Chapter-51
The Rathore mansion, grand and usually wrapped in formality, had taken on an entirely different energy today
With the elders out at a family gathering and tomorrow being a lazy Sunday, the younger ones had declared an unofficial holiday - complete with junk food, loud music, and zero rules.
Navya was the first to spread out on the living room carpet, her hair tied messily and a devilish grin on her face. "No parents. No bedtime. And most importantly... game night"
Aaryan dumped a bowl of popcorn onto the center table as if he were staging a victory feast.
"Let's go.. It's Uno time. Thank goodness Bhai is busy with work, otherwise he wouldn't let Bhabhi spend time with us. Just look at how he secretly went on a weekend holiday with her without telling us" he said.
Aarushi's cheeks tinted slightly, but she rolled her eyes. "Here we go again"
"Excuse me,"Aaryan said, sitting cross-legged and pointing a finger at her.
"You both left us here for an entire weekend when we had all planned to go on the picnic together, and you came back all glowing and giggly. Of course we're going to talk about it no matter how many times bhai warn us" Aaryan complained
"I was not glowing," Aarushi said firmly.
Vivaan snorted "Right. So it wasn't your face lighting up every time bhai look at you while we were at dinner?"
Navya joined in, poking Aarushi's side. "Tell us the truth bhabhi-something something"
Aarushi hid her face behind a cushion, laughing. "STOP IT ,You're all terrible"
With playful groans and giggles, the game began. The living room was filled with chaotic laughter, scattered pillows, and the intense clatter of Uno cards being thrown onto the mat.
The four of them - Navya, Vivan, Aryan, and Aarushi - were seated cross-legged in a circle, locked in the kind of ridiculous battle that only siblings could appreciate.
Snacks were pushed to the side, phones forgotten. This was serious business now.
"Yellow," Aarushi declared, placing her card with a grin.
Aryan groaned. "Again with yellow? You all know I don't have yellow"
Navya leaned over. "Then maybe don't hoard blues like your life depends on it."
"I'm strategic,"Aryan defended.
"You're pathetic," Vivan said with a mock-sigh, tossing down his own card. "Uno"
"WHAT" Aryan gasped. "When did you get down to one card?"
Aarushi and Navya both burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay, no worries," Aryan muttered, flipping through his cards dramatically. "Abhi dekhna comeback hoga"
( I will make a comeback)
Aarushi leaned over to whisper, "He says this every time he starts losing."
"Watch and learn,"Aryan added confidently.
Ten minutes later...
He was holding nine cards.
Vivan had already won.
Navya had two left.
Aarushi had just dropped a Reverse card, effectively ruining Aryan's turn again.
And then... it happened.
Aryan stared at his cards. Then at the smug faces around him. Then back at his cards.
"NOPE" he declared suddenly.
Everyone looked up.
He snatched the deck from the center and in one overly dramatic motion - tossed all the cards into the air, sending them fluttering across the mat, the cushions, and halfway under the coffee table.
"Game over. Broken. I'm done."
Navya blinked. "Did he seriously just-?"
Vivan stared at Aryan like he'd lost all sense. "Did you just rage-quit again?"
Aryan threw himself back onto the carpet with a huff. "It was rigged. All of you were teaming up against me."
Aarushi raised an eyebrow. "Aryan, it's a solo card game."
"Exactly,"he said without logic. "And yet all of you were winning. Suspicious."
Navya stood up, brushing cards off her lap. "He always does this. The moment he starts losing-"
"-he sulks, ruins the game, and then blames the universe,"Vivan finished with a smirk. Aarushi giggled while picking up the cards again.
"I would've won if I had one more turn," Aryan said stubbornly.
"You had five turns" Navya deadpanned.
Aryan sat up and pointed at her. "You're banned from using Skip cards on me."
"You're banned from flipping the whole deck like it's a Bollywood breakup scene," Aarushi teased.
"That was one time-"
"Every time," they all said in unison.
Aryan scowled. "You all have trust issues."
"No, you have losing issues,"Vivan laughed.
Aarushi gave him a playful nudge. "
"Next time we'll play Ludo. Maybe you won't ruin the board."
"He's flipped the Ludo board before too" Navya whispered.
"IT SLIPPED"Aryan yelled.
Suddenly, all teasing and laughter came to a halt when they heard footsteps descending the stairs.
"Keep him there,"Abhimanyu's deep voice cut through the quiet. "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Check the data till I come."
He wasn't loud, but his voice carried that unmistakable authority - the kind that automatically made everyone sit a little straighter.
