42| And it begins.
Kya tujhe ab, ye dil bataye
Tujhpe kitna, mujhe pyaar aaye
Aansuon se likhdun mai tujhko
Koi mere bin, padh hi na paaye
Swallowing another deep breath, Tara somehow drives ahead with the assurance that Aayansh is coming for her and he won't let anything happen to both her and their precious one. Just when her phone rings and in urgency, Aayansh's call disconnects and this time- it is arsh's call.
Before flashing a glance to the phone's screen, she looks behind through the rear view mirror. A cold sweat trickles down her spine and her hands are almost trembling while rotating the steering wheel.
But then something added to her condition.
One of those cars is still following her path, closely behind.
Her eyes flicks back to the phone's screen but before she could answer the call-a sharp, twisting pain grips her abdomen.
She gasps, her breath coming in rags as she clutches her belly with one hand as another wave of pain crashes through her.
Cold sweat drops beading over her forehead as she loses the car's balance, trying to focus on the road in front with a teary and blurring vision.. but the sharp pain in her belly makes it impossible for her to drive further.
She doesn't stop because that car is still following her.
Her phone has already fallen down because of panicking and she doesn't even have the strength to bend and pick it up.
Groaning in pain, still she drops her eyes to look for her phone- unaware that there's no u-turn ahead.
And then-
A loud sound of car collision with a tree resounds there, leaving devastating silence behind.
?
Here, Arsh is standing near the rialto cliff where he asked Tara to arrive. Both his hands are tugging into the pockets, his aura calm and unpredictable but screaming something deadly.
Something he has invited, or maybe he would invite.
His honey brown orbs are staring at the empty mountains with a deafening silence, as if his every movement was calculated before it would have taken place.
Just when the low hum of spinning wheels marks someone's arrival, but arsh doesn't turn to look behind.
From the bike- A girl wearing black tactical pants reinforced at the knees, a sleek- long sleeves top that fits her frame like a second skin and the same butterfly tattoo over her neck; she steps near arsh with a calculative precision.
She runs a hand inside her waistband and takes something out, forwarding it to arsh and remarking "Plasma sample."
It's a small glass tube, containing someone's blood. Fresh blood.
Arsh gives a slight glance to it and Tina Kapoor presses "You sure it will work, AJ?"
"It has to," arsh says, without giving much to her concern as he presses "By the way, how is Tara now?"
"Make sure she stays alive" arsh adds before tina could utter a world, while her bewilderment is palpable on her face.
She's not a saint herself, but how does a brother even think of such things for his only sister? Especially a brother like arsh.
She was herself involved in the diamond race since the beginning, but no one could think she works under Arsh Jindal.
"What if king gets to know all this?" She frowns, her tone lacing fear and concern.
"That's not your concern, tina kapoor" arsh dismisses her prediction as he makes his way to his car while tina keeps staring at him until he disappears from his sight completely.
?
N E W Y O R K
The Manhattan Detection Complex
Dhairya quietly sits on the cold metal cot, his back pressing against the concrete wall and staring nothing but emptiness. The dim lights buzzes overhead and casts harsh shadows across his face.
His condition is like he's suffocating in his own silence, something is consuming him with a slow and deliberate pace.
His face doesn't reflect any experienced pride like it used to, instead these empty walls became the reflection of his faint gestures. Almost dead.
Beautiful past memories storming in him relentlessly as he closes his eyes and some giggling lively voices fill his ears, as they're the only source of him being alive.
[ P A S T ]
Dhairya is in his study room, analyzing the shared data of his first outlet while his focus is diverted towards eleven year old Arsh and ten months old Tara who are playing here only, Tara is crawling while arsh is trying hard to make her stand on her feet.
Dhairya Jindal is someone who loves to be with his kids even if he's the World's busiest man too.
Tara's chaotic mumbling (no clear words) and arsh's giggling sounds are echoing and dhairya gives a slight, loving glance to them- a smile curls his lips by its own.
"Yes little princess, you can do it" Arsh encourages baby tara, holding both her tiny hands and making her stand over her feet, on the other hand- she's stumbling again and again.
Still flashing her toothless gums proudly, as if she's enjoying troubling arsh.
