The Innocent Angel Vs The Ruthless Devil

CHAPTER - 7

Author's POV

The sun shone brightly, its rays attempting to pierce the darkness of the devil's room. It was 7 AM, but Rajeev remained in bed, an unusual occurrence for someone who was always an early riser.

Vikram's POV

By 9 AM, I was waiting in Rajeev's cabin, growing increasingly impatient. Seeing no signs of him, I asked Piyush to give him a call, as Rajeev wasn't answering mine. When Piyush's calls also went unanswered, a sense of unease settled in. Knowing the risks and threats that always surrounded Rajeev, being both a Raichand and a top mafia king, I felt something was amiss. Piyush and I quickly decided to head to Rajeev's penthouse.

Upon arrival, there was no sign of him in the living room, and Piyush noted that Rajeev's breakfast was untouched. Fear gripped us both as we realized the potential danger. We rushed upstairs, our only hope being that he might still be in his room since he was nowhere else in the house.

Entering Rajeev's bedroom, we were shocked by the sight before us. He was twisting and turning in bed, his body drenched in sweat, and tears glistening at the corners of his eyes. We immediately understood that he was trapped in a nightmare, a recurring trauma from his teenage years. Desperately, we tried to wake him up.

In his nightmare, a woman ran towards Rajeev, screaming, "I love you so much." Rajeev spread his arms, engulfing her in a loving hug, and whispered, "I love you too, Mishti." Suddenly, the scene shifted. Rajeev looked down to find his arms empty. Frantically, he searched for her, only to see her in another man's embrace. Pain seared through his heart as he asked, "WHY?" The woman laughed cruelly, saying, "Have you ever seen yourself in the mirror? You poor, lowly, ugly duckling who can't even be compared to a beggar. Did you think I loved a fool and loser like you?"

Tears formed in Rajeev's eyes. He closed his eyes and ears, screaming, "This isn't true!" With that, Rajeev woke up abruptly, coming face to face with Vikram and Piyush.

Seeing Rajeev's condition, Vikram and Piyush couldn't help but envelop him in a tight hug to calm him down. This moment was exceptionally rare between them, as their interactions typically relied on eye gestures or words, never touch. Still in a trance, Rajeev hugged them back, unknowingly closing his eyes and feeling the warmth of his friends' care. When his racing heart finally steadied, he came back to reality and cleared his throat, prompting the guys to break their bonding hug.

Rajeev, both shocked and angry because of the nightmare, roared, "Again, this nightmare!" Vikram and Piyush remained silent, knowing better than to speak when Rajeev was angry. Eventually, Rajeev cooled his nerves with heavy breaths and looked at his friends, asking, "What are you guys doing here? Don't you have jobs?"

Piyush began his dramatic act, saying, "Uff, our poor hearts, Rajeev. Why do you always break our hearts like this? Be nice and loving to us, dude. We are your friends, not some roadside strangers." Both Vikram and Rajeev glared at Piyush, who raised his hands in surrender.

Vikram addressed Rajeev, "I was in your office waiting for you, and when you didn't show up, we got worried. So we came here to check on you." Piyush nodded his head like an innocent child, agreeing with Vikram. Ignoring Piyush, Rajeev asked Vikram, "What's so urgent that you left your company to come see me?"

Vikram explained calmly that they needed Rajeev's presence at the warehouse, where they were planning to export guns and other ammunition to Italy. Rajeev pinched the bridge of his nose, asking, "What problem needs my attention, Vikram? As far as I know, you're more than capable of handling these things."

Vikram uttered one word that fueled Rajeev's anger: "The Scorpions." Hearing this, Rajeev shattered the bedside lamp, roaring, "What do those lowly creatures of the Scorpion Gang want?"