Lost but Not Forgotten

PART 47

As they returned home, the moment Rohit, Jassi, and Harry walked through the door, a wave of shock rippled across the room. Sanjana and Gayu(Reference from my other book), Jassi and Harry's wives, were the first to rush toward them, concern etched across their faces.

"Where have you guys been? You didn't even tell us!" Sanjana's voice was laced with worry, her eyes scanning Jassi for any signs of harm.

Gayu, equally worried, grabbed Harry's arm. "You've been out all morning, and none of us knew. What happened?"

Rohit, still rattled by the day's events, quickly signaled them with a subtle shake of his head. It wasn't the time or place to explain, especially with everyone around. There was too much at stake, and he didn't want to alarm them unnecessarily.

Sanjana and Gayu exchanged glances, biting back their questions, trusting Rohit's silent instruction for now. But the tension in the air was palpable. They followed behind, unsure of what had really transpired but respecting Rohit's cue to stay silent.

As they stepped further inside, Sammy and Moksh—Rohit's children—approached Ritika, concern flashing in their eyes. "Mom, where did you all go so early in the morning? We woke up and none of you were around!" Moksh asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.

Sammy nodded, adding, "We didn't know where Dad was either. What's going on?"

Rohit, still tense from the earlier incident, forced a calm smile as he quickly came up with an excuse. "We just... needed to run some errands, something urgent came up."

Moksh raised an eyebrow. "All of you? Together?"

"Yes," Rohit said, his voice steady but clipped. "It was nothing important."

Sammy and Moksh exchanged glances, sensing something was off, but they didn't push any further. They trusted their dad's word, even if it didn't quite sit right with them.

However, two pairs of eyes weren't as convinced. Across the room, Mahi Bhai and Virat exchanged looks of their own, both knowing full well that Rohit was hiding something—something serious. The tension in Rohit's demeanor, the way he avoided looking directly at them, told them all they needed to know. This wasn't just a simple morning errand run. But they couldn't push him. Not yet.

Rohit, on the other hand, was painfully aware of their scrutiny. He felt their eyes on him but couldn't bring himself to face them just yet. Not after what had almost happened today. Not after the threat that still hung heavy in the air.

He also noticed Jassi and Harry stealing glances his way, clearly confused and still shaken from the near-death experience. They too sensed there was more to what had happened than Rohit was letting on. But like Mahi and Virat, they respected Rohit's silence—for now.

The room, filled with loved ones and warm energy, suddenly felt stifling to Rohit. He needed space. The weight of everything—his fears, the threats, the close calls—was pressing down on him, and he knew he couldn't share this burden with anyone just yet. Not until he figured out who was behind all of it.

So, without saying a word, Rohit walked past them all, his face neutral, his mind still racing. He couldn't bring himself to speak with Jassi or Harry. Not now. Not when he was still reeling from how close he had come to losing them.

Ritika noticed his stiffness and touched his arm lightly as he passed her, but he only gave her a small, reassuring squeeze before heading upstairs. The room went silent for a moment, everyone exchanging uneasy glances.

Virat, sensing the heavy tension, walked over to Mahi and muttered under his breath, "Something's wrong. Really wrong."

Mahi nodded, his eyes narrowed as he watched Rohit's retreating figure. "I know. But he won't tell us... not yet."

"What do you think is going on?" Virat asked, his voice laced with concern.

Mahi sighed, folding his arms. "I don't know... but whatever it is, it's big. We need to be ready."

And as the weight of the situation settled in the room, everyone continued to feel the unease, even if they didn't know exactly why.

*************

Meanwhile, in a dark, dimly lit den, a man sat brooding over his next move. The air was thick with tension as Rupesh, the son of Arun, stared at the shattered pieces of the cup he'd just smashed in frustration. His eyes blazed with fury, his face contorted in a mix of rage and bitterness.

To him, Rohit Sharma was the reason his life had spiraled into ruin. The man he blamed for every hardship his family had faced. His father, Arun, had been wronged, or at least that's what Rupesh believed. The truth was more complicated, but to Rupesh, it was simple: Rohit had taken everything from them. And now, his only mission was to make Rohit suffer, piece by piece, by targeting the people Rohit loved most.

Again, his plans had been thwarted. Jassi and Harry had narrowly escaped the trap he had set for them, thanks to Rohit's ever-watchful eyes. Rupesh had watched it all unfold, his anger boiling over as Rohit, once again, saved his 'kiddos' from a carefully crafted mishap.

"Damn it!" Rupesh seethed, slamming his fist on the table, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. "How does he always know?"

The sound of his angry outburst echoed in the empty room. His henchmen stood quietly in the shadows, too fearful to speak. They knew better than to interrupt Rupesh when he was in one of his rages.

"This isn't over," Rupesh muttered under his breath, pacing the small space, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. His plan was failing—one misstep after another—but he wasn't going to stop. He couldn't stop. The hatred that had fueled him for years wouldn't let him.

A twisted smile slowly formed on his face as an idea crept into his mind. His next move had to be bigger, something that would strike at the very heart of Rohit. Something that even the great Rohit Sharma wouldn't be able to protect.

And then it came to him.

"Virat," he whispered, the name slipping from his lips like a sinister promise. His smile widened. If there was anyone who could break Rohit, it was Virat. The bond between them was legendary, unshakable. But that made Virat the perfect target.

Rupesh could already envision the chaos it would cause. He didn't even need to physically harm Virat. A close call would be enough to terrify Rohit, to plant the seeds of fear and helplessness in his mind. After all, if he couldn't protect his best friend—someone as strong and capable as Virat Kohli—how could he possibly protect the others?

With renewed energy, Rupesh grabbed a piece of paper and started sketching out his plan. This time, he wouldn't leave anything to chance. He would ensure that Rohit wouldn't have the time to react, wouldn't be able to piece it together until it was too late.

"Let's see if you can save him this time, Rohit," Rupesh sneered as he looked at his completed plan.

The thought of Rohit's panic, his desperation to save Virat, filled Rupesh with dark satisfaction. It was only a matter of time before everything came crashing down for Rohit.

And as the night grew darker, Rupesh's mind was already plotting, already anticipating the moment when Rohit Sharma would realize he couldn't save everyone he loved.

*****

The book is soon coming to an end!