A week passed and Ayaan grew increasingly frustrated that he haven’t received a single message from Zara. He longed to fly back home, just to catch a glimpse of her from afar, yet he felt like a coward, unworthy of facing her. He wasn’t sure how things could ever be fixed between them, or if she even believed the words he had said that night. More than that, he waited to meet and confront Advik before he returned to his wife.
After he learned that Zara had returned to the villa, he increased the security and staff to ensure she was safe and cared for. All his frustration built up and he wanted nothing more than to unleash it on Advik to confront him and demand answers to every question burning inside him. But Reyansh and Vaishu had strictly ordered him to wait a few more days.
Meanwhile, Zara’s health began to decline. She felt constantly weak and exhausted, working from home and avoided any inquiry about Ayaan through Sameer. The uncertainty of what Ayaan might have felt after reading the diary was driving her insane. She rarely stepped out of her room and barely touched the food served to her.
Ayaan called Rohan and learned that Zara had been working from home yet again. His gut told him something was wrong since it had been a week Zara had gone to office. After some pressing and few threats, Rohan finally confessed that Zara wasn’t doing well. Ayaan ended the call abruptly and slammed his fist into the wall in frustration.
He immediately called his mother, and before Vaishu could even say hello, he burst out, his voice trembling with worry. “Mom, why did you let her go back to the villa? She hasn’t been to the office since a week and the last time Rohan saw her, she wasn’t well. Please, go check on her. Bring her back to the manor… please, Mom,” he pleaded and cried, tears streaming down his face.
There was a long silence before Vaishu spoke gently but firmly. “If you are that worried about your wife, then come back and take care of her yourself. She went back because she thought you would come back. She believed that was the only way you’d return,” Vaishu said and hung up, leaving Ayaan deep in thought.
Still, concern gnawed at her though Zara had been calling her everyday. She decided to drive to the villa to check on Zara herself, but just as she was about to leave, she received a call from the party office in Chennai requesting an urgent meeting. Reluctantly, she postponed her visit and planned to meet Zara right after the meeting.
Ayaan called Sameer and gave him clear instructions. “Plan my return today. I need to be home, and once I leave, I won’t be able to fly back anytime soon so I need to meet Advik before that. Inform the CSO. I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.” he said.
Sameer nodded acknowledging the orders and walked out immediately.
Ayaan, dressed in simple clothes and wearing a mask, rode one of the guard’s motorcycles through the streets of Delhi aimlessly before calling his CSO to pick him up at a safe location. When they reached the safe place where Advik was held, Ayaan stormed in and began to beat him, unleashing all his anger. The CSO who’d been running operations from the site grabbed him and pulled him back before he could kill Advik.
Ayaan wiped the blood from his knuckles with a towel and sank into the chair opposite to Advik. His voice was low and hard. “I don’t have all day. Give me straight answers. If you think I’m joking, you’re wrong. The world already believes your father arranged this escape to protect you. So I could kill you and drag your family’s name through the mud if you test me. Answer me, who else was involved in the blast? And how the hell did you find Baskar while you were in Delhi?”
Advik only laughed like a manic. “I thought you would ask about your girlfriend,” he sneered and a smirk curled at his lips.
“Of course we shall talk about her but later. Right now I care about my family who love me and they come first,” Ayaan replied, forcing his past into a corner even though the betrayal burned like a blade.
“You can’t separate them, Ayaan. If you speak of family, she’s part of the story, everything revolved around her.” Advik said, smirking as he asked for water.
Ayaan’s jaw tightened. He gestured to one of the men, who handed Advik a bottle. After he drank, Ayaan stared at him as if he could make him disappear.
“I know you won’t kill me, Ayaan, so stop glaring,” Advik taunted but Ayaan snapped. He grabbed a knife from the table and slashed it across Advik’s elbow, drawing a sharp cry. “Don’t test my patience. I won’t hesitate to kill you so spill, or I’ll make your family pay,” he hissed.
Advik clenched his fist and the CSO slapped him hard across the face. Then Advik began to talk, his voice was cold.
“Your mother was a thorn in my father’s path to power. She had to be the perfect, incorruptible minister loved by the people, spending her husband’s money on public causes. We couldn’t prosper with her watching us, so we had to remove her. But she was powerful, a central minister, married to a billionaire who runs a part of the country’s economy so we had to plan carefully. I met your girlfriend at countless social and political events. She was sharp, could get things done with intelligence and charm. We flirted, she subtly encouraged me and I tried convinced her she could be more than a PA, lured her into my world. She pretended to be the loyal PA to her madam but she never shut me down that was my cue. We exchanged numbers, met in party offices in private rooms… she wasn’t as loyal as she appeared.”
At the last words, Ayaan’s restraint broke. He punched Advik, fury and betrayal exploding through him.
“Stop venting your anger on me, you bastard. It wasn’t my fault that she wanted more,” Advik spat and Ayaan gave one strong punch to his stomach instantly. Advik spat blood from his mouth and drew a long breath.
Ayaan sank back into his seat and signaled for Advik to speak.
“The more I talked to her, the more I realized how dangerous she was ……. far more than a politician. She was greedy for money, power and fame. I offered to marry her, she could have everything. But she had her sights higher, she wanted your legacy and political power. I was stunned, then I knew I had to use her… and get rid of her. So I made a plan. I told her she could marry you to inherit Rey’s empire and later we shall kill you and pin it on the opposition. The sympathy would launch her into politics as a powerful figure…. the daughter-in-law of Reyansh Badrinath, PA to Vaishnavi would be perfect and she loved the idea,” Advik said.
