Arranged to my hater

Chapter Sixty

Ishita's POV

Abhimanyu had to leave for a meeting arranged by his father. Normally, I'd know every detail of his schedule—I am his personal assistant, after all. But for some reason, his father had bypassed me this time. My mind isn't on the meeting, though. It's on the nightmare unfolding before me.

How could my own father stoop so low? Kidnapping Aarav... and Emma. They're innocent. No, we're all innocent in this. Yet here I am, scrambling to find a way to save them.

I don't have time to call Abhimanyu, nor do I know when he'll be back. But I do know he left without his laptop. Maybe... just maybe, it's still here.

I rush to his office, my heart pounding with desperation. The laptop sits on his desk, unlocked. A breath of relief escapes me as I open it.

My hands tremble as I navigate to his account. Hesitation claws at me. I've never done anything like this before. But then the image of Aarav, scared and helpless, flashes in my mind. I press forward.

I transfer 50 million to my account—not directly to my father. Not yet. I need proof that Aarav is safe first.

Once the transaction is complete, I dial his number.

"I have the money," I say, my voice hard. "Where is Aarav?"

"See? I knew you'd come through," he replies, smugness dripping from his tone. "You just needed the right... incentive. Send the money, and I'll tell you where Aarav is."

"No," I snap. "Not until I know he's safe."

A message pings on my phone. I open it to find a video. Aarav and Emma are tied to chairs in a dimly lit room, their small faces pale with fear.

"See? They're safe. Now send the money."

"I want to meet them first," I insist.

"You're in no position to make demands."

"And you're in no position to get the money if you don't cooperate," I counter, forcing steel into my voice.

A long pause follows. Then, reluctantly, he says, "Fine. I'll send you the address. Be here in forty-five minutes... or else."

The call ends, and within seconds, my phone buzzes with a location: my childhood home.

A sharp pang cuts through me. That house... the one we left after my mother ran away. My father couldn't bear to stay in a place haunted by her memory. Now he's dragged me back there for this.

Abhimanyu's POV

A notification pops up on my phone—a transfer of 50 million to Ishita's account. The amount barely registers; money is the least of my concerns. What worries me is that Ishita would never make such a move without telling me.

Something is wrong.

Without a second thought, I leave the meeting, asking my father to reschedule.

As I pull into the driveway of our home, I catch sight of Ishita. She's leaving in a hurry, her face pale and tense. My chest tightens. What could possibly make her act like this?

I trail her car at a safe distance, my mind racing.

She pulls up in front of an old, dilapidated mansion—the old Malhotra house. My unease deepens. That place has been abandoned for years.

What is she doing here?

And then it hits me. Her father. He must have dragged her into one of his schemes. Could he be the reason she needed such a large sum of money?

Still, something doesn't add up. If it was about a project, Ishita would have just asked me. She knows I'd sign any contract she put in front of me. So why this secrecy?

I park at a distance, my eyes fixed on her as she steps out of the car. There's a mix of determination and fear in her movements. My pulse quickens.

Whatever's happening, I don't like it.