Dhairya keeps his file aside and stares at his kids with a cheering, joyful gaze as if he's the happiest man alive.
"Dad, when will she stand on her own feet?" Arsh sighs, rushing towards dhairya and his voice disappointed.
Dhairya caresses Arsh's hair, ensuring "Give her some time arsh, she's too young for that."
Arsh nods.
"D.. dad.. da. dadda" This soft Mumbling catches their attention and both of them see Tara who is now crawling towards them while giggling.
"Dad! did you hear what she said?" Arsh almost yells out of excitement, a wide smile replacing all his disappointment as tara first time spoke something clearly after ash.
She often calls arsh 'ash' after hearing from others.
While Dhairya's happiness is on another level as he goes straight to Tara and picks her up in his arms gently, urging desperately "What did you say, Princess? Say it one more time."
Tara touches his face with her tiny hand, mumbling "Da.. d.. dadda"
He had even clean shaved his face so that his beards won't hurt Tara while playing.
"Dad! This is cheating, I wanted to hear 'Bro' from her
the first." Arsh says, rushing to them.
Dhairya is now completely absorbed with tara, swinging her gently in his arms as he replies to arsh "See little man, tara is daddy's princess!
So this had to happen, but don't forget at first she took your name, so it's fair as needed, right princess?
" He presses a kiss against tara's chubby cheeks as she's still mumbling on her own.
"Wait!" Arsh hinders and quickly brings his camera to record this moment.
The sound of door clinging open brings him out of his world and his gaze shifts to two officers who have just entered, commanding "Get ready, you are being shifted to another branch."
"What?" Dhairya stands up, his brows furrowing "May I know the reason for this, officer?"
"You will be informed about that soon, for now just follow the damn orders," officer says firmly, making him flinch and instantly shutting his pleads.
?
In a master bedroom with a theme of faint grey and luxurious/classy interior, tara has been laid up in the bed and no one is here. She's unconscious for hours but finally writhing softly, she opens her eyes and her gaze collides against the finely carved ceiling.
For a brief moment, she doesn't realise anything. And then- everything that unfolded a while ago starts playing in her mind like an unforgettable movie.
Arsh's strange call and behaviour, her own conversation with Aariv, those two cars, the accident, the sudden pain in her abdomen and then- she's directly opening her eyes here. In an unknown, strange place.
Sighing, she gets up slowly just when the door hangs open and a young woman steps in, wearing a formal servant dress.
She reaches tara, asking with concern "Ma'am, how are you feeling now? Don't worry, both you and your baby are absolutely fine. By the way, my name is Lia and I'm the caretaker of this villa."
She speaks all this in a single breath, not letting tara interrupt.
"I didn't ask for your name" Tara fills in, scanning the room with her gaze holding many questions, "Just tell me where I am? And why am I here? Who brought me here?"
Lia pauses, as if trying to register her questions. Then, she calmly says "I too don't have the answers to your questions, I have been instructed to take care of you."
Tara's patience slips "What do you mean by that? Either tell me who brought me here or I'm going."
Removing the blanket, she stands up abruptly and a faint scream leaves her mouth as she clutches her stomach and her eyes shuts close with the pressure in her belly "Ahh."
Lia panics "Ma'am please calm down, you're pregnant."
Slowly but in a heavy voice, Tara mutters "I- I want my Aayansh, where is he?"
Lia flinches and mutters something under her breath, then informs in a convincing manner "Ma'am If I knew anything, I would have told you already. But trust me, I'm just following what I have been instructed to."
She picks the juice's glass from the trolley and forwards it to her, trying to convince "Please eat something, you are looking weak. Please, at least for your baby."
Since no option is left with her, Tara takes the juice's glass from her but in the back of her mind- she's thinking of running away when lia cuts her thoughts off "Ma'am! If you're planning to leave this room or the villa, it would be of no worth because the villa is locked from all the sides."
Tara's eyes flick wide, her self isn't ready to accept what all is happening with her.
Nothing is clear, or maybe deliberately have faded from her sight by someone.
But one thing she understood so far- she's not going to get her answers from here.
?
