FORBIDDEN FLAMES ✅

Emotional Turmoil

AUTHOR'S POV

One evening, the house was filled with the delicious aroma of snacks as Anita busied herself in the kitchen. In the living room, Aarna was playing happily, her laughter filling the air. Suddenly, the front door burst open, and two men with their faces covered barged in. Aarna looked up, startled and scared.

"Dadi! Dadi!" she screamed as one of the men grabbed her.

Anita, hearing Aarna's cries, rushed out of the kitchen. Her heart sank as she saw the men taking Aarna. "Stop! Leave her!" she shouted, running towards them. But one of the masked men pushed her, causing her to fall. She lost consciousness immediately.The men hurriedly took Aarna and disappeared out the door, leaving chaos in their wake.
Some time later, Nidhi arrived at the house. She immediately sensed that something was wrong. The living room was a mess, and suddenly she saw Anita was lying unconscious on the floor. Panic set in as she rushed to Anita's side.

"Aunty, wake up!" Nidhi said with scared voice and her voice trembling. She ran to get some water and splashed it on Anita's face. After a few agonizing seconds, Anita began to stir."Aarna... Aarna..." Anita muttered weakly as she regained consciousness, her eyes searching the room frantically.

Nidhi, looking around, called out, "Aarna! Aarna!" But there was no response. She turned back to Anita, who was now fully awake but distraught.

"They took her... They took Aarna," Anita said, tears streaming down her face.Nidhi's eyes widened in horror. "Who, Aunty? Who took her?"

"I don't know," Anita sobbed. "Two men... they barged in, took Aarna, and pushed me. I couldn't stop them."

Nidhi tried to remain calm, though she was terrified. "Aunty, don't worry. I'll call Vihaan bhai right now."
Nidhi quickly pulled out her phone and called Vihaan. He answered almost immediately. Listening to Nidhi's voice, "Nidhi? What's wrong?" Vihaan asked, sensing the urgency in her voice.
Nidhi's voice trembled as she relayed the situation to Vihaan. "Vihaan bhai, Aarna has been kidnapped. Two men took her and Anita aunty is unconscious. We're at home."

Vihaan felt the world around him blur. His daughter, his precious Aarna was missing. His heart pounded in his chest and for a moment he couldn't move. The phone slipped from his hand, and he stood motionless, his mind reeling with fear and disbelief.

Neil, seeing Vihaan's stunned expression, quickly took the phone from him and spoke to Nidhi. "Nidhi, it's Neil. Tell me exactly what happened."

Nidhi repeated the details, her voice breaking with emotion. "They took Aarna and pushed Anita aunty. She lost consciousness. I'm here with her now."

Neil nodded, trying to stay calm. "We're on our way. Stay safe and don't let anyone in until we get there." He ended the call and turned to Vihaan, who was still in shock.

"Vihaan," Neil said firmly, shaking his friend by the shoulders. "Vihaan, snap out of it. Your daughter needs you. Shreya needs you."

Vihaan's eyes were distant, filled with tears and fear. "My daughter, Neil... my baby is missing..."

"I know, Vihaan," Neil said, his voice steady. "But you being like this won't help anyone. We need to act. Think about Shreya. Imagine what she'll go through if she hears about this and you need to be there for her."

Vihaan took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. He nodded, trying to pull himself together. "You're right. I need to stay strong for Aarna, for Shreya."
Vihaan and Neil quickly mobilized their team to my home. Vihaan said Neil coordinate with local law enforcement and began combing through CCTV footage, check for any clues about the kidnappers' vehicle or route.

Neil called Shreya to Vihaan's cabin. As soon as she entered, she saw the pained expression on Vihaan's face and knew something was terribly wrong. Vihaan came forward and immediately hugged Shreya tightly, as if drawing strength from her to deliver the heartbreaking news.

"Vihaan, what happened?" Shreya asked, feeling increasingly tense at seeing Vihaan so emotional. She glanced at Neil over Vihaan's shoulder, seeking answers.

Vihaan broke the hug, holding Shreya by her shoulders. "Sheru, sweetheart, listen to me carefully. Don't panic."

Looking at Vihaan Shreya said "You're scaring me, Vihaan. Please, tell me what happened," Shreya urged, her voice shaking.

