𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒅𝒆

PART-7

Bewafa = Betrayer

-*-*-

The two friends stood on the doorstep, helplessness etched across their faces. With every passing second, Rudraksh sped further away, leaving them rooted to the spot, their eyes following the fading trail of smoke Karan's car had left behind.

Siddharth’s fingers clamped around Karan’s upper arm, dragging him along. "C’mon, Karan, we can’t just stand here! We need to follow him. Make sure he’s okay!"

Karan stumbled after him, eyes widening at the sudden pull. "But how? We can’t just run after him!"

Siddharth’s lips pressed into a thin line, their footsteps thudding heavily against the pavement. "We’ll find a way! An auto, a taxi—something! We can’t let him go off on his own like this!" His voice broke between ragged breaths.

Karan struggled to keep pace behind him, his breaths coming in short gasps. "Sid—Siddharth… Slow...slow down. We’ll find him, I’m sure."

But Siddharth pressed on into the unknown, his heart pounding against his ribs. His eyes swept the crowded street, desperate for a flash of Karan’s car, or even a faintest glimpse of Rudraksh’s familiar silhouette.

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The evening sun melted into the horizon, drenching the beach in a warm orange glow. Siddharth and Karan finally arrived, exhausted and breathless. Their eyes swept across the vast expanse of golden sand in search of a familiar figure. The fading light stretched long shadows across the wanderers scattered along the shore.

Karan raised a hand to his eyebrow, wiping the sweat away with the back of his palm. He let out a heavy breath and planted both hands on his hips. "Siddharth, trust me—" he shot Siddharth a look through clenched teeth, "—if he doesn’t listen to us this time, I’m gonna beat him senseless." He jerked his head forward, face twisting. "What’s so special about that Sanam Bewafa, anyway?"

Siddharth let out a stifled chuckle and slung an arm around Karan’s shoulder, giving it a light pat. "Nice one, Karan. But it’s Sanam Grover, not Sanam Bewafa."

Karan’s nose wrinkled, his arms dropping to his sides, fists curling tight. "Yeah, yeah, whatever! She’s clearly not worth all this trouble."

Siddharth’s gaze drifted back to the crowd, sweeping the beach. "Karan, c’mon. Let’s just find him first. We’ll deal with the rest later."

Karan’s expression softened, his voice gentler now. "Yeah… you’re right. Let’s just find him."

They moved on, each step sinking into the sand, the grains tugging at the soles of their shoes. Then, without another word, they split, vanishing into the crowd in opposite directions. Every movement was driven by a growing unease, and the gnawing fear of what they might find... or what they might not.

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Rudraksh stood alone at the edge of the sea, his gaze lost in the vast stretch of orange sky, that fell into a distance like a projectile. The wind whipped his hair into disarray, tugging at his clothes with restless fingers. The waves crashed against the shore in a rhythm echoed the storm inside him—a haunted melody whispering the ghosts of his past.

Shards of an empty wine bottle lay scattered in the sand, mute witnesses to his attempts at drowning his sorrow. In his left hand, he still clutched another bottle, half-filled with the amber liquid that seemed to be his only refuge. The setting sun drenched the world in gold, yet his heart remained cloaked in shadow, untouched by its warmth.