"Everything is going smoothly, isn't it so suspicious?" Nicole morizetti- a mafia, a smuggler and an executioner of the dark world, flinches at romano who sits in front of him. Hiding his evil intentions.
"Obviously, it is" Clara, romano's daughter interrupts, shooting a glance at nicole "Every mafia syndicate knows that the war going on can make their way clear to take the command, but no one is daring because they're aware the consequences of getting involved in this too- they had seen Carson, his son, ivan and bruno's condition. "
"Their condition's reason was that they never played mindfully" Romano mutters under his breath, "They didn't know how to bring destruction without being destroyed."
"What do you mean, Romano? Stop playing with words and spill what you're planning," Nicole demands, his tone frustrated and confused.
"AJ- The capo himself broke the peace alliance which is the most stupidest decision being a mafia; Knowing once Peace treaty is broken, you yourself aren't out of the destruction that follows.
Each mafia syndicate or individual mafias too, holds the wish to destroy the king- but can't gather enough courage to stand by him.
On the other hand, Atlasco's each member envies capo and both these are against each other in this war" Romano pauses, letting his words settle and air thicken with anticipation.
"Now think, if one of them is being dragged out and the other being exposed vulnerable to the whole mafia world- our way would eventually get clear. My daughter will be the queen and after marrying her, you'll rule over everything, Nicole."
"I still didn't understand what you're exactly planning" Nicole frowns, suspecting romano's intentions. "And you have been with the king from the beginning, so why should I trust you?"
A mocking grin curls romano's lips, "No one is asking you to trust me Nicole, and don't forget I have raised him.
So I know where I have to play which card.
Let me be pretty clear to you, Carson tried to kill AJ many times- but couldn't. King never intended to kill him, but now we would do this.
Hear me, tomorrow- one of the largest smuggling stacks will depart from both the sea and air routes under the king.
But he wouldn't be there to supervise, while for his own stakes, most probably- AJ would be present there-"
"You mean A Final War, father?" Clara hinders, smirking.
"Correct, Mia" Romano praises "No one must have predicted where exactly the war will break but our motive is killing AJ during all this, and then I'll manipulate the king within our favour- these two are the unbreakable pillars without any alliance. And if one of them breaks, we'll rule."
"Don't go so far yet, romano." Nicole cuts through their intentions "We can't do this alone."
"Who said we're going to do this alone?" Romano fills in, redempting his opinion.
"That means more people are involved other than us" Nicole adds, confused.
"Stop being an asshole nicole, my father was a chief so obviously he knows how to plot a whole destruction." Clara utters frustratedly.
"Yeah, whatever!" Nicole shrugs, standing as he concludes "But don't you think of betraying me, because it won't end well for you too then." He leaves.
"Father, are you sure this asshole is worth involving in our plan?" Clara grits her teeth, standing up.
"Don't worry clara, he's one of many pawns. Once we're done extracting our benefits from him, he is done for us," Romano says severely, his intentions palpable while clara simply nods.
?
The day passes, evening stretches out in a quiet soft- the heavy snowfall outside is taking over the warmth, not just of the weather But of someone's hopes, patience and happiness too.
Tara is laying in the bed for hours, her teary eyes searching through the emptiness as the faint breeze enters the room from the balcony, crushing all her hopes as by now she's aware that lia was right-This villa is locked and she's caged here in a way.
She's so tired of thinking that her Brain has given up- it's numb now. She can't risk her life either by pulling any step, unaware what consequences it would bring for her.
Gathering some courage, she gets up and walks to the balcony.
How unaware is she of the storm coming in their ways? But what about the storm inside her own self- the helplessness, the fear of something happening to her loved ones who are keen to snatch each other's life.
Silent, she stares outside.
She wraps both her hands around her belly, feeling the warmth of her little one within herself as she mumbles "We are not alone, baby. Dad will come for us, he will."
With this, a tear slides down her cheek.
But then-
She feels wrapped in his warm embrace, addictive and comforting.
"Aayan-" He cuts her off, whispering "Shh, let me feel you."
Her words themselves instill in her as she wraps her arms around his over her stomach. Not a single word, no sound and still something is being exchanged within their souls, thousands of raw unspoken emotions.