Navya quickly tucked her feet under her, Vivan stopped mid-chip, and Aryan very casually threw the cushion off his lap like he hadn't just been using it as a mini throne.
Abhimanyu ended the call and walked toward them, his gaze sweeping across the chaotic living room - cards scattered like confetti, snacks half-eaten, cushions tossed carelessly around the mat.
But when his eyes found Aarushi, the sharp lines of his expression softened, a quiet warmth flickering in his gaze.
Without a word, he stepped closer, bent down beside her, and pressed a warm kiss to her forehead "I'm heading out. Something urgent came up."
Aarushi tilted her head, concern rising. "Now? It's already midnight."
"It's minor. A small disrupt at the work" he replied calmly, straightening up. "I don't know how much time it takes, Maybe two hours... or morning,not confirmed "
Her worry didn't fade. "Do you have to go yourself?"
"I'll be fine," he said gently.
Then, his gaze swept across the others.
"I'm serious - don't stay up too late."
He paused, then added with more emphasis, "And don't do anything stupid."
His eyes locked directly with Aryan.
Aryan blinked"Aap bas mujhe dekh ker kyu bole rahe or bhi to log hai "
(Why are you looking at me when you say that?)
"Because history repeats itself," Abhimanyu replied dryly, already stepping back. "If something happens, call me immediately. No experiments, no pranks, no drama and not any escape game"
Vivan raised a hand like a student in school. "Hypothetical question - if someone accidentally sets off the microwave with foil in it-"
"No,"Abhimanyu cut in flatly.
Navya laughed under her breath.
"I'm being serious. Don't test me tonight," he added, turning his gaze back to Aryan. "Especially you"
"Seriously bhai, I am not a kid anymore" Aaryan said but Abhimanyu ignored him completely and looked at Navya instead.
"If anything gets out of hand, I expect a call." Navya nodded like a soldier being given her orders.
Abhimanyu turned to Aarushi once more. His expression softened again, almost unnoticeably. "Get some rest if you're tired. Don't let them keep you up." He said making aarushi chuckle and nod.
He gave her a slight nod, then left - his steps quick, voice already on the phone again as he disappeared down the hallway and out the door.
Silence lingered for a beat.
Then Aryan exploded, "WHY does he always single me out?"
Vivan snorted. "Maybe because you once set off the fire alarm making popcorn?"
"It was ONE BURNT BAG"he replied
Aarushi bit her lip to control her smile and said "I think he just knows where the chaos starts."
"Yrr mere bhi feelings hai" Aryan muttered dramatically, throwing himself back onto the floor. (I also have feelings)
"Don't worry,"Vivan said, patting his arm. "You're still our favorite"
"I'm surrounded by snakes," Aryan declared. "Also, can we all talk about how Bhai said, 'Don't do anything stupid' - but made direct eye contact with me like I was the main suspect in a criminal case."
"Maybe because you are," Aarushi teased, sipping her soda.
Vivan grinned. "You should take it as a compliment. He trusts you to be creative with your stupidity."
Aryan glared. "One day, I will rise. I will be mature. Responsible. Dependable."
The room once again filled with laughter, cushions flying, more chips being passed around.
While on the other hand As soon as the grand front door of the Rathore mansion closed behind him, Abhimanyu's expression shifted.
The soft warmth he'd shown in the living room vanished like smoke in the night breeze. What remained was sharp focus, a cold fire simmering just beneath the surface.
He took long, purposeful strides across the marble driveway toward his car, parked. The security guard at the main gate snapped to attention.
Abhimanyu paused just before opening the car door.
"Listen carefully,"he said, turning toward the guard with a hard stare. "Keep a tight watch tonight."
The guard immediately nodded. "Yes,hukum"
"No one is to come near the mansion perimeter. No one steps inside or go outside unless I say so. Got it?"
"Yes, hukum. Understood."
"If anyone even loiters around, I want to know immediately. I don't care if it's a stranger, press, or someone pretending to be a delivery guy. No exceptions."
His voice was low but firm, laced with an unmistakable warning. The kind that made people not just listen - but remember.
"Yes, sir," the guard said again, more firmly this time.
Abhimanyu gave a small nod and slid into the driver's seat. The engine started with a soft purr, but the silence inside the car was thick with tension.
His mind was already elsewhere.
Fifteen minutes ago, he'd received a call from a trusted man stationed at the warehouse. But the issue wasn't the warehouse.
It was the driver.
Aarushi's driver.
The same driver who had been with her since their marriage was loyal and quiet. However, tonight, someone had cornered him and threatened him. They managed to capture the person who issued the threats, but he wasn't in very good condition. They need to get information from him soon.
