𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒍

1. Born to die

Lost but now I am found

I can see that once I was blind

I was so confused as a little child

Tryna take what I could get

Scared that I couldn't find

All the answers, honey

𓇢𓆸݁˖ ❀ ⋆｡˚ ⟡⋆.˚❀⋆.˚⟡ 𓇢𓆸

The documents blurred before my eyes. I blinked rapidly, shaking off the exhaustion creeping into my skull. The internship had drained me dry, and yet, here I was—drowning in reports long after the workday had ended.

I heard the commotion outside . A low rumble outside. Engines.

I stood up went towards the balcony attached to my room .

Black SUVs. Four—no, five of them, lined up in the driveway leading to the entrance of the mansion . I saw my brother exiting one of the cars , his hands covered in blood , his face almost unrecognisable with the amount of bruises, cuts and blood covering his skin.

I gripped the balcony railing, my nails digging into the cold metal.

Oh my God.

Was it his?

I couldn't tell. He wasn't limping, wasn't clutching his side in pain. But the blood—there was too much of it.

My bare feet barely made a sound against the marble floor as I rushed out of my room, my breath uneven, my pulse pounding in my ears. My fingers trailed along the cold railing of the staircase as I descended. I saw multiple men in the hallway obstructing my view .

"What's going on ?."I yelled at the men as they were blocking my way .

"Dad." I called for my father , he was walking with Kabir and there were two unfamiliar men who followed behind them .

Before I could call him again—a trembling hand gripped my wrist. I gasped, spinning around—only to see my mother standing there, her face pale, her eyes red and swollen.

"Aleyna , Go to your room this instant." My mother came towards me and said with stern voice as tears streamed down her face .

"Mom—What happened?." I asked desperately yet again. My mother didn't utter a single word as she dragged me to my room .

As we entered into my room , she hastily locked the door. Her hands shivered as she sat on the edge of the bed . She put her palms over her face as she sobbed. Her shoulders shook. She looked at me then, and I felt my stomach drop.

She swallowed hard, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her dupatta. "Aleyna..." She closed her eyes, taking a shuddering breath. "Kabir..."

I waited, my heart thundering, dread curling around my ribs like a vice.

Then, barely above a whisper, she said it.

'Kabir killed his brother.' Her voice hoarse as she tried to utter in between her cries .

I took a step back, my head shaking before I even fully processed her words.

"Whose brother?—Mom." My voice cracked, panic bleeding into every syllable.

'Ranvijay Singh Rathore .' I froze at my place at the name I heard. Her lips parted, and when she spoke, the name hit me like a gunshot.