All the evidence Vaishu presented at the press conference went viral and with Sameer’s coordination, their PR teams across the country ensured the issue trended nation wide with hashtags targeting Suryadev. Members of Vaishu’ s own party held protests against the government but they kept them peaceful and orderly, avoiding any inconvenience to the public.
Meanwhile, Suryadev was spiraling in his office as the pressure around him intensified. He knew without a doubt that Vaishu and her family were orchestrating the storm closing in on him. He couldn’t locate his son, his long-buried secrets were on the brink of exposure and every move he made seemed to backfire.
He was in the middle of a meeting with his senior party members, discussing the growing crisis, when his wife urgently called him to the living room. The moment he entered, he saw her and his daughter-in-law standing pale, as if they had encountered a ghost. They pointed toward a package on the table.
The moment Suryadev saw the contents, the evidence of every dark secret he and his son had buried for years and his knees almost gave way. He sank onto the couch and rubbed his forehead, his breath turned uneven. A note inside instructed him to wait for a call from the sender, though he already knew who it could be.
Recovering slightly, he contacted his most trusted officers from the police and intelligence. He informed them that he was being personally blackmailed and would be receiving a call that evening. He ordered them to record the conversation and gather evidence against the blackmailer. They agreed immediately and began setting up the necessary surveillance.
By evening, more experts had arrived at Suryadev’ s residence and every piece of equipment was set into action. When Suryadev’ s wife received a call from an anonymous internet-based number, he immediately gestured for her to answer. The experts had already linked all mobile and landline numbers to their tracking and recording software.
“Mama… what is papa’s problem?” Advik’s voice came through, raw and irritated and hearing her son’s voice, Suryadev’s wife broke down.
“Papa sent me away to keep me safe from the law and punishment and that is fine. But why can’t he stop creating problems that might expose everything? I’m safe. Please tell him to stop planning anything until the elections.” Advik said and his wife reached to take the phone, but before she could, Suryadev snatched it.
“Advik, what nonsense are you talking? I never helped you escape. Tell me who kidnapped you? Who is blackmailing me?” he demanded and Advik only laughed, a cold, mocking sound.
“Papa, it’s okay. We know the truth. Why did you have to create a public riot now? People are watching and look they already have evidence of what you have done. I’m executing our plans just like you told me. Until then, don’t mess with anything or anyone. And don’t cross paths with people we are not supposed to. I’ll speak when the time is right. Just take care of my wife and kids.” he said and the line went dead.
Suryadev’s jaw tightened as the room fell silent. The officers shifted uncomfortably looking at each other and then at Suryadev and his family. Advik sounded perfectly fine and more importantly, the call made one thing unmistakably clear that the father and son had been in contact all along and they were planning something far bigger with the elections ahead.
Suryadev dismissed his family and turned to the officers waiting for his next order.
“Something is terribly wrong. I never helped my son escape so why would he confess to something that never happened? He must be in someone’s custody. Someone is forcing him to say all this against me. Were you able to trace the call?” he muttered gritting his teeth.
The chief of the technical team drew a deep breath. “Sir, the call came through the internet. If the caller is tech-savvy, he could reroute it through any location in the world to confuse us. But in this case, the signal points to only one place and that is your son’s farmhouse. Please contact someone there to confirm whether he is present or if anyone accessed the premises recently.”
Suryadev nodded and immediately called his PA, who in turn contacted the farmhouse security to check if someone had turned up recently.
“Yes, sir. Advik sir was here with his friends. He left just now. I tried to inform you, but he refused. He stayed only for a few hours.” the guard reported.
All the officers turned toward Suryadev, who looked genuinely stunned.
“How is that possible? I didn’t help him. He was kidnapped,” he snapped with his teeth clenched.
“Sir, if you truly didn’t assist your son and believe he’s being used against you… then whoever is behind this must be a very strong opponent. Someone is orchestrating everything precisely to gather more evidence against you.” one officer said and he didn’t say the rest that Advik had sounded perfectly normal, healthy and in control and that the security’s confirmation only deepened the contradiction.
“If I had helped him escape, why would he send me things that looked like blackmail?” Suryadev demanded.
The officers exchanged uneasy glances.
“Sir… maybe he sent those items to you for safekeeping. Still, to be certain, we can retrieve the surveillance footage from your farmhouse to check if he was forced and who accompanied him,” one of them suggested cautiously.
Within thirty minutes, Suryadev’s PA procured the recordings and the officers began analyzing the videos. Across every angle, Advik appeared relaxed……..laughing, chatting and walking casually alongside his friends. They entered the farmhouse and left three hours later in the same manner they arrived.
“Sir, there is absolutely no indication of him being kidnapped. His behavior is normal and the interactions look natural. If someone was holding him captive or threatening him, he would have instinctively looked toward the cameras, that is the most common reaction. But here, your son and his friends seem perfectly at ease.” the chief said, pausing the footage.
Suryadev leaned closer and watched the footage himself and his confusion only deepened.
“Sir, if this entire situation was orchestrated by someone else, then they likely have copies of these videos already, given how technologically capable they seem.” another officer added and Suryadev stiffened.
“Erase everything. Every trace.” he immediately ordered the team.
