The Light at the End of the Tunnel

A sliver of truth is not always sweet. (28)

"FINE WITH me. Start the timer then."

Aiden's watch beeped. The timer had started.

"First. You know who I am and I know who you are," The Sleeper paused, frowning at Aiden. "Why is he here? This is a family reunion, boy. Leave."

"Aiden, reduce the timer to two minutes," Aru ordered. She added, "And stay."

The Sleeper huffed. "Fine. Now, my daughter, all I need is you to come with me. We can remake your stupid cops and robbers agency into something greater. Into a business. Into the new Umbra Basi. A wonderful company. I will remake lost time. We will all be a whole family."

Aru scoffed. "I haven't seen mom in three years. I suppose you have something to do with that, do you?"

The Sleeper narrowed his eyes. "No? Also, can you please respond to my speech? I just said something awesome."

"Forty seconds left," Aiden reported.

"Anything else to say?" Aru rested her finger on the trigger.

"I love you. And I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to be this way..."The Sleeper sighed. "All I wanted was a full family, but Krithika didn't want that, of course."

"Ten seconds."

"I just wish it wasn't like this."

"And time," Aiden said.

Aru inhaled a deep breath. "Your audience with me is over."

"I need to talk to you privately," He concluded. "This boy is being a problem."

Quick as a flash, a bullet pierced through the air. Aru's finger was shaking, but she wasn't the one who shot it. The sound came a fraction after and Aru's head whipped to the side.

Aiden, on the ground, clutching his side. Aru's eyes widened and her heart fell straight into her hands.

"Anyway," Suyodhana clasped his hands. "Let us talk."

"Two minutes are over."

"You said three."

"You shot my friend."

"He isn't your boyfriend or anything, let it be."

Aru brought up her other hand and re-aimed her gun. "You have one last chance to admit defeat."

"I will pass up on that opportunity. Plus, you can't shoot me. I'm your father."

"You're a monster."

Aru couldn't tell who spoke those words. Had it been her? Or who was it?

That question was quickly answered.

Krithika Shah, in all her glory, stood behind him. And a moment later, a click and a bang echoed through the air.

Suyodhana fell to the ground, blood seeping through the fabric of his pants. "Krithika—"

"Mom!" Aru screamed. She dropped her gun and ran to her.

Krithika caught her in a hug. Aru whispered, "That business trip took longer thank you said it would."

Krithika held her tighter. "It wasn't a business trip."

"What?"

Suddenly, people dressed in black jumped in. The guns pointed toward them. Aru sucked in a breath. The moment she let down her guard...

"Mom, your gun."

"All out."

But then The Sleeper raised a shaky arm. The guns all lowered. Krithika narrowed her eyes.

Suyodhana looked at them both. Aru separated herself from her mother reluctantly and stuck a hand out the door. She waved it once and pulled it back in. Her yes were trained on Aiden, suffering more every second.

The Sleeper spoke. "Why is it that no matter what...I can't seem to stop caring? Why..."

Aru heard the reinforcements. Krithika sucked in a breath. "You know this isn't right, meri jaan."

"Okay, guys. So what-"

"I just...needed you to trust me again."

"To brainwash is to deceive," Krithika shook her head.

The reinforcements burst in, and hauled Suyodhana up. And he didn't protest as he was led out. Krithika looked down. "I should probably...go."

"But-"

"Don't worry, I'll meet you later. Until then..."

"But I have so many questions-"

"And I'll answer them," She promised. "I will see you later. I'm proud of you, beti."

And then, she was left alone. Well, almost alone, anyway.

"That was..."Aiden groaned. Aru walked over to him, speaking, "You could handle poison, so you could handle this. Come on."

Aru hauled him up, reminding her of Harriet Bar. Aiden asked her, quietly, "You okay?"

"Completely," She promised, but there wasn't a sliver of truth behind her words. "Let's get you out of here."

too much happened in this chapter 😭😭😭😭

I think I owe yall an explanation but so does Krithika, so she'll explain it to Aru and yall can just eavesdrop

how was the chapter?

-Loife xx