29
Chapter 29
Dad's Here
The warehouse stood in complete silence.
Moonlight filtered through the broken windows, casting long shadows across the dusty floor.
Outside, Aarav adjusted the earpiece.
His men were already in position.
Every entrance was covered.
Every exit was blocked.
Vikram stepped beside him.
"Everyone's ready."
Aarav nodded.
"No one goes in until Kabir is safe."
"But sir-"
"I don't care if Rhea escapes."
Vikram looked surprised.
Aarav's eyes remained fixed on the building.
"My priority is my son."
It wasn't the answer Vikram expected.
But it was exactly the one he respected.
---
Inside the warehouse, Kabir was swinging his legs while sitting on an old wooden chair.
He wasn't crying anymore.
He was simply waiting.
Children had a strange sense of trust.
He truly believed his parents would come.
Rhea watched him from across the room.
"You don't seem scared."
Kabir shrugged.
"I was."
"Were?"
"But Dad will come."
The word still sounded new on his tongue.
Yet he said it naturally.
As if it had always belonged there.
Rhea looked away.
"You have a lot of faith."
Kabir smiled.
"He promised."
A promise.
Such a small thing.
Yet to a child, it meant everything.
---
Outside, Aarav looked at the blueprint of the warehouse.
"There."
He pointed toward a side entrance.
"There's a storage room connected to the main hall."
Vikram nodded.
"Our cameras show only two people inside with Rhea."
"No unnecessary force."
"Understood."
"If they surrender, nobody touches them."
Vikram wasn't surprised.
This was the Aarav he had always followed.
Dangerous when necessary.
Never cruel.
---
Anaya sat inside one of the SUVs, unable to stay still.
She knew Aarav had asked her to remain behind.
She had agreed.
Mostly.
Every few seconds she looked toward the warehouse.
Her hands trembled.
She whispered the same prayer over and over.
Please let my son be safe.
Someone knocked gently on the car window.
It was Aarav.
He opened the door.
"You shouldn't be here."
"I know."
"I meant what I said."
"So did I."
He sighed.
Then crouched beside the car.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Finally, Aarav reached into his pocket and handed her something.
His phone.
She frowned.
"What is this?"
"If anything happens to me..."
She immediately interrupted.
"No."
"I'm just saying-"
"No."
Her voice broke.
"I'm not listening."
Aarav gave a small smile.
A genuine one.
"Okay."
He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
Then, without thinking, he squeezed her hand.
"I'll come back."
This time, she believed him.
---
A minute later, the operation began.
Two security officers quietly entered through the back.
Another team secured the front.
Everything happened without a sound.
Aarav moved through the hallway carefully.
His heartbeat was louder than his footsteps.
Then-
He heard a familiar voice.
"Dad would've beaten you."
Kabir.
Aarav stopped.
Despite everything, a smile tugged at his lips.
One of Rhea's men frowned.
"What did you say?"
Kabir folded his arms.
"My dad is stronger than you."
The man took an angry step forward.
Before he could get any closer-
The warehouse door burst open.
"Nobody move!"
The command echoed through the building.
Everyone turned.
Rhea's expression changed instantly.
"Aarav..."
He didn't even look at her.
His eyes searched the room until they landed on Kabir.
The little boy's face lit up.
"Dad!"
That single word erased every ounce of fear Aarav had been carrying.
"I'm here, buddy."
Kabir jumped off the chair and started running toward him.
One of Rhea's men grabbed the child by the arm.
Everything happened in seconds.
Aarav's expression went ice cold.
"Let him go."
The man laughed nervously.
"Stay back."
Aarav took one step forward.
His voice remained calm.
"If you hurt him..."
The warning hung in the air.
No shouting.
No threats.
Just certainty.
The man hesitated.
Something in Aarav's eyes made him uncomfortable.
Very uncomfortable.
Finally, he released Kabir.
The little boy immediately ran straight into Aarav's arms.
Aarav dropped to one knee and hugged him tightly.
For a few seconds, the world disappeared.
No enemies.
No warehouse.
No danger.
Just a father holding his son for the first time after almost losing him.
"You kept your promise," Kabir whispered.
Aarav closed his eyes.
"I always will."
---
Behind them, police officers entered the warehouse.
The remaining men surrendered without resistance.
Rhea didn't.
She stared at the scene in front of her.
At Aarav.
At Kabir.
At the family she had tried so hard to destroy.
Tears filled her eyes.
Not from regret.
From rage.
"You chose them."
Aarav slowly stood, keeping one protective arm around Kabir.
"I did."
"You ruined my life!"
"No, Rhea."
His voice was steady.
"You ruined your own."
For the first time, she had no answer.
Police officers walked toward her.
As they placed handcuffs on her wrists, she looked at Anaya, who had just rushed inside.
"I'll make sure you never live peacefully."
Before Anaya could react, Aarav stepped in front of her.
"You won't come near my family again."
The words weren't loud.
They didn't need to be.
Everyone believed him.
Including Rhea.
---
Outside the warehouse, the first rays of sunlight began to appear.
Anaya ran to Kabir and hugged him tightly.
"So tight..."
Kabir complained, laughing.
"I can't breathe."
She immediately loosened her grip.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay."
He looked between his parents.
Then smiled.
"We're all here."
Aarav looked at Anaya.
For the first time in years, neither fear nor secrets stood between them.
There was still pain.
Still healing.
Still trust to rebuild.
But there was also hope.
And for now...
That was enough.
To be continued...