My Dream Lover

chapter 4

Aarav's head was pounding as he came to. He was lying on the floor, his hands and feet bound by ropes. Samantha was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is she?" Aarav demanded, struggling against the ropes.

Ragul sneered, standing over him. "She's being taken care of," he said. "And soon, you'll join her."

Aarav's heart sank. He had to escape, had to save Samantha.

With a surge of adrenaline, Aarav struggled against the ropes, managing to loosen them. He quickly untied himself and sprang to his feet.

Ragul was caught off guard, and Aarav took advantage of the momentary distraction. He punched Ragul in the face, sending him crashing to the floor.

Aarav didn't hesitate. He sprinted out of the room, determined to find Samantha and get her to safety.

As he ran through the deserted hallways, he heard footsteps behind him. Ragul's goons were hot on his heels.

Aarav burst through the front door, gasping for air. He saw Samantha being dragged away by two men, her eyes pleading for help.

With a fierce determination, Aarav launched himself at the men, taking them down one by one.

Finally, he reached Samantha, pulling her into his arms. "We have to get out of here," he whispered.

Samantha nodded, her eyes shining with tears. "I knew you'd come for me," she said.

Together, they ran into the night, unsure of what lay ahead, but determined to uncover the truth and bring down Vijay's empire.

Aarav and Samantha ran for what felt like hours, finally reaching the safety of a small café on the outskirts of town. They collapsed into a booth, exhausted and shaken.

As they caught their breath, Aarav's mind raced with questions. "What did you find out about my family's business?" he asked Samantha.

Samantha hesitated, her eyes scanning the café nervously. "I don't know if I should say," she whispered. "It's dangerous."

Aarav's grip on her hand tightened. "I need to know," he said. "I need to understand what's going on."

Samantha took a deep breath. "Your family's company is involved in some shady dealings," she said. "Environmental damage, worker exploitation... and worse."

Aarav felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He knew his family's business wasn't perfect, but he had no idea it was this bad.

But before he could process this information, Samantha dropped another bombshell. "And it's all connected to your father's past," she said. "A past he's kept hidden for years."

Aarav's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Samantha leaned in, her voice barely audible. "Your father was involved in some dark stuff, Aarav. Stuff that could ruin his reputation and destroy his empire."

Aarav's mind reeled as he tried to process this information. He knew his father was ruthless in business, but he had no idea he was capable of such evil.

And then, just as he was trying to make sense of it all, a figure emerged from the shadows. A figure Aarav knew all too well.

"Ah, Aarav," Vijay Singhania said, his voice dripping with malice. "I see you're still trying to uncover the truth."

Chapter 4: The Revelation (continued)

Vijay's story began many years ago, when he was a young man with a dream to build a business empire. He had worked hard, using every trick in the book to get ahead, and eventually, he had succeeded.

But as he climbed the ladder of success, Vijay had made enemies. He had stepped on toes, broken promises, and cheated his way to the top.

And then, one day, he had met a woman. A woman who had changed everything.

"She was beautiful," Vijay said, his eyes glazing over. "Smart, too. She had a way of seeing right through me, of knowing exactly what I wanted."

Aarav felt a shiver run down his spine. He knew where this was going.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Vijay's smile grew wider. "I fell in love," he said. "Or at least, I thought I did. But she was using me, Aarav. She was using me to get to my money, my power."

Aarav's eyes narrowed. "What did you do?"

Vijay's laughter was cold, mirthless. "I did what I always do," he said. "I got rid of her. But not before she had given me a gift."

Aarav felt a chill run down his spine. "What gift?"

Vijay's eyes locked onto his son's. "You," he said. "You, Aarav, are the product of that union. The son of Vijay Singhania and his greatest enemy."

Aarav's world came crashing down around him. He felt like he had been punched in the gut, like he couldn't breathe.

Samantha's hand tightened around his, but he barely felt it. He was too busy trying to process what his father had just told him.

He was the son of Vijay Singhania's greatest enemy? What did that even mean?

But before he could ask any questions, Vijay dropped another bombshell.

"And that's not all," he said, his eyes glinting with malice. "You see, Aarav, you're not just my son. You're also the key to my empire."

Aarav's mind reeled as he tried to process his father's words. What did he mean by "the key to my empire"?

Vijay leaned forward, his eyes glinting with excitement. "You see, Aarav, my business empire is built on a lie. A lie that I've maintained for years, a lie that has made me rich and powerful."

Aarav felt a sense of trepidation. What was his father getting at?

"But you, Aarav, are the proof of that lie. You are the evidence that could bring me down."

Samantha's grip on his hand tightened. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vijay's smile grew wider. "I mean that Aarav's mother, my greatest enemy, she had a plan. A plan to take me down, to destroy my empire."

Aarav's eyes narrowed. "What plan?"

Vijay leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers together. "She had a child, Aarav. A child who would inherit my empire, a child who would bring me down from the inside."

Aarav felt like he had been punched in the gut. He was the child his father was talking about. He was the key to his father's empire.

But what did it all mean? And what did his father plan to do with him now?

As he looked into his father's eyes, Aarav saw something there that chilled him to the bone. A cold calculation, a ruthless determination.

He knew then that he was in grave danger. He had to get out of there, had to escape his father's clutches.

But as he turned to leave, he felt a hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

"You're not going anywhere, Aarav," Vijay said, his voice cold and menacing. "You're going to stay right here, where I can keep an eye on you."