That person tried to get information out of driver about the mansion's daily schedules.
Who goes in. Who comes out.
When Aarushi leaves.
When she's alone.
Abhimanyu's jaw clenched as he turned out of the gates and onto the main road.
After few hours ~
The clock blinked 2:40 AM, its red digital numbers glowing dimly in the semi-darkness of the living room.
The buzz of the earlier game had died down. Uno cards lay forgotten under the cushions, and bowls of half-eaten chips sat like abandoned soldiers on the coffee table.
Now, the once energetic squad had shifted to the couches and floor like a lazy heap of limbs and yawns.
Navya sat with her legs tucked under a blanket, flipping through the channels without actually watching anything.
Aarushi leaned against one armrest, scrolling her phone absently. Vivaan lay half-horizontally on the carpet, using a throw pillow as a substitute for a bed, while Aryan rested on the edge of the sofa, bouncing his leg - the only one still visibly energetic.
His mind had long abandoned the idea of games and movies - now it was itching for something else. Something thrilling.
"We've literally done everything," Vivaan muttered. "I don't want to sleep, but I also don't want to sit here anymore."
'Exactly" Aryan suddenly clapped, eyes lighting up. "Which is why I have the perfect idea."
Aarushi narrowed her eyes. "Every time you say that, I get scared."
"Long Drive" Aryan said with dramatic flair, as if he'd just unveiled a secret weapon.
Navya blinked. "You mean... outside?"
"Ofcourse! Just us. Windows down. Music loud. City lights. Imagine how peaceful the roads must be right now,"Aryan said dreamily.
"And then imagine how peaceful your funeral will be when bhai finds out," Vivaan said flatly.
That name. That one name changed the temperature in the room instantly.
Aarushi sat up straighter. "Aryan...Abhi said not to do anything reckless."
Aryan scoffed. "He said no experiments, no pranks, and no drama. This is none of that-it's just a drive, not some escape game. Come on, we're adults now."
Navya folded her arms across her chest, her expression skeptical.
"Oh really? A short drive, huh? Do you remember the last time you said that? You ended up crashing Bhai's Audi into a divider."
She arched a brow. "And what about the guards? You know they wouldn't have let us step a foot outside this time. And going without them? Do you have any idea how furious Bhai would be if he found out?"
"That tree came out of nowhere, okay" Aaryan grumbled. "And seriously, why do we always need guards stuck to us like glue? Bhai's just being way too overprotective. We'll be back before anyone even notices."
"That tree was in the middle of the divider" Vivaan said, exasperated.
Aarushi looked hesitant. "But it's almost 3 AM. What if something happens"
Aryan sat down beside her, his tone softer now. "Nothing will happen. I swear. I'll drive slowly. No speeding, no drama. Just us, singing old songs, maybe grabbing coffee from that all-night café, and coming back before the world even notices."
"And what if bhai comes back before we do?" Navya asked.
Aryan glanced at the clock. "He's been gone for more than two hours. That means it's serious. If he hasn't returned by now, chances are he'll be back in the morning."
Aarushi bit her lip. "He made us promise we'd be careful."
"I am being careful," Aryan said. "That's why I want us to go together. Not alone. No random stops. Just one loop around drive or the highway, windows down, night sky above us."
There was a pause. A beat of silence that stretched too long.
Because part of them wanted it.
Wanted the rush. The memory. The chance to break routine. To escape for just a moment from the constant surveillance, the weight of Rathore expectations, and the shadow of a brother who loved them deeply - but sometimes, just sometimes, held them a little too tightly.
Navya looked at Vivaan.
Vivaan looked at Aarushi.
And Aarushi... looked at the door again. It remained shut.
Vivaan groaned, but stood. "This is so stupid. So stupid. And yet... I'm in." Aarushi looked hesitate and said "I don't think that we should -- but Aaryan didn't let her complete and said "Please bhabhi , just one time "
Aarushi sighed and finnally nodded her head but Navya intrupted "If bhai finds out-"
"He won't," Aryan said quickly. "We'll sneak out from the side gate, my car is already parked outside and No guards patrol there at night."
"Wait, there's a side gate?" Aarushi asked, blinking. Aryan winked. "There's always a side gate."
Everyone eventually agreed and the plan was set.
They moved like kids plotting a heist - quiet, a little panicked, but excited. As they slid on their sneakers, their hearts beat faster. A rush of adrenaline, a buzz in the air.
Aaryan led the group through the side path, crouching slightly like he was in some kind of spy movie. "Alright," he whispered, turning back to the others.
"You all wait here, okay? Just near the bend. My car is parked around the next side, near that back lane that leads to the gardener's shed."
