Chapter 55

Recap: Sana is kidnapped

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Vikram stood in the middle of the road, his hands gripping his hair, fury radiating off him in waves. He slammed his palms against the bonnet of the car, the metallic thud echoing his frustration. Sharath and Pugazh stood nearby, watching him, powerless to calm him.

“I want Sana…” Vikram’s voice was raw, trembling with rage. “Sharath, call that damn commissioner. Ask him where that car is now!”

“Vikram, no information so far,” Sharath replied carefully. “They’re tracking, and our team is also tracking that car. Stay calm, man. We will save Sana.”

“I want that bastard,” Vikram growled, his voice dropping to a dangerous low. “I want him alive at any cost. I’ll show him who I am. He’s committed the biggest sin of his life.”

“We’ll get him, Vikram,” Sharath assured him.

“Sharath, call Rajeev,” Vikram ordered.

Moments later, Rajeev’s voice came through the speaker.
“Vikram?”

“Rajeev, who took that bastard from prison?”

“His lawyer, Vikram.”

Vikram’s eyes hardened. “Sharath, get that lawyer into our custody. Take everyone from his family into our custody. Keep them safe, but do whatever it takes to bring him to us. I just want him.”

Sharath gave a curt nod and began making calls.

Akash was hiding inside a steel container at the harbour. Outside, the lawyer waited nervously, scanning the docks. His phone buzzed with a video call — his wife’s terrified face appeared.

Before he could speak, Sharath’s voice cut through the line.
“Your family is with us. I’m giving you thirty minutes to reach the location I’ve sent you.”

“Don’t do anything to them,” the lawyer pleaded. “Please, leave them!”

“Your time is already counting down,” Sharath said coldly before ending the call.

Panic-stricken, the lawyer jumped into his car and sped to the location.

Old Factory — Vikram’s Temporary Base

The lawyer barely stepped out of his vehicle when Vikram was on him, his fist connecting hard. The blows came fast — blue and black marks forming on the man’s face.

“Where is my Sana?” Vikram roared. “Tell me, you bastard!”

“Sir… I don’t know,” the lawyer stammered, clutching his ribs. “Please, leave my family.”

“Don’t test my patience,” Vikram snapped. “I will not spare any of you. Tell me — where did he take my Sana?”

“Sir, I don’t know where he’s kept her,” the lawyer panted. “But tonight, he’s leaving for Indonesia via sea route… and he’s planned to take your wife with him. I don’t know anything else.”

“How dare you…” Vikram’s jaw clenched. “Sharath, put him under custody. Get every bit of information you can out of him.”

Vikram turned to Pugazh. “Take that CCTV footage and find out who the girls are. I want all their details.”

“I’ve already started on it,” Pugazh said. “We’ll have their details any time now.”

Sharath returned from a quick call. “Vikram, Akash will be leaving in a boat from the harbor to board a cruise tonight at ten. We have to get him at the harbor. That means we’ve got only four hours.”

“Then he should already be at the harbor or somewhere nearby,” Vikram said sharply. “Send all our men to search the surrounding area. Inform the police to raid the harbor.”

A moment later, Pugazh spoke again. “Vikram, those girls work at Akash’s hotel as bartenders. The car they used is now parked on the outskirts — but there’s no one in it.”

Vikram’s mind raced. “He must have shifted Sana into a different car. He would’ve realized we’ve got his lawyer, so he won’t risk taking her to the harbor now. All his factories are being raided by the police, so she won’t be there either. There’s no chance he’s holding her anywhere he owns. She must be locked up in some hotel.”

Sharath nodded in agreement.

“And no,” Vikram added, “there’s no way he’d keep Sana in his own hotel. Check his contacts with other hotels. Send our men to search every hotel owned by his acquaintances.”

Sana was tied to a chair, her head slumped forward, still unconscious. The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed in the room. Akash stepped inside, his eyes sweeping over her.

As if sensing his presence, Sana’s eyelids fluttered open. Her gaze fixed on him instantly, filled with fire.

“Hello, Sana,” Akash drawled with a smirk. “Long time no see. How are you?”

“Scoundrel…” Sana’s voice dripped with venom. “How dare you? Vikram will not leave you. You’ve made the biggest mistake of your life.”

“Vikram could never find you,” Akash replied with quiet arrogance. “Do you know why? Because of this place.”

Sana’s eyes darted around. The familiarity of the room hit her instantly — the high windows, the view of the shore…

Her eyes widened. “This is…”

“Yes,” Akash said smugly. “You’re in your own beach house. The safest place for me. Vikram will search every damn place… except his own properties.”

“You’re a fool, da,” Sana shot back, her voice steady. “You underestimate him too much. He is beyond your thoughts. Watch out — he will come, and he will take me from here.”

“Sorry, darling,” Akash said with mock sweetness. “Actually, he won’t reach here. We’ll leave soon. You’ll stay with me for the rest of your life. Tonight, I’ll take you out of the country. Be a good girl and wait for us to leave. We’ll celebrate our honeymoon in Indonesia.”

