Kalaba Kadhala | Part 1

Chapter 25

The sun had already dipped below the horizon, wrapping the twilight sky in hues of indigo and violet. Anushka brushed strands of hair out of her face as she stood on the balcony, staring into the deepening night. It was an oddly serene evening, yet the flutter in her heart and the warmth lingering on her lips from that first kiss with Prabhas stirred emotions she hadn't quite processed yet.

The night they shared that kiss felt like a defining moment, a silent promise sealed with a touch. But as days passed, the weight of unspoken words hovered between them, creating an unintentional rift. Anushka shivered at the thought of approaching him; she felt too vulnerable, too exposed. Anxiety gripped her, churning her stomach in knots. How was she supposed to voice the feelings battling inside her?

As she proceed towards her room, she saw the light peeping out of the partially closed door of the study. She thought someone might have forgot to turn it off. She reached outside the door when she heard an unrecognized voice, probably from the phone. She peeked inside to see Arjun, Aditya and Prabhas inside. That might be cooking between them? She thought as she decided to listen further.

The pale glow of the smartphone screen illuminated the otherwise dim room, where Aditya sat hunched over the table, his fingers trembling slightly as he gripped the phone.

"If your problem is us, then deal with US Naidu... be a man". Aditya spat.

"Aditya," Naidu's voice sneered through the speaker, confident and menacing. "sorry but your sister already got involved in this."

Prabhas was pacing back and forth, his brows knit tightly in anger. Arjun perched on the edge of his seat, his brows furrowed in concern.

"What do you want, Naidu?" Aditya's voice was unsteady but defiant, a mix of anger and fear surfacing like bubbles in boiling water.

Naidu's laughter was the kind that sent chills down the spine. "Oh, I don't think you understand the gravity of your situation. You see, I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make my brother happy."

"Get to the point," Arjun cut in, unable to restrain himself any longer.

There was a pause on the other end, and then Naidu spoke again, deliberately slow. "It's simple. Either Anushka marries my brother, who has had eyes for her or..." His voice dropped an octave, oozing menace, "or she dies."

The air in the room turned icy as realization hit. Prabhas stopped pacing, frozen in place, his fists clenching until his knuckles turned white. "You bastard!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "You think you can threaten her? You think you can—"

"Calm down, Prabhas," Aditya said, raising a hand in an attempt to quell his friend's outrage. "We need to think this through."

But Prabhas wasn't listening. He stepped closer to the phone, rage radiating off him like heat from a fire. "I'll burn him to the ground!" he spat. "No one threatens Anushka!"

"Who's that barking dog?" Naidu asked from the other side making Prabhas more furious. "Whoever it is... It's not like you have an option to save that girl. Agree for this alliance, and I'll respectfully bring the proposal to your father and we will throw a grand wedding for my brother and your sister..."

"Else what?" Arjun asked.

"I don't like to repeat myself Arjun... listen to it the first time no. Else your sister dies". Naidu spoke.

Three of them looked at each other, breathing fire. "Think it through and let me know soon". Naidu said before hanging up the call.

Prabhas turned furiously. Arjun and Aditya knew he was going to take some drastic step. Arjun grabbed Prabhas by the shoulder, trying to ground him. "We can't act recklessly. That's what he wants. He's trying to provoke you. We have to be smart about this".