CHAPTER 22（MAHI）
My eyes opened on their own.
I blinked slowly.
The room was dark.
Too dark.
For a moment I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to understand why I was awake again.
I turned to my side and pulled the blanket closer.
It was cold.
Too cold.
I exhaled softly and closed my eyes.
Sleep, please.
Just come.
But of course—
As if my body had decided to betray me personally—
My eyelids suddenly felt lighter instead of heavier.
I opened my eyes again.
Stared at the ceiling.
Great.
Just great.
"God."
My voice came out as a whisper.
"Why can't I just sleep?"
I shifted under the blanket again.
Tried another position.
Did absolutely nothing.
"Tomorrow is my shift."
I sighed.
"I have to work."
A pause.
"And I cannot go looking like a panda."
The thought alone made me groan.
I pulled the blanket over my face for a second.
Then pushed it back down.
Sleep still nowhere in sight.
Of course.
Because apparently my brain had chosen tonight specifically to function at full speed.
And I had no idea why.
I turned to my side.
And froze.
The couch was empty.
Aryan wasn't there.
My eyes blinked once.
Then again.
Slowly, I sat up.
The room felt different now.
Too quiet.
I stood up immediately and looked around.
"Aryan?"
No answer.
Silence.
My brows pulled together.
I moved toward the bathroom.
The door was open.
Empty.
I stepped back.
My eyes scanned the room quickly.
His coat.
Gone.
His phone.
Gone.
My heartbeat began to rise.
Where was he?
I turned sharply and went to the dresser beside the bed.
My phone was there.
I grabbed it quickly.
And immediately started dialing Aryan's number.
Ring.
Ring.
And then—
Footsteps.
From downstairs.
I froze.
Slowly lowered the phone.
Listened.
Again.
Footsteps.
More than one.
My grip tightened instantly.
My breath slowed, then sharpened.
No.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
I moved carefully toward the window.
Every step quieter than the last.
I pulled the curtain slightly and peeked outside.
My eyes widened instantly.
Three men.
Outside.
Armed.
My breath caught in my throat.
My fingers went cold around the edge of the curtain.
Noor.
My mind screamed her name instinctively.
I turned away from the window.
My heart was now beating too fast.
Too loud.
I looked toward the door.
Then back at the window.
Think, Mahi.
Think.
Carefully.
Slowly.
I stepped out of the room.
I moved quickly toward Noor's room.
My steps were careful.
Controlled.
I knocked once.
Softly.
Then again.
"Shh—Noor, quickly."
There was rustling inside.
A moment later, the door flew open.
"Noor, what are you—"
"Bhabhi, what are you doing here?"
I didn't answer.
I grabbed her wrist immediately.
"No—Bhabhi!"
She tried to resist.
But I was already pulling her toward my room.
Fast.
Urgent.
"Bhabhi! What is happening?"
"Shh."
I placed a finger to my lips without looking back.
For once, she listened.
We reached my room in seconds.
I shut the door behind us.
Then locked it.
Click.
The sound felt too loud in the silence.
Noor turned toward me immediately.
Her eyes wide now.
"Bhabhi... what's wrong?"
I looked at her.
My breathing was uneven.
But my voice wasn't.
"There are armed men around the house."
Silence.
Her expression froze.
"And Aryan..."
I swallowed.
"He's not here."
I paced around the room.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Noor stood near the door, her breathing uneven.
"We have to do something."
My voice came out sharper than intended.
She nodded immediately.
"Call brother."
I froze for a second.
Right.
Aryan.
My hands shook slightly as I grabbed my phone.
Damn it.
Ring.
Ring.
He picked up almost instantly.
"Mahi?"
His voice was sharp.
Alert.
Urgent.
"Are you okay? Are you safe?"
"I—Aryan, there are men around the house."
A pause.
Then his voice changed completely.
Focused.
"How many?"
"Three."
Silence for half a second.
Then—
"Listen carefully."
I swallowed.
"Yes."
"Who is with you?"
I turned toward Noor.
"She's with me."
"Good."
His voice was controlled now.
Too controlled.
That made it worse.
"Noor."
I looked at her.
"Listen to me carefully."
She nodded immediately.
"Lock the door."
Noor rushed to do it.
"Now go to the bookshelf."
I looked at the shelf.
My heartbeat rising again.
"There is a blue book."
I found it instantly.
My fingers trembling slightly.
I pulled it.
The moment I did—
The bookshelf shifted.
I flinched.
A hidden door appeared behind it.
My breath caught.
"Go inside," Aryan said quickly.
"And cover your ears."
I stared at it.
"Okay..."
My voice was low now.
"Where are you?"
Silence.
Then his voice came softer.
But more dangerous.
"I am coming home."
A pause.
"Don't worry."
And the call ended.
A loud bang echoed through the house.
The main door.
My entire body flinched.
Adrenaline shot through my veins instantly.
Noor grabbed my arm.
We both rushed inside the hidden room.
I pulled the door shut behind us.
Then locked it.
Click.
Another sound followed outside.
The bookshelf shifting.