Navya folded her arms. "You better not get caught. If even one guard sees you-"
"Relax,"he whispered, grinning. "I've done this before."
Vivaan mumbled, "That's what worries me."
Aaryan gave a dramatic flying kiss and tiptoed away. He kept close to the high boundary wall, using the shadows to his advantage.
The cool breeze rustled the trees around him, making the night feel even more alive... and dangerous.
As he approached the end of the side path, he slowed down.
His eyes immediately spotted a guard standing near the rear gate, casually scanning the area. Another guard - older, heavier - sat on a plastic chair nearby, nodding off with a woolen cap pulled down low over his eyes.
Aaryan pressed himself against the wall, ducking behind a tall hedge.
The standing guard turned for a moment, facing away. That was his window.
Aaryan silently darted across the small clearing, boots barely making a sound on the grass.
He crouched low, weaving through the parked utility bikes and a pile of old bricks. His black hoodie helped him blend into the shadows, and within seconds, he reached the small side gate - the one only the staff used during gardening hours.
Just beyond that was the narrow lane
and parked near the corner, tucked behind a bush and shielded partially by a tree - his car.
He held his breath, opened the small iron gate just enough to squeeze through without making the hinges creak, and carefully shut it again behind him.
Once outside, the air felt freer.
He walked swiftly but silently toward his car, glancing over his shoulder just once to make sure no one was looking through the gate. The guards remained unaware - the standing one now distracted with his phone, the other fully asleep.
Aaryan reached the car and slid into the driver's seat.
He didn't start the engine immediately.
First, he eased the car out of neutral, letting it roll back slowly without turning the ignition. The wheels moved noiselessly on the gravel for a few feet, just enough to distance the car from the mansion's perimeter.
Then, when he was sure the coast was clear, he slipped the key into the ignition, turned it with a slow, practiced motion - and the car came to life with the softest hum.
No sudden roar. No dramatic rev.
Just a gentle purr of a well-maintained engine.
Smirking to himself, Aaryan pulled onto the main road that circled the estate. He kept his headlights low, driving at a cautious speed until he reached the spot where everyone waited.
He pulled up beside them with a confident grin, the window rolling down.
"Told you I've done this before,"he whispered dramatically.
Navya rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "You're a menace."
"You didn't get caught?"Aarushi asked quickly, her voice low.
"Nope ,I have done this many times. Slid past them like a ninja," he said, puffing his chest a bit.
Vivaan opened the back door. "Let's just get this over with before we all regret it."
One by one, they climbed in - Aarushi in the middle, Navya on one side, Vivaan in the front passenger seat.
Aaryan adjusted the mirrors, then glanced back at the mansion one last time. Its lights were faint in the distance now, the guards completely oblivious.
The wind tangled through my hair, cool and wild against my face as I leaned a little out of the window, letting the night air brush away the heaviness.
Music played softly in the background, one of those old Bollywood songs Aaryan liked to sing loudly and off-key.
Navya rolled her eyes every time he hit a wrong note, which was basically the entire song, but none of us told him to stop. His ridiculousness was oddly comforting.
Vivaan had opened a bag of chips, now half empty on my lap, as he casually tossed them into his mouth, barely watching the road.
It was 3:30 AM and the city looked different - quieter, gentler, like it had secrets it only shared after midnight. We had no destination. Just... freedom.
"This is so worth the scolding we'll get later," Navya mumbled, her eyes on the road ahead, a small smile on her lips.
I laughed, resting my head on the edge of the window frame. "Let's just make it back before Abhi finds out."
Aaryan snorted from the driver's seat. "He won't. We'll be back before the sun even thinks about rising."
But that's when I noticed it - a flicker in the rearview mirror. A bike.
I didn't think much of it. Just someone else enjoying the night, right?
Aaryan's voice cut through the music. "That bike's been behind us for a while..."
I sat up straighter. "Maybe he's going the same way?"
But something felt... wrong.
Aaryan's eyes narrowed. He slowed the car slightly, took a turn, then another. The bike followed. Every time.
Vivaan leaned forward. "Okay... that's weird."
Then the biker pulled up - right next to Navya's side of the car.
I saw the way he looked inside. Not just a glance. A stare.A chill ran down my spine.
"Don't look at him," I whispered. "Just roll the window up."
As we rolled up the window, the biker swerved into us - hitting the side of the car deliberately.
Navya screamed.
"Shit!" Aaryan shouted, gripping the wheel tightly.
My heart pounded in my chest. "What the hell is he doing?" I breathed, eyes wide with panic.
Another thud - he bumped us again.
