Chapter Seventy Three.
Ritika hurried up to the Ira's home door, before she knocked against the front door.
A moment later, the lock clicked, and Raghav swung the door open, his body slouched and his face worn thin from days of exhaustion.
"She isn't back yet.." Raghav announced, his tone flat as he leaned against the frame.
Ritika fixed him with a glare.
"Move it, fish head. I came here to see your mother, not your unhelpful face. If I wanted a useless status update, I would have asked a brick wall. Move!"
"Stubborn monkey..." Raghav muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes as he stepped aside.
Ritika scoffed dramatically as she walked past him.
She saw Ira's mother and hurried to her side the moment she spotted her.
"Aunty..." Ritika voice softening slightly. "Has Devraj still not brought her back to the house?"
"We managed to get a line through to Devraj." she explained.. "He insisted that she is perfectly fine... but for some reason, he refused to let us speak with her directly. Her personal phone is still completely unreachable. He gave us his word that she is safe, but..."
Ritika's brow furrowed.
"Something is seriously wrong here.." she declared, "I guess I have no choice left but to go out there and stir up some necessary trouble."
Ira's mother blinked, her expression shifting into confusion.
"What? Ritika, what on earth do you mean by that?"
"I need to hear a single, solid word from my best friend's mouth to know she's breathing." Ritika countered, already walking back toward the front door where Raghav was still lingering by the open frame.
"I don't care how incredibly powerful or drop dead gorgeous Devraj Singh Rathore thinks he is...I love my best friend infinitely more than I fear his reputation. If he is intentionally restricting her communication, then he and I have a serious bone to pick."
"Just don't go doing anything entirely reckless, alright?" Ira's mother called out after her, a chuckle escaping her lips despite the tension.
"Maa, you of all people should know that recklessness and Ritika are absolute soulmates." Raghav chimed in with a smirk, crossing his arms over his chest.
Ritika shot him one final glare over her shoulder as she crossed the threshold.
"Monkey!." she snapped, stepping out
~??~
Ritika scooter screeched to a halt right outside the towering, glass paneled skyscraper that dominated the city's skyline.
Unbuckling her helmet, she shook out her hair and looked up at the massive company.
Setting her helmet on the seat, she smoothed down her outfit and walked toward the entrance.
The second she crossed the entrance into the lobby, her gaze locked onto the reception desk. She glided over, resting her hands on the sleek counter.
"Hi, my name is Ritika Sharma. Please, I need to see Mr. Devraj Singh Rathore immediately.." she forced a polite smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
The receptionist paused, slowly lowering her tablet.
She deliberately subjected Ritika to a slow, sweeping inspection...scanning her from her head down to her casual attire, her expression shifting into a judgmental arrogant frown.
Ritika slowly raised an eyebrow at the dismissive attitude.
"He is currently unavailable." the receptionist replied, as she prepared to return to her screen.
"Oh, fascinating.." Ritika countered. "I wasn't aware that being a bitch was a core operational requirement for getting hired at the Rathore Empire. Had I known, I would have gladly applied for the position when the vacancy was open."
The receptionist's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in shock.
Ritika merely offered her a smile.
"And you might want to keep in mind, honey, that a pretty face only masks the madness underneath for so long." Ritika added, leaving the woman entirely speechless.
Just across the lobby, the private elevator chimed, the doors sliding open to reveal Advik.
He was still walking with a slight, stiffness, no more visible bruises.. His body was healing.
Before he could even step fully into the lobby, a voice instantly command his full attention.
Advik stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze locking onto the young woman standing at the reception desk.
From his angle, he couldn't see her face clearly.
But, she possessed a stunning long, black hair that fell straight down her back, catching the bright light of the lobby.
She was dressed in a kurti paired with denim jeans.
"Now, I am going to ask you one last time.
" Ritika continued,"I want to see Mr. Devraj Singh Rathore.
And if you require a reason..because an intelligent receptionist with basic operational competence would have actually thought to ask..
he practically abducted my best friend three days ago, and I am here to dismantle him. Clear enough?"
