SHADOWS OF THE BLOODLINE

Chapter 6

Amidst the chaos, the prisoner's mocking laughter pierced the air, sending shivers down Hardik's spine. "I knew you'd come back when I mentioned Nisha," the prisoner taunted, eyes locking onto Siraj, who bristled with anger.

Hardik took a seat beside the prisoner, his curiosity mingling with dread. "Who are you really?"

"I am your nemesis. Your impending demise," the prisoner sneered, sending a chill through the room.

Hardik couldn't help but smirk. "Do you truly believe you can end me? Look at your pitiful state."

The prisoner's smile remained unnerving. "Perhaps I failed, but the next one won't. Death is coming for each of you. Rahul first, then Kunal, then Ishan."

Ishan's name reverberated in Hardik's mind, a warning bell amidst the chaos. "You..."

The prisoner chuckled darkly. "Ah, it stings, doesn't it? I've heard Ishan is shielded from all harm, unable to even harm an innocent. Pathetic."

Hardik's grip tightened around the prisoner's throat, a desperate attempt to extract information. But Siraj intervened, fearing further repercussions. Reluctantly, Hardik released his hold.

The prisoner's smirk widened, and then he dropped a bombshell that froze Hardik in his tracks. "Does Rahul know you invited Nisha to the school that night?"

Hardik's gaze snapped to the prisoner, realization dawning like a thunderclap. "You manipulated him, just like your father." Before Siraj could silence the prisoner, Hardik acted, ending the threat with a single bullet.

Bumrah returned to a scene. Siraj now understood Rahul's caution, realizing his loyalty had led to disaster. With no evidence left, they were blind to the enemy's identity. He felt betrayed by Siraj's deceit, his anger simmering beneath the surface. He didn't have a clue how to face Rahul, knowing he had let him down.

Hardik defended Siraj's actions. "He did as I commanded. The fault lies with me."

"Hardik, go home," Bumrah muttered tersely, his voice laced with tension. "I'll handle the mess."

Siraj hung his head in shame, his loyalty tainted by unintended consequences.

As they embarked on the journey back home, Siraj couldn't shake off his unease. "Should I check about Nisha?" he ventured tentatively, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Hardik let out a bitter chuckle, his gaze distant with memories. " You don't know much about her like I do.," he replied, his words heavy with sorrow. "Nisha was something else. The most beautiful girl you ever laid eyes on. But she only had eyes for Rahul. When I was laid up with a fracture, missing school for months, she became Rahul's closest confidante. They were both orphans, finding comfort in each other's company. And then, one day, she bravely confessed her feelings for Rahul in front of the whole school."

Siraj leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "And what did Rahul say?" he asked eagerly, his pulse quickening with anticipation.

I didn't even let him speak. Hardik shot back, his voice edged with frustration and hurt.

I had my eyes on both of them, especially Rahul. He was mine, my possession. But when I found out about their secret outings, fear gripped me so tightly that I felt suffocated.

"You never confronted Rahul about his betrayal," Siraj pointed out.

But Rahul didn't betray me, not exactly. He always informed me when he went out, but he never disclosed who he was meeting. Perhaps he understood how possessive I was, how much he meant to me. He saw her just as a friend, or so he claimed.

Then came the moment when Nisha confessed her feelings for Rahul. He froze, like a statue, unable to utter a word. And I, consumed by anger and possessiveness, swooped in and whisked him away, leaving Nisha humiliated and ridiculed.

Rahul wanted to apologize, I could see it in his eyes, but I wouldn't allow him that chance. He belonged to me, always had, always would.

Siraj leaned in, his eyes wide with anticipation. "What happened next?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

Hardik took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the memories crashing over him like a tidal wave. "I took him home, to our nest," Hardik began, voice tinged with bitterness. "But I was furious. I yelled at him for betraying me, for making me feel like I wasn't enough." He paused, remembering how he had clung to me, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"He was my everything,"Hardik continued, voice trembling with emotion. "But Nisha had awakened all my insecurities, made me doubt everything I knew." Anguish laced his words as he recalled the pain of that moment.

"I punished him severely that night," Hardik confessed, his voice barely above a whisper. "I became a monster, unleashing all my pent-up anger and hurt." He closed his eyes briefly, trying to push away the memories of that dark time.

"It was the longest fight we ever had," Hardik admitted, voice heavy with regret. "After the punishment, when I finally approached him, he begged me to take him back." My heart ached as I remembered his tear-stained face, his desperate pleas for another chance.

"He said I was the only one, and deep down, I knew it was true," Hardik murmured,breaking with emotion. "Hardik said those words, and then he closed his eyes, as if trying to escape from the pain of the past."

That night was extraordinary. Rahul brought him immense joy, fulfilling his desires completely. Hardik reminisced about all the tender moments, the passionate kisses, and more.

Siraj interrupted his thoughts, his voice breaking the silence. "What happened to Nisha?"

Hardik took a deep breath, recounting the events with a heavy heart. "I used Rahul's phone to text her. I asked her to meet me, pretending to be him. She agreed, thinking I was Rahul. But somehow Rahul caught on and followed me."

"Nisha confronted me violently," Hardik continued, the memory still haunting him. "We fought over Rahul. She grabbed a knife, aiming for me, but Rahul stepped in and took the blow. That enraged me, and she lost her footing, falling from the building."

"Raina chachu found us and brought us back home.

"Dad made Nisha's death look like a suicide. But Rahul blames himself for what happened."

"So, we need to look into Nisha's relatives," Siraj suggested.

"She had none," Hardik replied, a sense of unease settling over him. "Even Raina chachu handled her final rites. Something doesn't add up. I wonder who's really behind this."

"Then somebody is taunting you," Siraj remarked.

"No, somebody is hurting Rahul badly. They've done their homework on him," Hardik replied, frustration evident in his voice. "I need to find out who, and fast. Maybe then I can bring back my Rahul."

"But your father... What about your marriage to Natasha? The Jindal family won't take it lightly," Siraj pointed out.

"My family might be angry, but they'll come around. Jindal won't harm us. They need us more than we need them. Jindal's real target isn't me. They need someone who they can handle easily," Hardik explained, his worry deepening.

Siraj furrowed his brow in confusion.

"It's Ishan. Dad's life is tangled up with him. Jindal wants Ishan," Hardik clarified. "Naman loves Ishan, but until Ishan agrees, Dad won't let Naman marry him. Dad thinks marrying me to Natasha will appease Jindal, but it'll just make things worse. It'll give them more leverage to pursue Ishan".

 Hardik revealed, his  heart heavy with concern for Ishan.

12.05.2024

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