Shattered to Be His

47| Secrets and lies.

THEME SONG:

First half - Prisoner

Second half - Far from home

Tara groans under her breath when Aayansh slides another finger inside her, fastening the pace while his cold eyes are glued to her crimson turned face.

Without letting her smile fade, she gulps and shifts her focus to the projector's screen as she starts uttering "So.. our operation spans across 17 sev- seventeen countries' with a global work... force-"

Her breath is shaky, and forehead is coated with sweat as she tries her best to control the sounds ready to escape her throat and continues "Committed to deliver excellence and.. and ensuring arms field to the broader arena."

The moment it becomes intolerant for her, she breathes heavily "Aah..Aayansh, I can't."

With the same demeanor, Aayansh stares at her sweat drenched face for a moment and then orders in the same cold tone, "Meeting over, the dealership will be signed in New York."

Hearing this, the clients, trustees and board members, everyone leaves the conference hall right away.

Aayansh's dark eyes flick to the man Tara smiled at, but he's lucky he didn't lift his head up to her a bit and this is the reason he's still breathing.

Now only Aayansh and Tara are left in this massive conference suit. Panting heavily, she rests her head on his shoulder as he makes her cum on his lap only and her body loosens with the release.

"Try doing that again" He leans on her face, his voice dangerously calm "If you want me to fuck the soul out of your body, until you get what it means-to-be-mine."

She doesn't say anything, still struggling to normalise her breathing and slightly shaking body.

?

Arsh is sitting in the executive suite of his company, the theme here is navy blue and white and interior exuding sophistication and elegance. This company, the reputation in international markets and everything has already been ruined but he knows how to rebuild his empire in legal ways.

He's cross checking a file when out of nowhere his eyes shift to Tara's childhood photo in the front wall.

It's a photo from when she was just a few days old, like a tiny angel.

He keeps the file aside, A slight smile tugs at his lips as he leans on his chair and his eyes still staring at the picture with pure love as his mind dives into the precious memories of his childhood.

Ten year old arsh rushes to Ira's room.. who is eight and half months pregnant and diva is fixing the pillow behind her to ensure her comfort, while nurses are looking after the medications.

"Mom, Carla aunty said Ira mom has a baby in her stomach, how could she eat a baby?" He asks diva, staring at Ira's baby bump with a heartbreak and disbelief.

Diva shakes her head slightly, and with a smile she says "Let your ira mom rest arsh, she's soon going to bring a younger sibling for you."

"Really?" A wide smile makes its way on his lips, flashing all his crystal clear teeth at once.

Ira calls arsh near her and makes him sit beside her as she runs a hand in his hair, asking "Tell me arsh, do you want a little brother or sister?"

"I want a little princess" He says without wasting a second, making them smile.

"I know my boy will be the best brother" Diva presses a kiss against his cheek and arsh instantly adds, "No mom, I'll be the bestest brother of my little princess. I'll fulfill her every wish, I'll play with her, and I'll do her homework too."

He blabbers, his words holding a promise, not just for now, but forever.

_?_?_?_?_?_?_?_

Three days old baby Tara is sleeping in the cradle, but Jindal mansion's environment is more of mourning after Ira's death, tarun being in custody while dhairya has been accused as only he was present there at that time.

While unknown of everything, every sorrow, little arsh is dying to hold his younger sister for the first time in his arms.

Two nannies are here to take care of the baby, and diva is herself looking after every minor thing.

"Mom, give her to me, I want to hold my sister, please" Arsh urges, staring at Tara who's in the cradle.

"No, arsh. She's too young, you might hurt her" Diva snaps, her voice dry and a mere whisper.

"No mom, I can never hurt my princess" He says, his voice impatient.

Diva sighs, as if she doesn't have the energy to argue. So she gently picks Tara in her arms and bends to arsh, so that he can see her close.

"She's so cute, just like a fairy" He says, mesmerized in the view, but when he notices her toothless gums, he murmurs in disbelief "Mom, where are her teeth? Don't tell me she left them in Ira mom's tummy.. how would she eat now?"

"New born babies don't have teeth, baby" Diva explains, caressing Tara gently in her arms. "And she can't eat anything until she grows teeth."