The receptionist froze, completely short of words, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.
Best friend? Advik wondered.
"L-Like I already stated.." the receptionist stammered, her voice losing its previous arrogance "Mr. Rathore is currently unavailable."
That was the absolute tipping point.
"I have zero patience left when it comes to Ira's safety!" Ritika snapped "WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR BOSS?!" she suddenly shouted, her voice echoing powerfully of the lobby, causing several high profile executives and security guards to halt and stare.
Ira? She is Ira's best friend?
An intrigued chuckle rumbled deep in Advik's chest as the pieces seamlessly fell into place.
He began to walk forward, his steps smooth despite the lingering stiffness in his frame.
I'm not even remotely surprised Ira has a fiercely protective wildcat as a best friend.
"Ma'am, you need to lower your voice immediately or I will be forced to summon the-"
"I will gladly flatten you and whatever pathetic security force you think you're going to call!" Ritika cut her off ruthlessly, leaning over the counter. "Get your boss on the line right this second, before I-"
"Is there a particular problem over here?"
Advik's deep voice cut her off.
Ritika whipped her head around to face the intrusion, the fire still burning bright in her eyes.
The exact moment her gaze collided with his, Advik's chest tightened, his pupils dilating as he got a full view of her face. Up close, she was breathtaking, a perfect mix of defiance and striking beauty.
"Well, yes, there is a-wait." Ritika's tirade abruptly died on her lips. She blinked, her fiery anger suddenly giving way to a look of intense recognition as she scanned the commanding posture he possessed.
"You... you look familiar."
Advik chuckle amusingly , his hands casually resting inside his pockets as he stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers.
"Oh, really?.." he murmured, his gaze tracing the outline of her face.
Ritika's eyes flashed as she connected the dots.
"Of course! Advik Bhatt. Devraj Singh Rathore's best friend and right hand man."
"Well, it's absolutely amazing that you know exactly who i am..I'm flattered." Advik didn't break eye contact for even a second.
"Oh, don't flatter yourself. I don't actually know much about you." Ritika countered casually, tilting her head "I only know your face because it's always attached to Devraj's public profile."
A sudden unfamiliar self consciousness washed over him as he swallowed hard under her gaze.
Quickly recovering his composure, he cleared his throat, adjusting his stance to step closer.
"Fair enough.." he murmured. "But why exactly are you creating a minor riot in the middle of our corporate lobby?"
"Because your so called best friend abducted mine!
" Ritika snapped, "For the past three days, I haven't heard a single word from her.
Her parents are worried but he was feeding them with some bullshit story, I clearly see it's a lie and I finally lost my patience.
I came here to find out if he has her locked somewhere, or worse.
I know Ira inside and out, she would never willingly leave me in the dark without a thorough explanation of what is going on. "
Advik watched the passionate fire behind her words, his expression softening to respect and intense fascination.
"Well, I can assure you she's safe, but Devraj genuinely isn't in the building right now."
Ritika narrowed her eyes into untrusting slits, leaning in slightly.
"That's exactly what she told me. Forgive me if I don't automatically trust the right hand man of a kidnapper either."
Advik stared at her captivated by the unvarnished sass radiating from her.
"Are you always like this?" he asked softly.
Ritika merely raised an eyebrow..
"Loud, fiercely protective, and impossible to manipulate? Yes, Mr. Bhatt, I absolutely am."
Advik chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he openly admired her spirit.
"I'm genuinely trying to figure out how you and Ira managed to become inseparable without you completely corrupting her.
You are an absolute spitfire..unapologetic, feisty, and clearly a little rigid.
I mean, Ira can certainly hold her own, but she is far more...
what's the word? Ah Yes. Reserved. "
A genuine soft smile broke through Ritika's lip, warming her face in a way that left Advik breathless.
"That's exactly who Ira is. She's the anchor to my chaos.
" Her expression quickly sharpened back into a serious, demanding focus.
"But look, I didn't come here for a personality evaluation.