The delicacy of this moment doesn't allow her to mess it with words, but still she presses "Is your enmity more important than me and our baby?"
Her voice is more like a slow, heavy sob as aayansh turns her towards him. Resting his forehead on hers and wiping the tear with his thumb, whispering "Nothing is more important than both of you."
"Then just leave all this, these killings." She places hands on his chest, clutching the fabric with a fragile hope "ayan, I can't.. I can't choose between you and my brother. I love both of you, I'll di-"
Aayansh places his finger on her lips, shutting her mouth close before she could say what she shouldn't.
His gaze is both soft and severe as he ensures "I promise I won't kill your brother, but I won't leave him too if he dares to come in my way."
"Now stop crying" He says, cupping her face within his palms while the last drop of hope in Tara breaks in the worst way possible.
"Like my tears would affect you anyway?" This time her voice isn't heavy, still holding the same pain.
Aayansh's fingers brushing against her wet cheeks and his intense gaze binding her into him as he corrects her "Everything related to you affects me to death, amour."
And then-
A faint sound from outside breaks it all, and reality seeps in. It was an illusion, a lie and a mere piece of her imagination.
Aayansh is not here.
She looks around, no one is in sight instead of the empty surroundings. She takes a deep breath, preventing herself from breaking in the ways she can't afford at this moment.
"Where are you aayansh? Please don't ruin us this way, I won't be able to forgive you this time." She mutters under her breath, exhausted of everything unfolding bit by bit in front of her.
?
On the other side, a chopper lands on a private helipad of New York with precise efficiency, its polished exterior gleaming under the moonlight.
The door swings open and he steps out. His eyes are sharp and assessing that makes the men dressed in black around straighten instinctively.
Faint winds touching his freshly shaved face and an undisputed aura of authority wrapping him like a thick, unshakable shield.
A long dark coat draping arsh's muscular frame, his polished black boots hitting the metal beneath and owning each arena he steps in.
His sharp gaze directly falls on the man already waiting for him here- Tarun Jindal.
Tarun reaches him but arsh doesn't show much bother of his presence as he presses "You got the plasma sample and you will get the diamonds too, now as per your words. Leave-her-alive."
Tarun smirks, tugging both the hands into the pockets "I never said I'm going to kill my own wife, if I had to do that, I would have done the same when she got to know my reality and threatened me."
With his own words, a blur scenario rolls up in his mind- a hospital ward, nine month pregnant lady, someone's screams and sobs, a baby crying and some news.
Some words of a woman fills his ears "You're criminal tarun, you never loved me, you used my position for your own benefits.
I'll bring your reality in front of everyone.
" "Don't you even try to touch my daughter, you lost all your rights on her, you lost us forever.
" "I will tell everyone how you used your relations for your benefits, your love for us was always a drama"
And then a gunshot, Once. Twice. Thrice.
A baby's crying voice.
A scream leaving only silence in the background.
A headline of every news channel 'Ira Jindal- darsh Jindal's younger daughter in law, a legal investigation officer herself- found dead in the same ward where she delivered a baby girl a few hours ago.
According to the reports, her own husband Mr. Tarun Jindal shot her three times brutally in the chest. He has been taken under the investigation but the whole family is traumatized after the brutal incidence'.
These flood of memories does nothing but Make a grin curl at tarun's lips as he exhales sharply.
"Think if I could create such a scenario of my wife's death, spend more than half of my life in jail just to hide one reality, then what will I do to get my daughter back?"
Arsh's eyes scanning the evilness dripping his face, but he doesn't say anything, not for now.
"You still have seven hours; bring my daughter to me before I take the command of everything." He fills in, overconfidence lacing his tone.
"World could flip in a minute and you're talking about hours" arsh tugs both his hands into the pockets "Well, we'll see who takes the command of what."
Ignoring his response, arsh makes his way ahead. Followed by Aariv and Jose.
?
The night hasn't passed yet and darkness is still overlapping many floods, of emotions and mysteries.
Even after trying hard to let the sleep engulf her, Tara doesn't get any success.
She's just laying quietly, lost in her own world when the door hangs open and her eyes instantly shift there to the person who has just entered.
Flabbergasted, she gets up uttering breathlessly "You?"