Iss Quadar pyaar hai

6. Unmasking Rhea

???: "Rhea, it's your father... he's taken a turn for the worse. The situation is critical. We need you here immediately."

Radhika's breath caught in her throat. It had been years since she had heard her mother's voice, let alone spoken about her father. The man who had shaped her childhood with ruthless discipline, who had pushed her into the shadows of his empire, and from whom she had fled to build her own life.

Radhika: "Mom?"

There was a heavy pause on the other end, as if her mother was struggling to find the right words. When she finally spoke, her voice was strained, almost fragile.

Mother: "Rhea... it's your father. He's... he's very ill."

Radhika: "What happened?"

Mother: "He collapsed earlier today. It's his heart. The doctors say... they say he doesn't have much time. He's refusing treatment, and... Rhea, we're in danger. His enemies know he's weak, and they're coming for us."

Radhika gripped the phone tightly, her mind reeling. She had never wanted this life, had fought to escape it, and yet here she was, being pulled back into the darkness she had tried so hard to leave behind.

Radhika: "Why now? He hasn't spoken to me in years. He didn't want anything to do with me. Why call me now?"

Her mother's voice broke.

Mother: "I didn't have a choice. He's too proud to admit it, but he needs you, Rhea. We need you. The family... it's falling apart."

Radhika closed her eyes, memories of her father's stern face, the relentless training, and the suffocating expectations flooding back. She had spent years building a life far removed from the world he had forced upon her, and now, with a single phone call, it all threatened to come crashing down.

Radhika: (whispering) "I don't know if I can do this."

Mother: "You have to, Rhea. You're the only one who can. I know he hurt you, but... this is bigger than us. Please, come home."

Radhika was silent for a long moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She had sworn she would never go back, never be that girl again. But the fear in her mother's voice, the desperation—she couldn't ignore it.

Radhika: "I'm coming. But I'm not doing this for him."

Mother: (softly) "I understand. Just... please hurry. There's not much time."

The moment the call ended, Radhika's resolve solidified. She had a world of her own now, one she had fought tooth and nail to create, but the past was clawing its way back to her. There was no escaping it. Not this time.

"Take me home," she instructed her driver as she slid into the backseat. The young man nodded without a word, sensing the shift in her demeanor.

The drive to her penthouse was short, and the city lights blurred into streaks of color as they sped through the streets. Radhika's mind was racing, but her expression remained impassive. She had spent years distancing herself from the world her father had ruled, but in the pit of her stomach, she knew she had always been preparing for this moment.