"Rudraksh Oberoi: A Tale of Power, Redemption, and Fatherhood"

Chapter 31

As the tension in the room thickened, Abhay, Rudraksh, Karan, and Akshat were deep in discussion, strategizing their next move. The room was filled with maps, phone lines buzzing, and a palpable sense of urgency. Every second that passed felt like an eternity, and their minds were solely focused on one mission: bringing Aarav and Roohi home.

In the midst of their intense planning, a soft knock interrupted them. A maid cautiously entered the room, her face etched with concern. "Sir," she addressed Abhay, her voice barely above a whisper, "Arjun sir… he’s refusing to eat. He hasn’t touched anything since the incident."

Abhay's eyes darkened with worry, and a heavy silence fell over the room. Arjun's condition had been on his mind, but the gravity of the situation had kept him from attending to it earlier. The maid's words brought a fresh wave of guilt and concern crashing down on him. He knew his eldest son was taking the situation hard, blaming himself for not being able to protect Aarav and Roohi.

Rudraksh exchanged a look with Abhay, recognizing the turmoil that must be consuming the young boy. "Go to him," Rudraksh urged quietly. "Arjun needs you right now."

Abhay nodded, his expression grim but determined. He stood up, leaving Karan and Akshat to continue their planning with Rudraksh, and made his way to Arjun’s room. The weight of the situation pressed down on him, but he knew he had to be strong for his son.

When Abhay reached Arjun’s room, he found the door slightly ajar. He pushed it open gently and stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, and Arjun was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, his hands clenched into tight fists. The untouched tray of food sat on the bedside table, and it was clear that Arjun had been lost in his thoughts, overwhelmed with guilt and grief.

“Arjun,” Abhay called softly, moving closer to his son.

Arjun didn’t look up immediately, but when he did, his eyes were filled with tears and pain. “Dad, I’m sorry… I couldn’t… I wasn’t strong enough to protect Aarav and Roohi. I failed them… I failed you.”

Abhay’s heart ached at the sight of his son’s anguish. He sat down beside Arjun and placed a firm, reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Arjun, listen to me,” Abhay said, his voice gentle yet firm. “What happened was not your fault. You did everything you could to protect them. You fought bravely, and I am proud of you for that.”

Arjun shook his head, tears spilling down his cheeks. “But I should have done more… I should have saved them.”

Abhay pulled his son into a tight embrace, holding him close as Arjun finally broke down, the weight of his emotions too much to bear. “Arjun, you’re just a boy,” Abhay whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “You did more than anyone could have asked of you. Aarav and Roohi… they wouldn’t want you to blame yourself like this.”

As Abhay held his son, he could feel the boy trembling with the force of his grief. “We will get them back, Arjun,” Abhay promised, pulling back to look into his son’s eyes. “And when we do, you’ll see that you did everything you could. But for now, I need you to stay strong. For them. For me.”

Arjun nodded, though the guilt still lingered in his eyes. Abhay gently wiped the tears from his son’s face and gave him a small, reassuring smile. “Now, you need to eat something,” he insisted. “You need to keep your strength up if we’re going to bring them home.”

With a reluctant nod, Arjun reached for the tray of food. Abhay watched as his son took a few bites, relieved that at least Arjun was trying to take care of himself. He knew it would be a long road to healing for all of them, but they had to stay focused, stay strong.

As Abhay left Arjun’s room, he felt a renewed sense of determination. His son’s pain fueled his resolve even further. The hunt for Aarav and Roohi would not stop until they were found, and the people responsible would pay dearly for what they had done. There was no room for mercy in the world that Abhay Raichand and Rudraksh Oberoi inhabited. And anyone who threatened their families would soon learn that they had made a grave mistake.

Somewhere, In a dimly lit, cold, and damp room, the sound of soft sobbing echoed off the bare walls. Two children sat huddled together on the rough concrete floor. Roohi, her face streaked with tears, clung tightly to her knees, trembling with fear and confusion. The room was eerily quiet except for her muffled cries.

Beside her, Aarav Raichand sat with a stern expression on his face, his sharp eyes scanning the room with intense focus.

Despite being only ten years old, Aarav had inherited his father’s strong-willed nature and calculating mind. He knew that panicking wouldn’t help them escape.

They needed a plan, and he was determined to find a way out.

“Aarav… I’m scared,”Roohi whispered, her voice quivering as she looked up at him with wide, tearful eyes.

Aarav, though equally frightened, tried his best to appear calm and collected. He knew that Roohi was depending on him.“I know, Roohi,” he said quietly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. “But I need you to be brave, okay? We’re going to get out of here. I promise.”

Roohi sniffled, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, and nodded slowly. She trusted Aarav, even though she could see the worry in his eyes. “How, Aarav? The door… it’s locked, and it’s so dark…”

Aarav glanced around the room, taking in every detail. The door was solid and reinforced, but the hinges looked old and rusty. There was no window, but a small vent near the ceiling allowed some air to flow in, though it was too small for them to escape through. His mind raced as he assessed their surroundings, thinking of ways they could potentially use anything available to their advantage.

“I’m not sure yet,” Aarav admitted, his voice steady despite the uncertainty. “But there has to be something we can use. We just have to stay calm and think.”

He stood up and began to inspect the door, running his hands along its edges, feeling for any weakness. Then he moved on to the walls, tapping them lightly to see if any parts sounded hollow or weak. Roohi watched him with a mix of awe and hope, feeling slightly better knowing that Aarav was trying so hard to protect her.

As he continued his search, Aarav kept talking to Roohi, partly to keep her calm and partly to keep himself focused. “My dad… he taught me that no matter how tough things get, there’s always a way out. We just have to find it.”

Roohi listened intently, her fear slowly giving way to a spark of determination. “I want to help, Aarav. What can I do?”

Aarav paused for a moment, considering. “You’re small and quick, Roohi. If we find something, maybe you can squeeze into a tight space or reach somewhere I can’t. But for now, just keep an eye out for anything we can use.”

Roohi nodded, wiping her tears away completely this time, and stood up to join him. Together, they began to explore the small room, examining every inch for clues, tools, or weaknesses.

The faint light from the vent barely illuminated their faces, but in the darkness, they found a flicker of hope. Roohi, with Aarav’s guidance, was determined to be brave. Aarav, despite his fear, was resolute in his mission to protect her and get them both out of this nightmare.

Their small hands worked methodically, and though they were just children, they were driven by a fierce will to survive and return to their families. In the shadows of that dark room, the seeds of a plan were slowly beginning to take root.

Aarav and Roohi exchanged determined glances, their fear momentarily pushed aside by the hope of escape.

But just as they started to formulate their plan, the heavy door creaked open, its rusty hinges groaning ominously. Both children froze, their hearts pounding in their chests.

A figure stepped into the room, shrouded in darkness, the faint light from the hallway barely revealing his silhouette.