Vihaan took a deep breath "Aarna is missing. They pushed Ma and took her away. I just received a call from Nidhi."

Shreya was shocked, her world shattering in an instant. "What? Vihaan, no..."

Vihaan guided her to a nearby chair when Shreya was about to faint, where she sat like a lifeless body, overwhelmed by the news. He knelt in front of her, holding her hands. "Sheru, baby, listen to me. I will make sure we bring our daughter back safely without a scratch on her. Please, don't lose hope."

He wiped the tears rolling down Shreya's cheeks, controlling his emotions and trying to be her pillar of strength.

Neil, witnessing the emotional exchange, knew time was of the essence. He immediately called the most efficient team into the cabin and announced the incident. "We need all hands on deck. Aarna Vihaan's daughter has been kidnapped. I want everyone to be alert and pass this information to all the police stations. Start searching immediately."

The team sprang into action. Aarna's pictures were distributed throughout the city, and search operations began without delay. Vihaan, though tormented by fear and worry, coordinated the efforts, refusing to let despair cloud his judgment.

Officers were dispatched to all corners of the city, checking CCTV footages, questioning witnesses, and combing through every possible lead. Vihaan and Neil worked determined to find Aarna and bring her back home.

Back in the cabin, Shreya remained seated, staring blankly at the wall, her mind consumed by thoughts of Aarna. Vihaan periodically checked on her, reassuring her that they would find their daughter.
Soon Vihaan, Shreya, Neil, and a team of officers returned to their home to gather any evidence or leads that might help locate Aarna. As soon as they entered, Anita, visibly shaken and worried, rushed towards them and hugged Vihaan tightly.

Vihaan hugged his mother, understanding the turmoil she must be feeling. "I'm sorry, Vihaan," Anita said, her voice trembling. "I tried everything to stop them, but I couldn't do it. I'm so sorry."

Vihaan gently reassured her, "It's okay, Ma. I will bring Aarna back safely, don't worry. Just believe in your son, and I'm glad you're fine." He glanced at Shreya, who sat motionless, consumed by the shock and fear. "Ma, please look after Shreya. She's been like this since she got the news about Aarna. I need to focus on finding our daughter."

Anita nodded, her eyes filled with tears. "Don't worry, I'll take care of her. Just bring Aarna back."
Vihaan, Neil and the officers began meticulously searching the house for any clues. They looked for signs of forced entry, fingerprints or anything that could lead them to the kidnappers around the house. They also reviewed the security camera footage from the house and surrounding areas, hoping to find a lead.

Neil examined the living room where Aarna was playing before the kidnapping. "We need to look for anything out of place," he said to the officers. "Check for fingerprints, footprints, any sign of struggle."

An officer found a piece of cloth near the entrance, likely left behind by the kidnappers. "Sir, we've got something," he called out to Vihaan and Neil.

Vihaan and Neil examined the cloth. "Bag it as evidence," Vihaan instructed. "It might help us identify the kidnappers."

Meanwhile, another officer reviewed the security footage and spotted the masked men entering and exiting the house. "I've got something on the footage," he reported. "Two men entered the house around the time Aarna was taken."

Vihaan, Shreya, and Neil gathered around the screen. "Zoom in and enhance the footage,"
 Vihaan ordered. They could see the men, though masked, their movements and build could give them a clue. "Get this to our tech team. Maybe they can enhance the footage further and give us more details."

While the investigation was ongoing, Anita sat beside Shreya and said "Shreya, dear, please take a moment to breathe," she said softly, trying to comfort her.

Shreya, though numb, nodded Anita holding her hand "Vihaan and Neil will find Aarna. We have to stay strong for her, you need to be strong Shreya."

Shreya nodded, tears streaming down her face. "I know, Ma. I'm just so scared. I can't lose her."Anita hugged Shreya tightly, offering her the little comfort she could. "We won't lose her. I believe in Vihaan. He'll bring her back."

As more officers arrived with updates, Vihaan and Neil pieced together the information. "We need to act fast," Vihaan said, his voice determined. "Every minute counts."

Neil nodded. "We'll find her, Vihaan. We won't stop until we do."

With renewed determination, they continued their efforts, searching tirelessly for any clue that would lead them to Aarna. The love and support of their family fueled their resolve, knowing that they had to bring their precious daughter back safely.