Ayaan’s eyes burned and tears threatened to spill. The woman he had loved all his life had wanted him dead for power and legacy. His stomach churned at the realization that he had loved someone like her and he had failed to see through her facade.
“If you wanted to kill me, why target my mother?” Ayaan asked and his voice was barely controlled, every inch of him restraining himself from killing Advik.
“Don’t interrupt me, Ayaan. Just listen and be patient.” Advik’s voice was cold as he continued.
“I told her we needed someone from the political underworld to do the killing. She had access to everything… every file, every contact. She found Baskar, the state head’s fixer, who handled the party’s dirty work. She got in touch with him and then introduced him to me. I brought Baskar to Delhi and we planned it together.” Advik said and his eyes darkened.
“Baskar gave me the details of a man, Mohan Kumar. I marked him in the records as a wanted terrorist. Your girlfriend didn’t know my true target at first, until she overheard me talking to Baskar over call. She met and confronted Baskar later that’s when her diary ended up in his hands ” Advik said and Ayaan clenched his fist realizing Mohan Kumar was twin of Zara’s father.
“Mohan Kumar, initially agreed but however, refused to cooperate and fled. Baskar located him and later discovered that the man he got was Ramkumar, the twin. We couldn’t let the network slip away, more people were involved, so we used the twin instead. Baskar had him under his hostage for more than a year until it was right time to execute the plan. Few days before your engagement when we were set to execute the plan, your girlfriend threatened to expose everything and demanded we stick to the original plan. In return I blackmailed her with the diary, I threatened her to tell the truth to Vaishnavi.
The day before the blast, I told her Ram Kumar would meet Vaishnavi at the airport and hand over a letter that would expose her. She was terrified that the letter would reach your mother so despite your engagement plans she decided to visit me to discuss negotiations but the plan was set already, to eliminate your mother and your dangerous girlfriend. She didn’t know the full extent, she was only scared the letter would reach Vaishnavi. That day I never expected your mother to stay behind that left your girlfriend alone in the blast. Still, the plan worked, your girlfriend was killed and your mother quit politics in guilt.” Advik smirked as Ayaan’s face drained of color.
In a flash Ayaan pulled a pistol and pressed it to Advik’s forehead.
“Do you think I don’t know any of this? I have that bitch’s diary and got to know about you both. Now tell me, who else was part of the plan? And did you find Mohan Kumar after he fled?” Ayaan snapped.
Advik shrugged, unconcerned. “Baskar found him, but we had to erase everyone involved including Baskar. My backup team made sure no evidence remained. Mohan Kumar’s body was dumped at sea, he shouldn’t be seen in public after the blast. The network runs deeper than you can imagine …….. even I don’t know everything. Some parts were handled by my father.” Advik said but Ayaan shook his head, refusing to accept it. He leaned forward until his face was inches from Advik’s. “Don’t push me, bastard. Tell me who’s involved.” he asked gritting his teeth and shot his knee.
Advik screamed in pain but Ayaan held his collar and pressed the pistol back on his forehead.
“All I know is that someone connected to your father helped my dad but he wouldn’t tell me more. Before the ED called for the raid, I flew to Brazil on my father’s orders to meet a man who was supposed to lead me to the person who helped in the blast.” Advik said and Ayaan’s hands tightened and a foreign involvement landed like a blow.
Ayaan’s anger boiled, but he couldn’t bring himself to kill Advik. Instead he handed the pistol to the CSO. “Take over. Find every detail of his Brazil trip, whom he was suppose to meet. I want everything recorded,” he ordered and left the room.
A guard drove him back to where he had left the bike. Ayaan rode to the bungalow and went straight to his bedroom bathroom. He stripped off his clothes and stood under the hot shower, letting the water wash away the fury.
“Someone connected to Dad? Who could that be? We already hunted down everyone involved last time so who’s left?” Ayaan thought and finished his shower quickly before changing into comfortable home clothes.
“I need to talk to Dad and Mithun Uncle… maybe they know something about the past,” he muttered and sat on the edge of the bed. His thoughts drifted to Zara and he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.
He grabbed his phone to call his mother, but it went straight to voicemail.
Sighing, he dialed Pari instead and asked, “Pari, where’s Mom?”
“She’s gone to the party office,” Pari replied.
“Alright… then can you do me a favor? Go to the villa with the kids and check on Zara. Spend some time with her if you can…… she loves being around Ved and Saanvi. It might lift her mood a little. Update me if she is doing good ” Ayaan said softly, his voice heavy with concern.
Pari immediately agreed, “Of course, Ayaan. I’ll go see her and take the kids along. But you should come back soon. It’s been almost two weeks already and no one can calm her the way you can. She needs you, Ayaan.” she said and her tone was gentle yet firm
Ayaan closed his eyes, guilt washing over him as he rubbed the back of his neck.
“I know, Pari… I will be back by tonight or by tomorrow morning for sure. I just need a little more time to set things right here,” he said quietly before ending the call, though his heart ached.
“Please take care of yourself and don’t hurt yourself any more than I already have. I will come back soon Zara ” Ayaan thought and the weight of his guilt pressed heavier on his chest.
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A/N:
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