𝑰𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑨𝑹𝑴𝑺 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑩𝑬𝑨𝑺𝑻 | 𝗞𝗚𝗙 | ✓

CHAPTER 10

"Thank you, Rocky," Reena beamed with gratitude.

Rocky's simply smiled, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth in his presence.
"Did you have a good time?"

Reena nodded. "Yes. But where were you for so long?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, sona. I was caught up with work. Besides, I don't think you and father-in-law would've had as much fun if I was there," he chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"You look beautiful, by the way."

Reena's lips curved into a gentle smile as she took a deep breath through her nose, her eyes fixed on the ground.

Rocky's voice broke her reverie, "Are you already tired?"

"Why?"

"Because my gift is still waiting for you."he replied.

"What gift?" her curiosity piqued.

"You'll see," he said, leading the way towards the palace. Reena followed him.

As they stood in front of a mysterious room, Rocky motioned for her to step forward. She hesitated for a moment, glancing at him before pushing open the door.

And then, she was struck speechless by what she saw.

Reena's eyes widened as she stepped into the grand library. The shelves towered high, filled with books of every genre imaginable. She couldn't help but feel a sense of awe as she took in the beauty of the room.

Rocky, noticing her reaction, asked with a grin, "How do you like it?"

Reena was left utterly speechless for a moment, but then something inside her clicked and she turned towards Rocky, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"This is incredible! Thank you so much," she exclaimed, her eyes shining with gratitude.

Rocky was taken aback by this sudden show of affection.

"How did you know?" she asked, pulling away from him.

Rocky shrugged nonchalantly, "I asked father in law. I called him one day, but it was like he was firing bullets at me. It was tough, but eventually he told me that you loved to read books. So, a month ago, I ordered people to prepare this for you."

As Reena eagerly scanned the shelves of the Library, pulling out book after book, Rocky trailed behind her with a single book in hand.

He flipped through the pages haphazardly, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What's the deal with these books?" he grumbled, squinting at the dense paragraphs. "I swear, just looking at these long English sentences makes me dizzy."

Reena took the book from him,
"Psh, obviously. You're so brainless, you'd probably float in a pool."

"At least I've got enough heart to make you swoon," Rocky shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"What does that even mean?
I swear, if I have to hear any more of this, my brain might just start rotting," Reena groaned, rolling her eyes as she tossed the book back and walked away.

***

As Reena was slipping into her cozy pajamas, she heard a knock at the door.

Curious, she opened it to find the group of kids standing there, grinning from ear to ear. But her eyes were immediately drawn to the plate of bundt cake that one of them was holding.

"Happy Birthday, Reena!" they exclaimed, practically bouncing with excitement.

Reena was taken aback. How did they know that bundt cake was her absolute favorite?

"How did you know?" she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Vanaram told us to bring it to your room," Ishaan explained.

Reena laughed. "Have you guys ever had cake before?"

The kids shook their heads eagerly.

"Well, come on in then! Let's eat this cake together."

***

Meanwhile, in the luxurious Guru Pandian mansion, a sinister plan was being hatched.

"Reena is the perfect weapon to use against Rocky. She's his only weakness," Kamal said, swirling his drink.

"I don't know if Reena means anything to Rocky. The way he treated her didn't seem like she was important to him," Gurupandian said, keeping a straight face.

Kamal let out a sly chuckle, "Oh, this is just what Rocky wants us to think. He's playing us like a fiddle so we don't go after Reena. But I've been keeping a close eye on those two lovebirds from the start, and let me tell you, Reena is the only one who can make Rocky weak in the knees. He even let her old man, Rajendra Desai, into KGF for her birthday."

Gurupandian raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Can I trust you on this?"

Kamal scoffed. "Have I ever been wrong about those three idiots, Andrews, Daya, and Rajendra? I've been keeping you informed every step of the way."

Gurupandian considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's give it a try. What's your plan?"

Kamal leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "We need to get Reena out of KGF. Once she's out, Rocky will follow. And then, Adheera can take care of the rest."

Gurupandian nodded in agreement. "Adheera is already on his way to attack outpost 1. He should be done soon."

"Perfect," Kamal said, leaning back on the plush sofa.
"As for how we'll get Reena out...well, let's just say I have a few tricks up my sleeve." He let out an evil chuckle, relishing in the thrill of the game.

****

The phone jolted Rocky out of his focused work, ringing out in the empty office. With a quick swipe of his hand, he grabbed the luxurious landline phone and brought it to his ear.

"Hello?" he answered, his eyes still fixed on the task at hand.

The air was thick with tension as a voice, trembling with fear, answered.

"Bhai on outpost 1..."