THE GLIDED CAGE

5

For hours after Ranveer left, Ishita sat on the couch, her thoughts a tangled mess. She could still feel his presence lingering in the air, his words echoing in her mind. *“You’re mine now.”* The way he said it, so calmly, so confidently, as if it were an undeniable truth—it terrified her. Yet, beneath the fear, something else simmered. A strange, twisted part of her didn’t want to deny it.

But this was wrong. She had to do something.

The next morning, she woke up with a sense of urgency. She couldn’t just wait for Ranveer to tighten his grip on her life. If he was serious about his threats, Aarav’s safety was at risk. She couldn’t let that happen. Her brother was the only family she had left, and she would do anything to protect him.

As she left the apartment and walked to the bus stop, her phone buzzed with messages from Aarav. He was excited about a new collaboration with another big YouTuber. His life was perfect, carefree, and full of promise—everything hers had once been. And now, it was all on the line.

Ishita barely made it through the workday. Her mind was elsewhere, constantly spinning between what Ranveer had said and what she could possibly do to get out of the situation. But every time she looked up, she felt his eyes on her. He was always watching—calm, in control, like a predator keeping a careful eye on his prey.

By the time the day ended, Ishita had made up her mind. She would confront him. She couldn’t live under this constant threat, always fearing what he might do next. She had to stand her ground, no matter how terrified she was.

But Ranveer made the first move.

As she was packing up her things to leave the office, she received a message from an unknown number again:

**Unknown:** *"My driver is waiting downstairs. You’re coming with me."*

Ishita’s heart skipped a beat. She knew exactly who it was. Her first instinct was to ignore it, but she knew better than to try. Ranveer wasn’t the type of man to be ignored. If she didn’t go, he would make sure there were consequences, and she couldn’t afford that—not with Aarav’s safety at stake.

With shaky hands, she gathered her belongings and made her way downstairs. Sure enough, a black car was waiting at the curb. The driver stepped out and opened the door for her. Ishita hesitated for a moment, her heart racing, but then she forced herself to step inside.

The car was empty, save for the driver, who remained silent as they pulled away from the office. Ishita’s mind raced. Where was he taking her? What did Ranveer want this time?

After what felt like an eternity, the car pulled into the driveway of a massive, secluded mansion on the outskirts of the city. It was the kind of place you’d expect to see in a movie—luxurious, imposing, and isolated. Her anxiety spiked as the driver opened the door and gestured for her to get out.

"Mr. Khurana is waiting inside," the driver said, his tone respectful but firm.

Ishita stepped out, her legs trembling as she approached the grand entrance. She couldn’t back out now. She had to see this through.

The doors opened before she could knock, and a housekeeper greeted her, guiding her through the expansive hallway until they reached a set of double doors at the end. The housekeeper knocked once before opening the doors, revealing Ranveer seated in a large, darkly furnished office.

He looked up from his desk as she entered, his cold gaze locking onto hers. "Miss Arora," he said, his voice smooth and unreadable. "You came."

Ishita swallowed hard, gathering all the courage she could muster. "I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?"

Ranveer’s lips twitched slightly, as if amused by her defiance. "You always have a choice, Ishita. You just happen to be making the right one."

She stood there for a moment, trying to calm the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. Fear, anger, confusion—it was all too much. But she couldn’t let him control her. Not like this.

"I want to know why," she said finally, her voice stronger than she felt. "Why are you doing this? Why are you so... obsessed with controlling my life?"

Ranveer leaned back in his chair, studying her with an intensity that made her skin prickle. "You still don’t understand, do you?"

"No, I don’t," Ishita shot back, her frustration boiling over. "You keep saying I’m in your world now, that I’m yours, but I never agreed to this. I never asked for any of this!"

Ranveer stood up slowly, his movements deliberate, as he crossed the room to stand in front of her. His presence loomed over her, but she refused to back down. She had to stand her ground, no matter how overwhelming he was.

"You didn’t have to ask," he said quietly, his eyes boring into hers. "From the moment you stepped into my company, into my life, you became mine. You just haven’t realized it yet."

Ishita’s breath caught in her throat as he took another step closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper. "You think you can walk away from me? You think you can live your life without my protection, without my control?" His gaze darkened, and she could feel the possessiveness radiating off him. "I’m not a man you can escape from, Ishita. I always get what I want."

Her heart pounded in her chest, her pulse quickening. "This isn’t right," she whispered, though her voice was shaky. "You can’t just claim someone like this. I’m not some object you can own."

Ranveer’s expression softened, but only slightly. He reached out, his fingers gently brushing her cheek. "You’re not an object, Ishita. You’re much more than that. And that’s why I can’t let you go."

His touch sent a jolt of electricity through her, but she forced herself to focus on the bigger picture—the danger, the manipulation, the threats. She couldn’t afford to get caught up in whatever strange pull he had over her.

"And Aarav?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "What about him?"

Ranveer’s eyes flickered for a moment, something unreadable passing through them. "As long as you’re with me, he’s safe. No one will touch him."

Her stomach twisted at his words. This was exactly how he was controlling her, how he was keeping her trapped. He knew her weakness, knew how much Aarav meant to her, and he was using it against her.

"I won’t let you hurt him," she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion.

Ranveer’s hand dropped from her cheek, his expression hardening again. "I have no reason to hurt him. But if you step out of line, if you try to run, the world you’re trying to protect him from will come crashing down around you. And I won’t be able to stop it."

Ishita’s heart sank as the full weight of his words settled over her. She was trapped. There was no way out of this without putting Aarav in danger. Ranveer had her right where he wanted her, and she didn’t know how to break free.

"I won’t run," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "But I won’t be yours, either."

Ranveer’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. He stepped closer, his breath warm against her skin as he leaned down, his voice a low growl in her ear. "We’ll see about that."

To be countinue
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