👑Fifty Three~

Andrew slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He was met with an unfamiliar sight - an old room with worn-out furniture, a window from where he could see the surrounding and guess that he was in an old haveli.

He tried to shake off the dizziness, but it lingered, making his head spin. As he struggled to sit up, his gaze fell upon a nearby table, where a jug of water sat. Andrew poured the entire contents of the jug over his head, feeling the refreshing water cascading down his face and hair. The shock of the cold water helped clear his senses, and he sat up straight, taking stock of his surroundings.

With renewed clarity, Andrew's eyes scanned the room, and his gaze landed on the door. He rose from the bed, his legs unsteady beneath him, and approached the door. As he suspected, it was locked from the outside, trapping him inside.

Undeterred, Andrew turned his attention to the window on the opposite side of the room. He pushed open the creaky shutters, and a warm breeze wafted in, carrying the scent of old stone and damp earth. As he leaned out, he was met with a breathtaking view - a vast gorge stretched out before him, plunging into the depths below. Far beneath, a river glinted in the sunlight, its tranquil surface a stark contrast to the turbulent landscape.

The sheer drop made Andrew's stomach lurch, and he stepped back, his mind racing with questions. How did he end up here? Who had locked him in? And what did they want from him? The unknown room, the locked door, and the treacherous gorge all seemed to conspire against him, leaving him feeling trapped and helpless, before he heard the echoes of Akay's cries.

"Akay! Here? Oh God!"he murmured and went up to the door, banging loudly on it. "Who's there? Let me out damn it!"he shouted, but got no answer. "No! I won't be able to get out of here like this,"he said and then looked towards the window and added,"I'll have to take a risk."

Andrew carefully maneuvered himself out of the window, his hands grasping the stone sill as he stepped onto the narrow, extended roofing below. The surface was slick with moss and dew, making every step precarious. He pressed himself against the wall, using it for support as he edged his way along the ledge.

The wind buffeted him, whipping his hair into a frenzy and threatening to unbalance him. Andrew's heart pounded in his chest as he focused on finding handholds and footholds on the worn stone. His fingers ached from the strain, but he dared not look down, fearing the vertiginous drop would sap his resolve.

As he inched along the ledge, the silence was punctuated only by the sound of his ragged breathing and the distant rush of the river far below. Andrew's senses were on high alert, his eyes fixed on the next window, his goal to reach the ground or find another way in.

With each step, Andrew's confidence grew, and he began to move more swiftly, his movements becoming more fluid. The ledge seemed to stretch on forever, but he finally reached the end, his fingers brushing against the frame of the next window. He pushed it open, slipping inside with a mix of relief and exhaustion, finally landing on an extended corridor.

"Bohot shor kar raha hain. Iskey chachi ke paas chhor aatey hain,"he heard a man say and hid himself beside a huge pillar, noticing a few goons carrying Akay to a tall tower, probably to lock him up out there.

"Chachi? That means aunt! Who else is there?"Andrew murmured.

Durdhara's eyes fluttered open, a wave of disorientation washing over her. The room was unfamiliar, the air thick with an unsettling stillness. Pushing herself up from the bed, she felt dizzy. Disoriented, she struggled to place herself, to remember how she ended up in this unknown place.

Driven by a desperate need for answers, she stumbled towards the nearby window. As she reached it, a wave of chilling realization crashed over her. She was trapped. The window offered a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape, but it was a cruel spectacle – a reminder of her isolation. She was locked high in a watchtower, its imposing height making escape an impossible feat.

A sudden wave of fear surged through her, a primal instinct taking over. Durdhara's hand instinctively flew to her abdomen, cradling the precious life growing within her. The unborn child, a symbol of hope and joy, now felt vulnerable and exposed.

The fragile peace was shattered by the abrupt screech of hinges. The door to the room flew open, sending a jolt of shock through Durdhara. The goon, their faces grim and unfamiliar, strode into the room carrying Akay, their presence radiating threat.

"Chhoti Mom!"Akay cried and ran up to her as the men put him down.

