Dons of Punjab: Fluke of Reality✔️

Chapter 22

Amandeep Singh Aulakh

It had been two long years since I last saw her. Two years since I had felt her warmth, heard her voice, or seen the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. It felt like a lifetime. I had searched for her everywhere, but it was as if she had disappeared into thin air. And what made it worse? Her family. They acted as if nothing had happened. As if she was safe. As if they weren't hiding something from me.

But I knew better.

They knew where she was. They had to. Yet every time I asked, I was met with blank stares, meaningless reassurances, or outright silence. It drove me insane. I wanted to shake them, demand answers, but I knew it would get me nowhere. They weren't going to break that easily.

I ran a hand through my hair, staring at the silent phone on the coffee table in front of me. The wait was unbearable. My men had tracked down a woman named Prabh Kaur in England, but they were still running checks. I needed to be sure. I couldn't afford to get my hopes up again, only to be disappointed.

The sound of my brothers' laughter echoed through the house, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see them playing with their kids, their little ones giggling as they were tossed in the air, their tiny hands grabbing at their fathers' faces. A sharp pang shot through my chest.

I wanted that.

I wanted to hold my own child in my arms, to feel that unconditional love, to have a family of my own. But how could I, when the only woman I had ever wanted had run away from me? When she had left me with nothing but memories and an ache that refused to fade?

I clenched my jaw, my fingers curling into fists. She had left thinking it was for the best. But she was wrong. She belonged with me. And no matter what it took, I was going to bring her back.

The phone rang suddenly, its sharp tone slicing through the air. My heart pounded as I grabbed it, pressing it to my ear.

"What's the news?" I asked, my voice rough with anticipation.

There was a brief pause before my man spoke. "Boss, it's her."

I closed my eyes, exhaling sharply. Relief and determination surged through me all at once.

"Are you sure?" I demanded, my grip tightening on the phone.

"Yes. We verified everything. It's her, Aman. She's in London."

London.

The name rolled through my mind as I processed the information. She was there. She was real. And now, she had nowhere left to hide.

I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. My brothers turned to look at me, sensing the shift in my energy.

"What is it?" Arjun asked, setting his son down on the couch.

"I found her." My voice was steady, but inside, my blood was boiling with the need to see her. To make her face me. To bring her home.

Harry let out a low whistle. "Damn. Two years and you finally got a lead."

Kavi paji folded his arms, his expression unreadable. "And what exactly are you planning to do?"

I met his gaze head-on. "I'm going to get her."

Harry sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Aman... if she left, there was a reason."

"I don't care about her reasons," I snapped. "She was mine. She is mine. And I'm done waiting."

Silence filled the room. My brothers knew better than to argue with me when I had made up my mind.

Finally, Harry nodded. "Then let's go."

A smirk tugged at my lips. "Ready or not, Prabh... here I come."

I clenched my jaw as I stared out of the airport windows, watching planes take off into the night sky. Each one carried people toward their destinations, toward something or someone they were meant to be with. And now, it was my turn. After two years of searching, waiting, and sleepless nights spent wondering where she was, I was finally going to see her again.

But just as I was about to step forward, Harry's voice stopped me.

"Aman, don't do this."

I sighed, closing my eyes for a brief second before turning to face him. His arms were crossed, his brows furrowed with frustration, but beneath all that, I could see the concern in his eyes.

"I have to," I said simply.

"No, you don't." Harry stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You're chasing after someone who left, Aman. Someone who didn't want to be found."

His words hit a nerve, but I refused to let it show. "And you know why she left?" I challenged. "Because I don't. No one ever told me. No one thought I deserved to know."

Harry sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Maybe you weren't supposed to know."

I let out a bitter laugh. "That's bullshit, Harry. She was mine. And then one day, she was gone." My fists clenched as the memories resurfaced—the nights I spent searching, the unanswered calls, the way her family looked right through me as if I didn't exist. "Two years," I said, my voice tight. "Two years, and they acted like she never existed. Like I never existed."

Harry's expression softened, but he still shook his head. "And what if she's happy now? What if she's moved on?"

My chest tightened at the thought. I had considered it before, but I refused to believe it. "Then she can tell me that to my face," I said. "If she looks me in the eye and says she doesn't want me anymore, I'll walk away."

Harry scoffed. "You really think it's that simple?"

"It has to be."

Harry let out a frustrated breath, shaking his head. "And what if you showing up just hurts her all over again?"

I froze for a moment. The thought had crossed my mind before, but I pushed it away every time. She had hurt me when she left. Did she ever think about that? About the nights I lay awake, wondering if she was safe, if she missed me even half as much as I missed her?

"I'm not going there to hurt her," I muttered.

Harry sighed. "Yeah? Then what exactly are you going there to do?"

I met his gaze, unwavering. "To bring her back."

Harry exhaled sharply. "You can't force someone to stay, Aman."

I picked up my duffel bag and slung it over my shoulder. "I don't have to. She belongs with me."

His expression shifted, something between exasperation and understanding. He knew nothing he said would stop me. This wasn't about being reckless. This was about getting back the one person who was supposed to be mine.

The final boarding call echoed through the terminal.

Harry ran a hand through his hair, then suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. "Don't do anything stupid," he muttered against my shoulder.

I smirked as we pulled apart. "No promises."

I took one last look at my brother before stepping forward, my heart pounding with anticipation.

Ready or not, Prabh, I'm coming for you.