"Ohh" He lets out a sigh of relief, "But when will Ira mom come back to us, you said she went shopping for my princess, why is she taking so much time?"

A notification sound from his phone pulls him out of his thoughts as he spares a glance to the screen and picks it, it's a text from a number saved as 'K.T'.

"We're up for the therapy A.J-Maybe last time, so please come once you get some time."

Arsh exhales sharply, then texts Aariv to handle everything here before he leaves.

The driver stops the car in front of a cottage and arsh steps out, he orders the driver to leave then himself makes his way inside. His face is calm, almost unreadable.

Everything and everyone here is overwhelmingly instilled, as if carrying a mask.

From the stairs, arsh reaches the upper floor and his gaze collides to the woman standing out of one of the rooms.

Dr. Katherine Torres, A psychiatrist and psychologist.

"A.J?" She mouths, her tone severe and calm.

"How is he?" Arsh asks, shifting his eyes to the close door then on hers once again.

"I can't say anything for now, you know R.A (Retrograde Amnesia) is not something to be handled in such haste. His mind is still stuck in those caged years" Her voice drops "And this might be the final therapy he needs, you have to help me in that."

"How?" Arsh's brows twist in anticipation.

"I'll restructure his Brain from the past to this day, in simple words, I'll re-shift his mind's current state and then you have to explain that incident because of which he's here, hope you understood?" She questions and thinking something, Arsh nods slightly.

K.T opens the door slowly and steps in, followed by arsh.

Their eyes fall on the man laying in bed, he must be near his eighties with white hair, pale loose skin and weak body structure as if he's been living in the same mental and physical state for years.

His open eyes freezing at the ceiling, no single movement in his body but he can listen or feel nearby surroundings.

She sits on one of the chairs lying there and beside, arsh sits, his eyes fixed at that old man.

?

Aayansh and Tara are in their private jet, the air cool with comfort and luxury. The lavish dark interior of the jet contains the theme of grey and black, giving both sophistication with elegance and including almost everything from a walk-in-closet to with master suites.

Sitting on the sofa, she's having vegetarian fajitas?-one of the most famous dish of Mexico. No doubt how much she's obsessed with Mexico and related things these days.

Meanwhile Aayansh, who is wearing a black hoodie and trousers, his hair is a bit messy scattered over his forehead and he's doing something in his tab. His serious gaze, scanning the asset details and potential shares of his new subsidiary display on the screen.

Here after finishing her food, when Tara licks the soup from over her lips, Aayansh's deep voice reaches her "Stop it, Amour."

She turns her head towards him whose gaze is still on his tab's screen, she cocks her brows at him. "Stop-what?"

"You know 'Exactly' what" He says with the same tone and a slow, deliberate smirk curls her lips.

She licks her lips again, just to get pulled up on his lap abruptly. His hand is grabbing the nape of her neck with authority and dark possession, ending the distance between their faces and letting their warm breaths touch each other's faces.

Without any warning, without giving her a moment to process, Aayansh claims her lips as if showing her how he owns her every single breath, far more than she could ever own herself.

Her eyes shut close with the suddenness and brutality of his actions, her hands tugging at his hair as he eats her lips like a starving vampire- his grip over her nape tightens, ceasing her every childish movement or protest.

His lips pressing onto hers with a desperation and dominance, his tongue invading her mouth and tasting the delicacy and when she runs out of breath completely, he bites her bottom hard, making her wince and then pulls away slightly.

His lips still hovering over her swollen ones and slight blood is coating her bottom lip as she takes deep breaths, panting heavily.

"I hate disobedience" He whispers, rubbing her bottom lip with his thumb and making her gasp "And you know that."

She stares at him with a burning gaze, and when she tries to get up from his lap immediately, her fragile protests turn out to be absolutely worthless.

"Get me off" She yells, struggling to get away from him when he's staring at her calmly.

After around seven minutes of trying, she sighs and gives up, letting out an irritated shaky breath.

Realising her tactics wouldn't work on this grumpy husband of hers, she picks up the tab to change her mood.

Scrolling through the social media, when a baby girl' s picture comes in her feed and her mood flips like nothing. A bright smile curling her lips as she murmurs "Isn't she so cute?"

