There was a flurry of emotions, of activity, of anger around Annika. Yet, she felt nothing. Except for fear.
Throughout her life, she had felt a volley of emotions. Helplessness, anger, guilt, disappointment. She had never really felt fear. She rarely had anything to lose. How much had that changed? Now if something happened to Shivaay, Annika knew that she would lose everything. Including herself.
The paranoia around her, the sheer mayhem; it was all unsettling. The third investigating group of the police had just left. The knots in her stomach tightened and tears poured out of her eyes. Staring at the rising sun in the sky, Annika sighed.
Despite the tight security around the Hospital and Shivaay's room, shit had happened. Shivaay had vanished into thin air. He was there when she had gone to sleep. She had made sure that he had slept before she crashed on the couch. But when Rudra and Om woke her up, Shivaay was not there. The bed was empty. There was no trace of any kind of struggle. It was as if Shivaay had just got up and left.
If only she had stayed awake. Annika's tears couldn't stop. She sobbed. Maybe she hadn't slept that well, this wouldn't have happened.
"What now?" Rudra asked, looking extremely haggard.
Bhavya's face was grim. She carefully chose her words so she didn't send any of the family members in a panic mode. "Nothing. We will have to wait. If anyone has taken Bhaiya then they will contact us for sure."
"We can't just sit around..." Om angrily punched the couch. "I am sure Veer has taken him Bhavya."
"I know that too!" Bhavya argued. "But where? He can be in Goa, in Mumbai...anywhere."
She leaned in and tried to soothe Om. "Bhaiya, we have to go through the whole search procedure. I am equally helpless. But I have my best officers on this duty. We will find Bhaiya."
Om sat down on the hospital bed and drowned his face in his palms. His shoulders shook silently. Gauri was by his side, offering him her silent comfort. She wasn't in any better condition. No one was. No one had seen this coming.
"How is Khanna?" asked Shakti.
"He is better now..." replied Rudra. "The wounds weren't that deep luckily."
A few of Khanna's men were missing as well. Khanna was found in the Hospital's basement parking. Someone had stabbed his back twice and left him there to bleed to death. Annika's heart trembled. A zillion scenarios ran through her head. If they could do that with Khanna, she dreaded to think in what condition Shivaay was.
"Is there no trace left behind?" Annika tearfully asked Bhavya. "Anything?"
Bhavya shook her head. "No."
"Bhabhi, even the CCTV footage shows nothing. Someone knew the system, hacked it, wiped all the evidence. And someone was clearly keeping an eye on our family. They were waiting for an opportunity like this where all our guards were down so that they could hit us..." Bhavya reasoned.
"And they have hit us hard..." Shakti sat down on the chair. He harshly wiped his cheeks. He joined his palms in front of Bhavya. "Please act fast. Shivaay isn't well. His body has recently gone through a lot of trauma. I don't think he has the energy to endure more hardship. Please! I am begging..."
There wasn't a single dry eye in the room after that. Bhavya held his hand and shook her head. "No Papa...don't do this. I am trying my level best to find Bhaiya. Really. All my good contacts in the force are after this."
"It's okay Bhavya..." Om offered. "We know that you are trying hard."
"I just hope that Bhaiya is safe..." Gauri wept and sat near Annika. "I am praying for him."
Annika closed her eyes. Everything was too much for her to take in. Her head felt faint. Just when she thought that everything was going to be well, this had to happen.
"I want to go home..." Annika whispered. Om nodded and they all left for home.
Once home, Annika rushed to the bedroom. She threw herself on the bed and wept till she couldn't physically cry anymore. A big wet patch formed on the pillow. She just lied there, wondering about everything. She had been so strong all this while, but it had gotten too much now. The fear of the unknown was getting to her.
In a moment of madness, she called up Tej. He would know what to do right? He picked up the call after a few moments.
"Uncle..." Annika sniffed. "It's me, Annika."
"Yes. I know..." he answered. "What happened?"
"Someone took Shivaay away. I don't know what to do. Please tell me what to do..." she cried, not able to control anymore.
"Annika..." Tej sounded frustrated. "What am I supposed to do? Your husband must have walked out on his own. We all know how volatile his temper is. Aur karta toh woh mannmani hi hai."
"No!" Annika cried harder. She swallowed her pride and pleaded with him. "He can't. He isn't in the state of doing that. You have contacts with higher-level officials. Please get us their help."
"Annika..." Tej repeated.
"Shivaay aapke bhi toh kuch lagte hai na..." Annika tried to remind him. "Please Uncle. Do something."
"Unfortunately, I can't. And don't worry. In case of a kidnapping, you will get a call."
With that, Tej promptly cut the call. Annika let the phone slid off from her palm. More tears welled up in her eyes. And with that, came a sudden hot wave of anger. With a strangled scream, she smashed the phone on the wall opposite the bed.
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"Whatever you want to do with him," Tej growled as he eyed Shivaay in the corner. "Just do it and finish it off. Why are you unnecessarily stretching the matter?"
Veer smirked. His uncle was a real impatient man. His mother was the same. Maybe it was an Oberoi thing. If it wasn't for his father's genes, he would have been the same. But he liked to do things at his own pace and style.
Otherwise, if Veer wanted, he could have killed Shivaay on the same day he had visited him in the Hospital. Where was the fun in that? He longed to see the family die a little every day. He wanted to see all of them run from pillar to post, get hurt, get disappointed, cry tears of blood. They all had to suffer. Only then would his burning heart get some respite.
"Arre Uncle," Veer turned around. "Why are you in so much hurry? I will send you a meditation book. Read it and relax. Because whether you like it or not, Shivaay is going to stay with us for a long time."
"Veer, you are overconfident. You are also underestimating them. I know my sons. I know Annika. They are going to move the earth and sky to find Shivaay. And if we don't move fast, it is going to come and bite us in the ass!" Tej argued.
It had no effect on Veer. With a huge smile on his face, he went near Shivaay. With his towering height, he looked down at Shivaay. "Come on. Don't you love this? Shivaay Singh Oberoi is lying on the floor before us. The one who controlled the entire market is now in this disgusting Hospital uniform, heaving and so helpless. Even if he wants, he can't save himself. Don't you want to enjoy this sight?"
"I want to," Tej stood beside Veer with his hands in his pockets. He saw Shivaay with unhidden hate. "Trust me. This man has made my life hell ever since he entered my office. He made my children hate me. Not anymore. When he dies, where will they go? Business, family, power...sab mere pass hi wapas aayenge."
Veer laughed. "Sahi baat. But what if, the family's return is wrought with more sadness, more heartbreak? Socho na Uncle, jab unhe pata chalega that their favourite Shivaay died a painful, slow death in my custody, toh how depressed will they be? And you will comfort them. A true hero."
Tej looked at his illegitimate nephew. "What about you?"
Veer smiled at first. Then his features turned hateful. Out of the blue, he kicked Shivaay in the shins and growled. "I was always destined to be a villain."
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Hello!! Hope everyone is well. :D
