… a failure… a loser who couldn’t save his family.
My voice cracked as I leaned closer to her.
“Jaan…” I whispered, the word trembling in my throat, “…mujhse baat karne ki himmat hi nahi ho rahi hai… kaise bataun aapko…” My chest ached, my breath uneven.
“I’m… sorry… sorry, jaan…” my words fell apart in between sobs.
“I’m powerless… main kuch nahi kar paaya… ”
Her eyes stayed closed. The monitor beeped slowly, mocking me with its rhythm steady, alive, while everything inside me was dying.
She lay there, unconscious… not knowing the storm that was waiting to break her when she woke up not knowing that the little heartbeat we both dreamt of hearing…
had already gone silent forever.