Aayansh's eyes shift from her face to the screen before shifting back to her, his expressions don't change a bit.

"Aayansh-" Her eyes are still glued to the screen, scrolling through the pictures. "If we have a baby boy, I'll call him Ansh. And if it's a girl like this tiny doll, we'll go for a Mexican name-like Olivia, calivia, Francesca."

She lifts her eyes up to him who is listening to her rant with an unreadable face calmly, and frowns "Are you even listening to me? At least say something."

"I don't need to say anything" His lips curl into an oblique grin, pulling her closer and tugging a strand of hair behind her ear as he says, "When I know I'm going to give you both."

A delicate shade of pink coats her cheeks, but to hide it, she snaps dramatically "No, we're going to have only one baby. I can't take so much pain twice. You know I want it to be a boy, and I'll never let our son become like you, he'd be a gentleman like my Bro and multi-talented like me."

She utters it all in a single breath, playing with his calloused fingers while his face is half hidden in the crook of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating fragrance.

"Сэр, ваши напитки" A Russian flight attendant's voice catches their attention, who stands a distance away with her head bow, dressed up elegantly in the grey-black uniform.

She's holding the tray, containing a cup of black coffee and hot chocolate.

Getting an indication from him, the attendant places the tray on the glass table in front and leaves from there.

Tara quickly picks her hot chocolate mug and hands him his black coffee cup, grimacing "Yuck, how can you drink this?"

"Just like you I swallow your juices, from down there" He smirks, taking a sip of his black coffee and making her eyes wide with shame and mouth shut.

But she doesn't say anything, just quietly sipping her hot chocolate.

She's sleeping in his lap peacefully, visible on her unbothered by everything and calm face. Her head resting on his chest, while he has resumed his work.

Her slow wincing sound diverts Aayansh's gaze from the tab's screen to her, her breathing soft and steady and lips slightly parted in a quiet dream.

It seems like every worry has smoothed from her face, leaving behind only the pure stillness of innocence- untroubled, almost childlike.

Aayansh's eyes travel from her face to the gentle rising and falling of her chest, her hair hiding the view.

He tosses the tab aside and sweeps those hairs behind her back, his fingers and knuckles brushing against her collarbone when she blabbers in her sleep "Don't you dare touch me, you.

. you rascal, my husband will bury you alive. "

"Really?" A smirk twitches the corners of his lips, his fingers slipping to her cleavage dominantly as he husks "But I'm going to touch you wherever and however I want."

Her face dulls up in disbelief, next second she yells "Aayan?"

Aayansh leans closer to her face, his lips hovering over hers and intense eyes gawking at her with desperation as responds "Hmm?"

"He touched me" She scowls in arrogance, still lost in a deep slumber.

"Where?" His sinister smirk deepens when she points at her collarbone.

He leans further and presses a kiss to her collarbone.

"Aayan?" She winces more impulsively, making a crying face "He.. he kissed me."

His lips moved further, kissing her cleavage "Like this?"

Abruptly, she lifts her hand to throw a fragile punch on his face but he grabs her hand right away.

He locks both her hands in his one, making her gasp as he whispers darkly against her ear "One more movement, and your hands will be tied with the dress you're wearing-Beneath me."

She groans in sleep and then hides her face in his chest, unbothered by everything. Aayansh frees her hands, holding her close as he presses a kiss against her forehead.

?

Here in New York, K.T and arsh sits near that man, K.T checks his pulse and then gradually starts with the therapy.

"Mr. Darsh Jindal, this is your therapist K.T" She whispers slowly, "And we're going to begin with your therapy, so keep your mind relaxed! just focus on the voice and words nearing your ears, you aren't forced to do anything, okay?"

"Everything is normal, you are normal! Your family, a perfect family and the reason you live.

Those memories with them makes you smile, your both son, daughter-in-laws and your grandson whom you love the most. You're recollecting everything," Only her voice is echoing within Darsh's ears and mind, his face remains like that but his mind gradually starts collecting their happiest memories until everything is normal and perfect.

While arsh's mind is sticking somewhere else, from where it all started.