"Freaking lunatic" Vivaan shouted.
Aaryan sped up. "Hold on, everyone"
And then... Vivaan's phone rang.
The screen lit up.
"Bhai."
All of us froze.
"No. Don't pick up"Navya said quickly, voice shaking.
"We can't talk right now" I added. "Not like this"
But the phone rang again and again.
"I-I have to. He's calling again and again"Vivaan's voice cracked with panic as he put it on speaker and answered.
"WHERE the fuck are you all?" Abhimanyu's voice boomed through the speaker, raw and furious.
"Bhai, we just... we just went for a small drive," Vivaan stammered, voice barely stable.
"What fucking drive? I told you not to step out of the mansion! Are you out of your goddamn-"
BANG!
Another impact, louder this time. The biker rammed Navya's side again. She screamed.
"What was that? What the hell just happened?" Abhimanyu's voice dropped into something sharper. Alert. Dangerous.
Navya cried out, "They're hitting the car"
Another bike joined in, appearing out of nowhere on the other side - mine.
"OH MY GOD" I shrieked as it rammed into my side door. The whole car shook.
Aaryan was cursing under his breath, gripping the wheel like his life depended on it. "Fuck this. I'm going full throttle."
He floored the gas, the car jolting forward with a roar.
"Don't stop the car and Tell me your location. Now." Abhimanyu's voice was suddenly not angry - it was commanding. Cold. Controlled panic.
Vivaan looked frantically outside. "We're near Sector 12 bypass.Just crossed the abandoned gas station."
The call cut.
"Why are they doing this" Navya whispered, still gripping the door handle tightly.
The tires screeched as Aaryan took a sharp turn, trying to lose the bikes behind us, but they stuck like leeches - persistent and aggressive.
It had been ten agonizing minutes, and I could barely think straight. The roar of the engine, the wind howling against the windows, and the frantic shouts from Vivaan and Aaryan blended into a maddening storm of noise.
They kept catching up to us-no matter how fast we drove, they vanished for only seconds, only to reappear, more furious than before.
Their bikes swerved dangerously close, slamming into our car with bone-jarring force.
The frame rattled with every hit. They keep pounded knife against the window, over and over, as if sheer rage alone could shatter the glass.
Every jolt, every impact, felt like we were teetering on the edge of disaster.It felt like we are going to crash any second.
My heart was hammering in my chest. I could feel Navya shaking beside me, her hand desperately clinging to my arm like a lifeline.
"They're are still behind us-three of them now" Vivaan shouted, twisting in his seat to peer through the rear windshield. "One's gaining on us fast, coming up on the left"
"I can see him" Aaryan gritted, his knuckles white as he twisted the steering wheel to cut sharply through a side road.
The car tilted dangerously. Navya whimpered beside me. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to steady both of us.
"Just hang on, okay? It's going to be fine," I whispered, even though I didn't believe my own words.
My fingers stroked her hair, keeping her head pressed against my shoulder.
Then, a loud thud.
Suddenly, another biker emerged from the shadows on the left, accelerating with ruthless intent before slamming violently into Navya's side of the car, jolting us all with a deafening thud.
Her scream pierced the air, and I acted on instinct. I threw myself over her, shielding her with my body.
CRASH.
Glass exploded inward, shattering like gunfire all around us. I hissed as something sharp dug into my forearm.
The stinging pain was immediate, but I didn't move. I tightened my grip on Navya, holding her close as she sobbed against my chest.
"Bhabhi" Vivaan shouted from behind, his voice panicked. "You're bleeding-shit--"
"I'm fine," I managed to yell back. "Keep your eyes on the bikers"
"We can't outrun them forever" Aaryan yelled. "Vivaan-where the hell--
"Guys" I shrieked, pointing forward with my uninjured hand. "There's a turn ahead-watch out"
Aaryan swerved again, barely dodging a divider. The tires screeched against the asphalt. The car rattled violently as the biker tried once more to bump our rear.
My breath caught in my throat. It's so dangerous.
Navya's body trembled beneath my embrace, and I caressed her head. "You're safe, okay? Just hold on a little longer..."
Then suddenly-headlights.
Bright, powerful, slicing through the night like two swords.
My heart leapt. I knew those lights. Even before I saw the car fully.
Abhi.....
Two more vehicle followed close behind, guards packed inside.
As soon as the bikers spotted them, everything changed.
They hesitated.
Two of the biker suddenly slowed down, turning sharply and swerving into a side street.
The other two hesitated-their bike slightly skidding-but the second car blocked them before they could advance.
The bikers cursed and bolted into the same street, disappearing into the shadows.