They had found it.
My back pressed against the door.
For a moment, I just stood there.
Breathing too fast.
The room inside was dimly lit.
A couch.
A small lamp.
A table with chairs.
And shelves filled with books.
A perfect hiding place.
But it didn't feel safe.
Not right now.
I released a shaky breath.
Noor stood frozen beside me.
Her nails dug into her palm.
"What are we going to do?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"What if they hurt him?"
The words hit me harder than I expected.
A bitter taste rose in my mouth.
No.
That won't happen.
Not him.
Not Aryan.
I shook my head immediately.
My voice came out firmer than I felt.
"That will never happen."
I took a step toward her.
Closer.
Trying to steady her.
Trying to steady myself.
"Listen to me."
Noor looked at me.
Eyes wide.
I swallowed once.
Then spoke again.
"Your brother is not someone who breaks easily."
A pause.
My voice softened slightly.
"So trust him."
Even as I said it—
I wasn't sure if I was convincing her.
Or myself.
A loud bang echoed through the hidden room door.
My entire body jerked.
Before I could react—
Gunshots followed.
Sharp.
Close.
Noor instantly pressed herself against me.
I wrapped my arms around her without thinking.
Protecting her.
Protecting myself from what I was hearing.
Then—
Silence.
The gunshots stopped.
But the silence was worse.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
My breathing turned shallow.
Fast.
Too fast.
I slowly moved toward the door.
Carefully.
Every step felt heavier than the last.
I placed my ear against it.
Listened.
Outside voices reached me faintly.
"They are not here."
A pause.
"We don't need him."
Another voice followed.
"If we have his wife... he will agree to everything."
My entire body froze.
My eyes widened instantly.
For a second—
I couldn't breathe properly.
I slowly pulled away from the door.
Turned toward Noor.
Then back at the door again.
Fear crept in slowly.
Cold.
Sharp.
Real.
Not for myself.
For them.
For Aryan.
If something happens to him...
My throat tightened.
And if something happens to Noor...
My hands clenched.
I shook my head slightly, trying to steady my breathing.
No.
Not here.
Not like this.
I cannot break.
I pressed my ear against the door again.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
Outside, voices drifted through the silence.
"Boss, there's someone in the garden."
The moment I heard those words, a breath of relief escaped me.
Aryan.
He was here.
Of course he was here.
For one brief second, everything felt okay.
Then—
Gunshots.
My entire body jerked.
The relief vanished instantly.
I looked toward Noor.
She was sitting on the floor, her hands pressed tightly over her ears.
Another voice came from outside.
"We got him."
My blood ran cold.
No.
No.
That wasn't possible.
Aryan wouldn't—
He couldn't—
My thoughts tangled together.
Refusing to make sense.
A strange ringing filled my ears.
For a moment, I couldn't hear anything else.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't breathe.
This can't be happening.
My gaze dropped to the floor.
Then to the door.
Then back again.
My chest tightened painfully.
I didn't realize tears had filled my eyes until my vision blurred.
Footsteps echoed outside.
Getting closer.
I forced myself to move.
Forced myself to think.
Noor.
The thought hit me like a slap.
Noor.
I turned toward her.
My eyes widened.
She was staring at me now.
Fear written all over her face.
"Bhabhi?"
Her voice trembled.
"What happened?"
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
No words.
No explanation.
Only her name.
"Noor..."
Before I could say anything else—
Three more gunshots echoed somewhere downstairs.
Both of us flinched.
My eyes snapped toward the door.
Then I heard it.
Footsteps.
Two sets.
Approaching.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
My heart nearly stopped.
I grabbed Noor's arm immediately.
"Come here."
She didn't argue.
Didn't ask questions.
I pulled her beneath the table.
Both of us crouching in the shadows.
Holding our breath.
Listening.
Waiting.
As the footsteps stopped directly outside the hidden room.
My arms wrapped around Noor protectively.
I could feel her trembling against me.
Warm tears soaked through the fabric of my clothes.
Then—
The bookshelf shifted.
My entire body froze.
Noor grabbed me tighter.
I closed my eyes.
No.
No, no, no.
Please, God.
Not like this.
Not now.
"Mahi."
A familiar voice reached my ears.
"Noor."
My eyes flew open.
Aryan.
My grip on Noor loosened instantly.
The moment she saw him, she practically launched herself from beneath the table.
"Brother!"
A sob escaped her.
I remained where I was.
For a second.
Two.
Then I rested my head against the table and released a shaky breath.
Relief.
Pure relief.
It left my body so suddenly that I almost felt dizzy.
"It's okay, Noor."
Aryan's voice was calm.
Steady.
"We're all safe."
Noor buried her face against him and cried harder.
"I'm here."
Slowly, I crawled out from beneath the table.
My eyes immediately searched him.
Head.
Shoulders.
Chest.
Arms.
No blood.
No visible injuries.
Nothing.
A breath I hadn't realized I was holding escaped me.
Behind him stood Ekaansh.
Equally unharmed.
Good.
Very good.
My legs suddenly felt weak.