Arsh is talking to the lawyer on call, exuding the details of Dhairya's case to them while his steps continuously moving in urgency as he commands "All the accusations are baseless, My Father never laid hands in black market-"

Before he can continue, another call rings his phone and he checks only to find an unknown number calling him.

Instead of ignoring, arsh picks the call and a familiar voice crackles from the other side "Busy enough?"

Arsh's fists clenches in frustration, but he doesn't say a word, letting tarun spill his intentions.

"Check your phone" Tarun mouths severely and the same second, another notification rings arsh's phone.

Arsh checks it and this time his eyes flicker with bewilderment as it's Ira's picture, freshly clicked in which she's unconscious.

"Liked the surprise, son?" Tarun sneers and arsh rages out, "Do not try to play oversmart, this woman can't be her."

Tarun lets out an evil chuckle, then murmurs "Who said she's Iraa? She's Tara's mother Iraa Jindal"

Arsh's jaw pulsates further as he continues "Don't worry, she is and will be alive if you want."

"Get on the point," Arsh warns.

"I want my daughter and you will bring her to me. You hid her from me for years and now you will get her to her real father. How? That's your concern." He spills "And you're aware that I won't hesitate a bit before killing iraa if you try to mind play or betray me" He disconnects.

While something shifts in Arsh's mind. He knows Tara is in Nigeria for her career start, unaware of all this storm and he too never wanted her to get into this mess, Dhairya is stuck in legal accusations and arsh can't leave him like this, especially when he knows that being out of Custody will be so unsafe for him.

Day passes and it's evening already, tomorrow is Dhairya's final hearing. Arsh is driving with an earpiece connected to his ear as he commands "Arrange a jet Aariv"

"But boss, what about uncle's heari-" Arsh cuts him off. "That's not your concern, I've already talked to the lawyers about how they've to handle it."

"Got it, Boss" He says and then taking a pause, he asks hesitantly "Are you going to meet.. Princess?"

"You'll know everything once I want you to" Arsh disconnects just when Diya's call interrupts.

Arsh picks it in the second ring and diya throws direct questions at him "What are you planning arsh?

I need to know. And how is uncle? Why aren't you putting any effort to save him from all this mess?

And.. And that bastard oldie, why does he want our tara so suddenly, can you just answer me dammit? "

"Glad you shut your mouth" Arsh says calmly, knowing diya knows most of the things but not clearly. "Now hear me, I need to fall into tarun's trap and let him think he's going right."

"What? Why?" Diya mumbles in disbelief.

"He wants to use Tara for his greed, and to get her he's using Iraa mom to blackmail me, knowing I won't stack her life anyway. Let him think he's using me right-"

"What about Tara? Even you can't reach her because of that man whom she married!" Diya presses.

"Absolutely" Arsh says, "That simply means Tara is and will be safe from this mess, but I'd have to pretend things the other way. Everyone in the mafia knows Me and Aayansh are against each other, so they'd try to make ways for them which is perfect for this situation to misguide minds."

"Arsh! Don't tell me you're gonna take help from Aayansh?" Diya wheezes, her voice thick.

"Don't overuse your mind! I won't do anything like this" Arsh answers firmly, "But my sister's life is connected to that fucker, so deeply that I can't deny anymore. I'd have to get him into all this" He pauses "Or maybe he's already into this."

"Well, I'm damn sure Tarun is hiding something! He's greedy but so clever, so he will never let anyone know his real motive and pawn."

"What are you saying?" Diya frowns.

"Something or someone is behind the curtains Diya, I'll leave for Nigeria tomorrow, after dad's hearing. You have to do one thing, shift him to some private space within two-three days after being sentenced, Aariv will be there with you, clear?" Arsh demands and after taking a pause, Diya agrees.

In a private casino, A man is sitting on the couch, his aura both intimidating and dark and face cold. Some men are standing behind him and in front of him a middle aged woman whose face is almost hidden under the darkness.

This Man is Aayansh, dressed in a crisp black shirt and pants with a cigar pressed between his lips.

There's a strange, mysterious silence here as if only shadows are whispering.

Aayansh's eyes shift from the woman in front of him to the man coming towards them, his face hidden with a hat and gaze, carrying a sharp alluring authority.