Vihaan called Rohan to inform him of the devastating news. As soon as Rohan and Keerthi heard about Aarna's kidnapping, they rushed to Vihaan and Shreya's house. Upon arrival, they saw Shreya sitting motionless, her expression vacant, as if the life had been drained from her.

Rohan immediately went to Shreya's side. "Rey, be strong. We're here for you. Vihaan will do everything he can to bring our Aarna back." Shreya looked up at Rohan, her eyes filled with tears, and hugged him tightly, crying in his arms.

Vihaan turned around and saw Shreya crying, which only fueled his determination to catch the kidnapper and punish him severely. 

Vihaan and Neil were in deep discussion, navigating the tech team and coordinating with the police force in their desperate search for Aarna. The room was filled with tension and urgency, everyone working tirelessly to find any leads.

Suddenly, Vihaan's phone rang. He answered it immediately, his voice tight with stress. "Hello, Vihaan speaking."

"Sir, I'm the jailor where Sagar and his gang were in custody," came the trembling voice on the other end.

Vihaan raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet. "Yes, tell me," he said, his heart pounding.

"Sir, Sagar has been missing since last night. He killed two guard officers and escaped. We are searching for him."

Vihaan's face turned ashen with rage. "What the hell? You're informing me about this now? How irresponsible! I need his details and every available resource searching for him immediately!" he barked, disconnecting the call.

Vihaan's eyes were bloodshot with fury. He turned to his tech team, his voice a roar that cut through the tense silence. "Search for Sagar now! I think he has my daughter!"

The room erupted into a flurry of activity. Officers and tech specialists scrambled to gather intel, track movements, and cross-check all known associates of Sagar. Neil placed a reassuring hand on Vihaan's shoulder. "We'll find him, Vihaan. Stay strong."
As the team worked, they started piecing together Sagar's possible movements. CCTV footage from the jail, recent credit card transactions, and known hideouts were all scrutinized. Hours felt like minutes as they chased every lead.

Mahendra reached Vihaan's place as soon as he got to know about Aarna missing news, when he got informed about Sagar missing on his way to Vihaan's place, He connected the dots and suspected Sagar's hand in this.

 Mahendra greeted Anita, and Anita reciprocated the greeting. Meanwhile, Vihaan's mobile rang again. He answered the call, "Hello," said Vihaan.

"Hello, Vihaan," came a dangerous voice.

Vihaan signaled his tech team to track the call. They immediately started tracking it. Vihaan asked, "Who is this?"

The other person replied, "Ufff, Vihaan, you forgot about me so soon? Not fine, my dear friend."

Vihaan, with a hardened face, asked, "Where is my daughter, Sagar?"

Sagar laughed hysterically and said, "So you still remember me. I'm flattered, Vihaan."

Vihaan, in a serious tone, repeated, "Where is my daughter, Sagar?"

Sagar responded, "She is with me, safely for now until you agree to my terms and conditions."

Vihaan asked, "What are those?"

Sagar replied, "I will tell you, but wait for my call. Then I will tell you."

Suddenly, Vihaan heard Aarna's muffled voice. He shouted, "Aarna! Aarna!" but the call got disconnected.

Hearing Sagar's name, Shreya came near Vihaan and listened to the call. As soon as the call disconnected, Shreya said, "Vihaan, my daughter! She is crying. Save our daughter, Vihaan. I want my daughter back."

Listening to Shreya's cries, Vihaan took her in his arms and consoled her, his own tears streaming down. Hearing his daughter cry, his heart was bleeding.

................................................................................................................................................

Hello Readers,

I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know I have been giving late updates for this book, and there are two reasons for this.

First, every chapter is taking time to write as I want to ensure the best quality for you.

 Second, various family functions and personal commitments have made my life too hectic to dedicate proper time to these chapters.

Please bear with my late updates. I sincerely apologize for the delays and am incredibly thankful to all my readers who are still following patiently. Your support means the world to me, and I am grateful for your understanding. 

I carry my laptop everywhere in an effort to provide timely updates, but sometimes it still takes longer than expected. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

Please do comment and vote. It mean a lot to me.
Lots of love and heartfelt thanks to you all!

Please do follow bhadri_writes on Instagram  for more updates and information about the upcoming stories 

Happy Reading!!!!

................................................................................................................................................