“Sir, we shall take care of it immediately, but there’s a high chance they have already accessed these footages,” the chief said and Suryadev sank into his chair and groaned as he pressed a hand to his forehead, as the realization settled like a stone in his chest. He was losing control, losing power and whoever was orchestrating this was already several steps ahead of him.
He knew exactly who it was, ‘Ayaan’. He had seen Ayaan following Vaishu into the party house earlier that morning, confirming without doubt that he was the mastermind behind everything unfolding. Despite all the power Suryadev held, he couldn’t counter the precision with which Vaishu and Ayaan were striking against him.
“I can’t lose power not after everything I’ve done to keep it,” he thought bitterly, then turned to the team.
“Keep this confidential. And place Vaishnavi Rey and her family under close watch, especially her son Ayaan Rey Badrinath. I strongly suspect they’re behind this. I want every report delivered to me personally and unofficially,” he ordered and dismissed the team.
Advik and his friends were taken back to the place where they had been held hostage. One of the guards removed the bomb and the tracker strapped to Advik’s abdomen beneath his kurta. The chief in charge of the operation laughed and shoved Advik back into a chair before tying him down.
“Smart man, Advik. You did exactly what you were told. Your acting was impressive and your security cooperated perfectly to execute the mission,” he said and Advik gritted his teeth in rage, earning a brutal punch across his jaw.
“Stop gritting your teeth, moron. Don’t even think about trying anything with us. We have every piece of evidence needed to wipe your family from existence, leaving behind nothing but a filthy history,” the chief warned and turned his cold gaze to Advik’s friends, who were also bound.
Meanwhile, at Rey’s manor, Zara was in the shower while two maids were in the closet choosing outfits and accessories for her. Ayaan entered the closet and quietly dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Once they left, he locked the door and shed his clothes before slipping into the bathroom.
He opened the door of the shower cubicle and Zara’s face lit up as Ayaan pulled her into a warm embrace from behind.
“You’re back so early?” she asked and he hummed against her skin, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder blade.
“I promised that I would return as soon as possible, didn’t I? I knew my wife would miss me… and I missed her even more. And look at the timing is perfect. Now I get to join my beautiful wife in the shower,” he murmured and turned her gently to face him before capturing her lips in a deep, searing kiss.
Zara moaned softly into the kiss and Ayaan felt desire surge through him, hot and immediate. He forced himself to pull back and his breath turned unsteady. Zara slipped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer and he steadied her with one hand while the other caressed her abdomen with gentle reverence.
“Let’s shower and go out for dinner. You and our babies must be hungry,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
Zara hummed, but her eyes held a different hunger.
“Yes… I’m hungry. Not for food but for you. I need you, Ayaan,” she whispered against his ear, her lips brushed the sensitive skin before she tugged softly at his earlobe with her teeth.
Ayaan let out a low, restrained moan.
“Zara…” he breathed, fighting the pull of her touch. He was acutely aware of how heavily pregnant she was and forced himself to rein in his desire. He knew her hormones were clearly running wild and he had to be careful not to hurt her and their babies.
“Let’s go back to the room, sweetheart, I don’t want you exhausted here and we shouldn’t risk standing for too long during our workout.” Ayaan said softly.
He stepped away quickly and grabbed two towels. He wrapped one securely around her and tied the other around his waist before he lifted her into his arms with practiced ease.
As they walked, Zara traced his face with her forefinger, her gaze lingered on him. Ayaan smiled at the quiet admiration in her eyes. When her finger brushed his lips, he caught it gently between his teeth and sucked teasingly, making her toes curl in response.
“You’re so handsome, husband… I just want to ravish you,” Zara said and Ayaan burst out laughing earning a playful knock on his head in return.
“Sweetheart, isn’t that supposed to be my dialogue?” he teased her and Zara pouted playing with his moustache.
” Trust me love, I would be more than happy to be ravished by you but we’ll wait a few months. I don’t mind waiting for that moment at all. For now, let me be the one to spoil you and ravish you baby ” he said leaning closer and rubbed his beard gently against her cheek.
He laid her down carefully, making sure she was comfortable and at ease. Leaning closer, he showered her with soft, lingering kisses, each one slow, tender and filled with emotion. Zara sighed softly, responding to his affection and moaned loud as he kissed her sensitive spots with a gentleness that made her feel cherished and loved.
The room filled with their moans as Ayaan stayed true to his words and ravished her. He made sure she was taken care and later they lay together on the bed, Ayaan spooning her from behind, one arm wrapped protectively around her while his hand rested over her baby bump, caressing it with quiet tenderness.
He told her everything that had happened in Delhi, every detail he had carried back with him. Zara listened silently and then held his hand and pressed a gentle kiss to his palm.
“I won’t lie Ayaan, I am scared but I’m also so proud of you. The way you handle everything… it amazes me. You are the most ruthless man when the world demands it and yet you are the most loving man a woman could ask for.” She said and giggled when Ayaan pinched her arm playfully at the word ruthless.
“How dare you call me that, Mrs. Ayaan?” he murmured and bit her her cheek.
“Oh, I’ve seen how ruthless you can be, Mr. Zara, but right now, all I see is my sweet, loving, cuddle-bear husband.” she teased, smiling up at him.
Ayaan turned to face her, his eyes softened and kissed her deeply, slow, warm and full of everything they had weathered together.
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