"You don't need to hide your face, Brother-in-law" Aayansh sneers, leaning casually on the couch with his arms across the sides like a dominator. "No one here is going to harass you"

That man reaches them who's no one but arsh, and he's hiding his face because there are many servants, bartender present here, who obviously aren't trustworthy.

Arsh knew Aayansh was in Nigeria itself and he's aware about arsh's presence too, and tonight in this casino, an illegal deal was to be signed here with a British mafia syndicate and Aayansh was involved in it. Hence, it would be the best chance to know his intentions or what he's going to do.

"Shut the fuck-" Arsh presses when aayansh cuts him off with boredom in his tone "You sound so irritating."

"By the way" He says, letting his words settle, "Meet your Ira mom" His gaze travels to the woman sitting in front and as arsh's eyes shift to her, the ground beneath his feet slips away like it never existed.

Because she's Iraa, her face, her body structure and everything.

An evil smirk twitches the corners of Aayansh's lips as he notices Arsh's changed expressions.

"She's NOT" Arsh bites out, his firm gaze still sticking to that woman's face.

"Absolutely" Aayansh fills in, crushing his cigar in the ashtray "But she's the same Tarun Jindal is blackmailing you with?- A Doppelganger."

"That means-" Aayansh hinders his words, his tone mocking "Iraa Jindal was never alive, so your uncle trapped you quite well."

Arsh's eyes turn cold as he eyes Aayansh and grunts "How the fuck do you know all this? And what is she doing here?"

"Zarurat se zyada jaankari rakhna aadat hai Meri" He tilts his head slightly, his voice intimidating "And just like real father-in-law trapped you, He was in my trap from the beginning."

"He gave this woman Iraa Jindal's identity just to use her as his pawn, and according to him, she's just a body being medicated to keep breathing as long as he wants." Aayansh adds, a dark smirk deepening.

Actually, Doctor Raj brought this woman as Ira's Doppelganger on tarun's command, and medicated her the way that she remains paralyzed both mentally and physically, unaware those actual medicines never really being injected in her body as Dr. Raj's assistant nurse and her co-worker used to alternate the medicines and injections because they worked for Aayansh, even this Doppelganger was the same woman Aayansh wanted them to use.

Tarun never let anyone even predict that this woman ain't Ira and according to him, only Raj and he knew the truth.

"What do you want to do?" Arsh's brows twist in suspicion as he eyes him.

"Wrong question" Aayansh asserts, "I already did and am doing what I want, now it's your turn."

"I'm not like you who live in darkness and twist things on the costs of others'lives" Arsh brows twitch in suspicion.

"Correction" Aayansh gets up, his gaze sharp "I don't just live in darkness, I rule over it."

"And when I say I'll end this in my way, then I fucking mean it" He makes his way out, without turning to look for arsh's reaction, while his men take that doppelganger too.

Which made it clear that Arsh and Aayansh were never together, but against each other and were making their own paths, though the destination might be the same.

Now everything flips in arsh's head, except one thing that Tarun is actually hiding, as he wouldn't do all this without a strong back. Arsh decides to play along with him until he gets to know the thing he wants to, he lets him think that he's being trapped.

His mind shifts to how he met tarun in Nigeria, created a fake scenario of trapping tara by manipulating her just to make tarun think he's going right.

He called her to Rialto bridge that day intentionally after leaving some of his men behind her for her safety, and that was the moment Aayansh actually stepped in the game.

They all wanted Tara to use either way but Aayansh took her away from every eye, far from their reach.

Literally no one knew where she actually was because according to tarun, she was with arsh and he's going to hand her to him while arsh himself didn't know about her except that she's safe.

PRESENT

"But wait; what happened which changed everything? You do remember that, right?" K.T interrupts Darsh's thinking, re-guiding his mind to the other side while arsh is noticing all this.

"The incident that changed your life, now everything is coming in front of your eyes, you're living that moment again, just keep your mind calm"

With her words, Darsh's mind starts tangling with those past moments he lived and somewhere it's stuck within them.

P A S T (Before Tara's birth)

The environment of Jindal mansion is quiet in joy, a description of a perfect family. Darsh Jindal and his both sons, Dhairya and Tarun, his older daughter in law Diva Jindal and ten year old Arsh are sitting on the breakfast table, having their meal.

