Sacred Games Of Twisted Fate {18+}

*An AKWARD BREAKFAST*

***author's pov***

The next morning, Rudra was jolted awake by the persistent ringing of his phone. Groaning, he reached over to his bedside table and picked it up, blinking away the sleep from his eyes. It was one of his friends from the Blue Sapphire group, the team that celebrated his recent win last night.

Rudra (gruffly): "Yeah, what’s up?"

His friend's voice on the other end was full of excitement.

Friend: "Rudra, bro, there's another race happening tonight. High stakes. You in?"

Rudra sat up, rubbing his face. The rush of adrenaline from the mention of a race was enough to push away the remnants of sleep.

Rudra: "You know I don’t turn down a race. What time?"

Friend: "10 PM. Same spot as usual. Everyone’s buzzing about it."

Rudra smirked, already feeling the thrill of the competition coursing through him. The excitement of the night ahead started to build in his chest.

Rudra: "Count me in. I'll be there."

He hung up and tossed the phone on the bed, stretching as he got out of bed. His thoughts wandered to the thrill of racing, the only escape he had from the suffocating expectations of the Oberoi family.

As he moved to get ready for the day, his mind briefly drifted to the tension building in the mansion—especially between Arjun and Aayara. He shook his head, knowing he didn’t want to get caught in the middle of whatever was brewing there. For now, his mind was focused on the race tonight.

Rudra walked down to the dining area, still looking disheveled with his messy hair and casual kurta. The contrast between his relaxed appearance and the usual sharp, well-groomed persona of the Oberoi men was striking, but Rudra didn't care. He was comfortable, and that’s all that mattered.

As he entered the dining room, the atmosphere was tense. Arjun sat at the head of the table, his expression as cold as ever, while Aayara sat quietly, looking anywhere but at him. Meera and Mehak were whispering to each other, occasionally glancing at Aayara with barely concealed contempt.

Rudra grabbed a chair, dropping into it with a lazy grin.

Rudra (casually): "Morning, everyone. Looks like someone forgot to add sugar to the tea in here."

He smirked, sensing the icy vibes coming from all corners of the room. Arjun's eyes flickered toward him but remained silent, his mood unreadable as usual.

Meera, however, wasn’t one to let things slide.

Meera (smirking): "You're looking a bit too relaxed, Rudra. Don't you have important things to handle today?"

Rudra (shrugging): "Nothing more important than breakfast, Meera. Priorities, right?"

He reached for some toast, completely unbothered by the tension. His carefree attitude clashed with the heavy atmosphere, but that was Rudra—always staying out of the family drama, or at least pretending to. He glanced at Aayara, noticing how uncomfortable she seemed, but decided to stay out of it for now.

His mind was already wandering back to the race tonight.

Daksh walked into the dining room, his usual confident demeanor replaced with something more unsettling. His eyes were clouded with frustration, and his jaw was tightly clenched. It didn’t go unnoticed by the family, especially Rudra, who raised an eyebrow at his younger brother's unusual mood.

Daksh slammed his chair back and sat down heavily, not bothering to greet anyone. He ran a hand through his messy hair and let out a low sigh, clearly agitated.

Meera (smirking): "What's wrong, Daksh? Trouble at college?"

Daksh shot her a glare, not in the mood for her teasing.

Daksh (muttering): "Nothing you need to worry about."

Arjun glanced at Daksh, noting the tension in his younger brother’s expression but choosing to remain silent. His focus was on Aayara, who seemed to shrink into herself, avoiding eye contact with everyone.

Rudra, always quick to ease the tension, leaned forward, smirking.

Rudra: "Come on, Daksh. You’re too young to look this stressed. What happened? Someone beat you in class?"

Daksh didn’t respond, instead picking up his cup of coffee and taking a sip, his mind clearly elsewhere. His eyes briefly darted to Aayara, who was quietly sitting in her corner, before quickly looking away.

Daksh (muttering): "Not in the mood, Rudra."

The atmosphere in the dining room was thick with unspoken words, but no one pushed further. Everyone had their own battles to fight, and it seemed Daksh's was just beginning.

Daksh glanced at Arjun, his mind running through how to bring up the upcoming camp to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He hesitated for a moment, unsure how Arjun would react to his news. Finally, he gathered the courage to speak.

Daksh (carefully): "Bhai, there's a camp happening next weekend. The whole college is going to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands."

Arjun looked up from his breakfast, his expression unreadable. He raised an eyebrow, clearly waiting for more.

Arjun (calmly): "And? Why are you telling me this?"

Daksh shifted uncomfortably, knowing how strict Arjun could be about such things. He scratched the back of his neck before responding.

Daksh (quickly): "I need your permission to go. It's a mandatory college trip, but... I thought I should ask first."

Arjun leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Daksh. There was a pause, tension thick in the air.

Arjun (coldly): "What kind of camp is this? And why should I let you go?"

Daksh swallowed, trying to keep his composure. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

Daksh (confidently): "It’s just a college thing, bhai. It'll help with team-building, leadership skills, and all that stuff. Everyone's going, and I can't be the only one who doesn't show up."

Arjun leaned forward, his gaze piercing.

Arjun: "If I find out you're going there for anything other than the camp, you know what will happen, right?"

Daksh nodded quickly, sensing Arjun's protective tone.

Daksh: "I understand, bhai. I won’t do anything stupid."

Arjun's eyes remained locked on his younger brother for a few more seconds before he finally nodded.

Arjun: "Fine. But remember, I'm trusting you with this. Don't make me regret it."

Daksh let out a breath of relief, grateful that Arjun had given his approval. But deep down, he knew he’d have to be careful. This camp could easily turn into more trouble than he was prepared for.