Durdhara held him protectively, glaring at the men, shouting,"Who the hell are you? Why have you kept us here? On whose order are you doing this?"

Her outburst was met with cold indifference. One of the men, his voice devoid of emotion, responded with a chilling warning. "Just stay quiet. If you try any tricks, things will get difficult." He placed a tray of food on a nearby table, his eyes never meeting hers.

Without another word, the men turned and left, the heavy door swinging shut behind them, followed by the metallic click of the lock. Durdhara was once again plunged into the oppressive silence of her prison, the fear for her unborn child and the danger lurking on Akay, amplified by the chilling encounter.

"Where's Dhara? WHERE'S DHARA?"Hardik yelled at Chitra and other attendees as nobody found a trace of the princess after waking up.

"Maharaj! Maharaj!"Snehanvi called running down the stairs, followed by Vamika.

"Kya baat hain Sneha?"Virat asked going to her and holding her arms.

"Akay...Akay is not there in the room. Kahi nahi mil rahe hain,"she cried.

"Dadabhai, Bhai! Even Big Bro is missing,"Shubman shouted from upstairs after searching for Andrew.

"Aisa kaisey ho sakta hain? Teeno hi ek saath kaisey gayab ho saktey hain? Guards! Guards!"Suryavardhan shouted walking towards the verandah while Hardik sat on the couch, holding his head.

"Pata nahi kya huya hoga! Bahurani iss haal mein hain upar se Akay ko bhi le gaye..."Meenakshi said while walking to and fro.

"Bro bhi missing hain Mom,"Rishabh said.

"Aapke Bro ke aaney ke baad se hi sab kuch galat hona shuru huya hain Rishi,"she said.

"Maa Sa! Shaant ho jaiye,"Virat said and then looked at Snehanvi who was crying. "Hum le aayenge unhey dhund ke. Kahi se bhi. Bharosa rakhiye."

"This is clearly a kidnap. But the thing is how did they get entry in the palace and how did they escape? Kisi ne dekha kaisey nahi?"Devangini said.

"Sab soh rahe theh for sure,"Suryavardhan yelled while returning. "None of the guards could tell anything. Hopeless creatures. Ek ke baad ek musibat ho rahi hain aur yeh log nakaam ho rahe hain."

"I don't know Dad. We have to find three of them anyhow. I want my Dhara back,"Hardik said while standing up.

The humid air was reflecting a faint dread as Andrew sprinted across the terrace. The frantic sound of Durdhara's voice, raised in anger against her captors, had propelled him forward. He had understood that she and Akay were locked in the tower room, and he had reached them.

Their brief reunion, filled with whispered plans of escape, was shattered when the goons discovered his presence. Durdhara and Akay, realizing the danger, urged him to flee, knowing they would only hinder his chances of a successful escape. He reluctantly obeyed, promising to find a way back for them.

Now, the rhythmic thud of his pursuers' feet echoed behind him, each step a hammer blow against his hope. He burst onto a section of the terrace that was a ruin, the railing broken away, leaving a gaping maw of empty space.

"Now where will you go, haan? Videsi!" one of the pursuers sneered, his voice laced with malice. "Kaam tamaam karde iska,"another growled, urging immediate action.

"Hmm! That is the order, actually," the leader of the gang replied, a cold smirk twisting his lips. He pulled a pistol from his waistband, the metallic glint reflecting the overcast sky. He raised the weapon, aiming it directly at Andrew.

Andrew felt a surge of adrenaline. His gaze flicked from the barrel of the gun to the dizzying drop below. The gorge plunged down to a raging river, swollen and turbulent from the monsoon rains. He knew the odds were stacked against him, each option a potential death sentence.

The sound of the gunshot ripped through the air. A deafening blast followed by an agonizing scream.

The goons, momentarily stunned by the sound, cautiously approached the edge of the broken terrace. They peered down into the chaotic swirl of the river.

"The river is running wild due to monsoon, moreover the shot had hit him, I guess,"the leader of the gang declared, a chilling satisfaction in his voice. "Even if not, he will be dead for sure."