"I've talked to vivek, he's saying that the legal formalities for this branch can only be done from here" Dhairya says to darsh, his voice severe "And we can't take risk in them, so I won't be able to join you In Dubai."

"It doesn't matter" Tarun interrupts, looking at darsh "Dad, I'm coming with you, Dubai's villa too needs equal attention."

"But Ira needs you more, her delivery date is nearing, you should be with her" Diva asks to tarun, her tone concerned.

"Mom, Ira mom is becoming a delivery boy?" Arsh frowns, looking at them with confusion and they chuckles softly at his words.

"Have your breakfast quietly arsh" Diva snaps at him and he nods obediently.

"Hmm.. she's absolutely right, I'll handle things in Dubai by myself" Darsh declares firmly, making tarun flinch.

"But-" Darsh cuts tarun off "This decision is final."

Darsh had to leave for Dubai, everyone thinks he's going there for business purposes, but only he knows the actual reason he's heading to Dubai all of a sudden.

_

"This villa ain't a normal building, Akash, it's an illusion designed to deceive eyes" Darsh says, his eyes glued to the tall structure of the villa standing before..on Dubai's land.

"Because of.. Diamonds?" Akash, his most trustworthy man and secretary, questions out of curiosity.

"That's not the only reason, no one can ever predict that those three diamonds are here, between the chaotic walls of this villa, but decoding the technical security here is also impossible" He answers, his voice laced with confidence.

How unaware he's of his own son's intentions, that tarun knew about the diamonds being here but couldn't really decode the technological advancement of this villa and that's the reason he wanted to come with darsh to know about this.

Akash simply nods, when Darsh's phone rings, he picks the call, heading inside the villa.

"Sir, I just got to know who messed with the company's accounts and hacked your confidential information a few days back" His P.A, viraaj informs in urgency.

"Who was he?" darsh demands, his voice thick with fury and desperation.

"Sir.." Viraaj hesitates, but then he spills "It's your son Mr. Tarun Jindal, he messed with the information and even manipulated the real one."

"What?" His fury peaks, "On what basis you're blaming my son?"

"Only he's the one who privatized his company accounts after the incident, and the information altered was also connected to him"

Darsh's mouth shuts for a moment, his heart heavy with grief and his own son's betrayal. Unaware that standing away, Akash was listening to all this.

Here Akash immediately calls Tarun, informing him that his father has caught his cheating.

"He should not return here, Akash, not unless I command you further. And don't kill him, just not let him return to New York, understand?" This was the command tarun gave him before ending the call.

After clearing things to viraaj, when darsh heads out to look for akash and inform him about returning to New York urgently, someone hits on his head from behind with utmost pressure and he falls on the ground lifeless.

This was the last thing he remembers.

And since that day, Darsh Jindal lost in the mysteries of this Villa. In his family, Tarun made everyone believe that Darsh is stuck in the official work in Dubai and will return within a few months, but directly his death's news reached them after Ira's death.

P R E S E N T

"You can recollect everything, Mr Darsh jindal, how you survived those years, how you felt, your emotions, how you yearned to see your loved ones again" K.T moves ahead, her voice echoes in darsh's ears.

And with this, Darsh's brain re-lives those emotions that choked him more than death could ever. His own son's betrayal, the desperation to see and hear his family, his grandson, his unborn grandchild.

How he was caged in a room for more than two decades, how he had been forced to survive even when he begged for death to those men a few times.

The walls of that room screamed his unsaid pain, became both his companion and handcuffs which tied him to worse.

That tall structure became his imprisonment.

"Take it easy, you're safe, no one will torture you anymore, no one will threaten you" K.T says, checking his fluctuating pulse throughout and sensing that he's panicking.

"A.J" She gives a slight glance to arsh and he nods, he places a hand of comfort on Darsh's hand.

"Bade Papa" He starts in a slow voice, "It's me, Your Arsh. Two months back, that day, you saw me... In your Dubai's villa, where you were caged."

"You're gradually shifting from the past to two months back, and this day" K.T asserts, pulling his brain ahead from those memories.

Here arsh puts in words the exact incident while remembering everything.