I walked toward the nearest chair and sat down.
The room spun slightly.
Not from fear.
From relief.
Too much relief.
Too quickly.
Then a thought hit me.
The voices.
The gunshots.
The words.
My eyes widened.
I looked at Aryan.
"What were they saying?"
The room fell silent.
Aryan's gaze met mine.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I stood up abruptly.
"What were they saying, Aryan?"
His jaw tightened.
Just slightly.
Enough for me to notice.
My stomach dropped.
Because suddenly—
I wasn't sure I wanted the answer anymore.
Noor looked at Ekaansh.
Then quietly made her way toward him.
Giving us space.
Aryan took a few steps forward.
Then knelt down in front of me.
His hand covered mine.
Warm.
Steady.
Real.
I stared at him.
Unable to look away.
My voice came out smaller than intended.
"They said they killed you."
A smirk appeared on his face.
Typical.
Absolutely typical.
He reached forward and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"No one touches Aryan Rathore."
The confidence in his voice should have annoyed me.
Instead—
It relieved me.
His hand moved to my cheek.
The warmth of his palm felt impossibly comforting.
As if the last few hours had never happened.
As if I could finally breathe again.
Thank God.
He was safe.
I looked at him.
Really looked at him.
And suddenly all the fear I had been holding back came crashing down at once.
The gunshots.
The voices.
The waiting.
The helplessness.
Everything.
Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward.
My forehead pressed against the crook of his neck.
I moved closer.
Closer.
Until there wasn't any space left between us.
My fingers grabbed the front of his shirt tightly.
As if letting go would make him disappear.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
And then—
The dam finally broke.
A sob escaped me.
Followed by another.
And another.
All the fear I had swallowed.
All the terror I had hidden.
Flowed out at once.
My shoulders shook.
I couldn't stop.
Didn't want to stop.
Because for the first time since waking up—
I knew he was alive.
And that knowledge alone was enough to make me cry.
Aryan's arms wrapped around me immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without questions.
Holding me as if he already understood everything I couldn't say.
"It's okay, Snowflake."
His voice was low.
Gentle.
Dangerously gentle.
"I'm here."
And for the first time that night—
I believed everything would be okay.
"I was so scared."
The words came out between sobs.
Broken.
Shaky.
Real.
"Really scared."
My fingers twisted tighter into his shirt.
As if I needed physical proof that he was actually here.
Actually alive.
"I thought..."
My voice cracked.
"I thought my nightmare came true."
Aryan's hand moved slowly across my back.
Drawing soothing circles.
Patient.
Steady.
The way someone calms a frightened child.
"Mahi."
His voice was quiet.
"I'm safe."
I shook my head.
More tears escaped before I could stop them.
"I'm here."
Another gentle stroke across my back.
"Right in front of you."
I closed my eyes.
Trying to believe him.
Trying to make my heart understand what my eyes already knew.
"And I'm not—"
His next word never fully left his mouth.
Because my grip tightened instantly.
Hard.
Painfully hard.
"Don't."
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
His hand paused for a second.
Then continued moving across my back.
"I don't want to hear that word."
The confession slipped out before I could stop it.
More tears soaked into his shirt.
Completely ruining the fabric.
Not that I cared.
Not that he seemed to care either.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
I simply stayed there.
Holding on.
Breathing him in.
Letting the reality settle.
He was alive.
He was safe.
And somehow...
That realization made me cry even harder.
Aryan sighed softly.
Not annoyed.
Not impatient.
Just relieved.
Then his chin rested lightly against the top of my head.
And for the first time that night—
I felt safe too.
For what felt like hours, I cried.
Until there were no tears left.
Until my eyes burned.
Until exhaustion finally replaced fear.
My head rested against his chest.
One of my hands still clutched his shirt.
Refusing to let go.
As if my mind still needed proof that he was really here.
Aryan's arms remained around me the entire time.
Steady.
Protective.
Unmoving.
Like a wall between me and the rest of the world.
Eventually, the room fell quiet.
Only the sound of our breathing remained.
I swallowed.
Then finally asked the question that had been sitting in the back of my mind.
"They said they killed someone."
My voice was hoarse from crying.
"Who?"
Aryan released a slow breath.
"The man who sent them."
I lifted my head slightly.
Confusion crossing my face.
"How?"
A faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"I am Aryan Rathore."
I rolled my eyes immediately.
Even now.
Even after everything.
His answer made absolutely no sense.
The smirk widened.
My eyes softened despite myself.
Then I rested my head back against his chest.
Comfortable.
Safe.
For a few moments, neither of us spoke.
Then another thought surfaced.
"What happened to those intruders?"
His arms tightened slightly around me.
Pulling me a little closer.
"They won't be bothering us again."
I was silent for a moment.
Then nodded.
Surprisingly, I didn't want details.
Not tonight.
Tonight, I was simply grateful.
Grateful that Noor was safe.
Grateful that I was safe.
And most of all—
Grateful that he was still here.
Right beside me.
His heartbeat echoed beneath my ear.
Steady.
Alive.
And eventually, sleep found me.