From the tower window, Durdhara witnessed the horrifying scene unfold. Tears streamed down her face as she clutched Akay tightly to her chest, her body trembling with anxiety, unable to understand what has happened actually. The uncertainty of the future at the moment made her feel helpless and angry for not being able to do anything._______________________________________

Hardik sat in his room, staring at the necklace he had gifted Durdhara in a moment of privacy after she had conceived their child.

"Kya baat hain Ranaji, you have brought one of my favourite brands,"she had said.

"This is a bribe for giving me another little one after our first kid grows up a bit,"was his reply.

Durdhara had passed him her usual narrow eyed look that she would always pass him before humbling him.

Climbing on his lap, she had said,"Who will believe that the fancy sophisticated prince Hardik is such a libertine by nature whenever he's behind the closed doors."

"With his queen of course. Come on Dhara, as if you don't like this libertine man who falls on your feet any given time,"he had teased, making her cheeks gain a tint of pink before she had pushed him back on the bed, saying in a teasing tone,"What if I go to some other man haan?"

"Huh! Never possible. You love me. Only me. I am your only man,"he had scoffed.

"And what if I go far away?"

"NEVER!"Hardik said aloud and looked around, breaking out of his haze. He found the room silent, the empty bed, his empty life, devoid of Durdhara's presence, mocked him.

"Why? Why Dhara? Why couldn't you call me? Why did you go out alone?"he asked, staring at the hair comb which he had got from the passage outside, and it belonged to Durdhara.

"Bhai!"Snehanvi's call earned his attention and he turned around.

"Come,"he said and she walked in, asking,"Voh...Maharaj ne aapko call kiya tha kya? I mean, he was supposed to meet the commisioner and then appoint a spy and return."

"Dadabhai hasn't returned yet?"Hardik asked arching his brows, and checked the time. It was ten o'clock at night and Virat was supposed to return by early evening.

He looked out and said,"It's raining heavily. Maybe he's stuck somewhere."

"Your expressions are saying otherwise. Humein bohot chinta ho rahi hain,"Snehanvi said. Fear and concern evident in her tone.

"He has protection around him. Don't worry. When was the last time you had word with him?"Hardik asked, his mind too pointing at something unsual.

"At four o'clock. His phone had gone dead after that. I tried to call him many times,"Snehanvi said and Hardik stood up.

"Hum abhi dekh kar aatey hain,"he said and walked out of the room, Snehanvi following him up.

"Mohanlal! Take out my car,"Hardik commanded while walking down the stairs when his phone rang.

"Hello!"he said, receiving the call from the unknown number.

"Kunwarji! Kunwarji..."a voice came from the other side and he furrowed his brows asking,"Kaun?"

"Kunwarji...Maharaj nahi rahe,"came the news and he yelled,"WHAT? WHAT NONSENSE!"

"Kunwarji, Maharaj ka accident hogaya hain. Gaari jal rahi hain...jal gaye hain..."the man cried and the screams and shouts of other people were heard.

"Kya huya hain Bhai?"Snehanvi asked, coming and standing beside him and his phone slipped down before he sat on the last step of the stairway.

"Bhai! Kya baat hain?"Shubman asked coming down on hearing Hardik's shout.

"Bhai!"Snehanvi asked, kneeling down in front of him. "Look at me,"she added, an immense fear and pain shooting through her soul. "Bhai what happened? Kya huya hain? Kaha hain Maharaj? Bhaiiiii!"she yelled as Hardik cried hiding his face in his palms.

"Bhai! Bhai what's the matter?"Shubman asked rushing down and sitting beside him, almost losing his balance as he cared less at the moment. "Bhai bataiye na. Kaha hain Dadabhai?"he asked getting restless while the other family members gathered around in confusion.

"Harry!"Suryavardhan asked while coming ahead and held him. "Why are you crying? HARDIK!"

"Dadabhai....Dadabhaiiii,"Hardik cried like a lost child. "Dadabhai nahi rahe Dad,"he added.

Snehanvi screamed hearing it and Devangini rushed to her side, only to find her slumping against her, falling unconscious.

************************************Here goes the update. Keep Reading and Keep Vommenting Guys.😘❤️