T W O M O N T H S B A C K

'D U B A I' (After the sea war)

Arsh, Luca, Diya, Braden, Aariv and Tina have been tied up with iron handcuffs in a dark chamber, their conditions are not so good and especially of Braden and diya.

All they know is that they have already landed on Dubai's land, but what's gonna happen next? Where are they present? No idea.

"Boss, why are we sitting here like helpless bastards? I just can't-" Arsh cuts Aariv off "You have no will to die so soon, do you?"

"We're already dy...dying" Diya mumbles, her voice barely coming out of her throat as she's too weak.

"And dying while a-after killing those bastards, won't be.. be that regretful" She adds.

"I don't u-understand what's happening, you said Princess's mom is with that shithole and he's blackmailing you, but he himself didn't know anything about her, neither we, so who knows? And where's princess, don't tell me you're gonna do what that bastard wants" Braden presses with irritation.

Arsh doesn't respond, because only he knows how everything is gonna flip the next morning, and he's waiting for that moment.. to know what Tarun has buried for years.

Here, the Rain hasn't stopped for hours, the city lights blurred behind the window as Tara sits curled on the edge of the couch, her half face hidden in the oversized sweater as she remembers how she was on Aayansh's lap last night, right here.

The conversation with him striking in.

"Why can't we live a normal life, Aayansh? Why can't I have some peace? All this suffocates me now, and you? You don't care about us, our baby, what's his fault?" Her voice hinders seeing the unsaid depth in his eyes and she sighs.

"I will ne.. never forgive you if something happened to anyone amidst all this" She sobs, clutching his shirt tighter and hiding her face in his chest.

Aayansh doesn't say a word, just holds her closer, her small frame hidden under his as he ends the distance between them.

She clutches the pillow, holding herself together... or at least trying. The air is still carrying the warmth of their encounter last night, the scent of his skin lingering around is just overwhelming for her.

She pulls out her face, staring towards the shedding rain drops as if the sky is shedding tears. Her arms curling around her stomach as she mutters in a faint voice "We're waiting for you."

One of the darkest nights of their life has passed, it's the same Dubai's villa where Darsh has hid those three diamonds. The air here is thick with the scent of wood and something faintly metallic- forgotten blood.

The corridors twist in impossible ways, looping back into themselves like a maze designed to confuse rather than guide. The interior? far more advanced from the time both technologically and creatively twisted.

Tarun's men take arsh and all of them inside, their hands still tangled within iron handcuffs and arsh's eyes are scanning the villa as if cracking this virtual maze.

While Diya and others are too scanning the surroundings quietly.

"Free him" Tarun's voice cracks in the silence, making arsh look at him who's heading towards them from the entrance.

Those men free arsh's hands, while he's still at their gun point.

"Now without wasting my time, tell me where's my daughter?" He orders, a cold warning.

Diya, Aariv, Braden, Luca and Tina's brows twist in confusion of how Tara could be here?

"Why That doctor and Kiaan not with this shit hole?" Tina mutters under breath to Braden, staring at tarun.

"He's going to explain everything to us, don't worry," Braden sneers, making her frustrated.

Giving a slight unbothered glance to tarun, arsh heads to a corridor stretching to the hallways, his gaze sharp yet unpredictable.

Tarun follows him with his men dressed in a code and fully armed, while diya and others are too being taken behind them.

There are many rooms with fully technical entrances, their quiet footsteps resounding across the vast leading hall as if death making its way.

Arsh stops in front of one of these rooms, followed by others.

"Break the code" Tarun orders his men, his eyes fixate at the security panel of that room.

These men are technical specialists, so breaking such codes wasn't a tough task for them.

The moment code cracks and door opens, tarun steps inside and lets arsh also in.

Their eyes fall on Tara who's lying in the bed, and sensing their presence, she gets up.

She looks at arsh, her gaze carrying no hesitance.

"Tara?" Tarun's voice pulls her gaze to him, and hatred gleams through her soul into her eyes.

"What do you want from me?" She straight away throws the question, her fists clenching.

"I'm your father, whether you accept it or not" Tarun presses, his tone gentle and convincing "And you're going to help your father like a good daughter."

Arsh's jaw clenches at his words, but all of them are at gunpoint, one wrong movement would lead to the blood war here, right here.