Sana spat in his face. “Bastard. Count your time. You will die in the hands of my Vikram.”

Akash’s expression darkened. His hand shot out, striking her hard across the face. Her head snapped to the side and her body went limp again, unconscious. Without another word, he stepped out of the room.

Outside, his phone buzzed. He answered quickly.

“Akash,” his friend’s voice came through urgently. “The police have covered up the harbour. It’s impossible to reach the cruise from here.”

“Don’t worry,” Akash said coldly. “I’ll go to Vizag from here, then we’ll plan from there.”

“Okay, but… night police patrols will be looking for you. It’s better if you stay where you are for the next two days. Let things cool down. Then I’ll call you with a plan to reach Vizag.”

“I can’t wait till then,” Akash snapped. “Do something.”

“You already messed up. At least listen to me this time,” his friend warned.

“Fine,” Akash muttered. “Do it as early as possible.”

Night, 9:00 p.m.

Vikram sat alone inside the car, staring at the glowing image of Sana on his phone. His fingers trembled around it. Outside, Sharath, Rakshat, and Pugazh waited silently.

“I’m sorry,” Vikram whispered to the photo. “I failed my promise. I didn’t protect you. I’m sorry, Sana. I can’t live without you. Where are you? Every minute without you feels like I’m losing my life, my soul. I love you, Sana… I love you. Wait for me. I will come for you. I will save you.”

A knock on the window jolted him. He wiped his tears quickly before stepping out.

“Vikram,” Sharath said quietly, “Akash isn’t anywhere near the harbour. The police have the place locked down. He couldn’t have left for Indonesia. He must have dropped that plan. We’re missing something.”

Vikram’s mind worked fast. Then his eyes narrowed. “Check all the homes and bungalows on the beach road. If he couldn’t leave, he must have Sana in one of those bungalows. We need to find her now.”

Vikram’s Beach House — 11:00 p.m.

Sana stirred awake, blinking in the dim light. Akash wasn’t in the room. She scanned her surroundings, her heart pounding. Then she remembered — Vikram once told her there were hidden wireless SOS switches in the house, designed to send an immediate alert to his phone.

Her breath caught. She was in their bedroom. Her eyes darted beneath the cot, and yes — there it was. The switch.

She began shifting her body inch by inch toward it, until she was leaning against the cot. Just then, the door banged open.

Akash walked in and froze. “Sitting up now, are we?”

“Hey, you,” Sana said sharply. “I need water. Get me some water.”

Akash grabbed a bottle, tilted it toward her lips — but she turned her face away.

“Untie my hands,” she demanded. “Call those useless girls who helped you bring me here. Let them untie me.”

“I’m going to be the only one touching you for the rest of your life,” Akash said with a slow grin. “So what’s the deal?”

“If you’re still alive, think about that later. Now call one of them,” Sana shot back.

“You look beautiful when you’re angry, baby.”

“Bloody hell, get out and call one of your cheap girls!”

Akash chuckled darkly. “I could make you mine right now, right here in this bed… but you’d be thinking of him. So better I take you far away from his shadow — then I’ll ravish you.”

“Stop joking around,” she said with disgust.

Akash stepped out and called for one of the girls. “Untie her hands, give her water, then tie her back,” he instructed.

The girl entered, untying Sana’s hands. Sana drank the water, then stood.

“Why are you getting up?” the girl asked.

“I want to use the restroom. Remove the rope from my legs.”

The girl hesitated, then bent down and untied it. Sana stepped into the restroom, her mind racing. She had to pass a signal to Vikram.

When she returned, her eyes went to the SOS switch under the cot. She walked toward it, then deliberately stumbled, letting her hand smack the wall.

“Aah! It’s paining,” she hissed. “Hey — get the pain spray from the table there.”

The girl turned toward the table, her back to Sana. In that instant, Sana’s fingers pressed the hidden switch.

The girl returned, sprayed the pain relief, then tied Sana back up before leaving. Alone again, Sana closed her eyes and prayed Vikram had received the alert.

But Vikram’s phone was still in the car, while he stood outside with the others.

“Vikram,” Sharath reported, “we’ve searched all the houses, but Sana isn’t in any of them.”

“Harbor, hotels, beach houses… we’ve searched everywhere,” Rakshat said. “Where could he have gone? We’re missing something.”

Vikram froze. Then slowly, a grim smile formed on his lips. “What if he’s keeping her in one of our own places? He knows we’ll search his properties. He might think we’d never look in ours.”

“You’re right, Vikky,” Pugazh said. “Our factories run 24×7, Pranitha, Anna, and Kayal are at the mansion… but the beach house—”

Sharath’s eyes lit up. “We didn’t check it.”

“That’s where he is,” Vikram said with certainty. “The place he thinks I won’t check. My own beach house.”

“Correct,” Sharath agreed. “Let’s go.”

“Tell our men to cover the place quietly,” Vikram instructed. “No sudden moves. He must not get suspicious.”

They got into the car and sped toward the beach house. Quietly, Vikram’s men surrounded the property, sealing Akash’s trap without him ever knowing.

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