If you are swearing to me that Devraj isn't hiding, then where exactly is he? Where did he take my best friend?"
"Maybe he simply swept her away.." Advik teased, a glint appearing in his eyes.
Ritika didn't find the humor in it at all. Her expression remained entirely deadpan.
"Then I will gladly abduct you as collateral."
"Honestly? I wouldn't mind.." he replied, leaning an inch closer to her with a wink.
Ritika cast him a skeptical look.
"I would thoroughly torture you for 30 days before I even consider letting you go." she stated with chilling nonchalance.
"Like I said... I don't mind." Advik murmured, completely unbothered by her threats.
Ritika stared at him, her brow furrowing in concern.
"Are you mentally stable?" she asked flatly.
Advik chuckled and nodded, entirely charmed by her bluntness.
"Perfectly stable. Now, regarding Ira and Devraj...
I can assure you they are completely fine.
They just... well..." He paused, lifting a hand to briefly scratch the back of his neck as he calculated how much of the brutal underworld shootout he could safely leave out. "They just went out to an island."
"An island?" Ritika repeated with instant suspicion. "For what possible reason?"
"Um... you know how billionaires are.." he shrugged. "Just Devraj attempting to extravagantly impress his woman."
Ritika's eyes narrowed into slits.
"I can really smell the lies radiating off your skin right now, Mr. Bhatt."
"Is it genuinely that difficult to convince you?" Advik asked, a laugh bubbling up from his mouth.
"Tell me exactly where Ira is.." she demanded, refusing to let him derail her focus.
Realizing she wasn't going to back down until she got real answers, he let out a heavy, defeated sigh.
"Follow me.." he instructed softly.
Turning around, he began a stride back toward the private elevator.
Ritika didn't hesitate for a single second, falling into step right behind him, but not before throwing one searing glare over her shoulder at the receptionist, who quickly looked away.
~??~
Inside the darkened interior, Ira was fast asleep, her head resting securely on Devraj's lap.
He looked down at her, with trembling fingers, he gently traced the dirt streaked contour of her cheek, before smoothing back the tangled, damp curls from her forehead.
"I am so sorry, Ira..." he whispered.."I'm so sorry it took me so long to reach you."
The vehicle navigated the winding, highly secure private estate road, finally coming to a halt right outside the entrance of his secluded villa.
One of the guards instantly opened the door. Devraj stepped out without carrying her, keeping her hoisted securely against his chest.
He bypassed the security panel with a swift swipe of his palm against the scanner, opening the door seamlessly. The moment they stepped inside, the warm lights illuminated their path.
Carrying her down the hallway, he pushed open the door to his bedroom.
Gently lowered her onto the sheets, ensuring her frame was perfectly cushioned. Stepping back just an inch, he pulled out his phone and dialed a direct line.
"I don't give a damn what kind of medical miracle you have to perform.." Devraj said the second the call connected, "I want you at my estate in exactly ten minutes. Not a second later."
"Y-Yes, sir. Immediately." the trembling private doctor stammered on the other end, Devraj cut the line, tossing the phone onto the nightstand.
He looked at her feet and saw the bruises, a reminder to him how desperate she was running away from Samar..
He leaned forward to touch her feet..
Suddenly, Ira let out a distressed whine in her sleep. Her eyes flew open as she gasped, her chest heaving in panicked as she sat up.
Devraj closed the distance between them in a split second, sinking onto the edge of the bed.
"Hey, hey... calm down. Look at me, I'm right here." he murmured smoothly, as he drew her trembling body flush against his chest. "You're safe, meri jaan. You are back home.. back in our world. No one can touch you here. Not anymore, i promise."
"Devraj...?" she breathed out, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt.
He pulled back slightly, just enough to cradle her face in his large hands so he could look into her eyes.
Ira's gaze darted around the secure bedroom.
"Don't worry about a thing.." Devraj reassured her, his thumb gently wiping away a fresh tear. "You slept off on our way, I brought you here...The doctor is arriving shortly to tend to you. We are finally home."