Shadow of redemption

call

Hello everyone welcome to new chapter ☺️☺️☺️

As Rakshit lay on his bed, eyes heavy with exhaustion, the day’s brutal chaos replayed in fragments through his mind. The silent penthouse felt too empty, too quiet after the firestorm of his arrival in Mumbai. He had hoped a warm bath would help ease the tension gnawing at him, but it had only dulled the edge. His body was weary, yet his mind refused to settle.

Then his phone rang.

He almost ignored it, assuming it was one of his men with another business update. But something pulled him to answer, even as his eyes remained closed, the weight of fatigue pulling him down. Without looking, he pressed the phone to his ear.

“Hello,” he mumbled, his voice rough, almost resigned.

The voice on the other end made his eyes snap open. Soft, sweet, and laced with a tender urgency, Aaravi’s voice cut through the shadows around him.

“Rakshit! Are you okay? When did you get to Mumbai?”

Her concern, so genuine, was like a balm on his frayed nerves. For a moment, the tension in his body melted, and the chaos of the day faded into the background. Her voice, gentle yet insistent, was grounding him in a way he didn’t fully understand. It wasn’t just the relief of hearing someone who cared—it was *her*.

“Aaravi,” he breathed, the smallest of smiles playing on his lips. “I’m… I’m fine. Just reached a while ago.”

Silence hung between them, weighted with unspoken words. Her sigh, barely audible, was one of relief mixed with worry. “You’re sure you’re okay?” she pressed, the gentleness of her voice hiding an edge of tension. “I’ve been trying to reach you all day. When you didn’t pick up, I thought… I thought something had happened.”

Rakshit’s heart clenched at the strain in her voice, and he could almost picture her, pacing her room in worry, fighting the urge to call again. He glanced at the clock: 3 a.m. The realization that she’d stayed up, just waiting for him, tugged at something buried deep within his guarded heart.

“It’s late, Aaravi,” he said softly. “You should be asleep. You have surgeries lined up early in the morning.”

He could hear her tired laugh, soft but lacking her usual brightness. “I know… but I couldn’t rest. Not until I knew you were safe. Today… I don’t know. I just had this strange feeling, and when you didn’t answer…” her voice faded into the quiet, heavy with the weight of unspoken fears. She had always been calm and steady, but tonight she sounded vulnerable, shaken.

He paused, feeling an unfamiliar ache in his chest. "I’m sorry, Aaravi," he murmured, each word carrying a rare sincerity. "I didn’t mean to worry you. Something… came up." He hesitated, not wanting to pull her into the dangerous world he navigated daily. His battles were his alone to bear; she was too pure, too untouched by that darkness.

Yet, Aaravi could sense the heaviness in his voice, even if he tried to mask it. “Rakshit,” she whispered, her voice almost pleading. “I know I might not understand everything you go through. But promise me you’ll take care of yourself.” Her voice softened, the warmth of her care evident. “I don’t care how strong you are—no one’s invincible. Please, just… be careful.”

For a moment, Rakshit’s stoic armor cracked. Her words seeped through, wrapping around the parts of him that he had long buried. No one had spoken to him like this in years. No one had seen him as anything more than the ruthless mafia boss, an impenetrable force. Yet here was Aaravi, staying up past midnight just to make sure he was safe. Her concern was so genuine it both scared and comforted him.

A smile ghosted across his lips, tender and rare. “For you, I’ll be careful,” he murmured, his voice softer than he intended. It was a promise he meant, even if he couldn’t fully grasp why.

She fell silent, and he could almost feel her hesitation, the desire to say more but knowing she needed to let him rest. “Just remember… someone cares about you, Rakshit. No matter what world you’re in, that won’t change.” Her voice was warm, gentle, like a whisper meant only for him. The sincerity behind it made his chest tighten.

He swallowed, feeling emotions he wasn’t used to grappling with. "I won’t forget," he replied, his tone steady but laced with an unspoken promise. He could imagine her sitting there, biting her lip, eyes soft and filled with the concern he had rarely seen directed toward him.

“Goodnight, Rakshit,” she whispered, her words lingering in the air between them. “Take care… please.”

“Goodnight, Aaravi,” he murmured back, almost wishing the conversation could go on just a little longer. “And… thank you.”

After they hung up, Rakshit lay back, feeling her words linger in his mind, a gentle echo that somehow dulled the harshness of his reality. He closed his eyes, his heart still echoing with the warmth of her voice. And as sleep finally claimed him, it wasn’t the violence or betrayal that haunted his dreams but the quiet sound of her voice, her care, and the rare peace she had unknowingly given him.

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