VANI

CHAPTER 9

तू गुजर रहा है..
मेरे दिल से मेरी रूह तक..

VANI'S POV

As we moved toward the exit, a young man with a kind smile approached, holding a single white rose.

"Excuse me," he said, his tone hesitant but genuine. "I don't mean to intrude, but I saw you from across the mall. You looked... lost in thought. I thought this might cheer you up. You really look beautiful, by the way."

I froze at his words, my heart skipping a beat. His voice was soft, and the way he looked at me—it wasn't just about the flower, it was the sincerity in his gaze that caught me off guard.

Riti dii gasped, nudging me with a teasing smile. "Vani, you've got an admirer!" I looked at dii who was gushing about the scene.

"I was wondering if... maybe you'd like to go out sometime? I know it's sudden, but I thought I'd ask. No pressure."

He extended the rose toward me, his nervousness clear in the way his hand trembled slightly. I could feel the warmth of the moment, but then my gaze shifted behind him—straight to Rudra.

He was standing near a pillar, hood low over his face, but his piercing eyes burned with cold fury, locking onto me with a look that made my blood run cold.

"I... I can't accept this," I stammered, stepping back, my voice betraying me.

The man nodded, his expression softening with understanding, and without saying another word, he turned to leave.

But before he could take another step, Rudra's men appeared, grabbing him by the arms.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" the man protested, his voice rising in panic. The panic in his voice cut through the air, but Rudra remained silent, his gaze still fixed on me.

Riti dii smile faltered. "What's happening, Vani?"

But my stomach twisted. I could feel the cold weight of Rudra's presence behind me. "I... I'll explain later, dii. Just go home!" I urged, my voice trembling with urgency.

Before Riti dii could respond, I felt Rudra's hand grip my wrist tightly, dragging me away without a word.

"We're leaving," he commanded, his tone final and devoid of any mercy.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, my voice steady, though every instinct in me screamed to pull away. The grip Rudra had on my wrist was vice-like, unrelenting, and cold. "What are you going to do to him?"

Rudra didn't answer. His jaw was set, his silence heavy with fury.

I struggled against his hold as he dragged me down a dimly lit corridor in the mall, toward a hidden door I hadn't even noticed before. The further we went, the more the air seemed to thicken, the brightly lit world behind us replaced by shadows and damp walls.

"Rudra!" I hissed, trying to yank my wrist free. His fingers only tightened, his strength easily overpowering mine.

The door at the end of the corridor creaked open, revealing a steep staircase. The dim light from above barely reached the bottom. My stomach twisted as he forced me to follow him down, step after reluctant step.

"Stop this!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the cold, stone walls. "He didn't do anything! Why are you doing this?!"

Rudra's voice, when it finally came, was low and simmering with menace. "No man gives you flowers, Vani. No man looks at you like that. No one."