Tara stares back at arsh, then something in her mind prevents her from protesting.

"What.. help?" she whispers.

A winning smirk curls Tarun's lips as he says "Come with me."

"No one will dare to raise the gun on my daughter" He commands his men, and heads ahead.

Tara follows him with slow, calculative steps, her eyes constantly shifting to arsh.

Tarun's men are alert, diya and others are just sensing what's coming next.

Everything is overwhelmingly quiet and going with the flow.

But it may be the symphony of storms coming next.

Tarun's Men are in huge numbers, so there's no chance of losing to him.

He stops in front of a concrete wall with a specific and different metallic frame at the center and machinery panel at the edge, completely technologically orchestrated.

He activates the machinery panel and a robotic voice echoes 'Vault Activated'.

They all stare at the wall with amazement.

"Princess, look at the eye scanner above" Tarun asks Tara, and giving a slight glance to him, she turns her eyes up to look at the screen or an eye scanner for a moment.

Where everyone's main attention is on all this, arsh gives a quiet command to Aariv and Braden, without coming in anyone's notice.

Diya and Tina exchange a glance.

'IRIS MISMATCHED, IRIS MISMATCHED' This robotic voice resounds there, tarun takes out his gun the next moment and shoots at Tara's forehead and she falls on the ground- Dead.

"Again a betrayal" Tarun growls, "She wasn't Tara" He shoots towards arsh in a blink but arsh sharply bends the exact second, and that bullet hits one of his men.

With full force, Diya hits between the legs of one of the men who were pointing guns at her and Tina, and Tina quickly snatches the guns from his hand and shoots at him and other men the next second.

She tosses the other gun to Diya and both constantly shoot on the men coming in sight, crouching and crumbling to the narrow corridors.

Brutal and unhinged gun firing fills the surroundings, the thick dark smoke clouding the dimly lit corridors.

While Luca is still in shock, Aariv and Braden strides to the stretching metallic walls as they're armless amongst this sudden gun firing.

A second it took for the quiet surroundings to be exchanged by burning gunshots. But hunting in this villa or a maze ain't an easy task, you can be saved or trapped within the same walls.

"When did Boss plan all this?" Braden mutters to Aariv who is trying to pick the gun lying some inch away by crawling.

Aariv doesn't answer at first, picking the gun quickly as he gets up "He's boss for a reason." He simultaneously shoots two bullets at the men who were behind Tina.

And as they fall, Tina gets alert and strides towards the opposite to counter them.

"But" Braden crouches down behind aariv who's moving ahead through the corridor decks "Where did he go? And that shit hole tarun?"

The same moment Aariv, Diya and Tina realises that arsh isn't here anymore, nor tarun.

They run their gaze throughout, but arsh and tarun are nowhere to be found.

"Boss is and will be safe, I know, we have to handle the things here" Aariv rushes to the corner where the technical connection of these machines has been set up, he sharply alters the wire and leaving some free, he shuts the energy connection, next moment, darkness dips the surroundings.

Here apart from that chaos, tarun is heading to the opposite courtyard of this villa, his steps are so quick as if something is slipping from his hands, something which he can't afford.. unaware about the steps following him closely behind.

Sweat drops breaking in his temple and the sound of gun firing is echoing here too.

He stops in front of a foyer, a normal looking door with a highly metallic frame which is one of the permanent locked rooms here.

He pushes his palm on the screen panel and a voice resounds there "Fingerprints decoded."

Within a few seconds, the door slides open and he steps in. His gaze directly freezes at the old man lying on bed like a living corpse.

And he's his own father Darsh jindal.

Tarun keeps his gun back in the waistband and reaches him... until he realises something.

Smell of fresh blood?

He runs his gaze around and then a sight makes him tremble at his place and his heart shudders with a realisation.

A realisation of his brutal End.

End of his fragile empire.

On the chairs in one direction, Dr. Raj and Kiaan's dead body has been laid up brutally, blood dripping down their forehead, nose, ear and even mouth.

The floor beneath his feet slips away as they both were with him throughout, and now suddenly they're... Dead?

His hand instinctively moves to take his gun out but then-

A thin but sharp voice reaches his ears.

"Why are you in such a hurry... Father?"